We are defintely not in America anymore...

Wow! So much has happened I don't even know where to begin, thus this will be a short update. (So many people to connect with, not to mention I am super excited for meeting my host family tonight!!)

I first realized we are no longer in the US when the flight attendants gave us wine on the plane...

The traveling and plane ride was intense. 24 hours of traveling. 4 airports, 5 baggages checks. Less than one hour sleep. Even 2.5 days later, I am seriously still recovering from jetlag. Syracuse threw us from the airport to the hotel (only to drop off our bags) then straight to campus to start multiple meetings. I can no longer say I haven't fallen asleep in a meeting before. I broke that, three times now. The shower I got that night was the greatest shower, ever.
The time difference is killing me. Apparently my body hates sleep changes, or maybe just country changes, but every other part of me loves it! Florence is great! So charming. So sweet. So foreign. I look around me when I'm walking on the street and can't understand anything around me. Everything is in Italian...big duh! As I stand in line at stores, I hear so many voices but can't comprehend anything they are saying. When I walk up to the counter, the clerk tries to ask me something (what I would presume is a question), but I have no idea what she is saying. I just smile. She quickly gets the picture. I want to smile at everyone on the street, like I would at home, then realize Italians don't do that. The women walk like stone (to avoid unwanted male attention), something we have quickly adopted. The streets and sidewalks are so narrow. Young people step into the street to allow elders to walk by-Not gonna lie, this has been difficult to remember, but really sweet!- Crossing the street is a nightmare. Cars (and lots of mopeds!!) speed by so incredibly fast. They like their car horns also. People park in the middle of street basically. I still haven't figured that one out, because it is clearly not a parking spot. That nightmare is so funny though. Some of the best times I have had with new friends has been trying to cross the streets. Just to see us American babies trying to adapt to our new surroundings must be hilarious.
I have already been so humbled by this. My new favorite phrase of the moment is "If you don't like being embarrassed, don't go abroad."
I am already sick of the food. Shocking. I know. All the meals, except breakfast, are so heavy. The olive oil is great, but my body is use to getting most of my calories from light fruits and veggies, with a little protein and carbs thrown in on the side, not everything covered in olive oil and heavy pasta with bread. Lots of bread, even for breakfast. Don't get me wrong, the food is yummy, it will just take some getting use to. 
The weather is crazy. It has been unusually cool. The first day was very humid but yesterday it rained, several times with sun in between. After each rain, it got cold. A jacket would have been nice, but then warmed up to very warm an hour or two after, until it rained again. Today it is rainy also, and sunny.
The people are so blunt. I eat up every piece of information I get. I love this culture and its people. They are so wonderful and warm. Several older (very cute) gentlemen have helped us find our way. They are like our grandfathers and treat us as such. I think every fiber in us looked like lost puppies, which is how we feel most of the time. The feeling is great though. Simply being lost here is a great feeling.
Something I am having a difficult time grasping is the fact that everyone else in my life back home is 6 hours behind me. I got on facebook earlier today, only to find no one was on. It was like 6 am on the east coast. 

I meet my host family tonight. So far, I know their names are Bruno and Maria. They have two grown daughters in their late 20s, one of which lives at home. They have only hosted for a year now, but the last girl spoke very highly of the whole experience. The best part-the momma loves to cook!!! So excited! I know we are not suppose to have kitchen access but I hope I can "suck up" to the momma so I can learn a little home cooking Italian style. (So upset that the cooking class I R.E.A.L.L.Y wanted will probably not be open to me!!!!! When I say so upset, I mean sooooOOoOoOoOoOoo upset!) I'm still holding out at registration tomorrow.

So basically, as new and shocking this new world is, it is beyond wonderful. This weekend I plan on getting fully lost in the city. I want to learn everything quickly so I can dealve in farther than I would be able to otherwise. Classes start on Monday which I am actually excited about. There are so many I want to take!

Sarah