Day 18: Barcelona or Bust

I woke up at 3 am. That's right, 3 am! I got dressed, brushed my teeth and then left to meet my friends at the corner of a street near the Gucci store. We then walked a few blocks to the bus station and took an hour long bus ride to Pisa airport. Once at Pisa Airport, I got breakfast, a moccachino from a vending machine and a crispy, chocolate filled pastry. I waited for about 2 1/2 hours for the plane.

Finally, at 8 am I boarded the plane to Girona, about a 1 1/2 hour flight.

Once we landed, I had to take a bus to Barcelona, which was another hour of travel.

I arrived to my hostel a little before noon and locked my stuff in a locker. Janelle, who is friends with my friend Cella and studies in Rome met up with us (she stayed at the same hostel) and she, Cella, Amanda and I went on an adventure around the city.

Christopher Columbus statue

The Cathedral

We sat down at the harbor for about an hour

Ice cream- tasted like frozen Cool Whip

The hostel gave us cards to eat dinner at the Travel Bar free with the purchase of a drink. I ordered a sangria for 3,50 and got a plate of curry and rice for free. It was definitely worth it, the sangria was amazing and the food was good too.

Day 17: A 6:30 am Beginning to a Busy Day

6:30am came too early, and yet I was out of my nice warm bed, getting ready for a very long day. I dressed haphazardly in the dark, tripping over my computer power cord, bumping into my desk chair and feeling around my wardrobe, hoping what I had pulled out actually matched. Since I had to get up early, I didn't have breakfast and instead I left the apartment at 7:05, before I would normally even be awake. I then headed across the city, past the Palazzo Capponi and finally made it my destination. Today was my very first day of my teaching internship. I met up with Caleb and Lindsey, two other students, and we went inside the faded yellow school building. There I met the teacher, Francesca. She greeted us with a handshake, then informed us she had just gotten over the flu (germs!!!). We then followed her, surrounded by a sea of pre-teen aged children, up the stairs and to the 3B classroom. In Italy, the teachers change classes instead of the students. So the classroom we entered was not Francesca's, but housed a class of level 3 (~8th grade) students. We began by standing up and the students asked questions, i.e. what is your name? where are you from? what is your favorite food?.
Then they broke up into three smaller groups and each of us monitored them while Francesca gave oral exams to some students at the front of the room. The group I talked to contained an Italian girl who spoke English very well, two Italian boys, and two Asian boys. They were studying American history, namely slavery and the Civil War. They asked me to tell them more about the topics, so I gave them a simple, brief explanation. Then they started asking me more questions like where I've been in the U.S. and if I've seen the Grand Canyon. The girl told me she has been to Florida and California before and we talked briefly about that. One boy, who donned a "Jeep" sweatshirt asked me some of the most amusing questions. He kept shaking the girls arm and saying something in Italian and she kept refusing him, saying something along the lines of you can't ask that. Finally he turned to me, and asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?" I started laughing and the girl smacked him, I answered "No, but I'm glad you figured out how to ask that in English." He later also asked me if I like Justin Bieber and if I like One Direction.

After my morning teaching, I went on a little adventure. First I stopped at the copy store and printed my plane ticket. Then I headed to my new favorite place, the bookstore.

Santa Croce

Then I met up with my classmates outside the BI for an outing to the Santa Croce church. This counts as a Art History outing, but everyone has to go since it is an important church in Florence. Since the Art professor is also my Architecture professor, I had to stay after to hear about some architectural aspects of the building.

The Crucifixion by Cimabue

I was somewhat near my apartment, so I went home for a few hours, had lunch and then went to the Palazzo Capponi for Architecture lecture. Luca lectured on the layout of churches and Italian gothic v. French gothic style construction.

A horrible picture, but this is my street and in the distance you can see the sun setting over the hill, with all the Tuscan style houses on it. So pretty in real life!

Finally, at 4:30pm, I was done for the day. I went home and packed for my trip.
Dinner was good tonight. Rosanna made pesto pasta and plain chicken. But there was one thing on my plate that I have no idea what it was. It looked somewhat like stuffing, but I think it was maybe potato and cabbage. Whatever it was, it tasted like smelly feet. For dessert, we had these small donut-like cookies filled with cream and rolled in sugar.
Now its time for bed so I can get up super early to head to Barcelona (whoop whoop!).

