Dublin!

Hey ma! I'm alive!
[5/1/11 1:03:31 PM] Lisa Symington: YES! but where?
[5/1/11 1:03:47 PM] Troy Symington: In my hostel in Dublin!
[5/1/11 1:03:56 PM] Lisa Symington: Tell me all about it!
[5/1/11 1:05:48 PM] Troy Symington: I'm declining your call because I'm sitting in a common room and don't want to be annoyingly loud.
[5/1/11 1:06:01 PM] Lisa Symington: Notte Bianca must have been fun. Who else was still iin Florence?
[5/1/11 1:07:15 PM] Lisa Symington: You know, you could accept the call and turn down the volume :)
[5/1/11 1:07:21 PM] Troy Symington: There were a couple of people but we didn't meet up with them. It was just Alec and I roaming around on our own. Still fun though! Unfortunately we went to bed pretty early.
[5/1/11 1:07:25 PM] Lisa Symington: and speak quietly
[5/1/11 1:07:29 PM] Troy Symington: I would still have to talk loud.
[5/1/11 1:07:41 PM] Troy Symington: You wouldn't understand if I spoke quietly.
[5/1/11 1:07:50 PM] Lisa Symington: sure, sure....
[5/1/11 1:08:01 PM] Lisa Symington: Tell me more....
[5/1/11 1:08:22 PM] Lisa Symington: Was there good music?
[5/1/11 1:09:15 PM] Troy Symington: The Notte Bianca supposedly went on until 5 in the morning. We wandered around listening to bands. There were some DJ's and a couple small ensembles that were pretty good. We didn't see much in the way of the art stuff (because we couldn't read the program!)
[5/1/11 1:09:58 PM] Lisa Symington: Not read the program? Even with all the Italian in school? Bad Boy!
[5/1/11 1:10:38 PM] Lisa Symington: How was the florence hostel? the train or bus to Pisa and the flight? and then finding your way to your dublin hostel?
[5/1/11 1:14:43 PM] Lisa Symington: Are you going to chat?
[5/1/11 1:14:49 PM] Troy Symington: Weeeell. I mixed up our two Ryanair flights. So I thought we were flying out of Pisa at 3 but that's the London to Frankfurt flight... our flight didn't leave until 5 so we waited around for many hours after the train got us there at 12. We got into Dublin at 7.30 (we gained an hour it's 9.13 here right now). And took the hostel van from the airport to the hostel for FREE! We've only been here for like 30-40 minutes.
[5/1/11 1:15:14 PM] Lisa Symington: Ohhhhh
[5/1/11 1:15:31 PM] Lisa Symington: I guess you don't know Dublin very well then :)
[5/1/11 1:16:15 PM] Troy Symington: Not exactly... but our hostel is right across the river from the Custom House which is some famous building!
[5/1/11 1:16:22 PM] Lisa Symington: Have you had the local drink yet? is it Guinness in Dublin? or whiskey?
[5/1/11 1:16:44 PM] Lisa Symington: Do you have a tour book of Dublin?
[5/1/11 1:18:40 PM] Troy Symington: Guiness. No we don't have a tour book. And how could we have possibly already have had a drink here!?! Although I think we're supposed to take a tour of the Guiness factory at some point. Oh! Our hostel is giving us a free all day tour thing of the countryside tomorrow because we're staying over two nights! It's supposed to be really good but I'm not exactly sure what we'll be seeing!
[5/1/11 1:19:35 PM] Lisa Symington: Wonderful. I was just looking on wikitravel and saw the custom house photo on the river Liffey. Looks nice.
[5/1/11 1:20:36 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! Ummm... could I get some more money soon? I withdrew enough to last me the next couple of days. But there's only 200 left in the account.
[5/1/11 1:21:01 PM] Lisa Symington: I put in $1000 yesterday
[5/1/11 1:21:29 PM] Troy Symington: Yaaaay! It must not have processed it yet because I was just looking at BoA.
[5/1/11 1:21:49 PM] Lisa Symington: Have you checked with Bank of America for sister banks to save you fees?
[5/1/11 1:22:45 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. I just haven't been able to figure out which ones are in Dublin! The UK is Barklay but I think I just need to look for Deutchbanks or Barklays while in Ireland.
[5/1/11 1:24:18 PM] Lisa Symington: I just looked at b of a and it shows my deposit as "processing"
[5/1/11 1:25:19 PM] Lisa Symington: I expect you will likely need more $ before you are done, but I am awaiting some deposits myself before I have enough to spare you. Hopefully within a week or so.
[5/1/11 1:25:25 PM] Troy Symington: Gotcha. I just checked and there aren't any Deutche banks... now to check Barklays and BNPs.
[5/1/11 1:26:19 PM] Troy Symington: M'kay. $1000 will definitely last me a while. An entire month if I was still in Florence! But since we got to pay for hostels and eat out all of the time...
[5/1/11 1:26:34 PM] Lisa Symington: How's the weather? I think of Ireland as rainy
[5/1/11 1:27:34 PM] Troy Symington: Cloudy. But a good temperature (though colder than Firenze this morning) and I haven't seen any rain yet.
[5/1/11 1:28:20 PM] Lisa Symington: I hope it is nice while you are there. It's always easier to walk around in good weather.
[5/1/11 1:29:21 PM] Troy Symington: Yup. I do have my umbrella but it's gotten even more broken. So if it starts raining a lot I'll probably have to buy a new one :(
[5/1/11 1:30:46 PM] Lisa Symington: My cheap ones (even one I bought in Pisa) were only 3Euro! Katie said it didn't withstand the wind, so I think you get what you pay for... Wikitravel says there's a meideval viking world in Dublin. Interesting sounding.
[5/1/11 1:31:19 PM] Troy Symington: Huh... I might have to look into this!
[5/1/11 1:31:55 PM] Lisa Symington: and there's a gaol where folks were executed.... yuck
[5/1/11 1:32:26 PM] Troy Symington: gaol?
[5/1/11 1:32:41 PM] Lisa Symington: http://wikitravel.org/en/Dublin
[5/1/11 1:32:52 PM] Lisa Symington: did I mis-spell? goal?
[5/1/11 1:32:55 PM] Lisa Symington: Prison
[5/1/11 1:33:06 PM] Lisa Symington: pokie
[5/1/11 1:33:14 PM] Lisa Symington: joint
[5/1/11 1:34:22 PM] Troy Symington: Now I'm confused? Since when is goal a synonym for those others?
[5/1/11 1:35:13 PM] Lisa Symington: GAOL, not goal
[5/1/11 1:35:44 PM] Troy Symington: What the hell is a gaol?!? That was the point of me asking in the first place!
[5/1/11 1:36:10 PM] Lisa Symington: the gaol is the prison, pokie, joint, jail
[5/1/11 1:36:33 PM] Troy Symington: Huh...
[5/1/11 1:37:03 PM] Lisa Symington: Com'on smartie pants. you always got an A in english class...
[5/1/11 1:37:30 PM] Troy Symington: Doesn't mean that I've ever heard that word before.
[5/1/11 1:38:57 PM] Troy Symington: Oh! Gaol is just the British spelling of jail!
[5/1/11 1:39:34 PM] Lisa Symington: They spell funny! Well, check out your touristy options and see if you want to see the gaol, or any of the other sites. Wikitravel does seem to be concise and informative, but I would compare it with other info you get.
[5/1/11 1:40:16 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. I'm unsure of how much time we'll have to do stuff like that. But I'll look into it and we'll see!
[5/1/11 1:40:50 PM] Lisa Symington: Is it just you and Alec? at one point you thought one of your roomies might be with you
[5/1/11 1:41:56 PM] Lisa Symington: and when and out-of-where is your ryanair to frankfurt?
[5/1/11 1:42:11 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. We just saw a couple of them. They'll all be on the tour tomorrow ridiculously early in the morning and we'll talk with them then!
[5/1/11 1:42:31 PM] Troy Symington: We're doing London to Frankfurt on the (I think) 17.
[5/1/11 1:42:45 PM] Lisa Symington: Who is "them"?
[5/1/11 1:43:15 PM] Troy Symington: Greg, Maura, Kim, Gabi, Avia.
[5/1/11 1:43:32 PM] Lisa Symington: ahh, not roomies then, but comrades
[5/1/11 1:44:26 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! Oh my god! People. are. driving. on. the. wrong. sideoftheroad!!!!
[5/1/11 1:44:51 PM] Lisa Symington: Yes, and they will run over you from the opposite side, too!
[5/1/11 1:45:16 PM] Troy Symington: It's soooo weird walking around!
[5/1/11 1:45:23 PM] Lisa Symington: haha
[5/1/11 1:45:34 PM] Lisa Symington: and they all talk funny, too
[5/1/11 1:45:47 PM] Troy Symington: I like the Irish accent!
[5/1/11 1:45:58 PM] Troy Symington: So how are things back home?
[5/1/11 1:47:03 PM] Lisa Symington: Things here are usual. We hauled Nanny's new curio cabinet up to her apartment without you, just Dad and I. It was heavy and didn't fit easily in the elevator...
[5/1/11 1:47:29 PM] Lisa Symington: Dad bought a new weed whacker yesterday and has been using it all morning.
[5/1/11 1:47:34 PM] Lisa Symington: without you...
[5/1/11 1:48:03 PM] Lisa Symington: We haven't seen Katie since Easter
[5/1/11 1:48:04 PM] Troy Symington: I'm sorry! Just goes to show that you guys can't handle things without me!
[5/1/11 1:48:17 PM] Lisa Symington: Looking forward to seeing you!
[5/1/11 1:48:43 PM] Lisa Symington: I am happily looking for hotels in Barbados for January
[5/1/11 1:48:56 PM] Troy Symington: I know! Only a couple more weeks! It was so weird leaving Florence this morning. I was surprisingly sad.
[5/1/11 1:49:03 PM] Lisa Symington: With 5 of us, we don't fit into most rooms.
[5/1/11 1:49:35 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm sorry you were sad, and I understand. You will ALWAYS remember though
[5/1/11 1:50:17 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! Sorry you're having trouble with hotels!
[5/1/11 1:50:25 PM] Lisa Symington: especially the special bond you shared with your fellow californians in a special place
[5/1/11 1:51:03 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. I'm definitely gonna miss it. It's going to be weird going back to the real world.
[5/1/11 1:53:43 PM] Lisa Symington: You will have a really hard time coming back. Not only will we be mundane, you will have to be working, saving money instead of spending, denying yourself which I didn't want you to do much of while you were in Italy and now vacationing in a once-in-a-lifetime kind of way......
[5/1/11 1:54:54 PM] Troy Symington: Sigh.....
[5/1/11 1:55:01 PM] Lisa Symington: Well, I ought to get going. I am raking the back yard, under the oak tree.
[5/1/11 1:55:28 PM] Troy Symington: M'kay. I should go to. It's almost 10 and we haven't had much in the way of dinner yet. Love ya!
[5/1/11 1:55:47 PM] Lisa Symington: Love you too! Have a fun time tomorrow!
[5/1/11 1:55:50 PM] Lisa Symington: Mwah
[5/1/11 1:56:07 PM] Lisa Symington: :*

