Just to tie you over until my weekend trip in Milan is over, I will share a little about my weekly life. Monday, I get the morning to myself. The school gym opens at 10am and I'm there. I was running outside with my roommate and I enjoy that, but being at the gym allows me to have a space dedicated to working on myself. Usually I stay busy in the gym until yoga which starts at noon. The class is taught by Rachel, a girl that's actually become a great friend to me. She is 27, working on here masters here in Florence at the same university. Her first study abroad experience was a few years in Costa Rica where she learned her practice. I love learning from her and with her about spirituality and life. After yoga I have lunch and get ready for Italian class which is at 3pm! I figured this week after all that hard work I deserved a special treat... 

This is a mini cake from La Bottega del Cioccolato, a chocolate shop on my street. Andrea Bianchini was there the first time I visited the store, and told me about this nationally award winning cake. The inside has a light chocolate mousse, a layer of mango ice, and pistachio cream. Not wondering why it won the judges over it was delicious! The two little chocolates are raspberry and almond which were also good, high quality chocolate.

Tuesdays I have 2 classes: Fashion Marketing and Public Relations. I have really enjoyed the PR cases that we've worked on and am currently working on a hypothetical crisis plan. The Fashion Marketing class is a little less practical to me, although it's interesting to look at a specific industry - especially in the city of its birth. My entire class is going to Milan on Friday to study and tour the flagship stores. My roommates and I decided to make the weekend of it and will be there until Sunday. Also on Tuesdays I try to make it to our hip-hop exercise class with my roommate Chen Yu! 

Wednesday is back to back 3 classes 9-4:30. Starting with Marketing Mix, then Consumer Behavior and finally Italian again. I am very much emerged in my marketing education here, its a good and bad thing. I find the subjects overlapping and getting to see different perspectives of the art of marketing. Obviously though, it can get a little redundant at times. Last night after class I did a little work out in my apartment, then had friends going on the weekend Milan trip over for dinner. We made gnocchi! 

Team effort, taught em how to roll on a fork! 

Thursdays are all mine. Usually I start at the library for a few hours and get my homework done. That's where I'm at today, I have 3 group projects going on and a lot of work to get to! Usually I'll stop for a lunch break back home but today I'm meeting with my Italian conversation partner. I met her last week, she attends another university in Florence, but she's from Peru. Her Italian and English are both very good so it will be a good thing for me to be able to ask questions and really push my learning with my Italian. We're going to a bakery for lunch, excited for that also! Thursday evenings are dedicated to abs and arms class with Fabrizio, our school trainer and yoga with another student instructor. The perfect start to the weekend!

Library from where I'm sitting!

Expect a post about Milan Sunday or Monday. A dopo,

One love.

VA