So this past weekend I went on an trip with my school to the Amalfi Coast, the Isle of Capri, and Pompeii. It was a huge group--like 80 students. We created quite a scene wherever we went. Especially on Saturday night when we were stuck in a boat during a terrible lightning storm and then all ran to our hotel in the pouring rain, some of us without shoes on (they just get in the way). It was a good weekend though. The above picture is me in Pompeii, taken by my roommate Jenny because I forgot my camera at home. It was kind of nice to not have to click a picture of everything I saw, and to be just be able to see it. To just be there. As John Mayer says, I "didn't have a camera by my side this time. Hoping I could see the world through both my eyes. Maybe I will tell you all about it when I'm in the mood to loose my way in words." So I journaled diligently throughout the whole weekend so I would remember everything.

And now school. And Florence. And Melissa's birthday's tomorrow! In honor of that, here's a picture of us being cold and wet during the soccor game a few weeks ago.

So we've past our one month mark. Now people are starting to diet and excercise, after all that pasta, pizza, wine, and gelato. Like me, I've taken to running every now and then (as in twice so far). You really feel like you live somewhere when you run there, leaving all the tourists in your dust. Some of my other roommates have put themselves on diets. Others have just decided not to buy anymore Nutella. I don't know if I'm that strong. Just now, looking up Nutella on Wikipedia, it's all I can do to not go to the kitchen right now and finish my almost empty chair. And the jars of Nutella I buy here can double as a glass after you've eaten all of the chocolately insides. Hey recycling! So really, my eating Nutella is beneficial to the environment.

But I'll restrain myself for the moment.

You want to know what's weird? I've been in class for a month, midterms are in two weeks, and the only grade I have right now to speak of is an Italian quiz I took last week. That's been my first and only grade so far. That feels weird.


I went to Assisi (as in St. Francis of) and Orvieto (another cute town in Umbria, located on a cliff) this weekend. Precious places. One of my favorite parts was the Basilica di San Francesco--this beautiful church built in honor of St. Francis. It is also where his tomb is located. There were so many people there, but they were all so silent and reverent. It makes one better understand why people decided to build these big, beautiful cathedrals. They inspire so much awe. You can't not think about God in them.

P.S. I love sending postcards, but what I like almost even better is recieving mail. It's like a breathe of fresh air--a letter from home. Just so you know . . .

I got a new nose ring today, and a new sweater. So it's been a pretty productive day so far. The sweater I'm wearing now; it's forest green with tan patches on the elbows a la Mr. Rogers. I'm in love with it. Its especialy feels good today because it's all rainy and dreary. Apparetly it rains a lot here from October to March. Great.

I went to a soccer game last night, that's the big news. Florence versus Rome. Even though it was cold and rainy, it was a lot of fun. Italians really love their soccer. And apparently last week someone died in a riot at a game. We were hoping to see a riot, but no such luck. It's was a good game. Rome was leading 2 to 1 throughout most of it, but then we scored a goal in the last 10 minutes and tied the game. And apparently it's ok to end a soccer game in a tie, because that's what happened. And once the game ended everyone ran for the gates. A whole wave of people. I don't know what everyone's rush was, I guess they didn't want to get stuck in traffic or wanted to be able to catch a cab before everyone else took them. We were in the later category, but then just ended up finding our way home by foot. We were really proud of ourselves.

Oh yeah, and I got an umbrella today. I figured it would come in handy.

Ooo, I just heard thunder. I'm really glad I bought the umbrella, because I have to go to class in a couple minutes.

And yeah, and my bug bite. I went to the doctor a couple days ago and he said it's just an infected bug bite. He popped it and gave me cream to put on it. It's getting better. I'd post a picture, but for some reason blogger isn't letting me right now. Just use your imagination.

There's nothing like free wi-fi and a glass of wine. Melissa and I are sitting at our kitchen table and I just said that to her and then, "That's going to be the opening line of my next blog post." Check. (I know it makes it less cool that I just told you the story behind the first sentence, but that's ok, because I'm really not that cool.) We don't usually have wifi in our apartment, but tonight, while all nine of us were waiting in line to use the stove to make all of our separate dinners, Piero from some internet company came by gave us free trial internet for 24 hours. So here I am, sitting at my kitchen table drinking wine and writing in my blog. All my other roommates are glued to their computers as well.

