Milano, Capri, School Plans, End of Summer

I know, I know. I haven't updated this thing in forever. I never about going to Milano and how gorgeous it was! It was amazing. Now I know why it's titled the fashion capital of the world. The shopping areas (where they have the Prada, Gucci, Armani) look like museums, because they are adorned with beautiful statues and nice ass ceilings. The famous known duomo of Milano was amazing. It really is a beauty. I went to Milano with my friend John and Abigail and stayed like 10 minutes from the center of Milano. Our hotel was okay, not very nice but close to everything in the city. The first night we got there wasn't very fun because the people I went with dont like to go out and club or drink, so I kinda had to stay in. Hehe. The day after that I shopped the entire day. Half the day I was by myself because the people I went with wanted to do other things. I had a lot of fun shopping around Milano. I didn't buy much because everything is super expensive. I did buy an Armani Jacket that i loved. It wasn't very expensive.

This past weekend I went to Capri, Sorrento, Positone, Pompei, and Napoli (once again). I LOVED Capri and Positone! they were so beautiful. The beach was so nice. The weather was great and the food (seafood risotto, white russians, pina coladas) was delicious!I loved swimming and sun bathing. It was a very relaxing weekend. Pompei was also very nice. I loved the historic aspect of it. It was crazy looking at the ruins that were ancient!

Sadly, we messed up on our train schedule and missed the last cheap train from Napoli to Siena, so we had to take a train to a city called Chiusi and then sleep there during the night. Haha. It was as if we were homeless in Italy.

Upon my arrival, my host italian mom (thats what we call the ladies who we live with) prepared home-made lasagna! It was sooooooooo goooooood! I think that is my favorite dish of all time now. Haha. I have just been thinking about how sad I will be once I lieave Siena and move to Bologna. For you all that don't know, I have been living in Siena (near Florence) since I came in June. I am end Summer school on August 19 and then begin school August 27th in Bologna (Bologna is about 6 hours away from Siena). I will only be living in Bologna for one month because the italian program i am taking is only one month long. After I finish my Bologna program, I will move to Padova where I will live till I return to the US (July 20th).

Right now I am super excited and happy with myself. I am now in Italian 7, which is the highest course in my summer program. I have now moved away from grammar and learning the basics of italian to reading and analyzing italian literature. It's a bit difficult because there are many vocaculary words that I don't know. Like in Berkeley, we have three big assignments that determine my grade. I got an A on my first paper. It was a bit difficult because thhey have to be all in Italian ;/ I like it thought because it will prepare me for the year in Padova (where I will be taking class in all italian!). I am super excited that I will be trilingual once i go back to the US!

Once my program ends on the 19th, I will be joining the other 80 students in my program in a farewell dinner. It will be super sad because I have made so many good friends here and it will be sad that I will not be able to see them in a long time, and some are seniors so I know I won't ever see them again. On the 20th at 1PM I have my flight to Amsterdam. I will leave from PISA Airport and land in AMsterdam at 5PM. ;) I am looking forward to this visit because I will be visiting the Anne Frank Musuem, the biggest Sex Musuem in Europe, the biggest Cannabis Musuem, the Heineken Musueum and of course all the Cafes where I will be high. Haha. I am going to be in Amsterdam from the 20th to 22nd in the morning. After Amsterdam, I am heading to London! I am also very excited about that! It will be amazing. I am still debating what I want to do after London. I can either go back to Bologna and get settled in for school or go to Ireland for two days. I am pretty sure that week will be amazing.

That is about it right now. If you all have any questions about my time here or want to ask my shit then let me know so I can talk about it through here. Ciao ragazzi!

My Italian Family!

Hey people! This is a picture of the Italian family i am staying with! The old lady on the left is the one I live with.Her name is Maria Theresa Pierrattini The man on the right is her son Mario and his wife. We were having dinner in the garden. :)

I'm sorry people but I Don't have Internet!

