Oh, Hey Monday

Totally didn't see that one coming. This weekend was busy, but nothing too exciting happened for the most part.

This happened.

I believe I mentioned before that Sarah's mother brought a can of pumpkin with her because she's wonderful and amazing. So. It was decided that pumpkin pancakes should exist in my life.

Leann's parents also provided us with a whisk and a spatula. So. It was really destiny. 

A BIG THANK YOU TO MY ROOMMATES PARENTS!! :)

Various toppings included jelly, honey, and Nutella. 

Mine had peach jelly on it and I felt bad I didn't take a picture of it.

Verdict: delicious. They weren't too pumpkiny and so delicious. We didn't have normal ingredients, so they were a little flatter than usual. I didn't mind too much as I was shoveling them in my mouth. 

Paul's mom also got here early yesterday morning. So we spent some of the day with her, napped, and then went back to her hotel where we were treated to a delicious dinner. I'm going to have to steal some of her pictures, because we had a chocolate truffle for dessert that I wish I could use my words to describe.

You'll notice that everybody's parents are here. It makes me sad. Hi, family. :)

Do you know what this means?

Then this morning I woke up and went running. Hence the picture. That's a weird patch of something on my arm that shows up every time I get sweaty. It's sort of phallic looking, yes, I agree. But I think it just means I have balls of energy or something to that effect.

PROTEIN. OH MY GOSH.

Now I'm snacking on greek yogurt and peanut butter crackers whilst trying to decipher my Italian homework. 

And instead I'm doing this. 

MY GOALS FOR THE WEEK!

• Go running four times, no matter how short or long.
• DANCE!
• Clean up my stuff in the room.
• Drink three of these babies a day.

Oh, hey, InMotion jacket.

• Spend some Paul's-family time.
• Finish my art history paper. (Six out of ten pages isn't bad. But now I'm running out of things to say. You know how it is.)
• Cook something new.
• Do laundry. Soon. Your underwear are dwindling.
• Somehow make it to all my classes and do all of my homework because that is getting increasingly difficult.

And that's that! Happy Monday!!

A Lethargic Slob

That's what I feel like, ladies and gents. You see, over the summer, I was a pretty active person. I worked two jobs, one being at a day camp with young children (read:running around was not an option) and the other at an ice cream shop where I got to sample ice cream frequently was on my feet all shift.

Counselors are awesome. :)

I lived in a sports bra and shorts. I was tan and my hair was about 4092754 shades lighter than it is now.  And I made money for it. Good deal, right? I LOVE SUNSHINE.

In addition to this, that wonderful person up there and I were gym buddies. We did something most days of the week, in fact. We also kicked our butts and finally started running, jumping on that bandwagon. And I loved every single second of it. Loved it so much that I started toying around the idea of changing my major way too far into the game as a Junior.

I'mma be a busy girl, that's for sure.

Instead, I added one. But that's neither here nor there.

So that's all well and good, but over here in Italy I've stopped. Which makes me oh so sad and oh so MAD at myself. That's not what you're supposed to do. I have a lot of plans for what I want to do to stay in shape in Philadelphia, but I've put up such a mental block as to what to do in Rome. Perhaps it was the homesickness, but I'm dealing with that quite well. 

Whine. I can't dance and I like to dance.

Whine. I don't know where I'm running I can get lost.

Whine. I don't like working out in front of my roommates. It freaks me out.

Whine. I don't have any normal equipment.

Well, I'm getting over myself. So what? I'll be in Philadelphia sooner than I can fathom and then I'll do whatever I do there. But right now, I'm in Rome and I gotta deal. So I've changed my ways, for the better.

