The end?

Surprise! I am back in America and have been for over a week.  The last few days after my final exams flew by, but thankfully I had time to say goodbye to my temporary home in Florence and the wonderful people I met there.

Although talk of an "Abroad Bucket List" began in March, none of us managed to ever write anything down, so on our last full day we ran around everywhere to try and check-off as much as we could.  For my personal list, this included climbing the Duomo.  Bre and I woke up very early and set out to climb the 463 steps to the top.  When we arrived we were rewarded with an amazing view of the entire city.  I was told to wait until the end of my stay to do the climb, and I'm glad I did. It was an amazing sight!


For the rest of the day, Bre, Sara, Kristi and I wandered around Florence taking it all in one last time.  We walked down the Arno, rode the carousel in Piazza Republica (sort of), walked around the Boboli gardens, and took a lot of pictures.  For dinner we got pizzas to-go and had a picnic in Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset.  We stayed there for a few hours, watching the sun disappear as the city lit up.

Once the day turned to night, it started to sink in that this journey was coming to an end.  This was especially clear when we got our last gelato.  The store owner Francesco came to know us well and gave us free gelato and free I <3 Gelato hats.  

Then it was time for our first real goodbye when Sara left Florence around midnight.  She was actually on my flight from Rome to Chicago the next day but had to take the train to Rome the night before. We definitely made a scene while we sat outside the train waiting for it to leave, and then ran after as it departed (We figured it was our last night to be "stupid Americans" in Italy). Later, we said the rest of our goodbyes and I departed for the airport around 4 am. By 5 am, the airport was swarming with American students heading home. I'm surprised the plane was able to take off with all the luggage it had to hold. Many hours later and off of no sleep, I arrived home. It was, of course, nice to see my family and sleep in my bed but I am already missing Europe. I will be returning as soon as I can!  

I wish there was some way I could show how being abroad changed me as a person, but I can't really describe it.  To be honest I am still figuring that out myself.  But after being back home it will start to show.  One thing is for sure though: these will not just be memories of a semester in college.  As corny as it sounds, the things I learned and the people I met will impact me for the rest of my life.  

The title of this post has a question mark because I'm not sure what comes next.  But this is the end for now.  Special thanks to my parents who let me study abroad in the first place, and thanks to everyone for following my story! Arrivederci e grazie a tutti!

Ultima Settimana a Firenze

One more week left in Florence....I can't believe this journey is coming to an end.  While trying to fit in as much as possible in this last week, I am also trying to enjoy the beauty of Florence on its own.  My temporary home here will never be the same; although I will surely come back and visit, it will never be how it is now.  This past semester has been like living a fake and perfect life and I am not ready to return to the real world.  All I can hang onto are the friendships created and the memories made.  


Since my last post we have done quite a lot.  Last Sunday Kristi, Sara, CJ and I took a day trip to Cinque Terre and finally got some beautiful weather!  We hiked around four out of the five towns and even got some swimming time in.  Kristi and CJ cliff jumped but I chickened out. I guess being abroad did not change my paranoia at all!


Each of the towns are very different, and a couple of them are still very destroyed from the flooding last fall.  We were unable to hike from town to town because of this.  Regardless, Cinque Terre was beautiful and I wish we had more time there.

Via dell'Amore

Hiking along the coastline 

On Monday night everyone went out to celebrate Notte Bianca (White Night).  Italians stayed out until 6 am to celebrate Labor Day which was the following day.  There were many free concerts and events going on throughout the night.  Tuesday happened to be my birthday so this worked out well - it was almost like Florence threw a huge birthday party for me.  They also set off lanterns over the river just like in the Disney movie Tangled where the King and Queen set off lanterns on the Princess' birthday every year to try and bring her home.  Same thing, right?

Some Notte Bianca festivities near our school

Lanterns over the Arno river

My 21st was definitely the best birthday I've had by far.  Not only did I get to celebrate with all of my friends but with the rest of Florence all night.  We tried to make it until sunrise but had to take a quick nap before heading out to Piazzale Michelangelo at 6 am to watch the 'sunrise.' (It was cloudy so we didn't get to see much).  Regardless, it was still one of my favorite nights in Florence by far! 

A cloudy Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo at 6 am

Viareggio Beach

Then on Friday we went to Viareggio, Italy for a beach day.  It was perfect weather but we all underestimated the sun and got a little burned...oops! Still a very relaxing day before the final stretch in Florence.




