Firenze, ITALY

Bonjourno from Firenze (Florence)!


3 MORE DAYS!!! I miss you guys so much. Rome was great…but Florence is amazing!! And plus it didn’t rain the whole time so that was great! Instead it was sunny and HOT the whole time….I wanted to throw on a swim suit and lay out everywhere. However, that wasn’t possible because I would be mauled by Italian boys…on top on the continuous harassment that my friends and I received this whole weekend haha. Italians don’t really wear shorts or skirts or dresses and we were wearing all of the above so we got some weird looks and some interesting comments haha! Italians are crazy!!!

The drive from Rome was about 3 hours of incredible Italian countryside. There were tons of vineyards, Mediterranean houses and gardens and colors. It was a great distraction from the time and it was beautiful. We arrived in Florence around 5pm and got to our hotel room that overlooked the roof tops of all of the Mediterranean houses and an incredible skyline. It was so picturesque. The fact that we have internet is also picturesque. We got freshened up and walked around the city to enjoy the great weather and take pictures. We started at the Academia gallery because it was still cultural week when we got there so we didn’t have to pay to get in. This is where the original statue of “Real David” is. This is known as the model of a picturesque man…or if it isn’t, then it should be. The square in the Central of Florence called Piazza del Signoria is where the Uffizi Art gallery (the grandest art gallery in Italy) is and also where we sat and ate dinner the first night. It was great weather and great people watching in the square. I ordered Spaghetti with meatballs and we got two bottles of wine. Florence’s famous wine is called Chianti. We got a bottle of this and it was really good. I think you would have liked it daddy…I wish I could bring you some. A 2 man band came and played at the restaurant and it was so romantic. After dinner we went to a gelato shop in the square. I have found that Gelato in Florence is wayyy better than gelato in Rome. I think its known to be the best in Italy…but I’m not sure. I got a pretty large cone with Strawberry and Chocolate and I turned around and looked at my friend Chelsea’s cone and it was about three times bigger than mine. I said “Chelsea! How much is that cone” and she said “I have no idea I just said that I wanted a waffle cone” and I said “hahahaha!!!” We walked up to the counter to check out and he said “4 Euro” to me and “12 Euro” to Chelsea. I lost it and started laughing so hard!!! Her cone was 12 Euro which is about 15/17 US Dollars!! It was hilarious. She had to try and talk her way out of it and get the woman to take back her cone. The rest of our group was standing outside trying not to pee our pants because we were laughing so hard. We walked back to the hotel and talked for a while and then went to sleep. We decided not to go to the disco because we were getting up early for Pisa the next day!

Monday- We woke up and had breakfast (much better than Rome) at the hotel. We walked to the train station and got a ticket to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower! The train ride was about an hour long and then we had to walk all the way to the other side of Pisa to get to the Tower…we realized that they put the station there because if people saw it immediately then they would just take a picture and leave haha. So they decided make everyone walk straight across town so that they could be harassed by street venders and creepy Italian men. We finally got there…and I was on the verge of sweating because it was so hot (Happiness). We automatically started taking all of the necessary pictures that one takes at a destination such as Leaning Tower of Pisa. Pushing the tower down…holding it up…hugging it…jumping…walking…singing…dancing…and everything else. We got some great pictures and I cant wait to show you all of them! Me, Chelsea, Emily, Jessi, Jeryn and Kara were walking back to the train station after looking through venders and we stopped at one on the way back. We were looking and a creepy man on a bike stopped at the vender and started yelling stuff at us and the men that owned the booth tried to get him to go away because he was smiling creepily at us and making us really uncomfortable. We thought we would take advantage of the situation and have some fun so we started growling at the man and screaming and we ending up laughing so hard at ourselves that it was hardly affective. He rode his bike off somewhere and we continued to walk back to the station and the next thing we knew…he was following closely behind us on his bike. We started walking faster and he rode in between us and we tried to stop and he would stop right next to us…we started yelling at him and telling him to leave us alone and he just smiled and would leave us. We got a little freaked out and tried to run but he wouldn’t leave us. Then we started yelling Polizia (Police) at him and he saw them ahead by the bridge we were about to cross and rode off. It freaked us out a little…some more than others and was super creepy. Italians are insane. We got back to Florence around 3pm and went to all of the markets around the area to shop for leather goods and fun Italian stuff. We spent the rest of the day in the markets which was so much fun and we got a lot of great stuff. The leather markets are GIGANTIC! There are tons of different things and it is really fun to negotiate prices with people. It was annoying how everyone kept hassling you from every booth. If I got a dime for every time I heard “I give special deal for only you!”…then I would own Donald Trump. We also got to walk around most of Florence and see and of the monuments and take pictures by them because we knew that the forecast for Tuesday was rainy and most of the places were closed on Monday. So we enjoyed the sun and warmth and walked around to the Santa Maria Novella (famous Florentine Church), San Lorenzo (church and also where largest leather market is), The Duomo and Baptistry (where Dante was baptized), The Uffizi (art gallery), San Croce (famous Florentine church), and Ponte Vecchio (Famous Florentine bridge…and the only bridge over the river that wasn’t destroyed by the Nazi’s in WWII…and it is now famous for its jewelry venders and great view). We happened to walk by the Disney store and there was a TV and it was playing a High School Musical video in there so naturally, I walked in and started singing and dancing. It made me so happy and so excited to come home and watch the Disney channel!!! We had a great day and went to eat at this restaurant that some of our friends ate at the night before. They continuously gave us free liters of wine and the food was great and then the owner bought all of the girls in the restaurant roses!! It was so much fun and such a traditional Italian restaurant. We came back to the hotel, talked, and hit the sheets!

