NOW AND THEN I GET TO WONDERING, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF WE NEVER MET

On the 13th day abroading, Europe gave to me... (making up for my weekend in Rome) 


[also too boring to continue same blog post titles so yeah I'm gonna be that person that put lyrics in places that make no utter sense for being, trying to stop doing my statuses that way so im compensating here]


#17- GELATO
#16- ABROAD SONGS
#15- PERSISTENT HAWKERS
#14- ITALIAN WEATHER


#13- ABROAD CONSTANTS


What is the Desmond to my Penny while studying abroad? Without a doubt churches and views from the top of the world. Yes, I know that's two constants but seriously my life has involved and been revolved around these two things. 


Any place I have visited or practically every two streets in Firenze there is an old church with a huge importance or some famous artist that painted in it or helped construct it or some sculpture of theirs is inside. Whether it's the Duomo, San Miniato, Santa Croce, San Lorenzo, Medici Chapels, ancient Celtic ones in Ireland, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Notre Dame, St Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel or insert any of the many other random churches I visited with my lost symbolism art history class. Churches are everywhere. So many damn old religious people in Europe that need to build monstrous and ornate buildings. I can appreciate them for their artistic value and how ridiculous the art is in the churches inside or out. For someone who is an atheist being drowned in church visits should be a frustrating thing, but it surprisingly hasn't been. I can bypass the whole God subject to truly enjoy these places as something greater than myself, places that represent the coming of time for humanity and how it evolved in these time periods. I think my favorite church that I have seen is the San Lorenzo Church, it's completely ugly as a brick wall on the outside as it was the first Renaissance church in Florence and never had a facade made for it so I was surprised to enter in and it be so enormous and marbled fantastically. It was one of the earlier churches I visited and it's one I pass by frequently at least 3 times a week so it was nice to be put in my place at the spot without expecting it.


Almost every place I go to there seems to be a unreal view where you feel as if you are on top of the world. This moment is epitomized when I climbed the Eiffel Tower about a mile off the Earth's ground to the top. If you have figured anything out from my blogging the fact that I love France shouldn't be shocking, so to have a life goal completed and actually see the world on the top of the tower before it was even 10:00 AM that day? Unbelievable. From seeing the world in Paris, to seeing the very green Ireland on top of the Blarney Castle, to seeing Florence at the Piazzale Michelangelo (Piza Mike as I like to call it), to seeing Florence on top of Giotto's Bell Tower, to seeing Florence on the top of the Duomo, top seeing Florence on top of a swanky hotel we sort of snuck into, to seeing Lucca on top of a tower with garden (still one of my favorite moments abroad), to seeing Nice from the top of a mountain, to seeing the Mediterranean and beaches while hiking across the mountains of Cinque Terre, to seeing London view the London Eye, to seeing the hills of Tuscany at Castello di Verrazzano, to seeing the city of Perugia via "Lovers Lane" it pretty much goes on and on. I've seen a whole damn lot of the places I have visited. Abroad with a view is definitely a common theme.


The constants of these two things have made my appreciate the simplicity that life offers. How nature can be untouched by man or how man can completely take over an area of nature but no matter what the beauty of it all still exists. Life is too short to not bust your ass walking up a mountain. Exert the effort and the outcome makes it worth it all. Let this lesson I have realized resonate with me in my life after abroad and apply to other things. Take the time to enjoy the view life has to offer.

PUT YOUR NUMBER TWOS IN THE AIR IF YOU DID IT ON 'EM

On the 14th day abroading, Europe gave to me...


#17- GELATO
#16- ABROAD SONGS
#15- PERSISTENT HAWKERS


#14- ITALIAN WEATHER


Okay why would weather really effect your life for 4 months? Well were born and raised in New England like I have, Italy is a breath of 85 and sunny fresh air. No humidity exists, it's the best. The first month I don't even think it reached below 85, mostly 90s. The second month was a constant flow of 85 and sunny. The entire time I have been abroad it has rained on me in Florence 5 times, and the 4th time was yesterday and 5th today (And stop complaining Ireland abroaders, you could have came to Italy). Florence is pretty much is the center of Italy and yet it has been ridiculous weather this semester. Multiple times my professors have talked about how this past few months has been the longest Italy has stayed hot in over 100 years. Well I got a pocketful of sunshine and it's name is Mother Nature in Italy (or global warming). Regardless, the weather has without a doubt had an impact on my emotions while abroad. Do I love rain, YES and I'm glad I finally get some in Italy this week, but sun has scientific proof to get a person in a better mood. Could I have been even more frustrated and hating Italy the first month I was here if it was cold or wet or stuffy? Hell yes, but I don't even recall seeing a single cloud in September. New England I love for its 4 seasons, I like the change and I know time is passing by thanks to the weather, but  time in Italy has FLOWN by without me even really feeling as if it did and I think that is because the weather has barely changed in 3 months. I feel as if Italy has not changed really (at surface level, can't say the same for the economy BUT would have been nice if the exchange rate is what it is now 3 months ago) at all despite me maturing and changing in Italy tremendously. It will be a harsh and abrupt homecoming to Boston. I probably will have a mini hissy fit the second I exit the doors of Logan and feel the cold Massachusetts air than complain about how it no way compares to Italy. Who would have thought weather could be a factor to make me love a country? I don't even want to think about the fact I will be seeing snow so soon from now. No thanks, I'll take my windless and perfect sweatshirt and jeans without sweating profusely weather.

