Classes are in full swing

So I will update you from Monday, Tues, and so far today.

Monday was my first day of class and it was art history of Florence. I have a woman teacher and she speaks pretty well English because for this class I am being taught by one of the institutes teachers. With this class everyday we have the early half in the classroom, a 15 or so minute break and then the latter part of the class we walk to different sites in the city that we are learning about. So far we have walked into a church and then she taught us a few special things about the city and showed us how it has evolved throughout the years. Today was my second day of class for art history and we learned all about the Duomo, which is the main cathedral of Florence. We learned about how it was constructed and re-constructed since it being built in the 1400's. It is a pretty interesting class and I am glad that I took it so that I can actually learn more about the culture here in Italy and be able to go into museums and things that I would of not of done or be able to do on my own. I just hope that the midterm and final is not too hard.

Monday after class a bunch of the girls and myself went to another market, this time it was a big outdoor/indoor market where there were little stands selling clothes, fresh fruit, meat, cheeses, etc. Since Nicole and I had already gone food shopping we really didn't get much at the market I just grabbed some cherries and we had lunch. After the market I went over to the park that is right at the corner of my block and did some reading for my classes it was very relaxing and I got a little bit of color sitting there =) Monday night Nicole and I met up with our friend Alyssa from West Essex and we went to this fabulous restaurant outside the Santa Croce piazza and got to meet Alyssa's friend from home that is here in a different program. After dinner it was kinda late so Nicole and I just stayed in to catch up on some rest. Nicole has been having problems with her feet and walking here because of wanting to wear sandals but the cobblestones are very uneven and hard on our feet and legs all day. So she was getting blisters and in a lot of pain, so we stayed in to give her feet a rest.

Then Tuesday was my first day of class for my management class. Like I said in an earlier post I have had this teacher before Gus and he is a very nice guy. The class is very relaxed and we are having no tests we just really have to participate and contribute to the topics of discussion. The class is about entrepreneurship and how it all started here in Italy. It is very interesting and like the other class we jumped right into the subject matter. Gus will actually only be teaching us for 2 weeks and then another Penn State professor is going to be teaching us for the remaining 4.

I have had a lot of reading to do already, but the thing that is really taking a toll on people is the fact of early classes and late nights. I want to get the most out of this experience here in Italy I want to go out with my friends and I dont want to be cooped up in my apartment. If I wanted to stay inside I would of just stayed home, so I know that it is just the beginning and we are getting into the swing of things but I am hoping that I will be able to figure out a schedule that it is good for my body and good for my own personal experience.

So after class on Tuesday Nicole, Alyssa and myself grabbed a little bit of lunch and walked over closer to the Ponte Vecchio for some gelato and for this store where I found some great Italian bracelets. As we were walking up to the store the owner just happened to be locking the door so I was not able to go in and buy but I am planning on going back and looking around. After that we went to Puma and got Nicole some better shoes that are more like sandals but have an arch in them so that she can walk around better and it has been helping a lot! Then we came home and did some work in the park again, ate some dinner and then got ready to go out with a group of our friends from school. We went to 2 different places and the second one we only stayed at for a short time because the Jersey Shore was yet again there so it was crowded and they were staying in one corner of the place that was kinda of blocked off by their body guards. So we were there for less than a half hour and then we went home.

Today (Wed) like I mentioned earlier we had our art history class again and went to the Duomo which is not too far from my apartment, we pass by or like last night were right outside the Duomo all the time. After class my apartment minus one girl went to grab lunch and then go shopping. There is also a gelato festival going on this whole weekend so we were eating in the piazza of the festival but I think tomorrow we will actually get gelato because today they were still setting it all up. After shopping we came back to the apartment and I took about an hour nap and now I am here writing the blog and after this I am going to do my homework for my management class tomorrow then take a shower, eat dinner, and I would like to go out again for a little tonight with either the girls in my apartment or my friends here.

Tomorrow, I will be leaving at around 7 which is around 1 for you at home to take a bus to the Almafi Coast for the weekend with Nicole, Alyssa, and Alyssa's friend from home. We will be arriving there late tomorrow night and then waking up early around 8 they told us to start our tours and such there. We are going through a student program, so they have a whole itinerary for us and tours set up so that we can get the most out of our stay. I am really excited to go here I heard that this trip is a lot of fun from students who were here during the spring semester. I cant wait to go into the water and lay on the beach for my special Memorial Day Weekend.


I'm glad to hear that the weather at home is looking better and maybe it will actually be a good Memorial Day Weekend for BBQ's and the beach. Daddy I know that your birthday is coming up this weekend I will be bringing my computer with me so hopefully I will be able to blog before then, and I will definately be in touch with you on your birthday but Happy early Birthday. Love and miss you!

 These previous ones are all from a little church that we went to with my class

 Sorry for it being sideways again but this is a tower that families used to live in and for a time families would compete with each other to see who could have the highest tower

 This is in the piazza republica bell tower, if you notice it is to the right and not in the middle this is because it is being aligned with something else

 Chanel =) one of the many designer stores that they have here that I get to pass everyday on my walk to school

 Those were all pictures of the Duomo and the Baptister and the tower.

 These are special towers that are all throughout Florence that were made in the 1300/1500's that represent where Piazzas are.

 The gelato is so good and some places put cute little fruit or decorations on them. So far I have had vanilla with chocolate chips, nutella, and cantaloupe.

 This is the original front of the Duomo Cathedral that was replaced and this was Mary and Jesus that was on top of the front door

 This is a replica of what the old facade of the cathedral looked like.. pretty boring compared to todays

 These are two of the Apostles, if you look closely you can see they have books in their hands to represent them writing the New Testament. These were in between the 3 original doors.

 This was on top of the other door I believe this one was the sleeping virgin.

The Florence symbol

 Michaelangelos pieta of Jesus the moment that he got off of the cross, there are the 2 women holding him and then the man behind is Mico Demus which is the first sculpture to give Jesus a face and in this pieta the face of Mico is Michaelangelos.

 This is Donatello's Mary Magdalene, this is made out of wood and then a paste covering that was painted. It is so creepy looking because it was supposed to show her desperation from Jesus death.

All of those pictures above were from the museum for the Duomo.

The tower next to the Duomo

The front door of the Duomo now.

The doors to the Baptistery which is right in front of the entrance to the Cathedral the alters face each others

again sorry that some of them are side-ways and you have to "break your neck" to see them but I cant figure out after uploading them how to rotate I would have to individually go through before I upload them and twist and save them to my computer.

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend <3