This morning I turned in my paper on the Amanda Knox case. Its probably one of the worst papers I've ever written but I'm hoping the professor's english is bad enough that she won't notice. The poor quality of the paper is not my fault though, I promise. Having us write a paper on this case was a terrible idea. Every source is biased or incomplete and the facts themselves are unreliable because of the way the case and evidence were treated in Italy by investigators, the prosecution and defense, the media especially and the Italian justice system. Not that I'm commenting on the effectiveness of the Italian justice system; I don't know a thing about it. I'm commenting specifically on this case. Not that I don't think she's guilty or at least involved but an attempt to write a psychological paper on her involvement with the limited facts available was a ridiculous task. And thats my rant for the week.

Other than turning in my paper and going to class I really haven't done much today. Or yesterday for that matter. Wednesdays are my long days and I'm in class from 10:30 until 5:30. Then I had to go to the library to finish and print out my Knox paper. Eh. It wasn't too bad. Having a falafel kebab for lunch always makes everything better. So does watching the latest episode of Lost before bed. Especially when Lost starts to answer questions, or at least give vague hints that could be answers if you squinted and looked at them sideways. Oh, and the fact that I'm going to classes in FLORENCE, ITALY doesn't hurt either.

I had decided to make it my mission to buy postcards today but it looks like that isn't going to happen. Eventually, I promise I’ll get some and get them sent out. Tonight, after Ifigure out what to have and make dinner I'll be packing for Rome! Hopefully this trip goes like the second day of Venice and not the first!

Not doing work, blogging's more fun.

Right now I'm supposed to be working on an article style paper dealing with the psychological aspects of the Amanda Knox case. As you can see, I'm not. I've always been the sort of person who needs to do a hundred things at once, especially when I'm working on homework.

I haven't done anything too exciting since my last blog. The roomies and I attempted to find a good sushi place (I would not be eating the sushi of course) but for some reason all sushi places are closed on Mondays. There was one takeaway place across the river but thats a long way to walk, and another one closer but it looked way too fancy and expensive. So we did apperitivo across the street. It was quite good. A word of caution: if you pick up a orange and white layered cake thing, it is NOT some form of orange cake. It is salmon. Do not expect sweet goodness but fishyness.

After apperitivo I ventured out again to the rainy streets of Florence for Cinema club. Last weeks movie was interesting and funny and I was hoping for a repeat (though hopefully with better graphics). This week's movie was Guilietta degli Spiriti (Juliet of the Spirits) a movie by Federico Fellini. Its basically about a woman who finds her husband has been cheating on her and eventually finds the emotional stregnth to leave him. Fellini claimed (according to IMBD) that he took LSD in preperation for this film and after watching it this claim seems pretty accurate. Its an artsy film and doesn't pretend to be anything else. There are several disturbing images especially as Giulietta becomes more and more haunted, not only by the spirits, but by her husband's affair and her own forays into another more, ahem, "liberated" lifestyle. The end is abrupt and confusing but I think the Fellini was trying to get across the fact that she had emotionally liberated herself from her husband and was ready to leave him. There were some really disturbing parts, really creepy images but the coordinator said this would be the weirdest movie we would watch. I wish I could show some pictures but none I found on Google image were the creepy kinds.

Ah well. I suppose I should get back to work. I've actually gotten stuff done! A thesis (which needs focusing) and ideas, several sources and about three quarters of a page of typing. Whoo hoo!

Just because its starting to become my signature I'll leave you guys a picture. I'll post one of me and the roomies for those of you not in Italy. Its not the world's best picture but it'll do. This was also the day of my first gelato in Pisa.

From left, Gillian, me, Alaina and Sam.

I apologize if you guys don't like my picture choice for your introduction to the world.

Just another day in Paradise.

So, Italy might not be most people's idea of Paradise, and it certaintly has its moments (first day in Venice, anyone?) but I'm starting to think it might be a close thing. I'm not going to call Italy perfect because it really isn't but it does its best. Maybe I'm just still loafing in the "honeymoon" phase of culture shock but, you know, that's okay with me. I've had plenty of moments of frustration and dashes of homesickness. I've even gotten angry a few times (a rare occurence for me) but none of these have detracted from my experience. They've often worked to enhance it by making it more real. Perfection would bore me, I think.

But while I'm on the subject of perfection... On Friday I went and saw the David. Sheer male beauty captured in stone. It boggles my mind that a human hand could have created it. The David is housed in the Accademia (just a street and a piazza away from my apartment) and the other art there is also incredible. In the hall before the David there are half completed statues by Michaelangelo and the air is permeated with the scent of marble and stone. These figures look like real human beings encased in stone, struggling to get out. But even with how interesting these statues are you are immediatly drawn to the David, dominating the far end of the hall. There is no doubt, if you are going to Florence, see the Duomo then scoot on over to the David. Do it. Or I will find you and drag you there.

Saturday was a day trip to San Gimignano, a medeival walled city not far from Florence. First a narration in pictures:

Poggibonsi, the town where we got off the train. I want to live there, just because the name is so much fun!

Stamping my bus ticket on the way to San Gimignano.

S.G. is in Chianti, known for its wines, so of course some had to be ordered with lunch. Personally, I don't like the taste of wine but I had to put it in here anyway because of its association with the trip.

World champion gelato place. Gelato, I like the taste of. More on this later.

The views from the top of San Gimignano are incredible. The picture on the right looks a little like a water color painting. Its probably from the weather, which was beautiful when we left and first got there, though cold, and quickly turned to rainy and windy and generally awful.

This is a view of San Gimignano from a "panaramic point" that we arrived at through a tiny, hole-like passageway through a wall. S.G. is famous for its medeival towers, one of which can be seen in this picture.

Our purpose in going to San Gimingnano was not to see the medieval architecture or to experience the landscape of Chianti with its rolling hills and extensive vinyards but to visit the world champion gelateria, Pluripremiata. We're so culturally sophiscated, aren't we? We ate a wonderful lunch, I had pesto (or "green sauce" as the english side of the menu said) then moved on to find our gelato. We found the spot, found the gelateria and... found a little white sign on the door that indicated it wouldn't be reopened until March for vacation and to be worked on. All four of us burst out laughing and took endless pictures of the offending door. We were a little angry despite our general hilarity and vowed to return after it opened. As time goes on I watch my weekends fill up with trips and activities, something that doesn't quite happen at home, sad to say. Near Pluripremiata was another gelateria that was open and we had consolation gelato. It was rather good, nice and creamy, but not world champion. I had pistacio and chocolate.

Despite its lack of world famous gelato San Gimignano was a lot of fun. We explored a little and found the amazing views above, among others and did some shopping. We even got some exercise in on the steep streets:

We did lunges on the street. My lunge isn't the best but I was coming out of it when the picture was taken :)



Here is Alaina standing under a random stoplight we found. A highly unneccesary object because there are no cars driving on the streets of San Giminagno and the (2) cars we did see were in a different area, driving about four miles per hour (an amazing feat for an Italian driver) and headed in a completely different direction from the light. Italy, I love you.



So, they say you discover a lot about yourself while studying abroad and I know one thing I've discovered. I might actually be able to cook! Maybe its the olive oil and the fresh ingredients but everything I've made here so far has been quite tasty. I have always seen myself as a horrible chef whose sole culinary skill was making no bake cookies. I'm not too creative or original, I mostly do lentils, rice, eggs, potatoes and the Italian staples of bread and pasta, all rather simple, but they all have turned out well! This is exciting news for me.

As usual I've written a novel masquerading as a blog. Speaking of which, without reading material, t.v. or regular access to a computer, my book is coming along nicely. Another reason to adore italy. If this one actually gets finished I know Florence will be thanked for forcing me to work on my book. But, back to the blog, please leave comments, even if its just a random hi, I want to know if this blog is a total fail or not and what things I should focus on and what I should shut up about. Please and thankyou.

All right, one last view from S.G. Do I need to keep crediting the photographer? By now we all surely know its Alaina.

Venice day Two. So much Better!

Yeah, thats me, just chillin in Venice, no biggie.

Day two on the Venetian islands rocked my pretty blue socks. Of course, Venice had to get in one last parting shot with breakfast before settling down and allowing us to love her. The hotel (like the hotel we stayed in when we first arrived) is not equipped to handle a mass of American kids descending on their restaurants for breakfast. For Italians, breakfast is a quick affair, a little caffe or cappiccino, a couple of bites of something, then they're off. We, on the other hand, want our eggs and bacy, God help those who stand in our way. I didn't have eggs or bacon but filled up on croissants, cereal and I can't remember what else. True to our American spirit we couldn't let Venice or the hotel get away with making us unhappy so we "got our revenge" in the form of filched crackers, fruit, bread, little jars of honey and packets of nutella. God bless easily transportable food.

