the place most recommended: cinque terra

It's Saturday night in Florence and I'm exhausted.

Grocery Stores...The grocery system here is SO different than in the States. For example, if you want milk or cheese you go to the local Lateria. If you want bread you go to the corner bakery. If you want meat you go to the butcher shop (the one with the pig heads in the window and the family of mini pigs sitting around a table enjoying themselves while eating another pig). My roommate found a great place called Standa; it's the closest thing to a Vons but it's about ten blocks away so it's kind of a pain to carry potatoes over your shoulder.

Classes...I am officially in all of my classes and I think it is going to be fantastic. Interior Design is going on a field trip to Verona on Monday. We are going to the second largest furniture expedition in the world, it will be fun. Photography is phenomenal; Romeo (pronounced Row-may-oh) is a professor who cares so much about his students and their work, while pushing us to get better- it reminds me of Westmont. Jewelry class is great too, no explanation. Lastly, Italian class. So hard, but good at the same time. I am getting better, believe it or not. (Mi Chiamo Emily. Sono studentessa d'Italiano. Abito in Firenze. Arrivederci! = My name is Emily. I am a student of Italian. I live in Florence. Goodbye!)

Mosquitoes...The bug from hell. I have 6 on one ankle, 8 on the other, 5 on one elbow, 3 on the other, and 2 on each wrist making the grand total 26. Tomorrow I'm sure there will be a new count. For some reason I thought that they would just stop biting me as time went on but that is probably the worst idea I've come up with this whole week. I need to go to a "hardware store" to get mosquito killer.

Cinque Terre... The place that [probably] 14 of you told me to visit. Well, Meg and I made our way there on Friday morning. Meg and I are both E-N-F-J personality types and if you know anything about Meyers Briggs, a "J" is generally not spontaneous, has to have things perfectly planned and organized, and is very structured. Meg and I went with out a place to sleep. We just got on a train. Should I repeat that? We didn't have a place to sleep. SO UNLIKE ME. It was so adventerous of us, I can't believe it. Some of you are thinking "What's the big deal" while I smile in my new found spontaneity. We stayed for one night in a great place and ate like real Italians- appetizers and a meal over four hours.

Planning Trips... The island of Elba and Pisa next weekend, Mom comes for the next two weekends, Prague after that, then Barcelona, followed by London, then off to Paris. Fun, huh?

How am I... Good, tired, adjusting. There is so much that happens in a day that it has been hard to just sit and think. I have been journaling a lot and I really appreciate it. I have class M-T-TH starting at 9 so if I want to get up and be productive before the street vendors come out, it needs to be at 7 in the AM. When I came back from Cinque Terre it was good to walk up to the apartment and feel excited to be "home." We are going to church again tomorrow and we went to the church dinner this past Wednesday. It is real comforting to go to an American church here. I think that this semester will be one that is real lonely-- even though I am surrounded with a few friends here, it just will be. That is what college has been for me...freshmen year, @ Urban, as an RA, now in Florence = lonely. It is a good lonely though. No need to worry. God is becoming so much bigger here, especially in this city that feels so religious, but so apathetic at the same time. I am learning more about myself and what I do and don't like.

Things I like: Peace (Pace in Italian). Children at the train station who love to be photographed. Julie Pointer's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Personal TV screens on long airplane rides. JG's 'A Brighter Green'. Being bored on vacation. The book of James. Adoptions & Children. The enunciation of most words in Italian. When people are so sure and they say 'Absolutely!'

Things I don't like: War. Language barriers when trying to communicate. Abortions. Girls who cuss (Yes, I've stopped for the most part.) Awkward lip rings. People who don't keep themselves informed.














I miss you. Here is my address in case you forgot:

Emily Katz
c/o Studio Art Centers International
Palazzo dei Cartelloni
Via Sant'Antonino 11
50123 Florence-Italy

Five days until I am an official adult. I don't like the idea of that. Ughh, do I have to? Twentyone... after Carter turned twentyone I called him old at every birthday. In my mind everyone under twentyone is young and everyone over twentyone is old (Michele, we can talk about this later- you aren't old). When you are twentyone you get the privilege of being somewhere in between, wait... is that a privilege?

On that note, off to bed.

-e.