Arrivederci

And so it goes, the final blog post. As most of you know, I am back in America, and my status of “exotic Italian world traveler who obnoxiously posts pictures” has been downgraded to “that one girl who won’t shut up about her life in Italy and still obnoxiously posts pictures.” I have been putting this one off partly because I am enjoying being in the comforts of home, and partly because I don’t want to accept that this semester is over and say my final goodbye. 

My best friend Cara made me a book before I left full of sweet and astoundingly witty pages and pictures. I was rereading it last night, and came upon the statement,” Kaitlin’s not actually going to Italy, she’s just going to hibernate for a while because she’s so over it all.” 

While it contains the perfect tinge of college girl exaggeration and sarcasm, I don’t think I realized how true this was until I returned home. Before I experienced Italy, I was in a rut. In my faith, in my friendships, in my school work, in everything. Cue Elizabeth Gilbert’s, “I just wanted to marvel at something.” But I did, and was ready to experience every cliche in the book. And I marveled, and marveled, and marveled. 

And now that I’m home, I marvel even more. Did I really drink champagne on top of the Eiffel Tower? Did I really walk across the Ponte Vecchio daily? Did I really live that cool, casual, capuccino-filled life? There’s so much about the past 4 months I will always miss and treasure.

Pomodoro, Mozzarella e Rucola paninos from Cafe Santa Trinita. Dried fruit from the fruit stand. Museum Wednesdays. Aperitivo. Family dinners on the rooftop terrace. Chianti wine. Street musicians. African monkey sellers. “Ciao, bella!”. Not tipping. Cobblestone streets. Speaking broken Italian to those who speak broken English. The Duomo bells. The carousel in Piazza Della Repubblica. Cooking classes. Long meals.The piazza in front of Santa Croce. La Carraia. Secret bakeries. Late night trip planning. Cioccolata calda. Taking trains. Taking planes. Ringos. Il Teatro. Afternoons in Boboli Gardens. Piazza Michelangelo at night. Or any time. 

And my friends. I guess I figured I would make friends while abroad, but I didn’t know I would meet my life-changing, best friends. You all showed me how to speak up, explore, love, and always look for the next great adventure. Thank you for bringing out a little more of the version of myself I strive to be, and for loving me when I was not. Like when I was hangry. (Angry out of hunger) And let’s be honest, that’s a lot. I love you all, and while I am sorry our goodbye was a panicked and desperate run for my life in the London airport, it just adds to the collection of memories we will never be able to explain to those at home, thus always connecting us to one another. 

To those at home, I owe so much thanks to you as well. Thank you for your Skype calls, endless Facebook messages and emails, travel money, blog feedback, letters, support, and love. Thank you for listening to my stories even when I ramble and receiving me upon my return as if nothing ever changed. It was the peace and reassurance I had from home that gave me the confidence to explore the world, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so. 

I’m convinced that travel can warp time like no other. It convinces you that you have all the time in the world that is your oyster, that time is standing perfectly still at home, yet jam-packs years’ worth of personal growth into a scrawny semester. At the beginning of this journey, I promised myself I would seize each and every opportunity presented to me in pursuit of feeling alive and amazed. And I feel I stayed true to that. No, not all of these things turned out perfectly and many mistakes were made along the way, but these are the memories I’ve learned to love most. While I was in Florence, I honestly was terrified that my happiness had peaked- how silly that was! Regardless, I wrote myself a little note so that I would always remember how I felt while there:

I can’t believe I only have a few days left in Florence. I have never been more happy or free in my life. With my friends here, I feel like I am completely myself and I haven’t felt that way in a long time. Florence has changed my heart in ways I didn’t know were possible. Everything in my life was just put on hold and God decided to give me a very evident and amazing breath of fresh air through this city to realize His grace. I don’t have to settle! I don’t have to be passive! There IS an abundant life to be had and it is here and now and extends into the future! God created me at just the right time with the right passions and looks and strengths to fulfill His perfect plan. If He can take me to another country and show me things I didn’t even know I would or could love, what else does He have planned?!

