dance marathon.

So... 26.2 hours, $1,528,330.16, & 383537246253 smiles later, Dance Marathon at UF is complete & more successful than ever before!  It is exciting knowing that our student-run philanthropy is the biggest in the Southeastern United States!

I am so incredibly proud of everyone in their efforts to make this THE BEST Dance Marathon ever!   It took over a year to plan this huge event & hundreds of hours, but it truly showed through the smiles of the miracle children as well as the loving faces of every dancer, delegate, dancer buddy, staff member, captain, & overall that breathed, ate, & slept dance marathon all weekend.

I know the Children's Miracle Network will use that money for something great that will save thousands & thousands of kids in the near future!

I remember my Freshman year of college being force fed Dance Marathon in the Fall & thinking... Why is there so much hype about something 47647854 months away??  It took one glance inside the O'Connell center & the words of the Miracle Families for me to get it.

After being on staff as a freshman, a dancer as a sophomore, & on staff again this year, I can't get enough of such a great cause.  I loved making a small difference in an event that makes a huge mark on the medical world of Shands & the kids.
I already can't wait until my final DM next year (not that it's my last), but just to see how much more we improve & make strides toward saving more & more kids.  Just in my 3 short years here at UF, I have seen the total rise about $800,000, which is INCREDIBLE!  I love seeing the dedication students have to this event & the smiles they put on the kids' faces.  It is also nice to see students completely sober for an entire weekend, while tking time out of their busy schedules, & being 100% selfless for the sake of families & kids in need.  Not only did I see FTK shaved into peoples' heads, but I saw it in action.  This is REAL philanthropy y'all. 

So I would like to throw a special shoutout to my roommate, Rebecca (above in middle), Sami (below on left), & Nicole (not pictured) for rocking DM for their third year in a row!  78.6 hours of dancing & they are still looking good!  "Can't sit, won't sit," or should it be "can't sit, can't sit?"  That is the question.
     

Sami & Tarah rockin' the BYOS DM style!

BUT, I would like to throw out an even more special shoutout to the 6 Kappas who are 4 year dancers!  It is so impressive to dance just 1 time, but these rockstars didn't stop standing for a total of 104.8 hours!

I was also so happy to see the dedication of the dancer buddies/visitors.  No one can stay on their feet for 26.2 hours without a friendly, non-delirious face to get them through the hours.  But sisterly & true is maximized when that friend is willing to give foot massages for an hour to her sore-footed friends!  You go Glenn Coco, aka Sarah! You are a SUPER SISTER forever!

Last but not least,  I would like to mention that I plan on continuing my shirts!  If you follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/bringyourownshirt.byos.rachele you can find my Facebook page with all the shirts I have made for DM donations!  Please like my page, browse through the ones I have made so far, bring me a shirt, tell your friends, & love a style that is your own! (I have a small example (above) of Sami & Tarah wearing their DM-related shirts & loving them up!!)  I raised about $300 on the shirts alone this years & I can't stop, won't stop.  VISIT ME AT: "BYOS: Bring Your Own Shirt" y'all FTK!

-Ciao

13.1.

What a whirlwind! 10 months ago I signed up for a half marathon... but not just any half marathon, the Disney Princess Half Marathon!  At the time, just the act of signing up for it gave me the butterflies.

Let's start from the beginning: before October 2013, I could not even run more than 3 miles without giving up.  Not only did I not like running, but this Florida heat is just rough... I have always been pretty active though, through soccer, lacrosse, snowboarding, & hiking, but there is something different about running.  There is no ball you are chasing after, there are no lifts to carry you up the steep parts, and there is no team to help you in a bind.  It's just you, your sneakers, & a straight shot.

I used to hate running.  Ask any of my high school teammates or my coach... I literally complained every time the word "conditioning" or the dreaded, "everybody to the end line" came up during practice.  How could I run (or sprint really) for an entire 90 minute soccer game, but start panicking at the idea of a full-field suicide?

