just because i'm losing doesn't mean i'm lost

I have 22 days left in Florence.

My reaction to the above statement changes on a day to day basis. Hell, even a moment to moment basis. When I am on a crowded city bus, surrounded by Italian men who have no respect for my personal space whatsoever, I want nothing more than to be driving my Corolla with the windows down, blasting Coldplay's "Lost!" on my stereo. But then I come home to a lovely apartment and three wonderful roommates. I feel home again, and I never want to leave.

I made a promise to myself that I would make the most of my last few weeks here. I'm attempting to find a balance between completing our "Things to do before we leave Florence" list and allowing sufficient time to relax. Although I adore exploring both Florence and Europe, it can be exhausting. There is really nothing I love more than coming home after a long day of school, making myself dinner and then "assuming the position" with Sara. And by "assuming the position," I mean pushing our twin beds together and watching recently downloaded TV shows on my laptop. :)

In the past three weeks, I turned 21, took a daytrip to Venice and spent a weekend in the Irish countryside. My 21st birthday was ridiculous. My roommates, Mandy and I made a delicious meal together and went out to a club. Another girl in my program also turned 21 on the 24th, so she reserved part of a club for the two of us. VIP baby! Ha. Venice was surprisingly beautiful. Although I will always have a special fondness for Florence, I think Venice may be my favorite city in Italy so far. And Ireland? Well, thanks to the generoisty of my cousin, I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Powerscourt, just 30 minutes south of Dublin. I felt like a princess. The Irish countryside was absolutely breathtaking, and the lack of a language barrier was a bit of a relief.

I also had several visitors over the past few weeks. My friend Ana visited over her spring break, and I was able to do many of the touristy things with her. We went to the Prada outlet, located about an hour outside of Florence. I purchased my first Prada-- a silver metallic wallet. I don't really go shopping, so I didn't feel too bad about my rather impulsive buy. With the exception of a few retail chains, the boutiques here are just too pricey for me. A past study abroader once told me, "In Florence, you can either shop, or you can travel." I chose the latter of the two. And honestly, despite my unnatural affinity for shopping, I do not regret my decision one bit.

My parents, godparents and my cousin and his girlfriend have also visited. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be nearly 8000 miles from home and still be able to see some of the people I love most. Highlights of these visits include: finding the best tomato sauce in Italy at a tiny Florentine restaurant (seriously), watching my dear ol' dad step outside his comfort zone and embrace European culture (he drank wine and actually enjoyed it!) and the minute-long hug (at least) from my wonderful godmother. I feel very grateful. And very loved.

Tomorrow I am jetting off to Paris for the weekend. I cannot even begin to express how excited I am. Let's hope my Prada purchase will prevent me from engaging in some severe retail therapy. Paris is the fashion capital of the world though... this could be dangerous.

Bonjour!
-Jen