Tuesday – We woke up and ate breakfast again! This day we went around to all of the same monuments but went inside them. It wasn’t much different than Monday. We went to the leather markets and other venders today again. First we went to San Lorenzo, then Santa Maria, and then the Duomo. The Duomo was not as impressive as other churches but the outside is incredible. Most of the churches here are made of pure marble on the outside…which makes them so unique and amazing to behold. I had gelato for lunch…yes I know…and then we went to the famous jewelry bridge – Ponte Vecchio and looked at all of the jewelry that was leagues out of any of our budgets. But it was fun. Jessi and I went and made an appointment at the Uffizi Gallery for 3:30 because the wait was longer than 3 hours without one. WOAH! We came back to the hotel and we took a snooze and then hit the gallery! It was a great collection of Italian art…and had the famous painting of The Birth of Venus (google it if you don’t know what it looks like). There were a lot of MichelAngelo, Rafael, and Da Vinci works. We had a lot of fun with all of the art and culture. We met up with everyone else and walked around and then came back to the hotel, ate some snack for dinner, and then watch The Hangover. Yes…we all watched The Hangover in Florence. But hey, we made sure that we conquered the city before doing so. Now we just chilled in our room and got ready to leave tomorrow and enjoyed being with each other.

I am going to bed…anticipating the coming days in Venice and the coming years in AMERICA AND TEXAS! Haha I cant wait to come home. We have all been in disbelief of the things that we are going to be able to do THIS WEEKEND!! What?!?! We will be able to drive? Have free water? Get refills on coke? Have ICE in our drinks?? Not have to pay double of what things actually cost because of the exchange rate? I get to sleep in a bed that doesn’t gouge into my back or strange stains? The realizations are endless and I cant wait to share them with all of you! You are going to get so tired of it haha! I miss you guys so much and I love you so much and I cant wait to see all of you and I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!! AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great rest of the week and I will see you this weekend! (unreal)
Pictures when I get home!!

Ciao!

Me at PonteVecchio Bridge

Me pushing the leaning tower of Pisa

Me and the girls - Chelsea, Kara, Jeryn, Jessi, Me, Emily

At dinner with our free roses and free wine!

Chelsea, jeryn, Me at leather market

ROMA, Italy

Bonjourno from Rome, Italy!

Awaiting our departure time of 2am…my friends and I sat in our empty rooms together and chatted...mostly about how weird it was that we would never be back at Harlaxton again…or if we would then it would never be with all of the people that have been here with us day in and day out. It hasn’t really dawned on us yet that we will never be back…well at least not me. We left Harlaxton on Thursday morning at 2am…we all cried as we drove out of the circle, away from the magnificent house that has consumed our lives for the past 4 months and been our home and we drove into another foreign identity and unknown territory. We got to the airport after a 3 hour drive in the coach, checked our luggage, and hopped on the plane…not knowing what to expect (meaning the ash cloud). The first few turbulence drops were a bit frightening…I was too on edge to sleep…but then the all nighter caught up with me and I passed out. We landed in Rome safe and sound, got our luggage, and walked out into 75 degree weather…we were all so excited that we almost took all of our clothes off and just laid on the ground from our 4 month lack of vitamin D.

Thursday afternoon – This city is so incredible and historic. I had no idea how much there is to see and half of it you aren’t intentionally trying to see. There are more fountains and monuments and churchs and Piazzas that you know what to do with! Once we got settled in the hotel and hit Vatican City! First we stopped at a street pizza place and got a really good Pizza for lunch (First Italian food!!) We went to St. Peter’s cathedral which was incredible…the largest Cathedral in the world. This American guy who is here by himself asked me to take his picture for him in the church (VERY cute…more of a pretty girly cute than a manly hot…you know?) and we started talking about my camera and his camera and then he pretty much went into his life story and me and my friend Emily were talking to him for about 15 minutes in St. Peters…is was Halarious! OH!!! And by the way (mom and dad…mostly dad) It is Cultural week in Rome so EVERYTHING is FREEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We don’t have to pay to get into anything!! Except for Vatican Museum and we get student discount for that. How incredible that we are here for cultural week…and it ends Sunday right when we leave! I have already saved over 60 Euro! WOO! Okay so we left St. Paul’s and then ran into a wonderful public water fountain (Im not kidding...it was really wonderful)…that had 5 spouts that continuously pour water out of them. Its just like a big fountain but you can drink out of it...and it was the best water I had ever tasted. We walked to the Vatican Museum and missed the last time to enter so then we went to the Trevi Fountain, got FIRST GELATO! and came back to the hotel to freshen up and then went and grabbed our first Italian sit down meal! I got lasagna…YUM! Then we went to bed and had a wonderful day in Rome! Oh and we saw the most beyond good looking guy in the world on the Metro…imagine every hot model you have seen in a magazine and they all just stepped out and combine…that was this guy. He worked for a Refrigeration company hahaha!!



Friday – Today was a great day! We woke up and had a nasty breakfast at the hotel…which involved a pre plastic packaged Croissant. What is that? It was raining today  Boo. We went to Vatican Museum first thing. This is incredible…there were so many sculptures…so many…and the ceilings were spectacular. At the very end of the Museum is the Sistine Chapel. Talk about awesome. However, you have all of this other really amazing stuff that leads up to the Sistine Chapel so you think that this is going to blow your little pee brained mind out of the water…and it does but I think that the suspense built up is a little extensive. There were tons of Chinese tourist groups there that don’t know how to mind anyone’s space…as usual. However there weren’t many mirrors around for them to take pictures of their reflections doing the peace sign. Sad day. We finished The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel (which I took pictures in, and I probably have the authorities after me right now)and went to a Trattoria Restaurant place right outside of Vatican city and eat a GREAT meal. I had Spaghetti and meat sauce and the men who ran the place were so nice. They gave us bread and chocolates for free. One of the men went in the middle of the street and started eating a plate of spaghetti to get people to come to his restaurant haha!! It was so funny. They were the nicest Italians that we have encountered so far. Then made our way to Piazza Navona and The Pantheon. The Piazza Navona is a wide stadium like place (like a park) and it has tons of artists and fountains and a tall pointy monument in the center. There are a lot of shops and restaurants around so we hung out there for a while and looked around. Then we went up a couple blocks to The Pantheon. This is also in another park like space with a tall monument in the middle and the Pantheon is a LARGE church building which is VERY cool and is beautiful on the inside…but different than any other church you have seen. We walked around and took pictures and then got on a bus and went to The Colloseum, The Forum, and The Palentine. These are the Roman Ruins. The Colloseum is obviously where the Gladiators used to fight and prisoners, where ‘Jumper’ the movie with Hayden Christiansen was at (most likely NOT filmed here) and also where Lizzie McGuire had her concert in ‘The Lizzie McGuire Movie’ (also very likely NOT real). But who cares…the most important person in the Colloseum is ME! We took tons of pictures (it was still raining and this is all outside) and went on the different levels and then made our way to The Forum…which are more ruins of stadiums and such that the Romans used. This was a HUGE area covered in ruins and 3 cats that we happened to encounter while we were there haha. After all of this excitement and history, we were pooped and about to collapse on the sidewalk in the rain. We went back to the hotel and rested for a bit and then went to the Trevi Fountain so that we could see it at night. It was incredible! We tossed some coins, took some pictures, and got some gelato! I got a yogurt Gelato that has blueberries, raspberries, and black berries..YUM! We came back to the hotel and got a few things at the supermarket, took showers, I went down to the lobby to get on the internet and ended up waiting an hour while talking to my friends. Then I came up, loaded pictures, and went to sleep  Great Day in Rome.

