TGIF on the Prato campus

What a great week here in Prato! The weather has been beautiful; there is always something to do with all the events going on! Even with final projects being assigned and students working hard, there are still last minute trips being planned for the weekends in order to take advantage of how close everything is.

We had all of our regular programs and events this week through the school. Monday night was Viva La Italia, which was an hour long class that focused on the mafia this week, something we are learning about in our Culture class. Many students are interested in the mafia for their final projects, so it was a big hit. Afterwards everyone walked over to the soccer game together and then had the weekly group dinner.

Tuesday was conversation exchange and more students took advantage of family dinners. Wednesday was the last movie night of the semester, and it was bittersweet to know that our time here is almost over!

Friday was, by far, my favorite day of the week though, because the hike that was rained out last week was rescheduled for this Friday! So a group of us got up and started hiking up a mountain to Rio Buti at 9 a.m. On the hike we were able to see beautiful waterfalls, do some activities, see an amazing view off the mountain side, and eat lunch by the waterfalls; some of us even climbed the waterfall. The water was crystal clear, and personally, I have never seen water so beautiful. It was so much fun and we saw so many beautiful sights. It was a long hike, but it was such a fantastic experience.

Over the weekend there was a lot going on around us — a market, hot air balloon rides, chalk art, plus so much other things. There were so many people out taking advantage of the gorgeous weather and all the events happening. The community here is so exciting and welcoming, especially during events and things like this; it’s such a great thing to be a part of.

All throughout the week we had sign-ups for other events that are happening throughout the upcoming weeks. Whether they are programs at the school or events for Prato Campus week, we still have a lot of activities coming up in our last month so there is so much to look forward too as we finish our classes and prepare to head home. It’s never a dull moment here and it looks like the last few weeks are going to make some fantastic memories for all of us.