Final Reflections

As I write this, I'm sitting in my casita at La Pievuccia in my second-to-last night in Italy. I just finished writing my "final reflection" for my professor, and I found it only fitting to give you my reflection as well. In truth, I haven't been keeping this blog as up-to-date I had intended. In part, it's because I was busy. Part of it was because I was lazy, part of it was because I was already writing two reflections a week and couldn't bear a third. But the biggest hang-up for me was that I didn't know what to write. I didn't know how I could possibly explain everything I was experiencing. But now I'll do my best to sum it all up.

I am so incredibly happy right now. I have had a wonderful time here, and I've experienced living in another country - something that I'll finally be able to check off my bucket list. People in my program are all getting really sentimental and sad, but for some reason I'm not. Originally this shocked me, as I'm one of the most emotional people I know. But then it hit me: I'm not sad because I'm not leaving anything. The memories I've made, the friendships I've created, the connections I had with students, the sights I've seen (and yes, even the weight I've gained!) will all come back with me. This trip isn't ending, it's simply becoming a part of my life; a part of me!

I know I'm getting really sappy here, but I can't help it. I'm soo happy! I can't wait to be home (because believe me I'm homesick!) but I am so unbelievably happy to have experienced everything I have.

As a side note, I'll try to come back and recap everything I've forgotten to blog about, but for now, this is my final CIAO Y'ALL!

Teacher HEAVEN!

Tuesday: I'm on top of cloud nine right now. I just taught the best lesson of my LIFE! For whatever reason, the stars aligned and I was able to teach one of my favorite classes (2B) with one of my favorite co-teachers (Ty). And the lesson? It was flawless. We were covering comparative adjectives, a subject that the students had never covered, but since the students were excited to learn, they understood every bit of the topic. I can't wipe this stupid smile off my face. It's times like these when I'm SO happy that I'm an education major. And even happier to be here in Italy.

I'm just realizing just how much I'll miss this place. After school, I walked around town and took pictures of some of the things I'll miss most: the views, the ancient buildings, the city walls, the animals roaming the streets, the shops, the restaurants and the walk to school. I would've taken pictures of the Italian people that I'll miss, but that's a little creepy.

Thursday: I totally forgot to finish that last blog posting. Whoops! I'll finish now! Yesterday I went to Castiglion del Lago with Kirsten and Kelsey and had the most wonderfully relaxing day. Today I taught a first level class with Kelsey. We taught them about verbs and it went really well!! I'm so happy. Now it's almost time for play practice and I'm not exactly looking forward to it. Being the lion in The Wizard of Oz isn't exactly my favorite apart about Italy. But it's definitely not my least favorite part!

Tonight we're going out for the *sob* last time as a group. I'm so excited! There will be dancing. And there will be singing. And possibly some krumping. Then, tomorrow morning Becca, Kelsey, Kirsten, Makenzi and I leave for Sorrento. I can't WAIT! The weather is supposed to be amazing and the plan for the weekend is to get some sun, read, eat, drink and RELAX. Sounds like the perfect vacation to me!

Ciao y'all!

Just Another Day in Paradise

Today has been absolutely amazing. So amazing, in fact, that for the time being I'm skipping over the past week and a half of blogging in order to talk about today. Promise I'll get back to it!

Today is my "off day" which means that I don't get to teach. These are usually my long days, as I truly enjoy teaching lessons. However, for whatever reason, today was different. First period I was planning, which basically means I wrote reflections for my professors and talked to the other girls who were planning. Second period I had off, and Kirsten, Courtney and I relaxed while eating breakfast and sipping cappuccinos. Third period I was helping in a classroom that Stephen and Ashlyn were teaching. The lesson was about seasons and the kids seriously loved it. After that, we were interviewed for a local paper. If it ends up getting published, I'll be sure to snag a copy or two!

Lunch was mushroom risotto. Just take a moment to appreciate how happy that made me... Okay. Then Kelsey and I did laundry. Although the weather had been perfect literally all day, halfway through drying our clothes we noticed it started raining. That meant we had to hike back up the huge hill in the rain with all our laundry. At least we got in our cardio for the day!

Now I get to take a two hour nap before dinner. Hopefully dinner won't be soup, because we're going to need our energy for our big traveling day tomorrow! We're leaving for Cinque Terra at 5:30 AM and will arrive around 10:00. We'll spend the weekend outdoors in the (hopefully) beautiful weather. We are planning on hiking, kayaking and snorkeling. And pray for sunshine, because my legs could definitely use some sun!

