You're like a backseat driver but with food

Let me start off by saying that I am so blessed! I've been in Italy a little over a week now and each day I realize more and more just how beautiful and priceless this opportunity is and I am beyond grateful.

Last weekend, our first weekend in Italy, was spent making new friends. I have come to realize that there is no better way to learn about and experience a culture than to experience that culture with someone who lives in it. Saturday night most of us girls went out to dinner with Giacomo and Giacomo..now affectionately referred to as Giacomo uno and Giacomo due. After enjoying great pizza and even better company we were off to the discoteca. What an experience that was! The night was full of dancing, laughs, and many memories! The DJ even played Greased Lightning and for anyone who knows me and how much I love my Grease soundtrack can just imagine how exciting that was! Sunday was spent having lunch with Dr. Webb, John Rose and all of the girls. We sat outside to eat on what had to be, hands down, the most beautiful day in Italy thus far. The first course consisted of great bread and pasta which I ate way too much of and was full by the time the next course had come out. Lucky for me, because I was so full, I decided to eat just one of the meats that had been served to us. Later, I was informed that the meat in which I did not eat was rabbit. Thank you Lord for not letting me eat little bunny foo foo. After lunch I could not bring myself to go back and sit inside the palazzo so we walked around the town for a bit. Later, Nicole, Hannah, Lauren, the Giacomo's and I went around saw the most beautiful views of Tuscany. Tuscany is, without a shadow of a doubt, my new favorite place!

One of the most interesting things that I have learned while in Italy is how amazing it is that you can put two people side by side who do not speak the same language and yet they communicate and still form connections and build friendships together. I have both witnessed this happen and experienced this for myself and it is truly astonishing.

I am so excited to see what the rest of the semester holds! :)