Arrivederci!

We have been home from Italy for two weeks now!

Wow!

It is hard to explain but I teeter-totter between feeling like we were there just yesterday and feeling like we were there a whole year ago. My memories feel distantly vivid. I think its because there isn’t a lot in my daily life that reminds me of my experiences Italy. At home the bread has salt in it, the check automatically comes at the end of the meal, the streets are clean, and everything seems much more modern.  

In contrast I have found myself missing those things as well. On one of the first days in Italy our tour guide Lena told us everything was the way it was for a specific purpose. The city was full of history and meaning. Comparatively everything in the United States is just so new. Our nations history only goes back 200 years compared to Italy’s which goes back over 2000 years. This trip was great to compare the benefits and see the disadvantages of such an historic country. I can’t wait to go back one day!

Arrivederci

Kate 

On our last and only day in Rome we did an express tour and saw all the sites we could in an afternoon! 

 We saw the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon. It was awesome! 

There's No Place Like Home

We have been home for almost a week and I have answered "How was your trip?" more than I can count. Our last days in the land of pasta were amazing! Granted I was tired and ready to come home, but seeing the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Spanish Steps in just a few hours was mind blowing.

The day of travel was interesting to say the least. The flight from Rome to Montreal was amazingly easy. Plenty of good movies to choose from and really good food (never thought I'd say that). There was a huge line at customs and a couple of snafoos, but we all made it. As soon as we got to Chicago, I made it a point to get McDonalds. Then we walked to literally the other side of the airport to find our gate to Lincoln. This is where my mood took a notable turn. It had already been a long day, but that was the airport that made it feel like the day was never ever going to end. Ever. All I could think about was how good it would feel to be at home finally.

I loved every minute of Italy, but as soon as I got back I knew exactly what I missed. I obviously missed my family and friends, but beyond that. The U.S. offers such a variety in the food that it's really hard to get sick of a certain thing unless you purposely have it every day. Then just by the mere fact of how much land there is, we have so much more space. These are only a couple of things I noticed, but I do know that while this trip helped me appreciate another culture. It also helped me appreciate my own culture.

There's no place like home.
Where ever your home is.
Mine happens to be Lincoln, Nebraska.
And you know what they say...
There's no place like Nebraska!

It's been real Italy and I'll miss ya, but ciao for now!
Love,
Caitie

Can we go to our favorite restaurant?

Now that I have been back in the states for almost a week, I have to say I miss Italy. I mean I knew that I would, but it is really hitting me now. I do miss one thing more than everything else though, the food. Seriously, the food in Florence was some of the best food I have ever had. Now eating pasta everyday did get a little boring, but they had so many different kinds of pasta to choose from. Now missing the food leads to missing one more thing, our favorite restaurant. With so many different restaurants to choose from in Florence, one might think it impossible to have a favorite, but we did.

We found this restaurant our first night in Italy. We just put our stuff in our apartment and went out in search of sustenance. We stopped at the first place we saw, little did we know how important it would come to be for us. The place was called Accadi. It is safe to say that we all enjoyed our meal that night and ever since we compared ever other meal we had in Italy to that restaurant and nothing could match how good it was. So we went back, and back some more, and then some more. Now out of everyone, I went there the most, with a total of eight times... I know a little excessive, but I was in love. I even got the recipe of my favorite dish, so I will be perfecting it.

Not only was the food good, but the people were amazing. We met the cooks and got to know our waiters. Now one waitress in particular was there almost ever time we went, and I think a few of us ended up thinking of her as a surrogate aunt. She would always talk to us while we were there, she tried to teach us a little Italian, and she definitely became our favorite Florentine.

Now seeing that we went there so much, they started to give us little things after we would eat. The first time we got shots of white Sambuca, which I have to say I am not fond of, but in Italian culture it would be rude to turn down a gift so a few of us got our first experience with this black licorice flavored alcohol. Then the next time we were offered Limoncello, which is significantly better, but still a little strong for some of us. And the last night all of the cooks and both our servers came out and sipped Limoncello with us. That had to have been one of my favorite memories of Florence.

So now that I am back and missing Italy, I thought I would write my final blog post about why. The sights of Florence are amazing, the priceless artwork we saw was great, but the food and the people is what I will hopefully go back for someday.

