Leaving Florence

Friday Dec 12
Florence-Rome-Frankfurt-Frankfurt Hahn-Bologna-Florence-Pisa-Valencia Spain (original plan)
Last Day in Florence.. Its 3am I am still packing taking care of things, 4am decide to shower, half an hour later write down all te info for the second part of this journey. 5am, call cab!
Heading to Florence Peterola aiport, taking what i thought my last look at this amazing city. Arrive at airport which my itinerary consisted of Florence-Rome-Frankfurt. Turns out flight is cancelled! i got rescheduled to a direct flight to frankfurt. Lucky about that yet, time to check in luggage, they only allow you one check in, because i am flying within the E.U and yep im over the weight.. They ask me to take off stuff but they are being anal, they also wight my carry ons, tell me i am over the weight or cant put stuff there. In my carry on i carry an slr, video camera, books, computer.. Not a lot of stuff but all pretty heavy. Then i started to break down, i want my mommy! Too much to now get rid of things, i give her my italian books and what does the lady say.. NO NO! I AM A TEACHER, YOU ARENT THROWING THIS BABIES AWAY! haha so then she was a little bit lenient hence she realized i had books and i was getting really sad. Made it to Frankfurt! Now time to put my bag into a storage area!.. I am coming here a tad bit scared because i have to store my bag with my laptop, yet i come to find that germany has an amazing storaging system! Exit outside to take a bus to a different frankfurt airport that is 1 1/2 hrs away.. Everything is pretty smooth so far, get to the aiport check in.. take flight back to italy.
Italy is gloomy, take bus to take 3 possible trains to florence then going to pisa.. Turns out there is a protest and theres no way i will make it to pisa in time to catch my flight.. END UP IN FLORENCE!
IM BACK... to florence met up with krystal.. It sucks we were supposed to be in our way to spain to valencia which later lead to granada. Now we are both tired, sad, upset... Trying to figure out alternatives.. Decide to stay in florence for 2 nights.. Enjoyed the city one more time, had more amazing gelato, walked around to the ponte vecchio, piazzale michelangelo, saw ems and other friends :) Once in pisa to take our flight to girona, then to barcelona.. yes we had to skip granada and valencia :(.. We board the flight.. take my last breaths of italian air, and tears came down. I had a heck of an experience in italy, good and bad times and it became part of who I am.. Im going to miss it folks!
DEC 15TH
Arrive in Girona, take bus to barcelona, ate at the bus station and then headed to madrid! We stopped in zaragoza (looked pretty modern) and another stop they had snow! and frozen lakes i was amazed.. i got off the bus to touch the snow, except it was very icy :(.. Get to MADRID ESPANA! 3AM.. to my opinion a bit sketch, porta del sol seemed to be hooker central.. its an alright city but def. my least favorite? but it was a fun trip!
dec 18th
Leave madrid, arrive at frankfurt main! pick up bag, its safe :) do this carpooling system with this guy named marcus, drove us to my friends town! Welcome to heidelberg!

Satuday Birthday!

Soo my plan of attack was to go to the tower or pisa, since its one of my favorite since i was little. However i woke up with a super sore achilles tendon. Got super worried, called my dad and gave me some instructions followed them but it kept getting a little worse. So I had to call in the doctor, doctors come to your casa here in italy! So she checked it out.. i have a little tendonitis when your achilles tendon is swollen. It must have been the high heeled boots for the past days and then i went to flat shoes the day before and lots of jumping and dancing. So I had to rest all day, therefore not being able to go out on my bday. Cause i was scared of breaking that shit, cause then surgery is required and cast! and no no.. So i celebrated yesterday which was lots of fun! and then i spent talking to people online today! haha while my foot was on hot or cold water or bandaged. Got dinner brought home and tiramisu. hopefully it will heal fast. The cause most have been from the semi-broken pinky toe that i have been stepping not normal putting more pressure on my heal instead of the top part. So know thats whats up, jess is resting to heal that achilles.. I will re celebrate again once Emily and Ari get back, we will go out and have more fun!

