Greece (and then some).

Wow, where to begin. So much to update you all on! Last week we had class as usual but no class Wednesday. So what better way to spend it then at the Gelato festival! Vendors were set up and you could buy 5 samples, 1 cocktail, and some other free trinkets for $15 euro. If you didn't know, gelato is a pretty big deal here! Now on to my weekend away! This past weekend I flew to Thessaloniki, Greece with 4 of my roommates. (Sorry Mom and Dad that I didn't give much detail regarding my where a bouts and making you nervous! So heres for you--all the details!). We took a train to Rome the night before our flight (Thursday night) and stayed in our first hostel. It was pretty nice for a hostel and came with free breakfast in the morning (: Friday morning we got on the  metro (It's basically a subway) and took that to the train station. Then we took the train to a shuttle bus that took us to the airport. When we got to the airport we got right in the security line because we checked in online and already had our boarding passes printed (if you don't print them ahead of time its 60 euro!!). We were about to go through security only to realize we had to go to the check in line first to get our tickets stamped. Thankfully we were able to jump to the front of the line so we could make our flight on time. The whole weekend was quite an experience and not quite what we expected. We booked the trip kind of spur of the moment without much research because the flight was a good deal. Not considering what the city was like, how we were going to get to the airport, where we were gonna sleep. You know..all the important details that should be figured out before you book your flight! Don't worry--we learned our lesson! Thessaloniki is a big city in Greece that isn't very touristy. It isn't the part of Greece with nice beaches, pretty houses with colored roofs, and people riding around on camels. On Friday afternoon when we arrived we sat down for some lunch feeling really disappointed, frustrated, and tired. We saw these girls sitting a couple tables away who looked American so why not ask them if they are right? Sure enough they were and were so much help! They were two girls from New Jersey, one had been there 8 months studying abroad and the other was her friend who was just visiting. They were full of advice and tips to help make our visit better. They said we were the only Americans they'd seen all week, if that gives you a better idea of the city (not very touristy). After lunch we spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. I bought some pretty cool trendy European pants! That night we checked out the night life which was insane. They have a street that is literally bar after bar with tons of tables outside and crowded with so many people. We enjoyed an authentic Greek beer or two and then it started to rain so we headed back to the hostel for the night. Saturday we woke up around 11:00am and took the shuttle to the bus station and took a bus to Kalithea (google image it!) where our new American friends suggested we go for a nice beach. It took longer then we expected to get there but we arrived there at about 2:30-ish. The beach was pretty and the sand was warm! It's killing me not being able to post pictures. I should have brought my laptop instead of the iPad so I could upload pictures. Any way, we hung out at the beach for about an hour and then it began to get cloudy and rain was clearly headed our direction. So we left the beach and enjoyed some gyros for lunch and did some shopping. The gyros are not like the ones I've had in the states. They put french fries in them, different but still delicious! It then began to rain and we had about an hour and a half to kill before the next bus came. We sat under an awning, watched the rain, and enjoyed some crepes with Nutella and bananas and some gelato. We caught the 6:35pm bus back to the city and when it arrived at the shuttle station we still had to buy our shuttle tickets and make it on the shuttle without it leaving or we'd have to wait like another hour for the next shuttle. And waiting another hour was not an option, we