Ciao! Welcome to my blog where I will be documenting my semester in Italy over the next four months. I have never written a blog before, or kept any kind of journal for that matter, so you'll have to bear with me as I try and figure all this out. Since today is January 1st I figured I would go ahead and write a test post to kick off the new year.
I am very excited about my semester in Italy for Spring 2011, but with my excitement there also comes a bit of anxiousness. I have been on Christmas break for about three weeks but the realization that I won't see a lot of my friends back in Starkville for quite some time is just starting to set in. I miss everyone already and I know it's not going to get any easier over the next few months. I hope to stay in contact with many of them via Skype while I'm overseas and hopefully modern technology will make is easier to be away from them for so long. I know the time change is a bit of an issue (Florence is 7 hours ahead of CST), but we'll work around it. It's a good thing I'm a bit of a night owl.
While in Italy I will be living in an apartment in Florence with four other students from various universities across the United States. I've done a bit of facebook stalking already (come on, who wouldn't) and I won't say anything specific, but from what I've found it looks like we should all get along fine. One roommate is from New York, one is from New Hampshire, another is from Massachusetts, and the last one is from Florida. My brothers have been making fun of me this week because I have been using Google's street view on Google Earth to virtually walk from my apartment to the university I will be studying at. It's ok. I'm a nerd, I know. I'm not one of those people that just likes to wander around aimlessly or dive into something without first doing some research. Maybe that's a good thing considering my goal is to go to medical school after undergrad.
Anyways, I will actually be doing school work in Italy and not just jetsetting around the country and the rest of Europe at my leisure. Architecture, Italian language, and modern trends in Italian cuisine will be the focuses of my studies while abroad. I have two LONG Italian classes per week in the Spring. I took three years of Spanish in high school, so hopefully having a background in another foreign language will help me pick up on Italian a bit quicker than a complete beginner. My cooking class should be a good mix of presentations, learning, practicing, and sampling (of course). I've never really fancied myself a cook (my siblings constantly remind me of all the terrible meals I have ever cooked for them), but I figured if I was going to study in Italy then why not? My architecture classes are what I am most excited about. I have two classes each week, one focusing on Florence's palaces and the other concentrating on the built environment of Florence as a whole. I think my biggest trouble with classes in Italy will be convincing myself that I'm actually in school and not some prolonged vacation.
Sorry if this is long for a first post, but like I said I'm still in the process of figuring out this whole blogging thing. I'll make sure to try and keep this updated at least once a week leading up to my departure and then while abroad. I'll also make sure to add lots of pictures and video (when I can) so you all can actually see what I've been up to in Italy and not just read about it.
If anyone would like a postcard from Italy, just make sure to email me your MSU PO Box number or address and I'll add you to my ever-growing list.
Arrivederci!
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