First Week of Classes!

I just cant't believe it! The first week of class is already over! This semester is going so fast I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself. This week I got the syllabuses from all of my classes, and I've been planning out all of my weekends, and there is just so much I want to do and I feel like my time is just slipping away! But even if I stayed in Florence the entire semester, it would be amazing. This week I got a little taste of what I get to savor all semester in my classes, and I could not be more excited. I think studying abroad here was about the best decision I have ever made.

This semester I will be taking 5 classes, all of which will count towards my major--so I am not just here for the wine Matthew Burril haha. Here is a list if all the classes I'm taking:

Fashion Consumer Behavior- This class is all about learning how your consumer approaches the buying process, and how to best sell your product to them. I can tell I'm really going to like this class because its focus is on the fashion industry, and we get to learn all about selling fashion products specifically. On the first day I met a bunch of new friends, and a lot of them said they had this professor in previous semesters, and they said she is one of the best! Ahh I'm pumped!

Italian Language 102- So with the school I am attending, it is required that I take an Italian language class, and since I took a semester of Italian at UGA I am in elementary 2. I just want to start off saying that I am so thankful that I took some Italian before I came here because even though I only know a little, it is so helpful! Being in Florence I use my Italian everyday, and I can't wait to improve! I only have 9 other people in my Italian class with me, and my professor used to teach at Chapel Hill so I feel right at home. I have this class twice a week, and in class we learn the language and we also talk about the Italian culture, so it's really convenient for when I see something totally bizarre because my professor can usually tell me what's up.

Introduction to Fashion Marketing- I think this class is probably going to be the most useful class I take while I am here. My professor is pretty much living my dream life, and she is totally fabulous. She worked for Target for over 18 years handling their European office for marketing, and she has also worked for Pier 1, Sacs Fifth Ave, Bloomingdales, Williams and Sonoma, and like a million other big name brands. And let me just say, she showed up the entire class when it came to her outfit.  She was in a blue lace dress that she belted with a little blue cardigan, with black tights and pointed suede heels, and she was covered in jewelry...my kinda woman haha.  I can already tell I am going to learn a ton from her, and I really hope I can get to know her!

Travel Writing- Ok, first thing you need to know about this class is that my professor is British--meaning that listening to her for two-and-a-half hours is going to be no problem haha.  In this class we study classic travel writers, take little field trips around the city, and we get to learn how to develop our personal travel writing skills, so this class will be good for y'all too haha!  This class is really small too, and on the first day we just went around the class and told our personal stories of what brought us to Italy.  I think this class is going to be really good because not only will it keep me writing about all of my experiences, but it will make me sound better too!

Topics in Nutrition: Italian Style Cooking- Ok y'all, I have saved the best for last here.  This is going to be the best class of all time. Let me repeat, THE BEST CLASS OF ALL TIME!!!!!  I don't even know where to start with this one because every part is just so great haha.  My professor is named Marco, and he is an Italian chef obsessed with healthy cooking-Italian style.  He is hilarious, and you can tell that he really knows his stuff here, he has studied and cooked all over the world, and he talks about a mile a minute.  The first day we discussed our current diets, then we talked about what we can expect to learn in this class, and then we actually got to make a meal!  Marco walked us through the entire process, and we all split up into teams and hit the kitchen! I was on team bruchetta, and man, did we make some bruchetta. Other teams made a amaretto cream fruit salad, balsamic roasted eggplant, and vegetable encrusted rolls.  This was honestly one of the best meals I have had in Italy.  Everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and I have all the recipes to make it again!!  The whole class was totally loving life, and I seriously can't wait to go back next week!  Best class ever. Ever.

I don't think I have ever been so excited about waking up to go to school as I am here.  Every class here is so interesting, and I have already learned so much this first week.  I am just hoping week 2 can compete because it is going to be hard to top this one haha.

Buona sera!!

Mason :)

Takin to the streets!

Master chef at work

Our Bruchetta in cooking class!

Welcome Dinner in a Palace

Il Mercado Centrale (aka best grocery store in the world)

Outdoor Market with a whole lotta cheese

Stocking up on some olives

We found wine for 1.90 euro!!!

Looking for some dried fruit? This lady has got it all.

Dinner with new friends!! (Marie left, Elise right)