FLOAT ON

On the 15th day of abroading, Europe gave to meeeee


#17 - GELATO
#16- ABROAD SONGS


#15- PERSISTENT HAWKERS


Have you ever visited a large European city? If so have you ever tried to I don't know casually walked to, from, or past a national monument or famous square or even just tried to find a bathroom near something even remotely famous? Then you inevitably encountered one of the lowest forms of human society, the persistent hawker. They are the scum that have the potential of ruining your not real life moments. They are the annoying middle aged men who look like they haven't showered in a week and have the social skills of an STD if it was in human form, the most irksome, dirty, rude, and never seems to go away (yeah that metaphor was gross, sorry I'm not sorry). The hawkers are obnoxious and at their worst when persistent. Heads up for all my friends studying abroad next semester or in the future at all, the worst are ALWAYS the ones trying to sell you flowers. My advice for when you encounter the hawkers, DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR EXISTENCE.


Not even worth a Jenna Marbles the face. Seriously, do not look at them do not talk to them (especially do not talk to them) do not tell them no. No means try harder in their language. No I don't want you stupid useless crap leave me alone I'm trying to enjoy the view of the Eiffel Tower and considering I just was attacked by 5 other dudes selling me the same crap I wasn't waiting to walk 10 feet to get your crap. Back the fuck down homeboy and try reevaluating your life decisions that led you to this profession. The worst hawkers were definitely in Paris, but Florence ones get on my nerves constantly. Luckily I am not a girl, otherwise its worse. Then you get the ohhhh america lady gaga 1 euro 1 euro ciao bella ciao sexy. NO. just NO. stop that. immediately. Why have them on this list you ask? Because if it was not for these annoying pricks I realized the need to be a complete and utter ass to another person is sometimes necessary and deserved. Do I want to breeze by and ignore another person, not really (though I'm good at it at this point) but call me meredith grey with a loud SERIOUSLY? SERIOUSLY? moment because just leave me and everyone in the vicinity of this place alone. Personal space is a common courtesy if I say no, accept it and move on with your life. Don't provoke me, that's not going to help you case.

IF YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH I'LL MAKE IT DOUBLE

On the 16th day of abroading, europe gave to me...


#17- GELATO


#16- ABROAD SONGS


You can pretty much define any part of your life by the music that was hot at those moments. 2-4th grade... the Pokemon tv show theme song. 5th grade.. Macarena. 7th grade... the Outkast Love Below/Spearboxx album, 8th grade.. the entire Now 16 CD. 9th grade... poser emo phase insert any alternative band here. Freshman year of college... I Gotta Feeling, Shots, Your Love Is My Drug, Party in the USA, Hello Seattle Remix, Sexy Bitch, and my adventures into loving Country music. Sophomore year of college.... Super Bass (knew before it was popular), Raise Your Glass, What the Hell, Outta Your Mind, Arab Money, Home, Dog Days Are Over, and Awake My Soul.


Sparknote version of my evolution of music life themes brings me to my Junior year (vomit upperclassmen status) and the songs that frequented my abroad experience and made everyone chuck their hands up in the air with excitement in the clubs.


Mr. Saxobeat by Alexandra Stan,
The quintessential Italy abroad song for me.


Levels by Avicii
Epitome of good music hitting Europe far before America


Danzo Kuduro by Dom Omar ft. Lucenzo
I should probably try to learn the actual dance to this


Loca People by Sak Noel
Even though a friend showed me this forever ago, it's massive in Europe. From hearing it in the clubs to hearing it in the Venice McDonalds, it's everywhere and I don't hate it.


Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5
Damn does Italy love this song, and it's by my favorite band so no complaints


What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
So it might be a little late hitting Italy, but heard it while I was in Ireland


Save the World by Swedish House Mafia
Beat the beat. In Italy, France, and Ireland.


