News On a Sunny Fiorentino Day

Where am I? : The 3^rd floor logia of the Florence library looking out at the Duomo and the Bell Tower set against a beautiful blue sky streaked with clean, white clouds.

What am I listening to? : A playlist I just made entitled “Music for a Sunny Day.”

My view. (It wasn't sunny the day this picture was taken, obviously.)

I’m not going to lie, my hands are cold as I sit here typing this, but it is at that point in the year where you want so badly for it to be warm that you try to will it to be so.  I mean clearly…I brought my computer all the way to the library just to I could be outside on this sunny day.

I am trying to keep you more up to date by writing more frequent yet smaller posts.  That means you will hear about more than just the big events that go on here in my Italian life which was my original intent for this blog.  With that said, they will most likely be a more summarized version as well.  If there is something you would like to hear more about feel free to leave me a comment and I may or may not choose to address it. ;) (I am curious to see who really reads this besides my family.)

This past weekend was spent at Fierra in Danza (The Future in Dance), a dance and trade show that is supposedly one of the biggest in the world.  Thousands of people attended from all over Italy and the events included free classes, masterclasses, competitions, performances and vendors.  Every type of dance form you can think of was represented and I took my fair share of classes as well.  I am writing to you during the time I would normally be in my ballet class, but I don’t think my body would have permitted it today.

This weekend both inspired me and discouraged me.  I honestly don’t know what it is that I will end up doing with my abundance of dance training, as I am just shy of “good enough” in so many realms and types of dance.  Hopefully when the time comes I will find where am meant to be and fit in and be able to use my love of dance and performing.

I also attended a church that I love for the second time this Sunday.  The service is completely in Italian but I know enough Italian and enough of the Bible to understand through context.  It is so great to have found a church that is just like what I am used to from the U.S., here in Italy.  The same songs are sung translated into Italian and the service is much more modern than anything I have found so far.  Unfortunately, from here on out, there are very few weekends I will be home and able to attend.  It is so strange to feel time running out when I can look back and see those times where I was longing to be home a few months back.

  Me, Becca, Maleesa, Ilaria and Valentina.

With that said…What are my plans this weekend that will take me away from Firenze?  CARNIVALE!  This weekend Ilaria, Valentina, Becca and I are taking a trip to northern Italy for Carnival.  We are staying at Ilaria’s house in Padova, a short train ride from the Venezia (Venice) Carnivale celebration.  I am just as excited to go to Ilaria’s house as I am to go to Carnival.  I will finally see a bit of real Italian home life.  Pictures with my soon to be purchased masquerade mask to be posted upon my return!

I feel like our friendship with Ilaria and Valentina is finally starting to blossom beyond that of just roommates.  The five of us roommates finally went to appertivo (Italian style buffet where you order a drink and can then eat all the food you want.), we are now going to Ilaria’s house and we are making plans to visit Valentina’s house near Arezzo.  Hopefully with a fair amount of work, these will be friendships I can keep forever.

Fun fact: I decided to bring with me to Italy my sparkly, blue, “fireworks” brand pencil that I think I have been saving since middle school for “something special.”  Hold on to your hats folks!  The sparkly blue pencil has been sharpened!  What’s the special occasion?  My last semester of college!

My latest song recommendation: Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap