Halfway over already?!

Hey y’all!

Sorry it has taken me so long to post pictures and details about Florence… I can’t believe I have already been living here for more than two weeks! The time has been FLYING by and I am so sad that today marks the halfway point of my trip. There are a million and one stories to tell about the last two weeks, but for now I’ll just hit the high points.

My Fashion Marketing class has been so great. The professor is fantastic; she is really passionate about eco-sustainable fashion and cause-related marketing, which are the areas of fashion I love as well. It has been such a blessing to have conversations with her after class and God is continuing to show me how I can make a difference for Him and live my passions (even in the crazy fashion industry!). When I’m not in class, my friends and I explore, shop, and eat our way through Florence. It is a beautiful city with so much to see, and I have loved learning my way around the city and discovering all of my favorite spots.

Skype has been awesome! Seeing my sweet parents’ face always makes my day.

Picture of the Ponte Vecchio taken from the bridge right by my apartment. Gorgeous!

This is the church in Piazza Santa Croce right by my school. One of the many beautiful buildings I pass everyday when I walk to class.

Wax seals at my favorite paperie! Yeah, I pretty much died the first time I saw it. :)

Pizza so delicious not even an awful hair day can ruin it!

Elizabeth, Kenedie and I went to see Pirates 4 in a beautiful theater built in the 1800’s. Loved the movie and the venue.

Oh, Jersey Shore… For those of you that haven’t heard, they are filming the 4^th season of their show right now in Florence and have been causing quite the stir. I have seen them four times so far but only got pictures once (which just so happened to be the time I was farthest from them). One day, we saw two ridiculous looking guys with TV crews on the bridge near our apartment. No one I was with had ever seen the show, so we weren’t sure if it was Jersey Shore or not and didn’t bother taking any pictures. Lo and behold, the photo above was one main pictures on people.com the next day! The two other times I saw them were in the same night when the girls and guys had apparently split up to go do whatever it is they do. Snookie passed me on the sidewalk and was so close I had to turn to the side to avoid bumping into her, and later in the night the Situation walked right past me in a bar. Both times, I didn’t get a picture but was close enough to kiss ‘em!

I met my parents in Rome on Saturday and spent the weekend exploring the city with them and seeing some of the sights I missed the first time I was there. It was so nice to see them and live the ballin’ life for a few days! Let me just say, hotel with a hot tub + functioning air conditioning + gourmet meals = living the high life!

Here’s me and my Daddy on the rooftop of their hotel. The view was fantastic! You could see the Forum, Colosseum, Vatican, and tons of other famous sites.

Is it just me or does he look just like Nick Saban in this picture?... RTR!

My cute parents on the Spanish Steps.

Last Sunday, we attempted to go to Pisa but weren’t able to make it because of a train worker strike. Fortunately, we got the chance to go on Monday after class and I loved it! There is nothing to see there besides the tower and the Duomo, but it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon with two of my best friends in Florence. One of the best parts of the whole experience was watching everyone around us take the obligatory “holding up the tower” picture. So funny!

The Tower! And yes, I did get a picture of myself holding it up.

 Here’s a pic of the Duomo, conveniently located just a few hundred feet from the Leaning Tower. It was so beautiful, both inside and out.

You know me and my big rings!

Kenedie and many of my other friends will be leaving this Saturday. It will be extremely sad to see them go, but I am so grateful that God has blessed me with such wonderful friends during my time here. Luckily for me, my parents, Janet, and Gloria will be getting here at the end of the week. I can’t wait to show them around the city and take them to all of my favorite gelato places!

Thank you again for supporting me and reading my silly little blog. I promise it won’t be as long before I post again.

xoxo