The answer isn't really clear, but once I started college & I didn't have soccer in my life 24/7, I resorted to my worst enemy.  What is that saying again?  Oh yeah... "keep your enemies closer."  Well my enemy became a companion freshman year to keep away the true threat, public enemy #1, the horrid "Freshman 15, or really 25."

I reluctantly ran to make sure I didn't pack on quite that many pounds & started enjoying it a bit more.  The key for me is that I need a friend to keep me going.  When it's just me, no one is there to make sure I keep moving.  & I may have mentioned before... my self control isn't all that strong when it comes to chocolate & running.  But over the course of my 3 years in Gainesville, I wouldn't say I became an avid runner, but a few times a week I ran a couple of miles & thought that I was a ninja.  I wasn't.    

Anyway, just about a year ago when all my friends trekked to Orlando for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon, I sat back in the comfort of my own apartment thinking, there is NO, I repeat NO way I could ever run that much... those people are nuts.  But I still stared as their pictures popped up on facebook with some sort of uncontrollable jealousy.  & pretty much the next day a half marathon appeared on my ever-increasing bucket list.

So now we are back to October 2013: I can't run more than 3 miles, the weather is still blazing, I am already scared about the half, & I need new sneakers, but I know since I have never truly run before that it is time to start training.  8 am wake ups was rough... sometimes I would even hope it was pouring when I woke up so I would have an excuse, but I had to get my body in motion.   

I would like to send a shoutout to my 3 running buddies that I acquired over the 6 months of training: Bizzy LaRue, Lauren Maginness, & Courtney Hughes.  I literally could not have woken up early 3+ times a week to run in the cold or have moved across the start line without you all.  You guys are thebomb.com!  Also, a thank you to my parents for coming up to Orlando to support me & hug me even when I am sweaty & disgusting!

So the race... it was AMAZING!  Although I didn't stop to appreciate all the princesses, villains, princes, & mouses along the way, I got to dance to "Frozen," give some Mickey Mouse high fives, run through the Magic Kingdom Castle, take a jumping picture coming out of the castle, eat some Gu, stare at some weird costumes, find my parents cheering me on in the dark, run 13.1 miles without stopping, wake up at 3 am, & cross the Disney Princess Half Marathon finish line all for the first time!  Everything was 100% worth it!    
       

It was probably one of the greatest experiences I have had & although I am still sore & my body is asking why... I am happy I did it!  What's amazing about the human body is that no matter how often you say "I can't," you can.  As I mentioned before, 6 months ago, 3 miles was a huge feat, but with just a little dedication & some practice, the body can change!  It is all mental.  Get that "I can't" garbage outta your head & replace it with some "I can" because I know you can!
   

So to sum it all up...  get out there & try something you never thought you could.  Thinking is a whole lot different that performing & I think your body will surprise you!

-Ciao

pi chi.

Pi Chi, Pi Chi till I die!

After months of waiting and waiting and waiting, recruitment finally arrived!

Starting on April 29, I deactivated my facebook for a whirlwind adventure called being the BEST Pi Chi I can be!  Being a Pi Chi is more than just a "sorority thing," it is a counseling position that we train for months in advance with classes, tests, lectures on delicate situations, scenarios, & more.  It didn't just teach me what woman fit in Alpha Alpha Alpha, it taught me how to interact with individuals on a very personal level with a complete lack of bias.  It truly made me feel important within the Panhellenic society & the University of Florida Greek system.  "We gave up our letters so 2013 potential new members could find theirs!"  We did our jobs! 

Us Pi Chis are (for the most part) the first glimpse of sorority women here on campus.  We represent all 16 chapters in the goofiest of all ways, but in the best of lights.  We are the true face to what a "real" Greek woman is.  The facade that is recruitment, does not do the chapters justice, because it does not truly highlight how amazing & individual each member is & how one person can make a difference.  Chapter women appear to be the epitome of perfect: straightened hair, flawless makeup, erect postures, beautiful smiles, manicured nails, white smiles, & fitted dresses, but the truth is... as we all truly know (surprise!), women aren't perfect.  Pi Chis prove that sorority women really do "sweat more than sparkle," that they have their own hardships, & that we all come from different backgrounds, ethnicities, & homes.  We are real.      