I hope all is well in America, but if not have no fear! I'll be back in just over two weeks.

Ciao y'all!

Highlights Tour of London

Well, thesis embarrassing. Sorry I haven't written in forever! I've been so busy between spring break traveling, teaching, play practice, tutoring, writing reflections for my professors and weekend trips that I've barely had time to catch a breath. And when I do, I'm either eating or sleeping! But I have 45 minutes before play practice so I'll try to catch you up.

I got back from London on last Monday, April 9th. After the day Shannen and I did the bus and boat tour and the national gallery, we decided to take a light day. We went to Harrod's, and I must say it was the experience of a lifetime. I was expecting something similar to Nordstrom, but what I ended up experiencing was like a Neiman Marcus superstore. On crack. To say I was overwhelmed would be the understatement of the century. I left feeling pretty crummy about myself because there was no way I could ever afford anything in that store. Except maybe the gift shop, but I thought that was depressing. So then I went to Top Shop and H&M and felt a zillion times better. I had a little retail therapy, and then I went on a mission. I had heard rumors at Santa Chiara that there was a Chipotle in London, so I did my research. Turns out there's not one, but THREE!!!! So Shannen and I hit that up. It was soooo nice to have a little taste of home.

The next day, we were planning on seeing the matinée performance of Wicked. But the seats were awful and expensive, so our day was shot. Or so we thought. We then decided to hit up a few museums. To get to the British Museum, we has to get off at Tottenham Court Road. So once we saw Tottenham on the Tube map, we hopped on the train and headed that way. Well, unfortunately for us, there are two Tottenham stops. One is Tottenham Court Road and the other is Tottenham Hale. Just guess which one we got off at. So we eventually made it to the British Museum, but instead of taking five minutes it took two hours! Oh well. You live and you learn! We saw the Rosetta Stone, an Ancient Egyptian exhibit (mummies and all!) and an exhibit about clocks from all over the world. And then we called it a day.

I'm going to rush through the rest of London now. Think of this next paragraph as the highlights tour of the second half of my spring break. Shannen ate fish and chips, I did not. Shannen got a tattoo, I did not. Shannen ate many crepes, I did not. Jokes. I ate a jillion crepes. I loved the Natural History Museum. I wished we had time for the dinosaur exhibit, but we saw almost everything else. I ate the worst hamburger of my life. I went to Camden Market and found out I am an excellent bargainer. Shannen, Becca and I saw Wicked and fell in LOVE. We also went to Primark and were impressed with the good deals but turned off by the insane lines. And the crowd. Not worth it! Shannen and I went to the Kouloumas family's Easter celebration and loved every second of it. I miss them so much! It was an incredible experience staying with a local, but it was even better because I got to stay with a family that I know and love.

That's all I have time I have right now, but I PROMISE I will finish catching you up soon! Next time I write, it'll be about my ...interesting... time in Bologna and my most recent day trip to Florence. Just in case I don't have time to write before Friday, I am spending the weekend in Cinque Terra. Keep your fingers crossed for beautiful weather!!

I'm truly am living la bella vita here. I am so happy that I've been able to go on this amazing adventure. I have mixed emotions about only having 17 days left. I can't wait to go home but I also know how much I'll miss Europe. So for the next week and a half, I'm going to be a busy Bee! Can't wait to tell you more about my trip!

Ciao y'all!

Touring the City

Today was one for the books. I've had my camera with me every day since I landed in Italy. I've photographed every day, every outfit and almost every meal. However, the one day that I do an in-depth tour of a city of my choosing, I forget my camera. Oy vey. Luckily, Shannen had the camera on her phone which she used to help us remember the day. But I'm still irritated with myself!

We started our British day off right. I ate a crumpet (soo delicious!) and a banana. And a cup of coffee! Who am I?!

Then we took the Piccadilly line to Trafalgar Square. From there, we hopped onto a double decker bus and did the "Original Tour" of London. We got to see the city from the traditional viewpoint, which was so incredibly nice. We were able to see everything, from St. Paul's Cathedral (beautiful!!) to Tower Bridge to London's newest skyscraper, the Spike.

One thing that I really found interesting was the amount of "stress reducing" items in the city. First, I saw a tai chi class going on in the plaza of the National Gallery. Then, I saw a flyer for free meditation classes. And then I saw a poster while waiting in a que that said "d*n't t@ke !t out on the staff" which I found really clever. I thought it was really nice that the city pushes for relaxation and peacefulness... Especially because life in the big city can get so stressful and overwhelming.

A word on the British accent before I forget? Love. It. It's so classy and smart and beautiful. I wish I could spend every day for the rest of my life surrounded by Brits. They're perf.

Okay. That's all for now!! Sorry I don't have more for you.

Ciao y'all!

London Calling!

First off, I'd like to apologize for my lack of postings. Life has been crazy and wonderful and I've barely had the time to breathe, never mind sit down and write a blog! But here it goes.

First, I need to talk about where I am right now. Guess what... I'm in London!! It's so nice to finally be in a country where I can understand the locals!

I'm staying with a family friend, the Kouloumases, with my friend Shannen. I can't even start to explain how lovely it is to feel at home. The Kouloumas family is absolutely wonderful. The mother, Dee, reminds me so much of my mom. She is so warm and welcoming and sweet, and she never fails to make me laugh. The father, George, reminds me of my dad. He's smart, funny and kind as can be. They have three boys (Tom-16, Phil-18 and Andreas-20) which are all so hospitable and loving and fun to spend time with.

Back to my travels. Friday morning at 5:00 we left Santa Chiara to take the train to Florence. From there, we transferred to Pisa. We spent some time exploring Pisa (woo hoo for the Leaning Tower... and not a whole bunch else) and then headed to the airport to fly to London.

One sketchy Ryan Air flight later... We made it!! I adore London. I could totally see myself living here. There's a great vibe here, and it resonates with me for whatever reason.

Since this is our spring break, Shannen and I have taken the time to just chill. It's been so nice to walk around the city and spend time with the Kouloumases. Tonight we went to a family party and had the chance to eat AMAZING Greek food, socialize with this sweet family and just relax. Tomorrow will be a tourist-y day in London. After a few days of relaxation and family time, I'm excited to see the sites!

Okay... I PROMISE I'll write again tomorrow. And it should be more entertaining next time!! Enjoy the pictures :)

Best Day(s) Ever!

I am in love with Dante. No worries... That's not my new boyfriend. Dante Middle School is absolutely incredible. On Tuesday, they officially welcomed us to their school. We were expecting a small brunch, but instead we walked into a classroom full of students with microphones and instruments. To be perfectly honest, I was expecting some cheesy song in Italian that we wouldn't understand. Instead, we were treated with the most powerful rendition of 'We Are The World' that I've ever heard. I've never heard teenagers sing with such passion. Within seconds, they had the majority of us in tears. The entire time, I kept thinking "THIS is why I went into education." I couldn't videotape the students, but I did record their voices. I'll post that to Facebook eventually for your listening pleasure. To show our appreciation, we reciprocated by singing the Star Spangled Banner and performing the Aggie War Hymn. They loved it! And we love them. Oh so much.

Today, I taught a lesson with Tess. To put it simply, we were teaching them how to write a letter. We gave them each a pen pal from the US, and the Italian students had to respond to the letter. The lesson went really well. I was warned that this class was great, but there was one student who was just awful. Then, I walked into the room and the Italian teacher (who stays in the classroom while we teach) was sitting next to an adorable boy. Problem child: spotted. She told me that he was awful and wouldn't listen and to not take it personally. After I taught the lesson and was going around the room monitoring progress, I noticed the boy wasn't writing a letter. I asked the teacher about it and she said that she was just happy he was sitting down. Apparently he never does any work. So I asked if I could try.

Long story short, this kid is my favorite kid in the world. Although he wouldn't write for me (I assume because he is self conscious about his English skills), he dictated an entire letter to me. I got him to sit still for 30 minutes, focus on a task and complete it successfully. The teacher was shocked, but I wasn't. I was just so proud of him. I later found out that the child was almost labeled as special needs because he was so disruptive. His teacher told another Aggie teacher to not worry about him because he was a gypsy and didn't care about school. But when I sat down and TALKED to him, he cared. He was proud of himself.

Teachers give up on students ALL the time. I think it's the saddest part about education. Given the opportunity, I really really do believe that every student can succeed. Because given the opportunity, I believe that every PERSON can succeed. Call me an optimist, but I really do believe in the power of people. Especially children.

I'm still loving Italy and everything it has to offer. But more than anything, I love these kids.

Ciao y'all.

First Day of School!