So I went to Sicily this weekend. Che bella! It was beautiful. We saw lots of cute towns, Greek ruins, and chilled on some picturesque beaches. I especially enjoyed the chilling on the beaches part. And every once and awhile, I'd be laying there on the sand, soaking up the sun, and I'd pinch myself while thinking, "Laura, you are on a beach in Sicily." And in case you didn't already know, the Mafia started in Sicily. The professore who lead us around, Francesco, (for this was a school sponsored affair) told us the history of the mafia, but refused to speak of it in public. He felt safer waiting to talk about it on the bus, which I thought to be interesting. Also, on this trip, I got a wonderfully large bug bite. I got it while sleeping on the train Thursday night, and it's still there, big and red as ever. I'm afraid it might be a spider bite. Hopefully I won't have to amputate my leg, that would be a hassle. And I hear the Italian hospitals are crazy.

I guess I'll give you some pictures.


That's me and Hannah eating Cannoli, which are native to Sicily. They are really sweet. Hannah couldn't finish her's, but I definitely finished mine.


And this is Vanessa and I chilling on the aforementioned Sicilian beach.


And then this is Vanessa, Hannah, Isabel, and I in an aforementioned Greek ruin. It's the Greek amphitheatre in Siracuse. Very cool.

And now it's back to class and catching up with school work. For lit class this week (tomorrow) I have to read a 415 page book called Austerlitz. I have 20 pages left. I'm pretty impressed with myself.

I'm sitting outside of my school right now with a few of my roommates. It's midnight here in Firenze and we're sitting on the side of the street on our laptops. We get some funny looks. Don't worry, we won't get mugged, there's lots of people around. There's a bar a few feet away, which makes us look even more funny. You just have to be here.

This time tomorrow I will be on a train to Sicily. Yeehaa! Mediterranean, here I come. Mafia, here I come. Sun, here I come. Seafood, here I come. Greek temples, here I come. The Beach, here I come. Watchout.

Have I mentioned it's midnight?

And here's a few live action shots from Siena last weekend, courtesy of my roommate, Melissa. It's when we first got to Siena and FINALLY found our hostel. I'm saying something like, "Um . . we're here to stay in the hostel . .?" Everyone thought that was really funny. What else was I supposed to say?



This next one is right after we got buzzed in. There was nothing but stairs. It's us thinking, "Does this hostel exist?"



Don't worry,it does and we found it.

I just got out of my Intro to Classic Photography class. We use black and white film and develop it and all that jazz. Today was the first day to learn to do prints. It was so much fun! The class was from 9-2:30, but I could have kept on going. I love this photography thing. You have this plain piece of paper, put it in some chemicals, and then out of nowhere a picture starts appearing on it! Its magical. And one of the prints I showed Neri, our professor, he said was "bellisima" (very pretty). The girl before was just "va bene" (good). Heh.

I went to Siena this weekend. Id show you some pictures, but Im not on my own computer (did you notice the absence of apostrophes?). It was a cute little Tuscan town built on a hill. We got a lot of exercise with all the walking up and down hills.

Also, my parents are in Florence now. I had dinner with them last night. It was good to see them and catch up and be with people who have known me all my life. You start to miss being with people who really know you, after awhile.

This morning I had a little field trip with my Renaissance Art in Florence class to the Medici Palace and Church of San Lorenzo. It was inredible, especially the church. So beautiful. I'm getting to see all this beauty that before I'd only read about in books and seen on slides during class. And in my reading for my Michelangelo class, I found out that he lived just a few blocks from where I live now. He's buried in the Santa Croce, a church near our apartment. Dontello is buried in the San Lorenzo, along with some Medici peeps. Egads people! This is real!

I'm going to Siena tomorrow. It's this beautiful little Tuscan town about an hour away. I've heard that it's beautiful. It's famous for a bareback horse race held in its big piazza, Il Campo, every summer. Fun fact: the next James Bond movie's opening scene was filmed during said race this past summer, with Mr. Bond watching the race. So I'll go see the movie when it comes out and get to say I've been there. That's pretty cool, I think.

Hm, I feel I should give you another picture.
Here's a guy kayaking down the Arno (the river that runs through Florence.)

I wish I was him. That would be so fun.