If you want to look up Accadi they have a website! http://www.trattoriaaccadi.com

This is us on our last night in Florence with our servers!

Saying Goodbye to Italy

Our last evening in Florence--we had gelato at our favorite place

Our farewell dinner in Rome.  The students presented me with a beautiful, leather-bound book in which they wrote lovely messages. 

Kate on the plane leaving Rome

Vanessa, Caitie, and Caty on the plane leaving Rome (I could not reach Step from my seat)

First stop for several students when we landed in the United States:  McDonald's

A day in Rome

I took this picture from a taxi that Caty Reed and I took to St. Peter's Basilica.  Steph, Kate, Vanessa and Caitie are in this taxi heading to the Colosseum. 

In St. Peter's Square

St. Peter's Basilica

Caty taking a picture of Michelangelo's first Pieta, in St. Peter's Basilica

Holy water font in St. Peter's Basilica

Stained glass window in St. Peter's Basilica

Doem of St. Peter's Basilica, designed by Michelangelo

Caty taking a picture of Swiss Guard

Gate at the Vatican

Spanish Steps

Bernini Fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps

Trevi Fountain, we all threw coins

Gratitude

Tonight I watched a YouTube video with Dr. Brene Brown talking about the relationship between joy and gratitude.  She explained that practicing gratitude invites joy into our lives.  As I walk through the streets of Florence these last few days I find myself living in a sort of joy, understanding the life I have had that has led me to this point.  When we study abroad we learn about a different culture, exploring it like a sort of magical land.  In the end we find humanity and reality, both much farther from the fantasy that we had envisioned.  But also, studying abroad, for any amount of time in any fashion, is truly a unique opportunity, one that few will be able to participate in.  As I was approaching graduation in the last several months, and then reaching it, I have constantly been challenged to use my degree for something more.  Yes, it is indeed a diploma outlining my academic achievement as an undergrad, but it means so much more.  We are in a country and a culture, that even though education is expensive, people are educated.  We are literate.  So when we continue our education, we also have a responsibility to use it to improve the world in which we live.  The education we work for is bigger than ourselves.  Studying abroad carries a similar responsibility.  We are able to leave the culture and the world that we have known to observe and experience another.  It stretches and strengthens who we are like yoga stretches and strengthens the body.  At first you are uncomfortable, and while in the pose you wonder why you are doing this, but once you come back to center it seems to make sense.  Your feel better, fuller, and almost cleansed.

As I have walked the streets I have wondered how I have practiced gratitude.  Yesterday, I had to buy a new suitcase in one of the outdoor markets.  TSA was so kind as to mutilate the bag I brought with me. I kept walking through thinking where is that stupid stand so I can buy a cheap suitcase so I can pack and go home.  So as I was walking through the market I ended up talking to several people.  I found myself practiciing gratitude so freely in one of the most crowded and stressful places in the city.  And by talking to people, remembering that they too are on a journey somewhere, whether it is through travel or through daily life, I found myself truly grateful.  Two of the vendors I did business with caught me off guard.  The first was a woman selling t-shirts.  I always ask the vendors where they are from, because I just want to talk to someone.  And this woman talked to me.  I mean she really talked to me, even introducing me to her daughter.  Once I found my suitcase by "Suitcase" I was exhausted.  After I haggled the price down to a place I was okay paying for, the man started to talk to me.  And yes, I am guessing part of it is salesmanship.  But I would ungrateful if I brushed it off.

Tomorrow I will see my favorite work of art in all the world.  Since being here I have been submersed in art, a place I willingly go.  Throughout this trip I have seen the work of Michelangelo in such a way that both mirrors his life, but also how I saw some of these works the first time I saw them six years ago.  I remember seeing the Pieta he completed in less than a year when he was just a little older than I am now, and I just melted.  I have seen his second and last Pietas, I have seen the Medici tombs (Dawn and Dusk & Night and Day), I have visited his tomb located in Santa Croce.  Everyday, I find myself moved.  The average person only spends 8 seconds looking at a single piece of art.  When I see art I look at it, I take it in.  And if I can't really take it in, I wait until I can.  I live graciously through art.  And as the trip comes to a close, and I reflect on the art, I find that I have given it its due respect.  Today and this trip I am grateful to have travelled with a dynamic group of women, and a wise professor.  I am grateful to see the work of some of the greatest minds of the Renaissance.  I am grateful that I have been surrounded by people rich in culture and humanity.  And most of all I am grateful for the learning and the knowledge gained.  I will touch down Saturday night knowing a little more about who I am and who I want to be.