So let me start off this massive entry with a brief recap of my day. Today was my first day of teaching. We were at the local middle school, Dante, from 8:25-1:25. After a quick break for lunch, we had a viewing of the Wizard of Oz since we will be performing the musical (along with the students) in a few weeks. To round out our day, we had one-on-one tutoring with eighth graders for an upcoming exam (the Trinity Exam).

As far as teaching went, all I have to say is PHEW. I'm glad "Day One" is over. My first class was wonderful. The kids were excited but attentive and I fed off their energy BIG time! Ty and I taught them about some major American cities, and they really seemed to enjoy the lesson. My second class... Not so much. While the students were really fun, they were... A handful. I ended up having to teach the entire class, which would've been fine if they understood English. But they didn't. Soo it ended up to be a little rough. One kid who was held back a few years refused to do anything except write "Beautiful Blonde" on a piece of paper and hold it up. The rest of the class didn't understand the lesson at all. The good news? If I can handle this class, I can handle anything!

From here on out, it should be a piece of cake. Right?! Gotta look on the bright side here!

Oh... And as a side note, I have to talk about the Italian language. I. Am. Obsessed. Even though I only know a handful of words, they are the most beautiful words I've ever spoken. There's such a perfect rhythm to it. I can't get over it. The biggest compliment I've received so far is being mistaken for a local and having them spout off a sentence or two. I feel terrible for not being able to understand, but I feel pretty cool for about 5 seconds!

Okay, I think that's all for now. Thanks for keeping up with me! I miss life in the US but I'm having a great time. Let me know if you need a souvenir (or two!).

Ciao y'all!

Fun in Florence

Ciao!
Saturday we left La Pievuccia (which, I think I failed to mention, is an aggiturismo, a vineyard, a hotel and a gourmet restaurant all in one) and headed to Hotel Park, a small hotel just a half hour walk away from Castiglion Fiorentino. Then, we hopped onto a train to Florence. One hour later, we arrived ready to see the town!

Oh, Florence. It's definitely my favorite city that I've seen in Italy, and possibly takes the cake for favorite European city as well. It's just incredible. The people, the food, the architecture... it's all just so wonderful. We spent our afternoon touring the sights with our tour guide, Laura, who was extremely knowledgable albeit slightly dry. Once lunchtime arrived, we were more than happy to take a mental breather.

Then, we had the best meal that I've had in my entire life. So good that it deserves its own paragraph. We started with really great 'crusty' bread and some glorious red wine. Then, we were given a plate of pasta. We had some rigatoni with a light pomodoro sauce with a side of ravioli. Then came the second course. I was slightly suspicious about what appeared to be mystery meat, but one my fork hit my mouth I was in tastebud heaven. Oh. My. Lord. Boneless chicken breast smothered in Alfredo and some kind of delicious melty cheese. Then, dessert came out. Vanilla ice cream with some seriously kick ass hot fudge. What more could a girl ask for?

Okay, so I might've enjoyed the food a little too much... But when in Florence, eat as a piggy American!! After lunch was a completely free afternoon which Becca, Kelsey, Kirsten, Tess, Ashleigh and Emily filled with what girls do best... shopping! We spent hours scouring the Santa Maria Maggorio and ended up buying too many scarves, bracelets and pieces of artwork. But we're all happy with our purchases, so that's all that matters!

Then we came back to the hotel to eat a mediocre dinner (by Italian standards) and crash. We got to sleep in, and then we got a chance to tour Castiglion Fiorentino. The city is incredible, ancient, hilly and perfect. I can't wait to call it home! I spent the rest of the afternoon reading on a patio with Kirsten and Becca (and a pesky cat), which was perfectly relaxing.

Now, I'm uploading some pictures to Facebook. Be sure to check those out! Tomorrow I will teach my very first Italian students. SO EXCITING!!!

Ciao y'all!

Last Day at La Pievuccia

Ohhh myyy lord. We just finished a five course meal and all I have to say is thank God for the 2% spandex in my jeans. If not for it, I'd probably have a huge split down the middle. It's strange; in the US I get uncomfortably full on a regular basis but here I haven't gotten full to the point of discomfort ONCE. I don't know if it's the multiple courses, the fresh foods or the length of time we spend eating. But whatever it is I am absolutely grateful. Because I don't get excessively full, I can eat everything in sight. It's a blessing!

The food here is unlike anything I've ever eaten. Every time we are presented with a meal, my tastebuds are exposed to an array of what I can only describe as beautiful flavors. I'll have an entire album on Facebook dedicated exclusively to the food I've been eating, so make sure to check that out. You will drool.

