Dec. 24

Merry Christmas all!! I won't be on so sending greetings now.

Dec 23.

Nothing like a good hole in the ground when your on a boat right. I really have no idea what this is or why it is in the middle of the boat and how the boat hasn't sank yet. I thought it was interesting. Comment what you think.

Dec. 20

Thought I would be hipster since I don't really have an update. Help me!!!

Dec. 19

This was the long creepy hallway leading to my hotel room in Florence.  My roommates and I were the only ones up stairs and we had our own hallway that was really creepy when you walked up the stairs at three o'clock in the morning. My roommate and I had the best view though and we had a big room compared to any of our other friends.

Dec. 18

You know its Christmas time when you pull out the sweaters. I bought this sweater in Italy and I fell in love with it and I don't care I will wear this year round because, according to the elf code, we are here to spread Christmas cheer loud for everyone to here.

Dec. 17

Roses for days. I wish someone would buy me rose, since I don't have anyone to a nice lady from a wedding let me take one. What's your favorite flower?

Dec. 16

Good dog! I thought this was the cutest thing ever. I was in Switzerland and saw this telling dogs and owners good job basically!

Dec. 12

In Switzerland where there were snow on the Alps and the sun was bright and warm. I was in the smallest town possible I believe that 30-45 people live in this town. It was the cutest town and everyone in the town was super nice. My host mom wanted to buy some cheese from a store that was inside someones house and she knocked on the door and announced herself and then walked into the house and I could not believe that she did that and I looked at my host dad and he said it was normal. I love Italy so much.

Dec. 11

Yes this is a cave full of cheese, it truly is a fat kids. I couldn't believe that this was actually true it blew my mind. This is literally in a cave inside a restaurant. Comment what is your favorite cheese!

Dec. 10

So I went into Switzerland and  my telephone provider changed...how cool is that. I had to take a photo it was something I have never experienced and it was amazing. This must be normal to those who live in Europe but this doesn't happen in America.

Dec. 4

So in Florence we had hotel rooms and roommates. I got paired with a nice girl from Japan and we were given the room A. Now I am a huge Pretty Little Liars fan and I thought OMG A is going to get me...then I realized my life was way not as exciting as the girls in Pretty Little Liars. My next thought was that OMG my name is Amanda and it starts with A...how amazing! Then I realized how lame it was but thought it would make an awesome picture!

Dec 3

I apologize for being lame and not posting so much. I don't know what you guys want to hear about like my life, what I've seen, or just how my day was. Please comment below and help give me ideas.

P.S. This was taken in Florence!

Nov. 23

So I went to Florence and it was beautiful. I met up with everyone in my exchange group and I missed seeing everyone. The architecture of all the buildings are so amazing and the colors are fantastic. I met a "medieval princess" and she asked why I was not married and I said I was in school and then she lectured me about how its women's work to cook and have children, not school. Cool beans lady. No it was fun and I have some interesting photos of my friends.

Nov. 14

So today is a nice relaxing kind of day low in stress and high in relaxing. Been catching up on my TiVo for American shows and  now going to watch some movie. I am knitting a scarf for my host mom for Christmas. I understand that it is kind of old ladyish but its a skill.

Nov. 13

So I went to this wicked party/ concert on Saturday. Sorry I haven't posted, I have gotten a bit busy but there should never be an excuse. Anyways life has gotten busy for myself in all ways. I have to make a kick butt speech because I will be presenting it at my school for international student/ exchange week. Exciting right! I'm very nervous though because they told me maybe 50-100 people....yikes. This opportunity should open a couple of doors for me which will be great career wise. But before the speech I am going to Florence with the rest of my exchange friends which I am more excited for, I miss them dearly.

Nov. 9

So I asked for something different and I go it. I normally go home for lunch, but today my host sister asked if I wanted to go out for lunch." Um....yes of course" I had answered and oh how much fun it was. It my myself, my host sister, her friend and another friend of ours. It was amazingly fun and we had a good laugh and everything was fun. This picture is of my after lunch coffee, only I had after lunch cioccolato con panne, which is thick hot chocolate with a not sweet whipped cream. Oh it was good and the afternoon was perfect.