Day 16: Sometimes I Ask Too Many Questions

Today was another day of waking up at 7 (but lets be real, 7:15). I got ready, had my breakfast of coffee and bread with strawberry jam, and headed across the city to the BI. Italian class went as usual: homework review, then we learned something new and did some practice exercises. Today Massimo introduced family vocabulary as well as clothing. Once class finished, I went to the Palazzo Capponi for Dante class. I was feeling a little drained, so I had a banana before class (yum!).
Alessandro continued his lecture on Canto V, then two students quickly went over the homework reading, Cantos VI- X. During the lecture I asked a question that seemed to surprise Alessandro, which seems to be a regular occurrence between us. After I asked, he smiled and just paused for a minute, then stood up from his chair and announced to the class that I was "a very clever girl." My question was how Dante and Francesca, a woman in the first circle of Hell, could converse given that they spoke different languages from different parts of history. Francesca lived in 1200s Ravenna, Italy and thus spoke the Ravenna vernacular. Dante, on the other side, wrote this book in the 1400s and spoke Florentine vernacular. The significance in this is that Dante assumed that his Florentine vernacular, of which he was essentially the father, would become the national language of Italy, so all Italians, in Hell, Paradise or alive, would speak his language. This came true and Florentine vernacular is the national language of Italy known today as Italian. The vernaculars of other provinces of Italy still live today as dialects, but Dante's Italian is THE Italian spoken over the entire country. I'm unsure if Alessandro is impressed by my questions and insight, or just thinks I am strange. Either way, I plan on continuing as I have and asking my questions.
After Dante class, I went to the library like I do everyday. I ate a lunch of an apple and almonds then did some school work. I wrote most of my paper for Dante class, printed my Art History and Architecture papers, and did my Italian homework.  I then went home, had a little bit of cheese and then passed out for about three hours. I am just so exhausted!
The next two days will be early ones-- I'm teaching school at 8am (which is farther from my house than the BI or Palazzo Capponi) and then Friday I have to catch a plane for Barcelona. Hoping to get to bed early tonight and get some much needed rest.
Dinner tonight was delicious! Rosanna made a sticky cheesy rice with ginger glazed chicken, salad with olive oil dressing and slices of mozzarella (some of the best I have ever had!). For dessert she made cut up and cooked apples.

Day 15: Studying

Today I only had a meeting for my internship, so I spent most of my day studying. My meeting was at the Palazzo Capponi at 9. Though it is scheduled to be until 10:30, it only ended up lasting a half hour. I was assigned my time to teach at the school, Thursday from 8-9am this week and then Tuesday from 10-11am the rest of the semester.
After the brief meeting, I went to the school library. I first finished my Art History text readings. Then I wrote two papers: a four page page paper on Sienese painting, and a two and a half page one on the Architecture of Florence based upon lasts weeks outing. I had lunch while I typed-- a piece of cheese, crackers and a banana. I then read Canto VI- X of the Inferno. By this point, it was about 2:30 in the afternoon. I headed home, all my homework for the week finished. Tomorrow I plan on returning to the library after classes to do any Italian work that is assigned in the morning and write a paper on the allegory of Canto I that is due next Monday.
Though I stay on top of my homework, I am beginning to be absolutely exhausted. Dinner is late here, usually at 8pm, so by the time I eat, shower and get ready for bed it is usually 11:30pm. This may seem early compared to my lifestyle at JMU, where stay up usually until 1 or 2am. But here it is different. I have to be up, dressed and ready to have breakfast by 8am, then leave by 8:20am to get to school on time. I purposefully do not schedule to have classes in the morning at JMU because I am not a morning person. I also have 8hour long school days on Mondays, which definitely doesn't help get me over the weekend fatigue (after traveling over the weekend, this is going to be horrible!). On top of that, I am definitely not used to walking at least 5 miles a day, 2 of which are first thing in the morning. This is a little bit of a rant, but it is a new obstacle I am trying to overcome and thus is important to my documentation that is this blog.

The temperature today was lovely. Though it rained on my way to school, on my way back it was almost warm. It is nice to not wear my jacket indoors or even wear just my long sleeved shirt (I always have to wear sweaters/ cardigans, and sometimes even gloves inside my house).
I have been reading one of the novels I picked up at the bookshop last week and finished it this afternoon. It was a strange story, but I really enjoyed it. The ending was especially strange and I still feel like I have unanswered questions. I have now begun reading my other book and plan to stop by the bookstore this week to get another for my weekend trip to Barcelona.
For dinner tonight I had the pizza-like bread with cheese again, a salad soaked in olive oil, small cuts up potatoes and a chicken drumstick. The chicken wasn't bad, though it did freak me out a little bit, but it was very garlicky, which masked the chicken taste. For dessert I had a small cookie like pastry. It was thick and dry, filled with cut cooked apples and coated in powdered sugar.

