technical difficulties.

Due to ridiculousness on the part of my internet provider, no update today. I was planning to begin my first spring break installment, but it appears that it will have to wait until tomorrow. Stay tuned for my adventures in Dublin!

there's no place like florence.

Well, I just arrived back at my apartment in Florence, and immediately threw open my suitcase, grabbed my shampoo, and took a shower. A whole day of traveling by train, bus, and plane can make a girl feel a little disgusting. I'm also currently boiling a pot of pasta for an early dinner, considering I have eaten nothing but peanut M&M's since 7:00 AM this morning.

I had an incredible (and crazy) spring break, but I am definitely wiped! I think I'll need another break to recover from spring break.

I have a lot to update on, but I may not get to it until tomorrow (and it will probably take several days to cover everything...attempting to cover 10 days, 4 countries, and 4 cities in one entry is exhausting to even think about). Of course, never underestimate my powers of procrastination...tonight I have to: do laundry, clean my room, finish a paper for my writing class, do my Italian homework, and hopefully start uploading and sorting the 1000+ pictures I took.

lounging in london.

Current location: Jessica's flat, on her ridiculously comfortable bed. Jess is currently putting her face on before we head to Borough Market and hopefully Kingston later this evening, if the weather decides to cooperate.

Since I've been here, Jess and her boyfriend, Lucio, have been showing me the less-touristy side of London. It has been heavily coffee-themed, with a prominent side of balconies and delicious little restaurants (and one cookie store in particular that has stolen my heart). I've been extremely tired ever since I got here, so it has been nice to just kind of lounge about and catch up with everything that has been going on in Jessica's hectic life.

Like I said, we are about to head to Borough Market, a large food market located eastward, across the river. Onalee recommended that I visit since I missed out last time, and Jess's roommate Elaiha just mentioned a fantastic veggie burger place over there where I am hoping to nab a (second) lunch (Jessica just force fed me some pasta left over from her and Lucio's lunch). We have been wanting to hit up Kingston ever since my first day here, but a combination of weather and homework have made it a bit difficult. Hopefully the rain will stay away so that this evening we can go have a nice dinner on the river.

Then, much later tonight, I get to catch a train from King's Cross to Stansted Airport, where I'll catch a flight to Eindhoven, Netherlands at 6:55 AM. Ew. Hopefully the Dutch can at least attempt to compete with the culinary and coffee experience I've had thus far in London.

This post seems a bit incoherent. I'm telling you, I have been out of it this whole week, ever since before Dublin, even. I hope I'm not getting sick, because when I get back to Florence on Monday, I officially have less than two months left abroad. WHAT?

planes, trains, and automobiles.

Why, hello there! Do I actually still have a blog? Doesn't feel like it after being away for like...four whole days. Haha. Can you say addicted?

Anyway, we just made it to London this evening...at least, some of us did. KJ lost her passport at some point on the way from Galway to the Dublin airport, so she and Laura are stuck in Dublin until she can get to the embassy tomorrow and try to sort things out. That means that I am in London with their roommates that I barely know (and have very little in common with)....uhhhhh.....awkward.

This whole weekend was super intense traveling though! I have been on four buses,three trains, two planes, and the London Underground since last Friday morning. It's like the 12 Days of Christmas, except it's the 12 modes of travel. And I've still got at least two more planes, a train, and two more bus rides in my very near future. Lovin' life, folks.

I'm not going for a real update here; just logging into say that I survived Ireland (BARELY. So. Much. Guinness.) and am now back in England, ready to just drink some coffee, read my book, and maybe go to some museums. Since I have already been here, I don't feel super pressured to get around to all the touristy sights or go out super late at night to party. This is my rest between the craziness that was Ireland and what is sure to be madness when I meet up with Sam and her friends in Amsterdam this weekend. Time to relaxxxxxx!

Ciao for now! (Yeah, I keep forgetting they speak English here and speaking to them in Italian. Whoops.)

thoughts on spring break and buying wine in bulk.

Today, I took my last midterm. Tomorrow, I am hopping a train at 4:35 AM to catch an 11:15 AM flight...because it costs 16 euro less. I think I inherited a few of my father's money-conscious tendencies. I will land in Dublin at 1:15 PM, where I will spend three days, departing Monday to spend an evening in Belfast, Northern Ireland. From there, I will go back to Dublin to fly to London, where I will spend four (hopefully restful) days, just exploring the city and hanging out with Jess. Superearly Saturday morning, I will fly to Eindhoven, Netherlands and then catch a bus to Amsterdam, from which I will return to Pisa on Monday afternoon. Phew! That sounds exhausting.

Spring break is going to be incredibly fun, but also very tiring. I'm starting to wish that I'd booked an earlier flight back, just so that I can rest before school starts all over again, but I intend to live up my 11 days away from Italy! I won't be leaving the country again until the end of April for my trip to Barcelona (how crazy does that sound? "I won't be leaving the country again until a month from now...").

So this afternoon, after a celebratory midterms-are-over lunch in my kitchen, me and the roomies hit the town to run a few errands...print a few travel documents for the anal traveler who NEEDS the weather forecast and directions to every hostel printed out...buy some locks for the hostels...and of course, buy wine in bulk.

What?

Yes, you heard right. You buy one of these bottles...

And they fill it up for you from one of these giant vats...

