Sentimental? Cue freak rainstorms

I’ve been getting a little sentimental lately.  Yesterday, walking lungarno towards the Ponte Vecchio, taking in the sights of this pretty city, I couldn’t help but to think that next week at this time I’ll be home... in Danvers.

I actually watched a parade of hundreds of these adorable,
old Fiat 500's the other day. Nice, surprise study break!

Anna finds Boccaccio very entertaining

Then, I got less sentimental.  Sorry, Florence, but when you bombard me with irrational, New England-esque weather, it’s kind of rude.  I understand that you’re upset that we’re leaving on Saturday--we’ve had a wonderful year together.  However, Sunday began as what Lew would refer to as a “Top 10 Day.” We trekked up to the Boboli gardens to revive our suntans... ahem I mean, study...and were, instead, surprise-attacked by an end-of-the-world type storm.  Rain, hail, wind, thunder, and lightning did not make for the best afternoon outside. Even better, Lauren and I were obviously umbrella-less, bike-less, car-less, and eventually shoe-less, trudging through the overflowing streets and suffering the impact of splashing cars.  When bus #23 finally arrived, we looked as if we just took a dunk in the Arno.

I just jumped in the river?

Things that should not occur in June

Anyhow, these mixed feelings lead me to.................

Things I’m Looking Forward to about the USA:

Yes, Randy, that means you!

1. A manicure and a pedicure


2. “Say Yes to the Dress” or any live television show in my native language for that matter


3. Giant, feathery pillows, medium-sized spoons, and a cell phone from the 21st century


4. A bathroom that does not involve a hidden flush, a bidet, a foot pedal, or a rocket-ship shower

Bye Bye Bidet, Bidet goodbye

5. Written exams>Oral exams


6. Living in a “dog” house. (Not, a doghouse.) Cat lovers, don’t take this personally, I just don't think I can talk about how beautiful Angiolina’s eyes are any longer. Pearl girl, on the other hand...

Cute even when she's dirty and gray!

7. Weather-appropriate clothing. Italians, we don’t wear scarves when it is 80 degrees outside.


8. 34 cent stamps. Snail mail is the best; the cost of postage abroad is not.


9. Laundry via fabric softener & a dryer


10. Some food favorites LIKE... McDonald’s Coca-Cola, fried clams, berry salad, peanut butter, orange juice, and hamburgers :)








***My beautiful friends and family!

Sorry Ky, you didn't make the cut! This picture of the
Larson Fam is far too wonderful to omit

Things I’m Going to Miss About Italy:


1. Nina, my Italian host sister, singing American pop songs with no knowledge of the English language. I give you the lyrics to Katy Perry's Firework: “Ohhshaby yurr a fyerrwurk momon soyumwat cher vurr” 

Nina & Oscar

2. The bicycle culture. Toddlers riding in the bike’s baby seat, elderly women strolling past in their finest furs, tourists frantically running out of the way of crazed bicycling natives...
















3. Traveling to foreign countries on the weekends

4. Oscar discovering the gelato-cones that Sylvia craftily hides in empty, frozen spinach bags, in the freezer


5. Living in a place where people vacation. My proximity to the center of Florence. The fact that I see Renaissance artwork and walk through history every single day.

6. Parlare italiano

Spence getting his Italian on

7. Listening to the opera singer (who lives upstairs) belting out tunes while I’m in the shower. Her voice is a little better than my shower voice.




8. Sharing hilarious host-family stories with my friends... Lauren walked into breakfast and was greeted by her 70-year-old host-mother reading the newspaper in 3D glasses... When Adair forgot her keys, her host-mom wouldn’t let her in, because she didn’t recognize her name until she pronounced it incorrectly... Ah-dai-Ee-Err.


9. Bufala mozzarella, Italian tomatoes, Chianti vino, & essentially anything that Attilio cooks for dinner


10. A gelato a day with my little group of American besties