I can't believe I am actually done!

Well, so much for writing a blog the next day. So much has happend in the last couple weeks that I can't even remember it all. It's crazy how fast time flies here. Today was my last day of school and after 4 finals and one log day of classes, I can't believe I have just a weekend left. Where did the time go? It is so weird to think some of the people here will actually be back in the states on Monday.

Last weekend was so amazing. Our group took a 2 hour bus ride to the loverly town of Parma where we went to the Parmigiano Reggiano factory and saw the whole process of how they make parmecean cheese! It was so cool to see and we spent over an hour just watching the guys make cheese and starring and rows beyond rows of wheels of cheese. We even got free samples of parmecean after we were done and during the tour we got the pleasure of wearing neat little plastic coats, shoes, and hats! But needless to say, when I found ou the wheels went for 800 euro each, I did not buy one! It was crazy and when I get pictures up you can maybe see a glimpse of what I experienced!

After Parma, we headed to Modena where we saw the process of proscuita. Standing in a frezzer with claws of pigs legs hanging down from you made me feel like I was in a scene from Texas Chainsaw Masacre. The smell I could get use to but it was definitely an experience hearing the owner talk in only Italian and then our Chef, Pierluigi, translating for us! I could make out only a few words so it was something I had never gone through before. We then went upstairs to an outisde table set up for us to enjoy a nice lunch with the hills in the background. The view was amazing but we were all shocked when they brought out a whole plate full of proscuita and when we tried to share it, they explained that each one of us was getting our own plate. I could not eat all of it with the bread and cheese to go with it (and of course the wine), but then they went on to ask us, after most of us had finished our plates of meat, if we were ready for the pasta. So they then proceed to bring out plates full of ravioli filled with parmecean cheese. To continue this feed, they also brought out platers of dessert bites to try and yes, we did ask for seconds on everything!

We got back on the bus and continued on our way to the hotel where we just hung around, trying to catch up on sleep since we had to leave at 5:30am, and then went to dinner at the hotel. Three course meals consist of so much food and yet dinner was spectacular. The pasta was delicous and the veal cut like butter. The dessert was a berry torte and I ate it all, along with seconds on dessert and bread. It was amazing how much food there was and so afterwards we walked around the town and surprisingly enough, I ended up getting a cute little shot glass of gelato!

The town was beautiful and we eventually called it a night. The next morning we had an amazing breakfast at the hotel, pastries aglore, and after stashing some of the bread and fake nutella in our purses, we checked out and got back on the bus. We headed to the Balsamic Vinegar factory and took an hour tour of the place. It was beyond hot in the attic where they keep the vinegar to ferment but it was very cool to see. We then headed back and though we had to take an hour in a half detour dur to chef's luggage being left at the Parma factory, we finally made it home.

That night, us girls decided to hit the town and enjoy one of our last nights out in Firenze before the trip ended. Rylie and I stayed up talking and finally around 3:30am we fell asleep.

This last week went by so fast and with wedneday being San Giovanni day, we waited all day to watch the fireworks! Some of us girls went to the park across the street and attempted to, but did not succed, to study for our finals the next day. Though we didn't accomplish a lot, it was good to chat with my housemates and enjoy the sunny day in the park, people watching and looking at the fountain in the middle of the pond. The cutest thing was watching this dad try and teach his little girl to ride a bike. He would help her get on, then let her ride, and after making it about halfway around the pond, she would fall over and you would see him running towards her, ready to help her back up. They continued like this for an hour or so and it was the cutest thing!

We headed back to our apartment, and as the night went on, Rylie and I became lazier and lazier. Our originial plan was to take the bus up to Fiosole ( a town about 20 minutes away which overlooks Firenze) and watch the fireworks from there. Then we decided to just head to the river to watch them and quickly that idea changed to watching the fireworks from our balcony. The idea seemed like a good one and so Rylie and I made the last of my pasta (a whole bag full), complete with meat sauce and a box of beans. We sat on our balcony, soaking up the sun, enjoying the view, and talking away as we ate our meal. We ate it all, our tummies were stuffed, and then the guy in our group told us we could eat his gelato. Therefore, we proceeded to eat the whole container of his gelato with cornflakes and fake nutella mixed in. We were so full it was unbelieveable, and when the fireworks started and we couldn't see them, Rylie got the genious idea to run to the river and try to catch them. Well, we did just that! We ate a ton of food and then ran...ran for about 2 miles on and off (you know me, I don't run) and attempted to see the fireworks show. Well, with all the people there we could somewhat see it, my view was obstructed from the buildings, and then made our way back home.

With our goal in mind to study all day and watch the fireworks at night, we got home and realized we didn't accomplish any of that! Everyone eventually flooded to our room and we all stayed up talking until people slowly filted out, back to their rooms to sleep.

Today, we had 4 finals lined up, Italian (Writen and oral), Italian cuisine (written), cooking final (without the recipe, which we found out an hour before the exam and had to memorize), and then finally wine appreciation. The day was long but we finally finished and 4 of us girls decided to celebrate by using the coupons we got for McDonalds. Buy one get on free for mcflurrys..how could you pass that up! We asked Pierluigi if he wanted to join, and in his Italian accent he replied, "I have too much to do I cannot go. I really love the cheeseburger with the fries, and ketchup and mayonnaise, lot of mayonnaise!" The smile on his face made us realize how badly he wanted to come, but with grading our exams and another of his classes taking a cooking final, he just couldn't escape. We said farewell and then on our way to McDonalds, had the crazy idea to buy him a burger and fries! We did just that and once we got back to Apicius, Rylie sneakingly grabbed a plate and we ended up plating a bacon cheeseburger and french fries. We very badly wanted to get sauces but apparently they cost money here so we had to do without. The plate was hilarious and the 4 of us walked up to Pierluigi and gave him the plate of McDonalds. He could not believe we did such a thing and laughed as he chowed down on his food. We asked if it made up for not knowing the Pesto recipe (which he gave each one of us a bad time for) and he shewed us away!

The funniest part in all of this is when I think about how I gave my Italian cooking Chef, the guy who for the last 4 weeks has taught be fancy, authentic, Italian cuisine, and the last day of school I bring him McDonalds! It was a great way to end my time and school and we said our Ciaos and left!

Tomorrow morning we leave for the Tuscan Hills where we spend our time touring wineries and staying in a villa, Sunday is our graduation feast, and monday morning I meet my mom for a couple days in Firenze, another couple days in Rome, and then 5 days in PARIS!!!

Life is amazing!!

Ciao!