Peace, as always,
Caty

The best view in all of Florence

This morning Vanessa, Caty, and myself met Rachel at 9am to hike up to San Miniato. We had been trying to take this hike for the last few day but due to all the unpredicted rain we had to keep postponing it. I'm glad we did because the weather this morning was perfect! Actually, today turned out to be one of the hottest days since we got here. The hike was relatively steep. However, you did not notice it because around each corner there was another breathtaking view of the city with the Duomo and Palazzo Vecchio peaking above the city landscape. On our way up we also walked through a rose garden which had beautiful flowers and lemon trees! Caty really wanted to pick one of the lemons but refrained due to the large fines and possible jail time. At the top was San Miniato. 

San Miniato was supposedly named after Saint Minias who was a Christian martyr in Florence. He was a merchant or prince from Armenia. In 250, he came to Florence and became a victim of persecutions of the Emperor Decius and was beheaded. Legend has it that, after his decapitation, he picked up his head, put it back on his shoulders and went to die in the cave on Monte alle Croci where he had lived as a hermit.    ( I learned this from Wikipedia and a few other sources tonight so take it for what it's worth) 

After we got to the top we took a few pictures, took in the view, and then we headed back down. If anyone comes to Florence I would recommend this as something you must do! I'm glad we were able to fit it in on one of our last days here. 

Ciao, 

Kate 

Walking up to San Miniato

You can see the old city wall of Florence going up the hill

Kate takes in the view of Florence from San Miniato

Vanessa on a wall at San Miniato

Caty, Vanessa, and Kate

Caty seizes the moment at San Miniato

Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River

The intrepid hill climbers:  Rachel, Vanessa, Kate, and Caty

Health Care Soap Opera!

Yes, my friends, it has happened. I'm talking about the worst thing that has ever happened to mankind while studying abroad.

Just kidding. Everyone is alive! But, to ME, the worst thing has happened: I have become very sick. What started out as a "bug" going around a couple of the girls transformed into a full-fledged nightmare for me. I found out I have a fever, bronchitis, and a "dramatic" ear infection, as the British man said.

But don't worry, that doc has me all medicated and on the road to recovery in no time! Nothing a little antibiotics, steroids, decongestant, aspirin, and nasal spray can't fix!

Now that I have my sob story out of the way (can you tell I like to be dramatic?), I would like to focus on my experience with the Italian healthcare system. I must say I am impressed. To tell you the truth, I don't know enough Italian to successfully explore authentic Italian healthcare, but hey, the British doc still has to go through the process in order to practice his work here, so what could be that sketchy? At first, it was nerve-racking as one might imagine- a new country, an extremely uncomfortable situation, homesick, and getting ready to leave in a few days.

Luckily for me, I had a friend who tagged along with to make sure I got there fine. I cannot say how much I appreciate my roommates helping me through this! They have put up with "sick Steph" for a few days now, and being around sick people is just as much of a hassle as it is being sick.

We entered the building somewhat confused, due to the lack of direction leading us to the right floor. A man was entering the elevator and we asked him if the doctor's office was up, and he nodded, so we followed him (he didn't seem too happy to be stuck in a cramped elevator with a "sicky", so I tried not to breathe as much as possible to make him feel better :)). Upon arriving to the correct building, there was no receptionist and my first perspective of the office was, "Really? This is a doctor's office?" It was painfully cramped and the lack of ANYTHING made it hard to take it seriously as a professional institute.

It gets better from here, niente.