Tonight we are going to a huge concert type event for the TRL Awards in Piazzale Michelangelo.  Not sure what to expect but look for me on MTV! 

Prost!

Last weekend in Munich I probably heard the word "prost" over 100 times.  It means "cheers" in German and is a very popular phrase at the Munich Fruehlingsfest (Spring Beerfest) which we attended for the opening weekend.  Spring Beerfest is like Oktoberfest but smaller and more tame....basically a bunch of people from all over come together and celebrate in beer tents at a huge carnival.  Someone referred to it as Disneyland for Drunks which is pretty accurate.  I was originally nervous because I thought I would be surrounded by beer the entire weekend but this gluten free gal managed just fine. 

Bre in her dirndl

We left Florence Thursday night through the travel company Euroadventures and arrived at the Jaeger's Hostel around 3 am.  This is by far the best hostel we stayed at.  It was very clean, centrally located, and the bathroom was nicer than mine at home. The next day we tried out the free walking tour but ditched early because it was incredibly boring and rainy.  Instead we explored on our own.  Sara, Bre and I tried on dirndls which are traditional German outfits with the bodice, dress and apron.  We considered purchasing the outfits...but they weren't worth 150 euro.  Unfortunately we couldn't get a picture of all of us because the storekeeper was watching us like a hawk right next to the "No Photo or Video" sign.  But take my word that we looked very German.  Bre managed to sneak a picture in the dressing room.

Walking around Munich

The Glockenspiel at Marienplatz

The rest of the day we just walked around and got ready to head to the big beer tent, Augustiner Brau.  We got there around 6 pm and managed to get a table right near the front where a live band played all night.  It didn't take long until everyone was singing and dancing on the benches.  We stayed until closing time at 11 pm but we could have stayed longer if they let us.  

Augustiner Brau beer tent - holds 3,000 people!

Sara, Bre and Eric's first prost 

On Saturday we visited Dachau which is the location of one of the first ever Nazi concentration camps.  We walked around the camp and saw reconstructed barracks, a crematorium, and several memorials.  It was a completely different atmosphere from the previous night and very eye-opening.

Reconstructed barracks at Dachau

Crematorium 

After returning to Munich we walked around the Englischer Garten which is like the central park of Munich.  We saw the Munich Surfers who surf on the river, and we also enjoyed a drink at the Chinesischer Turm inside the park.  It was very pretty and relaxing!

Munich Surfers

Chinesischer Turm Bier Garten

That night we headed back to Augustiner Brau for round two, only we went a couple hours later and had to wait for over an hour to get into the tent.  By the time we made it in, we only had an hour or two to prost and dance before we were kicked out at 11 pm again.  Everyone made it out of the tent with a few steins for keepsakes.


 On Sunday we departed Munich around 10 am for the Neuschwanstein Castle in southwest Bavaria.  When we got off the bus we had a little hike up to the castle.  It began snowing on our way up, but as soon as we made it to the top it cleared up...what a magical moment it was!  The castle was amazing to see and it was even the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle.  We took a horse and carriage on the way down from the castle, so that added to the Disney vibe as well.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Sara, me and Bre on the bridge by the Castle

Our classy ride down from the castle

Only two weeks left in Florence!  I really can't believe it.  It is just hitting me that I will never be in the situation I am in now where I can experience life like this.  Not that I haven't appreciated it for the past four months but I wish I could slow time down for a bit.  I'm not ready to go home yet!  Tomorrow we are doing Cinque Terre which everyone says is a must-do. We will be hiking around the five towns assuming they are all repaired from the flood damage.


In other news, I turn 21 next Tuesday!  Not that it has any significance here where the drinking age is....actually I don't even know the drinking age here but I would guess 16? It actually seems like it could be 13 though. But anyway, my birthday is on labor day here.  Italians stay out all night on Monday and don't sleep so that should be fun. Prost!

Amalfi Coast

 
Just a quick post before heading off to Munich tonight! Last weekend we went on a school trip to the Amalfi Coast: Pompei, Sorrento and Capri.  This was supposed to be another beach-y vacation, but the rain seems to follow us everywhere so we only saw the sun for a few hours.  Even so, we still saw some beautiful sights and I will definitely be returning some day! 