For really cheap! Like 2 euro per liter.

Crazy, right?

Look! It's glowing.

This was actually Sam's wine, but I was intrigued with the process. Might have to buy my own (smaller bottle) when I get back from break. It's just another one of those ridiculous things that Italy does that when you stop to think about it is actually kind of ingenius. No, the wine is probably not the best quality, but none of us are winos here; wine is wine! And if it's cheapest to drink it out of a refillable bottle, then, goshdarnit, I'm gonna!

And for my father, who was inquiring about grocery stores here, I was an incredible tourist and took photos of the inside. I try to buy fresh produce from the central market, but the grocery store is just so convenient! Two blocks away.

Not nearly as pretty as il mercato centrale.

The grocery stores here are not like they are at home. Instead of one giant room filled with aisles, they are just a series of rooms with small shelves in each one. It can be quite a maze.

I can't believe I am actually leaving tomorrow for spring break. That means my time here is half over! It is so bittersweet for me...on the one hand, I never want to leave Italy. I love it here. But on the other hand, the idea of going home and just spending my summer relaxing and focusing on me sounds really irresistable. And I miss UF, a lot more than I thought I would. At this point, I'm just trying to take it as it comes and not wish for it to go any faster or slower. Just enjoy my time while it lasts, and I'll be ready to go home when the time comes.

I'll try to update while I'm on spring break, but I make no promises. It may be March 29 the next time you hear from me. Arrivederci!

listen to your body (and your mother).

It's St. Patrick's Day, and while all the rest of the 20 and 21-year-olds are out getting their drink on with green beer (someone please agree with me here: green beer sounds like the most horrifying thing in the world), I am...at home wearing my PJ's, reading blogs, watching TV, doing crossword puzzles, and generally avoiding studying. I am not normal.

St. Patrick's day is not really a big deal to the Italians, except that they know it is a big deal to the thousands of Americans studying here, so they tend to go all out. In spite of this, I was planning on going out tonight. I SWEAR. I promised Sam that I would go on this epic (and uber expensive) pub crawl with her, but my stomach had other plans. After stuffing down a delicious (and cheap) cinnamon raisin bagel right before my cooking exam this evening, I started experiencing the worst stomach cramps ever. Food poisoning? Either way, I'm not going out, and my wallet and my GPA are thanking me. I'm sure Sam will survive without me, despite her skepticism at my texts begging off. Besides, with a midterm at noon that I am just not ready for, it's for the best. You just have to listen to your body sometimes (and your mother, who would agree that staying in tonight is the best option).

I am truly coming to realize here that I just do not enjoy going out. It's such a process, getting ready and then walking out to the bars, paying money to be sexually harassed by Italian men, and then stumbling home at 3 AM, only to wake up the next morning, still paying the price in the form of a hangover. Not my kind of fun. I enjoy going out and having a glass of prosecco with my apperitivo. I enjoy grabbing a cocktail at a bar and coming home early. But this whole partying-get-drunk-all-the-time thing just ain't my thang. And I need to learn to be cool with that, and just say no to wasting money on things that I don't enjoy. Cappuccino? Yes, please! Late night at the Lion's Fountain? No, thank you.

Aaaaand guess what else? A little birdie (or an email) told me that my long-awaited package had finally arrived! A frustrating walk up and down Via Magenta, 45 minutes and 13 euro later, I have BLACK BOOTS! Thanks, Mom!

They fit and everything!

Aren't they pretty?

I was going to wear them out tonight, but I suppose breaking them in in Dublin is almost the same thing as breaking them in on St. Patty's day, right?

This is what the rest of my evening looks like:

Don't worry, I'm not suffering alone; midterms have taken over here at The Palace:


Yep, I get to spend the rest of my night with a cup of coffee and this handsome man...

Oh, Cosimo the Elder, you're such a fox! Ti amo!

(Not.)

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Hold onto your [winter] hats; Florence is going green!

But more on that momentarily.

I started off the day with two midterms: one at 9 AM in my Italian Language class (Boom. Easy peasy.) and finished with a 12 PM exam in my Travel Writing class (Prompt: "Impressions of Florence"). I feel confident that I did well on both, and after I finished my essay, I flounced across the river to accompany Mary to a costume exhibit at the Palazzo Pitti, an old palace originally built by the Pitti family that was later taken over by the Medici. It is now home to several different museum exhibits.

The exhibit was interesting, but tiny! It only took us about 15 minutes to get throught the whole thing. So since the weather has been so nice (of course, during midterm week when we are all being antisocial cave creatures), we decided to take advantage of another Pitti feature: the Boboli Gardens. Today, it was sunny and probably in the mid-sixties: perfect garden-exploring weather.

The "Gardens" were so large that it was more of a park. It is definitely going to take another visit to feel like I've really seen everything Boboli has to offer.

The back of the Palazzo Pitti.

It's almost...dare I say...springtime!

We made another friend! He even let us pet him.

Because...what is a garden without a statue of an obese man riding a turtle?

Tomorrow is going to be full of all of my favorite things...shopping at mercato centrale, lunch with Gillian at Sergio Gozzi, and then...studying. Studying all afternoon until my cooking exam at 6 PM after which we are PUB CRAWLING for St. Patrick's Day. Epic.

Hope your day was as green and gorgeous as mine was! Ciao!