Speaking of drool, I really miss my puppy. Luckily there's a dog here at La Pievuccia so I've been able to pet him enough to get my puppy fix. She's no Freeman dog, but she'll have to do for the time being.

Today we met with Celena, one of the school's senior teachers, and she seemed to love all of our lesson plans. She talked about the classrooms we'll be teaching in and the personalities of the classes that we will be meeting on Monday. I cannot wait to jump right in! And I can't wait to see Marny!! She should be back at Santa Chiara sometime this week, and I'll probably tackle her out of excitement. It's been too long!

I'm going to get into bed now because we have an early morning tomorrow, and you know how I feel about mornings. Wake up at 6:15!? Gross! But then we'll be in Florence for the day and it'll all be worth it! Until next time...

Ciao y'all!

Heaven on Earth

Am I in heaven?! Words cannot describe the beauty that we're surrounded by at La Pievuccia. The vineyards that surround us, the casitas that we're living in and the weather we're fortunate enough to have just make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. (The only thing that could make this place better is having The Boy here with me. Will, I miss you so incredibly much.) As I'm writing this, I'm laying in a hammock taking in the Tuscan scenery. There's a rooster crowing (they really do say cock-a-doodle-doo!), a dog barking and birds chirping. You guys, I really can't remember a time I've felt so relaxed. This truly is heaven on earth.

We just got back from a "conversational Italian" lesson, but to me it was more like survival Italian boot camp. I learned a lot and I pray that l can remember at least half of it! Our teacher was Rossella and she was so incredibly sweet. We have a follow-up lesson and I hope I can make her proud!

Tomorrow we are meeting with Celena, one of the school's senior teachers, and we are presenting our lesson plans to her. It's a little nerve wracking,and I'm honestly just ready to get tomorrow's presentation over with! Wish me luck!!

Ciao y'all!

When in Rome!

Hey guys!
Today was the first day living the bella vita, or the good life. And man oh man is life good! This morning, we had the traditional European breakfast of rolls and crossoints and every carb you can imagine smothered in Nutella. SO YUMMY. Then, we were off for the day!

We started our day with a quick walk to check out the Coloseum and the Forum. Despite the fact that I've alreasee even there, the sites were just as breathtaking as they were the very first time I laid eyes on them. One of the girls on our trip was sick to her stomach in the middle of the tour, but fortunately she was well enough to stick with us for the rest of the day. (If you know me at all, you know that just the thought of vomit makes me want to cry. But I was totally fine! It helps that I adore the girl was sick, so I truly sympathized with her!)

Once we moved on from that excitement, we saw the Tomb of the Unnown Soldier. While I had been there before, I never realized that there were guards that protected the tomb all day long, just as if the tomb contained a high priest. The gesture alone was so kind that it made me tear up. Then, visited a church that was built in the mid-1400s. It just blows my mind that the church (below) predates the country that I call home.

Then we took a trip to see the Trevi Fountain. So. Incredible. Made a wish and I hope it comes true!! Then I checked out the Spanish Steps and learned that they're called that because they lead to the Spanish Emissary. I felt ridiculous for not realizing that beforehand! After a quick stroll, we finally made it to lunch. Our first appetizer was bruschetta. Yum. Then, we were given a plate of mini bread rolls and various dipping sauces to try. Once again, I tried to be brave. Bad decision. I ended up dipping my bread into tuna. YUCK! At least I know I still hate seafood! We were then brought out some of the best pizza of my life. I got funghi (mushroom!) and it was delicious! Then we had fried chocolate balls for dessert. I'm drooling just recounting this.

After that, we headed to the Vatican. I'll eventually put up pictures on Facebook, but for now I'll give you the hilights. I learned the reason the Pieta is the only sculpture in St. Bascilica to be behind glass; some lunatic took a hammer to the Pieta 23 times. Also, I learned that it is the only piece that Michelangelo signed. Our tour guide at the Vatican was Carlo. Not only was he highly knowledgable about everything Roman, but he also was a UT grad! And highly attractive to boot. It really made the Varican THAT much more interesting ;) But truthfully, it was amazing going back and seeing everything a second time around; I felt like I got a lot more out of the tour!

If you went to Europe with me a few years ago, do you remember the gelato shop that Nettah took us to? The one with over 100 favors? Well, I was there today!!! And MAN was it good to be back. Some of the best gelato in the world. Hands down. I ate stracciotella (basicially chocolate chunk) and roche (chocolate deliciousness). Then we checked out the Pantheon and headed to the same restaurant that we ate at last night. Dinner consisted of pasta in Alfredo sauce, green beans, turkey and fruit and ice cream for dessert. I could get used to this!