 

And with that, I’m ready for what’s next, knowing that I will always have a piece of Florence within myself to keep me wondering, marveling, and never again over it all. This summer, I will be interning with my favorite ministry in a new city, and I just can’t wait to see what this great adventure has in store! Thank you all for following this blog and baring with me through the past few months. And hey, maybe look out for another blog in the future! Xoxo 

On Beaches, Beauty, and Bliss

Hey, y’all! I’m technically back in the big US of A, so I’m allowed to say that now! However, I’m way too jet lagged and sentimental to put together a goodbye blog post, and I wanted to update on the last few weeks first anyway!

The beauty of Italy never fails to amaze me. Even up until the end of the semester, there was not a day I didn’t wake up and think how lucky I was. In the last few weeks, Florence finally learned what sunshine was and the weather was to.die.for. My last two were spent soaking up the sights and friendships around me.

One of the most exciting things that has happened is that I got to reunite with one of my best friends, Mary, in Florence! We have stayed close since 6th grade, even though we went to different high schools and colleges. God has blessed me so much with this girl because it always seems that we are on a very similar walk of life. Case in point, she is studying in Ireland this semester and got to visit Europe over her spring break! We had always dreamed of traveling Europe, and it was unreal getting to do it together!

I spent the last few weekends crossing off the rest of my Italy bucket list. First, the Amalfi Coast. I spent 3 days visiting Sorrento, Capri, Positano, and Pompei aka HEAVEN! This was prime location for a girl who loves boats, beaches, and warm weather.

In Capri, we rode a speed boat around the coastline and were taken by canoe to see the Blue Grotto. Then, we hiked to the top of Anacapri for beautiful views from above and rode a chairlift to the very top to see even more. We had an amazing seafood lunch, and I even got custom made sandals from a local shop!

Next, we spent a day on the black sand beaches of Positano. It was so nice to relax all day, eating paninos by the water (definitely different from Floridian beach food!) and taking a boat to cliff jump and swim.

 The last day, we got to tour Pompei. There was so much more left of the city than any of the other ruins I have seen. It was so interesting to see the remaining frescoes and mosaics!

 

The following week, our school hosted a goodbye dinner before the craziness of finals ensued. It was good to have everyone in one place and enjoy being together! I am so blessed to have made amazing friends this semester.

 

 

 

 

To take a break from finals, I traveled to Cinque Terre with my friend Lindsy and her friends that were visiting. It poured all day, causing the hiking trails to be closed, but the rain could not prevent us from having a great day in such a beautiful place! We enjoyed taking the train between the towns (okay, and getting lost between the towns…) and ate the best pesto I’ve ever had!

 

Okay, so have I mentioned that Florence is the COOLEST CITY you’ll ever go to? 2 more reasons why I love the place I live:

1. Notte Bianca. Meaning “The White Night,” it gets its name from a night in which the city has so much to do that it will awaken all of its residents. Dance parties, grafitti competitions, shop events, and musical performances could be found on each winding road. The coolest performance I saw was one that happened in front of Pitti Palace,one block from my apartment. It started with an opera singer and was followed by dancers and a man on a bicycle hanging from a crane in the sky, ending in fireworks. (Yeah, that was confusing. You would have to see it to believe it!)

 

2. Tuscan villas and their hospitable owners. I was invited to visit my friends’ photography teacher in his countryside home, and not 2 seconds after my friend said, “the only thing that would make this day better is Italian boys showing up,” they did. And invited us to join their Labor Day BBQ in their villa. You only live in Italy once, right?

And thus concludes the most random post yet. Prepare yourselves for a much sappier goodbye post!

 

The Hills Are Alive!!

How do you solve a problem like Maria? Travel to Budapest, Vienna and Salzburg, of course! That’s right, 3 days, 3 cities and 2 countries made for one crazy weekend! I left Florence Thursday night with my friends Joanna, Kayla and Monica on a trip with Euroadventures, a tour company that plans trips for study abroad students. It was a group of about 30 students studying in Florence with 2 guides.