wanted to be back at the hostel ASAP! We were literally sprinting to the shuttle because we thought it was going to leave and it didn't end up leaving for like another 15min. We felt so dumb, you could clearly tell we were tourists and everyone was probably laughing at us. But thats ok we were laughing at ourselves! Everyone in Greece was very friendly, helpful and spoke decent English. A good majority of the signs throughout the city were written in Greek and English. Here in Europe specifically Italy, the men are very forward with women. They will tell you straight up how they feel about you and usually they use the phrase--ciao bella (hello beautiful). In Greece, not so much. Although, on our shuttle back to our hostel we encountered some men that made us feel probably the most uncomfortable yet. It wasn't anything they said because we couldn't understand their language and they weren't trying to talk to us but they were clearly talking about us. They kept looking at us, laughing, and talking to each other. We could see them out of the corner of our eye staring at us. At one point I could have sworn they did take a picture of us or were trying to. They were harmless and did no harm but I couldn't wait to get off the shuttle! When we got back to the hostel we couldn't wait to shower but you should have seen this shower! It was so tiny! It looked nothing like a shower! I can't even describe it, you'll just have to wait and see it when I post pictures. The beds at the hostel felt like you were sleeping on a box spring with sheets that felt like sand paper. But hey, we booked a hostel not hotel, so I couldn't expect much. Then that night we went to a really good Greek restraunt with live Greek music and delicious food! We got a variety of Greek dishes such as; Greek salad, grape leaves, saganaki, and another I can't remember the name. We each had a little of every dish and to top it off we got free wine and dessert on the house! We stayed there pretty late enjoying each others company and the live music that when we left it was already pretty late. So we head back to the hostel for the night. On Sunday it was time to head back to Florence and we were ready to back at the apartment! On a side note--Being away from Florence really made us appreciate the city and our apartment more. It's crazy that we've only been here 2-ish weeks and how the apartment already feels homey and gives us that comforting thought and feeling. Florence no longer has the vacation feel to it like it did the first 2 weeks. I now don't feel like just a tourist but know my way around, and feel comfortable here. To put it in simpler terms, it  finally feels homey (: Ok, now back to my trip Greece. So we finally arrived in Rome and we had to catch a train to Florence. We had two options--the slow train (makes multiple stops) for 17 euro or the fast train (no stops along the way) for 45 euro. I really didn't want to spend the 45 euro but I wanted so badly to be back in Florence at the apartment. We had spent so much time traveling this weekend that the last thing I wanted to do was to wait 2 hours for the slow train to arrive and then ride it for 3 hours. So I spent the 45 euro along with my roommate Megan and her friend Chelsea and we were home in a little over an hour. It was probably the best decision I ever made to take the fast train! It was such a good and comforting feeling to be back on familiar grounds and reunited with the rest of be belongs at the apartment (haha). Well, that basically concludes my weekend in Greece. It wasn't what we expected but that's ok! We made the best of it and it was fun. It was an experience and now we can say we've been to Greece and ate authentic Greek foods! Lesson learned from this trip is to do research before you book a flight to some place foreign! Even if it's a killer deal on a flight! Oh and if your wondering about the riots and all that going on in Greece--there was none of that where we were. We all felt pretty safe! Now it is time to take on week 3 and it's adventures it has in store--everyday is something new here and I love it! More to come later but thats all for now--xxoo, ciao!

