Although it has been some time since I’ve written a formal blog post, I guess I will just jump right in: I’m currently studying abroad in Florence, Italy. This has been something that I have been dreaming about doing since high school and to finally be here living it, is surreal, to say the least. I’ve been here just about a month and I really feel that I am making this gorgeous city my home. 

One of the major reasons I wanted to come here was to learn the language that was lost along the way down my family lineage. I’m making a conscious effort to get over my fear of making mistakes when trying to speak Italian, and have had many “Italian-English” (sometimes with a little Spanish thrown in for good measure) conversations with local people, especially at the Farmer’s Markets and family-owned restaurants. Thanks to my Italian heritage and very Italian name, most people think I’m a local and I’m proud to say I’ve been asked directions by Italians many times. 

But, to cut to the chase, I came here for the food. While other people my age may not be so interested in the many culinary traditions of Italy, I’m soaking it all up. Before I came here, I didn’t realize just how regionally divided the food culture of Italy is; while I plan on trying traditional Tuscan dishes, I’m not sure that I will get to taste all Italy has to offer- there’s just so much. 

I’ve tried the hearty winter staples such as Ribollita and Pappa al Pomodoro, but now that the weather has warmed up a bit I’m excited for what spring has to offer. A nice panzanella will taste fresh and light, perfect after a warm day spent walking along the Arno. 

Yet, no matter how hard I try to be adventurous and embrace Italy’s many dishes, I always go back to pizza. Thin-crusted and charred from the wood-burning oven, a Margherita pizza is pure perfection. Now, believe me, I’ve tried the others. I’ve had the salty Napoli, with anchovies and capers. I’ve had one with bitter, peppery rucola. I’ve even tried an especially spicy version topped with to-die-for pepperoni. But there is something about the Margherita that always brings me back to it. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  

The gelato is creamier than the best ice cream America has to offer. It will be hard to go back to frozen yogurt, that’s for damn sure. I can’t name a favorite, although the kiwi gelato I had from the small gelateria down the street from my apartment is by far the most memorable I’ve had. It tasted like a creamy version of the fruit, it hit all the right notes and was perfect accompanied by a simple, if luxurious vanilla. 

While I express myself through food and enjoy myself more while shopping for vegetables at the Farmer’s Market than I would while shopping for beautiful Italian, “Made in Italy” clothes (that’s outta my price range, man), mostly I’m enjoying life. Being alive. People here are alive, and I’ve gotta tell you it’s contagious. I’ll have what they’re having, please. Because not only is it the little things that matter, like knowing the butcher down the street on a first-name-basis or arguing with friends over where the best pizza in town is (I haven’t quite decided who I’m most loyal to yet, although GustaPizza currently occupies the top spot), but it’s enjoying those things in the moment. And believe me, I’m soaking it all up the way an after-dinner biscotti soaks up Vin Santo.

While the extreme heat last week may not have been good for the general population of the southwestern United States (resulting in a major blackout that canceled school, thus granting me TWO 3-day weekends in a row :)), my vegetable garden sure did take to liking the hot, hot heat. My purple bell peppers did cosi-cosi (Italian for ‘so-so’ [I’m trying to practice more]) for the majority of the summer, but in the heat of late August and early September have really picked up the pace. I’ve got another round of Early Girl tomatoes, which I’m anticipating will be ready to eat by the end of the week, and some heirlooms which we should be able to enjoy come the start of Fall. My three basil plants are flourishing and to top it all off, my praying mantis friend that has lived in my garden since he was a little tyke is still around! Yay for beneficial insects! Even though I’m still enjoying a hearty crop of summer vegetables, I’m looking to the future and will slowly start planting for the Fall season within the next couple of weeks. Happy Growing!

A week ago, A month ago (I’ve had a draft of this post saved for quite a while, but seeing as I’ve been working 35+ hour weeks and preparing for my JUNIOR year of college, I haven’t had much time to complete it) I had an incredible opportunity to go work on a farm with my friend Kelsey as a part of our membership with W.W.O.O.F. (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). I stayed over at her house in Ventura for a night and the next morning we made the half-hour trek up to Santa Barbara to stay and work at an incredible property called ArtFarm. Through the W.W.O.O.F. program, members are able to stay at farms worldwide and do farm work/ learn about food, local eating, and generally see how the other half lives. In exchange for work, members are able to stay at the farms for free. It’s a cheap way to travel, learn, gain new experiences, and meet incredible people.  Artfarm is run by a woman named Madeline whose goal is to create a sort of sanctuary for artists to go and live on her property and do farm work in exchange for free accommodations and space/

freedom to work on their craft. She’s an incredible artist herself and I really appreciate the vision she has for her farm. The experience was generally enjoyable, however I was expecting more of a true “farm” experience whereas this was more of a rather large property with a gorgeous garden. Nonetheless, I met some truly incredible people, a couple of women from England who wanted to spend the summer traveling inexpensively and learning about farming, a student from UCLA, and another young twenty-something woman who did graphic design and is spending time traveling all over the U.S. Meeting new friends and hearing their  life stories over a shared lunch of a fresh-picked garden salad is by-far what truly made this experience worthwhile. I’m really glad I chose to go out of my comfort zone and join a cool organization like W.W.O.O.F. Sometimes I forget how easily I am able to navigate new experiences and environments, and choosing to take a leap of faith and do something a little unorthodox can be a good reminder of what I am  everyone can be capable of.