Chatting Money

MY BOY!
[4/29/11 9:32:53 AM] Lisa Symington: On your last night in your apartment, right?
[4/29/11 9:33:35 AM] Troy Symington: Yup!
[4/29/11 9:33:49 AM] Lisa Symington: what have you been doing?
[4/29/11 9:33:53 AM] Troy Symington: Tomorrow night we stay in a hostel across the river in Florence.
[4/29/11 9:34:11 AM] Troy Symington: Cleaning. Packing. Seeing everything I still had to see.
[4/29/11 9:34:19 AM] Troy Symington: I climbed the Dome today finally!
[4/29/11 9:35:23 AM] Lisa Symington: Funny to stay in the same town in the hostel. Yay, you climbed the Dome! I'm glad. Was it still great? or did it lose some of it's pizazz because Firenze was more familiar to you?
[4/29/11 9:37:11 AM] Troy Symington: Nope! Don't think so! It was pretty cool to get a veiw of absolutely everywhere in the city! I kept going "that's where ... is, and that's the ...".
[4/29/11 9:37:24 AM] Lisa Symington: :)
[4/29/11 9:37:42 AM] Lisa Symington: Did Accent have a going away party for you guys?
[4/29/11 9:39:02 AM] Troy Symington: Yup! We went to a pizza place nearby our apartment that I've actually been to twice before. We got free soda and pizza! I was stuffed! And we said goodbye to all of the teachers and a couple of the students who left early. Our roommate Sean left this morning! It's so weird!
[4/29/11 9:39:41 AM] Lisa Symington: Seems weird after making a home together for the last 3 months!
[4/29/11 9:40:48 AM] Lisa Symington: Is all going well with your packing? extra storage off to your friend for the ride home? (was it Jordan? i forget whom)
[4/29/11 9:42:01 AM] Troy Symington: Naw, it was our friend Shannon. I dropped the bag off yesterday with all of our stuff (it ended up being pretty darn heavy even though it's just a duffel bag!)
[4/29/11 10:05:08 AM] Lisa Symington: Sorry, I got a phone call from our travel agent. I tried to type in be right back but didn't get the return button hit.
[4/29/11 10:05:45 AM] Lisa Symington: I trust you weighed your duffel bag to be sure you didn't go over the weight limit?
[4/29/11 10:05:49 AM] Troy Symington: It's ok, I know it's because you don't actually love me... : )
[4/29/11 10:05:56 AM] Lisa Symington: Not really!
[4/29/11 10:06:53 AM] Lisa Symington: I have you booked in the tiny, cramped, cheap, inside, windowless cabin with Katie and Nick for our sailing cruise.
[4/29/11 10:06:59 AM] Troy Symington: The wait limit is 50 lbs and it's a small duffel bag. I really don't think we got anywhere near it. It was probably like 30 lbs or something.
[4/29/11 10:07:00 AM] Lisa Symington: Okiedokie
[4/29/11 10:07:52 AM] Lisa Symington: Tell me about your plans that you have booked already for your next couple of weeks
[4/29/11 10:09:58 AM] Troy Symington: Florence for 1 night tomorrow night. Then Dublin for 3 nights. Then a train to Galway and an unknown number of nights there. We haven't booked our Galway hostel yet because we might want to spend an extra night in Dublin.
[4/29/11 10:10:34 AM] Lisa Symington: Sounds like you're city folks :) What is there to do in DUblin?
[4/29/11 10:10:54 AM] Troy Symington: Not a whole lot...
[4/29/11 10:11:17 AM] Lisa Symington: Then why stay so many days?
[4/29/11 10:12:36 AM] Troy Symington: Oh! By the way... I'm probably going to need some more money in the bank account soon. There's still over 500 in there but since we're going to start traveling around it's going to disapear reeeaaally quickly.
[4/29/11 10:13:56 AM] Troy Symington: For the Irish culture! And I know how that is synonomous with drinking, but that's not what I intend to do... much.
[4/29/11 10:14:38 AM] Lisa Symington: OK
[4/29/11 10:14:57 AM] Troy Symington: I got to go mom! We're meeting people for dinner! Love ya!
[4/29/11 10:15:06 AM] Lisa Symington: I'll see what I can do about your bank account. You are going to owe me big time!!!
[4/29/11 10:15:11 AM] Lisa Symington: Love ya too!

Finals in Florence

Troy!
[4/26/11 1:29:39 PM] Lisa Symington: You there?
[4/26/11 1:29:51 PM] Lisa Symington: Hellooo!!
[4/26/11 1:31:06 PM] Troy Symington: Whoa! My mom's messaging me!
[4/26/11 1:35:43 PM] Troy Symington: But Skype's not sending it apparently...
[4/26/11 1:35:54 PM] Lisa Symington: and then I ran away since nobody loved me enough to respond!
[4/26/11 1:36:04 PM] Lisa Symington: Hi honey!
[4/26/11 1:36:40 PM] Lisa Symington: I was about to book the San Francisco de Young museum for June 18, a Saturday, for a Picasso exhibit.
[4/26/11 1:36:46 PM] Lisa Symington: Do you want to go?
[4/26/11 1:37:40 PM] Lisa Symington: We are only planning a day trip with the exhibit time of 12:30, if I can get it.... they are already sold out for the first weekend and most of this second weekend
[4/26/11 1:38:55 PM] Lisa Symington: Did you run away?
[4/26/11 1:40:21 PM] Lisa Symington: Now Skype isn't sending my chats to you!
[4/26/11 1:40:38 PM] Lisa Symington: they are "pending", so what's with that?
[4/26/11 1:41:13 PM] Lisa Symington: It still has you listed as a green check for having your computer open....
[4/26/11 1:42:10 PM] Lisa Symington: oh well, I'm out to mow the lawn with the PUSH mower. The regular one is being repaired and the grass grows fast this time of year
[4/26/11 1:42:20 PM] Lisa Symington: Where's my mower when I need him?
[4/26/11 1:42:35 PM] Troy Symington: I'll have school and work by then... what day of the week is it?
[4/26/11 1:42:58 PM] Lisa Symington: Saturday
[4/26/11 1:43:05 PM] Lisa Symington: Yay! you ARE there!!
[4/26/11 1:44:04 PM] Troy Symington: Whoa! It just sent me your last, like, 10 messages all at once!
[4/26/11 1:44:05 PM] Lisa Symington: We could probably do a Sunday if it's better. I am waiting for Katie's reply still..... but she leaves for Hawaii later that week so I thought sooner was better than later for her sake.
[4/26/11 1:44:47 PM] Troy Symington: I just don't know what my work schedule will be, but I can probably do it!
[4/26/11 1:45:29 PM] Lisa Symington: I suppose you would be able to schedule work around it since, as of now you are not scheduled at all :)
[4/26/11 1:45:48 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! :)
[4/26/11 1:46:04 PM] Lisa Symington: OK, I'll count you as a go! Your ticket is $21 as a student
[4/26/11 1:46:27 PM] Lisa Symington: How was your history essay?
[4/26/11 1:47:37 PM] Troy Symington: Woohoo! The essay went pretty well I think! Afterwards we had a Soc Sci essay that was really easy, but by the time we took it I felt really burnt out from all the writing! (our journals were due that day as well so I had spent the entire night before writing many, many pages).
[4/26/11 1:48:11 PM] Lisa Symington: Last minute journaling for the whole semester?
[4/26/11 1:48:36 PM] Lisa Symington: Congratulations on feeling good about your essays!
[4/26/11 1:48:50 PM] Troy Symington: Ha, no. It's just the last 8 entries that were due today.
[4/26/11 1:48:51 PM] Lisa Symington: SmartiePants!
[4/26/11 1:48:56 PM] Lisa Symington: OK
[4/26/11 1:49:06 PM] Lisa Symington: Anything new?
[4/26/11 1:49:17 PM] Lisa Symington: I saw Anna's Greece photos on FB
[4/26/11 1:49:42 PM] Lisa Symington: Why didn't you go to Greece? I had thought that was one of those places you wanted to go?
[4/26/11 1:50:40 PM] Troy Symington: Started throwing away things today that I'm not gonna need after the program... Ok, stop freaking asking me all these questions at once, I started writing in response to the "anything new" and then you start throwing all these other questions at me! Stop it!
[4/26/11 1:51:11 PM] Lisa Symington: Type faster :D
[4/26/11 1:51:36 PM] Troy Symington: You need to learn proper chat room etiquette!
[4/26/11 1:51:43 PM] Lisa Symington: Pause....
[4/26/11 1:51:54 PM] Lisa Symington: awaiting prior responses....
[4/26/11 1:52:29 PM] Lisa Symington: pause....
[4/26/11 1:53:22 PM] Lisa Symington: pause.....
[4/26/11 1:53:35 PM] Lisa Symington: still pausing.........
[4/26/11 1:53:58 PM] Troy Symington: Ok... I had wanted to go to Greece. But the program that Anna went with was through something called Florence For Fun. And I knew that if I went it would just be a lot of partying and I wouldn't see anything of Greece. Anna told me she hated the Greece trip because of this (as well as the very perverse Greek men). And if you say pause one more time I'm hanging up.
[4/26/11 1:54:19 PM] Lisa Symington: hahahaha
[4/26/11 1:55:27 PM] Lisa Symington: I understand about the partying and the men! yikes! I guess it was all right to miss her trip then, although the boat trip looked wonderful and the caves and shoreline were beautiful.
[4/26/11 1:55:49 PM] Lisa Symington: What did you throw away?
[4/26/11 1:55:58 PM] Troy Symington: She did say that it was very beautiful. But it's not how I want to see Greece.
[4/26/11 1:56:08 PM] Lisa Symington: Gotcha :)
[4/26/11 1:56:12 PM] Troy Symington: Again with the multiple statements!
[4/26/11 1:56:24 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm pausing :)
[4/26/11 1:56:25 PM] Troy Symington: You have no idea how annoying...
[4/26/11 1:56:30 PM] Lisa Symington: Love you :)
[4/26/11 1:57:15 PM] Troy Symington: Just threw away a lot of papers and the museum tickets and city maps that I didn't want (I kept most of them).
[4/26/11 1:57:49 PM] Lisa Symington: That makes sense, especially since you will be carrying everything on your back for the following 2 1/2 weeks
[4/26/11 1:59:00 PM] Troy Symington: My friend Shannon is actually going to take a bag back for us. We're going to pay the $55 dollars baggage fee and buy her dinner or something.
[4/26/11 1:59:19 PM] Lisa Symington: You have that much stuff?
[4/26/11 2:00:29 PM] Troy Symington: I need to send my books back mostly. Plus the souvenirs. I was able to take my carry-on on the flight over here, but I'm not going to be able to when we travel around.
[4/26/11 2:01:25 PM] Lisa Symington: Are your books worth $55?
[4/26/11 2:01:38 PM] Lisa Symington: You could leave them in Italy...
[4/26/11 2:03:04 PM] Troy Symington: Do you have any idea how expensive textbooks are? Any one of them is worth $55. Plus I need one of them for next year. Plus, Alec is paying for half of it. Besides, I need to send back my bowler hat, a large mug we stole from a beer garden in munich, among oher things...
[4/26/11 2:03:26 PM] Lisa Symington: Oh, I get it now...
[4/26/11 2:04:06 PM] Lisa Symington: Are you ready to say goodbye to Florence? How does the timing feel?
[4/26/11 2:04:35 PM] Troy Symington: I feel like I should have another couple of months here!
[4/26/11 2:04:54 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm glad you're still enjoying it!
[4/26/11 2:05:18 PM] Lisa Symington: I bet your Italian is pretty good now, too
[4/26/11 2:05:24 PM] Troy Symington: I feel like there's so much left to do, just in Florence!
[4/26/11 2:05:36 PM] Troy Symington: My italian is still... eh.
[4/26/11 2:05:55 PM] Lisa Symington: I guess 3 months isn't very long, really
[4/26/11 2:06:11 PM] Lisa Symington: I really miss gelato
[4/26/11 2:06:13 PM] Troy Symington: Not really...
[4/26/11 2:06:27 PM] Troy Symington: But I signed up for Italian 3 next semester!
[4/26/11 2:06:50 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm glad. It will keep you connected to this time and to the country.
[4/26/11 2:07:35 PM] Lisa Symington: Any other news? I should get mowing since you're not doing it!
[4/26/11 2:08:18 PM] Troy Symington: Not really, I should get to bed... I have 2 more finals tomorrow...
[4/26/11 2:08:33 PM] Lisa Symington: Love you. Good luck on the finals
[4/26/11 2:08:40 PM] Lisa Symington: Mwah (h)
[4/26/11 2:08:49 PM] Troy Symington: Love! Ciao!

Switzerland!

