Firenze: Thoughts on the first three weeks.

 Maybe I was being a wimp, maybe I was just homesick, maybe Venus was in alignment with a moon of Jupiter and that was what made me second guess my decision to study abroad. Whatever it was I finally bucked up after a couple days of mild pouting and opened myself up to all that was Florence.  I’m now over three weeks deep with 12 to go (as of 9/27) and I can feel my time slipping away so I better make the most of it.

The Good!

My new ride.

What better way to make the most of one’s time in Florence than to buy a bike on Craigslist? 35 euro later I am now the proud owner of a used bicicletta (bike in Italian) complete with one working brake, two flat tires, an industrial strength bike lock and basket for storing my treasures. (Don’t forget the bell I ding at pedestrians I am about to run over!) Sure the seat is really uncomfortable and the roads here are horribly uneven, making the ride nothing short of painful, but I can get from point A to point B way faster than walking….assuming that I don’t get drilled by one of the many crazy drivers here in Florence.

 

Running.

A couple times a week I lace up my Vasque trail runners from REI and head out for a little wog (walk/job) along the Arno River. Not only does this help me burn off the trillion grams of carbohydrates I consume daily but I get to see a little more of the city every time I take a new route. Florence has a large community of runners, mostly men, and there is even a marathon here on November 28^th but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Currently I am sticking to the paths and sidewalks along the river and sometimes if I am feeling frisky I will head over the bridge and go west.

The apartment.

Aside from the lack of a dryer and my incredibly teeny shower, I really do like my apartment. The kitchen has pretty much everything I need and I usually cook for myself at least four nights a week. It's really helping me save my coin for more worthwhile expenditures…say traveling on the weekends?

Dinner!

Kebabs!

Good thing my friend introduced me to these puppies before she headed back to the states because they are a godsend when I am sick and tired of pasta. Donner kebabs are either Turkish or Middle Eastern wraps with some kind of rotisserie meat, onions, cabbage, lettuce, a spicy pepper sauce or just the flakes and then a garlic yogurt sauce. At only 3.50 Euro a pop I usually have two or three a week.

The Bad…

My Italian and my obsession with gelato and/or ice cream sandwiches. Despite my attempt at Rosetta Stone over the summer my Italian still stinks and no one speaks English over here aside from my teachers. Most of the time I use erratic hand gestures, some strained facial expressions coupled with a few words in Spanish and finally a “Grazie.” Of course this gets me nowhere. As for the gelato obsession…there is a place on the way to school that serves not only the most delicious Peanut Butter gelato but a Goat Cheese and Fig flavor that knocks my socks off! I finally had to make the executive decision that a few hundred calories and a 1.50 euro a pop wasn’t worth what I was doing to my waistline. That being said now I am hooked on mini ice cream sands from the grocery store. Ridiculous.

The Ugly…or the stinky in this case.

My street.

Via dei Pepi stinks. Everyone has dogs here (which really isn’t surprising since none of these dogs appear to be spade or neutered) but what really disturbs me is the insane amount of dog poop on the streets! In the U.S. if you don’t pick up after your pooch you might as well buy a ticket straight to hell because you’re committing a major social taboo, I wish florentines were aware of such things.

The Clubs and the Creepers Within.

As mentioned earlier I am not always a big fan of the disco tech scene. Heat makes for sweat, which stinks and is gross when it isn’t your own, and there is something to be said about the men who hang out in these kinds of places trolling for chicks. Maybe I just miss the good old days of getting my dance on at Mike’s in Pullman or maybe I am just too square for the clubs over here. Whatever it may be I am not saying I absolutely hate it because I have had a couple good nights out but I really do miss my old scene at the Coug where you played drinking games with wilted cards on wobbly stools, where Tom Petty played in the background and pitchers of Busch Light were only $7.50.

No I don't.

All of that being said I am happy to report that I am enjoying Florence...the food, the people, the art... I could go on. I am enjoying all of my classes, since after all I am here to finish my degree, and I look forward to learning more Italian in the upcoming weeks. Of course I miss my family and friends back home but these 12 weeks are going to fly by and I still have so much to see and do. Ciao Ciao!