Our first day was spent in Pompei.  Fun fact: Pompei is the city, and Pompeii (with two i's) is the area with the ruins.  We toured around the ruins for a few hours and our guide said we barely saw half of it. A lot of the original detail is still there from before Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.  We got to see the Pompeii Amphitheatre which is the oldest Roman amphitheatre - even older than the Colosseum!  We also toured around the town and saw old bar/restaurants, markets, and brothels.  The beds in the brothels were made of uneven stones, which looked very uncomfortable!

The main square of Pompeii with Mt Vesuvius in the background (behind the clouds)

The large stones were used to cross the road when it got flooded - how convenient!

After a few hours of standing in the rain and playing in the ruins, we headed South to Sorrento where our hotel for the night was located.  We had a fabulous dinner and then toured a limoncello factory where we got to sample some different flavors.

Fabbrica Liquori in Sorrento

Capri

The next day we departed for Capri on a boat. Multiple people had to go on the deck because the waves were ridiculously bad and being inside was like being on a roller coaster.  (We all agreed it was too soon to be on a boat after last weekend in Greece.)  When we got there the sun decided to say hello and we went on a boat tour around the island.  It was gorgeous and I can't imagine how nice it would have been if the weather cooperated.  We only got to do half the tour which I was a little bummed about.  The part we had to skip was the Blue Grotto which is a flooded sea cave.  It would have been so cool to see inside, but it was over-flooded and we weren't allowed to enter. 

Blue Grotto - on the list for next time I visit Capri :)

The rest of the day we spent venturing around Capri.  We ate at a famous restaurant where celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Mariah Carey, and Lindsay Lohan have been.  Somehow we managed to kill 5 or so hours and it was time to head back to Florence.  Right before we were to leave, the sun came out again so we ran to the beach and played on the rocks for a bit.  Great trip but it would have been totally different if the weather cooperated for once!

On Monday, Bre and I went to a Gelato shop called Antica Gelateria where we got to see how gelato is made.  (Do not underestimate the amount of sugar they put in there...wow...).  The kitchen where they make the gelato is very small and cramped but they only use two machines for the entire shop.  I tried some new flavors and this place is the best I've had so far!

Our next job

$25,000 gelato machine

Tonight we head to Munich, Germany for Spring Beerfest.  (Like Oktoberfest but a smaller version.)  Wish me luck on finding some gluten free beverages!

Buses, ships, ferries and shuttles

Can anyone guess how long it takes to get to Corfu, Greece from Florence? I bet you wouldn't guess 30 hours! We left at 7:00 AM on Thursday and checked into our hostel/resort in Corfu on Friday at 1:00 PM.  We took a bus from Florence to Ancona, then an overnight ship ride to Igomenitsa, Greece, then an hour ferry ride to Corfu, and finally a shuttle to our hostel.  It was a crazy amount of traveling (which was not made very clear on the trip itinerary), but once I saw the beach from the last ferry we took I knew it was worth the wait.

We spent over 36 hours total on this ship!

My group of six girls traveled through the student travel company Florence For Fun.  All of the student programs took the same ship/ferry to get there, but one of the companies made a mistake and left about half of their students without a seat on the 18 hour ship ride.  By 1:00 AM, every square of floor space in the seating area was occupied by sleeping people huddled together.  It was such a sight to see, and I was very thankful for my seat!


We stayed at a hostel called The Pink Palace, but I would actually refer to it as a resort instead.  It was indeed bright pink, and right on the water with a private beach.  When we finally got there, everyone headed straight to the beach.  Thankfully we didn't waste any time, because little did we know that first day would be the only sunny day that weekend.

The Pink Palace is actually pink!

Corfu Town

Evil Eye

There is a lot to do in Corfu besides lie on the beach.  You can rent an ATV four-wheeler and ride around town, or go on a guided ATV Safari.  There is also a beach-hopping boat tour but after waiting over an hour and a half in line, we just missed the cutoff for that one.  Instead, Bre, Ashley and I went into the actual Corfu town for the afternoon.  It was very cute and not too crowded which was a nice change from Florence.  Also the people were so friendly!  They live life at a slower pace which was very relaxing.  We had lunch and then walked around and tried some kumquats and other Grecian foods.  We also bought way too many Evil Eyes which are supposed to ward off evil.  I have one in my car and I swear it has kept me safe driving around Chicago!