Lisa Symington 12:14 PM
Hey buddy, are you there?
Troy Symington 12:14 PM
Hey Ma!
Lisa Symington 12:15 PM
Where are you?
Troy Symington 12:15 PM
In my hostel in Switzerland!
Lisa Symington 12:15 PM
Care to share? Like in case you die and I have to come and pick up your body?
Troy Symington 12:16 PM
Ha, we're in the Valley Hostel in Lauterbrunnen in the Swiss Alps!
Lisa Symington 12:16 PM
You're supposed to let me know where you are, at least WHICH COUNTRY YOU ARE IN!!
12:17 PM
You bad boy! So, how is Switzerland? and the alps? and how cold/snowy is it?
Troy Symington 12:21 PM
Not very cold at all! And the valley we're in has hardly any snow. It's a big carved out glacier valley with sheer cliffs. It's very much like yosemite. And out of our hostel window we can see Jungfrau, the highest point of the alps!
Lisa Symington 12:21 PM
Sounds perfect. I was just looking at the website for the hostel and it is gorgeous. Are mosquitos out?
12:22 PM
You will need to go hiking on some of those beautiful trail I saw in the photos
Troy Symington 12:24 PM
As far as I've seen there have been 0 mosquitos (I think it might be a little too cold). It got a lot colder once the sun set. Tomorrow we're going to go hiking around for most of the day. That's more or less the entiretly of our plans, because the trains around here are SO FREAKING EXPENSIVE!!!
Lisa Symington 12:27 PM
Ooh, sorry about the trains.... but it looks like a good place to be stuck and you can relax not having to cram another city/spot in this weekend. How long did it take to get there? another night train?
Troy Symington 12:28 PM
Yeah, it took about 5 hours by train... and it was an expensive frikken train.
Lisa Symington 12:28 PM
Who is with you?
Troy Symington 12:29 PM
Alec and Nate.
Lisa Symington 12:29 PM
Great. More geek photos
12:30 PM
Any night life in your little town?
Troy Symington 12:31 PM
Ha, we walked through it a little while ago at about 9 and I think even the pub was closed.
Lisa Symington 12:32 PM
I guess that's a NO then... Any fun people in the hostel with you?
Troy Symington 12:33 PM
We met some girls from Texas on the train to Interlaken and ran in to them later in the day and walked with them for a bit, but their hostel is back down in Interlaken so we're not sure if we'll see them again.
Lisa Symington 12:33 PM
Sounds like a quiet night then ....
Troy Symington 12:36 PM
Yup. This entire place is marketed towards adreneline junkies. The only things to do in these towns is skiing, skydiving, hiking, base jumping, mountain biking, ect. So there's absolutely no nightlife. We're getting up early to enjoy the sunshine!
Lisa Symington 12:37 PM
OK, but I can't condone base jumping.....
Troy Symington 12:37 PM
If only I had the money...
Lisa Symington 12:37 PM
It's a good thing you're poor then, haha.
Troy Symington 12:38 PM
But I'll have the money eventually and then there'll be nothing you can do to stop me! Muhahahaha!
Lisa Symington 12:40 PM
Technically, maybe... but I'll try to think of something! We are having a really gorgeous day. I guess the weather was good earlier in the week, but I missed it at work. I have all the windows open now and recently returned from walking the circle with the dogs. Now I need to go work outside.
12:41 PM
You have a good night's sleep and a fun day tomorrow. Please try to stay in touch!
Troy Symington 12:42 PM
I'll try! I love ya!
Lisa Symington 12:43 PM
Love you too!

Parents in Italy

[3/3/2011 7:12:28 AM] Lisa Symington: hey, sweetie. Do you miss me yet?

[12:01:47 AM] Katie Symington: I gots a mama?

[12:02:39 AM] Lisa Symington: Hey! This izza your papa!

[12:02:54 AM] Katie Symington: Daddy!

[12:02:58 AM] Katie Symington: How is Venice?

[12:03:34 AM] Lisa Symington: Mama is getting dresed-we'll eat BK soon. The room is fine-loud last nite!

[12:04:51 AM] Lisa Symington: Venice is great so far! Not sure what we'll do today.

[12:05:07 AM] Katie Symington: What is for breakfast?

[12:05:34 AM] Lisa Symington: Continental-cofffee and rolls, i think?

[12:05:52 AM] Katie Symington: Is continental the same in Italy as it is here? Enjoy it!

[12:06:06 AM] Katie Symington: I sent you guys a facebook message about what's going on here.

[12:06:41 AM] Lisa Symington: OK-thanks. We're going to eat now. Have a great day. We love you!

[12:07:03 AM] Katie Symington: Love you too! Have fun!

Three Days of Skype

[2/27/2011 10:38:11 AM] Katie Symington: whozat?
[2/27/2011 10:38:32 AM] Troy Symington: zatsme!
[2/27/2011 10:38:56 AM] Katie Symington: nowayz!
[2/27/2011 10:39:13 AM] Katie Symington: Well, what in the world have you been up to, buddy?
[2/27/2011 10:39:46 AM] Troy Symington: We just got back a couple of hours ago! I just finished uploading pictures and you HAFTA chem 'em out!
[2/27/2011 10:40:05 AM] Katie Symington: Okay! I shall! .... got back from where again?
[2/27/2011 10:40:34 AM] Troy Symington: Venice! Carnivale! Awesomeness!
[2/27/2011 10:40:46 AM] Katie Symington: Tell me about the awesomeness!
[2/27/2011 10:41:10 AM] Katie Symington: Did you buy a mask?
[2/27/2011 10:41:33 AM] Troy Symington: Of course! Check out the pics first! They tell the story better than I can!
[2/27/2011 10:41:46 AM] Katie Symington: I'm looking!
[2/27/2011 10:53:39 AM] Katie Symington: Looks super awesome bud.
[2/27/2011 10:54:32 AM] Troy Symington: I know, right?
[2/27/2011 10:55:13 AM] Katie Symington: Who's Alistair?
[2/27/2011 10:56:09 AM] Troy Symington: It was pretty cool that we spent two nights there, becuase even though we got caught up in Carnivale, we were still able to see all the classic tourist things (San Marco, Doge Palace, the Accademia).
[2/27/2011 10:56:26 AM] Troy Symington: Altair is a character from a very, very popular video game... ask Nick.
[2/27/2011 10:57:33 AM] Katie Symington: Nick is giving me a blank look. What game/
[2/27/2011 10:57:50 AM] Troy Symington: Assassins Creed.
[2/27/2011 11:01:22 AM] Katie Symington: Heh. "Oh!" he says.
[2/27/2011 11:01:28 AM] Katie Symington: So what are you doing now?
[2/27/2011 11:01:55 AM] Troy Symington: Laying on my bed thinking of getting an early start on homework but knowing that I'm too much of a procrastinator.
[2/27/2011 11:03:55 AM] Troy Symington: We just had dinner a little bit ago (pasta again). I'm starting to get sick of pasta because it's one of the few things we have to cook for dinner (everything else is so darn expensive!
[2/27/2011 11:04:17 AM] Troy Symington: Pretty much everything is really expensive over here!
[2/27/2011 11:08:16 AM] Katie Symington: that's sucky!
[2/27/2011 11:08:22 AM] Katie Symington: have you made pesto yet?
[2/27/2011 11:08:27 AM] Katie Symington: or....a cream sauce?
[2/27/2011 11:08:45 AM] Katie Symington: you could make a clam sauce too!
[2/27/2011 11:09:55 AM] Troy Symington: No. There is NO alfredo over here at all! And the kind of pesto that comes in a jar is always REALLY expensive. I suppose I could make the pesto myself but we don't have any kind of food processer to make it in!
[2/27/2011 11:10:09 AM] Katie Symington: pooor boy!
[2/27/2011 11:13:12 AM] Katie Symington: do your hw. I'm eating breakfast. I made asparagus with a poached egg with a hollandaise sauce!
[2/27/2011 11:13:32 AM] Troy Symington: Ok, I wanted to get some pb and j for sanwiches. But a tiny, tiny thing of Skippy was 4.50 euro!
[2/27/2011 11:13:40 AM] Katie Symington: aww!
[2/27/2011 11:18:28 AM] Troy Symington: Hey, I'm actually talking to mom who just called me, so I'm gonna go now!
[2/27/2011 11:18:39 AM] Katie Symington: adios!
[2/27/2011 11:18:45 AM] Troy Symington: Love ya!
[2/27/2011 11:18:54 AM] Katie Symington: love you too!
[2/27/2011 11:18:57 AM] Katie Symington: Have fun!



[3/1/2011 3:23:21 PM] Katie Symington: Troy-o!
[3/1/2011 3:25:07 PM] Troy Symington: Katie! ...o? I'm going to ignore you because it's getting late over here and I'm finishing up homework. I'll talk to ya later, okay?
[3/1/2011 3:25:42 PM] Katie Symington: Sounds good, I'm reading an article and I leave for my afternoon class in forty-five minutes. Love you!
[3/1/2011 3:26:03 PM] Troy Symington: Love!



[3/2/2011 7:53:43 AM] Katie Symington: hi!
[3/2/2011 7:54:10 AM] Troy Symington: Yo
[3/2/2011 7:54:35 AM] Katie Symington: sup?
[3/2/2011 7:56:10 AM] Troy Symington: Just got home from Italian class. Sitting down writing music and thinking about doing homework already because we're going to some friend's house for dinner!
[3/2/2011 7:56:29 AM] Katie Symington: Accent friends or Italian friends? Have you made Italian friends?
[3/2/2011 7:58:25 AM] Troy Symington: Accent friends. We've made some italian acquaintences, but not really friends. We've made a Swiss friend though!
[3/2/2011 7:58:30 AM] Katie Symington: ooooh how?
[3/2/2011 7:58:58 AM] Troy Symington: She's in the Accent program.
[3/2/2011 7:59:51 AM] Katie Symington: excellent. Tell me something exciting.
[3/2/2011 8:02:47 AM] Troy Symington: Ummmmmm... I just ate this awesome Pizza Ripiendo which is a layered pizza thing that was full of sausage and some weird vegetable that tasted oddly like brussel sprouts. It was from this tiny food stand on the way home from school that we always go to because it's cheap, filling, and delicious.
[3/2/2011 8:03:14 AM] Katie Symington: I want some! I want a calzone
[3/2/2011 8:03:39 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, the calzones over here are HUGE.
[3/2/2011 8:04:41 AM] Katie Symington: YUM
[3/2/2011 8:04:45 AM] Katie Symington: Did you see the latest himym?
[3/2/2011 8:04:53 AM] Katie Symington: with the calzone?
[3/2/2011 8:08:20 AM] Katie Symington: yo!
[3/2/2011 8:13:18 AM] Katie Symington: Let me introduce you to a concept. It is called "brb". You use it when you are going to disappear randomly.

In which Troy is a twit

[9:18:52 AM] Katie Symington: yo wassup
[9:19:45 AM] Troy Symington: Laying on my bed listening to my iPod and reading Harry Potter. You?
[9:22:43 AM] Troy Symington: Yo! You there?
[9:22:52 AM] Troy Symington: Helloooooooooooooo?
[9:23:16 AM] Troy Symington: Ms. Katrina Ann Symington you talk to me this instant!
[9:26:42 AM] Troy Symington: Fine! See what I care!
[9:27:32 AM] Troy Symington: I'm just sitting here... all alone in Italy... out in the big world with no one to give me guidance... whatever shall I do?
[9:28:06 AM] Troy Symington: I didn't want to talk to you anyways!
[9:28:24 AM] Troy Symington: Nyeeeeaaaahhhh!
[12:35:09 PM] Katie Symington: Hi!!!
[12:35:42 PM] Katie Symington: ...ello?
[12:36:02 PM] Katie Symington: I saw that pencil moving! you can't fool me! I know you're there!!!
[12:36:32 PM] Katie Symington: Hey!
[12:36:37 PM] Katie Symington: Talk to meeeeeee!
[12:36:51 PM] Troy Symington: I'm ignoring you the way you ignored me!!!
[12:37:07 PM] Katie Symington: lol I'm sorry, I had to go to school and I left my computer open!
[12:37:28 PM] Troy Symington: Then why did you message me???
[12:37:45 PM] Katie Symington: I was on for like five minutes!
[12:37:52 PM] Katie Symington: And to say hi!
[12:37:55 PM] Katie Symington: So, hi!
[12:38:18 PM] Troy Symington: Rawr... I will never forgive you.
[12:38:24 PM] Katie Symington: *sobs*
[12:38:29 PM] Katie Symington: *cries*
[12:38:31 PM] Katie Symington: *snots*
[12:38:41 PM] Katie Symington: *flings self onto floor in miserable heap*
[12:38:51 PM] Katie Symington: "Woe!
[12:39:03 PM] Troy Symington: Muhahahahahaha!
[12:39:03 PM] Katie Symington: Woe is me!"
[12:39:13 PM] Katie Symington: Ahem.
[12:39:47 PM] Katie Symington: So, I have about twenty minutes before I need to get ready to leave for my next class. Last I read you were reading Harry Potter and listening to music. What did you do in between that stuff?
[12:41:26 PM] Troy Symington: Ate dinner, read more, listened to more music, and now I'm sitting around a table with friends and ATTEMPTING to do homework... but there's no way I could ever do homework around friends... so now I'm just procrastinating.
[12:41:57 PM] Katie Symington: I do that a lot. Which is why I was up till midnight doing hw that was due this morning. ;)
[12:42:09 PM] Katie Symington: Tell me something amazing that happened today.
[12:42:19 PM] Troy Symington: Hrrrrmmmm
[12:43:43 PM] Katie Symington: There must be something.
[12:43:49 PM] Troy Symington: ... I didn't do too much today. It's kinda been a day to relax, we're going out tomorrow.
[12:45:50 PM] Troy Symington: Tomorrow we're going to the Duomo in our Soc Sci class! We're totally going to the top and I'm so excited!
[12:46:19 PM] Katie Symington: Awesomeness! I didn't even know that was possible until Nick asked if you'd gone to the top. Apparently they talk about the Duomo a lot in his architecture design class.
[12:46:30 PM] Katie Symington: Take looots o' pictures!
[12:46:36 PM] Katie Symington: Have you put any on photobucket yet?
[12:46:46 PM] Katie Symington: *ominous knuckle-cracking and glaring*
[12:48:30 PM] Katie Symington: ...this long pause better mean you're loading them right now.
[12:49:04 PM] Troy Symington: ...no. But yeah, the Duomo was a revelutionary architectural feat! It went unfinished for years because they didn't have a way to create a dome that big until Brunelleschi came along and was all like "I'm a genius and I'm gonna try these new architectural ideas and hopefully it won't cave in!"
[12:49:51 PM] Katie Symington: ....yeah, whatever. PICTURES, BOY!
[12:50:08 PM] Katie Symington: (Also kind of funny, hoping it works. Good thing it did!)
[12:50:42 PM] Troy Symington: I know, right?
[12:51:12 PM] Troy Symington: And look! I'm changing the subject to something other than uploading pictures... inconspicuously...
[12:54:09 PM] Katie Symington: not so inconspicuously, dude. Your blog is like weeks behind! I'm not going to be able to catch it up!
[12:54:38 PM] Troy Symington: Not. My. Problem.
[12:54:46 PM] Troy Symington: ;)
[12:56:22 PM] Katie Symington: Ignoring you now.
[12:56:42 PM] Troy Symington: Wait! Don't ignore me!
[12:56:47 PM] Troy Symington: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
[12:57:08 PM] Troy Symington: Fine!
[12:57:10 PM] Katie Symington: (It is TOO your problem. How are you going to remember things from Italy if I don't write them down? It's a nice way for mom and dad and I to see what you are up to all in one place and I am very upset that you haven't simply uploaded the photos to photobucket already. It would take just a few minutes and isn't hard!)
[12:59:36 PM] Troy Symington: Errrrrgghhh! It's annoying enough uploading them to FB!
[12:59:53 PM] Katie Symington: DOOOOOOOOOOOO IT.
[1:00:13 PM] Troy Symington: Noooooooooooo!
[1:00:25 PM] Katie Symington: Plug in your usb/flashdisk/whatever and load them up!!!
[1:01:54 PM] Troy Symington: No, because I should definitely upload them to picassa (so that I have a backup of all of them), plus, I don't like to upload ALL of the pictures. People don't need to see them.
[1:02:37 PM] Katie Symington: Well they won't unless they go to photobucket. And the 8 photos here and there that you upload . . . we have to look through Alec's 100
[1:02:45 PM] Katie Symington: 's of photos to get a better idea!
[1:02:52 PM] Katie Symington: So yes, you need to show them to us!
[1:04:47 PM] Troy Symington: No one except for you and maybe mom actually wants to look though that many photos!
[1:05:12 PM] Troy Symington: Okay, I really need to go and do my homework.
[1:05:31 PM] Katie Symington: EXACTLY. If you upload them to photobucket I will choose a few to put on the blog.
[1:05:48 PM] Katie Symington: But that was mom and I can see what you are up to! So GODDAMN IT TROY ALAN, PUT THEM UP TONIGHT!
[1:06:41 PM] Troy Symington: I HAAATE THAT IDEA! Besides, I'm busy and really need to stop talking to you so I can get homework done!
[1:07:30 PM] Katie Symington: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo put them online! You are really starting to get on my nerves with refusing to do this, Troy! You promised you would take lots of photos and you aren't showing them to us!
[1:07:40 PM] Katie Symington: You got a ton of presents at Xmas, remember, that you didn't expect!
[1:08:02 PM] Katie Symington: And that coat! I PICKED IT OUT. THE COAT YOU ARE WEARING IS BECAUSE YOUR SISTER BOUGHT IT FOR YOU AND YOU OWE ME AND THAT COAT PICTURES.
[1:08:13 PM] Troy Symington: GOOD. BYE.
[1:08:18 PM] Troy Symington: LOVE. YOU.
[1:08:31 PM] Katie Symington: TWIT.
[1:08:32 PM] Katie Symington: LOVE YOU TOO.

