Another week of experiences!

Yesterday after class, I wondered down to the ATM at the Duomo and took my time getting home by stopping at some little spots I commonly looked over. I found one paper shop that makes beautiful gift wrap, journals, cards, ect. I looked around and everything was a bit pricey. Then I noticed one of the owners giving a demonstration of how they color the paper using a method from the 18th century with wallpaper glue and watered down acrylic paint. It was incredible seeing what he could do so quickly! We chatted a bit afterwards and he told me to come back to the shop so I could try to make my own paper because he wanted to help make my experience is Florence "even more beautiful". I'm so looking forward to coming back (and putting the discount card he gave me to good use!)
Later that evening after an extemely leisurely afternoon, a group of 24 students met at school to go a cooking class across the river at inTavola. Our group of 6 made tiramisu, zucchini parmasean, and a chicken/ham/cheese dish wrapped in lettuce and cooked in sage, butter, and olive oil. We got the recipes, so I am excited to give them another shot when I get home! They were all delicious and simple! Its nice to see what pride the cooks took in their creations and how joyful they were to share their knowldge with us.
As I am writing this, I am currently sitting in an airport cafe in Florence. I have been here since 7 am and will be flying out to Zurich then Prague in about 3 hours. As organized as I am, I made a dumb, dumb mistake and booked the wrong flight out this morning. The rest of the group left about 2 hours ago and I am here getting aquainted with the Florence airport (bear in mind its like half the size of Spokane's airport). I can only tempt myself with duty free shopping for so long... As sucky (sorry, really the only word that fits) as this little situation is, its pretty amazing to be having Molly time in Europe. Not just because alone time doesn't exist here (even though that's how it feels), its just liberating to take on independent travel in foreign countries. I will soon be leaving for Zurich to get my flight to Prague. In Prague, I'm going to take on the Czech public transportation system and when I make it and find my friends and hostel, VORREI UNA BIRRA GRANDE, PER FAVORE!

Ciao Ciao!