Feel So Close by Calvin Harris
Ignore the fact that he made We Found Love so damn good because of his beats, this is where it is at. The beat that drops after the chorus, killer.


And I could probably throw in any Katy Perry seeing as Italy LOVES her, but I won't. Oh Europe, I will miss you and your harsh house music influence. Not looking forward to getting back to America and hearing the same 12 songs over and over and over again and having crappy please the masses but not really Spring Weekend bands, why can't I just be rich and see deadmau5 in Rome or Tiesto in Paris. Life goes on. 

NIGHT AT THE ITALIAN OPERA

Our last excursion in Florence (aside from the farewell dinner but I refuse to acknowledge that exists for the time being) was going to the La Boheme Opera. We all got dressed up and went to get apertivo before the opera at this ridiculously swanky restaurant/bar called Ideal. It was clearly ideal for all things and people that are classy. So I gorged on bread, pasta, hot dogs and random other weird appetizer food (it was super classy so therefore didnt have the need for legitimately filling food). I ate probable a full baguette of bread via small slices, but it was free so hell yeah am I going to pig out. Pretty much all of us followed suit of Chiara's drink and we all got capriosca fragolas (spelling?) which was super strong but super good. Never had a strawberry/lime drink so why not, all for try new things especially when its FO FREE.


Then we head to the opera and shortly after we get there it starts. Oh so the singers are going to elongate every syllable of what they are saying... oh luckily there's subtitles, oh wait I don't speak read or understand Italian, fun. There was 4 parts to the show. Needless to say I got a good couple naps in that night. Hey I went, I am trying to get cultured even when I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it, but yet again it was free so I went.

IT'S DECEMBER 1st.....

DAMN. It's December. Since when?

so since I'm a Grinch (thanks to a birthday that is always overshadowed by the holiday seasons) but I still love the month of December, I figured a good way to keep me in check of the reality that I leave on December 17th is to improve upon the 25 days of xmas and have a 17 days of studying abroad. (You'll have to deal with the daily posts, but I pretty much post daily as is).

So what does the 17 days of studying abroad mean you ask? I'm going to finish off my last 17 days with recapping 17 moments/things/days/trips/people that helped define my studying abroad experience and how it has influenced me as a person.

On the 17th day of Abroading, Europe gave to meeee

(It's going backwards, so work with me, I get it doesn't make complete sense)

#17- GELATO.

Now why not I say Italian food in general? Well gelato deserves a category all on its own. Considering I have 3 favorite gelateria's (Grom, Gelatissimo, and Festival del Gelato) that should say something in itself. Grom was the first Italian gelato I had and there was no going back from there, it was a necessity of life. Gelatissimo gives the best portions for price, not to mention I have a loyalty card and get free gelato.. and the workers there are so peppy and friendly (which is the most rare in Italia). Then Festival has over 50+ flavors to choose from, most of which I cannot get at other places. So my vice is gelato. Yes, Italian food is bomb and has forever ruined pasta and pizza for me in America, but considering the ratio of meals I made myself to meals I ate out, I barely ate actual Italian food BUT I did eat a lot of Italian gelato. Need a pick me up? Gelato. Want to casually go out with a few friends after doing something? Gelato. Feeling like a fat ass walking to class? Gelato. Not sure what to do? Oh let's go get some gelato. Gelato solves any and all problems.

Sidenote Favorite flavors: TIRAMISU, Caffe, Limone, 5 Cereali, Mint, Espresso, Cantaloupe 

THANKSGIVING IN SOUTHERN FRANCE

It was the first time I could utilize the fact that I don't have class on Thursday to leave early as I was traveling by myself for the first time, to get back to one of my obsessions... FRANCE! I don't even have to explain how much I love France, the language, the food, the nice people, so it was so nice to be able to see a completely different part of it than Paris (though still would die to go to Paris again and again).

Start off my morning early to catch a train to Pisa, have a complete running after train just as its leaving moment, but I woke up early for this reason to be at least 2 hours early to Pisa Aeroporto, so didn't matter I was still really early. Made progress on reading The Last Lecture (stolen from a London hostel, very useful to killing time while traveling as my Soduko book is getting old). Ate a sandwich in the airport (that's major progress, still hate sandwiches). Then it's on a small jet ready to arrive in my layover at Charles de Gaule in Paris... oh but wait there's fog over Paris jk Pisa you're gonna now be delayed for a half hour, oh you only have 45 minutes to make it to your layover terminal that's so far away it requires a bus? So yeah it did not even matter that I was full blown Amazing Race style lunatic sprinting through the airport to get to my terminal, I wasn't going to make it. They apparently knew the delay screwed me over and automatically put me on the next flight to Nice...which was 3 and a half hours later WOO. So I got to spend my Thanksgiving dinner eating a vouchered sandwich and soda from Air France. Then after finally landing in Nice (I see palm trees WHAT?) I get there too late for a direct bus to Cannes so I have to take the city bus which takes twice as long, so my entire Thursday was shot by traveling for 12 hours, but I was happy because I was finally there and not worried because I knew I would get there eventually, hassles and bad travel karma or not, and I was in friggin' France! (Thanks in large part to my two sisters and two of my aunts for helping me out, no 21st birthday gifts or xmas gifts for me, but I'm perfectly okay with that, I'm in Europe)