Pisa and Pizza

[10:40:37 AM] Katie Symington: trooooy

[10:43:55 AM] Troy Symington: Myeeeees?

[10:44:11 AM] Katie Symington: Yes yoooooooooooooooooooooooooes!

[10:44:13 AM] Katie Symington: Hi!

[10:44:17 AM] Katie Symington: Did you go to Siena?

[10:44:33 AM] Troy Symington: No, we never were this weekend.

[10:44:41 AM] Troy Symington: But tomorrow we're going to Fiesole

[10:44:48 AM] Troy Symington: And the day after we're going to Lucca

[10:44:55 AM] Katie Symington: Hmm. Have you been to Siena then, because Anna posted pics of it!

[10:44:59 AM] Troy Symington: And the day after that we're going to Pisa

[10:45:11 AM] Katie Symington: Leaning tower of Pizza!

[10:45:18 AM] Katie Symington: mmmmm. Have a slice for me!

[10:45:35 AM] Troy Symington: We're actually making pizza right now!

[10:45:42 AM] Katie Symington: It sounds like you will be very busy for the next few days. Don't forget to take tons of pics and upload them with captions.

[10:45:48 AM] Katie Symington: Pizza? Like you making the crust too?

[10:45:55 AM] Troy Symington: But of course!

[10:45:59 AM] Katie Symington: :P

[10:46:06 AM] Troy Symington: We bought some instant mix.

[10:46:15 AM] Katie Symington: Oooooh. Awesome! What are you putting on the pizza?

[10:46:39 AM] Troy Symington: Ummmm... I'm not sure.

[10:46:52 AM] Katie Symington: Mushrooms!

[10:46:55 AM] Katie Symington: ;)

[10:47:05 AM] Troy Symington: Howzabout NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[10:47:15 AM] Katie Symington: Poor mushroom hating boy.

[10:47:19 AM] Katie Symington: So HAVE you been to Siena?

[10:47:24 AM] Troy Symington: No.

[10:47:28 AM] Katie Symington: Oh. But Anna has?

[10:47:37 AM] Troy Symington: They went on the group trip today.

[10:47:59 AM] Katie Symington: Oh. So when you say "we" are going to Pisa and the other trips, do you mean you and Alec or you and Accent or you and the boys and the girls?

[10:48:55 AM] Katie Symington: Why didn't you go on the group trip? Did you have to pay for it?

[10:49:00 AM] Troy Symington: Me, Alec, Nathan, and whoever else wants to go! We've made quite a few friends so it could end up being a lot of people depending on what people are doing.

[10:49:14 AM] Troy Symington: Yeah, you had to pay a lot for it.

[10:49:23 AM] Katie Symington: Oooh. Well will you end up going on your own to Siena?

[10:49:28 AM] Katie Symington: eventually?

[10:49:39 AM] Troy Symington: Of course! Don't know when yet.

[10:49:48 AM] Katie Symington: Awesomeness! And yay for making lots of friends!

[10:49:54 AM] Katie Symington: How to you travel to Fiesole?

[10:49:58 AM] Katie Symington: *do

[10:51:20 AM] Troy Symington: By bus. It's just a tiny town on a hill above Florence and you're supposed to be able to see Florence on clear days. Lucca and Pisa are both about 1-1.5 hours on train.

[10:52:05 AM] Katie Symington: How do you find the trains and the bus? Are they crowded and dirty, or nice and businessmen and women use them?

[11:03:32 AM] Katie Symington: Um....hello? Are you eating pizza?

[11:10:46 AM] Troy Symington: I'm so sorry! You there?

[11:11:31 AM] Troy Symington: We had some complications with the pizza dough so instead of baking it, I decided to thow it in some oil and fry up some little batter fritter things!

[11:11:48 AM] Troy Symington: But I need to go back and cook now! Love ya, bye!

[11:13:03 AM] Katie Symington: Ooooh.

[11:13:05 AM] Katie Symington: Bye!

La Bella Figura

[2/17/2011 8:24:36 AM] Katie Symington: brrrrr

[2/17/2011 8:25:20 AM] Troy Symington: Brrrrrr?

[2/17/2011 8:26:54 AM] Troy Symington: Hello?

[2/17/2011 8:26:58 AM] Troy Symington: You there?

[2/17/2011 8:30:26 AM] Katie Symington: Hi!

[2/17/2011 8:30:26 AM] Katie Symington: Sorry

[2/17/2011 8:30:41 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, whatcha doing?

[2/17/2011 8:30:54 AM] Katie Symington: It is 64 degrees inside and I'm leaving soon for work, so I can't turn on the heat. I'm making breakfast and delaying getting ready. :)

[2/17/2011 8:30:55 AM] Katie Symington: What you doin?

[2/17/2011 8:32:36 AM] Troy Symington: Sitting at home and about to start making dinner with my room mates! You should definitely check Facebook because I just wrote a novel to you guys about what I've been doing the last couple of days.

[2/17/2011 8:32:54 AM] Katie Symington: Just read it!

[2/17/2011 8:32:59 AM] Katie Symington: Totally not a novel. Write more!

[2/17/2011 8:33:23 AM] Troy Symington: Are you kidding me? That took like 10 minutes!

[2/17/2011 8:33:44 AM] Katie Symington: I have been super busy with work and school the last few days. I am also getting a cold based on my being tired even though I got lots of sleep, and the ouchiness of my throat.

[2/17/2011 8:34:18 AM] Katie Symington: Oh! My friend had a baby! I tagged a picture of her with me holding her so you should check out my pics, the baby is Kylie Anne. She is super cute! I held her when she was 12 hours old!

[2/17/2011 8:34:59 AM] Troy Symington: You get sick to often, stop it! Do I know who this friend is?

[2/17/2011 8:35:45 AM] Katie Symington: my friend Christa, she and I had high school together.

[2/17/2011 8:36:00 AM] Katie Symington: you probably don't know her.

[2/17/2011 8:36:14 AM] Katie Symington: I haven't been sick in ages! This is a random cold. A stupid random cold.

[2/17/2011 8:36:23 AM] Katie Symington: Also, I don't have time to be sick, so it needs to knock it off.

[2/17/2011 8:36:34 AM] Katie Symington: It sounds like you have been havin a lot of fun in Italy! Any parts not so fun?

[2/17/2011 8:36:53 AM] Troy Symington: The name actually sounds familiar... but it's probably from you talking about her.

[2/17/2011 8:37:06 AM] Troy Symington: Not really, so far I'm having a great time!

[2/17/2011 8:37:40 AM] Troy Symington: The language barrier thing is annoying sometimes... but it's part of the experience.

[2/17/2011 8:38:06 AM] Troy Symington: Oh! One thing I hate is how Italian girls NEVER go for americans.

[2/17/2011 8:38:22 AM] Troy Symington: But the guys are all over the girls in a very creepy kinda way.

[2/17/2011 8:38:38 AM] Katie Symington: Er . . . what? I thought Italian girls would go gaga for american guys!

[2/17/2011 8:40:33 AM] Troy Symington: Nope... Italian girls are very proper and all about La Bella Figura (the beautiful figure). It means they always carry themselves with pride and whatnot. And because the Italian girls are like this, the Italian guys always go for Americans becuase they're, well... easier.

