Parties, Food and Fun!

The last few days have come and gone so quickly that I fear I am unprepared to leave Florence as the end nears and I must go. While I need to go home, I really don't want to. Yet, I know that I have been living a dream and that day-to-day reality in Italy would be quite different from this state of utopian euphoria. (I did get a taste of a not-so good-situation yesterday, when I went to a bank to pay a fine a colleague of mine in the USA received on her last visit to Italy. The bank acts as an intermediary for payments of the kind, but the personel was far from helpful and did not let me pay the account. In my frustration, I left the bank while reading the paper I had in hands, with instructions on who to call and what reference number to give. Eyes on paper, hand on the handle, I pushed the door and BEEP; BEEP; BEEP, ROUUUUUIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNN, the sirens went off and I heard someone screm NOOOOOO! I had opened the EMERGENCY DOOR, and had started a panic attack in the place. (I have to go back today and fear being arrested for vandalism! Wish me luck! If there are no additional post within the week, I may be the new Amanda Knox.)

In other news, we have had a few signs of imminent departure: food meets and greets, and more food. We are trying to pack in the last tastes of Tuscanny, to see the last sites, and to enjoy what is not likely to happen to us again in a long, LONG time. So I made another meal for the students (a promise dating from our Venise trip), and after talking to a couple of them, I decided on the Breaksfast for Dinner theme so popular in the USA (and completely unheard of in Italy). One the menu: 100 crepes, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, has browns, a spinach/mushroom casserole, and crudites. Elena brought the milk, Nestle Quick and plum cakes, and Chiara defrayed part of the costs. Here are a few pictures of the event:

Some Grub

Waiting in Line

Alex

 

The homecooked meal took place on Tuesday (and would not have happened without Urie's help), and on Thursday we met with parents in Gusta Paninno to have a meal in celebration of Jillian's birthday. The original plan was just to meet at 11 p.m., in the room provided by the restaurant for drinks, convo and god wishes, but the restaurateur took advantage of the bonhomie of Americans to bring a slew of food plates that no one had ordered but that were paid for by the celebrant's parents. In other words, we lost control of the situation, and the bill was probably quite hefty.

Pre-expenses.

No matter what, we all had a good time and had a chance to get together one more time. We had another informal meeting with less people in attendance last night (and for which the quality of the food was dubious--but that's the French palate speaking).

And now to pack. Will be back for one or two last posts, but Ciao a Tutti is about to bid you farewell... until my next study abroad adventure!