Assisi, you have stolen my heart.

Friday

Today I had to wake up a little earlier because Jess and I had to go to the immigration office to get fingerprinted for our stay permits. I have no idea why we didn't do this earlier because we've been here for over a month.

Anyways, I was not looking forward to this because the group that went the day before said it took forever. They got there at 8:00 and some of my friends didn't go until 1:00 and others didn't go until 3:00. I was not looking forward to sitting in this building for that period of time.

So I brought homework to do and a book to read to pass the time; however, we were done by 9:30 and were home by 10:00. All we thought of was, our friends who went yesterday are going to be so mad we didn't have to sit here all day. It was surely a pleasant surprise! All I had to do was hand them my photos — which looked like mug shots — I had taken at Walgreens in Kent, my address information and get fingerprinted.

It was a really fast process, and we cannot figure out why it took the group the day before so long.

I ended up just relaxing for the day, and at night I went out with a group of about 10 to a restaurant called Il gatto e la volpe, which translates to The cat and the fox. We ate here the second day in Florence with Deborah, our orientation teacher from Kent, and Stan, the dean of CCI — who are married to each other.

It was delicious. I ordered the same thing I had the first time which was penne with vodka sauce. Molto bene!

Saturday

This weekend I was not going away for then entire time, but I wanted to take a day trip somewhere. In the beginning of the semester we learned about Assisi and St. Francis. After seeing pictures of the place, I decided I wanted to go see it.

Lydia and Amy decided to make a weekend out of it and they went to Assisi Friday and Orvieto Saturday and came home Sunday night. I didn't want to travel the entire weekend because starting next weekend I'm traveling every week until April.

So Kate, Jess, Bethany and I decided to go to Assisi and leave Saturday morning and come back that night.

We decided to meet at the train station at 7:45, buy our tickets at the station and then go. I looked online the day before and learned that the trains left about every two hours, so if we didn't make the 8:02 train we wouldn't be able to leave until 10:45.

When my alarm went off I decided against showering. I had just showered the day before and I figured another half hour of sleep was better for me.

I was ready to go by 7:20 because we had said we would leave at 7:25. Jess wasn't ready yet, so Kate left to go find and ATM at the station to save time and I waited for Jess. We ended up walking out of the apartment at 7:35 and I started getting a little worried. It's about a 20 minute walk to the station and I knew we still had to buy the tickets and find the platform. I was going to be really mad if we missed the train and had to go home until the next train.

We somehow made it to the station in 15, probably due to my power-walking while scarfing down an apple.

We ran into Bethany who had already met Kate and they went to find an ATM. With 12 minutes until our train departed, Jess and I went to the ticket machine and looked up our train to Assisi.

We didn't know how long Kate and Bethany were going to be at the ATM, so we decided we would each buy two tickets to save time and then they could buy the way home. It was only €12.05 each way, which was nice.

Bethany and Kate showed up at the machine a few seconds later and then Bethany and I went out to look at the master board where it had all of the trains listed with their departure times and platforms. When we didn't see Assisi listed, we started panicking. We had about 5 minutes until our train departed and we had no idea where to go.

We went back to the ticket machine because Kate said she thought you could see the platform listed on the machine. It ended up not being on there, but then Kate looked and got the train number and ran back out to look at the board. She saw that the train station we were looking for on the board was not called Assisi, but rather somewhere that started with an "F." She said platform 17!

So then the four of us rush over to where we thought platform 17 was and then saw that the platforms stopped at 16. We though, "What they heck?!"

We looked at the board again and saw it was 14, not 17 so we booked it to that platform. We still had to validate our tickets by getting it stamped at the "yellow machine" with two minutes to go. I just kept thinking, there is no way I'm missing this train.

After validating the tickets, We started power-walking alongside to train and then out of no where my friend Tyler, who I have known since freshman year started power walking beside me and said "Hey! Are you going to Assisi too?!" Once I said "Yes, if we make our train," he said
"Cool, me too!"

So we all boarded the train and found seats. Tyler stood back up after a minute and asked us if we validated our tickets. We said yes, and he said "well I didn't!" And ran off the train to try to make it back in time. Somehow he made it back within a minute with his friend Ryan. They ended up losing their friend in the mix of everything and she missed the train.

At 8:05 the train pulled out of the station and somehow we were on it.

The train ride passed by really fast because we were talking the entire time, but the duration of the trip was 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Three-fourths of the way there Bethany said, "Guys, we were supposed to get off a few stops ago to catch the train that goes into Assisi."