So for my European Lit class we just read this little book entitled The Tale of the Unkown Island. I loved it. Im going to read it to my children one day. Its a beautiful story. You should pick up a copy. Its really little.

By the way, the computer keyboards here are a little different. I still cant find the apostrophes. So you can know when Im not on my laptop by my lack of apostrophes.

I'm alive and back from Venice. It was beautiful! As long as you don't look too close at the dirty water, it's quite picturesque. Very romantic. The weather was gorgeous too. It's molto touristy though, which is to be expected.

A film festival was going on at Lido, one of the islands, and on Friday we saw an Estonian movie. I kept thinking, "How cool am I? I am in Venice, at an international film festival, watching an Estonian movie." It was good too, if super despressing. The movie was "a study in human isolation," according the synopsis. Not really a feel good movie, but like I said, good, and engrossing.

We also walked around, saw the sights, ate sea food (and I LIKED it). Good times abounded, and I took molto pictures. They're all up on facebook now. Sorry if you don't have facebook, you'll just have to wait.

And I'm tired of staring at this computer screen now. Later.

So I'm almost through with my first week of Florentine classes. All I have left is Michelangelo, Caravaggio, & Bernini this afternoon. I think I'm going to like most of my classes. My teachers all seem pretty cool, and after last night's Italian class, I even think that will be bearable. Jenny and I will persevere together.

This weekend I'm going to Venice; I don't remember if I've mentioned that. There's like, six or seven of us going. It's fun to have that many people, but then nothing gets done. No one wants to book the hostel or look up train tickets, and everyone expects someone else to do it. We'll see out this goes.

I don't feel like saying anything else so here's another picture:


It's me and two of my roommates having cappuccino our first morning here.

I just got out of my first Italian class. I always got As in Italian in the past, but this class is a new breed. For one, barely any English is spoken, and to make it worse--there are only two students. I can't sit quietly in the back and not be called in, I HAVE to participate in EVERYTHING. And I forget so much. Thankfully the other student in the class is my roommate and friend from Baylor, Jenny, and not some fluent speaker or anything. Jenny and I are pretty much on the same level, so that's good. I still don't feel very prepared for the class though. At least the teacher seems nice. Just sometimes, when she's staring at me, waiting for a reply, I just freeze and can't think of anything in Italian to say. And when I do, it's wrong. But it's ok, it's just the first class. I have to keep telling myself that.

I also had photography today. That class, I think, should be fun. It's five and a half hours long, but there's a break in the middle and a lot of it will be us out and about taking pictures, so it should be painless. And two of my roommates are in my class with me.

Surprisingly, I know people in every one of my classes. Either a roommate or a fellow Bear. There are a lot of us Bears here. Baylor is more represented than any other school. Out of the ten people in my photography class, four of them were from Baylor.

And then here are some pictures for you anxious readers out there.


These are all of my roommates but me at a party thrown by the school last night.


And then here is all of us plus me and minus Vanessa and Anna eating dinner at our apartment a couple evenings ago. It was our first time to use the kitchen.


Here is the Arno River, which runs through the middle of Florence.

I'll leave you with that.

I am so overcome with excitment. I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Florence, Italy . . . and I LIVE here. I don't know what the time says, but in Italy its 11:30 am, and we're seven hours ahead of Texas, so you do the math. I got here yesterday afternoon. Last night I went out with my roommates and had pizza and wine and then crashed. We were all sooo tired. I woke up really early this morning though, at like six. We have nothing planned with the school today, so shopping is in order, there are molto saldi oggi (many sales today. I'm trying to impress you with my blossoming Italian.) Tomorrow orientation starts and then class starts Monday.

It still hasn't hit me I'm actually living here for the next 3 1/2 months. It's so surreal. We went to the Duomo this morning and it's absolutely gorgeous. Che bella! And I get to see it everyday.

I hate saying goodbye to people. It makes my stomach hurt. When I thought about going to Florence I thought of how wonderful it would be and all the experiences I would have and all the art I would learn about. I didn't think about all of the goodbyes. It's been harder saying goodbye for this than it was saying goodbye for college two years ago. I think that's because I've allowed myself to become closer to people than my high school self did. Not that I'm still not stoked about going to Italy, it just stings a little, and I didn't prepare myself for that.

But it's just three and a half months.

This time tomorrow I will be on a plane.

I'm back in Waco, just for the night.

