Friday, October 19, 2012

ADL's in Florence [Activities of Daily Life]


-jmj

So I've put up posts every week about what I did on the weekend. So tonight I wanted to share with you a few pictures of what I have been up to in Florence and the surrounding areas.


Wanderings in Settignano...

Cappucini + Theology = Perfect Combination

A beautiful Florence sky

Look! I'm actually studying abroad!
 Exploring Florence...
Exploring Ponte Vecchio and other places in Florence!

Random picture of an old man sleeping on a park bench

We visited San Miniato al Monte, a Benedictine Monastery in Florence 


The view from San Miniato al Monte! All of Florence is at my fingertips...

Dusk in Florence in front of Piazza Pitti

Me and my new amici Italiani! Daniele, Lauri and Chiara! They showed me around Florence!
Chiara and I from a look out point in Fiesole. All of Florence was lit up behind us. Bellisima!

Molto amici italiani! 

The lights over the river from Ponte Vecchio
 Experiencing Tuscany...
A church we stopped in during our visit to Panzano, a little city outside of Florence.

I can't see this picture. Can you? 
Katie and I tasting some amazing wine at the Accademia di Buona Guista! 

Stefano (on the right with the funny hat) was a great host! We tasted over 7 different wines under his direction!

Cutest couple award goes to... Katie and Brayson! 

Comedic entertainment for the day went to Pietro! 

Jenny and I love Accademia di Buona Guista!

Two peas in a pod. 

Stefano teaching Katie and Gabby how to taste olive oil. 1. Smell 2. put in the palm of your hand 3. Cover it with your other hand 4. Dance 5. Taste. Molto Buono!

Everyone, meet Umberto, Stefano's wild cinghiale.

Stefano made me kiss Umberto. Pietro said I will not have good fortune for my whole life! Thanks Pietro!

We have too much fun with Pietro. 
We graduated from Accademia di Buona Guista!


Stefano and his amazing hat.

Buona Guista!
Good times...
My classmates and our two fabulous Italian instructors!

We wanted to honor Daniele (only guy in the middle) and all do our hair like him! 

Walking to the bus stop is an activity of daily life hear in Italy.

The sunset on our walk. This night we were having girls night in Florence...



The girls and I at Tijuana, Mexican Food!!!! Complete with 1/2 off Margheritas!

Mi piace Mango Margherita molto!

Welp, that's all for now, folks! I love Florence and have been enjoying all the time I have here. It is crazy to think that I will be back in the U.S. in a month! Today, as we were driving through the rolling Tuscan hills, I was thinking to myself, "This is really my life... Weird." God is so good and I can't begin to express how blessed I feel!

You all are in my thoughts and prayers constantly! Lots and lots of love is being sent you way!

-Michela

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Pictures from Pisa and Paris!


 jmj

The weekend's fun didn't stop in Lisieux! Here are pictures from our time in Pisa, before we left for Lisieux, and after, in Paris! Enjoy!

Pisa!
One of my friends, Cabrini (pictured below), googled creative poses to do in front of the leaning tower of Pisa. So here are pictures compliments of Cabrini and google search!
Cabrini was so excited to take pictures with the tower in Pisa that she stopped at the wrong one! (Haha jk! I made her to it.)

Lift with your knees, not your back! My chiropractor would be so pleased!

Karate Chopping the Tower? Ok.

Trying to get everyone lined up just so was pretty hard, but I'm pretty sure my side one! Yeah, upper-class girls!

Love the Kendrick Sisters! Don't know what they are trying to do, but apparently its not working :)



After an hour and a half we were trying to get real creative. Cabrini was a dedicated photographer (seen sitting on the floor to get the best angle)

Proof of dedication: Laying on gross sidewalk to get best picture. Bravo Cabrini! Bravo.

It's a thriller night?

Can you see the tower? And Abby's great face?
 Then Paris:
Early morning Surprise in Paris: Seeing these girls at the Miraculous Medal Chapel. It really was a miracle!

The chapel itself was beautiful as well! We got to attend mass. I'm pretty sure that parts of it were said in Polish, French and Latin. I was kinda confused.

St. Catherine Laboure's tomb

Becca was so excited to get her pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks! So worth it!

My first real French crepe! Nutella and banana. So good!

This is me, about to enjoy the deliciousness that awaits me.


Trying to stay and dry on our day tour of Paris! Can you see the Eiffel Tower?
Looking cute and bald in this pic. 
                                   
More locks of Love! Its an epidemic spreading across Europe!

Aw, fer cute! 

Notre Dame. It was magnificent!

Beautiful rose windows inside Notre Dame.

St. Joan of Arc was everywhere in France! This statue was in Notre Dame.

Sadly, the first thought in my head when I saw the the real Eiffel Tower was "It's so much bigger than the one in Las Vegas!" True Story.


It is fall at last!

Made it to the Eiffel Tower!

View of Paris from the Steps of the Sacre Coeur Church.
There was a huge party going on outside of the Sacre Coeur! The St. Vincent DePaul society was hear to join in! (Note the very serious man in this picture. Kinda creepy) 


The Sacre Coeur up close and personal. The steps of this Basilica were the place to be!

Smile! I'm in Paris!

Perpetual Adoration takes place in the main church in the Sacre Couer. It was such an amazing Church! The Benedictine nuns there were so sweet!
Soup: The perfect comfort food on a rainy day!

This one is for my beautiful sister, Gabrielle! A street wholly dedicated to you!

An awesome hat stand that made me want to be super cute and French.

Becca got to enjoy corn on the cob! I'm not sure how french it is but it was really good  (so I heard).
  
The sun was trying to peak out from behind the clouds on this rainy Parisian day.

This weekend was incredible! I feel so blessed to have seen so much in so short a time! I would go back to Paris in a heartbeat!

God bless you this week! 

-Michela