tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1895891027458711342024-03-05T01:28:49.942-08:00Flourishing in FlorenceWritings of a Red-Headed Foodie Running her way through Europe...Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-23729190626833453312012-08-22T14:04:00.001-07:002012-08-22T14:04:15.512-07:00Two and a Half Weeks
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This morning I was up early to say good bye to my parents.
Today, April 9, they leave <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>
and head to the East coast to look at colleges with my sister, Laura. I had
such a good time with my family this past weekend in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. I loved spending time with them and
showing them around the city that has been my home for the past four months. </div>
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I so wanted them to pack me in their suitcase and take me
home with them at the end of this weekend, but as the last glimpse of their
taxi vanished in the distance en route to the airport, I realized I only have a
short two and a half weeks left in Florence. Two and a half weeks until I am in
the comforts of my own home, and reunited with my family. Two and a half weeks
left to savor living in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>:
eating all the Italian food I can, spending time with my host family that I
have become so fond of these past months and enjoying my new found friends. Two
and a half weeks left to complete one paper, two take-home exams, one project,
one Italian oral exam, and one final exam while trying to check off all the
last minute things I want to do in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>
off my to-do list. While two and a half weeks seems so long when all I want is
to be sipping a cup of coffee on my couch at home, it seems so short when I am
eating dinner with my host family and I realize I only have so many dinners with
them left. Two and a half weeks is definitely bittersweet. <br />
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Besides being the day my parents left, today is a holiday in
<st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country>:
Pasquetta. Basically it is the day after Easter where it is tradition to leave
the home and have a picnic with your family and friends. Ali and I were
planning on having a picnic of our own, but the temperatures proved a little
too brisk for our liking. And if it was too chilly for us, it was definitely
too chilly for the Italians. We ended up having the house to ourselves, so we made
ourselves an indoor picnic and lounged. Two and a half weeks is definitely
bittersweet.</div>
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Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-20446507194631443362012-06-05T16:49:00.002-07:002012-06-05T16:49:32.041-07:00Buona Pasqua!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Guest Post to come!</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-71371570531804473622012-06-04T22:16:00.001-07:002012-06-04T22:16:05.203-07:00Breath of Fresh Air<br />
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Today I was up early to meet the parents at their hotel, and
head out to see more of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>
sights. While we walked most of the city yesterday, there were still a few more
sights to see and definitely a few more gelaterias to hit. The main event on
the schedule today was a trip up to Piazza Michelangelo for the best view of
the city. Touring <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>
with my family these past few days brought me back to the many family vacations
we have taken together over the years. Although I have been very fortunate to
have visited over eight different countries and more than half the American
states, I have never overly enjoyed family vacations. I was the child who
pouted during museum tours, dragged my feet on the way to what seemed like
hundreds of churches, and did not want to be there (wherever “there” was) the
entire time. In my opinion vacations should be relaxing, and according to my
recollection, family vacations packed with sight seeing and tours, were
anything but relaxing. So with the family coming to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> this weekend, I was fully prepared
to revert back to “family vacation mode”, hitting sight after sight, walking
until our feet were sore, and running on little sleep. Fortunately, this trip
was much different. It being my parents third time in Florence and Laura’s
second, we went easy on the sight seeing and made this weekend about enjoying
being together on what is now my “home turf”. I must say, it was a breath of
fresh air. </div>
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That being said, as opposed to rushing, we casually made our
way to Piazza Michelangelo this morning to enjoy the view. Rather than a day
walking miles around the city, and due to some rain, we enjoyed time hanging
out in the hotel in the afternoon. And instead of making reservations at a
popular restaurant, we went to a nearby bar when we got hungry for dinner – and
stumbled upon the largest Italian cappuccinos I have seen! I must say it was a
wonderful day with the family. I am so happy to have them here, seeing me at
home in a foreign city.</div>
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And yet today included another incredible event! As we were enjoying
lunch I got a text from my good friend Claire who is spending the semester in <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> – she was in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>
for the day! Claire and I have been friends since kindergarten. We went to
school together, danced together, and were even in the same Indian Princess
group when we were kids. After I received her text message this afternoon, we met
her and her friends at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Uffizi</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype></st1:place>. After not being
able to visit her in <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> after my school trip
was cancelled due to snow, it was so good to see her in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>!</div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It has long been known that I hate coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t like coffee ice cream, coffee candy, coffee anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ellen, the coffee connoisseur that she is, was not satisfied with this answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly but surely she has broken me down. It started slowly, but now I think I can officially say: I, Laura Bobich, like coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was visiting Ellen in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, she took full advantage of my growing addiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We snuck away to a café down the street from the hotel while the parents were “resting t<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="_GoBack"></a>heir eyes” for a little while. I don’t know what was better: the coffee or the chance to escape my dad’s snoring. Ellen and I enjoyed a great cappuccino and got to catch up on each other’s lives that we have missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the perfect addition to our already wonderful day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Throughout the day we hit all the tourist sites, including Ponte Vecchio and Santa Croce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from the wonderful coffee, my favorite part of the day was the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Boboli</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Gardens</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were gorgeous! It also helped that it was a beautiful day – by far the best weather of the trip. We explored the grounds of the Medici’s gardens and got a great view of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the sights but I especially loved being able to share a lovely cup of coffee with my favorite sister!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-79907730626031388002012-04-13T01:50:00.004-07:002012-04-23T02:39:57.767-07:00Guest Post: A True Family Dinner<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;"><em>Throught it would be better to hear about the family's first day in Florence from my Dad! A big thanks to him for being generous enough to write for me :)</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I welcome the opportunity to be a guest blogger for Ellen, the pressure seems enormous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has done such a wonderful job of documenting her time in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, and her previous guest blogger (Sean) matched her ability for colorful description.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thursday was our first full day in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, having arrived at 9:30 the previous night and caught up with Ellen briefly. It was a busy school day for Ellen but afforded us a wonderful opportunity to warm to the city and see her in her new environment. For us, the day began with breakfast at our hotel and then an excursion to the “must see” sight of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> – Michaelangelo’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">David</i>, housed at the Accademia. Kitte and I visited this amazing sculpture on our first visit to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> almost 25 years ago and it appears the Accademia has built up its collection a bit since then. Nevertheless, all the paintings and other sculptures seem to be mere filler, as the David is the prize that dominates all. Its detail and grandeur continue to impress, though we can share no photos here because they are no longer permitted in the museum.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PYUnpf0DdhYplPxTu_Bx2OyxZkM9OW5zRlQ4itoe_1piB3DuoUWRpof2cqhsdjgyi5Z7BHo8O5APjP3SMFun_VIklgegyx4s1Ti5oE7oG5EibtlFvmACQKiGQAxmSSaGN0bY1aNabrB8/s1600/IMG_1386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PYUnpf0DdhYplPxTu_Bx2OyxZkM9OW5zRlQ4itoe_1piB3DuoUWRpof2cqhsdjgyi5Z7BHo8O5APjP3SMFun_VIklgegyx4s1Ti5oE7oG5EibtlFvmACQKiGQAxmSSaGN0bY1aNabrB8/s320/IMG_1386.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Leaving the Accademia, we headed to the Villa Rosa, where we met Ellen and got a brief tour of <st1:placename w:st="on">Syracuse</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype> at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. Of course, as a parent, it is not only fun to see where Ellen is studying and to meet some of her friends, but also gratifying to have Jim Kauffman, the associate director of the program, thank us for “lending” Ellen to the program. He and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Vittoria</st1:city></st1:place>, who heads the volunteer program, went out of their way to compliment Ellen on developing the Healthy Monday program for SUF.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For lunch, we joined the SUF group in the piazza in front of the school for Sharing Thursday, enjoying pasta with broccoli that they shared with members of the nearby community. The crowd was down, due to the holiday week, which we found would not be the case anywhere else in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As Ellen had classes throughout the afternoon, Kitte, Laura, and I took the opportunity to walk around the city, shop a bit, and then enjoy a brief jet-lag fighting siesta. That set up a highlight of our trip – dinner at Ellen’s host family’s house. Their graciousness and hospitality is certainly as wonderful as Ellen has described it. Christina and Marco greeted us into their home and we took our places in the dining room. We then enjoyed 2 hours of 7 courses and wonderful conversation. Bruschetta (pronounced “brew-skett-uh” here) was followed by antipasto, then followed by spinach and cheese ravioli in a light butter sage sauce, which preceded the main course of salmon and potatoes, then followed by salad – and a pineapple cut to look like a chicken – and finally a wonderful homemade tiramisu. And no, Ellen’s coaching to “pace yourself” didn’t help when Cristina poured out the pasta!</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Even more amazing than the food was the hospitality. While Christina was rather quiet, as she does not feel confident with her English, Marco was a warm and gracious conversationalist, asking questions, regaling us with stories, and forcing Ellen and her roommate Ali to speak in Italian. (Another wonderful experience – observing Ellen converse in a language we don’t know!) Clearly, Ellen and Ali are blessed with a tremendous host family, and the fact Marco and Christina have been hosting students for 22 years is clear. They give them room to experience <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> as they wish, but provide a supportive, caring, (well-fed!) environment. What a wonderful day we had, seeing a bit of <st1:city w:st="on">Florence</st1:city> through Ellen’s eyes and meeting her wonderful “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> family”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22F4bc4qKJ89zAG6E4AHi-Nt3Lj9mXxYojuOSvjai9gZhSsB-acXJO3t54KXSp_EZHJTmpa9JmulckXdHRUUrX8u3damKkgS71qC0i7eap3X21QpFBaZC5ZhIctx54JazHp-Dmnm10bM6/s1600/IMG_1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22F4bc4qKJ89zAG6E4AHi-Nt3Lj9mXxYojuOSvjai9gZhSsB-acXJO3t54KXSp_EZHJTmpa9JmulckXdHRUUrX8u3damKkgS71qC0i7eap3X21QpFBaZC5ZhIctx54JazHp-Dmnm10bM6/s320/IMG_1397.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 115%;"><em>P.S - The family took most of the pictures on their camera this weekend and I failed to get them before they left! More pictures to come...</em></span></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-43705065189752431332012-04-11T14:25:00.000-07:002012-04-11T14:25:49.543-07:00Something Good This Way Comes...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today, April 4, was a day filled with anticipation as my parents and sister are arriving in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> tonight! I have long awaited their arrival in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region> as they had their flight reserved before I was even admitted to the study abroad program. Although I am normally away from my family for the whole semester when I am school, I have especially missed them this semester while abroad. Living with a host family provides a home environment, and while I love this aspect, it makes me feel like I am at home but it’s missing one crucial aspect – my actual family. Because of this, some days I want to be home more than ever. Despite how much I am enjoying <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>, some days I miss the comforts of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the company of my family. It will be so nice to finally see them! (Can they take me back in their suitcase?)<o:p> </o:p></div><br />
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Dinner was eaten faster than normal as I am eager to meet my family at their hotel tonight. I am so excited to show them around my life here in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> and spend some quality time together as a family.Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-52370769608967336432012-04-11T06:16:00.000-07:002012-04-11T06:16:51.343-07:00Just like at Grandma's<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was little too ambitious this morning, Tuesday April, 3. I went to my first class thinking getting out of the house would be good for me, however I was absolutely miserable and came home early. Upon returning home, Cristina took good care of me. She made me tea and toast in the afternoon, and kept asking if there was anything she could do – so kind!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Cristina I would like some kind of soup or broth for dinner, as my stomach was telling me “proceed with caution”. Upon sitting down to dinner I was presented with small pasta in chicken broth that tasted exactly like the sick remedy my grandmother makes, “chicken broth soup”. With the warm broth and chewy pasta it reminded of being at Grandma’s house. It was the perfect meal for my stomach.</div><br />
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</div><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love being taken care of. At school it’s always fend-for-yourself, so in that respect, this semester has been a nice change. My laundry is washed and folded on the weekends, the bathroom is cleaned every week and dinner is on the table at 7:30 every night. And to think I was apprehensive about living in a home stay.Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-53401602773697233072012-04-09T10:30:00.000-07:002012-04-09T10:30:16.380-07:00Just No.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Unfortunately yesterday evening’s sickies did not get better with rest, as I was home all day with some sort of stomach virus. This means: No fruit. No newsletter. No exercise class. <strong>No Healthy Monday</strong>.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There was <strong>no fruit</strong> as all my stomach could handle was broth, boiled zucchini, and a hard boiled egg. </div><br />
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</div>There was <strong>no newsletter</strong> as instead of reading scholarly articles about health I dove into my fluffy novel of love and Irish landscapes to keep my mind off my churning stomach.<br />
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</div>There was <strong>no exercise class</strong> for me, for my body could not muster up the energy for a single sit up but instead laid in bed all day watching episodes of New Girl and Desperate Housewives. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">No, this Monday was not a healthy one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-72197933739251480892012-04-09T03:03:00.000-07:002012-04-09T03:03:46.723-07:00Rotisserie PastryOur hostel in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city> proved to be very nice and even provided breakfast in the morning! Maria and I both fixed ourselves big bowls of yogurt with granola, coffee, and cheese and jam sandwiches to bring with us for later. <br />
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After breakfast we headed to our first site of the day, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city> castle which is the biggest castle in the world! The castle sits on top of a hill making it visible from miles away. Once we got up there, we found the vast castle quarters which were made up of a series of buildings. We spent some good time looking at the church (which we both agreed looks just like Notre Dame), and popping into different buildings on the premises. The gothic architecture was incredible and the buildings were like nothing I had ever seen before. <br />