Although being in a cramped environment when you're sick is not preferred, I had to consider that ALL doctor's offices are most likely similar here, because of the deficit of space as a city. It's a cultural thing, for sure. It might be small, but damn (excuse my French), it was efficient! There was a main sign on top of the receptionist's desk that gave clear, concise directions for first-timers. All I had to do was fill out a sheet the size of a diary page. At this point, a receptionist did show up, and she asked me a few times what time my appointment was. It was for 10:20, and at this point it was 10:10 by the time I finished filling out the sheet of paper (my mom always taught me to go to doctors appointments early in order to be on time). The receptionist immediately brought the piece of paper back into a mysterious room where she exchanged a few words, came back out, and told me to proceed into the room. I know it sounds silly, but I was very anxious at this point and anticipating entering that room. What would be inside? Torture devices, mean doctors, needles, unsympathetic workers? Who knew, I'm in Italy. It was the exact opposite as you all can predict. The British doc had a sweet accent, a University of London plaque, and an office/doctor room combined. I was comfortable the second I sat down. It was slightly odd at first since it felt like a more intimate doctor's appointment. I seriously was sitting across a gigantic desk where the doc consulted me first before moving me over to the other side of the room to do the check-up. It felt very individualized.

After giving me the diagnosis, I had some news to cheer me up! The insurance card FUA gave me  allowed for this doctor's visit to be free! Since it was free, the doc insisted that I come back on Thursday for a re-check up on my ear because it's apparently a very bad ear infection. He is worried about me flying home so soon, which now has me worried, but he added the steroid to help speed up the recovery process I believe.

All of this took about 20-25 minutes. I was out of the office by 10:30.

The Farmacia is properly located right next door, so I was able to pick up my meds there, which took about 5 minutes to fill. Also, for 4 different medications, the total price was only 34 Euros! I couldn't believe it.

I am now on my way to feeling better, so hopefully I will be feeling fine in a day or so!

Thanks for listening to my dramatic story, it's always a little more fun when there are dramatics involved. :-)

Fino a domani,

Steph

Too much of a good thing?

*Author's note: Before I begin, I would like to say that I am in no way discounting the greatness of this opportunity we are all experiencing, but rather finding a comical way to describe the feeling of being away from home for an extended period of time and that time nearing an end.

As we come to the end of our time in Italy, one could say that the troops are a little, well, low on the morale department. I know that we are all enjoying our time here, but it's hard to appreciate it when you are so close to home. Naps have become more frequent and so has the snack food. A couple of the girls have been resorting to gummy worms and apple-o's and we have taken at least one trip to the Italian Burger King.

We have begun to work on our final bout of presentations and papers, which has helped keep our minds busy as we get closer to the final day. I think it's easy to say that we are looking forward to our day in Rome which will take place on Friday, mainly for a change of scenery (and also some monuments here and there: colosseum, pantheon... Yadda yadda) We are all finishing up our gift buying: some of us have got it squared away, others are remembering last minute gifts to gather. We tackled the last of the museums this morning and will be making our way through this jungle of the renaissance up to Piazza Michelangelo to see the beauty of the skyline tomorrow.

We will continue to keep our eyes on the horizon, but only while appreciating every last minute here. No worries parents I'll keep an eye on the gummy consumption.

Over and out,
Sargent Caitie Cornelius
; ]

San Marco Museum

In the courtyard at San Marco

Medici crest in the courtyard at San Marco

Ceiling near monks' quarters at San Marco

Famous fresco at San Marco, The Annunciation by Fra Angelico

Ceiling in San Marco

Part of a door in San Marco

Lemon tree just outside San Marco

Santa Croce

Michelangelo's grave, Caty soaking it in

Statue of St. Francis 

Picture taken with flash off, through a metal grate

Courtyard in Santa Croce

Ceiling

Oh the wonders you can find on the street....

As crazy as the streets of Florence are, walking through them is my favorite part. I love turning a corner and finding something new. I love getting lost and finding your way back. I love that we can walk around just for the sake of exploring. I just love what you can find on the street...

Last night and earlier today Caty, Caitie, and I went out just to be out. We walked around, we ate, and we purchased items from street vendors. This is another one of my favorite things. I love looking at what the vendors have to sell. Now I am not talking about the typical things that are at every stand: the mass reproduced leather purses, wallets, and belts; the beautiful, but everywhere scarves; and the cheap, I am never going to actually wear this, T-shirts. I am talking about the real, hand-made, unique items that you are never going to find anywhere else. For instance today we randomly found this market that is only around for a few weekends out of the year. This market was amazing, they had such a variety of items, and each booth was different. There was everything from hand-made jewelry to wooden plaques and sculptures to terracotta figures. Each stand had unique artisan creations and this is where I bought the majority of my souvenirs for friends and family. I love seeing the unique eye of the different street artists and how they use their talents.