Even though throughout the school year we represent our respective chapters, we are merely separated by a set of Greek letters that we advertise daily.  Of course, we are proud of who we are; proud to be a part of such ritual & social based organizations that date back to possibly the late 19th centuries & proud to be strong independent women with a keen ability to be involved, but that doesn't mean we are ultimately all that different from one another.  We are all involved, beautiful (duh), interesting, different, philanthropic, classy, & most of all, we are women.

Just because we are separated by our letters does not mean that we are separated.  We are one goal.  We are one UF.  We are one Panhellenic Council.             

I have never had the pleasure of spending 10+ days with such an amazing, individual, fun, & involved group of women in my life.  Thank you & a shout out to all 100ish of you who made my recruitment 2013 experience so phenomenal!
    
Despite my love of disassociation I was more than thrilled to return home to my family & friends in my respective chapter.  Nothing describes the warm homecoming I received more than the sight of my little & our perfect embrace!  It feels good to be home... I know the new members are saying the same thing.  Oh & GO GATORS!

blueberry steak.

As my going away (again) dinner, my parents wanted to give me a taste of my summer with the blueberry steak that I ate at Acqua al Due in Firenze!

Although the meal did not quite compare to that of the Florentine special, my mom as chef and me, her sous, we created a pretty delicious dinner!  The sauce was the most intensive part: filled with so many different flavors, that you seriously would not expect.  Mustard, ketchup, blueberries (obviously), thyme, molasses, & the list goes on.  It seemed like we just kept adding things.  Who thought of that... if you throw all these conflicting food items together you will create something good?

Well... I am glad they did.  Because now I can eat well! 

Anyway... tomorrow I go off to the Reitz Union for 10 days of recruitment!  Pi Chi 2013!  I will post 198558 pictures of my hat & all the Wonderful Pi Chi antics when I return!

Ciao-Ciao

cinque terre.

GIORNO VENTI

Today was a Cinque Terre kind of day!  Christina, Erika, and I woke up early and headed to the Santa Novella train station with Cole!  We took a bus from the station and two hours later we emerged onto the vast Mediterranean Sea.  After weeks of landlocked cities, seeing the sea was a perfect weekend getaway!  It was beautiful!  Although the sun wasn't out and it was a bit overcast, the water was a deep blue and the cities along the coast were so colorful and perfect.

The first city we visited was Riomaggiore, we didn't stay there long because apparently there isn't anything to do there, so we rolled outta there and headed by train to Manarola.  We had so much to do and so little time to do it, but there was a beautiful rock in the water that overlooked the city.  I love the colors of all the buildings... they complimented each other so well on the rocky coast, just like Christina and I do... we PI CHIS know how to stick together when the going gets going.

A few years ago, a mudslide ravaged some of the cities, leaving them in a sort of disarray and with a few of the hiking trails closed from city to city.  Therefore, we also took the train to the third city, Corniglia.  There we had about two hours to find lunch in this small city.  We didn't walk long because we smelled the pesto through the door and it called us in.  Christina and I ate together to let the Benefields enjoy their lunch together.  We both ordered a bowl of pesto gnochi and a little pear and ricotta cheese tort for dessert.  One annoying thing about money in Italy is that ALL they want are COINS!  Every place you go to wants, not only for you to pay in cash, but for it to be in coins.  We split a twenty-eight euro lunch and the man couldn't break a fifty!  The problem is, vendors always want coins, so I use coins, so I don't have them for the next vendor... it is truly a vicious cycle.

Corniglia

After lunch, Christina and I walked around the town and into the church at the top of the hill.  It is cool to see the way other people live.  Old ladies casually do laundry on their porches in front of one of the most gorgeous views I have ever seen... just folding laundry as if it were a normal day here.  No big deal.  The sad thing about the Cinque Terre is the decline in population.  The majority of the people that remain are elderly individuals who have lived there their entire lives, who farm on the terraced land above the cities.  They still remain on the Mediterranean diet and are in great shape, while their children move off to an easier lifestyle.  The towns will one day be a ghost town...           

