HeRe CoMeS ThE SuN!

wow, this past week has been an interesting/challenging one for me. i started off the week with my first oral exam, and i was really nervous... but.... i got a 92%! lets just say that i feel pretty good about that. =)

i've been busy with school, busy with learning the language, and a little stressed, ok, more like really stressed about what i'm doing with my life when i get back. so i had a rough day on thursday but i have some amazing friends that helped me out and... that afternoon, five of us left for assisi. and....

here came the sun!

we spent three nights in assisi, in absolutely adorable hotels. right in the historic area of the city. with great food, good rooms, a nice manager, it was perfect! we went into all the churches there, hiked up to the castle and had a mini "devotional" on sunday, ate at fun restrauants, and had a fun relaxing time. did i mention that it was sunny all three days that we were there? amazing! especially since in siena, it rains about every other day...

we went to gubbio one day and spello another. these are both cute little towns in the umbria region. filled with flowers, churches, ancient roman ruins. we had quite the adventure getting to spello... it was right after school got out, so we get on the bus and its full of high school age italians, and we are clearly american tourists... we had quite the time buying our ticket, and we didnt know where to get off... and even better... they were talking about us the whole time! we could understand enough of what they said, and lets just say that i stood out being the only blond on the bus. i have never felt more outa place in my life! we were ready to get off by the time it was our stop, it was embarrassing! but it was funny, we laughed about it for a long time after that...

we ate at several different trattoria's. i got gnocci two of the nights and strangozzi con funghi (truffles) the other night. it was all really good, but i have come to realize that gnocchi is my favorite kind of meal. delicious!! italians like to linger at their meals, and so you go and eat your meal, and then hang around for another half hour to an hour just talking. there is no rush, if theres no room in the restrauant, they will tell you and you just go find a different place to eat.

i bought my first hand painted italian plate! i am really excited about this! we went in a cute little shop where the man was painting plates while we were there, and i found one that i absolutely fell in love with. beautiful hand painted ceramic pieces are everywhere, in so many shops. lets just say that i am in heaven!

it was a fun, well spent free weekend. even though i had been to assisi before, i got a totally different feel for it this time. i feel like i'm fitting in more with the italians, i dont feel like a tourist at all. lets just say that it is a great feeling!

well, i'm off to new adventures this weekend... in... VENEZIA!!!

p.s.) i have noticed that the more time i spend here, the worse my english spelling/phrases are getting... so if i say something that doesnt quite fit, or is spelled wrong, thats why!