_finally a post from Italia!_

So I'm finally posting something. I don't know how long I can write... but I figured I would post something finally!

Currently I am in Torino, in northwest Italy. It's much, much different from Roma, and definitely from the cities we saw on our central Italy trip. But I think I really like it so far. I just got back from the crazy huge farmer's market I stumbled upon on an exploratory walk.  Basically I saw a yellow tent, turned the corner, and was confronted with dozens of yellow tents, selling fresh produce, wine, cheese, canned goods, flowers, meats, bread, baked goods... anything food related you could think of. Thankfully everyone is really kind even though I speak very little Italian and have no idea what I am doing! I bought cinque pesche (five peaches), una melanzana (eggplant) GIANT eggplant the size of my head, and arborio rice. So amazing. I'm really excited about that, except for the fact that it's only the first Sunday of every month. I might walk back tonight (I don't really have anything else to do), but for now I'm enjoying a break to write and to listen to the church choir singing out my kitchen window. It sounds pretty heavenly. The bells in the morning are a bit......loud, but otherwise it's pretty cool.

The lovely bag of Arborio rice I got from a nice Venezuelan guy at the Farmer's market

Pesche fresche (fresh peaches!)

Melanzana gigante!!

The weather here is absolutely perfect. Your could wear anything and be comfortable - much different than Roma, where it was crazy hot all the time. I was so thankful when I could break out my jeans once we got to Firenze (Florence). Ah yes, our central trip. We spent five days traveling from Roma to Pienza, Perugia, Siena, Orvieto, San Gimignano, and Firenze (there were definitely a few more cities...I just can't remember them all). We saw approximately 3.2 churches per day (some days 4, some days 3, some 5...there were a lot of them). When going through my pictures I have no idea what is from which day. Or the names of any of them. But they were all beautiful. Each city we visited had it's own personality. Pienza smelled like cheese...perhaps due to the cheese festival that spanned the day we visited. Siena was busy and beautiful - the Campo in the middle was one of my favorite places I've been the entire time I've been here. One of the best places to just sit, relax, enjoy the weather and people-watch. Firenze was awesome because 1) we spent more than 18 hours there, 2) the view from the top of the Duomo was magnificent and 3) we had some excellent food and some interesting run-ins with the shop-keepers in the market. If any city had leather, it was Firenze.

The trip was amazing - Emilio, our teacher and guide, was hilarious. But he seemed to have a much better stamina for museum-going and sight-seeing than we did, even though he was 40 years our senior. By the end we were all exhausted constantly. It's just a lot to pack up all of your luggage (luggage for our 5 weeks in Torino) move in to a hotel, walk a few kilometers around a city, break for lunch, walk a few more kilometers, sleep, pack, and do it all over again the next day. Amazing, but definitely tiring. Finally on Friday night we arrived in Torino, moved in to our new apartments, and slept. Saturday (yesterday) we met the Italian students we will be working with for the workshop, and most everyone went out Saturday night to the discotecca with them. I, unfortunately, was unable to, due to a sudden fever that only escalated during the day, waned, and then came back in full force. Today I'm doing much better, thank goodness. It is no fun to be sick the first day you arrive in your new (5 week) 'home'

Today is Sunday, which has been a slow, yet ultimately pleasant day. I think I may have found a church! Unfortunately I did not find it before Sunday, but next week I will be able to find it and try it with less difficulty. It's an International church, and it's only a 10-15 minute walk from mi casa! I'm a fan already :) Plus I think the pastor is...Scottish? Who knew?! We just ate a simple supper, and I think we're headed back to the market to see if anything is going on. I may dive into the crazy library of cd's and books in our apartment - sometimes I swear we just moved into someone else's apartment, there are so many books, kitchen supplies, random odds and ends everywhere! I love it though. it's beautiful. Well, this is all for now. I'll write again soon, but for now I thought I would post something :)

ciao,
Angie