It rained a lot this week, so while you guys were all getting snowed on, we were getting rained on. But that didn’t stop it from being a very eventful week.
Soccer Monday night was cancelled because of the rain, so that was a big downfall since it was such a hit last week. On Wednesday, those of us in the Culture class got to take a trip to a local gelateria and learn about where they get their fresh ingredients and the entire process of making gelato. We also got to try some absolutely delicious freshly made gelato! That night we had our first Movie Night, which, for students taking the Italian Life and Culture class is mandatory, but other students were welcome to go watch as well. They provided snacks and put on a movie with English subtitles, and while I personally found it to be interesting, I also found it to be incredibly odd. It was quite a strange movie so I hope the professor is going to explain what was happening when we go back to class, because otherwise I am going to be so lost!
We also had our first trip to Florence as an Art History class. For those taking the course, we met at the train station at the start time of class and met our professor in Florence where we went to see Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce Churches. Both of which are absolutely beautiful, but there is just so much to take in and we didn’t have very much time. With that on top of the fact that the professor had to speak very quietly since we were in a church, a lot of us couldn’t hear her in the first church. However, in the second church we got headsets, so she has to go over everything again in class next week from the first. I actually think that is a good thing, because seeing something in person and then hearing the history about it at the same time can be extremely over whelming; at least this way we will have time to digest everything and then we can take notes in class. Overall it was an absolutely beautiful day, the rain had cleared up, the skies were blue, so those of us who didn’t have any other classes, opted to stay in Florence for the rest of the day.
It just so happened that there was a Chocolate Festival happening in Florence for the week. So we were able to get lunch, walk around a bit and then go through a bunch of tents with individual venders selling chocolates. While we were walking around, we saw an artist using chalk to draw a postcard design on the street. It was absolutely beautiful and he was very talented; the shading and the details were amazing and he was not even halfway through with it.
When we got to the Chocolate Festival they had chocolate truffles, chocolate cake, chocolate covered strawberries, cannolis, peanut brittle, lollipops, fudge, and so many other things there for sale. Plus they would give out free samples as you walked up to their booth so you could try everything before you bought it. After we stocked up on chocolate, we headed for the train to make it back to school in time for Game Night.
Thursday wasn’t over with just game night though; it just so happens that Thursday was my birthday, so after the students at the school sang Happy Birthday to me, my friends and I went to one of the restaurants on our meal plan, Mokha.
I like Mokha because the food is amazing and they change their menu a lot so we get the opportunity to try new things very often. We told them it was my birthday and, after we ate, for my dessert, they brought out some type of pudding with strawberries and chocolate on top with a candle in it and wished me happy birthday. It was so sweet! It just goes to show how the people here really are like family. From the staff at school, the people you travel with, to the people at the restaurants you go to. It might have been a rainy week but it was definitely a good one.