From Corniglia to Vernazza, we hiked the 1.5 km trail right on the cliff.  It was a beautiful hike, that I have apparently trekked before, but my memory has failed me once again!  It was more difficult than I expected it to be, but in a good way, if that makes sense!  I was pleased at the level of challenge and enjoyed talking with everyone as if back at Adventure Treks, hiking along a mountainous trail.  The weather was perfect for a quick, but gradient hike.  It was rocky and I liked it a lot!  Besides the waiting around for the group at certain points in the day, the trip had been a really awesome experience!  It took about an hour and a half to hike along from the one city to the next, but by the time we got to Vernazza, I was a sweaty mess!  It wasn't even that far of a hike, but the warm(ish) temperature and the up and down of the trail made me sweat for the FIRST time since I have been in Italy since it has been abnormally cold here!  This is a good sign I hope?  

The Benefields holding up the cave

Corniglia from the hiking path

Anyway, at Vernazza, we treated ourselves to some gelato (duh) before walking underneath some cool cave-tunnel to the water!  It was the first time I had had the chance to touch the water so far and I was so excited!  We didn't have enough time to swim until the next city, but I was already getting pumped!  The water was cold, but nothing I couldn't handle... if I did it at seven, I could do it at twenty!  We headed back to the meeting area to take the ferry to the last city, Monterosso al Mare, where we could actually SWIM!!  We waited by the dock until our boat arrived to take us to the next city... when we go onto the boat we immediately went to the back so we could take pictures of Vernazza from the water.  Good decision!  Next to us was the most adorable sleeping dog ever.  The lady was just holding him like a baby and he was sleeping with a huge smile on his little scrunched up face.  It didn't even look real it was so cute!

Vernazza from the water!

When the boat docked in our final city, I was so excited because it was the beach... well not the beaches I am used to in Florida with the soft sand and warm water, but you know what I mean.  The beach was a pile of colorful, hard rocks with a deep greenish aqua tone.  I don't know what type of landscape I prefer, but it was gorgeous! 

The girls decided they wanted to nom at a bar by the sea, but my child within drew me to the water and I immediately jumped in by myself!  I skipped some rocks on the surf and collected lots of pretty rocks that I will probably regret lugging with me... oh well, I like them!  The others all watched me from the restaurant above, probably thinking I was crazy... it was, you guessed, WORTH IT!  It was definitely one of my happiest moments on the trip and I don't regret it even though I lost my breath for a minute or two in the cold water.  I adapted to it really quick though and luckily right after I got out, the sun started shining, keeping me warm!  It was a good day and I smiled a lot!  Don't miss out on the water, it is perfect! :)

The bus ride home was slightly chilly because my hair was still wet, but at least Tarah is nice enough to do the sleeping shoulder thing that Daniel and Scott never let me do!!  Brothers...

Ciao-Ciao

ciao bella!

DAY TEN

View from il Duomo across Firenze 

Last night ended being a lot of fun.  After we left the pub, we went to another bar next door and danced!  It is strange because on the UF in Florence program, only about seven guys were signed up, but it seems like every guy who decided to go backpacking this summer ended up in Firenze at that bar last night.  The place was a madhouse and an interesting mix of diversity; Australians, Spanish, Italian, American, you name it, they were there!

This morning I woke up pretty early and read for a while until my stomach called me into the kitchen for some breakfast.  I made an egg sandwich with salami... I am starting to feel like Frances from the children's book "Bread and Jam for Frances."  That is all I eat these days!  I was really excited all morning because today we decided to climb il Duomo!  First, Tarah and I got dressed really quick to fill up the water bottles at the fresh water fountain at the Piazza di Signorina and exchange money at this really sketchy place on the way.  I know that sounds promising... but it was actually legit!  GO THERE is you come to Firenze and you need to exchange American dollars into euro!