Right now its sunday morning its freaking cold in italy! well the floor atleast, i miss my slipper booties from urban outfitters! i will post on what goes on tonight later on! And as for guys, lots of prospects we just have to see who the lucky winner will be!

Friday!

Second day of school so much better! its still a little to easy but it was fun talking to more people from class, katrin and martina from Sweden really nice and luis this guy from mexico and rebecca from Carolina . We found a coffee place near school and cheap! So i will be able to stay away in class and they have to-go cups! not something common in italy!. So made friends and came home, then i went out for a grocery shopping adventure in the market!! Soo much fun, it was like being in mexico but not, its the way markets are there. Came back and i made asparagus cream soup and then i had grilled steak with pico de gallo! i was very proud and it was good! then just chilled and it was a night to go out! Begin my bday celebration at midnight. So i got us all into a club called Space which i came to love! Usually you pay like 16 euros or something to get in, but because i did my thing wiht connections i got all my group of 12 for free, we met at the Duomo as usual and walked there. It was fun haning out with a big group. So we got in for free and I got 6 free drinks from the guy at the door, plus free drinks from people inside and friends! Lots of dancing went on and karaoke! It was a goood bday start! Lots of fun! Went to a pub after but then we just came home at 4am had a little snack and went to sleep!

First Day of SChool

So I was places in italian Beg 2 but its mixed with one.. So learning all the basics again, i don't know how i feel about it. Good refresher but i feel im not challenging myself. I think ill be trying the intermediate class just to see. Its like challenge or no challenge? one emans i could learn way more but it will get complicated but i might do it. The people in class seem cool though everyone is foreign from america or sweeden, or russian or mexico.. Its interesting. Then after school me and Ari decked out our rooms with the stuff provided it was fun. And later on i went to the train station to drop her off and meet krystal yee there! So i found a pair of boots that i like.. And then we came back to my apt drop stuff and went around catching up and semi-shopping. Grabbed some gelato and yea then dinner! It was fun but night was not my finest moment in italy.. Too much on the plate but of course someone will save the day, thanks raisa! I needed that moment to take a breath from occurances.. but i feel better now! like a trooper that can take any challenge any day!

Thursday!

Took placement test today! It was easy but not. At first i was confused with cognome and nome.. but figured that one out which means last name and name. Then i knew the verbs but i should have gone over them a little bit because i forgot some parts, but it was all good. Afterwards I went to the phone company to check about my phone and well i had to pay somewhat of a hefty amount atleast less than 100 euros which would have been if it had a rental phone but i didnt. Then after wards i explore where another market was and i was able to get internet in our crib. Because we had been going to internet cafes and i particularly dont like them, hence my late posting! Afterwards i came back and just crashed meaning slept for a little bit, we were all lacking of sleep because of the previous night.. Then we woke up and got connected to our computers, and then Ari and I went to see Emily. She lives in a penzione its tight, they have like fresco painting in all their ceilings and it looks cool more dormy like so you see more people. Then we were walking back but decided we didnt wanna go home so we then saw Dominick and we went to the Red Garner its like an american bar, in which Ari knows the owner. So we had a drink with them and just talked and chill it was fun like talking to them about local stuff and whatnot. Then we walked home and ran into a lot of people Ari had met before the program started and she had told me stories so I was able to put faces.. then we got home at like 4am again, when it wasnt our intention. And we have class the next day at 8:45am!

Giorno 3

So last night (tuesday) I went to dinner with Ari, Kevin my roommates and Brittany (a girl from the other program) it was nice had good pasta and such, but i had a coke sometimes it cheaper than other drinks but this time iw as wrong 4 euros for a can! ooops missed that boat. Then later on we met more people from the other program, they are cool but they have been here for a month so we are like the new kids in school. I dont know how i feel about it. I also met Dominick this britsh guy that Ari knows through someone else, he is cool so far..So we headed to Amadeus this bar, got free shots and then had a long island ice tea and something else that was like foamy but with jager? It was good, we also met this chef for sushi except he warned us that his place is expensive 50 euros a person.. I love sushi but im used to 12dollars tops! haha soo i dont know if i can handle that. Soo then we were there for a while and then we went to Twice just kevin, Ari and Dom it was empty.. so we peaced out and came home at like 3-4 something and my feet were killing me high heel buts are tight but hurt after 9 hours!

