Monday, June 2

Festival of the Republic

Today is a national holiday in Italy! The town is basically shut down, the undergrad study abroad has the day off, the law school???? Damn American Bar Association and their classroom-minutes requirements!
We have class....they had to bring in some special lady to open the school up for us, she was not happy. lol

oh well, tonight we are all going as a big group to see Indiana Jones, heard seeing an American movie in Italy is pretty fun. They got us very cheap tickets, plus afterwards the director and professor of the program, Mary Pat Truethart, will be having us all over to her place for wine and cheese following the film!

fun.

okay, off to the first class of the day, Happy Festival of the Republic!

Sunday, June 1

Answers

So some of the Polls we did for the trip on the right hand side have already expired, in the sense that the answer has already passed...so I am closing those and giving you the answer to what happened....

What we will get annoyed with first on the trip?
Your guys' choice: First-Exchange Rate Second-Eachother
Answer: EXCHANGE RATE!

What are not going to miss when studying abroad?
Your guys split nearly evenly on all of them.
Answer: ALL OF THEM :)

What are we going to miss when we are studying abroad?
You guys split between Jack and Dans and Family!
Answer: ...obviously Family! (close with friends)

Who is likely to get hurt physically?
Your guys answer: Overwhelmingly went to BJ
Answer: PAT! In Rome...two famous quotes from the next morning "I broke my face" and "My Kidneys hurt" ON A SIDE NOTE, This may not be fair because the jet lag kicked BJ's ass and he stayed in bed the first night we hit it party-time hard in Rome, so....Pat may have got this because of circumstances beyond his control, who knows...after a pub crawl BJ could have been claiming his face was broken the next morning :) But for the record books, PAT.

How likely is it Sean will get kicked out of the Vatican?
Your guys' answer: Somewhat Likely tied with They Wont Let Him In
Answer: Neither!! I got in and did not get kicked out, I was 'hurting' a little bit that day so maybe it was simply the fact that I was not in typical Sean form. But maybe being at the most holy sites in the Catholic religion, it was good that I was not in typical Sean form :)

Will BJ make it to his Bday?
Your guys answer: Anything is likely
Answer: He did :) what a trooper! Could have been attributed to Pat holding his hair back the night before in some corner of Cinque Terre as he got ..umm..motion sickness??? :) But he survived!! Thank God.

Who will be the first person to cry?
Your guys answer: Even tie between all three
Answer: No one...yet!!! So that one will remain posted.

Okay, off to bed. I removed the polls, and will supplement them with new ones soon.

Ciao!

BJ's first time!!!!!!! (and it is on camera)

Much to nearly everyone's shock and disgust, we had realized 2 1/2 weeks into the trip that BJ had never tried Gelato!!! (For those who haven't tried it, it is a denser and much more creamier and flavorful version of Ice Cream)
They have Gelato stores on nearly every single block, many with multiple stores!

So tonight, during a study break Pat and I drug BJ out to get some. (BJ is not a big ice cream guy, so he was not super pumped)

He got mint chocolate chip, Pat got an Nuetella flavored one and I think an espresso or tiramisu, something like that....I got a caramel one, oh God mine was good!! :)
We took some pics, because that is what I do.

Enjoy, we sure did...congrats BJ for joining our club of Gelato eaters!




Studying!

So, for all the parents out there we wanted to post these pictures of us studying! Today Pat, myself and Lindsey Wehmeyer took to the steps of the Basilica of Santa Croce today to do our reading for class....then the girls joined us at the school to print off some articles and cases for an upcoming paper, and we joined BJ later today at the apartment for some more studying! :) we are diligent students!






Piazzale Del Michelangelo

Yesterday me and the boys went here, it looks over the entire city of florence and is just awesome! It is an amazing view, really gorgeous walk, you can bus it but if you are capable of the walk, it is well worth it! Here are some pics we took up there...








On our walk up and back we walked along the Arno river, that passes through Florence. We live a few blocks north of the river, so it is very close and really pretty on a sunny day.





