The facts of life....

We have 13 National Championships
Auburn has 2
It's just a fact; I cannot help it!

So what does this have to do with anything? Well, really we never need a reason to state these facts! ;) However, you'll find out in a minute.

So this morning I woke up before my alarm clock and my stomach was hurting again! The worst part was though, was that my throat was hurting AGAIN!! I say AGAIN, because before I left I had the worst soar throat that kept coming back...well, it's BACK!! Anyway, so I eventually drug myself out of bed and took a shower. Then I went to eat breakfast...same breakfast from yesterday! Then I got dressed (I saved my favorite three outfits for the last three days...Dont laugh...). SO, today I wore my the same outfit that I wore the first day of class (purple skirt, black tank top with black cardigan, tights, and UGGS). I got all of my stuff together, grabbed an apple for a snack, and left for the day!

The walk to school wasn't anything special! I did enjoy seeing more and more Christmas decorations! I LOVE Christmas time...it's so magical...I LOVE Christmas lights... I did stop for some hot tea on the way to school because I was hoping that it would soothe my throat; I found a place that had the Earl Grey tea that Signora Gabriella makes, and I was happy about that because I knew it would be better than the tea the other morning. So, I waited to drink it until I got to school. I arrived right at 9, but again, that's not a problem!

THe first part of class was GREAT!! I had my tea and we just had conversation for an hour and a half! :) We talked about food, Thanksgiving, football, soccer, etc. We discussed how Americans and Italians like their food (apparently it is "well known" that Americans do not like their steak red....I beg to differ...now I cannot stand ANY pink...ironic that we talked about this today!). I talked about how I dont really eat turkey. Then we talked about how we cook things...like apparently Fiona has an "aga"...not really sure....and we drew pictures on the board of our ovens...or agas. Since it was just me and Fiona, class was more fun. Then I told them that Saturday was a very important day...I explained the Auburn/Alabama rivalry and how we have 13 National Championships and they have 2 and that we are soon to have 14...well, I'm sure it's true!! I was so excited thinking about coming home and the game that I could feel a change in my demeanor. Then, my teacher said (in Italian of course) to Fiona that she cannnot imagine me so excited and worked up because I have such a calm and angelic face....she said that she hasn't seen me that excited about anything; she said that there was so much light in my eyes talking about it! Haha, she should ask me about New York City then! ;) Anyway, it was a great first hour and a half...though I was lost at the end when Maria and Fiona were talking about soccer and politics?!?!?

For break I washed my apple and sat down at the computer...however, the apple was BAD!! So, I ran to the bar and got one of the bars with the orange stuff inside of it (it's kind of like a nutri-grain bar!). I checked emails/facebook...it's funny me to see who all is awake at 3 am in Alabama... after the break we did...GRAMMAR! Bleh! There was one minute where I was thinking, "ughh forget this...I'm so done...!" I was almost in tears for a minute, but it was mainly because I need a little more time to think and she just puts so much pressure...I hate it!! She gets kind of frustrated with me, but I want to scream, "if you'd give me half a second more I'd be fine...!" Oh well, it passed and we just did more grammar and then left.

Marco's class was fine...we talked about Napoli and whether it is safe or not; then about stereotypes of Italians...etc. It wasn't anything TOO interesting, but it was my last class with him! The class went a little longer than I would have liked, which NEVER happens! After class I walked down with Fiona and Tamsin (after I left my notebook and stuff upstairs because I didn't want to carry it around with me). We talked for a minute and planned to have lunch or something Friday since it is my last day! Then, we went our separate ways. Fiona was going home and to buy "loo paper"! What is this you might ask...because I wasn't sure what she was saying...it's toilet paper! :) I was headed to find gelato for lunch...ice cream makes my throat feel better! So, I also wanted to go to Via Neri because I felt like I'd seen a lot of boots in stores on that street. So, I did more walking than necessary because I missed the street. I ended up NOT seeing any shoes, but I did get my gelato! I had mint, chocolate, and some caramel! It definitely made my throat feel better, but I was still hungry! :( So, I had about 20 minutes to get back to school. I stopped in a few stores that sold wine, oil, pastas, etc. I didn't see anything worth buying, but they are really neat stores! I particularly like tihs little sandwich shop type place that has "serve yourself wine" outside...and it's inexpensive...I'm thinking that this is an "only in Italy" type thing!!! Then, as I took a different path back to the school (hoping to see some shoes) I stopped at this sandwich cart thing...I chose the sandwich with prosciutto, lettuce, and tomato on it. They sold little bottles of wine for 1 euro and other stuff. I just had the sandwich though. I ate about half of it as I walked to the school, and sadly I STILL did not see any shoes! :( The sandwich was good; the only weird thing about it was that the bread (top half) had salt on it...yuck...i tried to scrape as much of it off as I could!

My time with Cristina was really good! We mostly talked (successfully...well, for the most part) and we did my homework for tomorrow! We talked about what I did this weekend, plans after I come home from italy, what I bought in Italy, Thanksgiving, Alabama/Auburn game, and then different foods and things here in Italy vs. America. We talked about the American bakery here in Italy and she showed me on the map where it was; she said the pumpkin pie and apple pie are good, which is good because I think that is where me, Fiona, and Natalie are going tomorrow! Ohh she also asked me my favorite book and so we talked a bit about books and movies (books vs. movies). It was really good! I was very pleased with how well it went...I didn't know all of the vocabulary, but she helped me out! Oooh we also talked about Christmas and Christmas trees! :) I left that lesson feeling very good and happy about how things went! :) YAY!