Poi, we went back to the Central Market to buy more fruits because they are so delicious and fresh here and they are CHEAP!  Apples and cherries and pineapple, oh my!  I am beginning to fall in love with the little, old Italian vendors who smile at you and speak little to no English, but try so hard to understand our lacking speech as we point to all the different fruits we want to taste.  They are all just so sweet.  What I can do without are the young Italian men... again they are just too "friendly."  It's funny because all the young men here say "Ciao Bella," trying to get your attention (ew gross), but last night, Cole, Erika's boyfriend left our apartment and said, "Ciao Bella!" to her.  It was so cute because we all knew what he was referring to.

Dopo il Mercato, we returned to our apartment to fix our own lunch!  We made pancetta pasta with vegetables and pineapple on the side!  It was so good I almost confused us with real Italian chefs!  I am proud at how we have been dividing up tasks in the kitchen and buying food items for shared meals.  We REALLY live here!  The main difference between travel and study abroad, besides actually getting a chance to relax and spread out the adventures, is that you need to create a system of living.  You have to get into a groove that is economically feasible over the weeks you are living there.  As amazing as eating the Italian cuisine out every night sounds, YOU CAN'T do that...

Anyway, we finally left for il Duomo and I was so excited!!  We first checked out the interior of the chapel, but decided to zoom through that and join the line for the hike up to the top.  When we saw the line we were a little discouraged, but then we remembered that we get to skip the lines with our university museum passes!  Even though I felt like a jerk cutting in front of those hundred(ish) people who had probably been waiting for over an hour, I was just too excited and too impatient to wait in line.  That museum pass... I don't even know, it's incredible.  So... I know Rick Steves says that there are 463 steps to the top, but I counted 458.  Awkward.  Usually is Rick says it, it's true, but I definitely counted them ALL!  I even sang "Halfway There" at step 231!  The steps were very cool though; all different sizes and heights, some spiraling, some so caved in you almost have to duck.  It all only added to my excitement!!  The view from the top is MOST DEFINITELY worth the eight euro it costs.  It was truly fantastic.

The top was gorgeous!  The weather was perfect for the top of il Duomo... it was windy, but the temperature was fabulous!  You could see across all of Firenze; our apartment building, the Santa Croce, the Ponte Vecchio, the Arno, all the hills in the countryside, and all our unmarked territory in the city.  I can't describe how satisfying it felt to be up there staring all the terracotta-colored roofs, tiny streets, and Gothic style churches of "our" Italian city!

One of my favorite parts about being in Italy is experiencing it with some amazing friends.  After blindly signing up for this program, I was so excited to find out how many beautiful people would be joining me!  Being able to share this trip some great friends has, not only improved my friendships with them, but has enhanced our ability to travel to other cities across Italy together!
              

So after taking a million pictures atop il Duomo and soaking up all its perfection, we started down the 463, (scratch that), 458 steps to the bottom, where we felt somewhat accomplished and my legs were involuntarily shaking.  After relaxing a bit in the apartment, we left for this cocktail bar called Art Bar near the Arno.  I got this drink that supposedly was pineapple (ananas), but truly tasted like limeade.  The atmosphere of the joint was cute, but they didn't offer any food other than snacky items--chips and some rice crackers (of course bland shades of starch).  The best part of the drink; however, was the succulent piece of pineapple that was hanging on the lip of the glass.  It was so flavorful.  The pineapple in Italy is beyond delicious.  Today at lunch we all finished an entire pineapple... we will need to buy more of that.

For dinner we went to this pizza place called Gusta Pizza that EVERYONE raves about on oltrarno.  They make personal pizzas with only a few select choices of pizzas.  I picked a salame piccante pizza (duh) and it was awesome!  One of the best pizzas I have had in a long time; fresh mozzarella and basil, spicy salame, some delicious tomato sauce, and great dough all cooked in a wood stove!  SO DELICIOUS!  By the time we finished eating, the sun was about to set across the Arno, so we ran over to the bridge after the Ponte Vecchio and watched the sun set.  It was beautiful and as we watched this street band play.  This atmosphere is so awesome.     