Moreover the music of the city is so beautiful. This is another aspect I love of walking through the streets. Each time we go out we get to hear a new musician out playing for the crowds. Traditionally we hear the typical Italian melodies, which are something you can get lost in listening to; but then every once and a while you hear something different. For instance, last night while Caty, Caitie, and I were out walking we heard Native American music, and I kid you not we stood there for 30 to 45 minutes just listening. Caty and Caitie ended up buying their CD, we all bought bracelets from them, and I also bought a dream catcher.

These experiences, more than anything else, make me appreciate the many cultures of the world. There are some many people out there, with so many different talents and skills that they can bring to the world. Getting to explore the streets of another culture and getting lost in that culture is one of the most rewarding experiences out there.

A day at the pool

I can't believe in less than a week we will be back in Nebraska. The time has flown by! 

There are a lot of things on this trip that have 'surprised ' me. I have come to realize that they were due to my personal generalizations of Italian culture more than anything.

For example yesterday Steph, Caitie, and I went to the public pool. It was the warmest day yet so we took advantage of it! I was expecting our day at the pool to be just like any other summer day back at home, however it certainly had an Italian twist.

When we arrived at the pool we saw a sign that said in order to get into the pool you have to wear a swim cap. I initially thought it may be more of suggestion than a rule however, as we waited in line we saw that the other customers were required to buy them. We paid just the admission and wanted to see the pool before we decided if we were going to swim. Sure enough, everyone in the largest public pool in Florence had a swim cap on. I was so surprised by this but after I got home I did some research and found that pools that require people to wear swim caps are more hygienic than those that don't . It is actually a law in Italy that everyone no  matter how much hair you have must wear a swim cap while swimming in a pool. I also learned that some pools required men to wear speedos for hygiene purposes as well. This pool didn't go that far luckily!

Other surprises that I encountered was the gourmet quality of the poolside snacks and the extreme public display of affection. It was such a fun day and very different from a pool day in Nebraska!

Ciao, 

Kate Peterson

Reevaluating the Italian Scene

In the last 48 hours I have had to question two stereotypes that I had thought I was correctly experiencing.  It's interesting going into a different culture, a different country, expecting certain things to be true.  And for awhile they are, but when they aren't it sets you off guard - leaving you wondering if what you thought at first was actually right at all.

Yesterday (Thursday) a few of us travelled to Sienna again, to take in the small city slowly.  Truthfully, we wanted to shop, which we successfully did.  The stores in Sienna are set up for tourists, with the shop owners fully aware that the majority of people walking over the threshold will be leaving without any purchases.  So in and out of the shops we go, thinking about the possibilities that surround us.  I did happen upon a store, that I am guessing very few people go in just to browse.  And not surprisingly, it was a camera store.  For a town the size of Sienna, I was not expecting a camera store of this capacity, but there it was amongst the boutiques and gelato shops.  I knew that if I was going to go in, I needed to be serious about making a purchase.  I sort of was, and I left without anything.  Before we came to Italy we understood that stores are set up for window shopping, and that if you enter a store you should be serious about making a purchase.  I think part of me was up for the cultural challenge.  The other part of me wanted to play dress up with my new Canon Rebel.  I was expecting the clerk helping me to try every sales technique, doing everything she could to persuade me to buy a new lens.  Instead, she asked me if I wanted to look.  She took my camera and showed and gave a mini tutorial about lens sizes, and what the measurements mean.  She let me take a picture was a $1000+ lens, without flinching.  And then when I left I apologized for not making a purchase, and as I left she told me it was her pleasure to help me.  We have seen chefs and wait-staff take pride in the food they give their customers.  But the woman in the camera shop had more pride in her work, but also the most joy.  She didn't do it for a sale, and I realize that sometimes what we think about a culture can't be generalized and blanketed to every person.  People are dynamic and so is their culture.

The second thing is something I have been trying to figure out for a much longer time than the two weeks we have already spent in Florence.  When I was in Paris in 2007 I experienced my first gypsies trying to collect money from tourists.  Before we went, our delegation leaders told us not to talk to them, not to even look them in the eyes.  They even told us that it had been heard that sometimes these European gypsies will throw their "babies" at you for you to catch, and have a comrade pickpocket you in the process.  Since then, I have been majorly skeptical of anyone that appears to be a gypsy.  I would even go as far to say that I border on freaked out when they are in my vicinity.  But what does that say about me?  I have found that when I take time to walk through Florence, slowly, on my own, I see things that I never imagine existed.  So today (Friday) I was walking home from a day of more Michelangelo and shopping.  I had seen the gypsy women on my way past the Straw Market, and again around the Duomo.  Then I noticed a younger gypsy women.  I am guessing she was younger than me, but the sun had aged her considerably.  Her hair was braided with beautiful colors, and clothing shared the same template.  But even with the color, her clothes were as worn and dirty as she was.  I have seen some of the same women every time I have been around the Duomo, but not this girl.  As I walked by, I looked at her, I mean I really looked at her.  She was invisible to everyone around her.  She was sitting on a step, worn and paused.  I couldn't help but notice that it looked like she gave up.  She understood who she was and the weight of it all made her sink into the marble.  So as I continued to walk through the city on my way home I realized that these women live in a world of no and invisibility.  I can't say I have a solution for giving these people a voice, or that I even understand a little bit about their existence, but I do know that when I see them, I will see them as human beings.  I will check in to make sure that is what I am doing, and not just passing them off.  I will see them.

Peace, as always,
Caty

A Sunny Day in Siena

Kate and Caty

Kate and Caty

Ooh, burn!

Sitting on some rocks in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea reading a book: sounds pretty amazing, right? Well, it was.

Vanessa, Caitie, and I decided to venture out today and conquer something none of us have yet to do. The thought of using the train system in Florence without any sort of tour guide was frightening to me. Even a few setbacks, like almost getting on the wrong train, didn't stop us from achieving what we wanted. This is credited to the people of Italy. Let me explain.

We were able to purchase our tickets for only 9 Euros and validate them without any problems. Then, when the time came to board our train, we naturally went to the train that showcased "Livorno," which was our destination. We even checked the platform number on the corresponding screen. However, when we were boarding, an older Italian man who clearly did not work for the train system, asked to see our tickets. He was not begging for money, or trying to sell us things, and we were in a very public area, so we let him look at our tickets as he insisted. Speaking only Italian, he was conveying that we were on the wrong train and needed to go on the other one, which when he pointed to, had a different city name. We immediately assumed he was wrong but continued to give him the time of day because he was very persistent about us boarding the other train. After 5 minutes of communicating through gestures and picking apart random words that I recognized from the French language, we figured out he was right. He must've known that foreigners commonly make the mistake, and he was nice enough to guide us in the right way. Point 1 for friendly, helpful Italians!

Point 2 comes after we had arrived in Livorno an hour and a half later. We went through the station only to get outside on the wrong side, where there were empty parking lots and only a few people navigating about. Luckily, a younger Italian man saw our confusion. He immediately came over to us with a big smile and knew we could use his help. He knew a lot of English, so this communication was smoother for us. He directed us to go through the station to the complete other side and that we needed to purchased bus tickets for bus number 1 in order to get to the beach. How awesome and helpful once again!

We made it to the beach in time to lay out, read, swim, be silly, and take pictures for a full 2-3 hours. After gaining our "American sunburns" (don't worry Mom, mine isn't too bad :)), we then made our way to a gelato shop to sit down and relax some more. On our way, we came across a dog beach, and watching this hilarious show of dogs swimming in the water, barking at each other, and being playful made me miss my very own 2 yellow labs. There was one specific yellow lab that kept pestering/taunting a small, yappy dog in the water by acting like he was going to steal his ball. The smaller dog kept barking at the yellow lab every time it made the attempt. Caitie and I found this to be extremely hilarious, and Caitie even added her own soundtrack to what the dogs were saying, which made me roar into even more laughter. After a short while, we decided it was time to make our way back to the train station.

What a day it was, indeed, but I have to give the credit of this splendid day to the helpful, friendly Italians who truly made this trip possible. Without them, we would have run into some serious problems- like possibly ending up in the wrong city!

Gratzie, Italy for such a grand time today!

Fino a domani,

Steph

Where are we? Do you hear that?

