Beaches...

So the past couple days I’ve been in Viareggio soaking up some sun and enjoying the beach atmosphere. It’s been great, but to be honest I’m just glad to get back to Florence and enjoy my last few days there. All of this is started to sink in, that my time in Italy is coming to a close soon, and I don’t want it to be over. Sure, I’m sick of all the tourists and I really wish they would go back home (even though international student isn’t much better) so that I can have back the Florence that I first saw. Now, you can barely get down the streets because they are packed with people sightseeing and searching more stores to blow their money in.

I feel like I have a love hate relationship with the city, I’ve come to meet a lot of really awesome people and I don’t want to leave them behind, I’ve found some great places that have become really comfortable places for me, and on top of everything, I’ve learned so much about this city, it’s problems and accomplishments alike, that I have become attached to it in a far from superficial way. On the other hand the touristy nature of the city makes me feel like I’m in the airport all the time which makes me anxious, everyone in looking for where they’re trying to go, no one knows quite what they are looking for. I wish there were more Florentines in Florence…

And now, I’m sitting in a hotel room, feeling much displaced from my home (or at least my temporary one up the street from Piazza della Reppublicca) and thrust into the world of the tourist. It isn’t a particularly friendly one, and I miss the days of having an address, even though that was only about a week ago. I’m glad that we came in the winter before all the spring breakers and school trips arrived, it was a great experience and I’ll always have my nights—or mornings rather—where the streets were completely deserted and I felt like I was the only kid left in Disney World after the park closed.

I’ll have to make these last moments last, as I probably won’t be back to Florence as soon as I would like. This city will always be apart of me, as I have learned a lot about myself and the world around me being here. I’ve learned that America has too much influence internationally, that TV really will be the death of civilization, that despite the long standing rumors about Italians, they are NOT all well dressed, it really just depends on where you are, and that no matter how good or bad your Italian is, all that matters is that you try. Even if you don’t make sense... and if you're looking for grand breakfasts filled with all sorts of yummy goodness, you've come to the wrong place.