So today Wednesday we took a walking tour of florence, and let me tell you it was super great!
The fact that you take a walking tour in the city and see so much its amazing! There are so many things, so close to each other and lots of things that i will be able to do during this time. There is lots of art, music, nightlife, coffee, restaurants, shops! its like super cool! There are also lots of churches I am catholic so it helps, i think i will be going to mass here every sunday because I want to check out the churches from the inside, just because every single one is so unique or the attention to detail is unbelievable . So we took the tour and went to the Duomo, and saw it inside, saw the sculpture of David by Michelangelo, went to the ponte vechio. Everything is just great. We also had gelato and let me tell you its super good! like I haven't had ice cream in a while because of pinkberry but gelato is soo good i love the flavors. After this i reunited with Emily O!! It was sooo much fun to see her! We met at Piaza San Marco cause its like central point for both of us! I loved seeing her, so then she took me shopping for some groceries, cause she knew were the market was. Then i forgot that i had to cary lots of shit but it was worth it and fun! We came back to my apartment and just hung out with Ari. Then we came up with a plan of execution for the night! Because it was time to celebrate! So we parted our ways, and then got ready and pre-gamed a bit cause if you dont bars can be pricey. So did that and met up with people from the other program at the Duomo. That is like a central spot for everyone to meet up. Walked and I then met up with Emily and the Lions Club Irsih Pub. Ari and I decided to hang out with Ems crew, it was fun all Gonzaga kids in one place theres like 150 people in her program so met more people from the states and some italians and like the representative or something important from Moroco. Then Ari and I took an Irish car bomb recommended by our fellow Emily! It was good i really liked it! and i def chugged it as specified haha. We had fun in the pub and then we headed to Twice, its more of a club. So we def brought a bunch of people from the pub and it was packed, there was also people from the other program so we all were together. I had fun because i was pretty "happy" and just with everyonehaha then I was dancing with Federico he was cute, but then jess lost her phone!! So i was going a little crazy because well its a phone and need to fnd it hoping noone makes outside calls. Federico was still wanting to talk to me and such but i was busy looking for that shit.. So i unfortunately didnt find it!.. We got home at 3am again but no luck! no phone and i tried deactivating but it did not work! soo I failed. Tomorrow placement test at 8!

Giorno Uno and due

So I arrived to florence around 6:30 pm it was sunset. The airport is super tiny i never had a plane do a 360 to get to the gate, and then i got my luggage eveyrone was super happy and friendly giving kisses to each other old people too! like va bene ciao! and i went outside, and i had to get myself to the hotel. I could either take a taxi around 20 euros, train or bus. the only thing i saw the bus so it was 4 euros.. i felt like i was in the real world show, going wiht my suitcase one, just one easier to carry though and got to the bus and got to the train statia, stazione santa novella and then i was supossed to walk to the hotel... seeing street signs kinda hard in florence, i began walking and using my italian, parla inglese? and if so well piece of cake if not i would try to ask them where to go then i used my spanish and found my way.. Went to the hotel and met my roommates quicklied shower and went out to dinner with them and program coordinator. Dinner was super good, italian cuisine is very good, yet people eat late here and there's lots of courses with white wine etc.. and the dessert was amazing! so we walked back to our hotel and just bonded mroe with the roommates it was cool, we were laying down to go to sleep and then it kinda hit me, i said while in silence "guys we are in freaking florence!" and just all laughed.