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Traveling makes us both tired so we were soon in need of some down time. We decided we should get some traditional Czech food so we headed to a good looking restaurant. Unfortunately <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city> is not very vegetarian friendly. One of the signature dishes here is beef goulash with potato dumplings. Trying to order something traditional while evading meat I ordered the "traditional garlic soup with brie" thinking I’d be safe, but it had bacon in it! I also ordered some of the potato dumplings which basically had no flavor without the beef goulash. Although my soup was good after I picked out the bacon, I guess you can say Czech food is not my favorite.<br />
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After relaxing at the restaurant, fueling up, and getting warm we headed out to see our final site - the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Charles</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placename></st1:place>. The sun came out for us just as began to stroll across the bridge, enjoying the most gorgeous view of the river. There were so many people walking across the bridge, it was just a wonderful place to be. It was quite possibly my favorite part of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city>!<br />
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Before it was time to head to the airport we had our minds... or rather our stomachs... set on one last stop before we left. The day before in old town square we saw the most amazing looking tradition Czech sweets called “Trdelnik”. There were many stands making the hot sugary coated pastry by wrapping dough around a metal cylinder, rolling it in sugar, and cooking the dough over an open fire like a rotisserie chicken. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> We had to get one! So we got our treats and brought them to have with our American coffee at the ever beloved ... Starbucks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkECZF6InwwK1p1JetkcEqS6Q-koJIgR7jXtocTfGFFPhbRQQO9gEzHCSOrAeiikXeQe6gR-9fFl5iHDK-uvh6eDtmbr3XwRsv2ORxlFZELSpRDZsJ0Lp4WEBvYpnZGGv99zL8pbqj7DM_/s1600/IMG_1380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkECZF6InwwK1p1JetkcEqS6Q-koJIgR7jXtocTfGFFPhbRQQO9gEzHCSOrAeiikXeQe6gR-9fFl5iHDK-uvh6eDtmbr3XwRsv2ORxlFZELSpRDZsJ0Lp4WEBvYpnZGGv99zL8pbqj7DM_/s320/IMG_1380.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After my last sip of American coffee, before my last month in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region> without it, we headed to airport to catch our flight. Unfortunately by that time we were both feeling quite sick. It could have been something we ate, the coffee or a bug but whatever it was it made the next 6 hours of travel miserable. While waiting for our flight, we both decided this may be our last weekend trip as we are over traveling. As cool as it is to experience new countries, it takes a heavy toll on the body and we are exhausted. The flight home may have been our last until its back to the States. We only have 3 weeks left before our April 26<sup>th</sup> depature!</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-77796777463210410382012-04-07T14:51:00.001-07:002012-04-07T14:52:04.575-07:00Three Cheers for Prague<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today, March 31, Maria and I were up early to head to the airport for we were headed to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Prague</st1:city></st1:place>! After hearing such great things about the city, we knew we had to <strike>Czech</strike> check it out. Upon our afternoon arrival, we stepped out of the metro station to find ourselves on the sidelines of a marathon! With people cheering and crowds congregating, it was a great way to be welcomed to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city>. If only we had gotten there a day earlier…we could have ran it!</div><br />
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</div>After catching the last two people cross the finish line, we followed the masses as they all headed to <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Old Town Square</st1:address></st1:street>. Surrounded by sites such as the <st1:placename w:st="on">Tyn</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype>, St. Nicholas Church, and the Astronomical clock, it was a great place to start our <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city> adventure! The square had such a good atmosphere as it was filled with small shops and stands like an outdoor market (which we later found out were part of an Easter festival). Maria and I had the greatest time walking around and perusing the stands.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlh_v7GsX1QhB11MYhvusO2CNnvW_6B9s9Z_017gL8M3WSmgJjdb14WFDRH4uhYDAM74F6vswXdXDF9h9syGVYwgxWSxndliLQfj1lFXvPp5LTrLwIKSQt_g2_P2uVCSJLCat58pilj6o/s1600/IMG_1317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlh_v7GsX1QhB11MYhvusO2CNnvW_6B9s9Z_017gL8M3WSmgJjdb14WFDRH4uhYDAM74F6vswXdXDF9h9syGVYwgxWSxndliLQfj1lFXvPp5LTrLwIKSQt_g2_P2uVCSJLCat58pilj6o/s200/IMG_1317.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAkskXiJSq6zaTdo16XldT73UeLg0Y5zHbXxroAsbyJj5Y3d0jJOs0fepqVNt-UqRSACL3qdZQmguVgG9PaN6gSCuSohQVlFEGZ0mO-Ac7lBmJPdF9NqFslO3sLGXY6FhXHRhyurFP4aF/s1600/IMG_1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAkskXiJSq6zaTdo16XldT73UeLg0Y5zHbXxroAsbyJj5Y3d0jJOs0fepqVNt-UqRSACL3qdZQmguVgG9PaN6gSCuSohQVlFEGZ0mO-Ac7lBmJPdF9NqFslO3sLGXY6FhXHRhyurFP4aF/s200/IMG_1318.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rXTvzo8_jX2upFFJI20DGaTrGcx83zFnQlGH5N-45Ct6iDi-gYH2DyLrgQx6ZIaELulUg5fBvBotaOErYjX43E_DfWv-7tvAYxbQkcaJQyKgMekiAidJHvBCOS9a6AkzpzKPJ5iID2RL/s1600/IMG_1374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rXTvzo8_jX2upFFJI20DGaTrGcx83zFnQlGH5N-45Ct6iDi-gYH2DyLrgQx6ZIaELulUg5fBvBotaOErYjX43E_DfWv-7tvAYxbQkcaJQyKgMekiAidJHvBCOS9a6AkzpzKPJ5iID2RL/s200/IMG_1374.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkgyrgNC6Q1OLWGIZ_gnrVMdf_t8_BY2gqoYTWC1-RFOWQtGSPiOCWxwyCwXj0HbZHqPYY-F03IfnmyR2u1wQ5CXq-PeFowsrowQc2K8nwJdwogSsefHJGfWKIrBThCQ-TAxGKsCwgDO2/s1600/IMG_1309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkgyrgNC6Q1OLWGIZ_gnrVMdf_t8_BY2gqoYTWC1-RFOWQtGSPiOCWxwyCwXj0HbZHqPYY-F03IfnmyR2u1wQ5CXq-PeFowsrowQc2K8nwJdwogSsefHJGfWKIrBThCQ-TAxGKsCwgDO2/s200/IMG_1309.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkuioj7KGbrwEaAyn4k4juSlTVm2PY234E0J-EXktJ2tTjBnUjkR_OHGUNigIHyG8g6bmn2rrztGvBjQDd-KFRgs419LtR26zmxoPVDNKwS8EQwb0kJTt5lMHUfcBrUr26PGlDZfvYBrk/s1600/IMG_1295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkuioj7KGbrwEaAyn4k4juSlTVm2PY234E0J-EXktJ2tTjBnUjkR_OHGUNigIHyG8g6bmn2rrztGvBjQDd-KFRgs419LtR26zmxoPVDNKwS8EQwb0kJTt5lMHUfcBrUr26PGlDZfvYBrk/s200/IMG_1295.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOb769rwHAOPW-Y0-NRAr0WVFaDnJSODlgEmmL5bO4dmdBYH1Mor1R7iK15zS4D2HhEuBW2On_kNu6fF5RDFpnibGrpY2rtX4BxgEGuAtEn9eZxDcALWIw8Az1yMQJobVFSFfBLHq8l-E/s1600/IMG_1306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOb769rwHAOPW-Y0-NRAr0WVFaDnJSODlgEmmL5bO4dmdBYH1Mor1R7iK15zS4D2HhEuBW2On_kNu6fF5RDFpnibGrpY2rtX4BxgEGuAtEn9eZxDcALWIw8Az1yMQJobVFSFfBLHq8l-E/s200/IMG_1306.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Having not had lunch, we soon got struck by hunger! As it was already late afternoon, so we decided to get some “linner” and stopped in the nearest eatery that looked good. Not to keen on the traditional Czech food on the menu, we decided to at least have some Czech beers. I mean, it’s hard to say no when a beer is cheaper than water! I enjoyed a Pilsner Urquell (for one Euro!), with smoked salmon on toast.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGf9Qn6gUIXNQBCd8PJor6WtRi94p8FSHJgK0QFDLfaRMgKa0Te-Oo7DW-yn9xHn98E7x-ps6Diic4jQ8pgwFivXQfFwtPZd-WW-F3ePwk-1cpP_vFNy0olKl3GKoFOEF0LnSwA2sYrrjY/s1600/IMG_1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGf9Qn6gUIXNQBCd8PJor6WtRi94p8FSHJgK0QFDLfaRMgKa0Te-Oo7DW-yn9xHn98E7x-ps6Diic4jQ8pgwFivXQfFwtPZd-WW-F3ePwk-1cpP_vFNy0olKl3GKoFOEF0LnSwA2sYrrjY/s320/IMG_1301.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>After walking around a bit more and finding our hostel, we decided to head out for another round of beers – experiencing the best of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Prague</st1:place></st1:city> right? We both tried two different types of beer: Gambrinus and Branik. I have never been too keen on beer but am beginning to branch out and try different kinds. I must say the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Czech Republic</st1:place></st1:country-region> knows how to do it right!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">P.S. Shout out to my Dad on his birthday!</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-37073668511290568832012-04-05T15:34:00.002-07:002012-04-05T15:34:06.541-07:00Just Me and My Host Dad<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tonight it was just me and my host father for dinner as my host mom was visiting her daughter and Ali was in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Sicily</st1:state></st1:place> for the weekend. My host dad is a character. We joked that with everyone away we would just eat gelato and chocolate for dinner – his favorites. At times like these he can seem like a little kid, joking around with us and yet at other times he can be protective – like the time he made me take a taxi to the train station at 3am because he didn’t want me walking alone. There was also the night where he spent the entire length of dinner telling Ali and me how much he loves his wife, Cristina. “I am so lucky” he told us patting Christina’s shoulder, and Cristina replied jokingly, “Yes, he is so lucky” returning the pat.