Day 14: The French Roommate and His Fear of American Girls

Today was a typical Monday for me. I woke up (a bit late.. oops), got ready and had a breakfast of bread with strawberry jam and a cup of coffee. I then headed to the British Institute for my Italian class. Massimo had us go over the homework then taught possessive adjectives. After class I headed to the Palazzo Capponi for Dante class. Alessandro lectured on Cantos II, III, IV and spent a considerable amount of time on Canto V. I didn't like today's class, as it did not give time for discussion, just Alessandro lecturing. Next I had the general meeting where I received my weekly meal allowance and schedule. Then I ran out quickly and got a sandwich-- Pomodoro, Mozzarella e Pesto. I ate quickly in the classroom before my next class started (I had about 25 minutes for lunch). In Art History we learned about the first Florentine painters and some of their famous pieces of art. Next I went for a walk upon which I saw a set of  60-some years old twins dressed exactly alike and a taxidermied badger playing piano. After my walk, it was time for Architecture outing. I met Luca and my classmates outside the Duomo. Luca took us inside and outside the building talking about the style and construction of the building.
Once my very long school day was over (9am to 5pm), I started my walk home. I stopped at the grocery store on the way to pick up some food for the rest of the week's lunches. For 7 Euro I got: 2 apples, 2 bananas, a bag of almonds, a bag of crackers and a huge piece of brie cheese. In addition to trying to save money, I am also trying to eat a little healthier and cut down on my bread consumption (no more daily sandwiches, pizza and croissants).
My arrival home was rather strange. After entering the front door into the foyer/ lobby and climbing the stairs, I unlocked the door to our apartment. The key sort of doubles as a door knob, so I usually crack open the door, put the key away and then enter the house. The lights are never on, so the hallway is always pitch dark. As I came in the door I saw some light and saw Jean Marcel standing in his doorway. Right as I entered the front door, he stared at me for a second and then closed his door. Weird-ed out, I closed the front door behind me and went down the hall way. As I rounded the corner, I saw the light behind me and could hear him walking closely behind me. Probably the strangest interaction I have ever had with him... or with any human.
I wrapped up the day with a dinner that was actually decent. Rosanna made pasta with a white sauce, breaded chicken, raw tomatoes with olive oil and zucchini. The chicken was the first piece of meat I have been able to finish since I have become an un-vegitarian. I think it was because it didn't look like meat (the breading hid it), which helped me not to think about what I was eating. For dessert I had an apple. There was also chocolate, but my favorite french roomie ate it all, again (hes the worst).

Day 13: Fiorentina v. Napoli

Today I went to a calcio (soccer) game with some of my classmates! The fans were insane, but as a Philadelphia baseball fan, this type of fandom seemed like nothing. It was very rainy, after all it is the rainy season here in Florence, so we all had to wear our jackets/ umbrellas. The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

The stadium

Guards dividing the Napoli and Fiorentina fans

A little glimpse of Tuscany in the distance behind the stands

My classmate, Cella, wearing a Fiorentina scarf

I had dinner tonight at Astor, an American-ish/ sports/ modern bar located right next to the Duomo. I had the veggie sandwich, fries and a Coca Light. I like this place because it is cheap, the food reminds me of home and there is no sit down charge. On my way home, Amanda and I stopped and got gelato, I got Caffe' and she got Straciatella.

I had already eaten half the fries...

...and most of the gelato (whoops)

Day 12 (part 2): Monteriggioni

Monteriggioni is a very small town somewhere between Florence and Siena. It is located on a hill and is still surrounded by its medieval walls. On our way back from Siena we stopped at this town for a little bit.

The next five photos were taken in succession while I stood in one spot in the town square in order to (hopefully) give an idea of the size of the town. 

Entrance wall to the left

The second entrance to the wall (opposite the first photo) is located just behind the white car in the right of the photo

Walked a little, and here's the second entrance

Some of my classmates standing on a part of the wall

A section of the wall

And more wall.. with a tower

A view from the hill/ outside the walls