Plans, Plans, and more Plans...

My Australian soccer friends!
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Happy Birthday Jen!

I won't lie, this won't be the most interesting update in the world, as I have been sick, but I will try to humor you, as well as myself.  Since I have been sick, I make all these random plans and ideas in my head of where I should go next, and places I should see and visit.  I've decided when, and if ever, I get back to the states, I am going to be extremely exhausted and extremely poor.  But, never fear, I realized that 10 years down the road, when I'm telling my crazy stories from Europe, I will never say "You know I didn't go anywhere that weekend, but I saved 15 Euro".  I would, however, like to say "I blew all my money, got stuck here, was lost there, barely made it home, but I had the time of my life."  So friends, that is my new motto.  (Sorry Dad if you get a credit card bill sometime - I try not to use it!  But I'm 4736 miles away, how much of a thumping could you give me! haha  Are you regretting cosigning on it now?!)  Ok sorry Dad!

I don't know how I type this much, blame it on the sickness, I was bored...

Conversation partners! From Left to Right: Janene (my roommate), Me, Matteo, Liz, Daniele, Michele (my partner). What a crew!
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Anyways, yesterday we went into Florence and walked through all the open air markets, which are my absolute favorite.  Even though they all have like the same things.  I just like to stroll slowly down the street and look at all the goods there are.  I also found a food market.  Which is indoors, but there are a ton of vendors inside, and no tourists really go there, so it was really a treat!  But we were strolling through the market, and I saw a group of about 5 guys about my age or a little older, and one older guy who could have been their dad/grandpa.  They were all wearing the same outfits, so I'm obviously looking at them like they are aliens, and I am talking to my friends and kind of making fun of them because they are all dressed like it's 10 below zero, and I'm wearing a skirt and sandals.  As we walk by, the old man says, in an unidentifiable accent at the time, "Is that an American accent I hear?"  I quickly became embarrassed, said yes, and walked by.  Well just a bit farther down the street, we turn around and head back the other way.  Sure enough we walk past this group again.  So the man stops me, and asks where I'm from.  Quickly I learn that this is an Australian Soccer team.  They were in a tournament in Italy.  Wow.  Upon further inspection, this was not just a team, but these guys were probably the most attractive human being I had ever seen.  So I shoot the breeze for a little while, and then head off to the rest of Florence.

Greatest Contraption ever. You put the coffee and water in the bottom half, and it percolates up into the top. Mmmmm.
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I did make a couple purchases today!  A Moka stovetop Espresso Pot.  It's a pot that you can make really good Espresso in in your home! Mmmmm.  And also a set of Espresso cups.  Because I am told that it is a sin to drink Espresso out of the wrong type of cups!

Then we wandered around for a while, and as we were walking down a quiet street (don't worry, it was like 3 p.m.), I'm not really paying attention to anything, just looking around at things, and I hear my name called from afar.  In confusion, I look around and see none other than Megan McDonald.  Quick Background:  Meg and I were very good friends in High School, we played volleyball together as well.  I haven't seen her in about a year - year and a half.  Wow.  I can't manage to see the girl in Winona, a city of 27.000, but I see her in a huge city of nearly 1/2 million people.  What a small world!

After walking around all day, we finally head back to the bus station, only to see this big, touristy looking bus parked on the side of the street.  As we approach the bus, I realize these "tourists" are really our soccer friends from Australia.  Go figure.  So I yell out at the coach, and ask if he's following us.  They are a junior team called A.P.I.A.  What a funny group, those Aussies.  So we wished them well and went on our merry way!

Well I have commenced my mission of seeing the world and making connections all over the world.  I have discovered an online community of traveling souls, so I have started to forge relationships there and figure out the world, CouchSurfing .  I figure that we are all citizens of the world, and therefore, should see,understand, and share all of our world that we can.  Next weekend, we are heading to Rome as a group, should be interesting/hilarious.  A group of 55 young adults being led around by actual responsible adults.  We are staying Thursday and Friday night with the group, but I plan on staying until Monday to do some further exploring!  The weekend after that, I am heading to Oslo, Norway.  Should be really cold, oh well, I'm from Minnesota for crying out loud, Norway ain't got nothing on MN!  Then, the weekend after that, Spring Break starts!  I have been putting some thought into Spring Break, and I will either go see Simon in Switzerland (For those of you who don't know, Simon was a foreign exchange student when I was in high school), or I'm headed to Slovenia and Croatia.  I realized that Eastern Europe is like the undiscovered gem.  Don't worry it's not dangerous!  We'll see, I'll probably end up lost and hitchhiking to the nearest ferry back to Italy!  Just kidding, but really, hitchhiking is really common in these countries.  Not that i would do it...or would I?  I have a couple people I can stay with in Slovenia and Croatia, so I should be set between those and hostels!  And, there is a good rail and bus system, so I shouldn't have to hitchhike.   I would really like to get up to Finland as well - Mom, do we have any contact at all with Eero? That'd be clutch if we did... There is also a guy I kinda know who lives in Oslo, who wants to come south to do some diving, so I think we might meet up sometime and dive, which I am really excited for!

