My Semester Abroad: A Rather Funny Florence Frenzy

“O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:”

Walt Whitman

So I did it guys, I made it home. I survived the battle and perhaps I won the war. I’m still not so sure to describe everything that happened and why I feel like crying as I think about it right now. Alex is sitting right next to me on the Amtrack as we head home, and I can’t think of a more perfect first 24 hours back stateside. We did, absolutely nothing. Watched some YouTube ate take away gluten free pizza, and fell asleep cuddling watching Emperor’s New Groove. Oh and I cried the second I saw him. What? I’m a girl, that is totally allowed. Even with an uncomfortable sunburn, food poisoning and a boot for his right foot; he was still there at the international airport waiting for me. And he didn’t even mind when I cried all over his shirt and made a general scene (in truth I think he liked it; the weirdo). But yeah, I think I had a good first day back. </span>

There will still be a lot more crying, in a few hours when my parents pick Alex and I up from the station, when I see my sister, and definitely when I see my Abuelita Nora. Granted, I’m not so sure who will cry more during that occasion, her or I but we’ll find out soon.

And I know I didn’t exactly keep up with the blog as much as I originally intended or promised time and time again, but there are so many more stories I need to tell.

Like the time two drunk men grabbed my butt while they were in a moving car, or the time I found a hermit crab, the time I barfed all over a club from drinking, the time I was so overwhelmed by homesickness that I started sobbing inconsolably in my bedroom, eating escargot, and my never ending quest for the perfect meal.

My teachers warned me time and time again that I will be experiencing reverse culture shock. I’ve only been home for 24 hours and I can definitely vouch for that. [I actually just suffered a mini-heart attack when I couldn’t remember if we had turned off the gas as Alex’s apartment, but this is America, that isn’t something you do here.] So to help cope with this “reverse homesickness” I’ll keep updating this blog to deal. And please if you see me anytime soon and are just bursting with questions? Let me say what I want to say and don’t bombard me, I can’t think of answers well enough right now to satisfy every detailed question you will have for me. I’ll be able to write out the answer and use my pictures on this blog, but I’m just not organized and collected at this moment to describe the trip in a half an hour meeting over coffee.

But I do know this. I’m not as big an adventurer as I had previously assumed. I don’t exactly mind it, because now without a doubt I know I belong home now with my family. Where home will eventually end up being I can’t exactly specify, just that it will be in California. Being an so far away from home was rough for me, it would have been immensely different if there wasn’t an entire continent and ocean between me and everyone I love.

Thank You everyone that wished me well, and good luck. It’s been a fun and frantic frenzy.

If it’s one thing that bothers me, it’s tourist season. I can hear them from my living room outside, and they pack into the museums like sardines; or Japanese commuters on a high speed train. I honestly feels as if I can’t escape them, lord knows how many pictures I’ve accidentally photobombed rushing past on my way to class. But it’s seriously an epidemic, how to the locals do it? Sometimes all I want to do is…

But then I may get in trouble, which is bad. So instead my only choice is to conform.

I know, I know, I’m ashamed of me for thinking it too. But there are just too many and I can’t hold them off forever, save yourself and go on without me. 

Also *disclaimer, this last paragraph is highly offensive*  I despise Asian Tourists. They must feel it is their god given right to TOUCH everything; priceless artifacts in museums, statues, and forcibly shoving you as their tour group storms past. And also, I speak Japanese so I understand perfectly when you are insulting someone you ungrateful  angst ridden teenage twats. Is it really that difficult to keep your hands to yourself in a museum? Shame on all of you. The sign above the artifact clearly states in hirigana DON’T TOUCH. 

H&M HAS A COTURE FASHION LINE HERE IN ITALY THAT ISN’T AVAILBLE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?

AMERICA!?!?!

DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHAT A HUGE MARKET YOU ARE LEAVING UNSATISFIED!?!?!

I WOULD BE SHOPPING AT H&M ON THE DAILY IF I COULD BUY SUCH SNAZZY DRESS! I WOULD WALK BY EVERY DAY JUST TO STARE WITH MINDLESS LOVE OVER YOUR TULLE AND CHIFFON DRESSES. 

my heart is broken from your increadibly stupid lack of marketing skills. I shake my head. 

You tell them Mushu!

When I left for Italy, I left behind someone very important. I can’t believe how much I miss him, he’s been apart of my life for so long that I can’t seem to function without him. Now everything seems so unsatisfying and bland. I could ask my mom for some help but I go home soon enough so we can be together at last. But the first time I see him, I probably won’t be able to handle it. 

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I’m going to the orchestra tonight! I’ll wear my wonderful dress, a pair of high heels, and maybe even get that statuesque feeling. A girl can hope right?

Regardless, it will be a beautiful night. But I hope they play some of the pieces that Alex and I listened to back home at the Sacramento Convention Center. I’ll be so excited if that were to happen! 

And I’ll have a nice relaxing dinner across the street from the theater before the performance begins, at a delicious place called “Ristorante Pizzeria Il Teatro”, I would recommend try the risotto. I can hardly wait for tonight. Pictures will sure to be on the way, along with the many promised updates I should have made a long time ago. Thank God I can post date the entries to that they appear in the chronological order of their happening. 

Ciao Tutti Belle!