Sitting on a park bench thats older than my country.

So I had my sketchbook class yesterday. It seems super awesome. We will go to various monuments and museums and build up a sketchbook of Florence. Then we will come back to the studio and work from our sketches on bigger paper. Im really excited because I have never worked like that before. These sketches are going to have to be good.  This week we have to draw 5 different simple objects using pencils with different levels of hardness. A very "beginning of the semester" assignment but I'm trying to make it interesting.

Well, actually the Florentine's make it interesting. Last night I was at the Piazza Santa Spirito drawing a fountain (not exactly simple but whatever).  My experience so far with Italian boys has been that if you are alone, they will approach you. So I wasnt too surprised when this guy came up to me and started trying to talk to me in Italian. He got super frustrated that I couldnt understand him, but he proceeded to teach me Italian words. With his few word of English, my very limited italian, and much miming, we ended up talking and joking around for quite a while.  Then two of his friends came over. One of them spoke english a little and proceeded to tell me all about the metabolic process he was studying for his exam in the morning. I nodded and pretended to understand, but honestly I wouldn't have had a clue what he was talking about even if he was speaking fluent english. My roommate says I attract interesting people. I'm ok with it.

One weird thing I noticed is that whenever I go out and sketch, people seem so amazed with my drawings. As if we weren't in a city bursting with greater art than I could ever dream of creating. Seriously people. 

Today I had Italian which i was really looking forward to. Im tired of being the stupid American who can't read or communicate. But instead of teaching us Italian, my teach took us on yet another walking tour of the city center.  It was hot and long and there were too many slow tourists. But, in our syllabus it talked about a conversation exchange with students from the local university who are learning english. So im stoked for that. But I'm starting to think that 3 studio classes plus a 6 credit Italian class may be too much in combination with moving to a foreign country. I dont think I'll really have any time to travel.

I went to the market again today and brought my camera with me:

  They have EVERYTHING at this market. Fruits, vegetables, cheese, pasta, herbs, olive oil, wine, meat (i got lost in the meat section today and kinda freaked out) dried fruit, and even a few places selling sandwiches and pizzas.

I just got fruits and veggies today.

And I'm trying to make a point of getting something I've never tried before everything I go to the market. Today I found this crazy green tomato and super long squash.

These tomatos have to be the reason some people consider tomatos fruits. SO FRIKIN GOOD.

Some day, we will be remembered.

Today we went on a walk up to the San Miniato Church. You can see all of Florence from up there. Its absolutely breathtaking. It goes on for forever! Like Lake Ontario.

We got to go inside the church too. I had to wear a shawl because my bare shoulders were offensive. Understandable.  The frescos inside were incredible. There were unfinished paintings. It was so cool to see the process. It made me think, why dont we build churches like this any more? Why isnt great art and architecture used in churches to glorify God like this anymore? Ive been reading this book Tony Pisani gave me about art for the glory of God. Its so sad that Christians aren't making great art. I will try to!

Ive been taking walks around by myself and discovering cool things. Lots of little art galleries. This is truly the city of art.  There are paintings everywhere. And sculptures. Frikin amazing marble and stone sculptures everywhere. I'm so excited to be studying art here. I just want to soak it all in.  Classes start tomorrow! Tomorrow I have Florence Sketchbook, Tuesday is Italian, Wednesday is FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY!!!! Thursday is italian and mixed media. and I have Fridays off. I cant wait to have projects to do. 

Two Star Hotel, where the stars dont mean anything.

HOLY ZANG.
this has been the longest week of my life. Over all its been good. But it has been one long crazy hectic week. I cant believe I was in Rochester only 7 days ago.

I moved to my beautiful new tiny apartment on wednesday. It was a really long day of trains planes airports and cars.  I've discovered that I love going new places, but i kinda hate traveling. oh well. you gotta do it i guess.

Florence is amazing. View from my window: 

 ive been so overwhelmed. Major culture shock. everything is different, i cant read or speak italian, and i have no idea where anything is.
But, eveything is so beautiful and fun and exciting and new! its been very weird.
Im starting to know my way around a little. I got kinda lost the first day, but there are enough landmarks that its easy to find yourself again. and i found my way to the market and back by myself yesterday. I was so proud.
The history in this place is out of control. The city center was built during the Renaissance an the rest was built in mid-evil times. We just don't have anything like that in America.

