I can't believe it's Febbraio!

Wow- February already! On one hand it feels like I've been in Florence forever, but then on the other it feels like I just landed yesterday. Very strange time warp, but I feel as if it's not really so strange if you think about it. Sometimes I feel so adjusted, like when people ask me for directions in Italian, but then other times I am totally baffled by some small thing and am positive there's a big old "made in the USA" stamp on my forehead. But I suppose that's the whole point of this experience; learning to embrace that USA stamp and still be a respectful and courteous student studying in Italy despite of it.
This weekend was quite a topsy turvy one. I caught something, which those of you who have talked to me have had the pleasure of experiencing as I hack up a lung and croak like a frog, so ended up staying home sick from my school trip to Assisi. Quite a bummer, but Assisi is pretty accessible so I can go back. I did however go to Pisa on Friday with a bunch of girl friends, totally spontaneously, and had a blast. Notes on the Leaning Tower: it's waaaay shorter than I was expecting but it's actually quite tipped! And it really is as much fun as they make it look in the movies to hang there and take funny pictures with the tower. I will try to post some asap because they're a riot.
Mom and crew are arriving in Rome this Saturday and I couldn't be more excited. Sundays are family days around here and everything is closed so that people spend time with their families; it makes it kind of tough when you're a student all alone in a foreign country and you and your friends don't even have a place to go. But, the next two Sundays will be jam packed and after that it might (fingers crossed!) be warm enough that we could hang outside in one of the million little parks that polka dot Florence. There's one by my house that has a merry go round in it! It's totally just for kids but I may have to try it out sometime. Just saying, sometimes in order to really try Florence you have to do some slightly ridiculous and touristy things. I'm learning to embrace it.
Well, it's time for my first class of February so I better not be late!
Ciao a tutti!
ali