Well, I've realized, I mean I've actually known all along, I'm not very good at this blog thing. For one, I've completely forgotten about food. That could be because it gets a little weary, not bad, just a little weary. Or it could be because my photography professor told me to get into it more, and I immediately lost interest. Why does that happen? My mom probably knows the answer better than I do, having dealt with me for so many years...but I can guess the answer. Stubbornness? Rebellion? I'll take it, it's cool--I've really always been that way.

But now, I'm back in Siena, having traveled to the north of Italy and all the way to London. It's amazing how smoothly it went, actually. If traveling didn't just stress the hell out of me in general, I would say that it was easy! It practically was.

So break started off with almost a 'fake out': a trip to Florence for a Art History field trip, so there are no classes (wooo!!! vacation!!!), but from 9 am until about 6 pm you're being flung from museum to museum (not vacation). The first time I did this, it was amazing, read my last blog, it'll say I was excited for the second Friday. Well, I was. Until it got to be right after lunch, something switched off...well it was maybe more like standby. So from Florence on Saturday morning we finally took off for Milan, where we stayed for 4 days and 3 nights.

There are many things I could tell you about Milan. First, it rained a lot. And when I say a lot I mean to say that it didn't stop. Cool.
Second, if you're wondering where all the beautiful men live, it's there. Even the people at the hostel were model-esque. Imagine the bus drivers.

But that is besides the point (kind of). I really loved Milan. Maybe it would be a different story if I was living there for four months, but the break from Siena was welcome. It wasn't quite as intimidating as most people painted it, and I found it to have its own very unique and special charm. And not to mention, to all those haters out there, none of us were pick pocketed. And when I say haters, I mean very nice people who nicely warned us. And when I say they warned us, they made us plain paranoid. But, you know, paranoia ain't always a bad thing.

We also got to spend a day at Lake Como, where I met Erika, who has been a close friend of my mother for many years. Well, since I barely speak Italian, and she barely speaks English, we went with Italian. I was nervous at first, that there would be nothing for us to talk about, but in truth, there was plenty! Well when I say plenty I mean that I nodded and she did the talking.

Next stop was London, where my Aunt and Uncle let us crash at their house. My Uncle Jack came and picked us up at a meeting point, and just as I had made it ten feet in front of him, shouted, "BUONASERA!" What a welcome!

It was an amazing five days. I slept late, ate bagels for breakfast, wandered around London, got to go back to the house and sit and calmly hang out, have some chips and salsa and watch Law and Order. One night my family made us a steak dinner, with asparagus and bruschetta. The next few nights, we were all to cook for ourselves--taco night anyone?

I hadn't realized until I left Italy how nice it was to have other food. I'm not sick of pasta, I'm not really sick of anything here yet--though pesto for some reason has started to make my stomach turn--but it was amazing to have the option of something else. All in all it was an beautiful vacation, and I'm so glad I got to share it with my friends.

It hasn't been some sort of terrible transition back into Siena, but it's amazing how fast your brain switches off. Something that could simply be called "vacation mode" turns into "forget everything". It's easy, and it makes me nervous for what the future brings. How quickly will I forget the language or the customs?

But this is knowledge that will only come with time. For now I have to enjoy every moment as it comes--even when I want to collapse in my bed and sleep for ten hours straight.


Until next time!