It is the most surreal thing to turn a corner and suddenly be confronted by an enormous monument that you have only seen in art history text books.  I almost cried when I first saw the Duomo. It is absolutly flawless. I hope the amazement of it never wears off. Its so huge that i feel like a miniature mini midget dwarf pygmy toad in comparison.

 I cant get the whole thing in one picture.
I've been sketching everyday. I cant wait for my sketchbook class to start. 

I think I may have met a kindred spirit today. so thats good.

I miss you all.

In one single moment your whole life can turn 'round

I've been listening to as much British music as possible.

Today I was, once again, a shameless tourist.  I went to Buckingham Palace:

My dad told me to say hi to the queen for him. I tried to send a carrier pigeon but he was intercepted.

So I just whispered "Hi from mom and dad!" as I walked past. Then I walked across St Jame's Park which is a park right across from the Palace, and if I was the queen, id live in the park, not the palace. The park was amazing.

Lots of birds so I was happy. Sorry Sarah.

A flower close-up for dad.


And guess what!? I heard these two young men speaking in an American accent so I asked them where they were from. And they said "Buffalo, NY." And I was like "OMG I'm from Rochester." And they were all "Oh! Actually were from Rochester we just didnt think you'd know where that was." And they actually graduated from Roberts and his dad graduated with my dad and just crazy stuff. Frikin small world.

Then I saw the guards and big ben and parliament.

Then I went to another art museum because thats just what I do. This museum had amazing ceramics, jewelry, glass, and even had a theater history section with costumes and stuff. I dressed up like a bird.


Aaaand I'll just leave you with this:

Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy

G'day mates!

Blimey! These last few days have been quite a whirlwind! Irene canceled my flight and I had to leave a day earlier and had about 15 mins notice. Needless to say, we didnt have time to weigh my suitcase at home and ended up paying quite a bit in overweight luggage.  They gave me a tag that said "Rachel Farley- OVERWIEGHT." It made me sad.

The flights were fine. I flew to Washington DC and then into London. Instead of sitiing next to the attractive young couple behind me, I sat with a middle aged couple that complained about the lack of leg room the whole time. I promptly spilled diet coke on the man. His wife let me borrow a pen.

I got into London at about 6:30am London time (1:30 am real time).  Then, I took the 2 underground and 1 above ground train. I got 2 different young men to help me with my bags. Then i finally made it to my London home. The Evan's house.

Its beautiful. I have my own sink. And bed.

It was time for church by then. The Evans go to a cute little church populated mostly by elderly people. Naturally they have tea after church and I made friends with 2 old, hard of hearing British ladies, so that was fun.

After lunch the Evans' son Peter took me to a near-by palace that was called Elthan or Emlthan or something english like that. It was very old but had been reconstructed in the 30's in an art deco style. It was very interesting. I accidentally walked on the ONLY rug that people are not allowed on.  We were also not allowed to take pictures in the house which is fine because the outside was even better. I mean betta. (I have to keep biting my tongue to stop myself from speaking in a fake British accent.)

It was quite a magical place.

And of course they had a whole herd of gypsy horses. Duh.

Everything here is so British. Seriously. With names like Charing Cross and West Wickam. And everything looks different. Older. All the houses have terra cotta roofs and wood, brick, or stone siding. Each house has its own little stone wall around it. 

Today I venture into London on my own. The public transportation here is so easy. and expensive.

seriously. so british


Anyways, after walking around a little I went to the National Gallery:

They clearly stole the design from our capital building.


It was free which was awesome (i disregarded the suggested donation).  It was fantastic. I got to see so many painting that we studied in art history. It really cool to see a painting live that you saw in a book first. After several hours I went and found a little cafe to have tea. By that I mean lunch.

Then I walked around the city center a bit. Poked into a few shops. There was a topshop and i got really excited. Then I walked across some bridge, not the London bridge, some other bridge. But it was in London.

There was a little festival or something going on on the other side. There was a ferris wheel and a merry-go-round and people blowing enormous bubbles. Oh, and micky mouse was there too.

There were also lots of street musicians. These guys were my favorite. They were the closest thing I've heard to ska in a really long time. They covered Ke$ha and MGMT.  Ke$ha sounds better with brass instruments.

They were also all pretty cute and I had a quick fantasy about meeting them and then being asked to come to their show tonight and to hang out after. Then I remembered those kinda things only happen to Mary-Kate and Ashley.

After puttering around some more I went to the National Portrait gallery. I wish I had gone there first because I was starting to hate art by the time I was done and there were some really amazing paintings.  John Singer Sargent has a few paintings there and I was so excited. Then I came back home. The end. Cheers.