Venezia

Venice.

What is there to say? It was beautiful. I went for Carnivale and there was a TON of people. I didn't stay for very long, but I did see some pretty cool things. Saw the canals, the tiny streets, the gondolas, and even a sunset. I went to a glass blowing shop and saw them make a vase (and a cat!). Saw the crazy, wild, beautiful and scary costumes. I went with alot of other Rotary kids and got to meet some new ones. Bought an (overpriced but worth-it) mask. Came home very, very tired and with lots and lots of pictures.

Enjoy them.

A cool gondola. I would have gone on a ride, but it would have costed me 80€ (100$, for all you americans.)


A famous bridge, from what I was told. I took it from a Venezian bus (which was a boat.)

Venezian Sunset.
Mask I bought!

All of the Rotary Youth Exchange students who came. Alot were from my district, but there were also alot who were not.

Look at all the people! It was insaneeeeeeee.

I took a picture with some of them.

Some canals.

Some more.

Me infront of a canal.

Gondola/Canal.


Me and two other exhcange students infront of a crowd.

(ALL OF THE ROLLOWING PICTURES I'VE BORROWED FROM OTHER EXCHANGE STUDENTS. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO TOOK THESE)







So I hope everyone is doing well and liked my pictures. I'll have a album going up on Facebook soon and when I do I will link it here so you can see all of the pictures.

un bacio,
Jody

A quick update

as I prepare myself for an epic Venice post. Life in Milan has been going great, though with my current host family I've been having some problems and will be swiching by the end of this week to a new family. We just didn't click, and we had bad communication and even though I tried to make it better, it was kind of like putting a band-aid on a cut that needed stiches.

School is going well in the aspect that it is more than half-way over. I am doing more work, and studying more, which is still difficult because even though I understand mostly all of the Italian spoken to me there is still alot to learn. And seeing as my vocabulary consists of mostly conversational things, and it doesnt quite extend to things like Art History vocabulary (which makes me depressed every time the prof (teacher) gives me more to study). I still use my dictionary quite a bit in school. But as far as speaking goes, I understand about 95% of things said at the dinner table, and am able to have a conversation. Which for me is a pretty big accomplishment, seeing as when I arrived I understood almost nothing and had trouble saying "Arrivaderci!" (goodbye).

Its a little crazy to think that I've been in Italy 6 months as of yesterday, and that there are only 4 months left till I depart to go back home. I am both excited and not at the idea, but I figure that I'll deal with it when the time comes. I hope I'll be ready... I'm already planning what I'm going to do immediatly after arriving home. I have my first week planned out (Which is mostly going to the beach, taking my dog with me everywhere, getting tan, re-learning how to speak english and finding all the places where I can buy good italian food.)

The weather has been warming up here, I think we are starting spring!!! It's such a different experience for me to have the seasons, I thought that winter was going to be the only super different one but spring came up and suprised me! The sun came out and I got a little pink on my cheeks the other day! Alrighty, time for Venice.
Talk to you all later.