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now that Marco is retired he claims his occupation is grandfather. When I come home from school, I usually find him watching the soccer game sporting his bright purple Florentine sweat suit cheering on his team. He is always helping Cristina out in the kitchen and telling us a new animated story over dinner. I know he cares for Ali and me as he pinches our cheeks or touches our hair and smiles in complete happiness – his way of showing his affection. So with all these great things being said, I had a lovely dinner…just me and my host dad.</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-44732515688092326732012-04-04T04:40:00.000-07:002012-04-04T04:40:04.377-07:00New Skills, New Foods<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With my Italian class canceled, I was able to fit in a delightfully refreshing morning run before heading to school to cook for Sharing Thursday. I love running in the morning, but with early class, I don’t get out in the morning often. Most of my afternoon runs this week have been terrible. With the hot sun and exhaustion from my day I have been feeling as if I am running through sand! But this morning, with that cool crisp morning air I love so much, I felt as if I were light as air!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>Workout behind me, it was time to get in the kitchen. Today, March 29, an Italian host mother, Teresa, led the cooking for Sharing Thursday! She showed me how to prepare “Riso con Carciofe” or rice with artichokes. Do you know how hard it is to prepare fresh artichokes? Teresa spent a good hour peeling and cutting the artichokes for the dish. There’s really only a small percentage of the vegetable that is used. However, I loved learning how to prepare them for my host mom cooks with them often and I absolutely love them!</div><br />
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</div>Another skill I learned in the kitchen today was how to prepare Italian coffee. Italians make their coffee on the stove in a little metal machine. I have seen my host mom do it a thousand times but never knew where to put the grounds (B), where to put the water (A), and where the coffee collects (C). Now I know!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fxODNLD_6LmKiL5GW_rrUD0xgq4fcz3YEXNKQuc1O-2i50VE_ElykhNTw9hgH-fltH8k2QXGX8Xu4fkASJ_fTNfDNdeZRzcdCkfPzXnJXEP1-Pjo7GNRkIoSpa1VyBpypTQXsfjfQD5k/s1600/Coffee+Maker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fxODNLD_6LmKiL5GW_rrUD0xgq4fcz3YEXNKQuc1O-2i50VE_ElykhNTw9hgH-fltH8k2QXGX8Xu4fkASJ_fTNfDNdeZRzcdCkfPzXnJXEP1-Pjo7GNRkIoSpa1VyBpypTQXsfjfQD5k/s320/Coffee+Maker.png" width="288" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4w_aZrNMdT6u17NJdJfGhd4i87j4RV5_Jj0TkNAQmvt5sfKuCZdhZsko8J4d8g7uVFGzdtZlL6EGHq77j-jyuVky0uAOPhpHhq2ZVKfTAZIDwrpbGkTwBPaK0vTFZgB7dJGCsEd9usBZ/s1600/IMG_1280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4w_aZrNMdT6u17NJdJfGhd4i87j4RV5_Jj0TkNAQmvt5sfKuCZdhZsko8J4d8g7uVFGzdtZlL6EGHq77j-jyuVky0uAOPhpHhq2ZVKfTAZIDwrpbGkTwBPaK0vTFZgB7dJGCsEd9usBZ/s320/IMG_1280.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqqNw6yEtQlMZjwohAt38fZm3O5icH4qYn0yTKEDK3KGZhJfc2FQT98mhDlHJJrN-FWXZGBl-q429JbcKbNMt4ymCrKUNA0apTXF8MCvaqOoXtxvFmYmHNUIGKhCOEKPi8pej4GTau572/s1600/IMG_1281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqqNw6yEtQlMZjwohAt38fZm3O5icH4qYn0yTKEDK3KGZhJfc2FQT98mhDlHJJrN-FWXZGBl-q429JbcKbNMt4ymCrKUNA0apTXF8MCvaqOoXtxvFmYmHNUIGKhCOEKPi8pej4GTau572/s320/IMG_1281.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>With another successful Sharing Thursday completed, and another Italian recipe to add to my collection, I was not done trying new foods today! After dinner this evening, my host mom pointed to a box on the counter and asked me if I wanted some. It was the same box I had seen in all the grocery stores lately containing a traditional Easter sweet called “Columba”. “Isn’t that for Easter?” I asked in answer to her question. She said yes but that it was already open because Marco couldn’t wait! “So impatient!” she exclaimed. The sweet was very similar to Easter Bread being sweet dough with candied orange peel throughout. The Columba, however, had a sugary coating and was sprinkled with large sugar sprinkles and almonds. Gets me excited for Easter!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfijrGYieWx5NfxoKy8HBbN-Xz7mpavA9GLgW13M7RRL9ma1cQRNQfUt9gjLtfXqx1ybH1gIckzHLkIuTUHgnsQDU5doRfnFxRLf7dMyw2j6JyK-40pZkKEfVM-Xhnec_VQ0BoMdmtdyEe/s1600/IMG_1287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfijrGYieWx5NfxoKy8HBbN-Xz7mpavA9GLgW13M7RRL9ma1cQRNQfUt9gjLtfXqx1ybH1gIckzHLkIuTUHgnsQDU5doRfnFxRLf7dMyw2j6JyK-40pZkKEfVM-Xhnec_VQ0BoMdmtdyEe/s320/IMG_1287.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-66448661147059479072012-04-03T10:17:00.000-07:002012-04-03T10:17:18.472-07:00Hum Drum<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While other people hit up the school bar, or grab a Panini for lunch, I bring mine from home. I usually pack a piece of fruit, a yogurt, some bran cereal, and maybe a granola bar or sometimes I’ll make oatmeal in the microwave at school – exciting right? While it doesn’t sound that great to most it keeps me going, and happy. Lunch is the one meal I have full control over, meaning I can resume my usual eating habits and eat light and healthy. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u0muCUplSc01Jfw21kUtpq2miomei6K3NSwyumebyPe1r8Y5Fyjec-Akz9dtdW3l1GjdWPP1SbsWEpiQUuudeJ52z_9RXhmd8C7zbuUJQNkOJCChTKQj_CuYodHon1dfJcv50EtZ7QJl/s1600/IMG_1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6u0muCUplSc01Jfw21kUtpq2miomei6K3NSwyumebyPe1r8Y5Fyjec-Akz9dtdW3l1GjdWPP1SbsWEpiQUuudeJ52z_9RXhmd8C7zbuUJQNkOJCChTKQj_CuYodHon1dfJcv50EtZ7QJl/s320/IMG_1272.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Today, however, March 28, I was about to break out my super-cool <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syracuse</st1:place></st1:city> lunch bag when I got a call from Maria: “Meet me in the center for lunch!” I happily put my yogurt aside to head to the center. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf7HxQCRL9y3rLbGcsQFFrTMrOxBXcbHCJxlRECs6AdrZIRFd-p0xaRXnAXpytBl5GuaC1n3Y2McmRvZx1T1uTdW-sZg5lZGU3FaFjyzFD-BkPmg3CSguACjJf4DX-Uo9Syqzae8i_sXn/s1600/IMG_1274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpf7HxQCRL9y3rLbGcsQFFrTMrOxBXcbHCJxlRECs6AdrZIRFd-p0xaRXnAXpytBl5GuaC1n3Y2McmRvZx1T1uTdW-sZg5lZGU3FaFjyzFD-BkPmg3CSguACjJf4DX-Uo9Syqzae8i_sXn/s320/IMG_1274.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>A smoothie from “Love Life” consumed next to the Duomo while soaking up the sun with Maria was a lovely change to my hum drum lunchtime routine <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-41078803888803427482012-04-03T09:29:00.000-07:002012-04-03T09:29:09.729-07:00Deprived Coffee Connoisseur<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today my Italian professor asked our class what the first thing we were going to do when we got home. I replied almost immediately, “Bevo un bicchiere di caffe Americano grande!” (I am going to drink a big cup of American coffee) </div><o:p> </o:p><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I MISS AMERICAN COFFEE.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p> </o:p>Although Italian coffee is suppose to be great, I am not a fan. Coffee here is very strong and thick and served in a little shot glass – how am I supposed to savor that? I tried drinking it plain a couple times but its strength is too much for my stomach and literally makes me sick! </div><br />
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</div>Cappuccinos (equal parts coffee, milk, and foam) were great for a while, but in opinion they have flaws. First of all they are so small. Two sips and there’s only foam left in my cup. Second, they are not hot enough. I like my coffee piping hot. I have been known to burn my tongue multiple times a day back at school. But here, the coffee is served luke-warm. And third, they are not fat-free, low-cal, or healthy. I now have to think of a cappuccino as a “snack” as opposed to my less than 50 calorie cup of coffee at home.<br />
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</div>That being said, my host mother does make a mean cappuccino, and I drink one every morning. It is the best cappuccino I’ve had in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>, served fresh every morning in the largest cup I’ve seen here (but that’s not saying much). When I asked her if we could have nonfat milk in our cappuccinos she replied, “That stuff is like water” – I guess that’s a no?<br />
