So the unthinkable happened.

I bought a teal top. Not that I'm going to let this blog degenerate into a space for me to carry on shallow discussions between my id and ego about my clothes. But to those of you who might understand the gravity of this moment, I would like to say cheers to my year abroad for turning me from a teal-hater to someone who can begin to appreciate the whole color spectrum in its complexity and even sport it.

It's been a while since I've blogged. Months, more precisely. And the reason? I stopped studying! I would always blog right in the middle of studying for a big test...those were inspired moments, moments when I need to be working, not blogging of course. I'm always blogging in my mind though, or at least writing. When I think about how I would write about a place or an experience, maybe the thoughts come out more clearly, they get organized into straight-ish lines and they behave in an orderly manner. My experiences become richer too, when I think about them in writing.

This morning was the first time I realized I might actually be sad to leave at the end of the year. Nancy, my dearest Nancy, is leaving for Portugal as we speak and from there will go home to California in September. I also said goodbye to some other girls from the program on Friday night at aperitivo (going out for drinks and munchies before the regular dinner hour).

My experience hasn't been monumental or earth-shattering this year. It felt in some ways like a regular year at college...I know some people on my program managed to see every capital in Western and Eastern Europe and Northern Africa, saw the sights and posted new pictures of themselves with ever changing backdrops every weekend on Facebook. I didn't have that whirlwind experience, and in some ways I'm disappointed that I didn't travel to all the places I was counting on visiting. In other ways though I'm perfectly content. It must be said that I traveled enough for my own tastes and spent quality time where I did go. But also I really feel like I know Bologna. I feel as at home probably as any student who moved to Bologna to go to school. I also have had nice dinner parties and I've learned to make a million new dishes this year. I've spent time with Giovanni's family, even during some rough moments. Maybe the fact that I've been having this sort of everyday experience made me think I wouldn't be so torn to leave this place.

But saying goodbye to Nancy this morning over tiramisù and watermelon was enough make me realize that it's is really the beginning of the end. Just as I miss some pretty simple things from last year like my little Parisian making weird food with too much tabasco sauce and making fun of her or turning off the light and giggling with Jessica and Beatrice (said Parisian) for another hour, or catching up after a long day with Francesco, I think I'll miss simple things from this year too: cheese from my cheeseman ("E poi?"), running with Nancy in our cute little ugly park, eating good food and laughing it up at Giovanni's apartment with Jo and Giulia, piadinas at La Tua Piadina, living a stoplight, two homeless guys, and a couple bars away from Giovanni, and a score of other little things. I guess the truth is that simple doesn't mean meaningless...quite the contrary actually.

I'll miss Nancy being just a piazza away. I'll miss the sort of lifestyle that allows students to have a social life but still renders them independent and studious. I'll miss being able to call Giovanni on the phone because again, we're going to have to spend another year long-distance.

I have been traveling a bit lately...that's another reason why I haven't written. I took a couple of trips in Tuscany in May and got to see Amanda Cook there and meet her grandma! I also took some day trips to the beach and to Urbino, where Raffaello was born. I went to Prague with Nancy at the beginning of June! Came back for less the 24 hours, went to the end of the year party for our exchange program (looking forward to getting to know the new Italian banana slugs in the fall!), and then took off for a two week trip in Sweden and France.

In the Czech Republic Nancy and I also got to see Karlovy Vary (aka Carlsbad, sister city of Carlsbad, California) where we got massages and a sauna at a world renounced facility. We went to Plzen where lots of beer comes from, and Karlstein Castle. I ate amazing potatoes and fried cheese (that's still digesting down there with my deep fried candy bar from the fair four years ago) and drank actually tasty beer (never liked the stuff before, despite my persistence in trying it) Amanda showed up there too...you would think all of Europe is more compact than the space between Santa Cruz and Berkeley.

In Sweden I got to see two former banana slugs: Hanieh and Pelle! Giovanni and I stayed with Pelle in Lund so we got to see the university there, Malmö where Hanieh is from, and Copenhagen which is just a somersault and a big bridge away. The Turning Torso building by Santiago Calatrava was super cool...kind of reminds you of the Sundial Bridge in Redding, California by the same fellow.

We also went on a canoe trip with Pelle and his girlfriend Ylva --- I had always wanted to do an overnight boat trip! And now I want more! It was beautiful and relaxing. Then we stayed in a boat (as in the boat was our hostel) in Stockholm. Think bunkbeds, space economy, gentle rocking, and shared bathroom. Good times though. The Nobel museum was stellar, and there was an architecture museum that we spent a good two hours in (and there was only one room). "Why didn't I study architecture?" I like to ask myself on occasion. Sweden is the land of delicious whole wheat bread and yummy pancakes for dinner and people who speak English better than me (better than I? just kidding...)

From Stockholm we flew to Marseille (which we didn't see much of) and then made it to Grenoble, where Amanda who I hadn't yet gotten enough of, studied this year. She introduced us to amazing pastries and lovely hiking paths and a delicious quiche. We took a day hike and also took a day trip to Lyon. I had already been there but it was nice to retrace the steps I took five years ago now, and also see things that I hadn't before.

Perhaps if you've gotten this far, my blog explosion is wearing on your patience. But I'll wear a bit more to finish this off with food news. For Nancy's festa yesterday, we had a veritable feast of delicious things. Eleonora had made farro (or spelt) with tomatoes, arugula, and cheese, as well as a delicious tiramisù. Nancy made fruit kebabs and brought watermelon....mmmmm. I kind of got carried away and wanted to try to make two dips. Tzatziki is the Greek one with yogurt, cucumber, and garlic which was too garlicky but good. Amanda had given me this awesome recipe for zaalouk, a Maroccan cooked veggie salad of eggplants and tomatoes with paprika, cumen, and parsley. That was delish and even the Italians liked it! Then we had a tomato and cucumber salad with zesty lemon dressing and I attempted a quiche like the one we had made at Amanda's in Grenoble but with spinach, ricotta, and feta. Last of all, because the peaches are so amazing right now I made a tiny peach crisp but ate most of it myself.

I'm off for now, but pretty soon I start summer camp in Reggio Emilia. Happy summer to all and to all a good 4th! I'm going to Paris then...more soon.