I apologize.

I have not posted in 20 days. That is three weeks! I realize that this is borderline unacceptable, but I've been really busy. I'll try to make this sort of a sparknotes version as to not bore you all to tears but, uh, no promises.

Shall we? We shall.

Week One: Hannah!

That's right, people, my best friend HANNAH FREAKING BITTNER showed up in Alicante, making me one heck of a happy girl!! It was so good to have her here. I'm pretty sure we were just talking constantly the entire 5 or 6 days that we were together, and we still didn't get everything out. Having to translate was an interesting experience. Haha, but I think I did a pretty good job.

Basically all we did was walk around the city and chat. I showed her the major points, we went shopping (and somehow ended up buying me a super cute black dress...). One night we went out with Zoe and Harley and Kali...ha! Quite the experience! We had a lot of fun though. Then we went to Valencia for a couple of days and enjoyed exploring the city. By then it was quite cold (or so I thought before I came to Italy...BRR!), but we still had fun! Then we came back to Alicante, and I had to leave eeaarrly in the morning for ITALY. Saying goodbye to Hannah suuucked, I wanted her to stay forever. She ended up staying with my hostfamily, which I think is sort of funny, but I'm sure they were just thrilled to have her because she's lovely.

Week Two: ITALY, mom, grandparents, and so much more!
Eeeearly in the morning Zoe and I headed out, Italy-bound! We had to go through London, which is weird, but eventually we ended up in Italy, greeted by my grandma and mother!!! (And Valter, my great uncle) My grandpa was there too, but there wasn't room in the car for him to go to the airport. :) We then began the craziest whirlwind of meeting my 30+ relatives here...which was absolutely amazing! Only three or four of my cousins speak English, so communication was interesting, but when my grandma is around she's the best translator there is! :)

We went to Venice one day (which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I officially love Venice. It was FREEZING cold [and I didn't have my new snazzy coat yet] but the city was just extremely charming! Zoe and I also just fell in love with Patrizia and Valter, my grandma's sister and sister's husband. I would love to go back to Venice when I'm not so freezing that I think I might freeze on the spot and never be able to move again), went to Marostica (even though it was foggy and we couldn't see much), had a lot of meals with a lot of loud Italians (which I spent mostly trying to figure out who's-who and how they're related to me...Zoe was better at that than I was), had one lunch that took five hours (!! I'm not kidding!!), and tried to squeeze in as much study time as we could, because we had a big final the day after we got back to Alicante!!!

Leaving was hard. It was SO awesome to see my grandma and grandpa and mom again!! I had really, really missed them. And it was really awesome that I got to meet my great grandma in Italy!!! Overall, it was an amazing trip but it seriously FLEW by. I could have lived like that another week and probably just started to feel ready to go back to my life in Alicante.

Week Three: THE EXAM, and the return to Italy
Guys, I cannot explain to you how much Zoe and I studied for our STUPID history test. I'm telling you, we were little hermits with our nose in our notes the entire time. It was not a pretty sight. The test was on Tuesday and I've gotta say...I feel pretty good about it. As in, I think I probably passed. Not my usual "I think I passed" and I end up getting an A, but more of an "I think I passed" and I'm hoping I got a C or, if I'm really lucky, a B. Hahaha. But either way...I'll just be pumped if I pass.

After the test, I was literally just exhausted. I almost fell asleep at dinner. All the excitement from people being here, travelling to Italy, studying way too much, and then spitting out a six page outline for the test, along with being sick :(, just completely wiped me out. Zoe and I had plans to go out to celebrate that everything was done, but we just ended up sleeping. Hahaha. We made up for it by going out the next night, though. :)

The weirdest thing of the week for me was having our goodbye lunch and saying goodbye to everybody else in the program! I can't imagine going home now. I have learned a ton, but I still have so much more to learn and experience! I wouldn't be ready to go home yet. I love it in Alicante way too much.

Then I had to pack my bags and wake up WAY too early (gosh, this is a theme...I always book early flights because they're cheaper...and then I have to wake up. Good one, Kieks) and head back to Italy!!! I'm here with some family (two girls that speak English pretty well, thank God) until the 27th. :) My aunt Gabriella is seriously crazy, hahaha, she speaks no English and she always talks in really loud, really fast Italian at me and then gets all worked up that we can't communicate with each other. I wish I knew some Italian so I could communicate with her better!!! Haha! It's an experience, though. ;)

So far I'm having a wonderful time here! I love it. PLUS they have a dog named Maya who is just precious!! I play with her a lot. :) Hahaha.

Wow...if you made it through this post, good work.

Next on the to-do list: spend Christmas with my Italian family, jet off to Florence on the 27th, and spend a week and a half with the boyfriend!! I guess you could say I'm JUST A LITTLE BIT EXCITED!

Miss everyone at home and am wishing you the happiest of holidays!! Enjoy family time and celebrating Jesus and new beginnings! <3

The most un-exciting weekend ever

This week/weekend has been pretty low key. Tutoring was awesome with Paula, as always, I just adore her. I went out to tea with Roberto and Paula (my brother and sister here) and that was fun. It's been nice weather, but I've been stuck inside....why? Because I have to study, that's why! Ugh.

Anyway, highlights of the week:

1) It's been pretty cold, and my hostfamily is pretty worried that I'm going to freeze or something, even though I've really been pretty okay. The other day, my mom came in and was like "here, for if you get cold, it's this really awesome blanket that has sleeves so that you can still do your homework!!" ...yes, guys. My hostmother gifted my a snuggie.

2) Skyping with my mom and the boy yesterday, with the promise of skyping Miche and Hannah and Tyler (again) today! YAY! Always love those study breaks...

3) I got my Blackberry finally! Yay, more distraction, ALL THE TIME!

4) HANNAH COMES IN LIKE TWO DAYS!


That's all. Back to studying. Hope life is treating you well, wherever it finds you! <3