After my private lesson, I sat down at the computer and checked my emails and then i was off again. This time I was headed to the atm machine, then to the place with cool tights (i didn't buy anything this time...but I am going back tomorrow for 1 or 2 things), then i walked around the Duomo to see if any of those stores had shoes. Sadly, I once again did not find anything. I did however walk down a random street and found this neat "grocery store"! They had the "jelly" I was headed to find, but it was in a different container and I wanted the glass one. It was just a neat little store...very antique looking. I found some neat stores, but still not boots! :( I walked into the stationary store, but still didn't really want to pay that much money for paper! I was getting really discouraged about the boots! THat was THE PERFECT pair in Lucca...I just keep looking for something that looks similar! So after this, my original destination was the place that makes this "marmeletta"!

It was not far from the apartment, so I walked pretty much the same route home. I changed one part thinking that it was a short cut, but I was WRONG! Oh well, exercise is good! :) I cut through the park, and got a BEAUTIFUL view of the sky! I love that because I walk everywhere in Italy, I am able to see and appreciate the beautiful sky/sunset almost every day! I do see and appreciate it at home sometimes, but often I am inside or in a hurry or in a car (where I do still notice it); there is just something about being out in it...feeling the "fresh" (sometimes) air and beautiful sky with beautiful scenery...yay for that! So, I walked a way I haven't ever been, but I got to see more of Florence, so it was nice. I passed some cute little shops. However, I was SUPER disappointed that the jam place was JUST the place they make it...they didn't sell it! I walked ALL THAT WAY for nothing; though as I was walking I kept getting the sense that this might be the case! I did see this one cute "bar/caffe/whatever" that was SUPER decorated for Christmas! I LOVE IT!!! So, I started walking to the apartment! I randomly stopped in a little grocery store and found THE "marmelatta" in the jar, just like I wanted it to be...so yay!!! :) I stopped in this super cute little sweets store that was really decorated for Christmas!! I bought some chocolates to bring home (Sarah Mason...I will share with you!!!!). We had to wait on the lady to unlock the store (there was a woman with her two sons waiting as well). One of the boys tried to go in the door before me, but she jerked him back and said (in Italian of course), "women first"; then he tried to go in before her and she did the same thing again! I'm not going to lie, I thought it was HILARIOUS!!

So I came home and started writing my blog, but then I decided to get up and make progress with packing. While I was doing this, Mauito decided to join me! Italian cats are JUST as curious as American cats...I suppose it really is just a cat thing! ;) I pretty much packed until it was dinner time!!! I was having a bit of a rough evening...ughh...perhaps my choices in songs on youtube was not helping though!!!

Dinner tonight...well, dinner was um, interesting. So we started with pasta, though it's getting to where it has less and less oil/cheese and it's just pasta...which is okay, but it doesn't have much flavor! Then, then came the second course...a meat patty (kind of like a hamburger, but I'm almost 100% positive that these are NOT beef) and some salad (which just has some sort of liquid on it that every few bites is REALLY salty!). So, my meat always has cheese on it, which I'm NOT going to complain about. However, when i cut into my meat...it was MOOOOOing at me!! YUCK...there was red stuff running on my plate, but I just politely kept as straight a face as possible and tried to cut the brown parts off and eat that. Guenda noticed what i was doing and told her mom that I liked it "ben cotto" or well done! She took the plate and went to cook it more for me!! Omg I was so grateful because literally ALL but the very outside edges were RED...not pink...RED...like raw meat! Ironc huh? First we discuss it in class and then it happens to me! YUCK YUCK YUCK!!! So, when she came back, it was well done...for the most part! However, I ate it all! After we finished eating, Guenda and I talked about football (and she asked if women played...haha I thought it was funny that she knows so little about football that she thought women might play!), she also asked me to explain football (all I explained really was that you tried to get the ball into your own endzone and that the field was 100 yrds. and you do it by running or throwing the ball...that was the end of her comprehension anyway). We also talked about Christmas and what time I needed to be at the airport.

It was a GREAT day, but a blah evening...I was in SUCH a funk. However, I had signed on skype to see if my daddy was signed on (and he wasn't), but after I did, Kelly facebook imed me and asked if i could skype. She said that Sarah Mason was at the Children's Program with her and they were trying to get skype to work! PERFECT TIMING!! I was in desperate need of familiar/friendly faces!! God is so good! So, I talked to Kelly, Sarah Mason, and Caroline (Mrs. Shannon's daugher) and then Sarah Mason took me out in the hallway and I got to see a lot of friendly faces that I miss soooo much! I saw Sydney first (who is so cute and pregnant!!), then I saw Mrs. Lisa and Libby (who is getting so big), then I saw T.K., THEN I SAW HEATHER!!!!!!!, then I saw Mrs. Shannon for a few seconds, but she had to help parents! One of the highlights though was Courtney holding Kellen up and him grinning at the computer and waving and blowing me a kiss...OOOH how it melts my heart!!! I cannot wait to see all of my people at the children's program and all of my babies!!! I'm hoping that Kellen smiling and waving when he saw me/heard my voice is a sign that he hasn't forgotten me!!! It was THE PERFECT pick-me-up!!! PERFECT!!!! I was so so so excited to see them!!! Oooh and I got to see baby Jack (Shana's little boy)...soo tiny and sweet!! I cannot wait to see everyone when I get to Tuscaloosa!! Thank you Kelly and Sarah Mason for getting on skype with me and for taking me to see everyone (well, at least some...not everyone I guess!! ;) ). Kelly also tried to cal Mrs. Malissa and Dr. H-R, but everyone had already left for the day! :( Oh well...

So after this I just worked on my blog and then went to bed...I was EXHAUSTED!!!

"I've found time can heal most anything, and you just might find who you're supposed to be." -Taylor Swift; "Fifteen"