Sweet ruins on a island on the way to Murano.

The first stop of the day was Murano, one of the Ventian islands, known for its glass. We saw a glass blowing demonstration and saw a blob of glowing glass become a vase and another a horse in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, the glass products were uber expensive but I made do with looking inside the shop attatched to the workshop. Maybe when I'm rich...

Then we traveled to Burano, an island even further away from the main island of Venice, thats known for its lace. This adorable little island was worth every second of the frigid boat ride. The houses are all painted vibrant colors and no two look the same. Burano was not very crowded (though it did have its share of tourists) something I highly enjoyed.

Burano has a leaning tower! Not nearly as impressive as the one at Pisa but it leans as much, if not more.

Italians (or Europeans in general) seem to be obsessed with coke but, here, on the tiny little island, I found a bottle of Pepsi. I bought it, just because it was there. Though I actually like the coke here (which is weird because I despise it at home).

Anyway, we ate lunch on Burano, I had my standard mozzerrella pomodoro, instead of fighting it out again on Venice. We had very little time on Burano which made me sad, but I'm still very happy to have visited there.

Back to Venice! This time we were smart and headed the opposite direction from San Marco Square to find the real Venice, the crowdless Venice. The Venice of tiny, narrow, tall streets and hobbit sized doorways. The Venice where I could see myself living.

We wandered and generally allowed ourselves to become (almost) lost. We found a street band playing in a square on a drum set and a curious set of round drum-like things that sounded like flutes. We also found a gelato place called Gelateria Artigianale La Mela Verde which means the Green Apple Artisan Gelateria. Super fun!

One thing I forgot to mention about Venice: at the the pier where we disembarked were groups of street musicians, playing and attempting to sell their cds. Why is this strange? They were Native Americans! Decked out in full cheiftan\warrior gear, buckskin, fringes and all, they were playing their flutes and drums and whatnot. In Venice! Its the strangest thing to step of a boat in an Italian city and hear Native American music.

One last look from the boat. Ciao, Venice, Arrivederci!

Venice day One. The evil day.

Venice during Carnivale. Seems like a good idea, no? Well, if you like huge crowds, terrible tour guides and nearly being trampled to death then it is the place for you.

I make Venice sound horrible, don't I? Well, if you pronounce it right, Carnival does have the word "evil" in it. And the Venetians agree. Of the untold numbers of people who participate in Carnivale each year, very, very few are locals. Which is interesting because its supposed to be their holiday. Most Venetians are not found celebrating but selling, posing or hiding in their homes. So what did we do? Walk right in the midst of it all.

Lets examine why I disliked Venice so much (I do, however, want to make it clear that this is only on the first day. Even during this I still felt I would like Venice and after the second day, truly did.) How can you dislike a place that looks like this?

The day started off with a five am bus pickup. Mornings and I do not get along. At all. I am super grumpy when I first wake up anyway and five am just isn't happening. The bus ride wasn't too bad, though the breakfast stop was way too crowded. I do not often find myself being suffocated when in pursuit of a croissant but when it happens, I remember.

We finally arrived in Venice! The view from the boat is breathtaking. No one is allowed to drive vehicles in Venice so you can only get there by boat or train, then walk or take a water taxi from there. Energy was high and people were snapping pictures left and right. But mostly left, because that was the direction of the main island. But energy was not the only thing that was high. So was our hunger levels, making lunch our number one priority. Unfortunately, we were expected to take a tour first. Our tour guide couldn't have reached five feet if she jumped which made it hard to keep track of her in the massive crowds. But, no worries. She had a vibrant green umbrella that she thrust into the air like a standard bearer from ancient Rome, trusting that we could follow it as soldiers, battling our way through the endless crowds. (picture = San Marco Square and basillica)

She was a terrible tour guide and we learned nothing besides: people used to eat pigeons but now the crowds are too big for them to be present in the squares. Venice is entirely surrounded by water and sometimes floods. Lots of people wear masks to celebrate Carnivale. She was so smart, she even brought postcards to use as illustrations! Yeah, we ditched the tour and decided to take Venice on our own.

By now we were starving but food was not forthcoming. We eventually found a place that was run by Asians, were forced to sit with another couple (who probably felt trapped by us because there was so little room between the tables and in order for them to get out we would have had to move). I was so excited to eat I almost didn't notice how bad the overpriced food was. I ordered gnocci which was fine but it tasted like they had used a can of generic chef boyardee sauce. Hello? We're in Italy? If you want your food to be that expensive, you'd better work to at least make it seem authentic, honey.