We were on the bus for, oh, you know, 13 hours overnight traveling to our first stop, Budapest. When we signed up for the trip, the idea of seeing so much in one weekend definitely overshadowed how much time would be spent on a cramped bus. It was a sleepless experience, to say the least, but I did enjoy driving through a variety of beautiful scenery. Just when I think I get the hang of Europe’s picturesque qualities, they surprise me all over again!

We arrived in Budapest at 9 am, each with identical sleepy “get me off of this bus” looks in our eyes. Thankfully, checking into our hotel and changing our clothes did wonders for everyone’s mood and we were as ready as we would ever be to start exploring the city. The first thing about Hungary is that they use the forint as currency, and 1 euro is about 299 forints. (1 US dollar=230 forints) I felt like a high roller carrying around bills worth thousands of forints!

Our day began at a local indoor market and continued on a walking tour for several hours. I’m pretty sure we saw all of the main sights of Budapest jam packed into one day. It was such a cool city, I just wish I had been a little more awake for it! My favorite part was the overall aesthetic of the city, giving it a medieval feel with castles and rich colors. We hiked to see amazing lookouts and even got to see the baths! Oh, we also ate the best falafel and hummus I’ve ever had. Not sure if they are known for that, but we’ll go with it.

The next morning, we set out for Vienna, Austria! We drove for about 4 hours (nothing in comparison to the night before!) and then arrived in the bustling city. Being music lovers, Jo and I decided to do our own thing for the day to make sure we got to see everything we wanted to see. After wienerschnitzel, we conquered the metro system (This was an accomplishment because everything was in German) and made it to Mozart’s house. This was seriously a dream come true and it was heaven for a music geek like me! We got to see where he lived, some of his unfinished compositions, and even the room where he composed “The Marriage of Figaro,” which I played in high school! 

On a musical high, we also got to see HaydnHaus, the home of Haydn and Brahms. Seriously so cool! It made me miss my grandmother so much and wish she could be there with me to see it.

We also got to see the palace where Franz Ferdinand lived. The grounds and building were absolutely breath taking- my camera had a field day!

Our final day was my favorite by far-Salzburg! We signed up for the Sound of Music tour and I could not contain my excitement (or stop singing, for that matter). The witty tour guide took us on a bus ride all around the city to see the different sites where the movie was filmed. We saw the “I am 16 going on 17” gazebo, Von Trapp House, the Abbey, the lake, the trees the kids climbed on, and so much more! This was accompanied by so many fun facts about the filming and real story, I was loving it! Of course, the Alps were the main attraction and too stunning for words, and I had to get my Julie Andrews picture!

These last few weeks have been insane, and I am trying my best to update everything! However, I’ve come to the realization that I will never be able to capture every moment on camera or in words and that I should start to sit back and enjoy it.

I am officially in the single digits of how many days I have left here and it is so bittersweet. I am determined to make the most of my last week and will eventually get to sharing it with y’all:)

White Houses and Blue Water

It’s no secret I’ve always wanted to go to Greece. After shifting my plans from studying in Thessaloniki to Florence, Greece immediately made it to the top of my list of “must sees” in Europe. Those who asked why always got my classic response of, “I just want to see the white houses on blue water!” And while it seems like a superficial answer, it was completely true. In my mind, Greece was a place of exquisite beauty and contagious joy. In reality, it was just that.

My friends Kayla, Chelsea, Ashley, and I booked a Costa Cruise months before Spring Break. At the time, I was ecstatic to finally have my Grecian plans solidified, but the excitement was quickly laid aside as I planned other trips and was focused on life and school in Florence.

You may be thinking, “Costa…that sounds familiar.” Let me just put it out there that this was, in fact, the cruise line that sunk in recent years, and is related to Carnival cruises. These fun little tidbits of information were enough to mask my giddiness with anxiety for the whole first day of traveling. We took a train from Venice, checked in, and were all of a sudden sailing away from the Italian coast. 

I had been on two other cruises before and found that I could barely tell the boat was moving. This experience, however, proved to be almost the exact opposite. The boat rocked up and down over the rough seas, causing us all to feel a little seasick. This also sparked the beginning of the endless Titanic jokes, in which we were kidding, sort of. 

After a long night of rough seas, we finally ported at our first stop, Bari, in southern Italy. It was such a quaint little town by the water, and we were so happy to finally see the sunshine! 