Bre strapped into the top bunk on the ship home

After another rainy day, we packed up and prepared for the lengthy trip back to Florence.  We waited in the port for quite a while and I took this opportunity to FaceTime my parents because it was Easter Sunday.  I think the Grecians thought I was crazy, talking into my phone like there was a person there, but it was nice to see my parents!  When we finally boarded the overnight ship, we were exhausted and decided to get a cabin room.  This was one of the best decisions we made on the trip.  The cabin room was very clean and fully equipped with anything we needed, beds in particular.  We slept peacefully through the night until around 7:00 AM when I jumped out of bed because it sounded and felt like we hit an iceberg.  After a few more 'hits' we decided to investigate.  It turns out it was just a bad storm, but at the time it was very scary.  The ship was eerily quiet except for when we would crash into giant waves.  I still don't know where all the people were hiding, but being the only people in sight while we walked around was not very comforting for my newfound fear of the sea.  The rest of the ride was very bumpy and I was literally tossing and turning in my sleep.  At some points I swear my entire body was lifted up from the bed.  This made for some pretty interesting dreams.  I think my REM sleep was going out of control or something.  But we ended up falling back to sleep and made it through the rest of the ride.


The bus ride back to Florence took a lot longer, and the entire journey home lasted 36 hours.  So, I traveled for a total of 66 hours, which was longer than how long I was actually in Corfu....but again, I think it was worth it.  Definitely an experience! 

Forza Fiorentina!

This week has been super busy but I found time to check out a soccer game. We saw Florence versus Palermo, which made for a pretty picture (purple versus pink!) but not an exciting match.  They tied 0-0 and the only exciting moment was when Florence almost scored and a fight started.


Coming up this weekend we are heading South to the Amalfi Coast: Pompei, Capri, and Sorrento. Although it is pretty far, I am sure that the traveling part will pass by quickly compared to last weekend.  This is one of my last trips and then I'll get to enjoy Florence for my last month abroad. Crazy to think I'll be back in Chicago in four weeks!

Adventures in London!

Big Ben

Although I have heard many RyanAir horror stories, I was pleasantly surprised last weekend when we flew with them.  The strict one-bag-per-person rule is a little irritating but we managed with our carry-ons and made it to one of my favorite cities in the world: London.  

One of the reasons I love London so much is because I have a different experience each time I travel there.  Last weekend was no exception! Kristi, Sara, Ashley and I spent three nights in a centrally-located hostel, which was quite the experience.  (Side note: This was my first real hostel experience because I don't count the hostel in Switzerland.  There, we stayed in a room with all American students on our program...not very hostel-esque.)

At the hostel in London, us four girls shared a room with four guys and it actually worked out rather well.  Unlike girls, guys don't need to be hogging the mirror, making a lot of noise before bed, or talking all the time.  They were quiet at night and didn't care when we were loud in the morning.  It was a win-win situation I'd say.  We also had storage bins with locks to secure our belongings, so everyone felt safer with those.  The four guys we shared a room with were from all over: we had an Australian, a German, a New Yorker, and another guy who was never there so we didn't learn where he was from.  But they were all nice and respectful, so it worked out well.  (Except for the first night, when we had a smelly guy who left the next day. Phew!)  The Australian, Matt, came sightseeing with us one day, and I just loved some of the things he would say.  For example, when people got angry he said they were "hardcore cracking the shits." Too funny.

Our first full day we went on a three hour walking tour and I actually learned a lot.  I love London's history, it's so fascinating.  We had lunch in a typical English pub and then set off for the famous Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.  The pressure was on me because I was the person who led the group there, but we had a blast and spent over three hours going through the museum.  It was nice to feel like a little kid again, running around and being silly.

Me, Sara, and Kristi with the London Eye behind us

Buckingham Palace

Justin Timberlake's wax figure...Or is it really him?

Ashley, the Queen, and me!

The next day was supposed to be our "relaxing" day but we ended up being out from 10 am until midnight!  We went to Kings Cross station (where you can take a picture of the Harry Potter Platform 9 and 3/4), then to Abbey Road for our Beatles fix, and then to Harrod's for a little shopping.  We stopped by the market in Sloane Square, walked around a lot and then rode a double decker bus.  Later I met up with my friend from school, Sammy.  She is studying in London this semester and it's hard not to be jealous! When I was deciding where to study this semester I was so torn between Florence and London. I think either place would be fantastic to live or study in.

That night we wanted a little taste of American entertainment, so we saw The Hunger Games in the theater district.  I could write a whole blog post just about this series, but I'll keep it short; it was a good movie but I thought the book was much better! 

