Ariccia

Arriving in Ariccia Italy was something out of a dream.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to blog more closely to which the events of the past month and a half have unfolded.  My laptop was infected with viruses unknown to me, so when I had my laptop checked out here for connectivity issues, the viruses reared their ugly little heads.  So I've been with and without a laptop for awhile.

But putting that aside, my experience in the beautiful country of Italy has been nothing less than phenomenal.  Leaving the United States and all I've ever known behind was tough.  We arrived with the dawn touching down at Rome's Fiumicino airport.  Dazed and suffering from complete and total sensory overload we students managed to connect with one another, grab our bags, and meet our program facilitator Cinzia.

Ariccia is a small town in the Province of Rome, located about 45 minutes away by train.  When we arrived, it was early morning-- the sun was rising and the town was waking.  We unpacked, met our program director Linda.  We enjoyed a lunch of porchetta sandwiches, a local speciality, and then continued to get settled into our living quarters.  For the time here in Italy, we girls are living in a Palace.  That's right!  A palace once owned by the Chigi family -- the Palazzo Chigi to be exact!  We live in a portion that has been remodeled into a classroom and full living facility for female students.  We each share a kitchen, common room, and bathroom.  Our bedrooms are divided up between 18 of us.  It truly adds to the study abroad process by living so closely to one another because it really gave us the opportunity to get to know one another.

All in all, this process of being abroad has already pushed me into a new direction with life.  I am learning to appreciate more and enjoy every small detail more tenderly than I ever have before in my life.

More to come!

daydreaming of mountain mists

Lately I've been day dreaming of visiting places that I hold close to my heart with the one I love.  Maybe it is that we usually go to the mountains as a "get-away" mixed with my current stresses.  It could be a number of things, naturally, but I wish very much to travel to our little mountain town.

The transitional period of the fall in the deep south means adorning yourself with the softest of knits.

Wildfox Prairie Rose Lennon Sweater in Georgia Peach.

Textures

Feel the world around you; embrace new things and bask in the familiarity. 

Thunderstorms

The weather is changing here slowly, but surely.  Today was a gloomy day full of thunderstorms.  But, that didn't stop me from wearing my new sweater of course!

Your ribcage is showing.

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Wildfox Couture Sweater

Rag & Bone Leggings

Jeffrey Campbell Soiree Heels

It's starting to feel like Fall here in my little college town.  I've been actually waking up at a reasonable hour these days, which doesn't make all that much sense to me since grad school has me through the ringer lately. Anyway, one of my favorite things to do is to go outside at the early hours and just take in the crisp Fall air.  If my apartment had a balcony or back porch, I would take my laptop out and enjoy my coffee there.  One day.

I'll at least be going up to the Georgia mountains this weekend.  A lot of coffee, wine, and relaxation will take place.  I can feel it. ;)

Wildfox Ballet Flats

My favorite shoes.
http://www.wildfoxcouture.ccom