Going by so fastttt!

Another week has passed and I can’t even tell you where the time went.  I have had so many great moments this week and have realized so many things that I am appreciative for.  School requires endurance, its all very interesting, however, for me, some things I just cant wrap my mind around.  Reading Dante’s Vita Nuova, learning about WWII and Italy’s involvement, how the World Bank could possibly be corrupt, and a language I have never even attempted to speak.  Again I will say, I have learned so much.  This week I went on a 3 hour long journey to the supermarket by myself and even took the bus home! I could go into great detail about that adventure, but I think it might be one of those “ had to be there” kind of things.  I also went to dinner with Italian students.  I have to be honest, this was the same day I had my supermarket journey and I was a little tired so I wasn’t feeling that optimistic about practicing Italian, but I am so glad I went.  My friend Lucy and I met two friends, Emmanuel and Enrico. We learned a lot about Italy and their feeling towards tourists and we actually ended up meeting up with them a couple nights later with some other people from my program!! As for the weekend, I stayed in Florence.  A lot of the classes here go on field trips, unfortunately none of mine do.  They offer certain field trips to other students, so on Friday I joined the Early Renaissance Art Class to visit the city of Assisi and two churches.  We saw the tomb of St. Clare, and the professor interpreted the art for us.  It made such a difference to not just look at the art, but to understand it.  It was another long day, but I am glad I went.  The next day, I hopped on another visit and went to a Tuscan vineyard.  We were able to tour the vineyard and learn all about the different grapes.  The vineyard was family owned and our tour guide was the daughter of the couple that owned it.  She went into great detail about PH concentration, sugars, the skin of the grape, the color, and temperature changes and how it affects the wine, and the acidity.  I never knew making was such and art in its own way.  We had a fantastic lunch and got to taste the wine from the vineyard, and it’s all organic so we felt healthy!! The vineyard also produces olive oil and flour, so we got a brief tour of that as well. 

            Living in Florence has been so great and such a change of scenery from other places I have seen.  The most drastic I can think of us my time in Africa last summer.  I went from one of the poorest countries, to one of the most materialistic cities in the world.  I am very thankful to how I was raised in this aspect.  I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy shopping, lets just be honest, but being constantly surrounded by it just reminds me how temporary material items are. 

            My week ended with a calm Sunday.  I went to a Catholic mass spoken in all Italian (I didn’t get much out of it haha), some market shopping, a nap, homework, and dinner with friends. I also got down to business and booked trips to Paris and Barcelona! yahoooo!!! Tosca has been on vacation all week, but she should be back tomorrow.  I will have pictures of the house and of course her as soon as I get the chance! I love you all!