Finally saved from starvation, we moved on. A few of us took a gondola ride but I opted out and returned to exploring the city. My goal for the next few hours was to find a mask and rock it. Tucked away in the corned of a square was a small shop entirely dedicated to Carnivale paraphenelia. It was decently priced, the owners were friendly and they had an excellent selection. For once, Venice was deciding to be nice. But then what do we do? "Let's go walk around a little more and see what else we can find." That was silly. We ended up turning left down a street and into hell. Something (from what we could see, it appeared to be one of the Venetian costumed wonders) was clogging the roadway because people were insisting on stopping and taking pictures, happily oblivious to the pile-up behind them. There was no where to go but forward but nowhere to go forward. For someone who hates crowds, this is not good (small spaces, sure I love 'em. even little crowds are okay. this was not okay). For someone who loves crowds, it was not good. People pushed from behind, trying to get through but all they acheived was the suffocation of the people in front of them. Forget crazy Italian drivers, this was the closest I've ever come to death here. We finally managed to find a side street and escape. Later (after we intelligently returned to the first shop and purchased our masks) we returned to find that the police had blocked off that street and made it one-way. I wonder if someone was trampled?

Maybe I exaggerate a little. I do that sometimes. But the spirit of the thing is entirely accurate.

My wonderful (and creepy) Carnivale mask at dinner. Aren't I lovely? Forget feathers and sparkles, you know me, I need something different.

Dinner that night wasn't much better than lunch but it contained some really good olives and nice, warm, amazing bread. And some on-the-house lemoncello to top it off. Of course, being the evil day, the owner was irritated when we asked to split the check between our credit cards even though he was perfectly cheerful about it for the table ahead of us, who were also a group of American girls. Oh well.

We watched the Olympics to end the night, I tried my first Ferrer Rocher. The Olympic channel delighted me becuase the announcers had british accents, it was an Italian channel and the commercials were in German. Oh Eurosport.

P.S. if you want to know why I love Venice, you'll have to read the next blog.

I don't care if Lady Gaga is your fashion idol can we please put on some pants?

UGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I had a totally long, totally awesome post all typed up that was super involved and took me forever. Then I lost it. And I don't feel like recreating it and am now super bumbed. so instead I'll, in the words of Inigo Montoya "Let me esplain. No too long, lemme summup".

First I talked about how people don't ever seem to wear pants, just leggings or tights with which one can see everything. I ranted a little (something I do often- just ask me about Cedar Point, I dare you. I've accepted that ranting, or in other cases, raving, is a neccesary part of my personality as I attempt to hold on to my fragile sanity, despite the fact that I actually hate to complain) about them then added that I don't actually know anything about fashion as I cannot coordinate an outfit without jeans.

Then I complained a little more about my sinus infection. It sucked, was painful and drippy. I went throught the three stages: the onset, where I feel muzzy (is that a word? it is now) and my ears are clogged, my throat is sore, and life is dizzy. Then is stage two, the pain and pressure stage, during which it is impossible to sleep and what little sleep is done sitting up. The final stage is the drippy stage during which I have to stay close to a waste basket. Then I summed up by singing "stay on the happy side, always on the happy side, stay on the happy side of life, whoo hoo. You'll feel no pain as we drive you insane, so stay on the happy side of life." And decided to take this 4H camp advice. If one can stay happy as the eather bunny is run over I can stay happy during a sinus infection. Then I added, a sinus infection in Florence is far better than a sinus infection anywhere else.

Then I talked about how Italians never have clocks anywhere and how my addiction to knowing what time it is has become pretty obvious. I'm pretty good at living without time during the summer, while camping and while on holiday break from school. But here when I have to be places at certain times it gets pretty hard.

Then I discussed Lost. I think. WARNING, HERE BE SPOILERS ON THE SEASON PREMEIRE.

• How are the Lostians able to be in two places at once?


• Why did they bring back Juliet for two seconds then just kill her again? Seriously? Thats just cruelty.


• BOONE!!!!! CHARLIE!!!!!!! So good to see you again. Its interesting how Charlie meant himself to die on the plane then was "fated" to die on the island. I wonder if its connected.


• There were others missing from the plane that we didn't see like Walt's dad and Shannon. Probably cause they couldn't get them back or something.