Gah!  It is going to be so hard to leave Italy!  Luckily I still have over a month left to enjoy myself.  Our Italy bucket list is slowly getting marked off as we visit museums and gardens, carry the "Leaning Tower of Pisa," eat gelato (and lots of it), have many moments with David, watch an Italian sunset, become friends with the "Forno man," try to talk in Italian, and climb il Duomo.  There are so many more things we have planned over the course of our study abroad!  Oh right... I am STUDYING abroad, not just eating/laughing/having the time of my life/smiling abroad!!!  I have to go finish writing a paper for my wine class about the landscape of Pisa and how it affects the production of wine there!  Ci vediamo domani!

"Ciao Bella!"

once in a lifetime.

DAY SEVEN

PI CHI

So last night was pretty fun (well technically it was today)!  I have never done karaoke before, but I decided to give it a try even though I shatter glass and lose friends when I do it.  We sang (tried to sing at least) genuine American (and Canadian) songs in an Italian Karaoke bar, while the locals actually sang well.  It got really interesting when we recognized some Italian songs because they were actually American songs translated.  I don't know how they do that... translate a song while keeping the meaning and the beat/melody?  Anyway, "Man, I feel Like a Woman" happened, as did "Drops of Jupiter," and some Avril Lavigne.  With those Canadian hits, this group of Canadian guys, on a post college graduation trip, approached us and joined us at our table.  They were friendly and they sang a Blink-182 song so we excepted them into our booth that we had claimed at ten.  Interesting note... Italians don't start their nights out until after midnight, so we got there a wee bit early!  It was okay though because it gave me a chance to "warm up" my voice and get out of my comfort zone a little before all the people began arriving.  It was nice being out of my zone and doing something completely different and out of my nature! 

We left the karaoke bar after one and headed toward the English pub, the Kikuya, which we were at the other night with the Canadians in tow.  We were starting to get tired of the Canadians, so we moved on to chatting with these three attractive Italian guys who were telling us all the great places to see in Florence and where the locals actually go.  Making friends with the locals gets us even more ingrained in the Italian ways, plus these Italians weren't like the uncomfortable friendly Italian men that litter the streets at all hours of the day, saying "you're beautiful" and "you're very nice girl" to every female that passes by, they were just regular, nice guys.  After hunger pangs controlled my mood, we returned to the apartment and went to sleep!

This morning, Danielle and I went for a run along the Arno.  It was a cool morning and the run was gorgeous even though people here DO NOT even think about moving out of the way.  In most other countries people attempt to move to the side for others, but not here!  They don't even think about it.  Today was the first time we actually saw people excising in this city!  I think since so many shops and markets are closed on Sundays, people turn it into their exercise day... there were so many people running and riding their bikes!  It was nice to know they don't stay skinny simply by eating carbs on carbs on carbs and by smoking excessively, but that they actually do have to work out to maintain weight.  I am pretty sure that I didn't see anyone of the cheese cube diet... "Well, I don't eat anything, and then when I feel like I am going to faint, I eat a cube of cheese."

When we got back, we showered and started planning out our slow day.  We decided to check out the Giardino delle Rose near the Michelangelo Piazza, which again was a bit of a hike, but not too bad.  It took us a little looking and asking until we discovered the garden, but it was very beautiful as it looked out across the western side of Firenze over the Arno.  The flowers were very pretty, all bright and huge!  There were so many different colored roses, baby artichokes, and other beautiful flowers on and off Italian vines.  There were ponds with random statues of man-fish and of so obviously had to take pictures with it... We took so many glamour shots with the flowers, with the statues, and in front of the beautiful view until we sat down on these two benches beneath a large tree, overlooking Firenze.  We ate cherries and salami sandwiches and leftover pasta... it was a pretty generous spread.  Out of no where came this huge rain cloud, which put us into action mode quickly.  We started heading down the path toward home when it started pouring.  We ducked into this weird little hipster cafe featuring lovely naked women posters on the wall.  We planned on ordering a cappuccino, when the rain eased.  We were heading back over the bridge when the the sun came completely out, playing tricks on us left and right.  The weather here just can't seem to make up its mind... it will say on the weather app that there is a 70% chance of rain, but it will be beautiful out, it will rain for five minutes and then clear up completely, or it will be freezing in the shade and burning in the sun.  I don't know what's going on in Italy, but I have never competed with such confused weather in my life.  At least it clears up enough for us to take our pictures!        

