My Last (and once again long) Update.....

Wow - it sounds so surreal to be saying that. I'm sitting on my bed surrounded by evidence of packing, and I still can't believe that tonight is my last night in this apartment. The past four months have been the fastest of my life, and some of the most incredible. I've seen more than I imagined I could, and really proved to myself that if something is important enough for me to do, I can do it, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem.

But, on an exciting note - Jim is coming tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to a week in Europe with him! On our list, Florence, Rome, Paris, and London.

So here they are my last random statements about my time in Italy:

The Five Things:
That I'm really going to miss about Florence:
1 - Coconut or hazelnut flavored gelato.
2 - Being a part of a city that has so much history.
3 - Taking my nearly daily walk along the Arno River.
4 - Always having something new to explore.
5 - Going for the occasional drink and aperitivos with friends.

That I miss from home:
1 - Garbage Disposals!
2 - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and popcorn, enough said.
3 - Not having to dodge people and cars whenever I have to go to class.
4 - Stores that are open later than eight or nine, especially during midterms and finals week.
5 - Fitted bedsheets that don't have to be remade every night.

That I've learned about myself:
1 - I will never, ever consider a career path of a travel agent.
2 - I can do what I consider impossible, if I set my mind to it.
3 - I don't do well when I don't get enough sleep.
4 - Grass and other green stuff is more important to me than I realized - I miss it when it's not around.
5 - I really don't like shopping sometimes, and sometimes I like it - just can't figure out when or why...

That I've learned about my family:
1 - When you call my family on Skype, you never know what to expect on the webcam. (ie: Sideways camera, Dad without a goatee, Eric on crutches, John laying on the floor, the neighbor's dog, you get the idea).
2 - If you want to get your parents and grandparents using the latest communication technology, just go abroad!
3 - Mom would be terrible at art restoration! Her theory, just take the statues with just heads, and put them on top of any statue that is just a torso.
4 - Talking to Eric and John are the ones to call if you're ever in need of entertainment!
5 - That there is something about Italy that reminds me of every one of my grandparents.

That I've learned in class:
1 - Florence had a flood in 1966.
2 - My Italian professor draws the most ridiculous looking sheep in the world. (Yes, he was drawing sheep on the whiteboard one day.)
3 - Divorce only became legal in Italy in the 1970's.
4 - If you wanted to sound knowledgeable about Italian History, just say that something happened because of the Medici family. 60% of the time you'll be right! Man, they were powerful...
5 - We saw a statue "in class", Donatello's Magdalene. It has quickly become a favorite of mine. (I really wanted to get that in there, can't you tell?)