Learning

Went to Florence yesterday. It felt so different from Rome! My friend Jen and I came up with a few comparisons. We thought Rome felt more like America's NYC while Florence has a bit more of a Boston feel. Her comparison was the best though: Rome has all of the spectacle, excitement and movement of a Broadway musical while Florence feels like you're in the midst of or on your way to a ballet. It's fluid and classy and you're excited but you have to keep composed. I think this was a pretty accurate portrayal. But I bet you all can see why I think I like Rome better ;)

I did love the side streets in Florence, and we saw some more beautiful cathedrals, frescoes and monasteries. Favorite of the day was a cloister where each cell had a depiction of a scene from Jesus' life painted by Fra Angelico. Walking around Florence at lunch time, my friends and I noticed a lot more American tourists (by appearance and hearing them speak) than in Rome where travelers have seemed to be far more international. It's really strange in Italy to hear people speaking English with distinctly American accents after being surrounded by a foreign language for days and weeks on end.

Speaking of, I got to have a wonderful conversation on the phone this past weekend with my dad's side of the family. I called my grandparents' house where everyone was congregated for a dinner and they passed the phone from one person to the next. It was absolutely delightful and comforting to hear each person's voice, to hear what's new with a few people, and also to know that my blog is being read :) I was slightly embarassed though when my Poppy (my grandfather) got on the phone and said, "Okay, Heather, speak Italian to me." ALL I could think to say was, "Ciao, buon giorno... come stai?" So basic. So embarassing. I got back to the monastery and offered to buy someone a cappucino if they'd tutor me in Italian cause I'm ashamed that this is all I could think of to say after a month of living here!

It's hard to believe it's been about a month. Class is wrapping up. Heading to Venice this weekend. Starting the next class on Monday. Feeling a little more settled each week, but still being challenged in vast and exciting ways by the things I'm seeing and learning.