Dear Venice, I love you. Love, McKin

Friday, September 5, 2008. Venezia!!

As Laughlin just informed me, "McKin, you haven't posted on your blog in a while..." So I thought I'd send out a little update. I guess I haven't posted because there is not much exciting going on. Well, I am in VENICE, so everything is exciting, but you know what I mean.

I am getting to know everyone in the house pretty well which is really fun because so many of these people I had never before even SEEN, none the less met (pretty strange considering Wake is only 4000 undergrad...). We play games all together a lot and have a family dinner AT LEAST once a week. I have even started convincing people to cuddle with me/play with my hair etc while we are hanging out talking. Sparknotes version: these people rock. We have fun AND talk about serious stuff. And we all can relate everything back to Wake. I cant wait to be walking to the Pit one day when I get back and run into one of my Venice housemates!!

With classes starting and all, I am starting to wish that I was here for a semester long VACATION instead of semester. It just doesn't seem right to have to study when there is so much of Italy/Europe to explore! Even just in Venice, there is so much uncharted territory (well, in my eyes. It is of course all charted to the Venetians...) We sometimes go for walks and have NO idea where we are going. We find cool places that we will never be able to find again. And then we just follow the signs back to Accadamia/the Guggenheim. POOF, hey Casa Artom! As bad as I make the classes seem, they really aren't that bad. We had our first music test and dont worry, I got a 99. Great, now the expectation bar is set high, way to go McKin... I think I am really going to enjoy our Italian class, too. It meets three times a week (two days a week LESS than the Italian 153 class back at Wake!) and one of those days we just sit in groups and talk! YES. I love talking! Granted it is in Italiano and I know all of 10 words, but it is still SO FUN!

Mommy sent me a package that I got the other day and opening it was like CHRISTMAS, but perhaps better! Since I only got to take one suitcase, I was running low on clothes. Everyone else got to pack like 3 suitcases, and I only got one (this is where you feel sorry for me). Anyway, I opened up the box to see all of these wonderful clothes of mine! It was maybe even better than Christmas because everything was the right size and right color! haha. If anyone else wants to send me a package, they should feel free to do so. WINK WINK.

Anyway, this weekend we have to stay in Venice because we have to get some paperwork completed to say that we are residents here. Since we are staying here this weekend, we might as well explore Venice even more, yes? We went out last night to Santa Margarita (one of the main piazzas near our house) and hung out, but not too late beacause half the group had to get the paperwork to the post office EARLY the next morning (as in this morning, Friday AM) even though the rest of us are not going until Saturday morning. (If that last part didn't make sense, don't worry--it really isn't that important...) So today we went to Lido, which is a little island south of "the fish of Italy." Look at a map and you'll see what I mean. It was really cool to be at an Italian beach, but I didn't stay too long because it was SO HOT! Now I am back here, showered cuddled up on the couch and contemplating a nap. ...who am I kidding, no contemplation needed. A nap WILL happen.

The Regatta Storica is taking place this Sunday. I am not sure exactly what it is, but we are having a house party here, so I like it already. We are talking about going to Cinque Terre (pronounced "Chin-quay Terr-eh." Again, I am not sure what that is, but it is only 5 euro to get there and less than 30 a night to stay! SIGN ME UP!!

Ill try to keep posting as often as I can, but things are getting busy here with school etc. Love yall!
xoxo
mckin