For scale:

My housemates walking by the Duomo on the bottom right!

Cinque Giorni

Now that I have a little time to myself, an organized room, and working wireless, I can actually discuss what's been happening thus far! Here is a condensed version of the past 5 days:

I arrived after a loooong flight to the Florence airport to discover that one of my bags had been lost between Zurich and Florence - along with about 30 other students from my program. Let me tell you, standing in line with that many cranky, jetlagged American students for 4 hours (yes, I repeat, 4 hours!) in line was really no fun. I've ever seen a line move slower. Apparently they just didn't have room on the little plane for 57 American students' multiple heavy suitcases equipped for 4 months worth of stuff. And I was definitely guilty in that. Good news was that I got my bag the next morning. Plus, I met some nice girls in line that I ended up hanging out with a bunch this week. Also, I got off lucky - Ashley's flight from Frankfurt got CANCELLED and she got there a day late!

We did a lot of administrational and safety orientational things for the first couple days while we stayed at this nice hotel. One night I was going out with some girls and my friend from Skidmore and we saw some of our Skidmore friend's in a random bar! They're doing another program and have been here for 3 or 4 weeks now and have a much better handle of things to do, etc, so I've been hanging out with them a bit. Turns out that one of those people, James, lives literally around the corner from my apartment! He lives with really cool people, including 2 housemates from Malta. One of them made rabbit for dinner the other night and it was so delicious.

Speaking of my apartment, we've all moved in! It was a little rocky the first day because our heat was broken and it was FREEZING. Now, it's cold in all Italian apartments (the heat only turns on at certain hours in the day, mandated by law)...which all of us Americans have a hard time with (except that I'm totally used to it at home). But that first night they put us up in the bed and breakfast in our building instead. So it wasn't until yesterday that I really unpacked and got settled here, which feels great. Our apartment is cute, not as nice as some, but in a really good, central location which is wonderful.

We've been having more orientation things all week. It's nice to be finally settled, but all of our time commitments, plus the jet lag, plus the fact that I have horrible blisters on my pinkie toes from wearing heels the first nice, combined with the grey and very chilly weather, has made it so that I haven't really been able to just explore on my own at all. I think I've become way more independent than I realized because I'm so not used to feeling obligated to going everywhere in big groups of people...One really nice thing, though too is that a fun and nice group of boys from our program (including my friend from SCOOP at Skidmore) live in the apartment directly below us. When Ashley and I look out our window and down, we can see their balcony! It's been fun to hang out with them a bit - last night we went out with most of our apartment and their apartment.

This weekend I'm going to a huge potluck! Plus I want to explore explore explore (and nurse my poor toes back to health), go to the Centrale Markata to buy tons of fresh groceries, and meet new people!

Ciao, ciao!!

Ciao!

Okay so I'm actually alive and in Florence!

I moved into my apartment yesterday, actually unpacked today, and finally set up my wireless so now I can communicate. I don't have much time to write because I'm getting ready to go out, but I'll post a longer thing with pictures later!!!

1 Week!

In just one week, I'll be arriving in Florence - my home until exactly May 15 - where I'll be studying abroad that the Lorenzo de'Medici school. I'm living in an apartment with 5 other girls (including my wonderful friend Ashley) and taking these classes: Intermediate Painting, Fashion Photography (so freaking excited), International Art Business, Beginning Italian, and...hopefully I'll be interning at an art museum. I'm interviewing with the class coordinator when I get there... ::fingers crossed::

Last year at this time, before I went to Prague, I was super super nervous and scared. But those nerves are out of my system this time and the thing I'm most worried about is what/how to pack. I'm insanely excited for a beautiful city, warmer weather, delicious food, great fashion, and obviously...ART!