Saturday – Raining again! What is your deal Rome?? We didn’t really have too much to do today because we saw most of Rome either by purpose or just by running into churches and monuments that we didn’t really mean to see. So we decided to wake up late and walked to a really beautiful church nearby our hotel. We walked around for a while and then took the metro to the Spanish Steps (most expensive shopping area in Rome) and if you stick your hand in this statues mouth and lie then it will bite your hand!! I didn’t do it because I forgot and we were all really hungry and getting cranky. We shopped around for a while and then went down to the Pantheon & Piazza Navona to eat and got pizza and rested and then we looked at a few shops and then we went to a Gelato shop with 92 FLAVORS!!! It was awesome! I got a 4 flavor cup and I got 1 strawberry, 2 banana split, and 1 chocolate mousse…heaven in my mouth! It was called Della Palma and it was in front of the Pantheon. We were all about the fall apart so we caught the bus back to the hotel and took a LONNNGGG nap . We just woke up and went to the Supermarket and got some snacks and now we are back at the hotel and sitting and chatting. This has been a great city and a great trip. We are heading to Florence tomorrow!!

Some more to add to blog after pondering in the bus to Florence.

- There were nuns and fathers walking around everywhere in Rome which was super cool especially when you know that this is their homeland haha. It was also awsome to see all of this stuff that is in Angels and Demons and alot of other movies filmed here.

- Outside of our room was a constant club party going on which was an interesting lullaby to sleep everynight. It was also mixed with one of my roomates snoring.

- 5 DAYS TILL HOME!!!!!!

I love you all so much and I cant wait to tell you all about Rome, Florence, and Venice!


Ciao!!

Me in front of St. Peters in Vatican City

Me at Trevi Fountain

Me in front of bridge in Rome

Me in front of Colloseum

Volcano Volshmano

Volcano erupted again yesturday...all ash coming into UK. Not sure what is going to happen with airspace today or the rest of the week. If I have anymore updates I will continue to add them to this post "Volcano Volshmano" because I dont want to keep on making more new posts haha. Have a great week!


ITALY IS A GO!!!!!!!!!!1

NEWS!!!

Hey everyone!

Airspace in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and northern UK are beginning to open tomorow throughout the day. It is reported that the volcano is not emitting any more ash. These are good articles to read about the current situation. PRAY FOR ITALY!!

http://news.aol.co.uk/first-uk-flights-set-to-resume/article/20100419042255142686020?icid=mainukdl1link4http://news.aol.co.uk/first-uk-flights-set-to-resume/article/20100419042255142686020

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100419/tuk-first-uk-flights-set-to-resume-6323e80.html

Volcano Updates

Hi Everyone!

I dont know if you have read my previous Volcano post but you should read it before this one. Current news is UK sending military ships across the English Channel to retreive citizens. More and more people are getting stuck abroad and have no where to stay (airlines are stopping putting people in hotels or they are all booked already) and in some places only getting 1 meal voucher a day to places like McDonalds, or they dont have any more money to spend on food or hotels so they are sleeping on floors of airports for days without food.

The EU (European Union) is gathering their officials to figure out a solution to all of this because it is becoming more than an issue of getting where we need to be. So thankfully I have a place to stay and I am not trapped anywhere besides an English Manor. They met today and are hopefully finding a quick solution...whether is be getting planes in the air or sending more boats. What ever they are going to do it needs to happen soon because this obviously cannot be going on for the next week. It looks like the Volcano isnt going to let up anytime soon on the ash...you can read all about why this Volcano is a different situation than normal volcanoes because it is placed next to a glacier therefore producing a different type of lava/magma/ash cloud. I cant exactly spell out all of the specifics so here are some current links that mom and I found that are very informative of what is happening with the Volcano and how the EU is taking action.