This isn't nearly at all everything I said\wanted to say. I'm officially angry at life now. Especially since its snowing, something that apparantly never happens in Florence. Curse you global warming!

Tootles. I'm sorry for the aweful blog. I'm not even going to edit it- thats what I was trying to do when it disappeared. :( Next time will be better. Especially since Venice is this weekend!

I'll leave you with a view down the Arno in Pisa, just so I'll have a picture. My lovely roommate Alaina took it of course:

the Duomo

Just because I wasn't able to post the picture of the Duomo earlier. And an FYI: most of the pictures posted on my blogs were taken by others, probably by Alaina. :)

Culinary Delights and the Splendor of Pisa

So... I've done a lot since my last post. Pisa, the CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL! Um, ok maybe not too much. It just felt like a lot.

I went to Pisa on Friday by train. Its a lovely little town along the Arno about an hour and a half away from Florence. Riding the train is super sketchy but not too bad and quite cheap. There are gypsies who walk up and down it at the station begging and trying to steal from any open purse or pick any pocket. They aren't always that subtle about it either-- they will get in your face or practically stand on top of you. Yes, I am speaking from experience, no, I had nothing stolen.

Do you want to know something really cool? The leaning tower of Pisa actually leans. As in really leans! We did all the cheesy pictures holding up the tower or pretending to push it on each other.

But before we went to the tower we had lunch at a little place called vineria di piazza (I think). A hidden little gem with such culinary delights! The culinary delight being lentil soup for me and pasta with calimari for everyone else. The soup was so simple. It had lentils, olive oil, and spice (what kinds? bloody heck if I know). But its simplicity made it even more amazing than if it had had vegetables or a complicated sauce. I want to go back there just to eat it again.

The soup was not the end of the wonders that Pisa had in store. I know its sad, but I had my first experience with gelato. (Yes, I am a failure in having waited until my second week in Italy to try gelato.) I had strawberry and cream gelato after agonizing over my choice. Then, now that the gelato dam was broken, I went to Grom the other night and had some more gelato. Dark chocolate and this stuff called crema di grom. It had biscotti in it and chunks of some other deliciousness but I can't say for sure what they were. Besides yummy. I really want to go back and try the expresso flavor or the coffee flavor. No. I think I'll get the extra dark chocolate. Ooh! Ooh! No! I want to try pear. No, not pear, egg cream. Wait. Yes. No. Crap, I forgot about nicciolo (hazlenut but spelled horribly). Bloody hell. Curse you gelato. Why are you amazing?

Oh, the chocolate festival. Again, with the amazing food. Its a good thing I walk all the time here or I would be a blob. There was fudge, assorted truffles, chocolate rum, chocolate covered strawberries, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate with mint, almonds, hazlenuts, puffed rice, rasberries, cream, more rum, peanuts and this is only covering half the tables. There was chocolate shaped like cell phones, soccer cleats (hard core awesome) bunnies, toads, towers and even a moka next to delicate little flowers and chocolate liquor. My roommate got a "chocolate kebob" which consisted of a pastry of some sort filled with a chocolate sauce (in this case, café) and chocolate shavings. I had a slice of chocolate cake topped with a hot chocolate sauce. I nearly died right there. But I didn't, because if I had, I wouldn't have been able to finish the cake and that would have broken my heart. I did manage some self control and only bought two café truffles. Which were amazing-- I still have one left! Yay, point Marissa!

Then, to culminate this weekend of culinary wonders, I had my first fancy dinner out at Sasso di Dante, near the Duomo. The apperitivo that one night doesn't count and neither does any visit to a café. This was a real dinner. We made a reservation and everything. For this dinner I ordered gnocci in a cream truffle sauce (notice the theme? truffles seem to be my thing here. Don't I live large.) It was exquisite, at least the first bite was. By the end it got to be too rich with the potatoes and the cream and the truffles. Its probably not a dish I would have again, though it was a good experience and taste. The dish I had afterwords I will definitely repeat. Any guesses to what it was? Si! Gelato! After dinner was Grom.

Fa belle tempo! The weather yesterday and today has been great. Sunny and "warm". Much warmer than it has been and definitely warmer than it would be at home. I hear they had snow there? Its already starting to feel like spring. Though, of course, it was a nasty, rainy, freezing day when we went to Pisa and to the chocolate fest. Oh well. At least that meant there were very few tourists to contend with.

