The bells are sounding through the open window currently (it's 6:30pm) and the washing machine is trugging away (it sounds like an alien invasion). We left almost every window in the apartment open today because the weather was just perfect! I think it was around the 70's with a light breeze and a bit of cloud cover. Compared to yesterday's weather which had me dreaming of swimming pools and air conditioning, today was just what this time of year calls for.
Oh how I already miss Italy.
These past couple of weeks have been spent solely in Florence (which I am so thankful for) but it made me grow even further attached to this wonderful city. Although it rained for much of it, I was still able to enjoy lounging in this AMAZING apartment I still can't believe I have the pleasure of "renting" for even this short period of time. Never in my life will I be in this situation again. That is just so beyond weird to think about. I feel as if just last week, literally, I was hopping off the plane and seeing the Duomo for the first time (and feeling kind of stupid because I knew nothing about it). Now, I can tour anyone around and point out churches, secret passageways, the best pizza place in town, the best gelato place in town, the best pub in town, the best place to get a panini, the best restaurant to get gnocchi that literally melts in your melt, and lead you to the most amazing views this city has to offer! If that doesn't make you want to hop and a plane and come visit, I don't know what will!
I have had to say a lot of goodbye's so far and it feels so strange because it's really not hitting me!! I think it's because I still have 3 more months in Europe and I am extremely excited for it. While others are crying with sadness, I am buzzing with excitement of what's to come. Honestly, the hardest thing to leave right now is this apartment. I can come back to Florence anytime, I plan on visiting all the people I have grown close to, but I will probably never call this apartment mine ever again in my life! Oh, how sentimental I am sometimes. The window in my room (the room in which I pretty much stole when our other roommate left) brings me such peace and as I hang out of it looking out at the tiled roofs below and the rolling hills ahead and hear the birds chirping and the crazy Italians talking and yelling, I can't help but forget all my problems and just smile and be so content with where I am in life.
This past Friday we had a program dinner at this wonderfully beautiful villa on the outskirts of Florence, overlooking the city below. I will have my wedding here. End of story. Anyways, the dinner was perhaps one of my favorite memories of the entire program. It was lovely to see everyone I normally just go to class with all dressed up and smiley and in just such great spirits. The weather was beyond perfect and after a short bus ride and another much-too-long-in-heels hike up to the villa, we had arrived! While everyone wiped sweat off their perfectly made up faces, we were led into the mansion and I was in complete awe. When we reached the backyard, the view was breathtaking and everyone, como sempre, whipped out their cameras and started snapping away! I felt so elegant the entire night and picture after picture, appetizer after appetizer, green juice after green juice (we aren't allowed alcohol...so lame), pasta after potatoes after weird stuffed meat thing after delicious strawberry dessert thing, conversation after great conversation, I grew happier and happier. Towards the end of the night, each class showed either a slideshow or a video representing themselves. We chose to show a slideshow of the favorite places we visited, which was very cute, and afterward the teachers had an announcement. They had each selected one or two students to win an "award" of being the official ambassador of the program at our UC and, I was selected!! I had luckily just put my heels back on underneath the table and it was a great surprise.
I got a few pictures with my Italian professor as well and I am going to miss her SO much!! Francesca is one of the best teacher's I have ever had and I was sooooo sad to say goodbye to her. She wants to get coffee when I come back to Florence, though, so I can't be TOO sad.
Okay back to my time in Italy. My housemates. I have grown especially close to the three of them within these last few weeks and that makes everything all the more harder. They are such great girls, all unique in such different ways, and they have taught me SO much. My mind has been greatly opened because of them and I will always hold a special place in my heart for them. I feel like they really got to know me, as I got to know them, and I am so thankful for that. We have an insane amount of ridiculous memories that will never be forgotten!
I will write a separate blog entry once I am in Holland (I start traveling at 6am tomorrow morning and get to my Grandma's house around 2 or 3pm I am hoping) and have 10 days of relaxing time! I am looking forward to relaxing before starting off on this insane travel-around-Europe shin dig.
Just to have it in writing, the plan so far is:
1. Gma's for 10 days
2. Italy for 7 days with Meaghan
3. Spain for 7 days with Meaghan and then Katie
4. Italy for 7 days with Katie
5. Greece for 7 days with Katie
6. Budapest for 4 days with Katie
7. 9 days for both Paris and Belgium (Meg re-joins)
8. A day for Justine in Germany, a day at Sam's, and then 4 days in Berlin with Sam/Meg/Katie
9. A few days in Holland with Meg and Katie, then Meg leaves for home
10. Katie and I off to Ireland to WOOF for 1 week (work on an organic farm for free housing/food, ask me about that one later ha)
11. UK for a week-ish
12. Back to Holland for a week (maybe a little more travel in there)
13. HOME JULY 26!!! (out of Amsterdam and into LAX)
Wow. Now do you see why I am so excited??
A presto! Baccio!
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