HELLO WORLD FROM FLORENCE ITALY!

I made it here safe and sound, and have successfully lasted almost a full week in this beautiful city. I also just got back from the Esselunga Super market and I officially have a full 100 piece package of gum and my own fruit! I am a happy camper. The Esselunga Super Market is the Italiana Kroger only not as nice. People are quite pushy and although "Mi Scusi" is in their vocabulary I feel like I am the only one saying it.  It was quite an experience. Most students in my program take the bus to Esselunga but I decided to walk. By the time I got out of the store it was 8:00pm and my hands were full so I called a taxi and they said they would be there in 5 minutes. The traffic was horrendous and I did not think there was anyway that poor taxi was going to make it in 5 minutes. Luckily, they did so I took a taxi home. When I came in with groceries the woman I am staying with, Juliana, flipped out and asked me (in italian) if I walked to Esselunga by myself (solo) I said "si." and left out the part about the taxi. Only because I had asked her if she would go with me earlier and she said no.    

Okay I never fished talking about the beautiful city of Siena. I did not think I would, but I miss Siena. I miss being in a hotel with all of my friends right down the hall. I miss Teresa, the italian woman we turn to for help with anything and always has the answer. ( I still see her but she is no longer right down the hall.) Most of all I miss our amazing breakfasts! Minus the goat milk, if that is what it is. It tastes very different from what I am use to. When I was putting groceries up earlier I saw that Juliana stores hers in the cabinet. I believe this means you do not have to refrigerate the milk until it is open. Beside the point, in Siena AIFS (The American Institute of Foreign Study) organized many different activities for us. 

The first activity I took part in was learning the secrets of Italian cuisine! This class was taught by a researcher of the Tuscan cuisine and a renowned member of the ACI, Lella.

 Yes Mom, Dad,

 Jason, and sweet MaKenzie this means you will be getting me in front of the stove and it is not just to bake or make vegetarian chilli, I am going to make you a four course meal! We will start off with a wonderful soup called Pappa al' Pomodoro, then have two different pastas one called Pici and the other gnocchi (one is a  little potato dumpling type pasta and the other is a hand made spaghetti), and to finish off our four course meal I will make you some of the best Tiramisu you have ever had! I took some kickin notes and I signed their guest book "I cant wait to make this for my family!" So for better or for worse, family, you will be eating Teia's Italian Cuisine.     

Another activity I partook in was Wine Tasting. This was the one of the activities I was looking forward to the most but it was the least exciting.

While staying at the Hotel Duomo in Siena I shared a room with one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Her name is Revae. (This is her with me to the left. We are on a ferry to Venice.) She has had the most interesting life and is such an opinionated young woman. I do not think this trip would have been the same if I had not met and roomed with her. I also think I make her nauseous sometimes because I wear too much pink. But somewhere deep down inside I think she enjoysall the pink I wear because she has a pink journal.

The other activities I partook 

in were: Chianti Sculpture Park, A Guided Art History Tour of Siena and Visit to a Private House (This turned into 'free gelato' instead of "Private House"

 because woman who resides there has a husband who became ill.), Visit to the towns of Pienza, Monte Oliveto, and San Gimignano, and last but not least a Museum Tour to several different artistic and historical sites in siena. 

The Museums and churches I got to experience were 14th- century Abbey belonging to the Benedectine order, the Church and Chiostro Grande, The Cathedral of Pienza, Torre Grossa (the only tower out of 14 towers op

en to the public in S.Gimignano. That is 14 of the original 76.), Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Cathedral of Saint Catherine (Where Saint Catherine's severed head and finger remain), Piazza del Campo, and of course the magnificent Duomo of Siena. 

(Chianti Sculpture park: Revae and I

inside one of their Labyrinth Sculptures)

(This picture does not do The Duomo justice. Go see it! And then stop by Firenze and check theirs out too! )

While staying in Siena I also enjoyed The Fortezzi located on top of The Enoteca ( an underground Italian restaurant and winery). The Fortezzi is the best place to go running in Siena. It overlooks all of Siena. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Stunning. 

Okay last but most certainly not least while staying in Siena during the weekend of January 23-25  I experienced Venice. Venice was by far the most aesthetically appealing city I have been to yet. (Aside from the tuscan hills we drive through on our ways to

 different cities.) The art was out of this world. No matter how many times I see a painting of the Jesus and/or The Madonna each painting seems to be better than the last. I am just loving this experience! Thank you so much for reading and I hope to hear from you soon!  

Oh! The picture of me at the top is in mia camera (room) here in Firenze. I took it last night right before I went to the Opera to watch a play entitled Lucia Lammermoor. And there is something to talk about next time! 

LOVE&PEACE

ALWAYS,

Teia Hagood