I miei amichi! Phwew. What a crazy couple of days I have had over here in the ever-exciting Italia. I don’t know where to begin! In the name of full disclosure, I guess today I should probably share you all how Kristen & I’s field-trip-extravaganza last week went…
And by went, I mean began.Â
Let me preface this story by saying, as I am sure you have all surmised by now, no few outings Kristen & I plan together go smoothly. Whether it is getting standed in random Italian towns or accidentally walking 30 minutes towards Bologna, we are essentially hopeless.
I take full responsibility, though. I am one of those lethal combinations of “dumb, but convincing”. You know the type.
No, dude, I swear on my life Florence is this way. No, no, no, ignore the signs saying Bologona, they don’t mean a thing! I promise, seriously I promise you home is this way…
Cue the 2 hours later sign.
So of course, a mandatory academic journey was pretty much guarenteed to be an issue. What happened was, we signed up to take this Medieval Church class together (because, obviously, spending an average of 22 hours per day together just isn’t enough for us…) For the most part, it has been pretty fantastic. Our professor is an absolute gem…super smart, super interesting, with just the right amount of sass to keep us on our toes…you know, one of those professors you actually look forward to listening to. And the charming Italian accent doesn’t hurt either…
So anyways, we soon discovered that as part of our curriculum, we were required to take a chartered bus as a class up to the monastery at La Verna, about two hours away.Â
This is a picture I took of La Verna, by the way, so when I say “required”, I am not exactly saying it was a drag…
What was a drag, however, was the fact that we, stupidly & predictably, went out the night before. And not just out on the town for, like, a relaxing dinner or something. Because that would be too civil for us. I mean we got all dressed up, pregamed, went to a bar, and a club. I know, I know. What is wrong with us.
After less than 3 hours of sleep, my alarm goes off & it’s time to throw together something socially and academically acceptable and high tale it to the train station to meet my well-rested peers. I’m sprinting down the streets of Florence (alone, mind you, because in a fit of early morning frustration I left Kristen in our apartment, muttering about needing coffee). My scarf is smacking me in the face, things are spewing out of my bag, I have last night’s make up on and this morning’s bed head… I’m an absolute mess.Â
You guys know where this is going, right? Of course you do. I walk in the opposite direction of where I am supposed to meet my class (somehow passing them…what.) & Kristen winds up beating me to our gathering point.Â
My thinking is…at least I made it at all. Right? C’mon, can’t win ’em all, and besides…as an added bonus, along the way I managed my find my 2 euro Aviators! As all of you lovely collegiettes doubtlessly know, few things mask a hangover-from-hell like some flattering sunglasses and well-placed cover-up. You know?
Anyways, despite the mortifying horrifying shameful disasterous somewhat rocky start, Kristen & I made it to La Verna, and it ended up being spectacular.
Kindly note the sunglasses, solidly in place. If you think those came off even once during the entire day up there, you are seriously under-estimating what I meant by “last-night’s make-up”.Â
But clearly, the views were amazing. The monk’s procession was moving, the actualy Church was stunning…it was all very cultural. Almost cultural enough to negate a morning of me in true “spastic-Ellie form”.
Hey, I said “full-disclosure”, didn’t I? Â
Until next week, collegiettes. I bid you a buona giornata!