Sunday, sweet Sunday

So once again, yours truly is having another lazy Sunday.

We woke up this morning to the sound of a (not so good) band playing outside our window, while the bells inside the two towers (right around the corner) were going off... and telling everyone to get their arrsses to church. 

We spent the morning slowly getting up, and I went to go do some quick grocery shopping so I could have breakfast. (I got the last container of yogurt at the store and I was stoked... it's the little things that matter, right?)

Sidenote: I officially know who all of my housemates are now! One is named Danny, he's living in the single. He's from Valencia, Spain :) His Italian isn't too great, so communicating hasn't been easy, my roommate knows Spanish so she's been helping us communicate, but more on that later.

The two people who will be living in the double are supposed to move in soon, they're both Italians, but don't know each other. (One guy, one girl). The guy is named Stefano, and the girl is Camila. SO EXCITED.

But anyway, back to Sunday. After breakfast my roommate Nathaly was saying that Danny feels so bad that we haven't been able to talk much because of the language barrier, I said I felt the same. So all three of us sat down, and just started talking. Things that Danny or I couldn't understand, Nathaly would translate for us.

Eventually, Danny asked us if we had any Italian textbooks. So we grabbed our books and then I started teaching him Italian for awhile! :) It was pretty freaking sweet. He can recognize English words, it's just hard for him to speak, so teaching him has been a breeze and it's helping me review things too!

My friend Lara has been chilling at our place today, and while I was teaching him Italian, she was like... I want pancakes. So we've decide to make pancakes, sausage, and eggs, for dinner tonight (all ingredients are already purchased). Danny has never had pancakes before, sooo this will be an experience.

When Lara and I went to the grocery store today, we found natural peanut butter that was actually worth the price. We have been wanting it so badly, so we just buckled down and bought it. 

When we came home, we made peanut butter and jelly, and let me just tell you, I haven't felt more at home since I've got here. 

So the life lesson here is: Don't underestimate the potential of things to make you feel good. Even though nutella is more popular here than peanut butter, sometimes it can be a bit much for me. It's okay to be in a different place, and want something that isn't as "normal" somewhere. If it makes you feel at home,  just do it! 

As far as my living situation goes, things are still great, and it feels so nice to come to my apartment at the end of the day. Especially now that I have pb&j in my fridge.

That's all for now :) I'll let you know how the pancakes go. We're planning on doing some banana walnut bancakes, and some chocolate blueberry ones. Excited? Yes I am! 

18 Days!!!!

In 18 days I get to see my parents and my grandma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited :) We will be reuniting in Florence in front of the Dome.

I'm counting down the days :) I will also probably cry.

Love love love you guys! 

Waves

Alright, so you know that whole shpeel that everyone gives you about going abroad, saying it's going to be like going to Disneyland?

LIES. Sometimes it feels more like this.... 

Now, don't get me wrong, it's pretty great here, and I'm sure there are some people out there who have amazing experiences where it feels like a super long vacation.

But for those of us who choose to do the immersion program, I think people forgot to tell us that this was actually going to be difficult. Like when you're 3 years old, and you think Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, and then you stand in like for 3 hours to get on Splash Mountain.

I'm sure you're thinking... Olivia, quit your bitching, you're in Italy. Dude, trust me I know. I'm surrounded by buildings that were constructed in the 1200's and Renaissance... no big deal.

And I definitely appreciate being here. It's amazing to walk around and be surrounded by all of this history!

The only way I can describe the experience here is that bliss, epiphanies, and contentment, come in "waves." There are moments when you feel like you have everything together and everything figured out, and the next day you're like... damn I don't have a freaking clue.

Right now, as rain is falling outside of my window, and I'm having a mellow night in. I'd say, feeling pretty content.

But like I said... it comes and it goes.

So my plan, is just to ride the waves and see where they take me. 

Routines, Ravenna, and Relaxing.

Oh herro errbody!!!

Sorry I've been herruh (helluh or hella) MIA, but this week has been incredibly busy... and yet so not busy at the same time.

The rain has died out for now and the temp has settled in the 80's, much better than the ridiculous heat we were having when I first got here. I love an occasional night where I can't sleep with a single sheet on me, but only if it gets cold enough in the middle of the night where you have to pull a sheet over you when you're half asleep. 

3 weeks ago, I couldn't even stand the feeling of my own pillow because it was so hot, BUT enough of that tangent.

The majority of this week was pretty mellow, just me getting used to the routine, and officially settling in. I've got my daily routine down, and it feels pretty comforting to wake up and not wonder why I'm not sleeping in Sammy's, Theta, or my home.

I've also been cooking a lot more! This past week my friends and I made, mac&cheese gnocchi, grilled veggies, pasta with sauce made from scratch, bruschetta, etc. SO GOOD.

While on the topic of food, on Friday our class took a field trip to Ravenna to see Dante's tomb, and where his funeral was . For lunch we ate at an Enoteca (which is basically primarily known for wine, but they also serve pasta, meat, cheeses, etc).

It was SO FREAKING GOOD! When I arrived, I knew the place was going to be good, just because of the decor, but when the pasta arrived I was like dude... this looks way too simple. 

It was barely covered in any sauce, had a little bit of diced tomatoes, and there was some freshly graded parmesan to put on it. BUT OMG. It was heaven. After that they served us sliced meets, squaquerone (a spreadable cheese), and warm pita-ish bread that sort of tasted like biscuits. And of course we had wine the whole time. DELICIOUS!

