The Situation: I went to an Italian club.

After an adventurous previous weekend of hiking in the Alps and traveling all over Northern Italy, this week seemed pretty low-key. I'm surviving on pasta and cereal on a day to day basis, but hey, I'm walking around enough to burn off the copious amounts of carbohydrates. You trudge everywhere in Florence...even when it's ninety five degrees, and you are sweating way too much to be considered even somewhat attractive on your way to class. Speaking of class, let me fill you in on mine for the semester.

My schedule is so clutch. Nothing starts before noon, and I am done on Thursdays! What's even better is that my only class on Monday is my Italian cooking class, which doesn't start until 6, so I practically have 4 day weekends. Divine. But yes, starting on Monday, I began my training to become a master Italian chef (slash fill in a science requirement by making and eating delicious food).  It's a nutrition and cooking course so whatever we make is low in calories and fat, but high in mouth-watering goodness. We made our own pasta the first day by making the dough, cutting it into thick spaghetti, and sauteing it in our own tomato and mushroom sauce. My group, however, was in charge of the dessert, which was a dark chocolate tart with strawberries drizzled in lemon juice and powdered sugar. The best part is that when we were done cooking it in our teams, we all got to sit down together and try our masterpiece. It was amazing...and the best part is, I don't need groceries for Monday night dinners! Wallet: 1, Italy: 0 (except that is the biggest lie known to man).

My other classes are a lot less exciting and a lot less tasty, but there is nothing better than having professors who all have either Italian or British accents. Since it's an international institute,  I could have gotten American professors too...but I am so pumped that I didn't. Trust me when I say it's so much easier to concentrate on a lecture when the professor has a fun accent. So other than cooking, I have Italian classes (which I keep accidentally speaking Spanish in), Art History, Intercultural Communications, and Public Relations. I did not take bull shit electives. All of my classes actually count towards my degree, which makes being here so much easier to enjoy.

So classes, homework, and hunting down books took up the majority of this week, but last night, I was finally able to relax with friends and enjoy Florence to its fullest. After a long day of dealing with paperwork for my Permit to Stay, Italian class, and buying books, my housemates, Aimee, Carly, Aislinne, and I decided to try a local spaghetteria down the street from our apartment and had the best meal we've had since we've gotten here. I ordered a sausage calzone and salad, thinking it was going to be a small portion for the price, but instead, I got this monster below...and I was not even a little upset. 

After dinner, we decided to go get gelato at this cute little gelateria across the River Arno for dessert. We took a lovely stroll through all the lit up piazzas of Florence to get there, purchased our ice cream, then sat along the edge of the bridge looking out over the river. I had a gelato called 'cookies'...so add Italian vanilla ice cream and all different kinds of cookies, friends, and a beautiful view, and you get a perfect evening.

 

And now the part you've all been waiting for. Yes. I did. I went to a real life Italian club with my housemates after I consumed my delicious food. I was reluctant at first, but I decided to man up and see what all the fuss was about. There was an opening party at Club 21, which was apparently featured on the Jersey Shore. Yes. I walked and danced on the floors that those disgraces to society walked and danced upon. And I have to say...it was actually pretty fun. Though a few guys shared a striking resemblance to Ronnie and the Situation, I looked past that.. My housemates and I got there before anyone else and got to see the club in all its empty, not sweaty glory. There were benches and couches and gates with chains and cool lighting, and I pretty much had sensory overload. Since we were pretty much first, we had a whole section of the dance floor to ourselves that we kind of claimed for the hour and a half we were there. I danced just to dance, but don't worry, I still didn't drink. :-p There was no cover charge to get in so I was like, sweet! I can actually go and not feel like it was a total waste, even if it sucks. I hope everyone's proud of me. I was a trooper. 

Hopefully someone will put up some pictures soon, so I can share them as photographic evidence since it's pretty much guaranteed no one will believe me. But for now, enjoy the pictures of my housemates below before we left!

As for this weekend, I believe Aimee and I are going to hit up Ikea and a huge supermarket outside of Florence since we're deprived of the luxury of having more than one towel and any familiar snack foods of any kind. It's obviously going to be really exciting. We may visit Siena for a day trip too, but we will see what happens! Keep an eye out for my next post chronicling even more anti-climactic Italian adventures!

P.s. Rumor has it I may have some visitors from the states in November of the boyfriend and friend variety. Fingers crossed.  :)