I love you guys alot and miss you! As of now I am taking finals...doing great hopefully and staying put in the UK.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/19/eyjafjallajokull-volcano_n_542411.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1267116/Iceland-volcano-eruption-Navy-armada-ready-pick-stranded-Britons.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/19/AR2010041901101_2.html?sid=ST2010041802278
Here are some pictures of the eruption and ash cloud if you dont have anytime to look them up...its quite extraordinary.

Eyjafjallajoekull Volcano

Hi Everyone!

I know that most of you probablly know that the Eyjafjallajoekull (Yes, That is the real name...I am not making it up) Volcano has erupted and is continuing to erupt as I am typing to you. However, we have been told that it is supposed to be slowing down in the next couple days. As of now the large ash cloud is moving southeast over the UK (No, I cant not see it...nor am I getting covered in soot everytime I walk outside) and the rest of Europe. I dont want to go over all of the speculated technical aspects of this thing because it literally changes minute to minute and we cannot predict what mother nature decides to do. However, I just wanted to share with everyone how much this is effecting this other half of the world. I know that it is in the news and yall probablly know alot, but many people just think 'Oh another natural disaster...like an earthquake or tsunami' well not really because it has shut off pretty much everything in and out of the UK and most of Europe. You can read all about how it effecting everyone or hear it on the news...I think...I mean I wouldnt really know what is showing on prime time O'Reilly Factor. But schools are shutting down, cancelling exams...because it was holiday for everyone here right before the volcano erupted and everyone is stuck abroad. 5 girls from my school were stuck in Poland for 5 days and missed exams. There are many people who have been told that they will not be able to return to the UK until next month. This is because once their flight is cancelled they get reimbursed and possibly put in a hotel...but the tricky part of all of this is that once the air space opens back up...ALLLL of these people are going to be booking flights and some already have...for next month, because everything will or already has been booked. Well why not just resort to railway travel through Europe...Euro star is solid booked for weeks.

The real tragedy here is that Miley Cyrus cant make it to 'The Last Song' Premiere in London...which I was going to go to :(....but as you can see this isnt just effecting the airlines incoming money, but all of Europe and some surrounding continents and many events...like the Europa cup (I think its for rugby, or futbol...not sure).

So obviously this effects me...which is the most important thing of all of this...Right? I am suppose to leave for Italy in 3 days (Thursday). As of now...that is most likely not going to happen. It has not been cancelled yet, but we will see what happens. The group flight back to America this Thursday (the people who were not planning on going to Italy) has been cancelled as of this moment. So they will be needing to make other arrangements to get back to America...who knows how long they will have to wait until they can get a flight that is open...if it stays cancelled. So Im not sure what I am going to do for 9 days if I dont go to Italy...I stilll have hope that the volcano will stop erupting and we will get some wicked rapid winds up in here to blow out this ash cloud. If I dont then maybe I will go over to Scotland or Wales..cool but not a close second to Italy I have to say.

They have put a few planes in the air from the Netherlands and Germany (i think) for test runs in the ash cloud. They said there were minimal damages and they are still observing and finding results from the engine and such...so I know that people are working extremely hard to find solutions for this because the airspace being closed is literally shutting down an extremely large factor in the function of this continent and the earth...A little dramatic I know..but its true!!! London has been completely shut down for 5 days...that is HUGE in itself. So I think that it 'the man in charge' is going to do whatever it takes to get the airspace open again.

That is my update....I hope it was helpful or at least interesting to read if you already knew everything that was going on and the extreme depth of the effects that this volcano is having on life over here.

Here are some pictures from this weekend ...Our last night at the Goose (unless we are stuck here for 9 more days) to liven this post up a little :)

Me and Molly

Natalie, Sarah, Katie, Me

Me, Jeryn, Emily

Patti, Sam, Me

Jessi, Jarrod, Me

Molly, Sarah, Me

Marilyn and Me

Me and Chelsea

Thats All Folks! -- I dont want to spoil all of the pictures for when I get home!

Love you all so much :)

Pray for Italy!!

Convocation & Last Bistro Night

Hi!