We also went to a museum early that day and say beautiful modern mosaics that were made hundreds of years ago, and this stuff was truly modern, (like it would look normal/great in your house modern).

 But then again there is this unicorn.... don't know if I'd exactly put that in my house. HAHA

Seeing where Dante's funeral was incredible. There's a little room underneath the alter area where there's columns, (and because the city is sinking and is super coastal -- the room is filled with water and goldfish). When you pass by the room (there's a little window where you can see in, you make a wish and throw a coin in).

It was such a nice day and the streets are super pedestrian friendly, and wide. The buildings are soft, and the city is bright and airy. We took the train to and from, so I can officially say I have ridden a train in Europe! CHECK!

Yesterday I did a pseudo-training that will put me on the priority list for babysitting Italian children in English. It's with an organization called PACE and yesterday was a children's festival that spread across multiple streets. We had a booth where kids could make shakers, and we taught them in English.

I met this little girl Bianca, and throughout the day she would come back to the booth tap my leg, say "vieni" (come with me!) and grab my hand and take me to make another shaker. SO CUTE. 

On our break we ate gelato, and it was probably the best gelato I've ever had. Imagine an ice cream that tastes like rich dark chocolate, but also tastes like dark chocolate cake. SO GREAT.

So yeah :) There's my week! It's been 3 weeks, another 21 to go.

Love you all! 

Looking for the answer

Today was beautiful. I know I say beautiful a lot. But today was truly, life-changing, "I'm so overwhelmed by how great this is," tear-jerking beautiful.

After laying around the house for a bit and chatting with Lara, I went for a run with the girls.

It was drizzling outside. Not raining, drizzling.

Off and on there had been thunder, but we weren't expecting too much when we went out.

We ran up through the hills, then turned around and headed for the park.

We entered the park, and I told the girls I was going to run ahead.

Just as I said that, it began to pour while I ran through a row of trees and park benches, (where a couple was kissing), other runners were passing me, car lights were twinkling in the distance (on the roads that circle the park), leaves were falling from the trees, and this song came on.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIZdjT1472Y

At this point I was already panting from running so far, and starting to run so hard. Rain was pouring on my face, and I couldn't tell if I was sweating, crying, or both.

It was probably one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I haven't felt that free in so long. I haven't felt truly present in months.

So many changes have happened over the past 2 years, and I've never known how to deal with it. Never had a chance to fully get out how I felt, so I just could get back to being ME. 

And then this song came on. On shuffle, on my ipod. And changed everything.

I kept it on replay, and just kept running as hard as I could. My adrenaline rush kicked in, and I literally felt like I was sprinting toward finally having a clear mind. Tears streaming down my face, rain pounding against me.

After we all finished running around the park, we met on the grass and started to head back home, with rain still pouring on our faces.

The thunder and lightening intensified, and it began to pour even harded. We all just smiled and ran through the rain, this song still playing in my ears as thunder boomed in the background and lightening flashed around us. People cheered us on, and at this point our clothes were so wet, that nothing mattered.

I finished the night with a great talk with a friend, accompanied with some stress-relieving nutella, crackers, and chocolate.

So like I said, today was beautiful.

Exhausting, but beautiful. 

So as cliche as it sounds, if you're looking for something, or want something, don't just sit around and wait, but don't overthink the interactions that come your way (expecting an epiphany or a change at any moment).

Just LIVE. Just do it. Even if you don't know why you should be doing something, or if you feel like you're caught up in societal norms, just do what you want, even if it feels crazy, even if you feel tired, even if NO ONE else wants to do it with you. 

Just try to find you. Try to find what makes you happy. If you don't know what any of those things are, just do as many things are you can until, one day, something hits you. I hope this happens for you, and I hope it overwhelms you to the point where you're so weak you can hardly breathe by how beautiful that answer actually is. 

Rain rain rain.

Last night I cooked a pretty good pasta with some friends. A simple tomatoe/zucchini sauce from scratch with some freshly graded cheese. Pretty good. (The burger meal is post-poned to another day). 

It's a rainy day, yet again.

After a day of class, I'm snuggled up inside listening to an amazing mix. You should all check it out.

http://8tracks.com/meg_king/fall-mix 

I'm getting to know the owners of the cafe below our study center much better. We saw the son (who is probably in his 30's), on our way to San Luca this weekend.

He smiled at us. Today he didn't charge me anything for my cappuccino.

I'm going running later, and I can't wait. 

That's it for today. Ciao ciao. 

2 weeks.

It's been two weeks.

Two weeks ago I: 

1. was scared
2. luggage-less
3. knew no one
4. missed everyone from home
5. honestly, wanted to get right back on the plane and head back 
6. had no idea how to navigate this city 
7. didn't know what to expect
8. was hoping for epiphanies

The score was definitely Bologna: 1, Olivia: 0. I had felt like the city was going to eat me alive. 

Two weeks later I:

1. am still scared
2. have my luggage
3. know a lot of people, and have friends
4. still miss everyone 
5. love being here, and think everyone in my life should just move here (the actual city of berkeley included)
6. know how to get around this place, (crazy circular streets included!) 
7. have a better idea of what to expect
8. have already had some epiphanies 

The score is now tied. Bologna: 1, Olivia: 1. Now I'm going to eat the city? (Sorry guys, I couldn't think of anything clever). 

So all in all, I'm definitely doing better. Still miss you guys a lot (even though I think you should all live here instead), but things are going well.