On our ticket it had the name of a stop and Bethany was convinced that meant we were supposed to get a connecting train.

Ryan, Tyler's friend said he was positive that didn't mean that. We had another 45 minutes to go, so we decided to just wait and hope the train we were on took us to Assisi.

Fortunately, we ended up in Assisi and followed Ryan and Tyler because they seemed like they knew what they were doing. We went inside a store at the train station, which was very tiny, and bought bus tickets that would take us into the main part of the town. We waited for about 20 minutes with Tyler and Ryan and caught the bus into Assisi.

We all decided we would stick together for the day and our adventures began.

Once I stepped off of the bus, I saw the beauty of the city. The streets were all a beautiful white cobblestone and the buildings were just as beautiful. We didn't really know where to start, but we knew we had to at least walk up because the city is built on a hill and so we followed the street that went up.

Our first stop was the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi. As soon as you walk through the gate, all you see is this big, open, white cobblestone courtyard leading to the Basilica.

As we entered the church, I heard a choir singing in Italian. There was a mass of some sort happening in one of the chapels, and the voices were echoing against the beautiful, high walls.

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, so the only thing I have to remember it by is my memory. We took the stairs, which led us to St. Francis's tomb. This moment was similar to the moment I had sitting in front of Pope John Paul II's tomb. It was surreal to think that I was standing maybe a foot away from a saint's body.

As soon as you walked down the stairs it was quiet and dimly lit. There were people kneeling in pews praying to the well-known saint and people walking around this tomb. It's amazing to think a man had such an effect on people that years upon years later people are still traveling to come pray in front of his body.

Next we walked back up to the church and went to the second level of the church. There are two churches and one is built on top of the bottom one. The top one was much lighter inside because it was painted by someone different.

I remembered learning about St. Francis in my Italian Art class and was able to pick out a few of the frescos and know their meaning.

Next we decided we needed to eat because our stomachs were telling us stories, so we started walking up the hilly streets. The thing I loved most about this city was that it was so quiet and quaint. After living in Florence, which is a really busy city with Almbulance sirens going off every five minutes, I realized I missed the quietness of the country side. I never thought I would say that, but I miss seeing green while I'm driving to someone's house at home.

While we were walking, we would find random places that overlooked the countryside that was far below where we were at. Soon enough we found this adorable restaurant, where I tried something new. I picked something random on the menu that Bethany said was supposed to be the dish that Assisi was known for.

Every city in Italy has a specialty dish. For instance, Florence is known for its steak. I don't remember the name of the pasta I got, but it had mushrooms mixed in with it. I was not thrilled with it in the beginning, but it grew on me the more I ate it. I still like my tomato sauce the best.

After lunch we decided we would just keep venturing up. On our way up Jess, Bethany and Kate go distracted by a dessert shop. When I turned around they were gone and lone behold I found them inside this store. I could not resist when I saw the desserts either. Some of the group got gelato in these massive waffle cones, while Bethany and I got these cones covered desserts with fillings inside. I had a dark chocolate covered cone filled with chocolate and it made my taste buds quite happy.

After our detour we found a church where we walked around for a bit and then as we were leaving a funeral procession was leading into the church, so we figured it'd be best to leave.

We found this pretty staircase that went up, so we decided to follow it. Best decision we could have made.

My entire goal of this trip was to see the mountains and when I saw them my heart skipped a beat. It was like I stepped onto another planet. The mountains went on forever and the luscious green went with it.

Then I turned around and saw there was a castle looking building up higher than where I was standing, so we ventured up there. The view from there was even better. I was standing on top of the city and could see it below me. The people looked like specks and cars looked like small pieces of candy.

Lydia had called me earlier in the day and told me if we had a chance to go into this castle because it was beautiful to look out of. It was €3.50 for students to get in, so we decided to do it.

Tyler, Ryan, Jess and I started walking through it and I found myself surprised by how many rooms and hallways there were in it. A lot of the inside was white brick and it was freezing. I found this spiral brick staircase that seemed hidden, so of course I started climbing it. The others followed and I was in shock by how it just kept going up and up and up. Finally I saw light peaking into the staircase and we were up top.

As soon as I stepped out I saw the mountains again spreading across the horizon. This view was better than the other two views we had seen. I felt like I was on top of the world and I could see for miles upon miles and all of it was just green with occasional houses and buildings.

We walked back down the stairs and stopped at different levels to see rooms filled with pictures.

