A typical week in Italy

I can't help but laugh when I constantly would hear from friends and family "when do you actually go to school?" They were so convinced I was on this year long vacation. And I can't really blame them because it would seem like that sometimes. It is just so easy and convenient to take off for a weekend to other parts of Italy or to another country, or even to just go exploring with friends around Florence.

So here are some of the normal parts of my week :)

I DID go to school. My first 2 months in Italy were language courses, 4 days a week, 3 hours a day. From there i'd do my own studying and I actually did since I was determined to start picking up the language as fast as possible. Studying and learning has always been kind of a struggle for me so I am relentless about doing as much additional studying as possible.

For the first semester I took 18 units (6 courses). 2 were Italian courses (conversation and then a grammar and reading course), then 3 political science courses on the European political systems, Machiavelli, and the history of Italian renaissance. And additionally I took a course on the image of Italy in literature.

For my 2nd semester I took 15 units (5 courses). I intended to do a lot more traveling during the 2nd semester so I wanted to ease my course load a little, plus I was leaving the program early in order to attend my best friend Keri's wedding in Turkey at the end of May (post on that coming later!) That semester I took an Italian grammar course, a class on Dante's Commedia, Italian Cinema, the European Union and History of Modern Europe.

On a day to day basis, for someone living in Florence (or at least me) it typically involved me attending school, going to the grocery store to get food for dinner that night (and usually a bottle of wine or other alcohol), a little bit of cleaning (I swear no matter how much I cleaned everything would just be instantly dirty again), maybe go walking around the city with friends or to their apartment to hang out (especially if you were cooking dinner together that night) and probably during some downtime reading a new book or streaming a movie or TV show.

Now for the nightlife.... I am nothing but honest I did love going out just not every single night. I have to sleep eventually! But typically I couldn't resist hearing that friends were getting some drinks and out roaming Florence at night. Florence is just too much fun at night to avoid. Frequenting bars became a norm... esp some of the faves like Kikuya, Jazz Club, Lochness and by the end of the year Blob became a big one (as it let you dance all night to your hearts content)

Since our school was open Mon- Thurs, it was just too easy to escape for a 3 day weekend to a new country or new place :) So that is really why I was able to have so many adventures to France, the UK, Hungary, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Turkey, etc.

Next blog on more exciting trips and events coming soon!

Ciao for now :)