Things are winding down over here...it is beginning to be the "Last" of everything. It is really sad but also really happy. Its hard to sum up the experience that I have had here with all of these people...and I dont think I will ever be able to do that in words because you cant put a label or description on something this spectacular. It is hard to beleive that I am here conquering the world...because when I come back from Prague or Scotland, there isnt a handfull of people here who haven't done either the same thing or something cooler. When I come home and I am able to fully share this experience with you and I am taken out of this dream world then maybe I will be able to realize the incredible experience that I have been blessed with, the priceless and irreplaceable moments that I have had and the knowledge I have gained. But for now...it will remain surreal.

This week (thursday) was the Valedictory Convocation. This is where we commend all of the teachers and give awards to outstanding students. We got to have a formal dinner...which is always a nice change of pace from the sick nasty Refectory (cafeteria) food. We dressed up and went to Harlaxton Village church and received our diplomas of completion and also a Harlaxton Society pin and listen to our GREAT chior and a speech and then we came back to the manor and had a reception and then dinner. I sat with all of my best friends and we ate a great meal and then listened to the awards...dont get excited...I didnt win anything haha! I think they got the results mixed up somewhere in the process. We then made our way to the Great Hall and all sat down to watch a slide show of the year...there were gallons of tears shed. Even though we know that we still have a 2 weeks with each other, 1 spent in one of the most amazing places in the world (Italy), we also know that this isnt just a "summer camp" thing. This is something that has made a permanent mark on our lives, that will define the rest of our journey, and no one can understand the meaning of these past few months more than the people we have been here with. I think that we are all starting to understand how important we are to each other, how we have grown together, and how much we have been through. We are at the point in our lives to that we wont just go back to our friends at home and put this to the way side, outr best friends that we made here will be there forever (if you want them to be, anyway). Its incredible. Okay so thats enough of my monologue. I just wanted to share with you and inkling of what this experience means to me and how I'm feeling right now. Because in the end thats what you think about right? But you also think about the future and my future right now includes the most inconceiveably comfortable bed in the world, a Jamba Juice and an American meal of my choosing. So I'm sitting pretty high right now. Oh and dont worry about my transportation home due to the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland (where I would love to be right now...), I have devised many alternative routes home. I have got this under control...I know how to beat the system...and by the system I mean mother nature.

Back to my story...After we all wept, It was LAST BISTRO NIGHT!! Everyone went down to the Bistro and hung out and it was a fantastic night with friends and teachers. We were the first Harlaxton class to sign the wall down in the Bistro...which they never let classes do!! And also...I bought the last drink at the bistro ever! (this semester anyways). That is the award I get. I have more pictures to show than words to speak so I will just show you those and I hope that you can gather the fun and great time we all had. I have finals this week but I dont want to ruin this post by talking about that so wish my luck and enjoy the pictures!!

I leave for Italy in 4 days!!!

P.S. I rode a bike yesturday for the first time in 7 years. We rode to town, which is about 4 miles away and rode back...needless to say I almost killed myself more than once (Sorry, dad I know I told you I would stay out of trouble and stay safe...no more bikes for me). You know the expression "Its just like riding a bike"....NO it is not just like riding a bike because riding a bike is not always the same...not after you have grown about a foot and have lost all sense of balance and coordination. Also...I am unable to sit on any hard surface with out a cusion. My bum feels like it just got a couple of swift kicks to it...for 8 miles.

Love you all! - click on pictures for better view!

Table at Convocation

Cassie and I at Convocation Reception

Chelsea and I at Convocation

Girls at Reception

Sarah and I at Convocation

Nick and I

Clay and I

Dr. Green and I at Bistro (another eye candy British professor that everyone wants)

Brandon and I at Bistro

All of us by our signed names!

Alex and I in Bistro

Emilee, Sara, Me in Bistro

Last Drink bought in Bistro!! -- it was a water

Bistro Wall - Spring 2010 Harlaxton

Im in the heart in the bottom right corner

Costume Ball

Hello over there!

20 DAYS!! AH! Time is going by fast...thankfully. But I am going to miss everyone so much here...even though I am on the verge of ringing their necks. I just have 4 more days of class and then Exams start this Saturday. WOW. I only have one more assignment left and then Im done...except for exams :) I am so excited for Italy...it feels like it isn't going to come. I cant beleive all this stuff is happening. I remember months ago when I was thinking about how all of this was so far away, and now it is flying by. Incredible. Everyone here is really ready to go home...but we know that we are all going to miss this place and all of our friends. So that is sad but...I think we can manage.

