Great Weekends in Italy!

After an exhausting flight from Philadelphia, to Chicago, to London for a night, and another 2 hour flight to Milan, I finally arrived in Italy!  I was so exhausted from all the flying and was relieved to finally land.  My month long adventure in Italy was about to begin.  I still can't believe that I'm finally here.  Elisa Clewis was there promptly to greet us and take us to the bus.  After boarding we drove to a convenience store where we bought some food and supplies.  Afterwards, we drove to Brescia.  Viewing Italy up close was nothing short of phenomal.  The city of Brescia is a very sweet city, bearing similarities to Philadelphia, only much more elegant and quieter. 

I settled into my apartment, which was a lot smaller than I thought.  I realized these first few days in Italy would take some getting used to, especially with adjusting to a new lifestyle altogether.  After some unpacking and cleaning up, I was able to get some rest.  Saturday morning I went outside to meet with everyone.  Elisa took us all to pick up our rental bikes.  We walked through the town, passing all the shops, cafe's, and churches.  I was so amazed to see such fascinating things in Brescia!  Plus, the weather was sunny and warm, providing a pleasant atmosphere.  It felt good to walk along Brescia's streets. 

 

We soon received our bikes to ride.  I was a little apprehensive about riding my bike at first since I have not rode one in several years.  But surprisingly enough, I was able to get on and ride without falling. 

           

We rode around the area for a while, stopped to look at one of our schools which was located in the main square of the city, which was a wonderful spot because there were cafe's and shops all around.  Afterwards, we went grocery shopping.  The experience of shopping in Italy was compleetly different from that in America.  Later that day I had my first philosophy class meeting at the square in front of the school.  It went really well despite the distracting sounds around us.

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Today was an even better day in Brescia. I spent the morning bike riding with everyone through and around the main square, stopping at several places. We learned the locations of the schools we would be attending, even though I knew it would take me some time to get my bearings. We later then stopped at a gelato & water ice shop for some frozen treats! I tasted a passion fruit and lemon ice which was so refreshing! I attempted to return to my room alone and did so successfully. A while later we went to a historical festival in town. It was nice, though we were not there very long. I saw Italian dancers, horse-drawn carriages, and a petting zoo! Tonight, my first weekend in Brescia ends with a welcome dinner, which will surely be a blast. I had so much fun in Italy because everyday was a new surprise and I look forward to what will be next.

-Gabrielle