jgrimesty's posterous http://jgrimesty.posterous.com Most recent posts at jgrimesty's posterous posterous.com Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:56:00 -0800 Untitled http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42966481 http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42966481

Day 13:  Exploration

By my thirteenth day in Florence, I was desperate for some "me" time.  Never having lived with roommates before, other than my family, and, being a rather introverted person, I decided to remove myself from my friends for the day and explore the city on my own.  This proved to be one of the most intellegent decisions I've made thus far.  I started my day off with a run in the morning, jogging across the Ponte Vecchio, taking in the gorgeous Florentine sunrise and crisp morning air.  Afterward, I grabbed my favorite book, James Joyce's Dubliners, and headed for the 15th century monestary located conveniently across from the arno.  I sat myself on an old cast-iron bench, and began my reading.  I will forever love Joyce's masterful imagery, and, sitting in this wonderfully rustic old monestary, listening to the hum of the bees, watching the Arno in front of me, and feeling this wonderous city around me, I couldn't help but smile.  Three months be gone in the blink of an eye, but the memories, though they will fade, are worth every moment. 

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Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:46:00 -0800 Untitled http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42965386 http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42965386

Day 10:  Climbing The Duomo

 

Through the course of my 18 years, I have often found my self in the wonderfully fortuitous position of witnessing incredible sights.  I have been privileged enough to have seen incredible sights, from the top of the World Trade Center or the Great Wall of China, to our very own Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.  The view from the top of the Duomo can now be counted among them.  A literally breathtaking experience, reaching the top of the dome is no easy feat; once there though, your breath will be taken again.  Looking over all of Florence, my mouth agape, I felt such a powerful sense of shock and awe.  For three months, this vast, thriving metropolis is ours to explore, it's walls, crevices and haberdasheries ours to discover.  Drivers, start your engines. 

 

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Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:30:00 -0800 Untitled http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42964761 http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42964761

Day 6: "Study" Abroad


As of today, the awful realization that we will, in fact, have to attend classes in Florence has finally begun to set in.  At first, still feeling the marvelous time-warping effects of jetlag, rousing myself to get to class at 8:30 in the morning was a non-issue.  Those effects have, unfortunately, come to an end, and I am beginning to regret signing up for daily classes so early in the morning.  At least, I thought to myself as I crossed the magnificent Ponte Vecchio this morning on the way to school, I am surrounded by one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in the world.  Incredible. 

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Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:53:00 -0800 Untitled http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42201465 http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42201465

Day 2: Firenze 

My second day in Florence revolved around two things: a continental breakfast, and a valiant but ultimately doomed attempt to jam-pack 123 new names into my already occupied cranium.  The hotel AIFS had put the students up in for the night was gorgeous, and I couldn't help but wonder just how much of my tuition money was being spent on a room I would only occupy for one night.  After breakfast, the staff packed us into the meeting room, where we were orientated for the hundreth time, and recieved our housing assignments. Those who placed their luggage by the door in the downstairs conference room were permitted to leave first and, lo and behold, I was one of those people.  The apartment my roommates and I recieved was spectacular, but, with the low expectations given by AIFS, how couldn't it be?  All in all, Florence was and is shaping up to be the experience of a lifetime.  

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Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:52:36 -0800 Untitled http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42200979 http://jgrimesty.posterous.com/42200979

Day 1: Departure 

Airport departure scenes between loved ones, as anyone who has ever had the displeasure of viewing a tragically cliched romantic comedy knows, have a tendency to be little more than a disaster.  Tears are shed, tissues are needed, etc, etc, etc.  Thankfully, my departure was nothing of the sort.  While my mother was fighting back tears, not quite ready for her "little" boy to leave the nest, and my father was fighting back the urge to show any emotions in particular, my sister was valiently resisting the urge to contain her glee over the eminent redecoration of my room.  Once in the air, things were, shockingly, just as smooth.  While a ten hour, transatlantic flight is, generally speaking, no picnic, what little luck I have apparently won the day; the three babies on board were silent nearly the entire ride, the stewards were friendly, and I miraculously acquired an aisle seat.  Bellisimo.  Our layover in Germany was, thankfully, brief.  My people have generally not had great experiences with the German people, and the evil eyes extended to me by the people at airport security, the food cart, and even the janitor made me feel less than welcome.  Ah, well.  In the blink of an eye (in reality, somewhere near an hour and a half) we were in Florence.  The journey had officially begun.  

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http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/he6CjOh7pZWpc Jordan Grimes Jordan Jordan Grimes