Monday- Move in into Apartment
Aaaaaaaaah!! I’m in love! I freaking love Florence its amazing! I love the town, I am still getting to know my way around ive been here like 2 days and 2 nights but I am in love. Its like a mix of mexico city but super condensed and clean and well bello! Their architecture and designs are freaking amazing and I don’t mean just the Duomo but even my apartment I love it! Its super spacious like I really want to know how much it costs because my apt in westwood is def smaller than this. My roommate got stuck in the bathroom so the landlord had to come back, to unlock him it was a little funny. Florence however is kinda touristy like you could get around maybe speaking English but once I get my Italian refreshed I will start speaking Italian , so once l get back maybe I don’t want to move back… it will be a place I would live in or visit, maybe im speaking to fast but soo far I love. The guys are good looking and have been hit on many times! Haha its been interesting! I wish many of you were here!! Kristal and Sara I would love to take out to the clubs and bars! Raisa and Emily if you are reading this the bread is amazing like you should be here to be the judger of bread with me! Tuyay we would just go crazy there would be soo many excursions and too much comedy! Like without doubt! Also Raisa like we would have a blast for filming stuff and I think you would love it, so many places to shop for little things bracelets bags, and cool things! Its seriously super great if any of you find a good deal to come visit! I will host you, my apt is big! I woud just say bring a blanket and a pillow! Cause it is getting kinda cold…but I promise you would have a good time, so if you happen to find a super cheap dealio please come you wont regret it! I love my roommates! Ari is a girl from UCSD she is fun and we have lots of things in common, Kevin is super chill and really nice, and Ana you guys met… So it will be fun and interesting and I am super stoked!!! I will meet David today! Haha and the foood is amazing! Like bear tooth pizza, this pizza in Alaska is really good but pizza and pasta and all the food ive had here sooooo much better! I should really find a guy that cooks! Haha

I would give you guys my mailing address but apparently if we are not home we don’t get the mail so we have to give you the schools which I don’t know just yet. But if you are in Florence and well want to surprise me its

Via San Zenobi 55
3rd Floor
Firenze, Toscana

But if you ever want to call me or text me because you would make my day! Cause I still love you guys and as you can see I wish you guys were here, calling or texting from the US would be 01-39. 335.788.8725 I thik its like 25cents for a text.. fyi

I loveee you guys ciao begli!

I forgot to say it was amazing to see these two little girls talking to each other form one window to another.. like across the street it was magical like form a movie scene..

Sept 28! Roma Italia

So… once again we had agreed to go to sleep early because you know I have to catch a flight to Italia at 1:20pm. We were in Katowice Poland, the 600km away form Berlin where my flight departs from. The plan- get up at 5am be out 6 o’clock the latest and be in Berlin by 11ish.. We set up 2 alarms a phone on eand my ipod, which I wondered how it worked but I set it anyways. Had a very pleasant dream but all of the sudden I see light. I look at my watch is 7am!!! Wake up jump out of bed, call Paulina its 7am!! We both go like shit shit shit fuckkk… all scrambling gathering all of our things. I take my bags to the car, we are like shit shit will we get there.. we left super fast, I might have left something? I don’t know cross your fingers I didn’t. And we begin our drive at 7:24am. No breakfast, no coffee, just our adrenaline of us getting to Berlin in time. Its usually a 5-6 hour drive.. We kept it positive I mean she would be like shit jess and I would like aahh and laigh or smile. She would be like its not funny. But those of you who know me I don’t really rage or mostly I laugh when some things aren’t even funny. I mean theres nothing else I could really do.. So we hit the road and man did she drive!! We made it to berlin in 4hours! Thanks to the non-speed limit freeways in germany haha and well a super amazing driver. Get to the airport and well another little roadblock. I flew united airlines LAX to Berlin and well you were allowd to have 2 bags and 2 carryons one smaller than the other. However I am now flying Alitalia which only allows one bag checked in and one carry on, just one.. So I had 2, of each I was able to put my handbag in my carryon but the other one, how was I gonna do it? So I was like hmm maybe I’ll pay.. But till I found out the beautiful price of 150 Euros!! I was aaahh definitely not… I could go somewhere with that money or even pay my friend the trip haha. So I had to step asided and wisely select the items that were in my bag and take some and leave some. Good thing Paulina went with me to the gate so I left my other suitcase with her while I manage to squeeze some more stuff in my big bag and in my backpack/carry on. It weights a lot! Well my one bag was 28Kilos only 20 are allowed but the lady was nice☺ so props to her.. How will I get my shit back to the states, it will be interesting but I guess if someone visits or something I just have to get it to germany.. We shall see how it goes in December. How do you pack for four months in one bag… I need a lesson in that area. So got in the plane and aaah now im getting super shy at speaking I did say grazie haha. I can understand some of it. The plane though to Rome was kinda crappy looking like old, weird but ok ya know flyable. Haha. So I am currently in Rome waiting for my flight to Florence. Once in Florence there will be another update! Ciao Begli

Sept 27th!