Sunday in Florence

Today is our big study day!

We have outlines due tomorrow for our paper. Which means most of our research should be done, so that is how we will be spending today.

Last night was fun, for the last two nights we have sort of split up all going in different directions and hanging out with different crews. For no bad reason, just all wanted to do different things,,,,IE, hanging out chill, going to dance clubs, american pub, etc. So that has sort of been fun, exploring the city alone..well., not always.but you get the idea.

The piazzas are PACKED during the nights, like last night Pat was saying at 4AM Piazza Santa Croce was totally packed with people drinking beers on the steps, kids playing football in the square, etc... Pretty cool scene,...

I took these pics of the churches and statues as I was walking back last night...pretty cool and sort of creepy in some of the quieter piazzas, like Piazza Signoria, all alone essentially with these thousand year old statues all seeming to look at you, lol!




Saturday, May 31

sad and good

mixed emotions, had to spend some money today on a camera. do not really have the money, but had to get one, this is the trip of a lifetime and it would really be horrible if I couldn't document it.
If you remember my camera is in a Taxi cab in Rome. (I'm still thinking the cabby jacked it). He took pictures of us with it outside of the Coliseum on the way back and my theory is he gave Pat his camera back and then kept mine. ass.

Pat's camera lens is broken, it is stuck in between being out and closed in. So Jaunessa took it back to the states to get it fixed under its warranty.

So I had to buy a new one. It was the cheapest in the store, but is really nice! 8.2 mega pixels, takes video, is compact.
Oh well, things could definitely be worse.

We all passed first year of law school. YES! lol

BJ is Accounted For!

We are all here, we are all alive, we all passed.................

Friday, May 30

Grades

Well, they got posted today!

Pat and I are totally content with the outcome, ummmm. BJ has yet to come back home yet, it is 3:30AM, I am sure he is fine, I just hope he has a key so we are not all awoken by him ringing the bell :)

I am sure BJ is wonderful grade wise, he always seems to pull it out (ha)..............

Jaunessa is leaving Saturday morning Italy Time, at around 8:30AM :(
I love her..........I will miss her............. *tear*

goodnight, from Italy!!!

Today (Friday)

So today was a wonderfully calm day! The 90 degree sweat inducing heat of the last three days subsided and turned into some cool showery weather, which was perfect for today since our plans were to spend the whole day studying and working on our 20 page paper that is due in a week and a half, and an outline is due on Monday.

I stayed at the apartment since my computer is connected to the internet and it also served as a good way to get some time apart from the guys, don't get me wrong...we're getting along, just some alone time was nice. BJ and Pat went to the library, Jaunessa walked around Florence and ran errands.

I worked on my paper and hit some Gold Mines of information, so my outline is almost done. BJ and Pat are struggling a little bit, just hard to narrow down a topic. We get to chose a topic we want to compare between two countries and things can be so big it would impossible to cover in 20 pages, so that is part of challenge.

Monday BJ has to lead a class discussion, Tuesday I lead a class discussion, then the following week we all have to a 20 minute presentation of our paper topic that we are working on now, plus a final exam for our other class....lots of work.

While I was here working today, I took the opportunity to take all our towels down to the washer and wash them. No one (we don't even think the PM) in Italy has a dryer, so we are learning the art of drying our clothes on a line! It is great.
So I washed all our towels, cleaned the floors and our kitchenette!

So the place looks great.

Tonight is Jaunessa's last night here which would lead one to think, Friday night her last night..party time! But, her train leaves tomorrow at 8:25AM, and she is smart enough to know hangovers are not good for a two train ride trek back to Rome Airport, a flight to London and a flight home...

So, we're not sure what is in store for tonight, we might all split up and do our own thing, we might do what we did last night and just hangout at the apartment. But that would suck because we canceled going to Venice so we could enjoy one party weekend in Florence. So, we'll see...money is always a constant concern and so is us being productive for our papers tomorrow, so going party time tonight might hinder all of that.