It sucked missing Melissa's program's dinner, they all dressed up like Indians and pilgrims, but it was all good. We relaxed and then went out with a few of her friends in her program to their favorite place to go out, an Irish bar called Morrisons. Hey Strongbow, I missed you.

The next day she had class, I deal with the rude French people that work at her college that were psychhhhoooo, then we head to Nice for the day and night. I was pumped to be able to city another city in France, and it was very close to Cannes (wish I had another day there otherwise we would have gone the extra 20 minutes to see Monaco). 

The view from Melissa's dorm room

Random xmas festival being set up in Nice

Nice beach

Yes, this is real.

In Nice we explored a little, saw the city, climbed up a lot of stairs to see the panoramic view of the city and see this man made waterfall that overlooked the city.

Melissa and I + Nice

The waterfall, clearly.

Are you so filthy rich you don't know what to do with your money, oh well buy an enormous yacht and then park it in Nice

Chilling with some palm trees in the end of November

Dinner at a random French cafe, Espresso, a sugar crepe and then a FRESH LEMON CREPE!? yup I was in heaven. Oh and then there was bread too, om nom nom.

The streets of Nice at night

So the next day I went with Melissa and a bunch of people in her program to go olive picking, something she thought was only going to be in the morning followed with a free Provencial lunch, but then we found out the hard way that was false and worked for a few hours after gorging ourselves with the free food, but it was still a really nice day and who can say they went olive picking in the French hills? I can. Damn the amount of work that goes into getting olives for olive oil is insaneeee.

Can't eat these kind, not that I would either way

Me with this weird olive picking tool that vibrates and pokes at the tree to get the olives off to catch them on the nets below.

Sifting the olives, juice be all over your hands.

The family was most def rich and richie rich.

The sunset was the most beautiful

Yeah we got McDonalds, it was so damn worth it. Though not to self, find out French translation for Sweet + Sour Sauce cause that worker looked at me like I had a second head, but he understood Ketchup. Oh I need fast food back in my life STAT.

We explored Cannes a bit at night, I saw where they host the Cannes Film Festival and all the crazy celebrities and artsy film directors romp around.

Drinks that glow in the dark? CHECK.

Melissa was determined to get me to a gay club, seeing as Cannes is the gay capital of France, but alas yet again shit happens, don't feel like paying annoying cover charges, people bail, and Melissa nearly flips a shit but I was still having a damn fun night, it wasn't on my priority list anymore. I'm perfectly happy still figuring my own shit out, but damn did the place we stayed at have some weird ass music videos being played that did not correspond with the bomb music that was being played.

Wake up and see the Cannes beaches, or what's left of them after the storm that washed them out a month or two ago. Runners and bikers were everywhere, yet another reason I love France. I'd run while there constantly if I lived there, well run even more than usual.

I want a boulangerie put in the atrium next to Dunkin AS SOON AS POSSIBLE Stonehill please and thank you. Croissants and pain au chocolates all day errday

We climbed to the top of Cannes to see the views from there, still unreal.

Overall was an extremely successful and great last trip outside of the country. I have Rome this weekend, but to end my not real life travels abroad in France I am very happy with that. This sunset that I viewed on my flight home to Pisa was INSANE, best sunset I have ever viewed in my life. Oh yeah and I ran like a lunatic in Charles de Gaule to catch my layover flight back but luckily there wasn't any delays or other numerous things that were out of my control impeding my travels so I made it with a half hour to spare (made it to a complete other terminal, bused it, made it past security, shouted excuse-moi like 4 or 5 times, and all in a matter of twenty minutes. SUCK ON THAT AMAZING RACE. I have fully decided that I never ever ever ever ever want to be on the Amazing Race, love the show and I have always wanted to be on a classy CBS Reality Competition but damn do I hate traveling because so much of it is out of my control. Not to mention I don't think I could find a partner that is so impatience, competitive, and has the stamina to keep up with my running and stubborn tendencies. To each their own, next flight I get on is heading home to Boston with a layover in Switzerland. So weird.