Sorry for the ridiculously long post, but this will be my last post for a few days. I'll be heading to La Pivuccia tomorrow, which seems like it'll be a relaxing vacation spot where we'll work on lesson plans and the like. All that means to you is that you won't get to check out my blog because I'll have no Internet access. Sad!

Hope all is well back home. Miss you all, but I'm already having a blast!

Ciao y'all!

Globe Trotting

Bonjour! This blog post is coming alllll the way from Paris, France. We missed our connecting flight to Rome (hooray for group travel!), so we'll be at the airport until 2:00 local time. So time to update the good old blog!

The time flew by (pun intended) on the flight to Paris. I slept for over half of the flight and spent the rest of it reading The Hunger Games and watching movies. Good clean fun!

We're all hanging out doing a whole lot of nothing... Luckily, we were given meal vouchers to fill the time... and our tummies! I tried to be adventurous, but it didn't work out in my favor. Note to self: mystery meat in a sandwich is NEVER a good idea!! However, the baguette was fabulous and the Coke Lite made me a much more pleasant person!

I'm going to get back to people watching now. Hope all you Americans have a wonderful day!

 . . .

Bojourno from Rome! Right now it's 9:45 and we just got back to our adorable hotel. I'm staying with Rachel and Ashleigh in this precious room. Not only do we have a bidet (...I'll pass), but we even have our own terrace!  It's beautiful here. More importantly, dinner was fabulous. Red wine, the BEST lasagna I've ever had, salads, chicken(?), French fries and lemon sorbet. Seriously guys, I'm going to come home and be HEFTY. But it'll be well worth it!

Tomorrow will be FULL of adventures, so I'm going to hit the sack. Can't wait to fill you in on everything I experience tomorrow! 

Ciao, y'all! 

So Close!

Howdy!

I've had a lot of questions about my trip, so I thought I'd take some time to explain what exactly I've been up to these past few months. I have been taking 15 hours (5 classes) that were condensed into a very short, fast-paced semester. These classes were taught by the three professors that will be accompanying me to Italy. I only had class once a day, but that day was an absolute marathon. I spent 12 hours on campus. Ugh! I'm so glad those days are behind me! I also got a job working at a preschool, which I absolutely loved. I even changed my very first diaper! (It was about time!) I miss the kids already, but I plan on working there over the summer.

Now, back to Italy. What exactly will I be doing abroad? I'm SO glad you asked! I, along with 23 other education majors, will be teaching English at an Italian middle school. So I won't be studying abroad so much as I will be teaching abroad. The 24 of us will be teaching English lessons, tutoring students for an upcoming exam and holding play rehearsals for The Wizard of Oz, which we will be putting on before we leave Italy. It's going to be a crazy couple of months, but I absolutely cannot wait. The girls (and guy... poor Stephen) that I am traveling with are some of the coolest people that I've had the pleasure to get to know, and I can't wait to see where the next couple of months will take us!

On Sunday evening, I will leave the country and head to Italy. For the first week of our travels, we will tour Rome, Florence and Arezzo. Then, we will set down our roots at the Santa Chiara study center in Castiglion Fiorentino, a small town in Tuscany.

I'm spending my next to last night in the US in Dallas, where I'm saying my farewells to my parents and my dogs. Tomorrow will be a whirlwind of last minute shopping, packing and friend-visiting, and then on Sunday I'm catching a ride from my incredible boyfriend to Houston. And then I'm off! I still can't believe that I'll be on a plane on less than 48 hours... but it's the truth! Ready or not, here I go!!

Ciao y'all!

Late Night Delirium

It's currently 4:45 in the morning and I'm still not done with my schoolwork. And this would be totally fine with me if it weren't for the fact that I have to be awake for the next 15 hours. Eww. 

Today was my last day of work before Italy. I know that I'm working at the right place because I got really sad when I had to leave. But there was no better farewell than them all sitting up on their cots and screaming "BYYYYE MISS ABBYYYY!!" as I snuck* out during their naptime. They really are too precious for words.

It finally hit me today. I'm going to be gone for two months. There's a seven-hour time difference between my current home and my future home. I won't have a dog to cuddle with every night.  I won't be three hours away from Mom and Dad. I'm going to be in Italy. There might've been some tears involved with this realization.