View of il Ponte Vecchio in the background

So after the sun came out we decided to check out some cool store around our  apartment!  Everything is so expensive, but it is sneaky because you look at it in euro and think... wow it's only $29... NO it's more than that!  You have to be careful with spending money here or it will go fast!  We went into some local stores and also Zara where we exhibited great self control and left empty handed.  After a while we went back to our apartment while Danielle shopped for dinner stuff.  We decided we were going to make dinner (well that Danielle was going to cook dinner while we offer moral support from afar) for the USF boys who live in the apartment down the street.  We (she) cooked baked zitti and a chicken dish, and we went over to hang with the boys!  It was a lot of fun even though there are some interesting people in this world... "often a man (boy) needs help making the right choice!"  All I know is we had our stuff together, and well...

After dinner we played a few card games until we decided that since we exhibited self control earlier in the afternoon, we were allowed to indulge in some gelato with "our" gelato man from down the street.  He is such a sweet old guy with a friendly face who speaks very little English.  After everyone ordered their gelatos and I vacuumed mine up real quick, I attempted to speak to him in Italian.  I learned that his name is Roberto and he asked me where we were all from.  I was proud because I remembered to use the formal form, and felt that it was a successful attempt.

Me dancing in the surf in Viareggio, Toscana, Italy

Tomorrow we are going to Pisa to check out the "Leaning Tower" in its natural habitat!  We are also hopefully checking out the seaside for a bit!  I am excited to visit a new city in Italy!  Already have been here for ONE WEEK! It is so crazy how time flies!  All I have to say is live life to the fullest.  Don't live in the past or wish your present away for the future, live in the moment!  This is YOUR life and you only get this ONE chance.  Do what makes you happy, be with the people who matter, and travel because it is worth it.  Live your life as if everything is a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

"You know why I smile? Because it's worth it..."--Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

life is good.

DAY FIVE

A Panorama from the Piazzale Michelangelo of Firenze!

After a late, but awesome night out on town, we all treated ourselves to sleeping in since we don't have class on Fridays!  We woke up to Danielle cooking us up fresh crepes that she learned how to make in her cooking class this week!  They were delicious and she is already an Italian cuisine pro.  She made us each two crepes, one with Nutella and one with eggs and salami.  Yumm!  If it smells Italian and it looks Italian, it must be Italian, and let me tell you... we scream Italian!  We are starting to get into a groove here in Firenze, going to "our" local places and cooking together in our apartment!  It's finally starting to hit me... I'm in Italy!

After breakfast, we left the apartment for the Piazzale Michelangelo on the other side of the Arno.  We took a short hike up to the top where there were some incredible views from the terrace.  Of course I turned all photographer on the group and insisted that we take one million photos in every angle and from every viewpoint: jumping pictures, symbol pictures, group pictures, and some artsy ones of course!  I like to have variety in my collection.  The walk up to the Piazzale wasn't tough, but at the very top was a beautiful church called the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte, with an even more beautiful cemetery in the back.  There seems to be a sufficient supply of doors that both go to nowhere and doors that must not have been intended for humans...
We walked along for a while, soaking up the view and the warm Italian sun!

Classic.

For me?

