Italia in Two Days

Okay. Welcome to the "Jac in Italia" blog! So exciting. Chill out--I'm not there yet...

While I am not as cool as my roommate or little sis who are in Africa saving the world, I thought maybe someone, at least my mom, would appreciate hearing from me while I'm in Italia. So I'll do my best to write my adventures down for you to read and hopefully upload a couple pictures. Sorry, I'm not as cool as Trafton and will not be posting any videos on YouTube. I'll still answer e-mail, but I cannot promise the immediate response I've been known to have in Cali...so Christie don't go posting any heinous photos of me on facebook.

As many of you may know, when I was a little booger I lived for arts and crafts and could routinely be found making my friends do something "artsy"--sorry Emily. When I was in third grade we traced ourselves on butcher paper and colored ourselves in the occupation of our dreams--I was an artist. Somewhere between there and now, art slipped into a hobby and basketball then science took center stage. This trip to Italy will be a chance for be to indulge myself in my childhood dream. I start in Rome where we'll tour the historic and Christian landmarks of the city. Then I'll be in Florence for three of the weeks where I'll be taking sketching and painting classes and living in an apartment with another girl from the states. In the middle of my three week stay in Florence, I'll be in Chianti for a one week excursion to paint the Tuscan landscape. I didn't realize how excited I was for this trip until I read the materials list. I get to use a quill!

While signing up for this program, I also convinced a good UCLA friend of mine, Elizabeth (who pledged AEPhi at the same time as me) to come too. She's living in a different building, apparently with a girl from the OC (where Elizabeth also lives--I am sure her lovely parents are having a field day with the irony). She's taking a Renaissance Art History class as well as a course in Italian cuisine. I plan to spend many meals at her place being the official taste tester.

An additonal note:

So since I was severely in the state of coma-toast during finals week, I told many people that I was leaving on the 28th.....this is not so. I'm leaving on the 24th, this SATURDAY (and today is Thursday night). I'm not getting nervous. No worries. (omg! or should I say caspita!) This leads me to listing my current state of affairs in the prep for Italia.

State of Affairs:

1. While I have not packed, I do have travel sized plastic bottles--currently, they are empty.
2. When trying to recall my Italian I speak Spanish, however I did finally read the info packets API (my program, Academic Programs International) sent me. Basically: don't over pack and this will be the time of your life. I hope these two are not mutually exclusive, because the first is inevitable.
3. While I have no Euros, I have an Italian student visa (this was no easy feat).
4. While my footwear is questionable, my lovely mother did buy me blister first aid kit. I love moms.
5.While you are reading this, I am wondering how much stuff I can bring and still be under the airline weight restrictions.

Next time I'll write, I'll be in Italia!

Ciao!

Jacqueline