Nov. 8

So this is what we do on Friday night's we make lego space stations. My host dad did an amazing job I think on this and it was started on Monday I believe. So normal American teens party or go to football games or other sports events, in Italy we make Lego space stations. I wouldn't change this for the world.

Nov. 7

So, everything has been pretty normal and not a lot is going on right now. Going to see Pollock's art show in Milan today but other than that normal day. I usually am the first to say normal is good but I want something different now. Maybe just something that happens once would be amazing, don't get me wrong I am totally happy I'm just a little bored is all. Anyways comment on some ideas to get out of the normal.

Nov. 5

Today I had an interview with someone from the American University of Rome. I was very nervous but I think I did pretty good. We met at the beautiful Duomo and I can not help myself from taking picture of this amazing building.

Nov. 4

Waiting at the train station and never really noticed this phone until I went to Verona. I found this phone incredibly interesting. The simple fact that I have missed this beautiful odd phone at the train station, I've been to this station probably three or four times and nothing. Somethings that are as simple as a phone that has a pop of color can just make something not as beautiful, as this train station, turn into something more beautiful. Follow my blog please! and of course comment on what you think of this photo!

Nov. 2

So the reason I'm sorry my blog has been lame recently but here is a picture from the window in Juliet's house. I went to Verona with my host sister and could not stay away from this amazing house it was breath taking. There is no way that Shakespeare could have written this out of his imagination. It was an amazing day filled with adventure and amazement. Comment on what you think of when you think of Verona!

Oct. 31

Happy Halloween all!!

Oct. 27

So today we had a nice family lunch. For lunch we fondue, fruit then some fruit torte. Everything was so good, we went to my host moms family's house in Erba. I love being in the family environment and having everyone talk and try to understand them. This family is nice and kind, they have welcomed me since the first time I met them.

Oct. 24

So you can say we hit some snow. This was taken a week or two ago when I went to visit my host family's grandparents near the Switz boarder. My host parents told me that there was probably not going to be any snow due to the time of the year (mid October). This is what we found, the snow was up to my ankles and in some places it was at my calf. I love the snow but it seems like when ever I go to the snow that there is never enough to feel like it does in the Christmas stories but this was a dream. It was like my own special Christmas story and I still can't believe it actually happened.

Oct. 23

I just want to say happy birthday to the best host mom a girl can have. I made my host mom an apple pie because how much more American can you get. My host mom is so amazing and she has helped me through my wallet being taken and she just helps with day to day things.  she is am amazing lady and I am very blessed to have her as my host mom.

Oct. 22

So today was like any other day and it was not very exciting and I am wishing I was on vacation. This is  chestnut that is still in its natural form. I loved picking  up all of these amazing nuts and I find them so cute but yet dangerous. This post is going to be short because I don't have a lot to report on.

Oct. 21

So yesterday we went to Vigevano. It is a very beautiful place that holds a even more beautiful plaza, that da Vinci designed. My host parents told me "oh this place was designed by Leonardo." I thought to myself Leonardo well my 5 year old host brothers name is Leonardo but I don't think he designed this. So I asked "Leonardo..da Vinci?" And my host mom says "yes." Like it was no big deal. I guess that Italian people are just used to having amazing artists around them, but think about it being on a first name based with da Vinci that is crazy.

Oct. 19

So today I didn't have to go to school until 10. It was so amazing, plus I only had 2 real classes today. I really shouldn't have even come but it was still fun. This is what 9 of us who don't take religion do during religion class. They study I drink coffee it's a great system.

Oct. 18

So this post may be on the 17th for sum but it's 8:20 on the 18 in Italy. So I normally have class, but someone forgot to tell me that we start at 9 today instead of 8. I walked onto my class and no one was there so I asked a classmate and she said oh no one told you....um no that's why I text you. Well anyways for some that are curios to see what an Italian classroom looks like this is it.
Sorry for the missing picture yesterday I have no idea what happened.

