The Beginning

Hello there!


This is my first posting ever and I'm honestly really excited about it! So, as if my blog's title didn't already hint at this--I am going to live in Florence, Italy, from September 23 to December 10 on a study abroad trip.


Why Italy? Some of you may ask. My simple answer is: Why NOT Italy?!?!?!?!

Forcing a Smile. Lovely picture of me, isn't it? :)

Here is the thing--for about five years I was either stuck at home or in some doctor's office (yes, there were a plural amount of doctors) due to my spine condition. During my high school years I underwent various (incredibly PAiNFUL) treatments for my back. I wore several creepy back braces specifically designed for torture and endured two major back surgeries before graduating, but in all honesty, I don't really want to go into all that because it is FiNALLY behind me and you really have no idea how wonderful that is for me to say. So, as you can imagine, being stuck either at home or in the doctor's office kind of ruins both your social life and travel plans. I was actually supposed to go to Italy for graduation, but we substituted that trip with another back surgery instead (Wahoo!). Oh well... that's life for you--things happen and you have to adjust (while forcing a smile along the way).

I love this book!!!

But now it has been a year, two months, and five days since my second back surgery and I am ready to get out into this great world and do some exploring! (Random Side-note: Oh my goodness gracious. I just grabbed a Heath bar from downstairs and it is possibly the most delicious Heath bar I have ever eaten in my entire life. That. Is. Saying. Something.) I specifically want this exploring to be done in the great land of ITALY! After reading "Eat Pray Love" this past January and salivating over the part where  Liz Gilbert eats some delicious-thank-God-I'm-alive-to-eat-this type of pizza in Naples, I've been LiViNG to go to Italy. I want to see art. I want to eat yummy, yummy, yummy Italian food and possibly learn some Italian on the way.


Yes, this is true, I don't know much Italian. I say "much" because I actually do know a few things in Italian thanks to "Eat Pray Love" and my lovely language-translator-thingy (So articulate, aren't I?) on my laptop. I know attraversiamo, which means: let's cross over. I feel so spiffy, rolling that word around in my mouth. Attraversiamo. Attraversiamo. Attraversiamo. 


How did you hear about this trip Amanda? 
Well, I was walking down the lovely halls of Chemeketa Community College when I passed by a poster of Florence, Italy. I halted in my tracks and gazed upon this poster because it was beautiful and I really wanted to go there.
The poster asked: Do you want to study in Italy?
Me: Uh, let me think about it... YES!!!
So, then later that day I rushed to my mother and pretty much begged her to let me go. She said we would discuss it and discussed it we did. I later renewed my passport, talked to Chemeketa's study abroad ambassador, and sent the paperwork in. I am going to study Art History, Italian Films, and take Italian 101, as well as write on this lovely blog about my experiences.

Who wouldn't want to go there? 

One of my all-time favorite paintings! The Birth of Venus. 

So, now I have made this blog to document my journeys in Italy. I haven't made a blog since about tenth grade, so it might be a little rusty-looking at first, but I'll figure this thing out in no time and make it the most spectacular blog you have ever read in your entire life (Haha. Some really intense Hans Zimmer music was playing on Pandora as I was writing that last sentence--made it a lot more powerful!).
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy reading my adventures.