So that's the bad news. The good news is that my meltdown has already passed! I cried out the nerves and now I just have exciting things to look forward to. Like packing! And a trip to Dallas to see Mom and Dad and the dogs! And only having ONE more day of class left for the semester!!!

I just need to get through the next few hours. It's 5:00 in the morning. At 7:00, I will leave for class. That gives me two hours to make a lesson plan. Can I do it?! YES I CAN! Because I don't really have a choice in the matter ;)

 BYE!

*Oh, and I know snuck isn't a word. But sneaked just sounds too awkward. I can't handle it. Sorry!

Mixed Feelings

In five days I will be in Italy.

To say I'm having mixed feelings is the understatement of the century. I'm sad to leave my friends, my family, the boy, my apartment, my little monster and everything that I'm used to. But I know the second I take off the excitement will overtake my nerves. I can't wait to be in Europe, to travel the world, to teach young minds, to get out of my comfort zone, to eat amazing foods, to drink delicious wines and simply have the time of my life.

I'll post tomorrow to talk about the joys of packing my life into a suitcase (ugh!) and other random things that cross my mind. But right now I need to get back to work. One more lesson plan! One more book report! One more test! And one research paper. All before Wednesday at 8 AM. Oh man. Looks like I'll be living at the library! This is going to be a long 48 hours. But it'll all be worth it in five days!!! AHH!

Ciao, y'all!

FAIL!

So... that whole '30 day photo challenge' was a complete and total failure. Since I'm headed to Italy in just 27 days (!!!) I thought I should probably warm back up to the whole blog world. I'm ready. Let's do this.

I've been fighting off a cold for the past few days so I've been sleeping like a champion. There's nothing better than waking up after a long, hard night of sleeping! Regardless of my sniffles, this weekend was pretty great. I've been really productive. Not that anyone really cares, but I got a lot of work done! Wrote two essays and read two books. Today, I also cleaned my apartment for the first time in a lloooong time. YAY ME! Anyway, on Saturday I had a romantic Pre Valentines Day Dinner with the boy at Cenare. If you've never been and you're in the BCS area, I highly suggest it. Best pomodoro sauce in College Station, hands down. Great environment, lovely staff... just a wonderful night.

Now it's time for me to take the Callie Monster outside before she pees the carpet. Have a great night!

Callie and Crafting

I'm a proud mom. Today, Callie learned a new skill: for the first time ever, she was able to catch a tennis ball!!! Not once, not twice, but a zillion and a half times! The boy took some time out of his night to make her a catching machine and, amazingly enough, it worked! She caught the ball up close, from far away, and even from an angle. I'm so proud of my little boo!

Unfortunately, tonight was a crafting fail. I used Modge Podge for the first time ever and it didn't quite work out as planned. I was attempting to make a blinged out clipboard, and the rhinestones look pretty good. Then I tried to Modge Podge some scrapbook paper onto the clipboard... who knew it got so bubbly?! It's still cute, but if I use it on both sides it won't be a very useful clipboard. So frustrating! I just painted a base coat on the front so that I can paint it up tomorrow. Any ideas?

My best friend came back in town today, and I'm so excited to be able to see her tomorrow! We're going to go shopping. My poor wallet.

See you tomorrow! 

Sleepy McSleeperson

Late night blogtime! Today I brought my car into the shop and received a rental car. For the first time in my life, I'm driving a car other than a Prius. Which means I'm driving without a back-up camera for the first time in my life. Eek. It's a tough life. Pedestrians, stay out from behind my car. Consider this your warning! 

The reason why I'm blogging so late is because I've been crafting for the past few hours. I guess I lost track of time while bedazzling! My fingers are pleased, though; typing is much easier for them than the constant burn from the hot glue gun.

Tonight I ate like a fat six-year-old who just raided mom and dad's pantry while they were out. Chips and queso as my entree with a side of Jolly Rancher fruit chews. At least I got my fruit in somehow! I also tried ChapStick's new green apple flavor. I'll save you the 98 cents... don't buy it. It smells fantastic but it tastes like the 'plain' blue flavor. Blech. At least now I know!

That's all for tonight! Hope you're having a fantastic evening and are planning on doing something exciting this weekend!

Day 4

A picture of your favorite band or artist

Death Cab will ALWAYS be my weakness. Love them!

