I am here, YEAHHHHH

Hi guys,

Sorry for not writing sooner. I need time to settle in. Just to update you a bit. I was fine once I got on the plane just like Rocio said I would. Thanks Rocio. I was just so sleepy. Most of you know Grace was staying with me this past month and last week we had school finishing, then I was planning her surprise party. Well on Wed. night I couldn't sleep because I was worrying about the party. Then Thur. night I went to bed late because of the party. I had to work on Friday and then I slept nothing because I had to pack. I tried to sleep on the plane and I did most of the time actually but you know people asking you what you want to drink, eat and kids crying it was not the best. Once here I was to excited to sleep. I just wanted to be out walking around. I have been going to bed everday at about 12:00 and waking at 7:30 for class. Well let me just tell you about my first few days. I have met great people at school. I have 2 friends I am always with one is Gabriela from Canda and one is Sarah from Spain. Everyone at the school pretty much knows English. However, some know so many languages. Most are either very young or very old. It made me think "What the hell was I waiting for." Those poor older guys always say "I am doing it now because I didn't when I was young." I met this girl who is backpacking across Europe all by her self and she is 20 years old. She is having the time of her life. Most people here take a year of sabatical where they do that. They just travel for a year. Once girl in my class is 19 years old and is just finishing her sabatical. I have a great apartment and I am having a great time. Yesterday was one of the best days. I went on a tour of Florence with the school on Monday. So yesterday Sarah and I decided to lose ourselves in Florence. We just wondered around. We bought fruit at this great market. That market has been there sine the 1200's. People bought fruit and even house hold items then and they still do. I bought a European adapter in the cart next to the fruit :). Well we then just found this most beautiful gothic church called Santa Maria Novello. It was built in 1279. It is beautiful. It has some very famous cristian paitings. My favorite is also well know it is call the Trinity by MAssiccio. You can look it up if you like. We then went and sat on the bridges of Florence and I wrote and my friend drew. She is an artist and did an awesome job. We sat on the farthest bridge from the may part of town because the main bridge is where this old gold market is. It has been there since the Medicci dynasty. There is this cool walk way on top of the market that was built for this spoiled queen from Spain named Lorena. She did not believe that her feet should touch the same ground as commeners. So here husband made her this walkway from their old castle to the new castle they bought because the other was just to small. It even cuts into this church where she could listen to service and not mingle with the public. Anway, Like I said I could write a novel from the few days I have already been here. I have a great place, great roomates, and I love that I feel like I live here not that I am visiting. A student from class was like "Those darn tourist at the Duomo creating such a crowd on the steps where we like to eat." I reminded him that we too are tourist. He said I forget and it has been so short of a time. It feels like I have lived here a while. Like now I am sitting at this cyber cafe with all Italian residents far from the tourist path on my way home for a nap before I fall from being so tired. No fear though I will be meeting from friends in about 2 hours to go see this other castle and walk Florence. I have eaten 2 Gelatos since I got here and probably plan to eat 1 a day. No worries I walk all the time and when I go to school we are on the 4th floor of this old house built in the 1400's. I walk the stairs everday and believe me it is crazy. I will take a picture of the stairs for you. Therefore, I believe since I have to walk those stairs daily I deserve a Gelato a day. Don't you? Well I will write again very soon please come back and check my site. I am going to attempt to download some photos of my place with my huge balcony. I just need a Romio. :)