The next day, we ported in Katakolon, or Olympia. This is where the first ever Olympics took place! Amid a rainstorm, it was so cool to see the ruins and pretend like we were Olympic athletes!

The next stop on our journey was Athens. I have to admit, it wasn’t until we reached this city that I actually began to believe I was in the exact place I had been dreaming about for so long. Walking up the steps of the Acropolis, taking it all in, I felt such exhilaration and peace, not only in the fact that I had finally reached Greece, but in how and when God brought me there. We took the open-air, hop on hop off bus all day to hit all of the main points in Athens. It was a beautiful day and I finally got the sun (burn) I had been hoping for!

 

The next stop, Santorini, was my absolute favorite port. It was everything one would imagine Greece to be, an exotic island serenely aligned with-you guessed it- white houses and blue water. Creeping up to the island in our tender boat early in the morning was breathtaking and something I will always remember. Something else I’ll never forget? Riding a donkey through the windy hills of Santorini! It was simultaneously nerve wracking and hilarious as all of our donkeys were herded up the hills, and each seemed to have a personality that matched our own. (Mine was determined to be in the middle of the action, making as many donkey friends as possible on the way up. Unfortunately, this also placed me in the middle of the action of Kayla’s donkey pooping on my leg. Go figure.) 

After that once in a lifetime adrenaline rush, I couldn’t stop there. So when I was offered a treatment in a “fish spa,” I immediately agreed. This meant having 200 fish chewing away at my feet at one time, something that should probably be added to the next season of Fear Factor. 

 

The last stop on our journey was Corfu. It was also a cute medium sized town that had a perfect Greek essence. We climbed a fortress for some amazing views, shopped in the city, and finally had authentic Greek gyros!

It is so hard to sum up all of the amazing things that happened in a blog post! I can’t believe I only have about 3 weeks left in Florence and am already getting sad as I approach the beginning of the end! Traveling has been exhausting but I am so excited to be headed to another fun destination tomorrow! Love to you all!

 

While You Were Hunting Eggs…

I was watching an explosion! Yes, it was fully intentional and the craziest, most unique Easter celebration I’ve ever attended. (Sorry, Easter Bunny!) This morning, I was awoken by the ringing of the Duomo bells, and my heart exclaimed one thing: “He is risen!” Those of you that know me well, know that it takes a lot for me to think something positive within the first few minutes of waking up, and I would never complain again if the majesty of the Duomo bells served as my alarm for the rest of my life. I got dressed and walked to the church to meet up with my friends for Easter mass. It was sprinkling on and off all morning, typical Florence weather, but that did not prevent the crowds from coming to see the traditional “Explosion of the Cart.” I’ve included a source to explain exactly what it is, because I’m not so sure where to begin!

On Easter Sunday every year, Florence celebrates the religious holiday in a very special way. The Scoppio del Carro, or the “Explosion of the Cart”, dates back over 350 years. An elaborate wagon built in 1622 and standing two to three stories high is pulled by a pair of oxen decorated in garlands through the streets of Florence to the square between the Baptistry and Cathedral.

This tradition finds its origins in events that are partly historic and partly legendary. A young Florentine named Pazzino, a member of the noble Pazzi family, apparently took part in the First Crusade in the Holy Land in 1099, where he gave ample proof of his courage (he was the first to scale the walls of Jerusalem and raise the Christian banner). When he came home, he brought back three flints from the Holy Sepulchre that he received for his act of courage. This reliquary, today preserved in the Church of SS. Apostoli, lies behind the Florentine celebration for the Resurrection of Christ.

Today, the ceremony still bears a strong resemblance to the way in which it has been celebrated for centuries. Starting around 10am, a priest rubs Pazzino’s three flints together until they spark and light the Easter candle; this, in turn, is used to light some coals which are placed in a container on the Cart and the procession delivers the Holy Fire to the Archbishop of Florence before Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as the Duomo. The cart is accompanied by drummers, flag throwers and figures dressed in historical costume as well as city officials and clerical representatives.

