50 Days

It’s exam week! In the spirit of the procrastination that is rampant across campus this week, I’ve decided to avoid studying for a little longer by writing a blog post. I don’t really have much to say, but I’ve run out of things to organize in my bedroom, there aren’t any more dishes to wash or bathrooms to clean, and there are only so many hours a person can waste on Pinterest. The last week of the semester has really got me thinking about how much I’ll miss CMU next semester. As I’m beginning to pack up my belongings to move out of my apartment, I can’t help getting a little sad. Here are the things I will miss the most:

My Communication Disorders Cohort

- I adore all the people in my major. We all get along so well and help each other out. I’ll be sad to be a semester behind them.

Jesus Dogs

- There’s nothing quite like the joy of getting the first Jesus Dog of the season when they reopen in the spring.

My Roommates & Friends

- This goes without say, but I’ll say it anyway. I have had so much fun this semester, and I owe it all to my friends. I think the tears are already coming. Oh geez…

Meijer

- It has everything!

My Bike

- Yes, its seat is torn; yes, its kickstand hasn’t worked in months; and yes, its lack of braking ability has sent me hurtling into the street more than once this semester, but I love that thing because it has faithfully taken me everywhere I’ve needed to go. Also, I feel pretty cool speeding past everyone on my way to class. Oh, and I will miss riding in my biker gang with my roommate Erica every Monday and Wednesday morning.

My Apartment Closet

- It’s huge. I could live in there. It will be missed dearly.

St. Patrick’s Day in Claire

- I’m pretty sure this is the biggest holiday around here. I will miss air guitaring my heart out on the dance floor.

My TV Addictions

- Once Upon A Time, Chopped, Rookie Blue, the latest Kardashion spinoff, and countless others that I can’t think of or am too embarrassed to admit that I watch.

English

- I don't speak any Italian. I think will miss English a little.

Yes, this is a rather long list, but I am not worried about being homesick at all. Whenever I get a little nervous about studying abroad, I do a little google search for pictures of Italy. Suddenly I become very excited again. I begin to practice packing again. I consider making a countdown to the exact date and time my flight takes off. I start practicing Italian phrases. Here are some of the pictures that provide the most encouragement and reassurance: 

I cannot wait! Now I'm just left to wait for departure day, January 24th. At least I have a countdown chain that needs to be made to keep me busy. Only 50 days.

Practice Makes Perfect - A Perfectly Packed Suitcase That Is

In the past week, I have made serious progress on the seemingly never-ending list of tasks that come along with preparing to study abroad. I’ve received my final acceptance letter to Palazzi, my ticket has been purchased, my visa application is being processed, and my passport is patiently waiting to earn its first stamp. “What is left to do now?” you might ask. Why practicing packing of course! This is exactly the reason why right around midnight on Tuesday night I found myself in my bedroom, surrounded by two of my roommates, debating which outfits to pack. The goal was to choose clothing that wouldn’t be the equivalent of having a red, white, and blue sign reading "American" around my neck. As each garment was displayed for judgment, it was rated on its overall ‘europeanness,’ and if an item scored low, it was often met with a comment like, “Oh, they would NEVER wear that,” or “Eh, too American.”  It turns out that “too American” translates to "too comfortable." Needless to say, none of my sweatpants, t-shirts, or sweatshirts made the cut.

From all that I’ve heard about the fashion in Italy, America is approximately a year behind the trends. Because I tend to be about a year behind the American trends, I’m a bit concerned that I will stand out like a sore thumb. However a little google research has assured me that there will be plenty of shopping in Florence for me to participate in those European trends. I am all about blending in and adopting the culture and fashion of Italy during my trip, but I am also concerned about looking completely ridiculous. For example, the moment I am caught dead in herum pants (see horrifying pictures below) is exactly the moment I need to be shipped back to America.  

During our study abroad orientation, the topic of packing was addressed. It was advised by a certain male study abroad advisor (ehem...Joey) that we each only pack 10 outfits to last us the entire semester. The horrified look on my face that was soon followed by uncontrollable laughter during this part of the discussion was probably distracting for the other students, and I apologize for this. However, I could not imagine living for 5 months on the same 10 outfits. Because of my attitude toward packing, I can already tell that the one 50-1b bag luggage limit is going to be a serious challenge.

One of the most important aspects of practicing packing is making everything fit in my one suitcase. Since this task is equally as challenging as being asked to pack all my roommates in my carry-on, it's a good thing that I spent all of middle school playing tetris on my Game Boy. These finely-honed spatial skills will hopefully aid me in this seemingly impossible task. If all else fails, I have decided to wear everything that doesn't fit in my bag on the plane. The mental picture that I have of me boarding the plane looks a lot like the scene from A Christmas Story where Ralphie's mother bundles his little brother, Randy, up so much for the cold winter weather that he can no longer move. I'm anticipating getting a few strange looks from my fellow travelers when I fly out of Detroit in January looking like this (see below); however, I'm not sure how well this look will go over when I return in June. 

Recipe For Happiness

My recipe for happiness is as follows: one part friendship, one part art, and two parts pizza.  Luckily for me, all three ingredients seem to be an integral part of Italian culture. As I often find myself sitting in my apartment in Mount Pleasant, MI munching on a less than satisfactory frozen cardboard-like pizza, it is hard to imagine that in less than three months I will be living halfway around the world and making the historic city of Florence, Italy my home for a semester. My imagination is only stretched further as I think about how I get the chance to live, study, and make art in the same city where the some of the world's greatest artists created their masterpieces during the Italian Renaissance. In fact, the city's rich art history is precisely the reason why I decided to study there.

As a Communication Disorders major, who is studying to become a speech-language pathologist, my choice to pursue an Art minor is considered a little unorthodox. When people ask me what I am planning to do with my minor, I don't have an answer for them. Though I'm not sure how at the moment, I do know that I will somehow find a way to incorporate art into my future career and it will always be a part of my life. Being creative is what gives me joy, fills the voids in my life, and keeps me balanced. Throughout the past three years of undergrad, my Art minor has allowed me to set aside time in my busy days to relax, take a step back from anatomy or physics coursework, and let my creative side take over. My study abroad in Florence is the perfect opportunity for me to explore my passion for art further by taking classes in the studio and discovering the city's wealth of art history. 

In Florence, I'll be studying fine arts at Palazzi: Florence Association For International Education. I actually can't imagine anything cooler than my class schedule for Palazzi. I'm currently registered for Introduction to Italian Language, Painting, Ceramics, and a class called Florence Sketchbook. I get excited just thinking about the amount of artwork I'll surely create while I am there and the skills I will gain. Watch out Michelangelo, here I come!

Michelangelo's David

Beth's Black and White Designs

When I think about study abroad in Florence, I become giddy with excitement. Jumping up and down is not an uncommon activity when I talk to my friends/roommates about my future travels. There are some things that I am most excited for and they include:

• Leaving the United States for the first time
• Getting my passport stamped (although I hear I'll only get one stamp even if I travel outside of Italy)
• Meeting interesting people from around the world
•  Learning Italian 
• Traveling to other countries in Europe (visiting my cousin in Portugal and my roommate in the Netherlands)
• Tasting authentic Italian food!!!

Though I did not base my choice to study abroad in Italy solely on of my love of Italian cuisine, it is cause for a majority of my pre-departure excitement. I am looking forward to blogging about my first real Italian meal, which I hear will be not only be delicious but will also take two or three hours to complete. As an American, I am used to always rushing, either to class, to finish homework, or to scarf down food to sustain myself for the marathon that is a day in college. I am looking forward to experiencing a different way of life - a slower paced life - and one with a lot more lasagna.