• Walk more. I didn't buy myself a monthly metro/bus pass. And not only to save money. This will force me to walk more. Plus I don't like ripping Italy off by riding the bus for free. Guilty conscience, I guess.
• Try not to eat insanely. I'm eating better breakfasts, which makes me feel a lot better. Worth the investment? I say YES. Also, maybe eating smaller portions of pasta might help. 
• Dance any way you can. Here it is in print: I'm going to stretch every day. I'm having an awful time with how I'm going to fit back into my dance group because I'm a spaz. But stretching calms me down. So it shall be done. Also, I'm dancing in the Jam Show. I used to be so against that. Then I slapped myself and all was well.
• Run. No brainer. I should have just sucked it up and ran anyway. Getting back on that bandwagon.
• Be creative. There honestly might be a million ways out there that I could work out without a gym. Yes, I miss classes. Yes, I miss equipment. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE DUE, YOU HEAR? I've been scouring blogs and twitter like an insane person. What can you do?
• JUST SHUT UP AND DO ANYTHING.

Oh, self. I did. :)

My awesome band-aid for my running blister. (Note: This fell off somewhere. I truly apologize.)

Action shot. FINALLY BIKING.

Daddy, don't yell. They didn't have helmets to rent.

Biking to see this? I can get used to it.

GUYS, I LOVE BIKE RIDING. I was all afraid that I would be the exception to the "never forgetting how" rule, but I totally wasn't. It was so great and I want to do it again. Every second of every day. Even though my butt kinda hurts.

And I'm eating better toooo. This had no cheese AND no pasta. WHAM.

Delicious stuffed peppers that aren't so bad for you!

Endorphins really do make you feel better. 

So uh, yeah. Sorry if you don't like hearing about this stuff. It's what you're going to get. :)

Also, New York City Marathon is this weekend and I think it's SO COOL. Perhaps one day I'll be that good. One day.

A Lesson in Studying Abroad: Part II

So. I need to stop writing things in parts. I'll get to that, I swear. If you care about Part I in the least, it's here.


So about two months in, I'd think it was safe to say that I've had my share of homesickness. But recently, I've given myself a kick in the pants and realized that I need to stop whining. I'm going to go home on December eleventh. Not before then. Not after then. There is no sense in wishing it would come faster, because it will be here before any of us realizes it.

SO. Things that should probably be done in order to keep you sane.

Eat a lot of food. Yeah, don't go crazy here. But I started the semester thinking that I had to eat close to nothing and spend not a lot of money on food. Now, my friends. I've got some news for you. That made me extremely cranky and bitter. IT IS FUN TO GO OUT TO EAT! There are student menus and cheaper options everywhere and it's nice to treat yourself every once and a while. Same goes with cooking too. Make it an adventure. DO NOT eat pasta every night or you'll rebel. Trust me.

He's so happy we went out, you see?

Take some me-time. It's really hard being in a room with two other people. I know I used to live with seven others. But it was easier for some reason to get an hour to yourself. Please, for the love of God, take your me-time.

Actually see the stuff you're supposed to see in the city. My friends, there is a lot of it, especially in a place like Rome. Have I been inside the Colosseum yet? Nope. Vatican? Uh. Next week! Are those two huge things that people would probably smack me for not seeing? Yes. Uh. I'll get on that. I'm such a tool.

I don't think this counts. At all. I'm a bad study abroad student.

Get involved. Well don't I sound lame? I know it's really hard, especially if you're like me and super involved with a group at home. But you can still do stuff in this program, I promise! It will make you not sit around and wish you were somewhere else.

GET OUTSIDE. Take advantage of any and all beautiful days. I am once and for all starting to get back on my running thing tomorrow. HELLO, NOVEMBER. I'm typing it right here. Shoot me if I don't. Okay?

Send mail! I'm not trying to forget about everybody back home. Just calm down and cut the hyperventilating every time I think about going home. MAIL IS FUN. Find me a person that doesn't like a letter or a postcard. Invest in your friends, my friends.

When all else fails, listen to this guy.

Enough said. It's been happening.

So, as you can see, I've had quite the turnaround. It's nice. I love my friends to death. But I've got exciting stuff here that I should focus on. I've got quite a long plane ride to think about all the fun stuff I'm going to do when I get back. QUITE THE LONG FLIGHT.

In other news...

This is NOT where I'll be living.

I HAVE AN APARTMENT. I HAVE AN APARTMENT. I HAVE AN APARTMENT.

My life is great. :D