The Cart, properly rigged with a suitable arsenal of fireworks, then awaits in front of the cathedral. From the cathedral’s altar, at around 11 am, when the “Gloria” is sung inside the church, the Archbishop uses the fire to light a dove–shaped rocket (called the “Colombina” and symbolizing the Holy Spirit) and this in turns flies out down a wire to the outside of the church and collides with the Cart in the square, setting off a spectacular firework display to the cheers of all, the Explosion of the Cart ensues! If the complex ritual proceeds smoothly and all of the fireworks go off, good luck is ensured for a good harvest for this year as well as for the city and its citizens – so we hope for a wonderful explosion of the cart every Easter!

 

We stood outside the Duomo and watched the parade processional and the cart, pulled by 2 white oxen enter the piazza. The mass was broadcast outside, so we could hear what was going on inside but still watch the setup for the explosion. While I was expecting an all-at-once explosion, it was more like a fireworks exhibition that went on for quite a while and included a variety of booming spectacles. 

 

It was as good of an Easter as I could have had away from home! Hope you all have a blessed holiday and get to spend time with your families! Speaking of which, I have been so MIA on my blog lately because my family was in Italy last week! I have been so busy with research papers that I haven’t uploaded the pictures yet, but they are on the way. Tomorrow, I leave for my spring break cruise in search of some European sunshine-I’ve been told it exists, we will see! Have a great week! 

From Paris, With Love

Paris is for lovers. Why yes, the number of couples frequenting the romantic city was staggering, however, it did not leave me with the awkward middle school single girl sadness. It’s completely acceptable to just be in love with being in Paris, and I got it BAD, my dear readers. I hate to be incredibly cliche, but it may even be more perfect than portrayed in the movies. The moment I stepped onto the well-groomed pavement lined with antique street lamps, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be in the group of little girls walking in two straight lines from Madeline or a sensational stage performer from Moulin Rouge. Either way, Paris left me in a Casablanca-like craze.

I left Thursday night (not having Friday classes is a study abroad must!), accompanied by my friends Chelsea and Lindsy, flying Ryanair into the Beauvais airport. From there, we took a bus ride into the city for our Parisian adventure to begin. We arrived pretty late, and had to immediately figure out the metro system to get to our hostel. Thankfully, two girls that knew their way around and spoke English happened to hear our woes of being lost and directed us to the right place. Our hostel was a neat place, definitely not the accommodations we had in Barcelona, but it would do and the breakfast would later make up for it! After checking in, our rumbling stomachs told us we needed a bite to eat before bed. Trying to find an open restaurant in a city we didn’t know at all proved to be a challenge, but after settling in an open bar, we begged and pleaded the kitchen staff to make us hamburgers even though they had already closed. I know what you’re thinking- you just arrived in PARIS and want a HAMBURGER? Sometimes a girl just needs some familiar food from the homeland! And let me tell you, not sure if it was my desperation or homesickness speaking, but it was probably the best burger I’ve had. 

The next morning, we woke up for breakfast and were delighted to learn that the French drink their coffee out of bowls. In comparison to the tiny little espresso cups the Italians have, I considered this a caffeinated feast! And, of course this was accompanied by bread covered in Nutella, yoghurt (which I have still not convinced myself to like-it tastes similar to sour cream!) and fruit. 

Then, we set out for Versailles! Our student visas got us free admission, which was awesome! (Okay, truth: it was supposed to be for students with a 6 month visa or more, but I think my Southern Charm just blew the ticket taker away 😉 )

The outside was clearly gorgeous, and the inside was so prim and proper I just wanted to take up residence as princess immediately. Everyone was so courteous and polite as they passed through the exhibits-the French are definitely quieter people than Americans or Italians! 

 

The gardens were equally as amazing and almost reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. We also got to tour Marie Antoinette’s house, which was very characteristic of her quirky personality! 

It was SO COLD in Paris. The temperature was probably at about 0 degrees celsius the whole time, but it felt much colder because of the wind and moist air. You know how it feels the day before it snows in North Carolina? That’s pretty much what it was like the whole time in Paris. Let’s just say I pretty much wore every article of clothing I brought on the trip at the same time for 4 days straight.