The Costume Ball was last night...one of those things that I thought would never come, and its already gone! It was a fabulous night...so much fun! We had a Date Auction reception to see all of the people up for the Date Auction that was held and then we had a formal dinner....which was glorious!!! I stuffed my face. Then we all took pictures and had the Ball in the Great Hall. Just like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...I really felt like I was in that movie. The Date Auction was silent...which was alot of fun to watch. Two of our British professors who are eye candy and obsessions to many of the female and some of the male students were put up for auction as a pair....They went for 71 Pounds!!!! (aka about 125 dollars) It was a female student too! Crazy. I went as Hannah Montana to the Costume ball (my costume didnt get here in time mom, but my improvisation of a costume was great!). Everyone loved it so much...they were so excited that a big star came to their costume Ball! I performed to Party in the USA hahaha it was great! We danced all night until 1230...my feet hurt so bad and were covered in beer and wine..yuck! (I danced barefoot) Nothing bad happened to anyone (aka throwing up in the middle of the Great Hall due to drunkeness) so that was great! We all had so much fun and I cant wait to show you all of the pictures.

Today (Sunday) is the Harlaxton Olympics...that should be interesting! I am on a team with Cassie, Emily, Jessi, Jeryn, and Emilee. Not that any of you actually know who these people are. I love yall so much and I cant wait to see you..it is so soon!!! Have a great week everybody!

Love,
Hannah

Goose...night before Costume Ball

Goose with kerry...she lives in Wetherford, TX

Me and Cassie at Goose

Me and Patti at Goose...she lives in Arlington, TX

Me, Kerry, Molly, Patti, Cassie - Costume Ball

Me and Nick...he is a Beatle. 2 music legends....kind of :)

Me and Emilee....yes I am wearing sequins tights with flowers on them

Cassie and I

Natalie, Kat, Me, Eileen

Me and Dr. Taylor...One of the eye candy Auctionees

23 DAYS!

 23 DAYS till Im home!!!

This week has been pretty slow...school work is getting slim and the school is organizing more activities for all of us to do to commemorate our experience here :) Yesturday was the Quidditch World Cup! That was interesting...and I am much more sore that I thought I would be or than I would be if I was riding on a broom stick the whole time like Harry Potter.

Everyone is getting sick here...throw up sick. So I really hope that isnt going to catch up to me! Tonight is the Meet-A-Family Fest so that should be fun! and then Saturday is the Costume Ball...Im going as Hannah Montana!!! I miss the Disney Channel so much...I feel like Im missing so much...all the new episodes, season finales, season premeires, Original Disney Channel movies, everything. But I will have all summer to catch up :)

I have no idea how Im going to get home...I have so much stuff. Everyone else is planning on throwing out a bunch of their stuff...like worn out shoes and clothes and towels....I cant throw out any of that stuff!!! So packing will be an interesting task. I hope that all of you are having a great week. The days seem to be going by slowly here...but fast at the same time. I cant beleive the semester is almost over, and it is going to be summer when I get home. I didnt get to have a Spring this year...it was just a constant winter and then 100 degrees when I get home...CANT WAIT! My body cant take much more abuse...(Thats your cue Christi)...Im going to need a MAJOR massage when I get home. And when I say massage I mean multiple massages. We are so lucky to have a sister/daughter in the family with massage certification....However, she isnt so lucky to have an obscene amount of family members with chronic neck, shoulders, and back problems...not to mention the mental problems...but thats what Lauren is for right?

Well I love you and I miss you and Im going to put up some fun random pictures from the semester that I dont think you have seen.

At the Goose...funny faces...except for me

After I got into a fight with the bathroom door...this wound is miniscule compared to the damage I left on that door when I was through with him.

Chelsea, Me, Katie

Me, Jessi, Jeryn, Emily

Alex, Me, Kat

me, Cassie, Kerry in Prague

me and Russell

Alex, me, Sarah, Katie

Emily, Paige, Me, Sarah

Thats it for now! Love you so much!

Dont forget to Czech out my Prague Post!