Paris #2

Awesome building covered in vegetation by the Eiffel Tower.

Hands down, most delicious thing I ate in Paris. A gigantic Panini Hot Dog. They took a baguette, put 2 hot dogs in it, covered it in cheese and stuck in the Panini maker :) It was incredible, we got them twice while we were here...

Ordered beers under the Eiffel tower and waited for it to sparkle :)

Everyone should be able to get a chance to see the Tower sparkle once in their lives. Incredible.

Bought Macroons from Laudree :)

French Fries ON the Eiffel Tower.

Coolest bottle ever.

Paris

MAX IS HERE! :) I really don't think I have ever been so excited to see anyone ever in my entire life. I met Max at the airport at the beginning of our PLP break (after our intensive language classes end we had a week long break). It was the best feeling ever.

The next afternoon, we had to catch a flight to Paris... tough life :) Our flight only cost 24 Euros, round trip, gotta love RyanAir. We got to Paris and checked into our incredible hotel in the center of the city . It is such a romantic city, you just want to walk around Paris for days. We were so hungry when we checked into the hotel and it was so late at night, so we ordered the best room service of my life. I hadn't had a Burger in months, and this was definitely the place to order one...

The next morning, we slept in then left the hotel looking for breakfast/lunch. I went to take out money out of an ATM and I got robbed by gypsy children, but I am so thankful the Police saw the whole thing happen and I was able to get my money back. We had to go to the police station for four hours and we were starving. Nobody spoke English at the station so it definitely took a while... The crepe I had right after we left was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten, we were so hungry. By then it was about 4 and we were planning on meeting up with my friend CS for dinner. We walked around the area and sat by the Seine together. We then went and had a delicious dinner and bought some wine and returned to the incredible hotel. The next morning, we decided to go to the Louvre. I had been when I was really young, but it is amazing how much I can really appreciate that museum now. I loved seeing the Winged Victory statue, there was so much to see.  Next we walked over the the Eiffel tower...

Torino Field Trip

We had a school Field Trip to Torino, we stayed for one night in the city. It was a beautiful city, we went by bus and saw a few other places on the way. We stopped in a small city to tour a Hunting Lodge, it was such a great fall day to walk around. We had crepes for lunch at a small cafe with hot chocolate. Hot chocolate in Italy is quite different than at home, and by that I mean it's basically a melted candy bar, right up my alley. We bought a bottle of wine and drank it on the bus of course... We arrived at our hotel in Torino and had a delicious dinner, the gnocchi was amazing. The next day we took a tour of the city, there were some incredible sights to see. Once we had some free time, we  had some lunch at an adorable 1940's cafe, did a little planking then went to the Egyptian museum. It was phenomenal, the second largest Egyptian museum in the world. So many mummies, preserved objects, coffins ect. I took so many pictures the whole trip, it was a modern city (for Italy) with great arcitecture and fun people. It was my first experience in Northern Italy, bedsides Venice, and it was so different than Florence. No terracotta rooftops or Renaissance paintings. It was nice to get back to Florence, as always.

We stopped in Santa Margarita on the Coast to see the ocean... Beautiful day.

Took a tour of that "Hunting Lodge" behind us... And minutes later ran towards that fountain and got yelled at :)

Just some typical planking...

Checking out the town Graffitti

We had some incredible chocolates from Torino :)

Art Exam OVER! :)

Figurative Exam

Conceptual Exam

I can't believe my exam is really over... It feels so amazing. I have been waiting so long to take it and it is so wierd to have it behind me. Im sitting here on my Friday night with a bottle of vino, so happy. It was an intense week. It was a a four day exam. We had from 830-230 each day. The first 2 were still life and figure drawing. The next 2 were a mural and a free day. I feel pretty good about each day. The only day where I really struggled was the first day, mainly because I thought we had until 430... But it is all behind me and I have to wait around a week for results... Im ready for a relaxing weekend.

Oktoberfest oh-eleven!

Last week, while I should have mainly been preparing for my art exams, we made awesome Oktoberfest t-shirts and bought colorful suspenders (mine pink of course). On Friday night (midnight), we boarded a bus for Oktoberfest. I slept the whole ride to Munich, waking up a few times to see another beautiful place and then finally a beautiful sunrise in the German countryside. It was amazing and I cannot wait to go back to Germany to really see the country. At 7am we had breakfast and changed into our wonderful Oktoberfest gear :)

It was an amazing, beer filled day. We got into a beer tent as soon as we got there and got ourselves some gorgeous, huge steins of beer. You obviously don't need too many in one day...

I had 3-(4?) steins throughout the day, a pretzel and a bratwurst. I was with my friends from CSU for the whole morning, I met up with a friend from home and I wandered for a little bit with some other people from the program. By the time night time rolled around, I was so exhausted. All that beer takes it out of you. The bus ride home was not so fun, and I managed to lose my phone and itouch at Oktoberfest. In the words of Eric "That's the price you have to pay..." hahaha it was an epic day. I will have to settle with trading my phone and itouch for a beautiful glass stein and some awesome blurry memories.

Month #1...

I cannot believe a month has already flown by. I don't think I have ever done so much in one month. Moving to Florence feels like so long ago. It is nice to finally have a routine of sorts in my life (especially one that includes traveling every weekend).

We have already traveled to so many places... We went to Cinqueterre the first weekend, which is on the coast of Italy. There are 5 towns (cinque-terre) that you walk through, or take the train... It was so beautiful and the water was so amazing. We jumped off cliffs, ate a great lunch and swam in the rain. We also went to Venice and stayed with a friend of my roomates. It was so great to stay with someone who knew the city so well, especially when we only had the weekend there. There was also La Binnale Arte while I was there, which was the most amazing art show I have ever been to. I also took a one hour train to visit Pisa for the day and take some ridiculous pictures... I have been taking so many pictures and I have really been enjoying it. I will post a few, but I have most of them on facebook :)

School is going well, I am taking Intensive Italian 9-12 everyday and an art class twice a week for 3 hours to prepare for our art exam at L'Accademia di Belle Arte... I can't believe it is already here, I have never been so intimidated by a test... It is an entire week of art testing (4 seperate peieces) from 8-4. I can't wait until it is over :) Good thing I have Oktoberfest before to keep my mind off it!

Cinqueterre / Calcio

First Italian calcio game :)

Walk to school... One of many.

New, but old art supplies... they just need some lovin :) :) :)

Cinqueterre... amazing.

My First Espresso

                This morning we had class, but before class we needed an espresso for sure. It was so delicious! We had an espresso and una pasta (pastry). In class, we went to go buy our Italian book and I finally got an assignment notebook! I got an awesome moleskin one and I feel so much more organized. I love it. Then after class, I ran more errands to get stuff for my new apartment! I also bought some art supplies!!! I’m so excited for my art class tomorrow. We also have our first Italian quiz tomorrow.

                Then I took my first real nap! It was heavenly. I woke up and went to the supermarcato to grab food for my first meal in my apartment! I made a caprese salad and pasta with basil. Then I studied… I’m so proud of myself for studying and not drinking vino…

Move in Day

This morning was class from 9-12… Then a few of me and my roommates and a few other people from our program ate a una pizzeria called Puggi. I will take a picture of my next meal there (I will be going there a lot) because it is definitely my favorite pizza. So fresh and delicious…
Then we all went back to the hotel together to pack up to move into our apartment. We grabbed a taxi and headed over to Obbi One ZANOBI to move in J That’s how I remember my street name… We went to pay our first month’s rent and then started unpacking. It felt so good to finally have a place to relax. I am semi unpacked. My room is awesome! I have a huge closet and old wooden doors with stained glass windows. They are so beautiful. My twin bed is semi comfy but I'm so tired every night it will be no problem. I also have a desk and bookshelves.
I finally got to skype with my parents for the first time! It was so nice to update them and give them a skype tour of our house. We need to get some basic household things (like possibly toilet paper and a towel). We all had to use the same towel after we showered… but it felt so good to shower in our own apartment!!! I painted my nails while we watched an episode of Jersey Shore and sipped champagne in our new house… It was a sense of normalcy. I love painting my nails J It was so funny to watch Jersey Shore and see our city. So so so embarrassing, they are awful. It is a really dense/small city and it has been so easy to get to know. There are so many landmarks and historical locations that it’s like impossible to get lost, and you can almost always see the Duomo.
I stayed up late so I could finally skype Max! It was so nice to hear his voice and see his face… It has been only a week but it feels like so much longer since we have made so many life changes. Well, I’m so tired so Buena notte!

The Beginning of (Semi) Real Life

First day of class!! It went well... It was just one Italian class for 3 hours that we have everyday. It's going to move really really fast. Then I went back to the hotel and organized all of my stuff and hung out with people at the hotel... I cant believe it but we move into our apartment tomorrow (domani!!)