You absolutely cannot go to Paris without seeing the Eiffel tower, right? I had always seen pictures of the iconic building, but didn’t really know what to expect from the experience. Let’s just say it surpassed my expectations immensely. When Lindsy and I got near the Eiffel tower for the first time, we started jumping up and down and screaming, “WE’RE IN FRANCE!” You know, just to make sure everyone knew we were Americans and potential targets for mugging. 

 

The coolest thing about the Eiffel tower is that you can ride to the top. You can either go to the first observation deck or all the way to the top. I’m the kind of person that likes to do something or not at all, so you bet I got on the elevator (which I have an extreme fear of) to ride to the top. It was absolutely amazing and an experience I will never forget. Not to mention, at every hour on the hour, the tower sparkles and you can drink champagne! 

We planned our visit just perfectly so that we could get pictures during the day and after it got dark. Unfortunately, I had a camera mishap and it is not working, so most of the pictures on this blog post are stolen from Lindsy! 

That night, we enjoyed a great dinner near the Eiffel tower because we just had to see it sparkle one more time! I had French Onion Soup, which was so good!

 

When we returned to our hostel, we met our new Slovakian roommates and settled in for the night. The next day, we hit all the rest of the major sites we wanted to see, including Musee D’Orsay, an impressionist museum, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, the lock bridge and Moulin Rouge. It was unreal getting to see all of them in person!

The next day was our last morning in Paris, which we dedicated to visiting the Louvre. It was very crowded and overwhelming, especially trying to see the Mona Lisa, but still worth it! 

I ate a Nutella and banana crepe before leaving, then it was back to good ole Florence! I am in Florence this weekend enjoying a much-needed weekend of relaxation and writing research papers! 

 

When in Rome

This past weekend, my program took us on a trip to Rome! Unfortunately, it rained a lot of the time and I had an awful cold for 2 days, but that did not stop me from seeing as much as possible! 

Trevi Fountain:

One: You’ll return to Rome

Two: You’ll fall in love 

Three: You’ll get married

The Colosseum

St. Peter’s Basilica

This statue is only dressed up during important spiritual times-the resignation of the Pope!

My favorite part of the trip was an excursion to Tivole and Villa D’Este on the way home. The ancient ruins and fountains were gorgeous and are known to be some of the most beautiful sites in Europe! (And we were thankful it didn’t rain!)

Barcelona!

With midterms approaching, there’s nothing better to do than update you all on my most recent adventures! 😉 I’ll start with two weekends ago, when I travelled to Barcelona, Spain, with my friends Kayla and Lindsy.

Itching to begin exploring the rest of Europe, we chose Barcelona to be our first trip because it seemed fun and very cheap. Ryan Air is an air line that provides low cost airfare tickets throughout Europe, and we booked our tickets with them. While it was very inexpensive to travel and totally worth it, things such as airline shuttles and awkward departure and arrival times seem like no big deal when you are full of trip-planning adrenaline. But when it’s 2 am in Spain and you are waking up to take a bus to a plane followed by another bus, it’s not as exciting. We encountered the same feeling on the way there as well, but after my friend Lindsy jumped a mile high and screamed at the top of her lungs in reaction to a suspicious man-turned-false-alarm, we were all wide awake. Our new motto became, “Nothing gets your blood pumping in the morning like thinking you’re getting mugged!”

We arrived in Barcelona and checked in to our hostel, Equity Pointe Centric. This was my first time staying in a hostel, and after hearing many forewarnings about “roughing it”, my expectations were not very high. Fortunately, it was do-able! We had a room with 6 bunk beds, but had the room to ourselves until that dreadful 2 am departure night (Sorry for the noise, Asian dude we never actually met!)

One of my favorite parts of Barcelona was Las Ramblas, a street full of vendors and city life. St. Josep La Boqueria was an AMAZING food market with the most beautiful fruits, vegetables, meats and candies! If I lived next to it for the rest of my life, I would be a happy girl! I indulged in a fresh juice smoothie for just 1 euro!

We bought passes for a hop on hop off city bus tour, which directed us to all of the major hot spots in the city. The first day, we saw so many sights, including the Gaudi garden, the history museum, and the beach!