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</div>Oh dear large mug of American coffee with sugar-free hazelnut creamer, wait for me. I will come back for you. With love and adoration, a deprived coffee connoisseur.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-61262642529966389772012-04-03T09:00:00.000-07:002012-04-03T09:00:53.361-07:00Balli Italiani<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Happy Healthy Monday! With apples, bananas, pears, and oranges, fruit was in abundance this morning as always – but gone by afternoon!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIXgX2yT36r8fGHTAwjKSIa5-8B7SpFxw5Cs-vAt-hycvbs9SUEEoapV-bIG74-B9xrCb8ohxEZLpCtT_b39YsU_MESQlpqDDmvAXgkKoRt6G61FX3lBYx9Hi-_mnmKr-bI1YJm4FYjY9/s1600/IMG_1269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIXgX2yT36r8fGHTAwjKSIa5-8B7SpFxw5Cs-vAt-hycvbs9SUEEoapV-bIG74-B9xrCb8ohxEZLpCtT_b39YsU_MESQlpqDDmvAXgkKoRt6G61FX3lBYx9Hi-_mnmKr-bI1YJm4FYjY9/s320/IMG_1269.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>And in the evening, some students got their bodies moving with Zumba! Although we have been doing Zumba quite a bit for our Move-it-Monday class (taking advantage of Alex, our student Zumba instructor), this one was a little different, for it was instructed by an Italian Zumba instructor! The class was very different from the “hip-hoppy” version of Zumba Alex teaches, and was more of Italian dancing than a true workout. However, it was fun to learn dances to some popular songs in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region> like “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” – which is playing everywhere here right now!Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-43657157068563859652012-04-03T08:43:00.001-07:002012-04-03T12:34:33.915-07:00The Girl Behind the Blog<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In college, Sundays are “work days”. At school, this means spending hours at the Library doing homework before classes begin on Monday, and time goes out the window. In <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, however, I don’t find myself having an overwhelming amount of schoolwork. Instead Sunday “work days” have become “blog days” – my independent study project if you will. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYp2XmULfkDB_x5YxZ88In0zOBkge4ljLH3DhLO7ByBZo_rQ8SLZFFHwdu193QCtYiFd0zwsZtz8rrFVNXDDnZGU1_-4DPM3AlN15MF3SapS3brqOeYBbpElOgL3xcrF3gdn2jKGM0Ik75/s1600/IMG_0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYp2XmULfkDB_x5YxZ88In0zOBkge4ljLH3DhLO7ByBZo_rQ8SLZFFHwdu193QCtYiFd0zwsZtz8rrFVNXDDnZGU1_-4DPM3AlN15MF3SapS3brqOeYBbpElOgL3xcrF3gdn2jKGM0Ik75/s320/IMG_0290.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
As many other abroad students do, I started this blog when I came abroad not only as a way to share my experiences with family and friends but as a way to document my time abroad. My blog is more for me than for anyone else for I can look back on each post and read about details of my trips I can no longer recall from memory. </div><br />
Although I know I will be thankful I documented my semester from years to come, I must say it is a lot if work! The commitment to posting everyday is definitely a large undertaking, and I often find myself spending more time blogging than doing school work. (Don’t worry my grades are not suffering). Although I know I do not NEED to post everyday, there are small details of my everyday life here in Italy that I want to remember and cherish forever – like the three course dinners every night, the afternoon runs along the river, or the time spent with new friends.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwh-bGDGGsVYJCC1T2PrXABgvR-IBLZEZElapmRVry8cIkyFyZAmyVhPw6nXkHHVbW7DKyfd8u2JrDq3-tpkGQCAYwA_EzsiKJZ2N92OeyVxPnGIMuxhPjSRiwhltH6ZxBDiuzqHTPvkf/s1600/IMG_0216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwh-bGDGGsVYJCC1T2PrXABgvR-IBLZEZElapmRVry8cIkyFyZAmyVhPw6nXkHHVbW7DKyfd8u2JrDq3-tpkGQCAYwA_EzsiKJZ2N92OeyVxPnGIMuxhPjSRiwhltH6ZxBDiuzqHTPvkf/s320/IMG_0216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
No matter how much work it takes, I am happy to be blogging my way through Europe </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-81548229206183727352012-03-29T14:31:00.000-07:002012-03-29T14:31:59.972-07:00Sun Kissed Delight<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Knowing we wouldn't be traveling this weekend, Maria and I wanted to at least go on a day trip. After looking at our options, we decided a trip to the beach was the most enticing. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Viareggio</st1:city></st1:place> it was!</div><br />
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</div>Being a beach town of the Western coast of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>, <st1:city w:st="on">Viareggio</st1:city> is a Simple 90 minute train ride from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. We were up early this morning to catch a train to be in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Viareggio</st1:place></st1:city> by lunch time. It was another yogurt picnic lunch, but this time on the beach! With sun on my skin, my toes in the sand, and nothing but blue sea and sail boats in the distance, I’d say I was enjoying my day at the beach. Although it was warm enough to work on our tans for a little bit, the cool breezes forced our jackets make an early appearance. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdcLmkvcIenw455J7N3OB9BbxaBqrmxnvwDdUmtwk2NrjH9U7niRA7_KlM560AtSzeCSfxlM9jSbwk3jTn8OG_wMfW9qi2ff0vjFpgApioh387K9iw_lSxeRh8vam5fCGvgVmPpyjwDpS/s1600/Viareggio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdcLmkvcIenw455J7N3OB9BbxaBqrmxnvwDdUmtwk2NrjH9U7niRA7_KlM560AtSzeCSfxlM9jSbwk3jTn8OG_wMfW9qi2ff0vjFpgApioh387K9iw_lSxeRh8vam5fCGvgVmPpyjwDpS/s200/Viareggio.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFF6OcGLUjYDAXN63NT6pdPHukaz7Wyc6ZnP_4648oN35z2yRm4gUf-nzA4ett9VtbC9kYMFbKf-5uFiSz8jOjVrckIJwXu8pdVYG-0vPuqeJhfqld3-osuw_8zXeohsgOrZqYU1aBSsjL/s1600/Viareggio2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFF6OcGLUjYDAXN63NT6pdPHukaz7Wyc6ZnP_4648oN35z2yRm4gUf-nzA4ett9VtbC9kYMFbKf-5uFiSz8jOjVrckIJwXu8pdVYG-0vPuqeJhfqld3-osuw_8zXeohsgOrZqYU1aBSsjL/s200/Viareggio2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After some napping and reading on the beach, and walking up and down the boardwalk a couple times all while soaking up the sun, it was time to head home. This day trip was not full of tours and museums like others, but chock-full of relaxation – and I loved every minute of it! Upon returning home we were in need of some dinner. Maria had a hankering for pizza and beer – sounded good to me! Upon recommendation from the roomie (Ali), we headed to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mostodolce</i> pizzeria known for their homebrews. Maria and I split a mushroom pizza and veggie calzone and each tried a different specialty beer. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qYs3ASlB5TOCYv6nr4oh56f5nCeYJMWzTVUD2JiS9-bOL_fANcdB0I9jrkMYre4Rs_QRPSBO9rlI9KpwQXIqSNrMN_GNtDOF5FTlBg3RFfjkv1GaGiHHtUvu1speHQKKk5xnN9mO0FfL/s1600/IMG_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qYs3ASlB5TOCYv6nr4oh56f5nCeYJMWzTVUD2JiS9-bOL_fANcdB0I9jrkMYre4Rs_QRPSBO9rlI9KpwQXIqSNrMN_GNtDOF5FTlBg3RFfjkv1GaGiHHtUvu1speHQKKk5xnN9mO0FfL/s320/IMG_1258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>And how did we top off our night? We may or may not have stopped at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Badiani</i> on the way home for some of the best gelato in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Florence</st1:city></st1:place>…Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-34805498178623692622012-03-29T12:38:00.001-07:002012-03-29T12:41:53.581-07:00Bike-Riding-Bandwagon<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What to do with a free Friday in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>? Bike of course! After telling Maria of the great fun I had biking around <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> with Sean, she was eager to jump on the bike riding bandwagon. With picnic supplies in tow, we got our bikes and embarked on a carefree ride through the city, along the river, and across the Ponte Vecchio. It's amazing how much more of the city you can see in a short amount of time with bikes as opposed to walking. We arrived at what seemed like the perfect picnic location: outside the Palazzo Pitti. There were so many people there soaking up the sun and the incredible weather. We plopped down with the masses and enjoyed our Greek yogurts, strawberries and blackberries while working on our tans – or rather her tan and my freckles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5HjX9KCLXr224gmNl3HuKDCsNHZ3p95DaRYprjpHZ0nHqdyPWPbokMA4aH-b7gsFuVEZeoy4BZf6EnLwkvVVqsvlpjxE9QVLkQfTdGK4GW4mAnX_9jv75L6goqcJ1kdyMpzcth5W-XO2/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5HjX9KCLXr224gmNl3HuKDCsNHZ3p95DaRYprjpHZ0nHqdyPWPbokMA4aH-b7gsFuVEZeoy4BZf6EnLwkvVVqsvlpjxE9QVLkQfTdGK4GW4mAnX_9jv75L6goqcJ1kdyMpzcth5W-XO2/s320/IMG_1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-fqCaFD9zz06in9zGeHPhyphenhyphenERUnypPGX_tPZKpz3sLYhyOwOLcSU3HCNPdr6W7IlStFKIhji5-XIaBdgUCnP6pFJ9Cd-wOvdzD73RVYlYFK4cG0MyEsTlOLjJXefL5jhFQ3eXppOTxK4c/s1600/Bike+Florence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-fqCaFD9zz06in9zGeHPhyphenhyphenERUnypPGX_tPZKpz3sLYhyOwOLcSU3HCNPdr6W7IlStFKIhji5-XIaBdgUCnP6pFJ9Cd-wOvdzD73RVYlYFK4cG0MyEsTlOLjJXefL5jhFQ3eXppOTxK4c/s320/Bike+Florence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When our bellies were full and skin sun kissed, it was back on our bikes for more sightseeing and exercise. I must say biking on cobblestone was a real pain in my butt, literally! Between the sun and the biking we were both tired by late afternoon and headed home for before-dinner-naps. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKCZFBdWSinfTdjFksU7wks1_p3WitX9RBXYq5uiAFE9rZbFu1yLTsNO9xp0nEQVCdknaW93SBl0BHqpwK408xLqpTE9qSg79gZd6mQckgPQASMnCN0Y1MLw4lLhnR9pd3LPP10lFmTFh/s1600/IMG_1250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKCZFBdWSinfTdjFksU7wks1_p3WitX9RBXYq5uiAFE9rZbFu1yLTsNO9xp0nEQVCdknaW93SBl0BHqpwK408xLqpTE9qSg79gZd6mQckgPQASMnCN0Y1MLw4lLhnR9pd3LPP10lFmTFh/s320/IMG_1250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After an active day we had no desire to walk far for dinner so we went to a local restaurant called Giugolo. Although my host father says they've got great pizza, I was craving a salad and had to go with my palate. I must say it hit the spot! With arugula, tomatoes, ricotta, baby shrimp, and pecorino cheese my mouth and my stomach were both equally satisfied. After dinner we both had gelato on the mind! After looking at two different locations, they were both closed... I guess Italians like their gelato in the afternoon? Our taste slightly disappointed, we both headed home to get to bed early in preparation for a day trip tomorrow!