I almost forgot, I met my conversation partner, Michele (Michele is a boy's name) the other day.  In my mind, it would have worked out like this.  Michele would have picked me up, he would have been real good looking and about 6 feet tall.  We would have chatted in English and Italian, had coffee and gelato, and then ran away and got married.  INSTEAD, he was about 5'7", and my Italian was ridiculously awful.  It was hilarious however.  Actually two friends have conversation partners at the villa (Coincidence? Doubt it), so we all went out together, which was kinda nice and a good comfort level.  But yeah, out of the villa doors walks the Jolly Green Giant (me), and has to bend down to give Michele the customary kiss on each cheek, all while his friends are laughing.  Great.

I have been so bored in my sickness that I have thought about some of my favorite and least favorite things about Italy:

• Public Toilets: You have to pay for them, and you have to squat over them, there is no actually seat.  A little awkward...
• Punctuality:  Italians are never on time, ever.  If you arrive on time, bravo; if you're 10 minutes late, no big deal; if you're 20 or more minutes late, then you're a true Italian.
• Gelato:  It is delicious.  It comes in a ton of flavors.  It isn't made with milk, like ice cream, yet it is still pretty creamy, and an all around great buy.
• The Drinking Culture:  There isn't exactly a "set" drinking age in Italy, as in most of Europe.  There isn't really an issue with binge drinking, or alcoholism because it is such a part of their culture.  People just go out and drink socially, they'll go out and have a drink, maybe two, and call it a night.  Plus, they usually drink a glass of wine with meals.
• Coffee: Simply put, they just make better coffee here.  You would like it, Dad, it's really dark and strong.
• Wine: They make some of the best wines in Italy, I have figured out mine is a sweet dessert wine called Moscato.
• Public Transportation:  There is an amazing system of trains and busses.  You can get just about anywhere in Italy easily by using these.
• The Autostrada:  Italians are crazy drivers, this is true.  Sometimes I think they just park wherever they want.  But driving on the autostrada (the Italian version of our freeways) is impressive.  When we drove from Vicenza to Bologna, traffic usually didn't drive less than 145 km/h (about 90mph).  Also, when someone wants to pass another car, they simply flash their lights at the car in front of them, and they get into the other lane to allow the car to pass.  It's quite the system.  They also flash their brights at oncoming traffic to signal a police car ahead. 
• Kissing:  Oh I know what you're thinking, get your minds out of the gutter!  I'm talking about the kisses given on each cheek whenever you greet/say goodbye to someone.  Even men do it to each other.  I just think it's a simple way to show affection for each other in a non gross, cover-your-eyes style.
• Foods:  Some Italian foods are just downright odd.  For example, I just ate a Special K Granola Bar.  Pretty normal, right? Wrong.  The flavor was pear and chocolate.  Definitely an interesting combination if you ask me!  I swear Italians put chocolate in everything: cereal, granola bars, breads, etc....But the rest of it is undoubtedly delicious!
• Cat Calls:  For some reason, when women are walking around, men find it acceptable to call out to them.  I have figured this out tho.  The only men who call out to women are the low-lifes, and the only women they call out to are usually touristy groups of women.  I have never been harassed while walking around by myself, only when in a group of 2 or more.  It's really not that bad, all you have to do is ignore it, sometimes it's even entertaining! For example, yesterday some man said to me as I walked by: "Ciao bella, lovely skirt you're wearing today, want to be my lovey dovey?" I know they say to ignore them, but I couldn't help but laugh at this guy, it was just that ridiculous.

Well I should say this is enough!  Hope to hear from you soon!  Love you and miss you all!