I don't have a title for this one.

My plans for the day are dead.

I was planning on walking around and exploring the city and taking tons of pictures. I need more practice with Bartolomeo (my camera). Bart is treating me well, but I still have lots to learn. However, the weather is absolutely not cooperating. The day was sunny and beautiful until about 45 minutes ago. Adesso, sta piovuto (now, it's raining). Boooo!

Ah well, I will still be making the best out of my day. Maybe I will go for a walk without good old Bart. Tomorrow will be a big day for him anyways as I am taking my first trip to the Uffizi and possibly the Galleria dell'Accademia. I'm so excited I might pee. Not pee my pants, just pee in general. That's real excitement for you.

Today I may explore for a bit before dinner and then after dinner I am heading into al centro (the center of town) to get gelato at Grom, the best gelato place I have found yet. This gelato is literally the most amazing thing you can imagine. I have no words for it. Sorry.

I have been making some amazing friends here. God has placed some truly wonderful people in my life already. Just today I was stressed out about a sick family member and one of my new friends held my hand and prayed for me and my aunt while we were walking down the sidewalk in the midst of a hoard of people. She is so incredible. It made my whole day better; it refreshed my faith and gave me a sense of peace and calm and since then this has been one of my best days so far. Grazie Valerie! You are super fab!

I can't wait to see how my friendships with these new people will grow and develop over the next three months. It's going to be GRRRREEEEAAATTTTT! (I hope someone caught my channeling of Tony the Tiger there. It was very intentional. I am missing Frosted Flakes these days. As well as Taco Bell, but that's another story for another time.)

Meanwhile, or mentre, as the Italians say, I am learning TONS. My Italian is improving in leaps and bounds and that makes me very happy. I am not, however, fluent yet which irritates me. I really wish I were Professor Agheana's secret twin and was a language genius. That would be very convenient right now. Alas, I am not in any way related to Professor Agheana and so I therefore cannot speak the Italian language well, let alone 7 other languages along with it. But I'm getting there. Fluency in the Italian language is within sight, which is a very exciting prospect for me. Soon I will be able to say whatever I want to my Italian momma, Anna. I will tell her her cooking is fabulous and she is my favorite and I love her very much. But for now I'll stick with basic phrases and charade-like scenarios in which my acting skills are put to the test while I try to piece together sentences. I'm so classy, as per usual, of course :)

Okay care mie (my dears), I hope you are all having fabulous lives and that you all enjoy this fine day. I would love to hear from some of you. Facebook me, email me (sarahmklooster@gmail.com), send me a letter (see last post), skype me, come visit me, whatever you like. If any of you choose to come visit, you are welcome to join me on my trip to Siena on Saturday. My program group is going for the day and then on our way home we will be stopping in Chianti for a wine festival. Let me know if you would like to come. It will be grand. Otherwise I will write another post soon about how wonderful Siena is (because I'm sure it will be meraviglioso (marvelous) and bella (beautiful)) and about how fantastic the wine in Chianti is (because I'm sure it will be gustoso (tasty) and delizioso (delicious)...what are appropriate words to use to describe wine...? I guess I'll find out this weekend. I'll let you know.).

Ciao ragazzi (Bye guys.). Vi amo tutti (I love you all.).

P.S. The girls in the picture are my new friends Amy (who is part of the ACM program with me and who I LOVE) and Valerie (who goes to Rutgers University and is here with eight other kids from Rutgers and who I also LOVE). Photo credit goes to Vittoriana (who is also part of the Rutgers group and who I also also LOVE). My new friends. They're my favorite.

P.S.S. You're welcome for all the Italian lessons I have been surreptitiously giving you. I should charge you all. But I won't because I love you all that much.

P.S.S.S. The piove (rain) has stopped. Maybe Bart will get to see the outside world today. Ole! (That's Spanish but you get the point.) Arrivederci! (That's Italian and it means goodbye!)