Devotissimo suo, Sarah: Florence, and the Villa, and Gelato, oh my!

Good news world, things are starting to look up here! Then again, I haven't been dragging around a hundred pounds of luggage with me. I also haven't unpacked yet. How many days have I been here? I swear I'll get to it. So since last time was basically all unfortunate mishaps, I thought I would share some of the higher points of my trip thus far.

The Villa I live in (I'll share pictures of this soon) is around 500 years old and has been in the same family, the Corsi-Salviati family, since the beginning. To say it's beautiful wouldn't even do it justice. I wake up in the morning and walk outside, and can't believe this is the place I get to call home for four months.

Our chef at the Villa used to be the chef at the most upscale and fancy restaurant in Florence. Delicious delicious delicious. Every meal is like a treat.

I ate spinach ravioli the other night. Now if you know me at all, even the idea that I would touch something green and even resembling a vegetable is unbelievable, so the fact that I ate it (and loved it might I add) is outstanding.

I ate lunch on the steps of the Duomo. Oh you know, just hanging out on probably one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen in my life. (I think I'll be saying that over and over, but seriously, everything is just more beautiful than the last) We were just all walking, and turned the corner and there it was. I was completely not expecting it to be there and was completely taken aback.

We (me and a group I was with) put a lock on the locks of love chain near the Ponte Vecchio.

Gelato. That's all there is to say.

Shoes, shoes, shoes, and more shoes. I haven't bought any yet though (you're welcome mom, but I don't know how much longer I'll be able to say that)

All and all, my first few days here have been great. I'm meeting lots of wonderful people and my classes don't seem too bad so far. Florence is amazing and our little town of Sesto Fiorentino is very charming. We're starting to make some weekend plans and here's what is on the list so far of where we definitely want to go: Bologna and Verona (next weekend); Naples, Pompeii, and Capri; Dublin (and other parts of Ireland); Prague, Munich, and then we have class trips to Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre, a wine vineyard I forget where, and this Friday we are going to Sienna for the day.

And here are a few pictures of what's been going on so far: