okaaaayy

So this must be as good at time as any to post, right? It's been a really long time, things have been going by so fast. I know that all 3 of my readers (mom, dad, and maybe one other person--this blog gets a ton of traffic, I'm sure) have been chomping at the bit for me to post a new entry.
My excuses: I was sick for a while, was then excited when I got better, and then midterms came around. Couple weeks ago Courtney took me to Rome as a surprise. MY GOD. Rome is beautiful, and if you haven't been then I really legit feel sorry for you (can't you feel my sympathy? Essentially your life sucks if you haven't been).
It's such a simply beautiful city, and while touristy, it is so for a reason--there's no hype involved. I saw all the sights to see--the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps...I didn't visit the Vatican because there wasn't much time, but I think I'm going to go back after this program is over. We were there for a little over 24 hours, stayed at the CUTEST b+b ever, ate incredibly well (and were there on women's day, where I was both congratulated for being a woman and propositioned for sex several times. I declined). I even ate rabbit, and we paried in a club that was built into a hill so it kind of felt like a cave. Only really modernized and stoic.
Some photos in my most recent facebook album:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2037310&l=f6c01&id=10402388

Also, on a positive note, my Italian is coming along (I think?). Last weekend my friends Ross and Sky and I went to our friend Gabe's house, and we played some good old American beer pong, et cetera. We had to take a cab home because it was really late and the metro had stopped. Both Ross and Sky don't speak much Italian, so I chatted up the taxi driver. He told me I wasn't a very good speaker but that he could understand me really well. I guess I just need a few to open up and start talking, albeit like I'm 5. Whatever, it's better than nothing, right?

It's spring break now, and ma and pa came to Milano for a bit. I had to try and come up with things for them to do, but we ate really well and walked around--we even went to La Scala. I was reminded how much I really miss singing even more--I can't wait to get home and take voice lessons. I wonder how much singing I can do next semester, just shy of one-upping Melnia (I have no idea how you do Vocal Jazz on top of everything else, Mel!). The Orchestra and Choir performed Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, and then brought soloists out to do the Rossini Stabat Mater (I mean, FYI: in case you didn't know, Jesus and Mary suffered A LOT). We had shit seats but they cost us $5. I couldn't see a damn thing, but the acoustics blew. my. mind. I want to go back there and do the same thing to get tickets to see Verdi's Macbeth next month. Wheee! I've realized (or rather, my friend Ross' roommate Silvio [an armani model//designer] has helped me to realize) that Milan is a shy city. It doesn't shove much in your face for you to do, besides walk around and visit the duomo//last supper (which are NOT in the same place). On sunday we went to Varenna, a small town right on Lake Como, and took a boat ride to Belagio. It was a little chilly, but such a beautiful day. We walked around and went into shops, drank a lot of espresso and ate gelato. My favorite things.

Now we're in Paris, which unlike Milan, is IN YOUR FACE. I love it here--everything is aesthetically pleasing and we're staying in the cutest little apartment right across the street from Sant-Sulpice (read: flip out now because YES, it is the church in The Da Vinci Code, apparently). The metro in and of itself is a freaking work of art. I got here yesterday and went to the Louvre to meet up with friends. We didn't go inside, but I saw the cool Pyramide. We walked around and it was rainy and cold, and the Musee D'Orsay was closed, so I need to go back (AND to the Louvre, but art before 1800 isn't really my bag...). We ended up napping at the Hotel that my friend Ross is staying at with his brother (which is a strangely weird place. I must take pictures for all of you to see). Shortly thereafter we got some beers, went to the Eiffel Tower and stood around it (too long to go up, gotta wait for a warmer day...), and then went for dinner at a Thai restaurant (YES. SO good, Milan has TONS of ethnic food, and by TONS I mean absolutely none), which was wonderfully cheap. We got some drinks and then I went back to the apartment and crashed. Today we all went to this crazy exhibit at the Palais De Tokyo. I can't even explain it, but I felt like I was on drugs (which I was not). I think it was about an opera that transcends time and space, but also based around a dream workspace? Maybe you'll have to take drugs to understand it. At one point, they had people in a cage come out and play paintball. We also bought this candy that cost us 2 euro from a vending machine that tasted like nothing, in order to give you an illusion of taste. WORD, isn't that so deep? I dunno, you've gotta go see the thing for yourself, because I can't even fully tell you what it was about. Here's a link with some photos.
http://www.palaisdetokyo.com/fo3/low/programme/index.php?page=nav.inc.php&id_eve=1940&session=35

I'll have more up on facebook by the end of the week because they allowed us to take them (there were certain points where I was acting like a weirdo and lying on the floor and on my back, but I bet you they get some stranger people up in there doing things I can't even think of). Tomorrow my friend Lu comes and everyone who I'm here with (mom, dad and my friends-Stevie, Sky, Karl, and Ross) is going to Versailles. Maybe she and I will go as well, we'll see--there's so much to do! But I have til Saturday before we go back to Milan.

This upcoming Sunday Melissa and Courtney are going to take me to some undisclosed location (surprise no. 2) for the remainder of Spring break for my birthday. I'll let you all know where we head--and then Ariana comes to visit me for the big 21!


Time is rolling by so fast, kids, you don't even know.