il diecinove di ottobre

London was a blast. It took us what felt like 12 hours to get there from here...but when we did it was totally worth it. Jenna and I got to our hostel and FINALLY met up with Christine and Audrey at like 2 AM on Wednesday morning, and we were all so excited to start catching up that we didn't go to bed until like 5. But we were troopers and rallied at a decent time to get busy sightseeing. Started off at Buckingham Palace. On the real, I wasn't that impressed. The guards weren't wearing fuzzy hats and I didn't get to harass them like Amanda Bynes did in "What a Girl Wants" (I would like to go on record saying that I've only seen that because Sarah Cardey likes dumb movies-thank you very much). But, I mean, I guess it was decently cool haha. I wouldn't mind living there with Yul Brenner...After that we went to Chipotle. Yes, there is a Chipotle in London. And yes, leave it up to Audrey, Christine and me to find it. It tasted kinda funny, but it was delicious, and we could legally buy Coronas. So, va bene. Then onto White Hart Lane: home of the Tottenham Hot Spur. What's that? What do you mean you have no idea who/what that is? Are you kidding?
Wait. Me either. Christine's family is obsessed with soccer so her dad bought us all tickets to tour his favorite team's stadium. Obviously, everyone was enthralled. The whole thing might have been miserable if not for Alfie. Alfie was a fellow tour member who was celebrating his eh...7th birthday I would guess. He had the cutest little British accent and an airbrushed t-shirt that said his name on it. Let me remind you, his name was Alfie. He was actually simultaneously the cutest and most annoying little boy I've ever encountered. He never stopped talking--the tour guide seemed like she wasn't interested in Alfie living a day after 7. Hilarious.
Wednesday night we went out in Leicester Square and had a lovely time talking to weird people. Thursday we were good little tourists! We visited some of England most important landmarks...like Platform 9 3/4. Yep, also a thing. We rode on a red Double Decker tour bus. The works. We were actually such good little tourists that we all fell asleep on the bus at 6:15 on Thursday night, needless to say we didn't rage too hard that night.
Unfortunately Christine and Audrey had to leave early on Friday morning, so we bid them a terribly impersonal farewell on the metro while Jenna and I proceeded to visit Harrod's--the incredible department store that takes up an entire city block. Blew my freakin' mind. We got back to Florence no problem Friday night, but poor little Jenna was really sick. She was such a trooper.
Saturday we had to take a ridiculous test for language school. You read that correctly, Saturday. So stupid. Let's just hope I didn't get another "insufficient". Really, though. Pray for me. Saturday night our cultural adviser took us to a goofy Italian rock "Cover Band" concert. Pretty hilarious. Adair and I got super into this crazy, super lesbian rocker named Gianna Nannini. So strange.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN0Bh8hVh-o
Sunday we took a day trip to Siena. I was exhausted, but it was really pretty. I hadn't been there since the Palio, and, well, let's just say sightseeing wasn't my first priority that day. And if I had seen sights...I don't know if I necessarily remember them. Woops. So this was a good thing. Their Duomo is incredible inside.
Yesterday it was back to the "grindstone"--going to class and stuff. Oh yeah, and then casually taking a 5 hour nap. That's normal. But I did my reading for museology, and I read some of "Il Nipole del Magi"--the Magician's Nephew. The first book in the Chronicles of Narnia. You know, the series for children. I think the guy sitting next to me on the bus felt sorry for me...Totally normal taking courses at a university in the morning and having a 2nd grade reading level.
Today was also pretty standard, except that the weather was beautiful! Look at this picture I took on my walk home from school. I mean, I miss New England foliage, but it's hard to complain about this. And I learned that I have to start my ICIP on Thursday. ICIP (Individual Cultural Immersion Project) is an activity to get involved in the community that everyone studying abroad is supposed to do. I (stupidly) told our adviser that I wanted to do something in the Church. Because I'm a weirdo, like everyone knows. Elisa said she knew of the perfect thing for me to do. So she's introducing me to the leader of a "Student Catholic Movement." Those of you who know me, know that I'm not part of "movements". That word alone terrifies me. Now, couple that with the fact that this "movement" is called "Communita di Liberazione". Oh, liberation, you say? That's the only word that scares me more than movement. So there you go, Babbo, maybe in addition to not going to school I can become a communist. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Haha. But, really.
So currently I'm brainstorming a way to avoid that...and watching Hocus Pocus. Because I bought it on iTunes. Do you think I'm the only person to ever do that? Anyways, I wish Halloween was a thing here. I just wanna go to the Harleys house and see it all decorated. I hope everyone has great costumes!
Vi amo, and mi mancate molto! Baci!