smile, you are beautiful.

GIORNO SEIDICI
I will start off by saying that today was pretty uneventful.  The highlight of my day was seeing some casual street art during my run and cutting up a fresh pineapple after my wonderfully warm shower.  If those are the most exciting points of my day, then you know this will be a short post, and hopefully not boring!

Anyway, last night the roommates and I went out to our usual joint, Kikuya Pub and met new people and of course kept the old.  The same people seem to hang out there, so we have started making friends with some of the locals.  Last night, we were playing a game with some other study abroad students when this adorable Italian couple ask to join in.  They were so friendly and the man was so lively and eager about speaking English with us.  He gave us really important advice that I will share with you... He said there are only two things you need to do in order to speak Italiano: 1. you need to be able to say "sì" and "no" and 2. you have to actively use your hands while speaking... gestures with the hands is a language of its own.  If only authenticity were that simple... At least now you know hot to speak Italian!  

Our new Italian friends laughed at us when we mentioned going to the Secret Bakery... but were just as excited as we were about the warm Nutella croissants that was sketchily handed to us through a graffitied sliding door in the back of some random building.  Who wouldn't appreciate a cheap and delicious snack that includes Nutella?  Well... I guess Savannah wouldn't appreciate it... she doesn't like chocolate.  What?  At least she accepted the fact that she was helping the economy by spending money here in Italy!  Even better, they gave us an extra one for free!  We felt bad because Erika couldn't come because she had a midterm to study for (wait... what?  I forgot there was that "study" in front of the "abroad..."), so we wrote her name on the bag and wished her good luck and placed it by her night stand.  In the morning it was gone, so I assumed she got it!

This morning I woke up and read for a while until we all decided to get ready and head to get sandwiches at Antico Noe, which is across from The Lion's Fountain (the place where we got bagels yesterday).  I got a turkey sandwich with brie, onions, and some spicy pepper sauce.  This was THE first time I have seen turkey anywhere in Italy... I guess they don't really eat it here?  I was craving me some turkey.  Allora, I headed to class, which was blah blah blah... then I walked to my wine class la de dah dah... you know the drill.  Today was rough.  It was a struggle to keep my eyes open.  Maybe it was the turkey?  I heard a rumor that the lethargy effect of turkey comes from some amino acids called L-tryptophan, which makes you fall asleep, hence the great night's sleep after Thanksgiving!  I blame my sandwich for my lack of attention in class... would "my sandwich made me do it" fly here?  Or is that just another "my dog ate my homework" ploy?  Oh well... I made it through, barely, after doing a blind wine tasting.  That final might actually be kind of hard.  Wine class puts the "study" in "abroad."

Smile, you are beautiful :)

After class I returned to the apartment, ate dinner, and forced myself to go on a run.  It tuned out to be a wonderful day to run.  The temperature was great and not that many people were out for me to dodge and to give me awkward glances.  It was nice to get out and I actually felt really good.  My favorite part was when I saw some street graffiti on the east side of the bridge on oltrarno.  It is hard to read in the picture, but it definitely made my day.  It said, "Smile, you are beautiful," and it truly made me smile.  I passed it originally, but turned back around after running about a mile ahead just to snap a picture of it!  It is just a happy thing.

After my refreshing run, I was craving some pineapple, so I cut it up and when Tarah, Savannah, Danielle, and Christina came back, we finished the whole thing.  Casual.  It was SO delicious.

I know this is a lame post for the day, but this is everything that happened.  Life still finds a routine, even when you are in another country.  It is good to find routine in the unfamiliar and make it familiar.  Firenze has become my routine and my familiar.  That is so cool when you think about it that way.  Again, when simply on vacation, routine never happens.  This is real!

Well anyway...  I can't believe we are almost halfway done with this amazing program!  Isn't that crazy?!? What?  It just started!!!  There is so much to do and so little time.  Gotta run!

"Ciao Bella"