Cinque Terre: Day One!

Kimono (similar)- Forever 21// Shorts- Vintage// Top- Free People 

My first free weekend in Italy was spent at the most beautiful place on Earth, Cinque Terre! These five villages along the west coast of Italy are filled with beautiful beaches, hiking trails, vibrant towns and lots of water! The first day we arrived, we checked into our hotel and quickly headed over to the train to begin our adventures in the first town, Riomaggiore. I absolutely loved Riomaggiore because of the waterfront views and colorful buildings. Although very few people spoke English, everyone was so much friendlier than in Florence. After eating at a hilltop restaurant and exploring the town, we headed over to Monterosso Al Mare, which is the farthest town. This town had more of a resort style vibe with a huge beach surrounded by greenery. Since it was starting to get late (and very cold!) we stopped at Vernazza (the second to last town) and ate a quick dinner overlooking a boat pier before heading to La Spezia, where our hotel was. 

the Duomo

Dress + Jacket (similar)- Free People

Have you ever seen something so beautiful it takes your breath away? That’s how I felt walking up to the Duomo.  After my first day of class (wait I’m not just here to eat pasta and drink wine?), some of my classmates and I decided to check out the Duomo while we had free time. After walking up 463 steps to the top of the dome, we stood in amazement at the panoramic view of our city, the city we will be living in for the next 4 weeks! I could have stood there for hours admiring the different landmarks of the city. Its crazy to think that just two weeks ago I was stressing about finals and now I’m in this city where life is so laid back and carefree. Its so often that we are always planning and preparing for our future that we forget to stop and see what’s in front of us, right now. When I’m getting too caught up with life and stressing about what lies ahead, I need to remind myself about my time spent at the Duomo and life will all seem to be okay again. Xoxo Kendall

mi dispiace

In my head as I imagined Florence I knew it would be totally different than what I’m used to, but I had no idea it would be this magical. By magical I mean everything has character, a story and some sort of history behind it. Although almost everyone speaks English (or at least some), I’m trying to speak as much Italian as I can, which is quite challenging considering I literally knew nothing before coming here. My favorite phrase is “mi dispiace” or “I’m sorry” because somehow I am always running into someone or blocking walkways (and getting cursed at by old Italian men lol). Today we had orientation and a walking tour to help us find our way around a little easier. Macarena and I also found a super cute lunch spot called La Bruschetteria that we will definitely be spending a lot of time at. And of course we ended our night with some gelato, tonight’s flavor “cookies”. Yummmmm! Xoxo Kendall

il mio apartamento

My front yard!

Wow I am feeling 100% better today! I have officially adjusted to the time change and it feels so amazing to wake up and have a full day of exploring. I left Plus Hostel today and headed over to AIFS (which is where I will be taking class), where they then showed me to my apartment. Let me say I was totally expecting something super small and old. It seriously blew me away as I walked into an awesome kitchen with a master bedroom (my room which I share with a roommate) and two single rooms. Although it is old, it is a true authentic Italian home with so much character. I will let the pictures speak for themselves but overall I am feeling so blessed and at home. Once my roommates arrived we  basically spent the day exploring together, eating food and navigating around our new area. I love my apartment, I love my roommates, I love this area and I LOVE Florence. Cannot wait for what is to come! I’ll keep you posted! Xoxo Kendall

Hat+Dress: Urban Outfitters// Sunglasses+Necklace: Forever21// Bag: Amazon// Shoes: Free People

Buongiornio!

With very little hassle on my flights, I have finally  arrived in Florence! From the airport I took the Valo in bus (bus shuttle) to Santa Maria Novella (train station) where I then walked to my hostel in the city center. After lugging my suitcases around town cluelessly walking in circles to find my hostel, and looking like a total tourist, I shamelessly found it with some help from the locals. Although I was terribly tired and jet lagged (and currently still recovering), I decided to fight the urge to curl up into my bed and instead explore the city! With my friend Kate, and her friend Kayla, as my tour guides I was able to see most of the Florentine landmarks in the span of a few hours! I am already in such awe of the beautiful architecture, culture and all the smells on the streets.  I think I’m going to settle in just fine:) Now it’s time to sleep off the jetlag and get ready to move into my apartment tomorrow! Xoxo Kendall

 

Can you spot the Eiffel Tower?

The Parisian countryside

My first gelato; Pompelmo Rosa