Sabato, 22 Aprile (Saturday)

After breakfast in our hotel, we had a guided tour of the Accademia, home of Michelangelo's masterpieces, David and The Prisoners. This was followed by a walking tour of the city's major attractions.

We had time for lunch and shopping in Florence (and, of course, gelato) and returned to our hotel to change into concert attire.

We ended our final day with an evening performance at Chiesa di San Fillipo Neri, a farewell dinner at Zio Gigi's and a walk to the Ponte Vecchio.

Buongiorno! This was our last night in Italy :( but it was by far one of the best days we've had yet. We saw Michelangelo's David which was so cool. During our free time today, Emily, Molly, Nina, and I had some authentic Italian panini for lunch, and of course, gelato from my favorite gelateria, Perque No?(I highly recommend if anyone plans on traveling to Florence anytime soon). Florence is absolutely gorgeous, so our departure tomorrow will be quite sad. There were lots of tears shed after our final performance today, and I'm so grateful to my parents, Lyrics, and to Ms. Werlin for making this whole trip possible. As a senior, this has been the best part of my high school experience and with so many of my best friends. I can't wait to come home (actually I can because Italy is the best!) and share everything about this incredible trip. See ya soon America.

-Katherine

I think this is the last blog from this trip. Why???? Tonight has been the greatest night ever: so lit and the party hasn't stopped yet. The day started out so unassuming. We went to the Accademia which I thought would be super boring because I'm terrible at appreciating visual art and I'm not a museum person but our tour turned out to be not just of the Accademia but also really cool historical landmarks and stuff. We saw David and then ventured outside the museum to see the old de Medici palace and some cool churches and other statues. I actually really enjoyed it, learned a lot, and our tour guide was part of the CT squad!! It was a nice way to wake up. Then, with our 3 hours of free time, we proceeded to blow the rest of our euros on lunch, gelato, and final souvenirs. With everything crossed off our list, it was concert time! The church: beautiful. My feet: hurting. The concert: not our best but still totally amazing. Fast forward through an hour of free time in which we sat outside in the cold wind huddling for warmth so we can get to the best part: dinner!! We filled the restaurant with song the entire time. I never wanted to leave. The owner of the place sang with us and DUDE he was good! Many toasts made, some tears shed. It's in these moments when you live for right then and you're filled with joy and a sense of belonging that you realize that these are the people who made the last 2 years of your life amazing. I never want to leave Italy. The walk back to the hotel was popping. We cranked that aux cord and danced all the way back. Am I tired? No where close! My birthday is in less than an hour so you know I'm staying up to party it in properly. All in all today was the littest, we don't turn down for anything, I never want to leave, best last day of being a technical child ever.

SUMNER

OUT

WOOO!

At the end of "The Road Home," there is a lyric saying "there is no such beauty as where you belong." Until this tour, I thought that the song was about the search for home and belonging, that these things were waiting somewhere that we had to find them. But I was wrong. Belonging is something that you can create. That is what we did. We didn't find Lyrics, we built it. We built it with blood, sweat, and quartets. We built it with late-night sectionals and MusicProdigy assignments and Friday jokes and singing Journey songs on buses and with every single hug and kind word shared among us. That is a remarkable thing, that you have the freedom to build your own belonging whether you're a singer or a teacher or a cross-country skiier. Not a single one of us was destined to find this group, this tour, or one another, but every time we sing I can tell you with an unshakable certainty that we do belong together. Michael

I am Cal. Today in Florence I got harassed by 3 street hagglers. The 1st asked me where I was from. I told him I was from Kenya and he said he was from there too. Then I told him I lied and that I was from China. Then I told him I lied again and said I was from America. Then I told him I had no money and he left me. I felt offended. After another haggler who I saw the day before confronted me. There is a backstory to this. He put a bracelet on me and said we were family, and when I didn't give him money he took the bracelet away from me. This hurt my feelings. So today when he wanted to talk to me again, I reminded him of what occurred the day before. I told him that we were not family and then left. The third haggler gave me a high five and held onto my hand. I took this as a sign he wanted to walk with me, so I asked him if he wanted to walk and hold hands with me. He didn't want to. Afterwards I walked around the city and then bought a street painting. Then I had gelato which my friend Sam paid for. Then after we had a concert and everyone got emotional again. This time I felt a little sad because Italy was almost over. But I was happy that Italy happened. Then after we climbed up a church, and the church had very amazing views. Then we ate dinner and sang a lot. Then we walked around Florence and went to a big bridge, and the views looked very amazing at night. Then I started to feel sad because I would miss the seniors leaving. Now I'm at the hotel writing my post. I need to pack now. Goodnight.

Day seven we got our final toast from Devon,

Today Tanner and Sydney woke up bright and early excited to see the infamous statue of David. According to their tour guide (Sasha) a long time some gentleman decided it would be a good idea to climb the statue and carve the letters M and N into the David’s calf. After feeling a special connection with the David, Tanner and Sydney now decided it was only fitting to get these letters tattooed on their calves to match their new homie. They then had lunch at a fine dining facility. Tanner tried gnocchi for the first time and was delighted with the little pasta pillows. Sydney’s ravioli was scrum-didily-umptious. The group then walked around Venice for a wee bit of time before heading back to the hotel to get ready for their final concert. Though the varsity singers were happy, they were still in tears at the end of the performance.

We then had 45 minutes of free time before dinner, during which Tanner climbed the 400 steps of the clock tower in dress shoes (something he does not recommend) and Sydney sat in an ice cream shop and ate some delicious cannolis. At dinner there was quite a bit of singing, including a few collaborations with the chef. After this exciting meal, the crew went out for one last trip to the Ponte Vecchio (the cool bridge in Florence with like houses and stuff on the side). There were two men at the apex of the bridge performing beautiful cover songs. Tanner was already feeling all the emotions, and when he heard the duo strum the first chord of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love", he couldn't handle it and joined everyone else in the crying fest. The group comforted each other before the long trek back to the hotel. Sydney enjoyed the ample thinking time the long walk back to the hotel provided. The group then went to bed to prepare for the early morning of their final day in Italy, they day they left. Ciao for today!

Love Tanner and Sydney <3

P.S. If you've ever wanted to know what it feels like to be in a movie, go to the Ponte Vecchio with a bunch of people you love and listen to a band do covers of beautiful songs.