Ciao, Ciao!!!

so i just got back from a run and wow....i am in Italy. sorry i keep saying that but i can't believe it. i left my house, walked over a little foot bridge that goes over a little river and ran up a hill (my nonna's neighbor told me about this trail--she said you go up a "little" hill...ya right. it was a steep hill ALL the way up! ha it was unbelievable though!) I had no idea where i was going but i figured i woul run for 25 minutes one way then run back down the hill....i stumbled upon a little town with one street. it was 11:30 so the bells were ringing, and its sunday so church was just getting out--old couples were gathering outside the church, little children were running with their mammas, and i literally felt like i was watching a movie. it is one of those things where you imagine how Italian people live and what they look like--if you have seen that movie "under the tuscan sun", where old men are walking along the street in long rain coats and hats kind of hunched over, old women are walking on the side of the road with bags of groceries from the local open air market, little children are bundled up in hats and saying "ciao mamma!", and people are surrounded by old, old buildings with clothes hanging outside the windows on clothes lines to dry...all these things happen every single day. these italians are just living their lives and i am fortunate enough to get a glimpse of that....its amazing. 

when i finally reached the top of the hill (well not quite but i needed to go back), to my left was a view of Firenze--I could see the Duomo as I ran. I was in complete awe. Above me were Italian villa's, some with private gates and name plates that read "villa ...."--it seems as though the large villas are named by the resident's last name. just like a movie. I love where I live because i am a little bit away from the city center in a purely residential area. while i was out, i did not see one other american--no hotels, no americans in tennis shoes with cameras, no english speakers. it was just me and italians, spending a sunday morning together. it was incredible.
today i am spending time with my family...i have to go because my nonna is cutting the bread which means lunch is almost ready. the table looks gorgeous...meals are much more formal here. no pajama's for breakfast even...table cloths for every meal and beautiful table settings. this weekend is called "immersion weekend" which means i eat all three meals with my family today, when usually it is just breakfast and dinner (dinner 5 days a week, breakfast every day, and never lunch together). we are going to the plaza michelangelo today which is one of the highest points in Florence so we can see the whole city...i will show you pictures from that shortly i am sure! 
ok we are being called for lunch! Ciao!!! 
xo, katie