May 6th: First Day of Classes

Gelatto number seven?

Classes started today! I'm in a sketchbook, plein aire, and typography class. We met for sketchbook this morning at the statue of David (it's a copy outside) and walked to the Pitti Palace to start painting. It has huge gardens. They're so beautiful. Sadly, I took few pictures today. We're going back for the next two classes and I will try to take pictures then. Bethanne is such an awesome teacher. She's so enthusiastic and encouraging. We drew 20 thumbnails today, and haven't started painting yet. I like that she is walking us through it, because we're all in different majors and on such different levels artistically. There was a view of the more green part of Florence in one of the gardens. The city here is kind of gross, but when there's a view, there's a VIEW. Dang. I'm so lucky. 

We all did our own thing for two hours, then Kelsey, Chase and I got bored so we started talking and pretending to be working. We talked about how we feel like a lot of people don't understand our senses of humor. Kelsey and I are kind of like Wistie and I, where we just see something and don't have to say anything and bust out laughing. It's about really stupid things, too. No one else appreciates it! We felt so un-funny, but realized it's probably them, not us. Just kidding...but I do think it will take people a while to understand why we think weird things are funny. 

After a short break, I went to typography at Eric's place. The building he's in has a big courtyard with a turtle in it that we use for class. It was so chill just to sit outside, with the perfect weather under the shade. And he has internet! Everyone just got on facebook instead of doing homework during studio time. Eric didn't even care...and we left an hour early. I got no homework done. Awesome. Our first assignment is to find every letter in the alphabet in the city, and document it. It can be accidental or a real letter. I'm excited. 

Today we made omelettes, potatoes, and lemon asparagus. It was so delicious! And so healthy and easy. I love roommate cooking. 

There's talk of a weekend trip to Switzerland or Paris this weekend. But it will end up being around 300 euro. I don't know if it's worth it. On one hand, this may be my only chance. But on the other hand, I could find 300 reasons to spend the 300 euros on something else. We'll see what happens. 

We decided to have game night tonight at our apartment, since we live in the boondocks and no one knows where our apartment is. Amber and I left to call Chase to come over, and find Clarkie and Ellie (Eric's nephew and daughter). They live so close, and we got lost for twenty minutes! I feel bad that they didn't come. They're younger than us and just here on vacation with Eric. They're really cool, though, and I'm sure they would like to hang out with us. I hope they do soon. Well, we didn't know which button to push once we actually got to Eric's. So we pushed all ten of them. One lady named Tina yelled at us for a full minute in Italian. I'm scared now. 

We took advantage of our balcony with a view, and played BS out there with like 13 people. I hope the professor downstairs didn't get annoyed with us. He already wrote us a cautionary note about being too loud when we moved in.

Apparently I eat Nutella more than I realized. I eat it in a spoon, plain. I hate it on bread. Well on the way to class today, I had my spoon in my mouth, just licking it. The Nutella was gone. Marc is a photographer and was taking pictures of me and I didn't notice it. Robert started laughing at me and then I realized I was just sucking on a spoon. I think I have an oral fixation. I like biting ice, I love sour slurshie straws, and sucking on spoons apparently. Well it happened tonight at game night. I get so much flack for nutella now. Oh to make thigns worse, they had little packets in all our hotels for breakfast. So I'd keep one to eat later when I got hungry. I guess I'm quirkier than I thought.

So because we got lost trying to find Clarkie and Ellie, Amber and I didn't get gelatto. So we went out with Alisha and Chase (Bethanne's son). Amber ended up eating a pastry, a hot chocolate, and SEVEN gelattos. At three, I offered to pay for it because I didn't think she could do it. At six, the lady scooping gave her a free one. She eats the cone in like two bites, and always has some on her face. Chase thought it was so funny to watch the scooper's face each time. I really wished she would have walked back in, barfed, and asked for an 8th one to go. What a crazy mofo. 

Oh, we also found a really cool indie store here. They have a lot, surprisingly. The owner, Guiseppe, designs all the images, and was really nice. He gave us directions to a good gelatto place that I want to try out tomorrow. The back of the paper had penii drawn on it. I think it was scrap paper, but it was really random. Two. We now have a theory that Guiseppe is gay. He reminds me of my old teacher, Dan Barney, because he dresses younger than he is, is really cool, and very artsy. I am going to make a goal to talk to locals more often. They're so interesting.

Talked to my mom and Wistie today on the phone, and Matt and Steve online. It was nice to hear familiar voices. I hear Amy is coming home early from Mexico next week. I'm really excited that Steve and Amy will be reunited after five long months. They deserve it :)

Tomorrow I don't have class until 3pm. It will be my first chance to sleep in since I've gotten here. I can't wait. 

Please comment and tell me what's new in your life, even if it seems boring. I miss you people. Don't be offended if I haven't called. My phone card was 5 euro and only gave me about 30 minutes on it, and it already ran out. I hope you enjoy reading this. 

Also, I heard it takes about 3 weeks for mail to get across that great big Atlantic ocean. So if you send something now, I may not even get it, since we are moving out on the 30th of this month. Ciao!

P.S. Dear Wistie, here are the words I know:

Allora: Well/So/Anyway

si: yes

mi despiace: I'm sorry.

Scusi: Sorry.

Buona note: Goodnight.

Prego: Hello on the phone, or you're welcome.

Gelatto: YUM.

Ciocolatto: double yum.

Bacio: Kiss.

croce: cross

via: road/street

la gola: neck, but only because of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun

formaggio: cheese

latte: milk

ananas: pineapple...or is it coconut?

amice: friend

fiore: flower

...And a few more. BOOYAKASHA! Way to accuse me for only knowing two words! ;0)