First Few Days in Florence

Intro: I have limited access to the Internet right now so I have been keeping a word document with my blog entries and will be adding them in bulk whenever I get the chance.
September 6:
Well, today was my second in Florence. But let’s start this story up from a couple of days ago.
On Tuesday, September 4, Mom and I woke up at 3 am, got ready and went to the Cedar Rapids airport around 5. We flew to Chicago O’Hare where we waited (thankfully at the same gate in which we arrived) to fly to New York’s John F. Kennedy. I got to use my passport for the first time when I checked in for my Lufthansa flight. After quite a bit of luggage hassle and a train to the correct terminal, Mom and I waited for several hours until I went through security again and found my gate for the SACI group flight. It was hard to say good-bye but I knew (and so did she), how much good this experience was going to be for me. So, after I put my shoes back on and grabbed my laptop and backpack, I waved a few times and then didn’t look back.
My gate had been changed and SACI didn’t have anything set up outside of it. I later found out that their meeting kiosk was before security. I did have a moment of panic when I realized I was traveling internationally by myself. But it was greatly eased by a conversation with two ladies traveling to Croatia on the same flight. And once I got onto the plane, I met three girls from SACI and was completely at ease. The food was even pretty good and I spoke a little with a French lady seated next to me.
I woke up about an hour before landing and got my first sight of Europe. It looked like a crazy patch-work of dense woods, fields, and tons of tiny clusters of red-roofed houses. When we got off the plane in Frankfurt, my uncle, Jim, was waiting right outside of the gate! That was very lucky, since he was able to guide me around. I ended up pushing my way through a passport-checking line and got my first stamp! Jim and I met my cousin, Erin, at a café called “Kaiser,” or “Kaser,” or something like that. I just had mineral water which tasted vaguely alcoholic. I think that was only because I was a bit dehydrated. I wasn’t jet-lagged at all: I just really wanted a shower.
I ran a bit late trying to get to my last flight. Jim and Erin got me where I needed to be in just enough time! That is, I had to go through security again and I hadn’t been counting on that. I ran up to the gate and it took a while before I was able to sort out what was going on. A shuttle had already taken the vast majority of the flight’s passengers to the plane. I appeared to be the only English-speaking person left and so had a few difficulties understanding what I was supposed to do. One of the staff was able to translate in the end, and I got to the plane in time with several other people, too.
During the flight, I know I was able to see the Apennines from the air, but I think I also saw the Alps. I’m not sure what route the plane took but it seems to me that we would have had to fly over them. In any case, it did not last long.
After collecting my baggage (easier said than done), I headed outside where I, and everyone else in SACI, was met by the housing director and several others for my orientation packet and keys. Then I rode in a taxi, by myself, to my new “home,” located at Via Castellani, 14. At first, I didn’t say much to the cab driver because I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t really know what to say. However, after seeing me look around, he asked (in Italian, he did not seem to know any English) whether or not I had ever been to Florence. I said no, and that I had never been outside of the United States. He then started to point things out to me. One thing I did not need explained was il Duomo: Santa Maria del Fiore! When it loomed up suddenly I exclaimed, “Il Duomo!!” to which he smiled and said something I did not catch. To keep the conversation going, I confirmed with him that the dome was designed by Brunelleschi and the bell tower by Giotto. He pointed at an enormous line and explained that it formed ever day and led to the top of the dome. To show that I understood I asked, “Alla lanterna?” We arrived at my address shortly thereafter. My fare was 23 euros, or, a lot.
I had some trouble with my key but a neighboring SACI girl opened the door for me. I have now figured the key out, thanks to my roommate, Leslie. My apartment is on the 2nd floor (3rd floor, in the US) and is actually pretty nice. We are located a few feet from the Arno, behind the Uffizi, and with a very good view of the tower of Palazzo Vecchio, the original location of Michelangelo’s David.
Unpacking, meeting my roommates (Justine, Allison, and Leslie), and taking a shower took quite a while but in the evening, Allison, Leslie and I went out to discover the location of the school. Along the way, we saw the Ponte Vecchio, the interior “courtyard?” of the Uffizi (and some carabinieri questioning one of those people one sees posing as statues---they reminded me somewhat of Nazis), Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, il Bargello, il Duomo, Santa Maria Novella and the train station by the same name, San Lorenzo, and the Palazzo dei Medici. We did find the school and looked around a bit. For my family: I did try to email you but the computer at the school kept registering an “errore” whenever I clicked on “New Message.” I forgot about my gmail account until today.
On the way home, Allison and I chose a restaurant where we had gnocchi with ricotta and arugala. Leslie wasn’t hungry and went on home. We had a nice time and I got to order for both of us in Italian. However, I guess our waiter spoke English as he was able to communicate with a lady seated nearby in that language. Oh well, I suppose he appreciated the gesture.



A view of the Arno just down the street from my apartment. You can see San Miniato al Monte way up on the hill.



Taken from inside the courtyard of the Uffizi. The structure behind the carabinieri is Palazzo Vecchio. The dome in the distance is La Cupola di Brunelleschi. You can also kind of see the replacement copy of Michelangelo's David.



The Piazza del Duomo on the way to SACI.

Today, after getting ready, we headed straight over to the school for orientation at 2:00. We were a bit late but I don’t think we missed anything. After a lot of things we already knew, we filled out the forms for our Permessi di Sogiorno, “Permits to Stay.” Then a number of us had to make copies of every page in our passport for the packet. I emailed at that time. After this, Leslie, Allison, and I looked around the area surrounding the Mercato Centrale. The market had closed at 2 but there were tons of leather venders in the streets and piazza. We headed back to the school (very nearby) and attended a welcome party which consisted of us getting fed for the first time that day. We have really got to buy some groceries. But that’s also easier said than done!
On the way back, we got our first gelatos! I also had to start the order up for these but it was certainly my pleasure. Mine was chocolate and excellent. Now I know what all of the fuss is about. Even the cone was better than American ones.
We took a different route home because we were looking for a particular store we had been told about where we could grab things like paper towels close to home. We never found it but we did see the Museum of “Firenze Com’Era,” or, “Florence, As it Was,” and Santa Croce. We also found a nearby laundromat, butcher, milk store, and pharmacy.
This evening, we just sat around and talked. We found an extremely creepy cookie jar in the shape of a rooster and named him Roberto and set him up on our mezzanine. But other than that and talking about everything we want to do, we just took it easy.
Oh yes, Allison knows how to knit and is willing to teach me. I’m so enthusiastic!
Tomorrow I have to buy a SIM card for my cellphone. It’s killing me not to be able to talk to anyone!
September 9:
Well, since my last entry we’ve located a supermarket and a 99 cent store. The supermarket is huge for an Italian grocery store but is probably ¼ the size of Ottumwa’s Fareway. I haven’t been able to find any canned soup. That’s unfortunate since I eat so much! But other than that, I now at least know where I can go to get anything I might need.
On Friday, I asked at SACI where I might be able to find a SIM card. I was directed to go to a Vodafone shop on a street of the Piazza del Duomo. I went with a girl I met that day, also named Katie, who lives at number 8 Via Castellani. After presenting a copy of my passport, I was finally able to buy a card for my phone! I ran into a little trouble later on with its installation but quickly found help. However, after walking back home and trying to call my mother and Kevin, I realized not everything was smoothed out. My calls were failing and error messages in Italian were being sent via text messaging. I walked back to the Vodafone store to ask for help, took a number, and sat down on a couch opposite some Italian teens. Soon I was cringing because three other SACI students walked in playing the ugly American part to a “T.” They were terribly loud, complained constantly, made ridiculous observations, and spoke at length about their hangovers. And of course, they sat next to me. I caught the eye of one of the Italians, looked over at my fellow Americans, looked back at him, and shook my head. Fairly soon afterwards, I was helped and discovered that the problem was that my account had not been credited with the minutes I had purchased. That quickly solved.
That night, Allison, Leslie, and I ate at a pizzeria set up in a piazza. It was very good and I was able to have some “Coca Cola Light,” which is what Diet Coke is over here.
Last night we went to watch the second night of the Lantern Fest. There were children processing with lighted paper lanterns attached to poles slung over their shoulders Tom-Sawyer-and-his-fishing-pole-style. There were also two small boats strung with lanterns giving people short rides up and down the river. We stopped and watched a strange puppet show being given for the lantern-carriers before walking onto the Ponte Vecchio to watch the lantern-boats. There was a very good musician singing and playing the guitar and the night was perfectly cool so we stayed and listened and watched the boats for quite a while before returning home. In addition, we noticed that we live a few feet away from a carabinieri station.



Lantern boat in the middle of the Arno. The string of lights along the river's edge to the left (not the reflection) is all you can see of the children with their lanterns.

Today we bought more groceries and spent a long time washing all of the dishes in the apartment as we have been discovering that they were not put back having been cleaned. We also did some general cleaning and fixed a fan. To backtrack a bit, when we were carrying our groceries home (a pretty far distance, actually), and were nearly to our apartment door, there was a yelling man who had taken off all of his clothes with the exception of his long-sleeved t-shirt which he had tied around his waist to cover the front part of his lower body. As soon as I registered this, I looked only straight ahead and walked very quickly, afraid that he may accost us. He didn’t and as soon as we were upstairs in our living room, we looked out of the window to see what he was doing. Pretty soon, we saw two carabinieri dragging him back from the direction of Piazza della Signoria. In all, eight carabinieri surrounded the old man as he slumped down on the piazza. An ambulance was called and he was driven away, strapped down to a stretcher. We felt really bad for him, as we had been making fun of the situation, assuming he was protesting something (Piazza della Signoria is the main scene for protestations). However, given the reaction of the police, it seems he was mentally unbalanced.
Later tonight, Allison and Leslie went with some of our neighbors to find the location of a nearby internet café where, after purchasing a coffee or other drink, you are allowed to use their internet. That’s the best deal I’ve heard of in town. At least you get something besides internet time. So maybe I’ll be able to update this more often!
Today:
I had my first art history class this morning. I'm very excited about the on-site portion of the class but I'm afraid that the lecture material might not be as advanced as I'd like. I guess I'll withhold judgment until I've had a few more lessons. The instructor is also rather strange. Sometimes her accent sounds American and sometimes it sounds British.
Note: I am having some problems with my photobucket account. No matter what I do, it won't resize my best Lantern Festival pictures. Sorry!