My Feet HURT!

Salve Familia,
I have so much to share and so little time. The past two days have been BUSY to say the least. SACI has an extensive orientation, one being a guided tour around town. Let me see, oh, and before I go on, I have added a photo box. This one will show different aspects of Firenze and several shots from todays tour!


I interviewed the artist Jules Maidoff yesterday. Google him, he is pretty hot stuff! It was the coolest expereience ever. I LOVED sitting in the Museo Marino Marini (Marino Marini Museum) with him; once I found it. He had so many wonderful stories to share. I was late, because I got lost, again! But stumbled upon the most beautfiul via (street) on earth. I was in the presence of greatness, Gucci, Chanel, Hilfiger, well maybe not Hilfiger, but you get the picture. I had to refocus and get to my job!! During parts of our time together his assistants kept coming over to ask about positioning of certain pieces and groupings, etc. If you get a chance, google Maidoff, look for the piece 'Romeo and Juliet!' POWERFUL and it just draws you in. It is a piece he completed to deal with the grief he felt after his wife passed. With all the distractions, needless to say we needed additional time, so we went across the square to the bar. But it is not like a bar in the US. It was more like a small cafe with quaint tables and chairs, umbrellas and gypsies' begging. YES, gypsies. I didn't have anything. I was too nervous! Mr. Maidoff had a Coca-Cola light, their version of Diet Coke. After finishing with him, he placed a thought in my mind that I will always take with me, "You can't choose where you are born. You make your own world where you are."


Speaking of the food. Shopping has been very interesting to say the least! Can you imagine trying to make purchases by picture and figuring out what you know from spanish and applying that here. Yeah.... so far so good. I thought to myself, is this how illiterate people feel when they shop. In a sense I guess I am illiterate when it comes to Italian. I live across from a wonderful Geltaria. Angelo is our shop keeper or maybe I should say pusher. I had the carmel and chocolote gelato with nuts yesterday. YUMMO! I couldn't even finish it. It was so rich and such.... But I did place it in the freezer for later. lol I also walked to a local bakery for a breakfast treat yesterday. I purchased some sort of pastry that was folded. It was like Creme Brulee in a pastery. The outside was crispy and carmelized and the inside was chewy and creamy, like creme brulee. It was so good, I kept telling my housemate, Jen, "This makes no sense! Nothing like this, for breakfast, should be this good!!" But it was.

Here are the Top TEN things I have learned in Florence after 5 days;

Letterman style!

10. Don't hand them the money! When making a purchase, put it in the tray and they put your change in the tray with the reciept. If you hand it to them, they think you are rude, and did you know they charge you for the Pusa (bag). I think some places in the US are starting this to encourage cloth bags.
9. Quanto Costa? How much? It is always best to ask, but it also good to know your numbers so you know how much they say in return.
8. Air Condition is a good thing and it should NOT be taken for granted. I mean seriously, how much hotter can it get!?! I thought Nashville was hot. This ladies and gentleman is another level!
7. QUESTION: What do you really have to share, at the top of your lungs, at 3am! The people in Florence never sleep. New York is a quiet town compared to this.
6. The Piazza Santa Maria Novella (The square of Saint Mary of the Flower) is beautiful... and shoud be taken in multiple times a day. Which in a sense I have, since I tend to get lost and use this as a marker to find myself.
5. Just keep walking. When the men start, just keep walking, hummm Italian Men... ahhhh that is a post for another day friends.
4. Dov' e`...? Where is? I am not sure how many times I can get lost, but you have to be lost, before you can be found... right? And I use this expression A LOT!
3. Am I really understanding Italian already!? I am shocked at how quickly I am picking it up and actually having conversations with people. I am sure is it is broken dialect, but heh I am still talking to you!
2. Did I just eat that? I think there might be crack in the food! It is way too good. It should be a sin to eat food this good. Did I mention the gelato across from my apt?!
1. MY FEET HURT!! (and yes I am yelling!) I don't know how these Italian Women do it! This must be where Carrie Bradshaw took her inspiration from! After a few days in wedges and flats, I made my first purchase. Very Compfy! And beleive it or not, it was mostly in Italian!

So now what...

1. Sorry for the long post!
2. Danielle, my roommates, and I are going to this bar on Saturday night. Which isn't like a bar in the US, no worries mom. Basically it is an all you can eat place for about 5-7 Euros and you can have beverages too. ALL YOU CAN EAT! A sin...
3. Try to catch the last of the lecture... or not
4. Write my story for the Florentine
5. Rest? Nah.... too much to do!

A Presto...