grades

Finally, my grades arrived.

Comparative Law B-
International Environmental Law A-
Comparative Constitutional Law B

6 Credits, 3.14GPA

Early release, baby.

Ciao!

The Final Cut

I have been home for three weeks now. It has been a month since finals and the family portion of the trip began. Many of my readers asked why I stopped the blog posts after I left Florence...

One, Internet access is not free in Europe. There are very few wireless points and the ones present are always secured. Not like the US, where every cafe is wireless and free. Internet bars are 1-2 euro a half hour. Some even more expensive. We just did not have the time to seek one out, nor the money to invest in checking email let alone posting. I was very lucky that my apartment came with access, for free.

Two, the blog is "law student abroad" not "family of three and their adventures in a camper across Europe." It was certainly fun, make no mistake. And Vinna enjoyed the beer in Germany.

Would I do this again? I sure would. But I would do it in Germany, where my language skills were not as bad as I thought. Conveying an idea is much more gratifying than simply conveying a food order. Germany was much more efficient as well. Was it worth the six credits? It sure was.

Do you want to hear about the second half of my euro tour with the family? Arrange a visit in Bend and we will be happy to show you the pictures and tell you the stories.

No matter how much fun one has abroad, no matter how well he is cared for by his brother's family, no matter how good the food, wine and beer, returning home cannot be beat. It is good to be home.

Ciao.

the long goodbye

I still have two hours before my no-change train ride to ZurichHB from Florence. I am literally falling asleep at my desk after two nights of 4-5 hours of sleep. Must...fight...the...pain...

Breakfast with Aldo this morning was good . Espresso, a little sandwich, then back to the terrace where we finished the last of my Rosso Toscana and hydrated.

I will be back at my brother's house in the Zurich area in about 10 hours. I am sure he has plenty of the local beer on hand for tomorrow.

I arrived here a month ago and I feel now like I have known this town forever. What will be nice is to come back to Florence in twenty years, when my loans are paid off, and find that all of the streets are the same.

See you soon, Liana and Vinna.

final supper

Last night was the big party at a Villa just outside of town. Mark Twain hung out there at one time. The food was absolutely fabulous. Could be the best dinner I have had in Italy. It was good to be done, eat well, drink good wine and finally, collectively relax. The entire evening was spent outside; a warm, pleasant, slightly humid evening. Dinner was over around midnight. This is Professor Del Duca, the Penn State heavyweight in International Comparative Law. His connections in Italy make this program so good. He always wore a tie but never drank enough water (in my opinion).
Don E. and Dadriana.

so there ya go

That is it. Six credits. Assuming of course I rock all three exams I took this morning. Correct. Three law exams in one day.

Best of all, I celebrated with Sambuca right afterwards and then met my buyer (of the bike) at the Duomo belltower. Southwest corner. Right where I bought it. Only, he paid 10 euros more than I did. A fair trade I would say, as gas prices have markedly risen recently. Thank you Craig's list.

I had to walk home in the hottest weather in weeks. Good tanning weather for my head. On the way, I used my new gotten wealth to purchase tickets and a reservation for the Academy of Art, where the David, the real David, is housed. Vinna is excited (sort of) about seeing Michelangelo's works. She has been getting the sum up version of the Agony and the Ecstasy from Liana. Not quite E.M. Forster, but is progress. So in one day, we will do the Centro, the Uffizi and the Academy. Not a bad lineup for one day. I expect we will be conning Vinna along with gelatto.

Tonight is a big going away party for the class at a villa above town. Tomorrow morning is packing, late breakfast with my neighbor Aldo, and then to the train station for my 1530 nonstop to Zurich.

Monday, in Munich, I am reunited with my family.

not so tired yet...

I may be about to leave Florence (for now) but am not too tired I cannot save time and money.

This morning I rode to the ticket office at the Pitti Palace, which is in South Wing, tucked in the corner, after you climb the driveway. There I did NOT stand in line to make reservations for the Uffizi, nor did I pay an online service fee for doing it via a third party website. One can get tix there for every museum AND make yer reservations as well.

So, do not intereact with men dressed as roman gladiators and get your museum tickets this way. Save money.

HA!

losing steam

Starting to peter out on posting, doing stuff, etc.

I rode my bike past the American Consulate. I would have stopped by for an americano, but I did not have my passport.

Finals Friday, leaving Saturday, need someone to buy my bike.

Watching Romania make a solid try against Netherland's 2d string.