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab0sf5971KMSzZrNznt4x3CymxIboipd-ROWPJgwb4cQaqberhwlXEAQvSSjxID5PKcXJLZdvsI2nZKi9Sr9Bpg-unnVPTPenJiQrmG023F5g-YG6FFSq_G-ArUae6047csL0yGYrlTmA/s1600/IMG_1253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab0sf5971KMSzZrNznt4x3CymxIboipd-ROWPJgwb4cQaqberhwlXEAQvSSjxID5PKcXJLZdvsI2nZKi9Sr9Bpg-unnVPTPenJiQrmG023F5g-YG6FFSq_G-ArUae6047csL0yGYrlTmA/s320/IMG_1253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-53897279811996089312012-03-28T13:24:00.000-07:002012-03-28T13:24:02.161-07:00Picnic in Fashion<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For me, Thursday's mean I get to fill a void in my life - cooking! Today I headed to the kitchen after Italian class to help prepare the meal for Sharing Thursday where students and teachers come together to share a meal with the homeless people of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. On the lunch menu was minestrone soup which had been previously prepared by <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vittoria</st1:place></st1:city>, the volunteer coordinator and creator of the Sharing Thursday program. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vittoria</st1:place></st1:city> added lots of veggies to her soup and prepared it without oil. She said the healthy meal was in honor of me and my Healthy Mondays - how nice! For dessert I helped prepare an apple cake with our school’s cook Maibritt. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXvCCjTq0fd8zMHFDVA86YOFgMhqURJbD6cYx0UZlfdz7L-EEBaYSVIZgRmrVhsy26Xi0LwBE8N2avUE3FtdKu9a1AfrNO9qinM0GsqDcCsDKyK9xb1NGU7Ag1Yf8ieOFG9DezRvT3gFC/s1600/IMG_1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXvCCjTq0fd8zMHFDVA86YOFgMhqURJbD6cYx0UZlfdz7L-EEBaYSVIZgRmrVhsy26Xi0LwBE8N2avUE3FtdKu9a1AfrNO9qinM0GsqDcCsDKyK9xb1NGU7Ag1Yf8ieOFG9DezRvT3gFC/s320/IMG_1245.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKYdRZqFQvQQhdNPUr3fOIHvP_6DrQORg1KsyDww9N3DAZAE4sDk6K3ml4hUI7pHu-bqsNDaT97vQE3O5-z8YD4FvwY2eJKyXrovlzRyHSryXIj3pu-HDD6Y016X2KUuT2suB8u24xRIS/s1600/IMG_1246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKYdRZqFQvQQhdNPUr3fOIHvP_6DrQORg1KsyDww9N3DAZAE4sDk6K3ml4hUI7pHu-bqsNDaT97vQE3O5-z8YD4FvwY2eJKyXrovlzRyHSryXIj3pu-HDD6Y016X2KUuT2suB8u24xRIS/s320/IMG_1246.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Everything was a big hit and serving was morally rewarding as always. We are even starting to have “regulars” for our lunches as one man sat in the piazza for an hour, waiting for us to arrive with a hot meal. Besides getting my cooking fix, I love how sharing Thursdays provide me the opportunity to connect with the Florentine community while practicing my Italian. It is truly a great program!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_usNEJP-cWMGRTLaRZe_dT7fTlyBt-uXjS2hw_ZhPwacVL3N_9QFcRtF6xeBPai6eRnDxnD2LWNbxfM8uAXm_rli9k1EX9rFOSOcCWh78AXndgsScFaNaKDE0noj04DqZPdH1ft9UF7tS/s1600/IMG_1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_usNEJP-cWMGRTLaRZe_dT7fTlyBt-uXjS2hw_ZhPwacVL3N_9QFcRtF6xeBPai6eRnDxnD2LWNbxfM8uAXm_rli9k1EX9rFOSOcCWh78AXndgsScFaNaKDE0noj04DqZPdH1ft9UF7tS/s320/IMG_1248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> After lunch in the piazza, I got to continue enjoying the wonderful weather we are having by walking to the center with my history class. Today my teacher brought us all to the Gucci museum! For in the midst of old buildings, renaissance history, and art in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, there is the history of fashion! We were guided through rooms filled with Gucci jewelry, luggage, dresses and even cars! I think my favorite room was the one with Gucci dresses worn by <st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place> stars…or the room with the Gucci picnic set - who knew you could picnic in fashion?</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk3IyGLZsMhyphenhyphenHJfVR34Evq3rwadVAx28mx87-U3aLRrmUIAcecOdsBohVKeEaMhnDSlex-fF5n-4lyZxwb84O8UKSe2arcFHtfKkzuSPZQOtioD9xcreb8vmMyHn7PbN7_YdF_RNzKGKp/s1600/gucci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk3IyGLZsMhyphenhyphenHJfVR34Evq3rwadVAx28mx87-U3aLRrmUIAcecOdsBohVKeEaMhnDSlex-fF5n-4lyZxwb84O8UKSe2arcFHtfKkzuSPZQOtioD9xcreb8vmMyHn7PbN7_YdF_RNzKGKp/s320/gucci.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.google.it/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1366&bih=635&tbm=isch&tbnid=EQQOFdbr0YEZeM:&imgrefurl=http://ericdarryl.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/gucci-museum-opens-today/&docid=mxObOwEjahhqEM&imgurl=http://ericdarryl.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/museo1.jpg&w=550&h=322&ei=XXJzT8XqMMv64QTApPn_Dg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=587&vpy=325&dur=1076&hovh=172&hovw=294&tx=201&ty=61&sig=110939435671128743429&page=3&tbnh=107&tbnw=182&start=46&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:46">Source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-26041086747653566342012-03-28T13:02:00.000-07:002012-03-28T13:02:43.442-07:00Puzzle Pieces<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today, Wednesday March 21, my Italian class had another field trip! Most of the other students here are enrolled in some kind of Art history class and often have site visits to museums or piazzas. Since I am not taking such a course, I get so excited when my Italian class has “site visits” of our own!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51Dy0Nl1VejrDxZ80p2-WtfxxGtmu9MHOgZkYqHwUUXGsanpQ3pJvUyasMIBwNvjUg7grE0KEU77wiZbOfgFU0lPkr-TOXH31LShIrFmHGaM1m-qBg349XCBfhLk7nnDHf44GHgxdOWOv/s1600/IMG_1212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51Dy0Nl1VejrDxZ80p2-WtfxxGtmu9MHOgZkYqHwUUXGsanpQ3pJvUyasMIBwNvjUg7grE0KEU77wiZbOfgFU0lPkr-TOXH31LShIrFmHGaM1m-qBg349XCBfhLk7nnDHf44GHgxdOWOv/s320/IMG_1212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This morning we met at Piazza Santa Croce to walk to our final destination together – an art studio where people make mosaic art! Upon arriving, an artist gave us a tutorial on how they make their mosaics. He first showed us the various types of stone they use, describing each one as he wiped off the rock with a damp sponge, revealing their true beauty. The stones were all from different places such as <st1:state w:st="on">Sicily</st1:state>, <st1:city w:st="on">Fiesole</st1:city>, and the bottom of the <st1:placename w:st="on">Arno</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXrWKH61ZU_NomoFhVSbKfGh0ssMDL4dw4MpXFNqy4gurm78QknFIzR9rIQcJJNgvCwiB4v4wyVV5wl7164OxEYFrJnXgwVC8wV7In2oCwljlH_By7yCR2Ct7Oa6CV3Y-pYsepunLFtf4/s1600/IMG_1232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXrWKH61ZU_NomoFhVSbKfGh0ssMDL4dw4MpXFNqy4gurm78QknFIzR9rIQcJJNgvCwiB4v4wyVV5wl7164OxEYFrJnXgwVC8wV7In2oCwljlH_By7yCR2Ct7Oa6CV3Y-pYsepunLFtf4/s320/IMG_1232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">He then demonstrated how they cut pieces of the colorful rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using a bow-and-arrow-looking contraption made of a wood and wire, and a mixture of water and sand, the artists carve tiny pieces of stone into the precise shape they need to fit their current work of art. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei3ZIK2lwfWSZBkULJS6VpBwfrg-_g3ofCT76nn3d4QlxHI0LnmNMyqIlSQD0D6ymRr5og53lMjzzcOm-Hfejno2g3rth6G5kmkd7ofv5VMB595Z3-i8hyFHTHzV1SD9NnmjTYYxHNCDM/s1600/IMG_1221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei3ZIK2lwfWSZBkULJS6VpBwfrg-_g3ofCT76nn3d4QlxHI0LnmNMyqIlSQD0D6ymRr5og53lMjzzcOm-Hfejno2g3rth6G5kmkd7ofv5VMB595Z3-i8hyFHTHzV1SD9NnmjTYYxHNCDM/s200/IMG_1221.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SRgxK_6hRg_rIuWkhrU3isuisswdINIqJ9J3csNRymMWMLCiGI3OnuHoCn_BCJqekC00ueVM1sIANfldvMt_UwHlh0NAJYCjEc4juPqYaVpQJdAasaouRaTdILZ5UhYsHkUJrnH0nAr7/s1600/IMG_1222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SRgxK_6hRg_rIuWkhrU3isuisswdINIqJ9J3csNRymMWMLCiGI3OnuHoCn_BCJqekC00ueVM1sIANfldvMt_UwHlh0NAJYCjEc4juPqYaVpQJdAasaouRaTdILZ5UhYsHkUJrnH0nAr7/s200/IMG_1222.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQMxWURCLRpaKoKxwvs6PPEQzAqjxSlGKkHCNbw_8KPk-Mml2xQc7R1nsaKOTTXU9_-l8CCvItx_YBrLH0YnqknF4uT38AluSGmtgQpHWdALOTQF9Nyy6wmf6fUU9IYcYTVEyXYPhlTIw/s1600/IMG_1224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQMxWURCLRpaKoKxwvs6PPEQzAqjxSlGKkHCNbw_8KPk-Mml2xQc7R1nsaKOTTXU9_-l8CCvItx_YBrLH0YnqknF4uT38AluSGmtgQpHWdALOTQF9Nyy6wmf6fUU9IYcYTVEyXYPhlTIw/s200/IMG_1224.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Through trial and error they fit the puzzle like pieces together to reveal a beautiful picture! It was really neat to see! Their gallery ranged from mosaics of simple flowers to intricate replicas of the Duomo. Their largest pieces take as much time as three years! Upon curiosity, I looked at the price of a small mosaic of a flower – 2500 €! Sorry mom, I did not get one for the house…</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzEs-6tk03niZr5CUcDTUfuC_1RQXuCKhhhrJcyf2C0fUam8qxyUwQTxrimVjrUVT3XCntc8BALuPsnVlloaUCbjaZ3DPnSj-B7LBFyhKYRbr94cYUV_5lFP1neU73LHrAG9YxjCH8Xlk/s1600/IMG_1219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzEs-6tk03niZr5CUcDTUfuC_1RQXuCKhhhrJcyf2C0fUam8qxyUwQTxrimVjrUVT3XCntc8BALuPsnVlloaUCbjaZ3DPnSj-B7LBFyhKYRbr94cYUV_5lFP1neU73LHrAG9YxjCH8Xlk/s320/IMG_1219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-29298803686026102102012-03-28T12:48:00.001-07:002012-03-28T12:49:22.537-07:00Let them Wear Shorts<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today, March 20, is the start of spring and, my, what gorgeous weather it brings! As cold and awful it was in the beginning of the semester, the weather is equally as wonderful now! Sunny and 70s all week! It’s amazing how many more people are out when the sun is shining…</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh473NZVMUX8daX1yNNoeUkRZFdZPMxdgG6WfsHOZt5Az1WHtlcScZz5VcLvD4H6R5DQaWXJhfmtoIoAymIlzO0h7aSyRgyuK4vUKV80cv3iGzrIXmHKrg5bffpoaVkT_zo7ogNn3VxgC5U/s1600/IMG_1993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh473NZVMUX8daX1yNNoeUkRZFdZPMxdgG6WfsHOZt5Az1WHtlcScZz5VcLvD4H6R5DQaWXJhfmtoIoAymIlzO0h7aSyRgyuK4vUKV80cv3iGzrIXmHKrg5bffpoaVkT_zo7ogNn3VxgC5U/s320/IMG_1993.