We then found this other staircase that led us up a floor. We followed this hallway where we followed Ryan. It was freezing and seemed like it went on forever! Finally there was another spiral staircase that we took up and when we walked out onto to roof, we were even higher than before!

We took pictures, but even photos could not capture the beauty of what I was seeing.

While we were up there somehow Ryan and Tyler started dancing and then Jess and I had a dance off with them. Of course we won — even though we looked like we were birds trying to fly away — or at least that's what Tyler said we looked like. But hey, who can say they danced on a castle's rooftop tower?

We decided to descend back down because Bethany and Kate had now been waiting for us for about an hour.

When we got back down Kate and Bethany were talking with two guys who happened to be in the architecture program with Tyler and Ryan so they joined our group and we started descending down the hill.

During our walk down we made a stop to go to the bathroom, where you had to pay 50 cents to use the facility. I had heard of it, but I hadn't seen it yet.

Also on our way down we went into this random church that ended up being the church that was built on top of St. Francis's home where he grew up. His original door was still in tact. It was weird walking into his father's workshop room trying to wrap my head around how old this place was.

As we walked, I found myself starting to get hungry. It was about 5:30 and I needed something to eat and soon. When I get hungry I get quiet and grumpy, which I'm sure most of you are well aware of. So on our way down Bethany and I stopped in a store to buy post cards and Jess and Kate decided to look as well. Bethany and I were done in about five minutes, but Jess and Kate took another ten minutes or so to get what they needed.

As we were walking down the street our group kept stopping in little shops to look for shot classes or little collectable items. The more we kept stopping, the more I got hungry. Ryan and Tyler had walked away at this point, getting tired of waiting for the girls to keep going into stores, and I eventually did too and found them sitting on a hill where I joined them.

As I sat down I realized I was starving and the light bulb went off. I remembered there was a McDonald's right by the train station, and I was determined to get it. When the girls finally met back up with us I proposed my idea and everyone was in for it.

We gathered at the bus stop and unfortunately had to wait about 15 minutes for it to come. Ryan was kind enough to feed us cookies, which kept me from getting irritable.

After we got on the bus and it began to descend down the hill, I looked up at the city and my heart melted a little bit. The walls of the city were lit by green and white lights and it stood out against the dark night sky.

As the bus made its way to the train station, I made a comment about how I wish it would just stop at McDonald's so I didn't have to walk back to it. As I said that it stopped right in front of it and the doors opened. I wasted no time and hopped off the bus and then everyone followed.

The thing I have noticed about McDonald's here is that they are all so fancy! Every wall has bright colors on it and it's actually clean on the inside. I'm going to miss the cushion booths and seats when I sit on a plastic booth in Cranberry.

When I was eating my cheeseburger and french fries someone commented on the paper on the tray. It was a map of the United States and it said "The Great Taste of America." In Arizona, apparently they are known for cheeseburgers, and somewhere near Cinncinati, they are known for Chicken wings. I found this hilarious and at the same time depressing this is what America is known for...

Our train finally arrived at 7:15 and we got settled in for our 2 hour and 45 minute ride back. I ended up falling asleep listening to my ipod. Even though it was an exciting day, it took a lot of energy out of me. We all decided when we got back we would go out for a few, but after we departed, I typed Ryan's number wrong into my phone and we failed at meeting up with them.

Sunday

Sunday I slept in until 1:00, which was wonderful. Last year I could not sleep in past 9:00 because my body was so used to getting up for school and constantly running around, so I never thought I would see the time I'd sleep past noon!

I met up with Bethany at 2:30 and we went to the chocolate fair again because it was the last day it was opened. I got chocolate covered strawberries, pineapples, and bananas on a stick and hot chocolate with whipped cream. It was all delicious. It took me a long time to drink the hot chocolate because it was so thick and rich.

Afterwards we went back to Bethany's apartment and started looking into planning another trip. I'm either going to Barcelona or Madrid in a few weeks and I'm really looking forward to it. Spain was not on my bucket list before coming to Italy, but the more I thought about it, I realized it would be really cool to experience Spain's culture because I learned the language during three years of high school.

It was a pleasant afternoon because we just hung out, relaxed and I painted my nails. Later at night we went grocery shopping at Meta and then went out for pizza with Kristy, a girl in our Italian class. I ordered pizza with onions, which was good during the first half, but the more I ate it the more the onions started not tasting as good. But Bethany and I split bruschetta and it was the best bruschetta I have had here yet!