Ciao!

I hope the states are going great. Italy has been wonderful this week. I started classes and I like them, for the most part, and I had a problem with one of my classes and I ended up switching into another so it worked out wonderfully. 

I had my first market experience yesterday and I successfully bartered my way for two glass bracelets and then went back for some more today and got three scarves :) The weather for the most part has been pretty rainy with a few patches of sun for 30 minutes and then more rain. It has been warm though this week, in the 50's and it supposed to get colder next week but the sun will be out. I'm okay with the compromise.

I experienced two apperitivos this week. The first at Kitsch was absolutely amazing - they had one of the biggest spreads of appetizers in Florence, and for 8 Euro including a drink and unlimited appetizers, it was totally worth it. We also cooked a lot in our apartment this week and yesterday we enjoyed some american cuisine: hamburgers and potatoes.

Our trip to Pisa today was a no go because of the rain but hopefully either sunday or sometime next weekend we can manage to go and see the famous tower that's supposedly leaning.

I met a girl named Julia at apperitivo and she actually is studying in Florence for a year (she was here last semester). She explained how interesting it is seeing the different lifestyles that Europeans, mainly Italians, live their livestyles versus the US. She said that people in Italy are not concerned with material goods, they are just concerned with happiness, whereas we in the United States strive for happiness through material goods. It was intriguing and although the people in America are more inviting and welcoming at first, the people here seem to have their heads more level and center with their thoughts. 

Well that's all for now! Have a great time in the States and I'll try not to smile so often because I'm in Italy :) 

Ciao!

Alicia B