My First Week In A Wrap.

I survived my first week in Florence, classes, train ride, and bus2alps excursion! All without getting too lost or getting pick-pocketed by the gypsies (sp?). Yesterday my roommate Alex and I along with 3 of our fella friends took a ttrain to Pisa for $14.20 euro round trip. We went with the intentions of seeing the leaning tower of Pisa and soaking up some sun at the beach but only accomplished one of those. It didn't turn out to be beach weather so we took pictures at the leaning tower, enjoyed some lunch and headed back. While in Pisa I couldn't tell you the outrageous number of itialians on the streets selling umbrellas (it was sprinkling). They are all over and around every corner you turn. Some times you have to be very forward with them So they will leave you alone. While in Pisa we ate kebabs for lunch (chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, hot sauce, ranch?, French fries, and onions, all in a warm tortilla). It may sound like a strange combination but trust me, it's delicious! Because the beach was a no go because of the weather we headed toward the leaning tower of Pisa to take pictures and then headed back towards the train station to come back to Florence. Once we got back we hung out at the apartment for awhile taking naps and watching a rerun of the TV show Jersey Shore (specifically the season they spent in Florence).It is cool to recognize places here in Florence that they went to on the show. After a nice nap, my roommate Alex and I were in need of some comfort food, something familiar to us, that wasn't pasta (haha). In other words, we really wanted some American food! Thankfully there is a cheap diner (with student discounts!) just down the street from our apartment that serves American food! We both enjoyed a club sandwich and fries. Oh and a whole pitcher of FREE tap water (usually you pay for water when out to eat!). When we got back it was time for me to call it a night and head off to bed. I had to wake up at 6am this morning to walk to the train station for my first bus2alps (a company that you can book day trips and weekend trips through) day trip. I was nervous I was going to get lost on the way to the train station all alone but made it there just fine (: There I met the rest of the students going and the trip guides. Upon arriving I was informed by other students and the guides about an earthquake that happened last night. I had no idea! Apparently other students woke up in the middle of the night to their bed shaking. Now I can say I survived an earthquake, pretty neat eh! From the train station we got on a charter bus and headed to Cinque Terre. It was a little over 2 hours away. There are five different villages there that you can get to by foot or train. Cinque Terre is where pesto originates from so, of course we had to have some while we were there! I got a cappuccino and shared a pesto pizza with a friend and it was so delicious! Don't worry family! I bought a jar of pesto so we can share a meal made with pesto when I get home. After lunch we students had the choice to hike to the next village or take the train. I absolutely went on the hike! No questions asked! The views were so beautiful, the people that took the train missed out 100% for sure. As I was hiking, memories from my outward bound trip came flooding back. Such a great experience! Sadly, we didn't have the best weather (very rainy). The last village is the only one out of the five that is at sea level and has a beach. I was looking forward to the beach today but that didn't happen. There will be other opportunities to beach it up such as trips to Croatia and the Amalfi coast which will happen in June! Sunshine or not, the views were still priceless and I'm glad I went. I'm now home sweet home outta the rain and tucked away in my apartment for the night after a successful weekend in Pisa and Cinque Terre. Every day I find myself in more awe of the beauty and uniqueness of this city. Some times I have to remind myself of how blessed I truly am to have this experience. I love the different sights, sounds, and smells I encounter everyday--always something new! That's all for now--ciao! Xxoo

Not Quite Adjusted.

It's now day six and my body is still not quite adjusted to this time change. It will be 2am and my roommate and I will be laying in bed wide awake but when 3ish in the afternoon rolls around we are dead tired. The days go by so fast! We wake up, go to class, and the days practically over by the time we get out and walk back to our apartment. Thankfully I don't have class on Fridays or Mondays so we have long weekends to explore and travel. The other day on our way back from pizza we passed a church that was playing beautiful music! We stopped in and took a listen for awhile. Yesterday in my food and culture class we went on a little field trip around Florence and sampled different foods. One of the places we went was an organic restaurant where we sampled a salad, cheese, meats, and wine. Then we went to this other place where we sampled a truffle. Not the chocolate kind of truffle your thinking about. It was like this soft bread with this paste inside with grated mushroom. It was very different tasting, not something I'd buy in the future but I'm glad I sampled it! Then we went to this delicious bake shop where we thought we were getting chocolate but it ended up being a super rich type of hot chocolate. It was so rich we couldn't finish it! This weekend I'm not sure what my plans are quite yet. It is looking like tomorrow one of my roommates and I are gonna go to the train station, find the cheapest ticket and go! And who knows where that place will be. But I'm excited! Tonight we cooked dinner at the apartment. We had salad, pasta, and pizza! The pizza was a margaretta pizza and was so delicious! Sorry to cut it short but thats all i got for now--chaio! Xxoo

Let Me Catch You Up..

