The First Week of Classes!

Monday was the start of my Digital Photography class as well as the arrival of Jessica Yarmuth to visit for the next few days!

My class is small – about 10 people – and my professor is nice. I learned about Photoshop, using the aperture, ISO and shutter speed in Manual function as an intro to the course. Around 9:30 pm I met up with Jessica when she arrived at the train station (and had already gone to the station at 8:30 when I thought she was supposed to be arriving. Oops!) We went to Savoy in Piazza de Repubblica for dinner and drinks then came home. We were all tired from getting settled still and Jessica had traveled for 2 hours to get here.

Tuesday I had photography again, meeting Jessica after at the News Café on the ground floor of my apartment building. We had tea and used the free Wi-Fi J That night, we met up with Lizzi, Allie, Caroline, Megan, Madison, Laura Jane and Brooke at their apartment in Santa Croce, making our way to Bebop for a Beatle’s cover band to celebrate my birthday. Within the first 5 minutes I had already kicked over a glass of red wine, spilling it all down the front of my white jeans. (After soaking them for 2 days in soapy water, they still look like they are acid-washed down the front… bummer.) It all got better when the bar manager invited us up front for a table and bottles in honor of my birthday for my friends. Jessica bought me roses and the band sang Happy Birthday to me, as well as dedicating a song to me.

Jessica and I sang Soulja Boy “Hey, You There” on the walk home as usual, and I called mom & dad once it was my birthday here. I made some rando friends in the streets… there are pictures to prove it.

Wednesday was the big 2-1!!!! Even though I was homesick for not spending my birthday with my family, I had a nice breakfast at a Tea Room with Jess and made my way to photography, meeting Jess at our café again where she surprised me with beautiful birthday gifts and we sat for a bit together. I had my first Wine Tasting class that night and met two girls Emily and Casey. We tasted five wines with snacks to complement each: a prosecco with foccacia bread and grape tomatoes, one white with a light cheese and spinach gnocci, two different reds – one with a harder cheese, roasted pepper stuffed focaccia rolls, and the other with a spicy pecorino that was just To. Die. For. The last wine was a dessert wine which I usually don’t like, but was pleasantly surprised. It was an Asti which we had a small peach tart with.

Wednesday night Jessica, Emily, Alyssa and I went out to a later dinner to accommodate for my stuffed stomach from wine tasting & snacks at a restaurant in Piazza Duomo. Then went to Central Park to celebrate my birthday VIP style with Jessica’s family friend Joe who also shared the same birthday! It was a great night for all J

Thursday was a national holiday in Italy so classes were cancelled. I packed for my weekend trip to the Amalfi Coast and walked Jessica to the train station. Took a quick nap and then left for the train station to meet my group. I ran into Jeanna Weeks, Taylor Alberdi, Erika Elliot and one of their friends randomly at the train station. They were spending just a few days in Florence. Our bus left around 7:30 to head to Sorrento where we stayed the weekend.

Random Friends in the street after Bebop

I begged to get carded....

Birthday Night with Jessica :)