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...

Friday, Friday, trying to get down on Friday...

This morning was orientation… I was soooo tired I don’t know how I made it through that. In the afternoon we started our apartment hunting. It went well and we went to sign a lease at the end of the night (me and 3 other girls from the program) and another group of our friends were there signing a lease for the same apartment… So the search continues… I'm sure we will find a place soon. I cant wait! I just want to know where I will live and get settled in.

We went out to the same place as the night before then a discotecca called twice. It was so much fun... It's like living in the dorms with all of the students in the hotel this week. Its great and everyone looks out for each other. It's going to be weird all moving into our own apartments... I can't wait to find one though and have a routine...

Red garter

We spent the day walking around the city… At night was our first official group dinner at the hotel. We have free lunch and dinner for the week which is amazing. Pasta, caprese , salad…

Then we all went out with a bottle of vino… eventually got to a discotecca called the red garter. We walked in and it was people from our program doing Kareoke… soooo funny! I guess we should get all of our touristy American antics out of our system while there are no Italians here.  Drinks are so so so expensive…  fun night though.

Exploring the City! Bellisima!

We woke up around 8 to see the city… Booked it straight to the to the duomo to see a wonderful  line to climb Brunellesci’s Dome. We decided since we live here for an entire year, we are going to wait until tourist season is over. Instead, we went to climb the bell tower next to the duomo. All 441 steps… It was breath taking. I can’t wait to do that again at sunset or sunrise.

                Next we walked through our first market. It is amazing how there are no Italian students here yet (they start school in September or October). As we mingled, it was all tourists from the US or other countries. I’m just so glad I will be here for a whole year so I don’t have to stress about how to see everything so soon. There is so much leather and so many scarves. I will definitely go crazy on the shopping when it gets cooler outside… its like 40 Celsius this week… like 100 F…

                We walked everywhere (which takes no time at all). The ponte vecchio, every piazza…. Then I split off from the group for a little exploring. I walked to La Piazza Republica and just took everything in. There was a man with an acoustic guitar playing My Heart Will Go On… it was just an amazing moment and I will never forget it. Next I had my first gelato!!! So amazing. Then I snuck into my art school… I was scared I was going to get locked in but there was a delivery truck with the gate cracked… it was so breathtaking…

                I got back to the hotel and more people had arrived. Soooo many names to remember. So many interesting, driven people that are so happy to be here. Who wouldn’t be… We all got ready to go out and had champagne and raspberries on a top floor balcony… The view is amazing and you can see so much of the city. I just can’t believe I actually live here!

Oh what a night...

Wow. So last evening I landed in Firenze… what an amazing experience. There was beautiful golden light on everything… It couldn’t have been more breath taking soaring in over the Tuscan countryside. I shared a taxi with 2 girls from the program and we got us (and our luggage) to the hotel hassle free. First thing I saw when I walked into the hotel was a kandinsky replica (my favorite artist for those of my who don’t know me too well J ) It turns out the whole hotel is decorated Kandinsky style… it is fate.

                I ended up running into a few people from the CSU program at the hotel and we decided to take a night stroll (una passigeatta) to the duomo! It was only a 15 minute walk from our hotel and it almost brought me to tears… possibly my favorite piece of arcitecture in the world. So large and overwhelming. It’s amazing how you can see it from any possible place in the city.

I came back to the hotel and we went out on the town with like 10 girls from the program and 1 guy. The 1 guy really makes a difference to how people approach you when youre out. It definitely made me fell a lot safer. We had a slice of delicous pizza on the steps of the duomo, then went to an irish pub right near un piazza… so much fun. I had a cuba libre (or two), which I quickly found out is a rum and coke... We got back to the hotel around 2:30 and I passed out… Ready for an early morning adventure to the duomo!

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

The excitement is making it impossible for me to sleep!!! I’m watching arthur on the plane, and I had two travel size wine bottles. My first legal drink… J

My goodbyes were really hard but I can’t wait for everyone I love to come and visit. I just know how monumental a year in Firenze at the accademia will be. I am going to get some shut eye…  Ho sonno. Arrevederci!

Leaving one paradise in exchange for another.

End of camp... 3 days until Italia!

This was a great summer working at Kennolyn... I cant believe that it's over! I will miss my coworkers, campers, costumes and crafts. However, that means I finally have a few days to prepare for Italy :) I have been so busy that I haven't been able to pack and put together my portfolio to photograph...That's what I will be doing the next few days, and hanging out with my wonderful boyfriend who is visiting to see me off on my trip... Goodbye dinner tonight with friends and then one with my family... I cant believe this time is finally here. This has been my dream for so long and it's about to become reality.