I AM LEAVING PARMA TOMORROW.

I wish I could write a good post about Paris and how great it was to see Sarah (and Mark!) and see all the neato sights of Paris but I really should be getting to bed. And alas, I do not think I will have a chance to write on here another time before I get back to the States, but I did want to write at least once more while I was still in Italy.

It's weird to be leaving! But right now, especially with my parents here, I am so excited to go home. I really just want to see the fam, unpack, and not worry about moving moving moving across countries for a little bit (until January when I have to deal with transporting myself and my stuff to Boston). BUT ALAS. I have 5 more days of travel with them, which should be great and lovely.

I will be sad to leave Nice, after all she has done for me and put up with this semester. She really made it a worthwhile experience for me but I am confident I will keep in touch with her and maybe even someday return to Parma. I'd like to do that actually. Fo reals.

Anyway, cheese is heavy! I am not looking forward to lugging home all my LUGgage and being laden down with My Things. Thank goodness my parents can be my sherpas! Hooray!

Love to all and see you on the 20th!!!

:D

AMORE AMORE MI AMO PARMA

Hewwo there.

We are back from our trip to the Alps in Aosta! They were quite lovely. It was a 3.5 hour ride from Parma to Aosta, but it was completely worth it once we got near enough to see the snow-capped mountains. Our hotel was SWEET (we could open the door by pressing a button next to our beds) and what was sweeter still was our view from every window! The Alps are gorgeoussss.

Aosta itself is a bebe little town, and on Sunday we went either skiing (not I said the fly) or SNOWSHOEING (yes that was me). Snowshoeing was ridiculous, as I expected it to be, and we got so very snowy and cold. It was large amounts of fun. We had a lot of hot chocolate and went to a Christmas market where I got a Second Very Excellent Winter Hat, and got to go to mass today. My voice is still gone and I am worrying about my oral presentation of my soc paper on Thursday. Let's hope it comes back!

This week is going to fly -- I have two finals on Wednesday, two on Thursday, a movie to watch with my Italian class on Thursday, our goodbye dinner on Wednesday, and my last babysitting on Wedesday. Tonight we are having a family dinner with Nice. Friday I leave for Paris, and then when I get back I spend like one more day in Parma with my parents and then OFF TO ROME and around WE GO! My program is done in 4 days and I will be in the United States in 12!

UNREAL

I had developed the unsettling habit of talking to myself while riding my bike, so I guess that fact that I LOST MY VOICE is good news. I don't remember the last time I lost my voice. Good times. Hopefully it comes back before my presentation of my soc paper on Thursday.

EXAMS ARE HURR and it is dumb. There is a lot to be studied but I am not too worried about them for the most part.

My parents leave today for Italy! They will be spending a week traveling and then a week con MOI and then we fly home! YIKES.

This weekend our BC program is going to the ALPS in Aosta for a lovely little trip. I will let you know how that goes. OH MAN. I just realized I won't be able to yodel without a voice. ALAS.

Have a lovely weekend, don't be stressed about finals if you have finals, and get excited! 20 days until Christmas!

LOVE LOVE ME