At 16:30 we had our first Art Advising Session!!!!! I have been waiting to hear more about the school I will be going to (hopefully) in a month for sooo long. The advisor is so nice... we don't have much training at the accademia, its kind of a free for all where the professor just tells you if your work is trash or not. But apparently they are very qualified to do so, so I will just have to prepare myself. So she is going to help us plan out our year and practice with different mediums for the next month to prepare us for L'Accademia di Belle Arti entrance exam. And we have a live model every session... I'm so so excited. I'm scared i will never sleep preparing myself for the exam. I practice with the CSU Art Studio class and in the beginning of October, I will be taking a 2-4 day/all day art exam with drawing and painting. I just can't wait to be in! I hope it all works out. My favorite part is how even when I tell Italians that I am going to be studying at the accademia they are impressed, and I'm sure they think no way because classes are taught in Italian... Its going to be a crazy month/year! Then we went out to a gelaterie with our advisor... half stratticella and half caffe... so delicious. Then we booked it back to the hotel for one of our last free dinners...


Tonight was also the once a month free night at all the museums from 7-11. So we went the the Galleria di Accademia to see Michelangelo's DAVID. We just got back and I cannot describe the feeling of standing in front of the statue. It was pretty emotional. I have heard so many times how different it is in person than in pictures but seriously, it was incredible. It was huge and perfect. I stood in front of him for 45 minutes in awe. I just love to imagine Michelangelo sculpting him. It only took him 3 years and it makes you want to throw yourself on the ground and tell him "im not worthy! im not worthy!" It really inspired my to work this year here. Like really really put time into my art. Im so glad that I will be here for a whole year and I am so excited to start my art classes.

I also found out then when we get into the accademia, we will get a museum pass for allllll of the state museums in italia!!! So when I am in need of inspiration at the accademia, I can walk out the door, walk 100 yard to the left, walk into the galleria and be standing in front of david and all of michelangelo's unfinished works (so so amazing to see how he worked).

Next, me and Jan. grabbed una birra and headed over to the Uffizi. There was only half an hour until the museums closed so I had to close my eyes and run to the Birth of Venus by Botticelli... It was so worth it. It is one of my favorite Rennisance paintings and it was so breathtaking to see it in person. It was hard not having time to look at much else but at least I know I will be living here for a year with free access :) I cannot wait to dive into my art. I am feeling truly inspired.

Buona notte!

Monday

Today we had our PLP exam to place us in our language classes then a general meeting…

Then me and my new roommate Mar. (I’m going to use name abbreviationsJ) went to lunch and ran some errands. We had a delicious slice of pizza (like I do everyday, they weigh it by the slice) with prosciutto, goat cheese and artichoke hearts. So delicious. Then we trekked over to the library. I got a library card! The library is huge and so beautiful… I cant wait to check out books and music when my Italian gets better (more like when it exists). I went and bought some of my art supplies then came back to the hotel. I am waiting to buy my paints and paper until the end of the week. The store was awesome though. They keep the paint pigments in huge jars behind the counter, to bind your own paint. It was so beautiful.

Then… we went to go get our apartment keys! Our landlords were awesome. They told us everything we needed to know about our apartment and now it is ours! I can't wait to move in. It's an awesome place! It's really roomy for an Italian apartment.

And I am going to sleep at 12! The earliest I have yet by like 3 hours.... Buena notte.

An Ideal Sunday

      Today we took a tour with the CSU program around Firenze! It was a 4 hour tour and so wonderful... Everywhere you turn there is something you have seen picture of at home...  It is breathtaking. So much arcitechture and history.

       We were starving and for 2.50 E we had the most amazing panino! I had a salami and artichoke and i fell in love... There is always a big line but sooo worth it.

       We all went back to the hotel and got ready and had dinner. We grabbed a bottle of wine and headed to Piazzale Michelangelo... we started off taking the bus and we failed miserably... so we decided to literally jog (un bere in hand). We got there right after sunset and it was one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. Some of us just sat on the steps and drank wine. I can't wait to have a tripod and go take more pictures at sunset... I had so much fun taking pictures!

Ho un'appartmento!

Got an appartment by 11:30! Such a relief! I will post pictures asap! My room has wooden doors with stained glass :) We move in Wednesday and I am so so so excited! The hotel is really fun but I can't wait to actually have a home :) for a year. I tried to nap but only had a few mintues... we are going to dinner then going out. I will get more pictures posted asap... our internet at the hotel isn't so great so im writing this in a word doc. and everything is posted late. i cant wait to move in and have internet. Ciao!

This one's for my girls at home...

 This it brunelleschi's last building. One word worthy of graffitting it. Well... Maybe not :) miss you all!

Pictures! Week one

Thank goodness they have jagerbombs in italia :)

So much awesome graffitti!!!

This one is for my dad... i would buy them if they werent like 8 E when we go out...

And this one is for Liz and Jessica/Lindsay.

Liz: your flask has saved many euros at the discoteccas :)

And Jess! I literally got like 10 compliments on my tiger shirt :)

Mi scuola :)

Pictures!

Our hotel is literally covered in Kandinsky prints! There are like 5 on each floor!

My first bottle of vino e salami

Breathtaking...