che bello!

translation: this is great!

i am posting in retrospect (a major faux pas, i know...) BUT here is a pic (courtesy of my beloved friend margaret. she photographs my life with her phone.) on the first day of orientation (THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1). this is in the bottom of our building after climbing DOWN the four (more like five...) HUGE flights of stairs from our apartment (much easier than climbing up, i have to say). map in hand. chacos strapped on. ready for a day in the city.


thursday night we had our welcome dinner with the whole group at la beppa fioraia, a delicious traditional italian restaurant. here was the first course...

prosciutto. salami. olives. cheese. pickled onions (a favorite). liver patte. delicious. (minus the liver...but i did try it!)


there were many courses following this, including crescentine (a florentine specialty that tastes like fried pizza dough. yum.), risotto, spaghetti, steak florentine, and, of course, espresso.

after a delicious dinner, we went to a discothèque (so euro, right?) called twice. it had silver glittery doorways. epic. it was an interesting experience. we may not go twice...i think once was enough. but we had fun! exhibit a:

we also had some fun sightings.
i.e. rollerbladers: wish i had packed mine...

and fanny packs: stylish and practical.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2:
more orientating. 
dinner with our apartment (seven vanderbilt students, one italian roommate, and our "language partner" ciara--she rocks). we went to the grocery all together and made delicious homemade spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes AND homemade tiramisu! we learned a new italian word while cooking: tuorlo. it means egg yolk. definitely the word of the day.
went to sleep. or attempted to...it was approximately unbearable degrees in our room because our pinguino (italian air-conditioner. cute, right? it even kind of looks like a little penguin. think again.) STOPPED WORKING. hot.

got a different one the next day that works. for now. knock on wood...hoping i will eventually adjust to this heat. til then, we will love the penguino, treasure the fan, and pray that they both continue to see us through the heat. 


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3:
wake-up call at 7 am to submit our permits of stay with the police department. at the post office. intense. 
brief nap (these are a common occurrence in my life these days--yay jet lag and hot sleeping conditions!).
wandering walk around the city while very hungry. get lost in a residential neighborhood far away. order prosciutto paninis consisting of literally two pieces of bread and some ham (delicious, especially in a state of serious hunger, although i was skeptical at first).
then...pizza making class!!! i sat at a table with our italian roommates and they taught me many new italian words, like "che bello!" and "vorrei un bicchiere di vino bianco, per favore" (i would like a glass of white wine, please). then...we spin de pizzas (say it in an italian accent. it's much better.)

i wanted to throw it in the air, but decided to leave the tricky stuff to him...

adding italian sausage, olives, mozzarella, artichokes. yummmm

don't worry, i kept the hat. 


post pizza-making, dreams came true. kara, who i live with, is also a justin bieber fan. like hard core. she has the perfume. she let me wear it. here it is in all its glory:

this has nothing to do with italy, but i thought it was worth sharing...


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4:
slept in and got a late lunch with friends at the white boar restaurant...

the most delicious bruschetta i have ever eaten. i somehow ended up with extra arugula? still mastering the ordering off an italian menu thing...

gillis is here for the week before she starts her program in aix! she is biking through tuscany with guido--so brave and intense. ames and margs.

friends...all looking a little tired.
it rained in the afternoon, which really cooled things off! hooray!
spent the afternoon planning trips yipeee!!! ate a deliciouso pasta dinner at another apartment and got some gelato (i got hazlenut on a cone this time--benissimo!) one of our new favorite spots. it stores the gelato in these metal canisters and not out in the open--apparently that's how you know it's the legit, traditional kind that melts in your mouth. YUM.


it was great weekend filled with rest, delicious food, fun memories, and new adventures with sweet friends! classes, here we come!


arrivederci!


MR