Firenze

I just got back yesterday from wonderful couple of days in Florence! It was my second time visiting this beautiful city and I would go again--it's no wonder it is considered one of the best cities in all of Europe!

Me and my roommates, Tara and Nancy, have not been too savvy when in comes to trains. On the way to Florence, we accidently sat in first class and were kicked out. On the way back from Florence, we ran to the station in the cobble stone streets in our italian boots thinking we were going to be late, but instead we got on an earlier train to Milan which was not the train we purchased our tickets for. oops. So we sat next to the bathrooms between traincars with all our backpacking stuff and had to get off in Bologna, wait an hour, and get on the correct train to Milan. We found humor in our dejectedness and shame as we sat on the train with no actual seats--all a part of the adventure!

While in Florence we walked everywhere and crashed on the floor of an appartment of some other students studying there. We enjoyed red wine and a home-cooked meal at the appartment, shopping and barganing in the markets, and viewing the statue David. It was my second time seeing the David (lucky me!) and still, it was awe-inspiring!

Another highlight of our time spent in Florence, we found an edgy little hair salon and decided to get chic Italian haircuts. I chopped a lot of my hair off which I've been wanted to do since last semester but never had the guts to do it. I figured short hair would be easier for traveling and fun to do while here in Italy.

We arrived back in Milan in the evening and still had to ride the metro to Cadorna Station then take our 57 bus for 40 minutes or so to where our appartment is located. We do not have an ideal commute to say the least. Today we woke up, tried to figure out how to register for classes (which has been a very frustrating process with our university), got some lunch, and I saw Tara and Nancy off as they took the bus to stay in a hostel for the evening to wake up early and fly to Munich. On Wednesday I will be meeting them in Munich (I have to take the bus at 6am, then take a train to the airport, then change planes in Zurich, Switzerland, then I get to Munich). We are staying with a friend of a friend in Munich then I will be meeting up with two friends I knew in highschool, one is studying in Germany, the other in Prague, and we will partake in Oktoberfest celebrations until Sunday when I fly back to Milan and start classes on Monday. Huzzah!

My time here so far has been great but also strange and irregular. Since I haven't started classes yet and I'm not in a routine, I haven't found my life's rhythm like I typically do at Whitworth. Things will be crazy with having to commute in the city to class everyday and then planning traveling/backpacking expeditions for the weekends. For now I feel somewhat displaced and disconnected being so far away from the family and friends that I miss so much, but I just have to brace myself, embrace the adventure, and look forward to the day when I can be home again as a more experienced, independent, and traveled individual. I'm sure the big adventure will be all over before Ieven know it.

Ciao ciao from Milano!