That night, we had a great taste of local Spanish life. We went to a tapas bar, complete with an endless array of seafood tapas. We were very confused when the server told us to just take whatever we wanted, and he would count the leftover toothpicks to determine how much to charge us! We were surrounded by Spanish speaking people and while it was overwhelming at first, it was thrilling to be living in the culture! Going in, I definitely felt more comfortable speaking Spanish than Italian, but the fact that in Barcelona they speak Catalan mixed with my intensive Italian knowledge made it difficult at first. Afterwards, we went to a local pub to check out the nightlife. Let me tell you, Spain knows much more about fun than America does! Beginning with the bartender crushing my ice with a baseball bat and ending with new friends from Peru, I’d say it was a successful night!

The next day, we went to the Segrada Familia, an absolutely AMAZING church. I think I could have stayed all day! I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to get inside Gaudi’s head for a day, his designs are incredible.

Craziness, Carnevale and Condolences

My dear readers,

Buonasera! Life in Italia has been absolutely CRAZY lately, I have barely gotten to sleep much less blog post! Let’s see, what has been going on since I left off:

Carnevale Di Viareggio: Last weekend (2 weekends ago…oops!), our program hosted an optional trip to the annual festive celebration held in the Tuscan city of Viareggio. Going in, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I knew about Carnival in Venice, but was warned by faculty that the Viareggio event would be very different. As our bus pulled into the main city street lined with families dressed in costumes, carrying silly string, masks and confetti, I felt extremely underdressed and knew I would be in for a good time. Thankfully, AIFS supplied us with ribbon, masks and noise makers so we could partake in the fun. We got to walk around the city for an hour or so before the festivities started and eat lunch. I had a hot dog, probably the first meat I ate since leaving the USA (I deemed myself an “international vegetarian”) and then we headed to the beach. That’s right, THE BEACH. Viareggio actually reminded us a lot of an Italian California, but a million times better, of course! 

Then we all received our Carnevale tickets and entered the gates. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen- similar to a state fair atmosphere, but a lot cleaner, classier and so much more culturally enriching. No fried butter, either! Before the parade began, we walked around and saw all of the floats, each and every one of them made out of paper mache. They were each filled with dancers and performers in matching costumes, enhancing the overall effect. Many of the floats included political satire and made me realize how I really should brush up on my international politics! We expected there to be a distinct beginning to the parade, including an announcement and clearing of the streets, but that never happened. The floats just began moving, and I soon realized this would be nothing like an American parade. The crowd got to meander in between the floats and walk with them if they pleased. It was an atmosphere that encouraged participation and was truly a celebration of the community as a whole, not just the individual performers. I was in absolute awe of the intricate floats, blood pumping music and energy of the crowd. This was nothing like Macy’s Day Parade, and I loved it!

Chocolate Festival: Oh. my goodness. Florence has been the oh so gracious host to the oh so welcome guest, the chocolate festival, for the past 2 weeks. That’s right y’all, 2 WEEKS of chocolate heavenly bliss. Vendors lined the streets daily with their baked goods and chocolate covered (insert anything you can imagine here). Let’s just say my route to…everywhere was altered just for an extra trip to the festival. My favorite? Chocolate covered pears. Who knew? 

Women In Italian Society Class: The class that I added at the last minute has quickly become my favorite class. One day, we had a guest speaker named Marzia come to speak to our class about the Italian business world and women’s issues and struggles in their modern society. Marzia is the creator and manager of her own publishing company, a title that not many women can claim in this area. She was an absolute delight, and while she spoke Italian or broken English, her drive and passion was contagious. I had no idea about the women’s movement in Italy, but have become immediately intrigued. For example, the interest rate for a woman to take out a business loan is noticeably higher than for a man, but lowers if a man cosigns the document. If two women decide to take out a loan together, the rate doubles! My teacher explained to us that the struggles my grandparents generation faced in America are the same ones Italian women are currently facing, to give you an idea. We have been doing a lot of studies on the media’s effect on the perception of women and it’s a rough subject, especially since I am considering a career in the media. After learning this, I so wish I could create a publication that speaks truth instead of making women feel they will never measure up. 

