First Week of Classes!

So I guess going to Italia for 6 1/2 weeks isn't all about sightseeing and frolicking the streets of Firenze, but it also comes with some sort of responsibility.  My first week of classes were somewhat of a blur considering it honestly doesn't seem real.  I am studying at the Palazzo Ruccelai which used to be a families castle so even the building I'm studying in is surreal.  This summer semester is the first time that the main doors were allowed to be walked through and they are just magnificent (pictures coming soon).

The classes offered at school are based on interaction.  Each class is 3 hrs and 15 minutes and for the most part, half of that is done in the class, and half outside of the class.  I am taking 6 credits and the courses I am taking are The Story of Florence (history) and The History and Culture of Food.

Monday in my first class, we had a brief lecture on the basic outline of Florentine history and were departing to Fiesole, a town right outside of the city which is based on a hill sort of above the city.  Who knew I'd become a huge history buff but I've been eating the stuff up that I've learned so far, probably because walking two steps in Florence means you're going to walk by a huge historical monument.  Anyway, so in our attempt to go to Fiesole, we were going to use the busses for the first time! However, who knew that in Florence, as long as you give a 3 day warning, you can go on strike whenever, and for whatever reason?! Needless to say, we didn't make it to Fiesole that day.  We did go on Wednesday though! The bus systems are very confusing partially because I don't speak Italian (that's slowly but surely changing) but somehow, someway, we made it there.  Unfortunately I forgot my camera but it was amazing.  We saw the ancient ruins of the Roman bathes and amphitheater, while we also say where people were sacrificed and the most amazing view of Florence from above.  Perfect day to forget my camera huh?

My Tuesday Thursday class is the History and Culture of Food.  This class is great because it combines some of my favorite things; history, friends, and food.  On Thursday, we went on a walking tour of the restaurants of Firenze with our teacher Peter who is German and hilarious, I don't even know if he knows he's funny.  We found all of these hole in the wall restaurants all offering discounts to us everytime we walk in! (Gary and Suze would definitely appreciate a good discount) We also taste tested street meat.  Peter wouldn't tell us what it was until we tried it and let anyone who wanted to try it, try.  Teena and I were the brave ones of our group and tried what tasted like calamari, it was NOT calamari.  It was cow stomach #1, yummmm.  I didn't even know cow's had more than one stomach, oh well.  Jeff and Kristin were not so brave however (sorry guys, had to call you out on that).  On this walking tour of Florence, we stopped into Americo Vespucci's house!  Peter told us that Harvard and Columbia are fighting over who gets to hold their summer program's study abroad classes there, must be nice.  We were right in his foyer where the decision was made to call America, America!  We also saw the map of which America was first founded on.