I completely realize that this title sounds like the set up for some kind of horror movie, but everyone can relax because I can promise you that it is the exact opposite! While you travel you learn things about yourself and what is comforting to you. I have had experience of both of these while being in Italy.

The main thing I've learned about myself is that I have a good memory when it comes to getting around a city. For the first week, we relied heavily on maps to find where to go, but now that we have walked around quite a bit I can remember where things are or where we have been before. Now you might be thinking that this isn't all that special, but when you're in a brand new city and especially in Florence things can tend to blend together. The thing is that I couldn't tell you the street name or even the direction that we are headed in, but I can tell you that the Arno is over there so if we are going to the Duomo then we have to go that way. On top of that, it seems to be easy for me to recognize streets. Not street names, those are a lost cause for me, but the streets themselves. I'm not sure if it's the shops or buildings, but I can tell you if we have been down a certain street or not.

I feel that this has really helped me on this trip because it can be really easy to get turned around (which has happened to me a couple of times) so when other girls are a little confused I can help get us back on track. It also gives me a certain self-confidence that I didn't have at the beginning of this trip. The downside is I have to walk in front a lot which makes talking kind of difficult (another thing I'm really good at)!

A thing that everyone gets warned about before coming abroad is culture shock and how to deal with it. While I've been in Italy, I've found my comfort for my culture shock: music. The Italians play quite a bit of American music and of course there are pros and cons to that, but for me it helps a ton! The fact that I can walk into a cafe and hear Justin Timberlake's Mirrors is so refreshing. They play top 40 (some pop, some rap) but they also play quite a bit of classic rock (nothing like a little Don't Stop Believin' to get you through) While your abroad you are inundated with so much culture and some of it is similar to your own, but a majority of it will at least feel different. So, when you are in this world of different and you hear a familiar tune it's bound to make you feel a little more at home.

Now we are well in to our second week and it has been so much fun. Yet, I can't lie I am really starting to miss home and can't wait to see everyone!

Ciao!
Caitie

"Hey I'm walking here!"

If you have ever been to a big city in America you know how crazy drivers can get, but they have nothing on the Florentines. Now that we have been here in Florence for a while we had seen and experienced our share of Italian driving and I have to say it was a bit scary. Now this is not to say that Italian drivers are crazy or scary, just that they way Florence is set up makes it a challenging job. Not only for the drivers, but for pedestrians too!

Let me set the scene: the roads are just big enough for a bus to get through and mainly go only one way, the sidewalks are a tiny strips of concrete, and the amount of pedestrians generally outnumber how many should be on these tiny strips of sidewalk. If you can image this, you can picture Florence.

Now if you are picturing these tiny streets you can only imaging what it is like to navigate through them. Well let me explain it to you. With the sidewalks being narrow pieces of land and with the amount of people on the sidewalks making it hard for everyone to fit, this means that people are walking on the streets. Now this is a dangerous situation in any city, but especially in Florence. With the one way streets, barely big enough for the buses, walking in the street leads to a high probability of getting honked (hence my clever, movie quoted title). Now as a pedestrian I think that we obviously own the road and naturally everyone should yield to us walkers; however, after riding in a cab through these lovely streets I think that all the pedestrians should be moving themselves off the streets, they clearly belong to the drivers. Now as you can tell neither one of these thoughts can be correct since they so obviously contradict themselves, so how does one navigate the streets of Florence?

What a loaded question that is, not one I can easily answer either. Since being here I have notice that the Italians seem to be very patience people, which is great because as someone from another country I am generally too busy looking at the beautiful city of Florence to realize that I am in the street. I tend to get told from our fellow bloggers here, that there is a car coming. This means that I am that annoying person in the street that the drivers have to wait on to move--the person I hate when I am the one riding in a car; however, out of all the times I have been caught in the street I have yet to be honked at, proving the amazing patience of the Florentines. So it seems that the drivers know that at times pedestrians have to be on the streets and the pedestrians have to realize that they need to do the best they can to stay out of the way of cars. Like most situations a compromise yields the best results.

So what does this all mean? Well it really just means that I am not accustom to pedestrians and cars being so close to one and other and to me this is crazy and a little scary at times. However, like all the other cultural barriers this is just one more thing that we have learned from and adapted to. Living in cultures outside your own will always be different and it is the adaptability of a person that can make or break the experience.