This place has really become a home to me. This apartment with these girls. I'm already looking forward to coming back next semester. Sure it's still as messy as I left it last week--the fondue pot is still sitting on the table from last Friday night . . . with water and bits of chocolate in it, and empty boxes are everywhere, but these girls are wonderful, so it's ok. And I don't have to live here.

This time next week I will be in Firenze. AHHHHHHHH. Mama mia! Mozzarella! Meatball!

Really, I'll be more excited once I've finished packing.

So one of the guys who went with us to Kenya is making us an awesome video. Here are two teaser videos. The first is just like a preview, the second is from the safari.

It's weird to be back, but not really be back. Not bad weird, just weird. But more than that it's fun. It's fun to see everyone again and catch up. I'm in Wacko Waco for the next couple days, getting time in with my friends before I leave for four months (a week from Monday).

The apartamento is a mess, though. A MESS. I'm kinda glad I won't be here to have to help clean it up. Heh.

Ya see, when six people live together, a lot of times stuff just won't get done because everyone expects someone else to do it. That's why we have a chart denoting whose turn it is to take out the trash and recycling. And that's why the mistletoe is still up.

The last time we spoke I was 20 and a little over two weeks away from my departure for Italy. Today I am 21 and 1 1/2 weeks away from Florence. Times are a-changing.

I went to the dentist yesterday and the lady who cleaned my teeth had just come back from Italy. Both of her parents are from Sicily and when she found out I was spending the fall in Florence she got all excited and went on and on and on about Italy. What to do, what the weather will be like, what to wear, and placed much emphasis on wearing comfortable shoes. The TV in our room was tuned to KERA and was showing ariel views of Sicily. With a $100 donation, I could obtain a copy of a DVD of this 20 minute program about Sicily. The donation guy on the show said we should buy it and show it to young people to educate them about the world. Me and the dentist lady chuckled at this. I can watch the Travel channel for free. Free to me anyway, I don't pay for the Satellite TV

And she said my teeth were suprisingly clean considering I hadn't been to the dentist in two years. And the fact that I never floss. I didn't tell her that part. I never really have, but my dentist always says my teeth are really clean, so I don't really have the motivation to start now.

Also, last time we spoke I had not yet recieved my visa and was getting kind of concerned about it. It is now in my possession, thankfully. I'm actually going to Florence.

I think I've eaten enough chicken salad this past month to last me for a little while. Simplicitea's Tea Room has some wonderful chicken salad, and everyday after the lunch rush I usually sit down to a scoop of it with a bunch of Club crackers, and sometimes some fruit or a slice of quiche. Today was my last day working at the aforementioned Tea Room, and after that last meal of chicken salad, the thought of it now kind of makes me nauseous.

So yes, I am now no longer working as a waitress, and am really looking forward to sleeping in a lot these next two weeks.

So, people are usually a little shocked to hear that last year I shared an apartment with five other girls. But get this, in Italy, I'm going to be living in an apartment with 8 girls. There wll be nine of us in all (in case you needed help with the math). My own room will have three girls, including myself. I know the two girls though, they are from Baylor. I don't know them really well, but they seem to be agreeable.


I'm so flippin' excited. Two weeks people. I'm leaving in two weeks.

Sorry I haven't written in awhile, I just really haven't felt like it.

It's been a little over a week. I feel I should say something.

Being home is good, I'm glad I'm here. I like waitressing at the tea room (you should come visit me) and hanging out with oldie but goodie friends. This is the life, really.

My nose is doing well, thanks for asking. I got it pierced, in case you missed that. I have a new piece of metal lodged into my face, and I like it.

Last night I went to a wedding of a friend. She's a few years older than me, but it's still weird to know that my friends are getting married. I mean, they're my friends, not just distant relatives that are ten years older than me. Before you know it, my friends will be having kids, paying for college, retire. It's pretty much all down hill from here.

Just kidding.

Or am I?

No, I am. Marriage and stuff freaks me out, but I guess it will be ok. I mean, a long time from now. Long.

But in my more near future--I go to Italy in less than two months. Eeee! I got a big packet in the mail today from Study Abroad Italy, telling me all this stuff I have to do before I go and how to stay safe and what to bring and where to buy my textbooks and what the weather will be like and blah blah blah. I'm tired of thinking about it and getting information about it. I just want to go.