The next morning we flew back to Pisa.  Sara and I decided to check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa before heading back to Florence.  We ended up walking for about an hour because we followed the wrong sign (oops), but we eventually made it to the tower! It was very cool to see in person and I think everyone should go someday.  However there really isn't much else going on there!  Of course I had to snap a picture of me holding the tower. 

It was so hard to set this up perfectly!

I head to Corfu, Greece tomorrow morning! We are all so excited for some sunshine, even if it means traveling on a bus/boat for over 24 hours just to get there.  I am supposed to register for classes from the boat on the way home....best of luck trying to figure out Michigan's enrollment website, Mom!

I was sad to learn that in Italy there are no rabbits or easter egg hunts involved in their Easter celebrations. So, Happy Easter to everyone in the States! Make sure to hide an egg for me.

How to forget everything you just learned about a new language

The answer?  Travel to countries that all speak different languages!  On my spring break I traveled to Paris and Barcelona, and on the way I confused most of the Italian I learned in the past six weeks.  By the time I moved on from Paris to Barcelona, I was still saying "merci," and when I went to the market after my return to Florence I had an entire conversation over cheese in "Spanitalian".  Funny thing is that the cheese-man totally understood me; it wasn't until later that I realized I mixed Spanish and Italian throughout the few minutes I was speaking with him.

In the entrance to the Louvre

Both cities I visited seemed to be constantly rainy up until the last few hours before I left, but I didn't let that get in the way of my sight-seeing.  In Paris, my lovely tour guide (and close high school friend) Alex got me around the city easily.  The metro seemed impossible at first but I started to get the hang of it.  I did everything on my check-list except eat a crepe, but it was pretty hard to find gluten free food there anyway so I didn't want to push it.  I enjoyed the Louvre more than I had in the past because I have learned a lot of relevant information in my art history class this semester.  In prior visits I headed straight for the Mona Lisa, which is overrated and touristy (sorry, Leonardo).  The sun decided to come out on my last day, so Alex and I had a picnic by the Eiffel tower before I headed to the airport.

Finally some sun in Paris!

Gaudi's Casa Batllo

The rain seemed to follow me from Paris to Barcelona where my good friend Maryann is studying this semester.  She was a great host but unfortunately had class most of the days I was there.  This wasn't a problem though, I just put on my big girl pants and toured around alone.  I even mastered the metro by myself!  It was a nice change to be in Barcelona where I was able to communicate.  Turns out I haven't forgotten that high-school Spanish after all.  A few highlights: I saw the inside of Casa Batllo and the Picasso Museum while Maryann was in classes, and she joined me to see Park Guell and walk around the central market.  She took me to many good restaurants and I even tried new seafood and different tapas.  Also, I'm sure any American student studying in Barcelona has heard of Bo de B, famous for their delicious sandwiches and salads.

Me and Maryann in Park Guell

Bo de B in Barcelona - The biggest salad I have ever had

In both cities, I ran into students on my Florence program many times.  It is crazy how small the world is....these were not busy or touristy places to just 'stumble upon' an acquaintance!  I saw four students from just one of my classes (all traveling separately) either on the metro in Paris or on random streets in Barcelona.  I also saw a ridiculous amount of Chicago Bulls apparel in both cities, which made me smile.  Weird to think that I will be home in less than seven weeks!


I can't believe my time abroad is halfway over.  It is flying by and still unreal to me.  Here are some random tidbits I haven't yet shared:

• Italians will never understand my name.  I am thinking of changing it to Candle because that is automatically what they assume it is.  Or an Amazon Kindle. 
• As much as I try to blend in and not stick out as an American, there is only so much I can do on my way back from Pilates class with a box of cornflakes under my arm.  At least I don't need the map to get around anymore!
• Italian kids are the cutest ever.  Italian dogs are a close second.
• Blogspot is actually awesome - I can see where in the world my audience is located and how much activity is going on.  Most of my audience is in the US and a chunk is in Italy, not surprisingly.  However I have had 16 hits from Russia (which makes me wonder a bit) and also one hit from Bangladesh!  I can even check which browser is most popular: Safari has almost 50% of page-views, with Google Chrome in second at 28%...Alright that is enough of my Blogspot stats for now.

In actual news, I am traveling every weekend for the next four weeks! Here is my schedule:

1. London, UK
2. Corfu, Greece
3. Amalfi Coast (Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii)
4. Munich, Germany

I am really excited because I have never been to Greece or Germany before!  I will be so busy but I'll try and keep everyone updated. Ciao!