Oct. 17

Oh how life is so much less stressful here. Things are very go with the flow and so breathe taking. Things are starting to slow down a bit since it is starting to get colder. It is 16°c here and that is pretty cold for myself. What I have to think about is that the colder it gets the more sweater I can buy. Then I think home my closet will look like when I go home full of sweater. This picture was taken in the center of Milano.  Its a beautiful statue and a giant one at that.

Oct. 16

Sorry I really have been behind on my blog posts. This thing right here is a kebab. Its the best thing in the world. With a little bit of spicy sauce and you are set to be happy all day long.

Oct. 14

Sorry for not updating sooner, I've been out of town. My host family and I went to Switzerland and I have to say it was simply beautiful. I've never seen snow fall, or at least not that I can remember. Oh it was so beautiful it was like a Christmas story. Anyways, my family and I went to see their grandma and grandpa in a very small town in Italy that is 2 km from the Swiss boarder and we got to go to the snow, roll around and play in it. The town was so beautiful too. It was small and our grandma knew everyone who we walked by. In their town there was a party. This party happened to be for people born in the year 1995. I happen to be born in that year and found it a bit funny that the one time I am actually there, there is a giant party that is celebrating the year I was born.

Oct. 9

Oh Rome how I miss you so. Your cute men who run in the middle of summer. There was some good times with the girls and especially seeing all of us run towards these very handsome guys, must have been a sight to see. After seeing these guys we needed to cool down and I have my first gelato and oh how mouth wateringly tasty it was. I can remember how creamy it was. The lemon flavor was defiantly the right choice.

Oct. 8

So everyone I am not going back to America. Italy has everything that I need now. I didn't think it was possible but Italy has probably the best thing in the world...peanut butter. I love this and my host dad and sister brought me this. I was in love! The first thing I did was smell it, it smelled like roasted, delicious peanuts. My host family tried it and did not like it...but I could not stop the flow from jar to spoon to mouth. I am now living in Italy forever..because of the simple fact that I can get peanut butter.

Oct. 7

So this is beautiful. This place is a castle in the middle of everything. I love to spend time in this place. Erba! The home to my host family's family and to nature. They have chickens and cats and dogs. Fruit and vegetables grow in the backyard. The walls made of stone while the ceiling is covered in fresco. There are so many amazing things about Erba! At the top of the house there is a tower, and once you climb up the tower this is what you find. You can really see the whole town from up there, nothing more stunning that that.

Oct. 5

Ciao! So I went to Lake Como with my host dad and host sisters. We parked in the parking garage and saw this sign...so my host dad walked away and we asked where he was going. He said this way is only for women. We all busted out laughing at this sign. What do you think it means, because we walked that way and still could not figure it out.

Oct. 4

So today it is cold and grey out so I wanted to relive Rome! It was so hot, I thought I was going to die. Rome was such a beautiful city full of history, and culture. I was lucky enough to have taken a bus tour and a walking tour so I got to see a lot of Rome. What I probably liked the most about Rome was all the ruins I think, because you drive down a very busy and popular street and boo you see some ancient ruins that people hundreds of years ago built. This city just blows my mind it is so beautiful.

Oct. 3

So every morning I wake up get put together and drink tea...every morning! So today was like any other day. I woke up got all pretty and made tea. Now I put the bag in the cup and was on my phone for a minute or two and I look back at my cup and I think aliens have taken over my cup. There's this random tea circle...why is there a tea circle on the bottom of my cup. It was so weird that before I destroyed it I had to snap a picture and share it with you guys!

Oct. 2

So today was a pretty normal day the usual: school, lunch, homework. Sometimes normal is good but I want to change things up sometimes you know. I'm glad that I have this at times so that I can escape the normal. I took this picture at the Colosseum, obviously. I could not believe my eyes, it was so beautiful and the ruins of the underground was breath taking. Well hope you stay tuned.

Oct. 1

Hello Everyone this is my new blog! I now live in Legnano, Milan Italy. Originally from the sunny state of California, I needed a change in my life. Instead of changing my hair or hang out with a different crowd I decided to completely change my life settings. Moving from my small town in California to another small town in Italy is probably the most risky thing I've ever done and I'm a month in and couldn't be happier. I will post on this blog everyday a picture from Italy...well I will try. Hope everyone enjoys.