First Two days....

So I want to just give everyone my first impressions of Italy...

First off I had to leave LA about 5am or so and barley made it because I accidentally had a later time in mind. Luckily I was up really late hanging with the little bro. I checked my itinerary one last time before I hit the bed at 3:30 or so and noticed I had to leave in like an hour haha. I had my two angels with me;Andrea and Melissa Rubelke with me to drive me to the airport. I got there and had an hour to check it and board the plane and I made it....barely.

Then From LA we flew 5 or so hours back to the VA( my birthplace) for a layover. It was alright I just basically slept which was much needed as I only slept for an hour the night before. I stayed in Va for a couple of hours and then I flew to Rome..

NOW ROME.......
I loved the plane ride over because I was on this monstorus plane and I had my row to myself. Lucky me I know. I was knocked out for a majority of the flight, But I did managed to watch a couple of movies( Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and Diary of Mad Black woman.) I finally arrived in Rome or Roma around 7 in the morning(Which means my body was still 8 hours behind cali time.) I got off the Plane and of course I did the one thing I was told in orientation not to do which was stand out. Well one being one of the few black people was a great start. Two I was wearing my new pair of letters which are pretty bright and last but not least Flip Flops.

I went and picked up my luggage to find out that on my biggest suitcase( which was huge) that one of the wheels had completely broken off so in addition to my loud appearence I sounded like a screeching train as I dragged my suitcase plus two other ones around. After that i am afraid for a little it only got worse. I got lost(typical) and needed to find the train station and could not. I tried to ask around but no one really spoke english and my italian was weak so it was challenging. After walking around for a half and hour I just sat fustrated on a bench. Shortly after that I talked to a guy that spoke very little english but I was able to locate the train terminal.

Now in Rome...TIP #1- Always travel with someone. TIP #2 the train station at the airport is upstairs on the top level of the airport and you have to walk seriously like a mile. TIP #3 if you are looking to get to Florence from rome remeber that you have to take a train from rome to another terminal I am guessing the main terminal and then you wait to take the real train to Florence. TIP#4 If you are direction challeneged allow yourself a little more time to get to the main train station which takes about 20-30 minutes from the airport to catch your train(which i missed my first one)

Suprizingly I met this wako but really funny American woman. She was a gem with her son in a stroller and her velor Track suit on.(priceless) I made quick friends with her and ended up hanging with her until the next train to florence which she was also going on. After freezing our tails off waiting for the train because the station is outside and lets say that the temperature wasnt the typical cali weather I was used to. We finally got on the train and sat down.

TIP#5 If you want to be put in ackward sitauations ride the train because they have two seats facing two seats so you can pretty much stare at the person across from you the whole ride. Which at first I sat across from a nun which was classic.

The american lady and here son and I got off of the train and got into our respective taxis and went our seperate ways right after she asked me if I wanted to ride in the taxi with her and go to her hotel(haha)

I got to my hotel and was surprized that it was actually nice and kind of cheap. I settled in and was exhausted and after traveling All I wanted to do was sleep which I did around 5pm.

Well that was the first two days imagine what a semester in the life of a boy in flornce will be. Until next time,
Ciao