Sept 27th - My friend and I have a little trouble waking ourselves up in the morning, our plan was to be up at 8 and go to Auschwitz concentration camp, well we didn’t get up till 11 or so.. But we still went, the drive was fun seeing the Poland sights while listening to good jams. We got to the concentration camp, and we came to realize there was a lot of people. I guess lots of tourist like me. It was a pretty intense experience like I thought. I mean its one thing to know history and seen it made into movies and what not but to be standing where history happened is a very different feeling. The weather was in between cold and sunny but it’s the type of sun that doesn’t really warm you up, if you are from Alaska I think you know what I mean, like the one we get before winter hits..So we walked around and seeing all the places was just a rare feeling, a feeling that you definitely wish you didn’t feel. We decided to take the tour in English of course haha I had to make sure it was because for a sec I heard polish and I knew that was no bueno for me. So we watched this movie and it was like they were replaying history I mean it was from the actual events, not a make up movie. So we proceeded with the tour, I must say the tourguide was cool, it was like a guy from unsolved mysteries type/style. He bagan telling us facts about what had happened there and took us to exhibitions. In does exhitibtions it was just very shoking to see some of the thigns. I learned how people 10,000 people were killed instantly in the gas chambers, and we actually went were it took place, one also got to see a model of how it was done. They would tell people to go down nderground undress and remember where they have put their belongings but then minutes later 10,000 people were locked underground and the gas would be released. So horrific to see that, and well they also would “recycle” a lot of belongings nothing was thrown away. Such things were like shoes, clothes, any type of brushes (make up, toothbrush, hairbrushes), glasses, and what was just crazy to see and to think about it gives me goosebumps was they would shave everyone’s head, They recycled or use 5tons of hair, 2 tons we were able to see. With hair the would do some type of fabric. It was just really shoking to see all of these objects, I might have learned about this before but I just definitely did not recall it and to see it was just…. This was quite the museum experience.



Afterwards we head back home, I love Paulina hahah we have some very funny times. Like her car is a convertible so we decided to drive like that home, and I loved it . It was a bit cold but the cold wind just felt nice, plus we got some people to wave at us. Haha while we were listening to the American jams. We then ate at this very cute restaurant. It was like underground made out of bricks/stones that you can see and had hardwood furniture, and to top it off Christmas lights, you know I’m a sucker for those. I had this brosch soup that I loved! And chicken with potatoes and fried cole slaw, it was good! Oh and of course German beer, a good .5L haha it def got me buzzed and I had a headache afterwards. So this was my last night in Poland and I had a good time. I loved my stay because of the great people in it, Paulina’s family and well it was super fun seeing her again times haven’t changed since senior year we still laugh at our own silliness and fun

Day two/three..

Hallo friends
Alright so I am still in Poland, chilling having a good time. We took a mini roadtrip to a city called Krakow. It said to be one of the nicest ones in europe. It was bello! it had the architecture that disney would put in one of their parks, there were also lots of churches, and a castle. All very pretty and its a bit hard to explained but I liked it. I ate some traditional food there it was very good like ravioli with coleslaw and the other with meat. Then well I'm a lover of bread and they sell bread necklaces so i got one, they were like mini super mini bagels. It was a good little snack. We then stayed in a hotel, for free because one of the family's friend is building it. It was a nice new hotel very modern but we crashed there at like 9pm after lots of walking around and having snacks and food. Then we woke up at 11pm and couldnt sleep till 4am. It was funny how we couldnt sleep till we did. Then we came back to the city of Kakowice and hung out at the mall while my friend had her car washed. Tomorrow will be a little more sight seeing and will write mroe updates. Thankfully my scrapes are healing now they look like i just pealed from a sunburn, better than me looking like i got in a fight or that i was hindu or something.. Cause some people thoguht that..how sad. Its pretty cold compared to LA weather i want to wear my shoes but because my pinky toe is a bit swollen I cant, so they have been surviving cold air.

Alright its all for now! please send me your mailing addresses if you want postcards if not then don't complain!

Much Love!

Day one

hallo!
So I am currently in Katowice, Poland is 600km away from Berlin. I was in Berling for a couple of hours, ate a Turkish meal, it was like a taco but with like pita bread it was interesting but good and I had tea but im not a big fan of black tea.. so I barely drank it. We went to my friend's olf work palce in the Sony center, it was freaking cool and elegant, i loved it there we just had a drink and walked around. Then I saw some famous places in Berlin and we drove to Poland. I was freaking tired because i was trying to stay awake so my friend could drive. But then i realized i was running very low in sleep. See when I was in LA i woke up at 8am when i went to sleep at 3am. so 5 hours of sleep. Got in the plane which was 10 and half hours long, i watched 2 movies sex and the city and made of honor. Then a bit of Kung Fu Panda (did i spell it right) listen to music and went to sleep at 11pm LA time. We got to Frankfurt at 3:30am LA time. and then I left for berlin around 5am LA time. In berlin by the time I landed was 4pm or somewhere around there.. So it was intense. The plane ride was super scary lots of turbulence super shaky drinks were spilling, first time i ever got scared of riding a plane in my logn history of flying.. but we made it through. Its pretty cold here its 10 Celsius which is like 30 Farenheit. But i liek cold weather cause i get to wear my rain jacket (sarah and em you know which one! ) MY friends family and her i love them they are sup[er nice, except i do not understand a word, cause well i dont know any polish and its hard to pronounce too. im attempting but i make a fool of myself. But its so cool seeing how things are different. In Frankfurt people ride bikes in the airport so freaking cool! haha i wanted to hop in one. Oh an we got to drive with the no speed limit it was tight, in a shift car! Tomorrow or the next day i will be going to Auswhich(I'm not sure in the spelling) concentration camp so it will be intense
well love ya all!
updates friends!

Heading off

So I'm leaving tomorrow, its freaking ridiculous. Last night was lots of fun, maybe a little too much that i cant remember, but some of my friends do though.. I had fun meeting cool people that i dont remember their names, but that kinda just happens now days..I try but some just dont stick. Sarah makes good jungle juice which you know can lead to someone breaking their sandal, a nice one i must say, falling in their face which apparently it was a weird fall like i just crumbled down and my face rolled therefore scrapping it. James was able to save the day with his first aid kit, which sadly i vaguely remember him there i just try to picture it because i was told he was there. Thank you james!Talking to cops and telling them i was 21 haha And then waking up this morning with a band-aid in my face in my roomates bed which is super comfy rach. Oh and to top it off my pinky toe is purple, i had a blister from my shoes but then i must of hit it, and at one point i thought it was fractured cause i couldnt move it, but it was just really swollen. Now its better but i just hope it gets way better cause there is lots of walking to be done and lots of places to see. My journey begins tomorrow, i dont know any german but foosh which means floor and shiza! haha I will keep you up to date on how that experience goes. I will try to put videos up but dont mind my scar face haha. I love all of you if I saw you yesterday and any point thanks for spending time! We will see each other soon, and if you are reading this i want a reply on your life so email it jessrojas@ucla.edu also tomorrow i will no longer have a cell phone so dont call or text, cause it will no longer be my number ill let you know the deal when i come back with my hot italian boyfriend!
time to hit the sack cause its obvs to freaking late to be up!
much love
-jess

Its happening

So it is 1:44am, I am sitting in my living room with awesome roommate Rachael. I can't go to sleep when I should be, too much happening. It is such a weird feeling. Its a bit bittersweet feeling. Tomorrow will be my last day of work till I get back, and I am seriously going to miss the HOF crew, we have some good times in that office, I spend my cold office summer days seeing their lovely faces everyday! But guys I will keep in touch and so should you! Because we cannot be outdated when I come back, it will be like current events and update every week! So hopefully this weekend I will be able to see some of you! 

peace and much love

-jess-ca