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>I celebrated the warm weather by running in the afternoon, basking in the sun during lunch, and breaking out my shorts! I LOVE SHORTS. If given the choice I might never wear pants again. Pants are so constricting and uncomfortable, where as in my shorts my legs can be free. Although I love the fall, I despise the day when it is just too cold to wear shorts any longer and the days of easily slipping on some shorts are taken over by squeezing into pants day after day. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNNyLvG7J4gES93fq9PM_MjNPqWVXX9UXuO0EXB2uitRoqL5KdhZa2znn_te6ZJlz3oUZzbwvNksSJLFdjUM9XITL9H36rzGzPXF3QRi0uHY4BggBG1-1vuv6SS8uPxUorq1FSPALSRPe/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNNyLvG7J4gES93fq9PM_MjNPqWVXX9UXuO0EXB2uitRoqL5KdhZa2znn_te6ZJlz3oUZzbwvNksSJLFdjUM9XITL9H36rzGzPXF3QRi0uHY4BggBG1-1vuv6SS8uPxUorq1FSPALSRPe/s320/IMG_2146.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Unfortunately the Italians do not feel the same way. For despite the 75 degree weather, they are still sporting their scarves, jackets, and even their puffy down coats. Are they not sweating in there? Despite my thinking that warm weather is an obvious excuse for shorts, I have gotten some strange looks from the locals that I know translate to their thoughts “She doesn’t belong.” When I walked into Italian class one day sporting my summer bottoms, my professor informed me I look very, “American.” Do Italians not like their legs to be free? Despite the looks, the shorts have been broken out of the closet, and once they’re out, they don’t go back in until that sad, sad day in fall.Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-71810573640162345562012-03-28T11:58:00.000-07:002012-03-28T11:58:12.910-07:00(Not so) Healthy Monday<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After an active week showing Sean around <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, I woke up on Monday March 19, feeling…well…not so healthy. My head was aching, throat sore, and sinuses about to combust at any moment – or so it felt like. It was really no surprise to me for Ali had had the same symptoms yesterday and living in such tight quarters, there’s not much we don’t share. At least we can suffer together!</div><br />
Despite our host mother’s suggestion, Ali and I went to school and attempted to carry on our normal Mondays which means Healthy Monday events for me and Uffizi internship for her. Unfortunately after handing out fruit and taking in some Vitamin C myself, I did not feel any better. On top of this our scheduled Tai Chi instructor for tonight’s “Move-it-Monday” class canceled on me. Luckily, we have a student Zumba instructor that can be ready at a moments notice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A big thank you to Alex for saving the day with Zumba!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwINfJyKpa6Yzdb7DKMBqPxaBTVGZMuIG_iXQvKXci9DEWqTT8dLgpN6Mvjbxk5RGKkESQut6S4fLghQMMxqtRexSdOLbtTqOUH3JIKPaImcubdWFxB4NU4gHfsYnKXLXwj-5BT80nOI1u/s1600/Green+Tea.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwINfJyKpa6Yzdb7DKMBqPxaBTVGZMuIG_iXQvKXci9DEWqTT8dLgpN6Mvjbxk5RGKkESQut6S4fLghQMMxqtRexSdOLbtTqOUH3JIKPaImcubdWFxB4NU4gHfsYnKXLXwj-5BT80nOI1u/s320/Green+Tea.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
After making sure the class would go off without a hitch, I could not bear the thought of staying at school for the next five hours to workout, so I went home. Upon arriving home early, my host mom took great care of me making me green tea with honey and asking if I would like something special for dinner. I of course requested soup, as everyone knows that is quite possibly the best meal when you are feeling under the weather. So it was vegetable soup and salad for dinner – light, healthy and exactly what I needed. I hope these sickies don’t stick for long, but if means dinners like these, maybe I wouldn’t mind them staying a few more days…</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-56934573796667869052012-03-26T13:08:00.001-07:002012-03-26T13:09:05.501-07:00Movie worthy Ending<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today, Sunday March 19, I was up early to meet Sean and say our final goodbyes, as he had an early flight to catch. I walked him to the bus stop near his hostel, and before we knew it the bus pulled up and he was swept away all too quickly. When the bus was out of site, I sadly turned back to head home when I looked down and saw that I was still holding Sean’s bag of snacks! As I started to leave thinking “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That’s such a bummer” </i>other thoughts started going through my head like<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “It’s too bad he won’t have any snacks…wait he didn’t even eat breakfast…he has 15 hours of travel…he’s going to need snacks…he’s going to have to buy snacks…he’s going to have to spend at least 20 Euro on expensive airport food…</i>”. At that point I knew I had to try and catch him before he got to the airport. I had to at least try. On instinct I started running in the direction of his only to realize it was completely pointless because the bus was way too far ahead. So I impatiently waited at the bus stop for the next bus.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When it finally came, I hopped on, with 2 euro in hand to buy my ticket onboard. When the bus driver told me he ran out of tickets, I knew I did not have the time to find the nearest tabacchi, buy a ticket, and wait for the next bus to come. So I stayed on the bus, deciding to “risk it”. The bus pulled out and I started to head to the train station, ticketless, nervous and ready to jump off the bus at the first sight of a patrol man. My nerves were eased as we arrived at the station, and no one had come to check my lack of bus ticket. I thought of my chances of finding Sean through the see of people at the train station, before his bus to the airport departed – not likely. Miraculously, upon stepping off the bus, my eyes immediately went to the word “aeropuerto” printed on the front of a bus. As I made my way toward it my heart sank for it appeared it was empty, but as I got closer my eyes were able to make out a lone person in the front of the bus – it was my Sean!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I reached the door, Sean came out to meet me, surprised at why I was there but happy to see me at the same time. “You forgot your snacks,” I said to him simply, holding up the bag he had left behind. He responded with a big hug for as much as he was happy to have food for the long hours of travel ahead of him, I think he was happier to see me, as we both agreed the first bus came far too quickly for a real goodbye. As bus driver started the engine, I gave him one last squeeze before he had to resume his seat on the bus. With a final wave, the bus was off and Sean was gone – this time for good. Finding myself standing alone at the train station, this time with no snacks in hand, I headed home reflecting on the wonderful week I had spent with Sean. </div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">See you in 8 weeks ragazzo!</div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-89135250490510982822012-03-25T14:45:00.003-07:002012-03-25T14:50:33.046-07:00Guest Post: Italian Goodbyes<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought it’d be cool to hear Sean’s take on our last day together, so here he goes! - <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With today being the last full day in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Florence</st1:city></st1:place>, a fun and active day was necessary. It was saddening to wake up and think that this was my last day with Ellen but those thoughts were quickly wiped away with a sweet treat in the afternoon. Ellen and I decided to indulge in a McDonalds McFlurry. Normally, McDonalds is the last place you would find Ellen and I, but knowing they served a pistachio flavored McFlurries it was a necessary stop. With the pleasant weather of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> we sat in the Piazza Santa Maria Novella enjoying our afternoon treat and some street performer music. His new spin on “Your Song,” by Elton John really made the moment somewhat magical. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d07keXPqjp55hbZIgD86PQL9FQqhMXzyh5Vkb2xhNTsYFdCgF4RX_CoLRiZNqvYONFD7WNXTasfqzVJllpERklMXs17J2JHaoQIU7Y638hx7BNM-jYM3QkG7W1fJKma4FpKFD__RjaOZ/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2d07keXPqjp55hbZIgD86PQL9FQqhMXzyh5Vkb2xhNTsYFdCgF4RX_CoLRiZNqvYONFD7WNXTasfqzVJllpERklMXs17J2JHaoQIU7Y638hx7BNM-jYM3QkG7W1fJKma4FpKFD__RjaOZ/s320/IMG_2153.