Its interesting being here because I'm not sure what I am. I'm not a tourist but I'm also not a true Florentine. I look so American though, I'm sure the Italians can peg me from a mile away. I fit in a little better now that I have boots. Not that I bought them to conform, I bought them because they're awesome. And gorgeous. And badass. And quite cheap. And awesome. Unfortunately I do not have a picture of them.

And we're off to the second week of school. Ciao!

I suck at titling things so this is what you're going to get.

First day of classes! Beginner's Italian was my first and only class today and it went rather well, I think. Despite the fact its a beginner class no one is allowed to speak English except the professor, and only when neccesary. I know this will help me learn Italian quicker and more fluently but right now it just makes it hard. My Italian skills are very limited but living here has already helped me pick up a few words. Mostly those pertaining to food. My professor's name is Fabio, how stereotypical Italian can you get? He even looks very Italian.

The past few days have been very boring now that all the exploring and orienting is out of the way. After class today I wandered a little down a street I hadn't been down before, just to see where it went. I'm not too afraid of getting lost and didn't-- I just ended up making a big square and returning to the Piazza\Palazzo Strozzi then the Piazza della Repubblica from which its a straight shot home. If I know the general direction of where I need to end up, all I have to do is head that way and soon I'll find a familiar street. Its a good thing I'm good at directions since my ability to remember names is deplorable! All the streets are named here. At home everything north and south is numbers and everything east and west is numbers. In town (Delta) its trees and presidents. Here the street name changes every few intersections and every plaza is named Italian words. Whew! I just remember the important ones for now.

Because I don't have a digital camera I will be mooching of my roommate's pictures. Becuase of my obsession with it, I'm going to add one of her pictures of the Duomo. At least that's the plan anyway. I probably picked the world's slowest, dumbest computer to work on. I thought I killed it when I first logged on; the screen went all white and nothing was loading. But it turned out okay. I would be the person to single handedly bring down the entire computer network of API.

I have reached a milestone in my life. No, its not traveling here to Florence, living thousands of miles away from home or existing in a foreign city without getting lost or pickpocketed. No, but it is something just as exciting. Last night I succesfully planned, shopped for and cooked a homemade meal. Not from a box, not in a microwave or even on an electric stove. I made lentil soup from my own recipe, using my own judgement, and it was pronounced delicious. There is hope for me yet. Of course, I must give due credit to my roommates, who helped chop and stir. I put potatoes, onion, carrots, parsley, tomatoe and salt in with the lentils and just let it boil. And it was wonderful. Of course it was an easy recipe but I refuse to let that dampen my acheivement. As time goes on I will try harder and more complicated dishes: tonight I hope to attempt mashed potatoes. Not very Italian but oh well. I have potatoe left and want to use it. We'll see how that goes.

The worst part of Italy (if such a thing is possible in the golden hours of first experiencing the culture. I'm waiting for culture shock to set in but it hasn't yet. In the beginning I went through mini, daily cycles of it so I'm hoping that'll be how I manifest culture shock here. I think I had a harder time adjusting to college, but I did quit soccer on my birthday-- a severe emotional travesty. Here I might actually be able to play since it won't be serious soccer. I keep asking my knee for its opinion on how it'll hold up but it refuses to give me a straight answer. I have until Friday so we'll see. And now after that rather lengthy tangent I think I'll get back to what I actually wanted to say...) is the lack of reading material. I only brought two books with me from home and there are a few on our shelves in the apartment but I've already blown through one and a 1\4 of those. Thankfully three of those there are books for class: Illiad, Odessey and Aenead (probably misspelled) so I don't have to worry about finding them. Maybe when I get more proficient in Italian I'll do a lot of practicing by reading, but for now that is not an option. I guess I'll have to get used to not reading. It helps that my roommates and I are fond of sitting around the kitchen table discussing things for hours on end. That eats up time pretty well. And since the conversation generally turns to books I can get a small fix that way. I know, I'm hopelessly addicted and a huge nerd. Maybe this is the intervention I need...

Anywho, rereading my last blog I realized I can't spell or use puncutation very well. I hope I did better this time around but I doubt that. Oh well, hopefully you readers find that part of my charm. (maybe I should edit... nah thats no fun!)

One last thing before I go. Someone needs to visit me here. I am dying to show this place off in other ways than words and mooched pictures. Hurry up and win the lottery, guys. I have a plan and a tour already made up and I'm sure I'll just keep adding to it. And bring some Mexican food with you.