By the time we reached the bottom of the hill, we were already starving due to our nonstop "carborous" eating over the past week.  We just can't seem to get enough of the food and so we set out on a journey to find a pizza place to continue on our starchy path.  We settled on a small, hip restaurant back on our side of the Arno that served these fried calzones called Panzarotto.  I know how it sounds, but it is EXACTLY how it sounds.  It was tomato sauce and cheese all wrapped up in breading and fried to perfection.  Despite my better judgement, I ate one and was presently surprised by how amazing it was.  So different than anything I have tried... surprising considering how everything in the US is fried on fried on fried!  We will start a new trend when we return and we will make millions!!   

When we were finished with lunch, it started raining and we had to run through the streets until we reached the apartment.  Of course the second we got inside the rain stopped... per usual.  We didn't stay in long because we decided to go out and book our next journey to Chianti for horseback riding, wine tasting, and swimming with Tarah and Savannah's parents.  Horses are kind of an interesting and slightly scary animal to me because they are so large and have a mind completely their own.  Every time my family goes horseback riding, my dad always seems to get the strangest horses; ones that randomly take off in an attempt to buck him off over a fence or those that move so incredibly slow that he is forced into conversation with it--sweet talking and petting the horse, trying to coax him into picking up speed.  I don't think I could ever forget that horse... his name was Pinto.  Anyway, I am anxious to see how this horse experience turns out because I have not ridden horses since I was a freshman in high school!


Not having a facebook here in Italy has actually turned out to be a good thing!  I rarely think about it at all and enjoy the freedom of just constantly reminding myself that I am in ITALY!  It is fun sometimes just to separate yourself from the outside world and just live in the present.  LIFE IS GOOD.  I don't feel disconnected, I feel alive.  I have time to sit back and actually smell the roses!

Let me tell you something about Europe... if there is the opportunity for nothing to get done, they jump on that.  Today, Danielle, Christina, Tarah, and Savannah wanted to send post cards to some friends and family, so we headed toward to the ufficio postale.  Aside from sending the letters, they needed to buy stamps, so we pulled the numbers (like you do at the grocery store while waiting for cold cuts) and waited our turn in line.  Thirty minutes later and the number had gone up by two people... only eight to go!  How is it possible that a culture can be so passive?  In the US if an attendant gets up to take a lunch break with no other workers on duty, well... lets just say that would NEVER happen because people in line would through a fit!  These Italian attendants just come and go as they please and the public just seems to go along with it, except this one old man, who was not having it.  I originally sat down next to him, but he got up and started pacing the room in irritation at how long he had been waiting to send off a simple package.  Forty-five minutes later, Tarah's number got called and forty-six minutes later we left the post office.  Forty-five minutes of waiting and it took less than one minute to send 15 letters.  Next time we will be going to a tabaccheria and sending them off through a mailbox... ain't nobody got time for that!

Our feelings on waiting in line for 45 minutes....

Waiting and waiting in a post office left us practically lifeless, so we of course had to get some vanilla cappuccinos from this amazing caffe on Corso!  It was one of the best coffees I think I have ever tasted and it woke me up right away!  I will definitely be retuning there!  After we spent way too much time in Lush smelling all the homemade cosmetics, we returned back to the apartment to cook our very own Italian meal!  We made two types of pastas (in Italy you can't just say pasta... you have to include what type of pasta it is, such as penne or tortellini, and what type of sauce goes with it), prosciutto and cheese tortellini and these super curly ones and our very own tomato sauce filled with peppers, onions, and garlic!  We also cooked up some garlic bread and tasted some wine on the side!  Overall it was a great evening just hanging out with the roommates!  Today was the first time we actually cooked our own meals since we just figured out how to work the stove (they have gas valves here... novel idea).

We may or may not watch the "Lizzie Maguire Movie" in honor of our life here in Firenze!  Growing up on Lizzie Maguire and following in her footsteps might not actually be a bad thing because it seems like she is one of the only celebrities of our time that actually turned out okay... i.e. Lindsay Lohan and now Amanda Bynes.  "Hey now, hey now, this is what dream are made of!"  That will be my motto of the night; my new adventures here in Italy are literally "what dream are made of."