Today we finally got Internet in the apartment and had our first classes! Sadly, the Internet connection is really awful in the bedroom. Now,the reason I am abroad, classes! Of course! In my first class of the day that starts at noon we sampled different cheeses, salami, and olive oils with bread! I'd like to tell you it was all delicious but there was one cheese in particular I didn't care for. I also found out I have to wear pants and closed toe shoes for the class which really dampers my wardrobe here :/ I only brought two pairs of pants and one pair of running shoes! And who wants to wear running shoes and pants every day in Italy?! So much for all those dresses I bought before I came. Enough complaining about that, I'm in Italy! So to my next class, wine exploration. It is gonna be more difficult then i thought. The professor is like the director of the wine department at the school and has like 3 degrees and seems super hard core. We will sample 3 wines every class, write one 4 page paper, do a group presentation, and the dreadful cumulative exam. I will probably leave this class a wine expert! It was really cool during attendance to hear the true itialians call my last name and for once pronounce it like its suppose to be! Its also a cool feeling when they ask me about being Italian. I tell them I don't look like one or sound like one but I am one of them, haha. To bring you up to date on the happenings yesterday we went to the grocery store and did our best at picking things out by what they looked like because we couldn't read the labels. One strange thing about there products is they don't refrigerate there milk. I personally don't like milk to begin with but one of my roommates got some and said it was nasty! Last night we enjoyed a home cooked meal by one of the roommates. We had pasta with red sauce and bread. I find it kind of odd that at the restaurants they provide you with bread but no butter or olive oil. The service here is very slow. You have to ask them to bring you your bill and they don not split the bill up either which makes paying kinda difficult. After dinner we got some gelato and overheard a women in the shop make a very rude comment. We wore our sweatshirts and yoga pants to the shop and this women commented saying, wow they must be americans because they are dressed like trash! Seriously, everyone here is dressed up and looking nice all the time! After gelato we hit the town to experience the night life! Obviously after we came back and changed out of our "trashy" clothes, haha. Tonight we had dinner at the pizza place the jersey shore cast ate at when they were here. The workers didn't want us to take a picture outside of it because there not really fans of the jersey shore cast. But they let us take just one (: after dinner we enjoyed some gelato and came back to the apartment to relax and catch up with people back home on our Internet were so glad we finally got! That's all for now, it's getting late! Xxoo- P.s- I forgot my camera chord, no pictures until I'm home unless there taken from the iPad I brought! Sorry!

Florence, I've arrived!

After a long flight from Detroit to Paris to catch my connecting flight to Florence I have arrived in one piece, luggage and all! The plane ride wasn't very miserable but the food they provided was! I sat by friendly people both flights (Yes mom I was conversational!). It was rainy yesterday and today is sunny but windy and chilly. I live in an apartment on the top floor with 6 other girls (3 of us are from CMU and 3 are from ISU) and I share a room with one of the other central gals. Sadly we don't have a balcony but we do have big shutter windows (: Our shower on the other hand is very tiny. Remember the scene in the movie Elf where he is in the shower that is way to small for his body? If you can picture that, that's me! I have to stand crouched down to use the shower, haha. Today we had orientation and got a tour of the school buildings that are around Florence. The school is not set up like the campuses are in the states where everything is clustered together. The apartments and school buildings are scattered all over Florence. My classes (Wine Experience & The Florence Food and Culture) start tomorrow and are every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday. Everything seems like a long walk but I hope the more places become familiar the shorter the walks will seem. This morning I bought some fresh fruit from a market for breakfast and it was so delicious! One of the many markets is only a couple minutes away from my apartment so I'll be making many trips there throughout my stay. On Sunday I'm planning on taking my first day trip to Cinque Terre. Thats all for now, time to go grocery shopping with the roommate! (Longer posts to come--once we get internet in our apartment!).

Almost.Here.

The date is quickly approaching, in just a few short days (5/12/12) I will begin my adventure to the beautiful land of Italy (and my ancestors)! I see of its beauty as I flip through the ever so wonderful google images that I'm sure don't do justice but, I can't wait to see and experience it for myself. I'm feeling a variety of emotions as I prepare but trying to focus on pure excitement (: As I prepare for this six week journey I constantly find myself in awe of the wonderful blessing it is that this trip is even possible, God is so good! I hope that through my blog you all may live vicariously through me (: Your prayers for safe travels would be greatly appreciated! Until my view from Europe, that's all for now..


-Robin


P.S- I'll apologize now to all you grammar junkies, I'm sorry if it's killing you as you read through my posts. Writing has never been a strength of mine! 

Here is the start of my first official blog! Thank you Carli Miller for your creative juices and coming up with my blog title (: ox