Trip to Austin

I'm not exactly a morning person. I rarely wake up before the clock hits the double digits. But when I do, it's never pretty. But today was a different story entirely! I had to wake up early schmearly (but seriously... 6:05!) so the boy and I could take my little monster to doggy daycare before we headed to Austin. More on that later. Callie had a wonderful time at playcare and got a good report back from her caretakers. But most importantly, the little princess came back smelling (and looking) like a nasty, dirty dog. Proof positive that she had a blast.

Anyway, this morning the boy had a job interview in Austin and we decided to make it an afternoon adventure. So we woke up before the sun had even risen, dropped off Callie and then hit the road in the good old Prius. As we're zooming by (yes, Priuses zoom) we see this enormous dead animal on the side of the road. The boy decided he had to investigate. Because he is a boy. Upon further inspection, we came to realize that the roadkill that we saw was a donkey. A DONKEY?! So many questions. How stupid do you have to be to hit a donkey? It's not like donkeys are known for being speedy. And what was the donkey doing near the highway? And why was my man surprised to find out that a dead donkey smells bad? The world will never know. 

So eventually we ended up making it to Austin. I've been in Austin a handful of times and I've always ended up having a blast. But here's the weird thing: I've lived in Texas my entire life and, up until today, had never visited the Capitol building. So today was the day. It's a pretty incredible place. Walking the halls lined with famous faces, seeing the senate and the house, thinking about all of the important decisions that have been made there over the years... it was all pretty impressive. And it doesn't hurt that the building is absolutely gorgeous. All in all, Austin was a success. I even came to the realization that although I love Dallas, I'd be more than happy in Austin. It's truly a beautiful city. And I ate the most amazing chili nacho fries of my life. Words can't even describe. Drool.

Day 3 

A picture of the cast from your favorite show

The one and only Gilmore Girls

Tuesday Schmoozeday

Today I took my puppy, Callie, to a local doggy daycare center where she had a 'temperament test' done. Basically, they stick your dog in a room with half a dozen strange dogs and see how your dog reacts. I guess Callie did enough tail wagging and butt sniffing, because my little monster passed the test! She will be attending her first day at playcare tomorrow and I am so excited for her.

For the first time in my life, I'm looking for a job. In high school I had a few jobs, but never anything that I considered to be a 'real' job. I feel like most people hate the job search, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Once interviews come around I know I'll feel differently, but for right now I'm having a good time!

I also got a hair cut. The boy took one look at my head and said he couldn't tell that my hair looked any different. Mission accomplished.

Day 2

A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

Ring Day 2011

My mom truly is my best friend. She understands me better than anyone in the world, and she has been there for me through everything. She's my cheerleader, my therapist, my personal shopper, my inspiration and my favorite person to goof off with. If I could be half the woman that she is, I would be more than satisfied. I love you mom!

Baby's First Blog

Here it is: my blog. For weeks I've been toying around with the idea of creating one, and finally with the new year approaching I finally said... what the hell. So here I am! Eventually, this will morph into a travel blog to document my time in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy. But for now, this is simply a place for me to write, create, think and play.

To help you get to know a little more about me, I'm going to enlist in the 30 Day Photo Challenge. Doing so makes me feel a little bit like I'm going back to my Xanga days (ohh middle school), but I'm pretty sure it'll get me in the habit of blogging daily and will force me to take pictures of my daily life. Double whammy.

Photo Challenge: Day 1

A picture of yourself with fifteen facts

Me and my precious little monster, Callie

1. I love to travel. If I could, I'd spend two months out of every year roaming aimlessly around Europe.
2. My favorite food is the carb. I love pasta, bread, cheese and pretty much everything that will clog my arteries.
3. I spend all my money at Hobby Lobby. I blame the addiction on my mother and my best friend, Kendall.
4. I am obsessed with lace.
5. When I grow up, I want to be a mom.
6. Pinterest has become my best friend this semester. Follow me!
7. I have the worst memory of anyone I know.  It's embarrassing.
8. I am going to Italy in two months and all I know is ciao. Thaaat should get me far...
9. Gilmore Girls is my favorite TV show of all time. Don't judge.
10. I usually drink unsweet iced tea, but Chick-Fil-A's sweet tea is my vice.
11. Lady GaGa drives me insane. Not a fan.
12. I could go weeks without watching TV and be completely fine, but a day without the internet makes me want to cry.
13. My favorite website is Postsecret.
14. I love dry erase boards and chalk gives me the heebie jeebies.
15. When I was a kid I used to hate my middle name, but now it's one of my favorite things about myself.

That's all for tonight! I'll catch you on the flip side. Happy New Year and hope all is well and wonderful in your life!