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After scraping the sides of the container to get the last of our delicious snack it was off to the leather booths of <st1:place w:st="on">San Lorenzo</st1:place>’s market in search of a new belt for myself. After some bargaining I left happy with a nice dark brown leather belt – a wonderful memento of my trip to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Florence</st1:city></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9clebDjFT91wAWyRrIhlfZt5J6nes-t72CgtqbCMNq89vHJFL1OfIZ6YayWvSiX0faXTGu242YwEN_8f-5CdUgdwrpzUzMO4oSwppZQb7sejOhy3BmN4H5-hOJq1ghDSOMgAPTWXtJSx/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9clebDjFT91wAWyRrIhlfZt5J6nes-t72CgtqbCMNq89vHJFL1OfIZ6YayWvSiX0faXTGu242YwEN_8f-5CdUgdwrpzUzMO4oSwppZQb7sejOhy3BmN4H5-hOJq1ghDSOMgAPTWXtJSx/s320/IMG_1141.JPG" width="240" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFhEHHzV7UyakUfWhH7GkP0Id31S9tVYff6kBLojIU3dyaIy4Escw_vb6feofVr3tMIQ5aB8DPMZO_aR0z8FCp8JmdDPByb3U6o9fJZk7DDxBG7AfmPy7d3MCsTjd6bOhUUvclXuYthzA/s1600/IMG_2035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFhEHHzV7UyakUfWhH7GkP0Id31S9tVYff6kBLojIU3dyaIy4Escw_vb6feofVr3tMIQ5aB8DPMZO_aR0z8FCp8JmdDPByb3U6o9fJZk7DDxBG7AfmPy7d3MCsTjd6bOhUUvclXuYthzA/s320/IMG_2035.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With the evening quickly approaching my stomach was in search of a snack. To make the most of the wonderful Italian food it was back to <st1:place w:st="on">San Lorenzo</st1:place>’s indoor food market that I loved so much on Tuesday. This time a sample of cheese and pesto was purchased and consumed along the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Arno</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place>. I must say, the river is one of my favorite parts of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. After soaking up the last of the day’s sun we were off for an evening stroll on the streets near the Duomo. The city really came alive after sun set. The weekend crowds were out enjoying the shops and sites of central <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. It was really enjoyable to see the city at night, all lit up, and full with people. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we walked, we kept our eyes open for a place to enjoy our last dinner together in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>. Sharing meals is one of our favorite things to do together. With our busy days back in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syracuse</st1:place></st1:city> having dinner together was the perfect time to catch up and unwind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After our extensive evening walk we arrived to a popular restaurant right off of <st1:place w:st="on">San Lorenzo</st1:place>’s market. We always seem to find ourselves beck in that area… guess we are foodies at heart. With the theme of food being “food I can’t get in the states,” it was prosciutto and melon to start, Tuscan mushroom soup for Ellen and gorgonzola walnut gnocchi for me. The soup was the hands down winner. The reduced tomato flavor and barley made the soup very hearty, and very delicious. I even put some on my gnocchi to increase the flavor… Full and satisfied, we took our time to absorb every last minute of our last dinner in each other’s company. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pT7gUA-qT3LJlonSNENgD-EScKHFDlxoHfB04n2C66Lhid-klI6KpQD-MgrKmfgAn3YN2t_hA7WFEkFOCskbwYfrCYI2EBjwx-xEFA8ROX1P90RBCXI3McNglIaGr2pzNtFJO3CVmkUl/s1600/IMG_1208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pT7gUA-qT3LJlonSNENgD-EScKHFDlxoHfB04n2C66Lhid-klI6KpQD-MgrKmfgAn3YN2t_hA7WFEkFOCskbwYfrCYI2EBjwx-xEFA8ROX1P90RBCXI3McNglIaGr2pzNtFJO3CVmkUl/s320/IMG_1208.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I cannot think of a better way to spend my last college spring break! The week went by too fast and I wish I was staying longer. During my stay in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, I especially enjoyed seeing Ellen’s everyday environment and getting to share her study abroad experience even if just for a week. Host family dinners, biking through <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city>, and the Healthy Monday & Sharing Thursday events are a few of my highlights. All in all, I couldn’t be happier with my time in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Experiencing <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florence</st1:place></st1:city> while spending some quality time with someone I am very thankful to have in my life was the perfect combination to make this trip a trip of a life time. I know I will remember it forever!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKN4mNwbFDfxciZxQJKb3JU2O8bIFs3nbt7NUkokdIFVktJcKmAZsM4NJmUkC0hmGhLXgBxcF3DKOPERGWtb5GE5YtSliyDZeiPj9wDJ59_dAvqC0sohpMQMR9rJeaN9msIImd8tF1hfQd/s1600/wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKN4mNwbFDfxciZxQJKb3JU2O8bIFs3nbt7NUkokdIFVktJcKmAZsM4NJmUkC0hmGhLXgBxcF3DKOPERGWtb5GE5YtSliyDZeiPj9wDJ59_dAvqC0sohpMQMR9rJeaN9msIImd8tF1hfQd/s320/wedding.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03112013649166984767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189589102745871134.post-62104171589453274082012-03-25T11:20:00.000-07:002012-03-25T11:20:24.597-07:00She was a Day Tripper<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today’s events involved a day trip! Sean and I met up at the train station early in the morning to catch a train to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre (literally meaning “five grounds”) is made of five small cities along the eastern coast of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Upon planning our trip, Sean and I had looked at gorgeous pictures of beautiful mountains, sandy beaches, and clear blue ocean waters. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47GBJKfYQEl2mf6r_hfTID4IqkviwjTzjJFLHJ4dwUpzwLMvzZt2yy-9QIHt92y_C4bwB-HvVwr1qOVAu0CFEE4yyf9WahM8W4ZXCFd1PFpM46gbEgWEqw7JZ4lfdZWTOpoFnUqMyFcPC/s1600/IMG_2114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47GBJKfYQEl2mf6r_hfTID4IqkviwjTzjJFLHJ4dwUpzwLMvzZt2yy-9QIHt92y_C4bwB-HvVwr1qOVAu0CFEE4yyf9WahM8W4ZXCFd1PFpM46gbEgWEqw7JZ4lfdZWTOpoFnUqMyFcPC/s320/IMG_2114.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMq1QuHdWx1XRoC7OUBJ0dWqfdmzwxUxiuo6AFDQlTIm9TaGuFGwjab2uA3G1r6-u8u3nkZVPW5jr9PDDCxBIzQLxbj749Nd-Ou5E2mLpZadtrNWP5FPKFNxl4e6vtThl5Q3SAeFjCpipZ/s1600/IMG_1201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMq1QuHdWx1XRoC7OUBJ0dWqfdmzwxUxiuo6AFDQlTIm9TaGuFGwjab2uA3G1r6-u8u3nkZVPW5jr9PDDCxBIzQLxbj749Nd-Ou5E2mLpZadtrNWP5FPKFNxl4e6vtThl5Q3SAeFjCpipZ/s320/IMG_1201.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We were excited for a day of hiking and laying on the beach taking in the gorgeous views. Unfortunately our ambitions were ruined by one uncontrollable, minor detail: the weather. Although nothing terrible, when we arrived, the weather in Cinque Terre was not the hot and sunny day we had imagined as the sky was cloudy and breezes were chilly. There would be no tanning on the beach for us today.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiGMdOSnODlue9aKhUALKwZ2-HTkz8A4CPxwW5RctsAHsO8uyUZ-kVnN7zmOK8ySIpmfcgPRaPoNoAH5nRZE-9hTHptiMUETmbaE7xzpJikqRLLZ2mU_gubGHWld3tIIw_xsfM2GGUy6Q/s1600/IMG_2104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiGMdOSnODlue9aKhUALKwZ2-HTkz8A4CPxwW5RctsAHsO8uyUZ-kVnN7zmOK8ySIpmfcgPRaPoNoAH5nRZE-9hTHptiMUETmbaE7xzpJikqRLLZ2mU_gubGHWld3tIIw_xsfM2GGUy6Q/s320/IMG_2104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>So in stead of soaking up the sun we heading on an adventure hike! – An old favorite thing to do together from our high school days. We followed a trail that winding up the side of one of the town many large mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so fun to be outdoorsy! Towards the top, we were welcomed by some amazing views of the ocean.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtmfPN8aZqyWIDqjy8ZjMiscUH1ycWvy0Nl5KA6it-cm-kYPAF5tRqHW7InAiTyDEvygxbB5EHj3sIF-c2fBX1XJ4PpmWXUaryNHPIl7tiZzvwqE3-EEkKfAjJI7D1M-LhhoNNrkUJq47/s1600/IMG_2112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtmfPN8aZqyWIDqjy8ZjMiscUH1ycWvy0Nl5KA6it-cm-kYPAF5tRqHW7InAiTyDEvygxbB5EHj3sIF-c2fBX1XJ4PpmWXUaryNHPIl7tiZzvwqE3-EEkKfAjJI7D1M-LhhoNNrkUJq47/s200/IMG_2112.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfXH88gKlHzuRQbL2OoH4kb58rx9cOOzrNwV6DnXRi3Y0RupGTobFCm5GniRGRbx-enjPzTXs6GMvig7FF5PdvG4pgPxW4Q5KmngGnyUpk1uqstbgDewSQWUgwtiM36ivzd-f1gDeYyYD/s1600/IMG_1198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfXH88gKlHzuRQbL2OoH4kb58rx9cOOzrNwV6DnXRi3Y0RupGTobFCm5GniRGRbx-enjPzTXs6GMvig7FF5PdvG4pgPxW4Q5KmngGnyUpk1uqstbgDewSQWUgwtiM36ivzd-f1gDeYyYD/s200/IMG_1198.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMloEmBd10ui9ftM-1_V0Zc2BNIftXorTsyt98pTop9sHAV0jKepyqro3_SPl7THCQ717w7tTA-aHzzjJX4epGTDnfQQM5UmbWOCAgoDkBoNF9kPriaAsYhvXcIDY1TbITNkUpeZuU81i/s1600/IMG_1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmMloEmBd10ui9ftM-1_V0Zc2BNIftXorTsyt98pTop9sHAV0jKepyqro3_SPl7THCQ717w7tTA-aHzzjJX4epGTDnfQQM5UmbWOCAgoDkBoNF9kPriaAsYhvXcIDY1TbITNkUpeZuU81i/s200/IMG_1191.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Zasp5ly5qr3hNKGVpw82PlW1zxYoDLkXNIjj1Y6PSPkkcNX7yQmDYb0h1w8etrjzOtD8z19xAOa7N3-4A_6kaNKb3Lk0zQef9vN6mYRZB07As7uJ5FFFoib9yk89uUELFmqIZh92cubT/s1600/IMG_2125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Zasp5ly5qr3hNKGVpw82PlW1zxYoDLkXNIjj1Y6PSPkkcNX7yQmDYb0h1w8etrjzOtD8z19xAOa7N3-4A_6kaNKb3Lk0zQef9vN6mYRZB07As7uJ5FFFoib9yk89uUELFmqIZh92cubT/s320/IMG_2125.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>After our hike we bopped around between the five cities exploring their small towns, but ultimately got slightly bored. We decided that this would be the perfect destination if it was sunny and hot, but for our day trip it was more than slightly disappointing. At least our dinner salad was not! With arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella and olives our dinner salads made our experience a little better, but only a little. <br />
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