The Pope Resigns: A crazy time for the world, but the inner journalist in me is geeking out at this opportunity. It is so cool to hear my professors talk about it and hear their take on things. Not to mention, I will be in Rome this weekend and am crossing my fingers to be able to hear the Pope speak for the last time on Sunday! 

Sorry for the lengthy and overdue post! More to come on this weekend! 

The Greatest Adventure

The best writing inspiration always comes at the most inconvenient times! What was supposed to be an afternoon spent studying my tour guide materials of the Santa Croce has turned into many long-awaited hours of processing this whole experience, and while it was much needed, let’s just hope I get some forgiving tourists on my first run! This is the first time I have been able to sit back and just realize how in awe I really am.

Yes, I am in awe of the Ponte Vecchio that happens to be minutes away from my quaint apartment that draws design inspiration from my imaginary Italian grandmother. Yes, I am in awe of the Italian language and the daunting yet beautiful task of pronouncing each individual vowel sound. Yes, I am in awe of the Italian people, their patience and upmost zest for life. Yes, I am in awe of the artwork I live among and can draw inspiration from daily.

But none of this amounts to how much I am in awe of Christ.

As a Saggitarius, the traveller of the Zodiac, I love change, new perspectives and fresh starts. You can imagine how exhilarating this trip has been for me. I have been waiting to travel like this for my whole life, and now that I’m here, I am itching to go everywhere and see as much as possible. Planning and researching weekend trips has become my priority, and working around schedules has proved to be stressful at times. I just want to do it all!

I don’t know if you’ve heard of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), but it’s a condition affecting 1 in every 2 American girls studying in Italy and I’ve got the bug! I’ll give you a second to mourn.

But out of all these amazing experiences I have and will be exposed to, God is constant in reminding me that He, himself, is and can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

While wandering the galleries in the Uffizi, I am taken aback by the amount of paintings with references to Christ. After seeing image after image of each artist’s interpretation of what happened on the cross, I realize, that’s really all we are hear for- to express, interpret and talk about our Creator. And even if that wasn’t the artist’s original intention, their need for this story is ingrained on their hearts and is exposed in their work regardless.

I am also curious about the number of famous pieces that are unfinished. These works are world renown even though they have white spaces or are not perfectly sculpted. It reminds me so much of how God is sculpting my life and can make great use of it even when I don’t feel prepared or complete.

One of the coolest things about being here is getting to see history in action and concepts I have learned played out. I have been reading the book Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper- I would highly recommend it- and learning about the concept of dying to self. He says,

Being dead to the world does not mean having no feelings about the world. It means every legitimate pleasure in the world becomes a blood-bought evidence of Christ’s love, and an occasion of boasting in the cross. We are dead to insurance payments when the money is not what satisfies, but Christ crucified, the Giver, satisfies.

So let’s go back to the material I’m supposed to be studying for the Santa Croce Cathedral. It was founded by Francis of Assisi, the religious leader of Christians who called themselves Franciscans. (This does relate, I promise) Francis was a textile merchant, but returned to Assisi no longer content with his life. He was searching for something more, for Christ, and he found Him among the poor. Francis recognized that the greatest poverty is that of God, who in Christ became poor to the point of accepting death on the cross. Two years before his death, Francis received in his own body the signs of the passion of Christ: the signs of the nails and the lance in his ribs. His poverty and identification with Christ’s suffering resulted in a profound devotion to the Cross of Christ that became the forefront of Franciscan spirituality, hence why it is called Santa Croce, or Holy Cross.

HOW AWESOME is it that I get to share this with people?! God is so cool.

And while I’m ahead, I should probably just continue with the most random and unorganized chain of thoughts ever and tell you what else God has been doing! Last night, at USC, Marian Jordan, author of Sex and the City Uncovered and one of my favorite speakers, came to host her annual Girl’s Night Out. She has an extremely powerful testimony that always has an impact, but last night God really decided to show off.

Not only did 100 of my sorority sisters show up, 29 of them accepted Christ for the first time! And I now have 133 new sisters in Christ at USC!

Summary of this post: God is awesome. The end.