[2/17/2011 8:41:03 AM] Katie Symington: lol omg.

[2/17/2011 8:41:21 AM] Katie Symington: pooor boy.

[2/17/2011 8:42:32 AM] Troy Symington: I know, right? I've only ever been hit on by one Italian girl! What the heck?!

[2/17/2011 8:42:59 AM] Katie Symington: that you noticed, maybe there are more!

[2/17/2011 8:43:35 AM] Troy Symington: Maybe... but I gotta go! They're just finishing making dinner and I hardly helped! Oh no!

[2/17/2011 8:43:42 AM] Troy Symington: Love ya!

[2/17/2011 8:43:49 AM] Katie Symington: Love you too! Have fun!

I'm so tired I can't even remember what we talked about this morning, but I know it made me smile!

[8:43:04 AM] Katie Symington: Hey bud!

[8:43:06 AM] Katie Symington: Good morning!

[8:43:13 AM] Katie Symington: ....evening.:)

[8:44:18 AM] Troy Symington: Hey! I've been relaxing for the past hour or so and I was watching How i met your mother!

[8:44:36 AM] Katie Symington: oh, I watched the most recent one last night and it was soooo funny!

[8:45:01 AM] Troy Symington: Yup, I just finished it!

[8:45:15 AM] Katie Symington: Barney as Predator . . . I was laughing so hard.

[8:45:34 AM] Katie Symington: So what's up?

[8:47:30 AM] Troy Symington: Wait... what? There must be one more! OMG!

[8:48:05 AM] Katie Symington: lol the one last night is called Desperation Day and it's about
Valentine's Day and the day before. Go to cbs . com and click on How I Met Your Mother then
scroll down for the video.

[8:48:24 AM] Katie Symington: It's on the left, click on the one that is 21 minutes long cuz others
are previews.

[8:49:33 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, thanks, I'll do that. So... how was your Valentines day?

[8:49:49 AM] Katie Symington: Bueno! Nick made me caramel apples!

[8:50:03 AM] Katie Symington: They are deeelicious.

[8:50:08 AM] Katie Symington: How was yours?

[8:51:02 AM] Troy Symington: Oooooo. You should send me some via mail. I didn't do much. A few of us actually went to a bar, but we didn't stay long because of the whole waking up early for school thing.

[8:51:27 AM] Katie Symington: How is school going?

[8:54:32 AM] Troy Symington: Molto bene! We went to La Specola on a field trip today! It had a ridiculous amount of stuffed animals and then there was an anatomy exhibit that had wax figures of people with their muscles/organs exposed (much like the Body exhibit we saw a long time ago). The figures are supposed to be representations of people that they actually disected during the bubonic plague.

[8:55:05 AM] Katie Symington: ....eew.

[8:55:17 AM] Katie Symington: And kind of cool.

[8:56:14 AM] Troy Symington: I know, right? Oh! I'm starting to really like my Italian class
now!

[8:56:35 AM] Troy Symington: The teacher is very entertaining and I'm starting to get the hang
of it.

[8:57:22 AM] Katie Symington: Yaaaaay!

[8:57:42 AM] Katie Symington: Do you understand what she says and what Italians say? Tell
me something interesting you learned!

[9:00:12 AM] Troy Symington: I dunno, today we were learning how to use pronouns in the past
tense... not exactly exciting to write about. Oh, but in about 10 minutes we're going to leave to go
to a dinner thing put on by Accent. We're going to an apertivo which is usually a place where you buy one overpriced drink and then get free food the rest of the night, but since Accent isn't allowed to sponser alcohol it's just going to be a cheap all you can eat bufet.

[9:00:30 AM] Katie Symington: sweeeet!

[9:00:49 AM] Katie Symington: Did you see Tiffany from TKD is pregnant?

[9:01:27 AM] Troy Symington: I did! That's awesome! I haven't seen them in so long, though.

[9:01:49 AM] Katie Symington: same here. :)

[9:02:12 AM] Katie Symington: Who are all the girls in the photos? I only know Anna and sort of
Allison.

[9:03:48 AM] Troy Symington: Just people from the program that we've met! But I need to go
now, sorry. I'll talk to ya soon! Love ya!

[9:05:24 AM] Katie Symington: Love you too! Bye!

Day at the Ufuzi and Multitasking

Good morning!
[2/10/11 7:23:01 AM] Lisa Symington: Today was your Uffizi day. Did you like it? Was it crowded?

[2/10/11 7:24:09 AM] Troy Symington: Fairly crowded. But it was still FLIPPING AWESOME! Unfortunately there were no pictures allowed so the only picture is of the outside.

[2/10/11 7:24:45 AM] Troy Symington: We didn't have enough time to really look at everything because we had Italian class at 2, so we were going to go back sometime.

[2/10/11 7:25:03 AM] Troy Symington: We can get in for free anytime with our museum pass.

[2/10/11 7:25:20 AM] Lisa Symington: I'm surprised it was crowded in February. Crowded with Italians or tourists. Great about your pass.

[2/10/11 7:26:01 AM] Lisa Symington: That's a question mark after tourists....

[2/10/11 7:26:24 AM] Lisa Symington: And what was good in the museum?

[2/10/11 7:26:35 AM] Troy Symington: A little bit of both. And it wasn't exactly CROWDED. But there was still a healhy amount of people and tour groups to get around.

[2/10/11 7:27:23 AM] Lisa Symington: What was in the museum?

[2/10/11 7:28:09 AM] Troy Symington: I think my favorite part was the building itself. The ceilings and walls and furniture are so ridiculously elaborate! It's hard to believe that it was made to be an office building for Lorenzo the Magnificent (one of the Medici)!

[2/10/11 7:28:45 AM] Lisa Symington:
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[2/10/11 7:29:02 AM] Lisa Symington: Oz sent you the above message :)

[2/10/11 7:29:39 AM] Lisa Symington: I guess there was a lot of power and money in that family!

[2/10/11 7:30:06 AM] Troy Symington: There were tons and tons of greek and roman statues and busts. As well as a ridiculous amount of religious paintings and portraits of Lorenzo's family and friends, ect.

[2/10/11 7:30:11 AM] Troy Symington: Tell Oz I say hi!

[2/10/11 7:30:43 AM] Lisa Symington: I'll give him a hug from you when I can. I sent his away for now...Tell

[2/10/11 7:31:10 AM] Troy Symington: I... did?

[2/10/11 7:31:59 AM] Lisa Symington: Tell me about the differences between Italy and home. When you went to the grocery store and the mercado what was it like?

[2/10/11 7:34:42 AM] Troy Symington: The supermarket is acually kind of fun, because you don't always know exactly what it is your buying! The main difference is the kinds of foods. There's a lot more in the way of unprepared meat and you can just grab some octopus or calamari or other whole animal from the freezer section!

[2/10/11 7:35:08 AM] Lisa Symington: WHOLE octopus?

[2/10/11 7:35:59 AM] Lisa Symington: So they don't have already prepared salads and chinese food? How about all the pastries and cakes and donuts?

[2/10/11 7:37:03 AM] Lisa Symington: Are you guys making your own coffee or just buying it? Does one buy coffee in the grocery store like we do?

[2/10/11 7:37:53 AM] Troy Symington: There's not very much in the way of already prepared foods... but the thing is we keep going to the giant supermarket when most people go to specialty shops for everything.

[2/10/11 7:38:44 AM] Lisa Symington: Aren't the specialty shops more expensive? How do regular people afford that?

[2/10/11 7:39:01 AM] Troy Symington: There was some coffee already here when we moved in as a housewarming gift thingy but we haven't used it yet. We've just been going to caffe's (but not very often).

[2/10/11 7:39:34 AM] Lisa Symington: What did you do for dinner last night?

[2/10/11 7:39:57 AM] Troy Symington: That's the culture! The store we've been going to is about the size of holiday and it is one of the biggest if not THE biggest in the city! People just go to specialty shops here!

[2/10/11 7:41:23 AM] Lisa Symington: Tonight is the start of your first 3 day weekend. You and Alec going to San Giamarmanno? Are the girls going with you? Any other good plans?

[2/10/11 7:41:30 AM] Troy Symington: Last night Nathan made us all spaghetti. He threw some ground beef in tomato sauce and added basil, garlic, and onion. We supplied the bread and wine and it was really good!

