"Vai Vai"

"Vai Vai" or "Go Go" has been the theme of this trip. Time is going way too quickly and I find myself being torn between wanting to experience every part of the city or relaxing a bit. With most of the roommates out of town this week on vacation, I had the chance to do some exploring and relaxing by myself. It was nice to go at my own pace and see whatever I wanted to see. The weather has been extremely warm and sunny, which after the unexpected cooler weather when we first arrived, I was happy to catch some rays. Florence is centered in a bowl of mountains, which makes the temperature higher. Although it is not a beach, catching rays is still possible at a "fake beach" that is located on the Arno. The interesting thing about this beach is that no one goes into the water, the people go there solely to lay in the sand under the sun. I have gone to this beach every day this week and love that when I am there, I escape the city atmosphere and am surrounded with locals.

Already the Kent students that were here for the Summer Institute are finishing up and heading home. Last night the school had a farewell dinner that I was lucky enough to attend. The reality of them leaving made me pretty sad since I will be heading home or at least out of Florence so soon. At the dinner, I was able to sit with some of the teachers of whom I have had in the past as well as some new faces I was able to meet. The meal that was served was excellent and being a hospitality management student makes you appreciate good food even more. One of my favorite parts of the dinner was the excitement the staff got when they brought out the dessert. Dessert was a large fruit and cake display that took four waiters to carry. Not only was the food amazing, but the venue was absolutely beautiful.

With all the excitement going on in Cleveland between the Cavs and the Indians, I am a little sad I am not in the city to celebrate, but I do have to say being abroad while everything is going on has not been a bad thing. We get to cheer on our city and boast about our personal identity in such a positive way. Since Cleveland has always had a more negative reputation to people around the world, this positive light has made people more interested in talking about where we are from. Not only can we be happy about our home, but also our temporary home. With the Euro Cup going on it is amazing that we are experiencing Italia's winnings as well. Ultimately this summer is one for the underdogs and let's hope that Italia has a happy ending as Cleveland did.