Okay, BJ just showered, Pat and Jaunessa should be coming back from shoe shopping for Jaunessa, so I should go get changed for dinner.

Miss you guys!

I forgot

I forgot to mention how nice it was that the girls in the apartments below us made a wonderful dinner for us on Tuesday night. If you remember the first week we were here in Florence, I made the girls pesto pasta, salad and chocolate covered strawberries, well this week it was their turn and they made us a great Mexican feast! We were a little worried too, lol, but they found a little market to get ground beef and random mexican products!
So just wanted to thank them..mainly because they read the blog and I will get in trouble if I forget to mention it :)


ha.

BJ sent this to me just a few minutes ago while we were working on our papers....

thought I would post it up here to enrage my sister :)


Thursday, May 29

Bloating.....

Well, we were warned by Megan New, but the bloating feet have begun....NOT so much with us guys, ours are just a little bloated.
But, some of the girls, especially Lindsey Wehmeyer are getting huge fatty feet! LOL Professor Ballard said that Lindsey had elephantitis lol (which is actually pronounced/and spelled, elephantias) .... elephantitis is a common misspelling, :)
I digress.
So, yeah, Lindsey's feet and ankles are soooo swollen! Her shoes barely fit! And another girl, Natalie LaPorte, was diagnosed by the roaming school doctor with strep throat and a sinus infection! Roaming school doctor...take the diagnosis with a grain of salt, but either way, she can barely talk and does not look healthy!
So we are keeping our distance from the girl's apartment tonight.

on a side note, while typing this a HUGE thunder and lightening storm is moving over us! The rain and hail was so loud and hard I thought the air conditioners in our unit were malfunctioning!

hmm, what else?

We went to dinner tonight with Professor Ballard. Her, me, BJ, Jaunessa and Pat. We went to La Spada, a restaurant that the former director of the Gonzaga undergrad in Florence Program LOVED and always visited with students. His name was Bruno, so they named a special for him and if you are GU student you can get order it...it is amazing.
11 Euro and you get a huge multi course meal! Pasta course had three pastas, penne and tuna, tortellini with ham, and fussilli with eggplant. Then you get a massive plate of potatoes and different meats......beef, game hen, tarp, pork, etc. It was awesome!!!! Us five could not finish any of the courses.

We are staying in tonight...even though we have no class tomorrow. Being good.

BJ is listening to Garth Brooks "Thunder Rolls" as the storm is now moving on...he is a dork.

As a little TMI, us guys are rocking some nice Chaffing/Rashes! :) Baby powder time tonight.

okay, it is nearing midnight. shower time, sleepy time, night cap time.

Representing the USA, Nights out in Florence Take 2








Nights out in Florence Take 1

We wear our sunglasses at night!




zzzzzzzzzzzz

Horay! We are half way through the school portion of the trip!!

Two more weeks...one big final..one big paper and we're off :)

Thursdays are our Fridays and BJ and I are done as it is 2:30PM here now...so to celebrate the weekend, we are napping! LOL

we are pretty crazy, I know!!

When I get up I will post pictures from the last couple nights out, plus some good stories!!

Wednesday, May 28

Yo yo!

Okay,,,,,,,,,so, to start, here is a little shock and awe! After I had left my camera (the theory is starting to point that the cabby stole it) in Rome, now..yesterday Pat's camera's lens is all messed up, so I may have to buy a new digital camera. I hope I can find a decent, but not amazingly expensive one, for less than 100 euro!!!
We are having the times of our life!!!! It needs to be documented, especially once we split from the groups and do our two weeks.....Germany, Ireland, Amsterdam and London trips :

Besides all that drama, things here are AMAZING! I cant believe there are people in this world that have died and not seen Florence! Do not take that as a snotty comment, take it as a GET THE HELL IN FLORENCE comment! You have to see this stuff, it is beyond amazing. I can't believe in the last week I have seen the original DAVID sculpture, the birth of venus painting, the sistene chapel, the Raphael rooms in the vatican (still, in my opinion the most stunning thing I have seen art wise in my entire life!!!)