[2/10/11 7:41:48 AM] Lisa Symington: How expensive is wine?

[2/10/11 7:42:49 AM] Troy Symington: Stop asking me questions so quickly! I can't answer them all and then you're going to complain about how I never tell you anything! I haven't even gotten to the other 2 conversations I'm having on facebook! Which questions do you want me to answer!!!!???!

[2/10/11 7:43:22 AM] Lisa Symington: ALL OF THEM! You're young, you can multitask!!

[2/10/11 7:45:24 AM] Troy Symington: We're going to spend a day in San Gimingano on either sat or sun. We don't know who all is going yet.

[2/10/11 7:45:31 AM] Troy Symington: The wine was about 3 euro.

[2/10/11 7:45:38 AM] Troy Symington: And it wasn't bad!

[2/10/11 7:47:05 AM] Lisa Symington: OK. love. I'll let you go. I'm Expediaing flights now. I think I have one for your Dad and I'm looking for mine now.

[2/10/11 7:50:02 AM] Troy Symington: Okay! Sound good! Love ya!

[2/10/11 7:50:39 AM] Lisa Symington: Love you, too!

He is Master of the Short Chats!

[12:00:14 AM] Katie Symington: My bruddah!

[12:00:59 AM] Troy Symington: My sistah! I can't really talk because I leave for school in 5 minutes!

[12:01:19 AM] Katie Symington: Oh noes!

[12:01:23 AM] Katie Symington: Quick, tell me what's new!

[12:02:44 AM] Troy Symington: Actually not too much. I had my first day of World history and Italian Life, Culture, and Politics yesterday! They both seem like fun classes and they're taught by the same teacher who is really entertaining!

[12:03:04 AM] Katie Symington: excellent. What after that did you do?

[12:03:45 AM] Troy Symington: Went grocery shopping again with Alec and Nathan, then wen't home, ate, and did homework.

[12:04:09 AM] Katie Symington: Sounds like fun. I am muy tired.

[12:04:29 AM] Katie Symington: I taught computers, came home, went to class, came home, picked Nick up from class, came home, sat.

[12:04:43 AM] Katie Symington: Tell me something awesome about Italy.

[12:04:48 AM] Troy Symington: I like the "sat" part.

[12:04:59 AM] Troy Symington: It's frikken Italy!

[12:05:00 AM] Katie Symington: Me tambien.

[12:05:10 AM] Katie Symington: BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN! TELL ME SOMETHING.

[12:05:59 AM] Troy Symington: All of the people here are very concerned with how other people veiw them. They all dress very nicely and have good posture and in the mornings you can see all the shop keepers cleaning windows and sweeping their sidewalks.

[12:06:12 AM] Troy Symington: I gotta go! Love ya!

[12:06:18 AM] Katie Symington: Have a great day! Love you too!

[12:06:21 AM] Katie Symington: Post more pics!

[12:06:22 AM] Katie Symington: Bye

[12:06:24 AM] Katie Symington: !

Don't Blink!

Good morning, son.

[2/8/11 7:44:17 AM] Troy Symington: Hi ma!

[2/8/11 7:44:34 AM] Lisa Symington: How's italy today?

[2/8/11 7:45:25 AM] Troy Symington: Cold and overcast. Today was my first day of my History and Social Science classes!

[2/8/11 7:45:40 AM] Lisa Symington: How did those classes go?

[2/8/11 7:46:23 AM] Troy Symington: Molto bene! When we meat for Soc Sci on thursday we're going to the Uffizi!

[2/8/11 7:46:35 AM] Troy Symington: Oh, I'm sorry but I need to go mom!

[2/8/11 7:46:38 AM] Lisa Symington: Yea!

[2/8/11 7:46:44 AM] Lisa Symington: Me too, love ya

[2/8/11 7:46:54 AM] Troy Symington: We're going to the super market to get groceries. Bye, love ya!

[2/8/11 7:47:00 AM] Lisa Symington: bye

IM Chatting with Florence

[8:51:51 AM] Katie Symington: Hey boy, you online?

[8:51:53 AM] Katie Symington: ?

[8:56:44 AM] Katie Symington: Have a wonderful day! :)

[8:57:16 AM] Troy Symington: Hey Katie!

[8:58:54 AM] Katie Symington: whoa, what is this, you come online just when I go to shower?

[8:58:57 AM] Katie Symington: Hi!

[8:59:01 AM] Katie Symington: How are you buddy?

[8:59:18 AM] Troy Symington: Tired!

[8:59:37 AM] Katie Symington: How was school? Tell me aaallll about it! And everything else!

[9:00:55 AM] Troy Symington: Blaaarg... well, I woke up early and walked to the Accent center with 3 of my roommates (after getting a cappucino of course) where we had physical anthropology.

[9:01:27 AM] Troy Symington: We didn't do much in that class today but it seems like it'll be fun!

[9:01:56 AM] Katie Symington: Ooooh capuccino! Yummy! Is the coffee there better?

[9:02:44 AM] Troy Symington: It's REALLY GOOD! All I've had so far are cappucinos and expressos, but they've all been awesome!


[9:03:10 AM] Katie Symington: YUM! I want some! Kindly mail some capuccino to California.
[9:03:23 AM] Troy Symington: The sandwiches and pastries that they have in caffes are all
really good and pretty cheap!

[9:04:21 AM] Troy Symington: I will definately mail you a cappucino!

[9:04:28 AM] Katie Symington: Awesome! What have you been eating for breakfast, food you cook or do you go out?

[9:04:35 AM] Katie Symington: ;) Thanks buddy.

[9:05:54 AM] Troy Symington: It varies, I've had a couple of croissants for breakfast but for the last two days I had either bread and cheese or bread and butter that we bought at the supermarket.

[9:06:09 AM] Katie Symington: Yum!

[9:06:19 AM] Katie Symington: So did you have more than anthropology today?

[9:07:32 AM] Troy Symington: Yup! We had Italian 2 which is 8 of us sitting in a really, really tiny classroom with a teacher who doesn't speak all that much english and we're not allowed to speak english in the classroom!

[9:07:39 AM] Katie Symington: Uh-oh!

[9:07:52 AM] Katie Symington: Well, that would make you learn it pretty quickly.

[9:08:13 AM] Katie Symington: When you are on the street and in the cafe's, do the Italians speak English to you or do you try to speak Italian?

[9:08:53 AM] Troy Symington: I try to, but I obviously don't speak very well yet. Most of the time they just end up speaking english to us.

[9:09:40 AM] Katie Symington: Well I think it's great that you're trying, keep it up! I'm sure they appreciate you trying to speak it.

[9:09:50 AM] Katie Symington: Any other classes?

[9:10:29 AM] Katie Symington: OK, wait. I have to go into the shower reeeeaaally quickly, so kindly tell me all about the rest of your classes, what you did for the rest of the day, and how your apartment is. I'll be back in 5, okay?

[9:10:50 AM] Troy Symington: Not today, but tomorrow I have History, Italian Life, Culture, & Politics, and another round of Italian 2.

[9:12:00 AM] Katie Symington: gack.

[9:12:14 AM] Katie Symington: Look up and answer the rest of my questions! Be right back!

[9:12:16 AM] Katie Symington: :)

[9:15:25 AM] Katie Symington: Back. Where are my answers? Hey! How do you like the blog? ;)

[9:18:39 AM] Troy Symington: Oh, for some reason I didn't see that text! Well... I finally got the stuff with my cell phone figured out so once I get a text telling me my phone is activated I'll have a workable phone. Then we went back to the apartment and Alec is taking a nap and I think I'll go to bed soon once I have some dinner.

[9:19:16 AM] Katie Symington: Great! What is for dinner?

[9:20:17 AM] Troy Symington: Not a clue! We don't have much that we can cook up ourselves yet so I'll probably walk to the caffe beneath our apartment and get a snack for 1 or 2 euros.

[9:21:30 AM] Katie Symington: Nice. Okay buddy, I'd better scram. Keep uploading photos, I love to look at them, and I'm having fun with your blog. I also love that you are in a lot of the photos! Keep that up! Remember you next to a building is better than just a building. :)

[9:22:32 AM] Troy Symington: Yup yup! Bye, love ya!

[9:22:56 AM] Katie Symington: love you too! bye!