When it Rains it Pours

Well, it is raining in Florence for the second time since I have been here, but it is actually quite welcome. Yesterday was probably the hottest weather we have had so far and it just makes being outside in the afternoons almost unbearable, but this rain is bringing in some lower temperatures and cool breezes with it so I am all for it. Funny story though: last time that it rained I was in their big post office applying for my permit to stay, and their post office is this huge old palazzo with this really high stained glass ceiling in this room lined by all these little windows where they help you with stuff. So over in the corner I notice that the ceiling is leaking a little bit, but no one seems to be too worried about so I just keep sitting there waiting when all of a sudden, all along the wall in front of these little windows where people walk up to when their number is called, a huge waterfall starts coming down! It was a little entertaining to see people in their suits and heels frantically mopping up water while people were rolling up their pants and wading over to the windows to keep taking care of business. Oh Italia...

Last night we went and visited our a&m friends at the study center in Santa Chiara and what a night it was. We rushed to the train station to catch the first train after class and made it there just in time for their family style dinner (luckily for us, we somehow found out at the last minute that we had to change trains to get to our stop or who knows where we would have ended up!). It is in a beautiful small town in Tuscany and has a completely different atmosphere than Florence, but they have a fun set up. The way they live is totally different because everyone lives together in this little "compound" where they sleep, eat and have classes. There are two main hangouts in the town where everybody goes in the evenings and the local delicassies (as far as we were concerned) were the CHIPS AND SALSA and the nutella pizza! delicious. I have seriously been craving chips and salsa for many weeks now so it was one of the highlights of the night.

I have to say, though, as much as everyone their loves their program, and am so so sooo glad that I came with the program that I did. I looove having an apartment in the middle of Florence, I looove having the whole city at my doorstep, I looove getting to see legendary works of art in person everyday, I looove the rich history here, and I looove getting back from these little excursions and thinking, "it feels so good to be back in Florence..." I just love that I get to have all the independence that I want here! I am still perfectly content to be in denial that I have to leave here in a few days.

Finals are on Thursday, one day to play on Friday, leave for Rome on Saturday, then it is back to the states on Tuesday! mamma mia...

I have plenty of mixed emotions about coming back, but here are the things I am most excited about (aside from friends family- of course seeing you guys tops the list... right after mexican food haha)

-Mexican food
-Watching the season finale of The Office
-Getting to use my phone regularly
-Driving
-Sonic drinks
-Getting to wear different clothes than the ones I have been wearing for six weeks
-Getting to play with photoshop with all my (thousands) of pictures
-Barbeque!
-Going to church at home
-The seventh Harry Potter book
-Convenient internet
-Knowing the language
-The American dollar!! (everything will seems so inexpensive!!)

Eh, I could keep going, but for everything that I think of on that list, I think of something about Italy that I am really going to miss. I guess that is a sign that I should quit sitting at this computer and go soak it up while I still can!

Love you all,
allie