Oh yeah, how about the 2,000 year old Coliseum and also being cheesy and '''''holding''''' up the leaning tower of Pisa ... ya know, that is almost 2,000 year old too! :) wow and wow.

what a couple weeks!!!

I love it beyond belief, still getting used to some things, like... the traffic (which is working itself out), Italian language (which is getting better for me!!!) and some of the options for food....which is beyond amazing and also a big miss :(

okay, sleepy time...........we love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
there is some dirt going down right now regarding tonight, will share that later :)

Tuesday, May 27

All is well....

All is well in the Santa Maria Novella house! We were all accounted for this morning and BJ and I are up and ready for our 9:30AM class :)

Today, after class, the school is taking us on a guided tour of the Uffizi, one of the world's most famous museums. It houses some of the greatest works of art ever from Michaelangelo, Raphael, DaVinci, etc.....
After the tour the school is buying us dinner! Thank god... $$$$$ :(

I will post pictures of our outings the last two nights, later.

off to class.

Tonight ....

Tuesday Night ... we had a crazy fun night tonight! BJ and I are going to bed.....obviously, it is 1:3oAM! :)

Pat, and his wife Jaunessa ... plus some kids from the other school (matt and nayeff) and Natalie L and Lindsey W are also not home yet. But they are together at some club so we are hoping all is well :)
Unfortunately Nat L and Nayeff were both extremely intoxicated earlier this evening, so we hope they make it home okay! :)
BUT Jaunessa lived here for 9 months as an undergrad and knows her way around.....and, on top of that she is a smart strong woman.......smarter and stronger than most men I know!
so she will HOPEFULLY get the whole crew home, no matter how PARTY time the last club they go to is......but, officially, this is BJ and I signing off and going to bed. WE are home, safe and happy!

Love you guys

Monday Party Time

Well, last night a little crazy!
We had a gorgeous and hot day, we got all our reading done earlier than normal. So we decided to party it up!

We got all ready, me.pat.brian.jaunessa. and lindsey wehmeyer

We headed out to this bar called Fish..or Fish Bar or something. Whatever, it was a pretty cool bar, but the undergrads showed up and there were just too many 18 to 19 year olds running around. So after some wild turkey and vodka redbulls we followed some new friends we met at the bar, one only spoke spanish the other one only italian and the third spoke italian and english. we followed them to this bar YAB that was HOPPING for a Monday night! He knew some people so we got in the front of the line and went in, we all got a little hammered.
I ran into another GU law friend, Steve Deshazo, who was there...and we talked and he lives near us so he and I bounced out early....the rest of this is his version of what happened, I may not remember all of it.
Apparently we came back, I ate all of the dinner leftovers that I had made earlier. I then asked him to compare the decision to invade Iraq with the decision to enter WWII. After drawing the comparison I asked him to take a stance on if the Iraq was was right, and then afterwards I wanted him to argue in the alternative.
He then walked me to my bed, sat next to the bed and read to me the introduction of the book Fight Club to put me to sleep.

At this point Brian, Pat and Jaunessa come home. None remember the walk home. Brian sees Steve and they go for a walk, I forgot what they were looking for, but likely food...since we tend to hope that Italy will have one place open at 2AM! They find that the bike Steve purchased in Florence had been stolen. Brian comes back and passed out.

During this time Jaunessa changes for bed and passes out with her contacts still in...

And finally, a great way to end the night...at 2AM pat gets the hot plate all fired up and starts to make some eggs, while waiting for the hot plate to heat up Pat passes out in a chair, with the hot plate on and the eggs in the pan. I wake up at 6AM to find the eggs still "cooking", Jaunessa sleeping alone in the bed, Pat still passed out fully clothed. lol

Then we all went to class today, participated a ton and had a great day!

The girls below are making us dinner tonight...MEXICAN!! we are a tad nervous about mexican food products in italy.. lol