Le Giacche di Pelle!

So, coming to Italy I had a list in mind of gifts for myself. Leather jackets being one of them. And of course all other leather products... shoes, bags, gloves etc.


Day 3 in Firenze, checked my bank of america account online in the morning. My checking account of $714 was now down to $320. Ouch. That hurt me a little... apparently not enough though!

So I ran into Jackie and Christi who thought they had class at 10, but we didn't so we went to the Mercato Centrale and began the SHOPPING! In the first store Christi found a jacket that she liked. It seemed expensive to me, but she wanted it, she got it for 125 euro, and had no regrets about spending her parents money. Jackie and I both said it would be a good idea to bargain or come back later, but she handed them the card anyways...

Walked through the mercato a little ways when a man saw us eyeing the jackets... Uh Ohh... He made us come into his shop and insisted that we try on a few jackets. Saw Christi was wearing a jacket and asked if she had got it for 120. She said yes, so he gave us the offer of 110. Sweet 10 euros cheaper.. NOT ENOUGH! So I gave him my skeptic looks, told him I was poor, and shook my head. I didn't really love the first jacket I tried on, so as he persisted I buy it, I asked if he had other brown jackets. He brought a few, one of which I liked... again I looked skeptically and as he lowered the price to 100 euro I told him that was still $130 in America and I just couldn't spend that much... Down to 90... getting somewhere! Jackie shouted SETTANTA CINQUE, I didn't argue... Finally the guy said OKAY, I give you discount because you are beautiful and have pomodori (boobs?)... he looked at Christi and said she got hers for 120 at the other store because she had Buttones (buttons)? It was quite histerical. I was still skeptic about the price, but figured at 110 to 75 drop was pretty legit, and after he held his lighter to my arm wearing the jacket to show it was real leather he had my 75 eueros. Buyers remorse. After my card went through the machine I had a pit in my stomach and felt like I was gonna puke. Oh well, I wore my new jacket to class, walked immediately after the purchase toward eurocentres and slowly the pain of losing $100 went away.

We had grammar class... boring... but it was our only class of the day and I actually learned a lot of Italian, so after as a group we went to find the famous Antico Noe and Oil Shoppe that the previous year's class recommended. We were a little off course but eventually found it and I seriously had the best sandwich I have ever eaten for 4.50 euro. Vitello L'arrosto, Brie e Carciofi. Molto delicioso! After we walked around the city searching for cheap wine with the boys until around 5:00 then we returned alla casa to "study" and have dinner.

Claudia made us delicious ravioli con burro, insalata mista e le verdure di firenze. Tutto era molto buono. She is so nice our host mom, Sam and I did really well speaking only italian at dinner. That is where we learn the most Italian, it is perfect and we love it. And now as I write this we are full from Claudia's food, having a glass of wine and preparing to meet Anna and Sarah and then the rest of the crew out somewhere and have us some fun!!!

A dopo!