Long time, no blog...

Sorry everyone! This is starting to remind me of when I was younger, I could never keep a journal or diary going for very long at once, and that seems to be what is happening now... oops. A lot has happened in the past month or so, but I need to do the quick quick version in order to not spend forever on this! Something is better than nothing right?

1) Middle of April and Easter

Over Easter, a friend from Georgetown, Allie, came to Florence and I was able to spend some time with her! (Her blog is linked over there, she is studying in Paris.) It was really nice to see her and play tourist in Florence again. On Easter morning, we witnessed the festivities surrounding "Lo Scoppio del Carro" or the Explosion of the Cart. There was a really cool parade with costumes and oxen and the giant cart, and it culminated in front of the Duomo with what was essentially a pyrotechnics display. It's so great to know I took advantage of that experience! A few days later, I met up with Allie and a high school friend of hers who is studying in Florence and we did real aperitivo - where the price of a drink pays for a buffet where you can take as much as you want. Definitely a great deal and I hope to do it again before I leave!

2) Visiting with David's parents

Toward the end of April, Dave's parents (my future parents-in-law) took a two week trip to Italy and I spent the middle part of it with them. First up was a weekend in southern Italy which was great. I met them on a train in Rome and we continued to Naples, and from there we had a 2-hour guided visit of Pompeii before reaching our hotel in Sorrento. We spent one full day in Capri (the island off the coast) and another along the Amalfi Coast. For Capri, we had a guide, Ernesto, and as the other group didn't show it was a private tour for us. Having Ernesto really streamlined things and we got to do everything Dave's parents had on their list. Among the highlights were the Blue Grotto and the Mt. Solaro chairlift. Plus, the entire day was enriched by the fact that we had incredible weather - so lucky and beautiful! It was truly amazing scenery.

The Amalfi Drive outing they'd scheduled was cancelled due to some sort of road issues, but we ended up taking SITA, the Italian intercity bus service, to Positano and then Amalfi along the Costa Amalfitana, and that day turned out amazingly as well. We took our time exploring Positano, got our feet wet (literally), and had lunch overlooking the Mediterranean. Then we made our way to Amalfi and eventually had dinner there before heading back to Sorrento. I felt so lucky to have seen such beautiful places and with such great company! (Sidenote: I am lucky to be really fortunate in the in-laws I am gaining. Since I was 16 I've spent a lot of time with them and as such, they are already basically like family. Parents-in-law usually has such a negative connotation and luckily enough that isn't my situation!)

After the trip, Dave's parents spent a few days here in Florence and I saw them as much as I could in between classes. It all culminated with a lovely dinner with my host family and my visitors the last night they were here.

3) My grandparents' visit

Not long after Dave's parents' departure, my grandparents arrived in Florence! They got here on May 2 and much as before, I've been spending time with them where I can. I got to spend a night with Venice in them, which was great, last week. Now they've transferred to a villa in the Tuscan countryside, but once my school week is over I will head down there to spend a few days with them and their friends who came to Italy as well.

4) Group Georgetown trip

This past weekend, I went to Maremma, which is the southern part of Tuscany, with Lucia, her friend Paola (who provided a second car), and 4 of the 5 other Georgetown girls studying here this semester. It was lots of fun, and great to see some beautiful scenery in a part of Tuscany that isn't easily accessible without a car. We spent parts of both days at the beach, got to soak in some thermal springs, and stayed at a very nice "agriturismo" in the countryside.

5) School

School is actually playing a big part in my life right now, which I realize must shock you all from all the various vacations I've had. Today I have a presentation (I think I am good for it... let's hope so!), then over the next few weeks there are a couple papers to write and an exam to study for, plus finishing up sessions with my tutors for my classes. I will be officially done on June 3, which leads to my next topic...

6) My Impending Departure

There were times when it seemed like it would never happen. I've always known this was temporary, but back in September and October, June seemed a looooong way away. My departure is scheduled for June 5, giving me about 3.5 weeks left in Italy! It is sort of bittersweet, but to be honest with you, with an emphasis on sweet. Maybe I will go into more detail later, but I am truly really excited to go home. I am also trying to make sure I remain present and appreciative of the end of this time here, but going home is going to feel nice.

Alright, off to get ready for class and later on after that, my presentation! Things are busy these days but I will try to be a bit better about my updates! Emphasis on try...