Hello my friends and family! I am sorry I have not updated anything lately. It's been very difficult updating photos and everything else because I have been away and have no internet at the house where i am living. On another note, I recently just went to Naples (Napoli)! It was amazing! I went to the National Gay Pride March in Napoli and was fortunate enough to eye all the hot Italian boys! I went with my friend Alejandro(UCSB), Kiley (UCSB), and my friend Erin (UCLA). Once we got to Napoli at 6.00 in the morning we took a metro to our hostel and realized we could not check in until 8am. We then found a small coffee shop where we sipped on a macchiatto and ate a sandwich our host moms packed for us. At 8 we checked in and then found out we couldnt have our room until 2pM! We were so sleepy so we slept at the hostel lounge and decided to leave our stuff in some lockers near by. Around 12PM we ate the best pannini I have ever tasted! It has mushrooms, peppers, hella cheese, and meat! Mmm! Yes be jealous! haha. We then left to Napoli and once we got there we felt paranoid. Everyone talks about how dangerous it is and how one can get mugged, but honsetly it's not very different then fucking downtown LA. haha. We walked very far in order to get to the pride march. We saw so many African vendors selling fake Louis Vouiton and Prada bags everywhere. Unfortunately, it started sprinkling very hard while it was sunny as fuck! Yes, I know the weather in Italy is crazier than the one in Berkeley. Once it stopped drizziling, we started drinking HELLA and starred at all the beautiful scenery (and by scenery i mean the hot guys in short shorts-lol). We stayed there for 3 hours because my friend Erin got really fucked up and we had to carry her back home. It was a mission trying to get back home because I had to help carry her through the metro and at the same time push her dress up so her boobs and vag didnt show. Lol. Ladies and older people looked at us and thought ''crazy Americans.'' After we sobered up we went out at 8pm and sought a gay club. We luckily found one after we were ripped off by a taxi driver and after getting lost like 3 times. We got there at 12;30AM. The party was over at 6AM so we didnt care. It was very fun but our drunkenness was totally gone. We couldnt buy more drinks because drinks were sooooooooo expensive because of the gay pride. The place was replete with HOT older guys for some reason. haha. We all just looked but didnt touch. hehe.

That was all pleasant until we got lost on the way back home on Sunday afternoon. We were supposed to leave at 2,30 pm and arrive to our house at 10pm. we never got home! the workers at the train station told us to take the wrong train and we ended up at some random station. Unfortunately, there were no more trains and we had to either sleep at the station or get a hotel. We didn't want to pay so we slept at the sation! I know, so crazy. It was the worst but yet memorable night. We finally stepped on the train and arrived to Siena at 6;30am on Monday morning. Unfortunately (once again) I had homework and an essay due at 9AM. I ran home and wrote it so fast and then ran to class.

Things got better though! I got my test I had taken on thursday of the previous week and received an 86%!! Apparently, this score allowed me to skip from my Italian 5 class to my italian 6 class. Basically, I skipped half a semester of class! Yooohoo! Although it's a bit more challlenging, I know I can study and do well. Well, that's all for this post. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon! Comment on my posts bitches! Ask questions if you have any!

Arrival

I can finally write in this blog thing! I have no internet at my home-stay so it's a bit difficult getting ahold of internet. I am loving it here. I am still in the process of settling in, but everything is going well. I am going to Amsterdam next weekend and i am super excited for that. I get to smoke and see prostitutes legally selling themselves! haha.

The Week Before My Departure

Sadly, I am leaving my lovely family and close friends, but my journey in Europe will begin in a couple of days. I am super excited. My last few weeks at home with my family have been terrific. I feel like I bonded very well with my brother and parents. Our family trips to San Diego and Santa Maria were amazing and I can say that it was one of the greatest weekends I have had in a very long time. The great restaurant my friend Isabel recommended served delicious food and good mariachi music. My family's stay at the Old Inn in downtown San Diego was also amazing.

My recent expedition in San Francisco was excellent as well. My high and fun times with my closest friends was the kick-off to my great summer. Damn I am already missing my family and friends and I haven't left. Hopefully I will be able to make this blog interesting and descriptive so you can see my whole year in Europe. This is a small introduction to the blog I will use and update during my stay in Europe. I will update you all with the the new people I meet, the new places I visit, and the amazing delicious food I will be eating. I love you all!