A Study Abroad, or, the Time I Got Sun Poisoning

Almost exactly two years ago I had the opportunity to study in Florence at SACI for their four week summer program (thanks paternal grandfather!). It was overwhelming. Mostly because there is so much to see and do in Italy and very little time, seeing as how the shorter of my two classes was a mere seven hours (don't be impressed, these were art classes people, mostly studio time to do your work).

I stayed here:we stayed on the third floor

Literally across the street from this:
the Duomo

It was our living room view. Amazing, no? I wasn't even that bothered by the bells that rang (and because of the proximity practically vibrated the apartment) every half hour.

On a free weekend my roommates and I took the train to visit here:
Cinque Terra

We spent the day hanging out on the beach (not so much a beach as large uncomfortable rocks), walking around town, and naturally, eating.

Being such a fair skinned person, one who burns after ten minutes outside, I put on a ton of sunscreen. SPF 45 all the way. Turns out, that the sun in the mediterranean is a whole lot different then the sun in Seattle, or even California (where the summers of my youth were spent). As we took the train back to Florence I was feeling burned, but nothing that hasn't happened to me before.

When I woke up to my alarm the next day (waking me to make it to the Uffizi early) I felt nothing but pain. My whole body was visibly swollen.

Swollen from sunburn.

I am talking bright bright neon lobster red here. It was bad. Real bad. I barely managed to hobble to the bathroom, and sitting down to pee was even more challenging, for if it's one thing sunburned skin doesn't like, it's bending.

Anyways, I make it on the toilet and do my thing. All the while the pain is getting worse and my eyes are having trouble focusing.

I stand up and next thing I know I am opening my eyes again, only this time I am on the floor, pants around my ankles. I didn't even get a chance to pull my pants up before I passed out.

Simply brilliant.

Needless to say I never made it to the Uffizi that day. I was also shortly covered in blisters everywhere but my face (for some reason this is the only place the sunscreen actually protected from the sun). Five days after this incident was when I returned home. I have to say, there is little in my life that has made me feel more gross then taking four flights over a span of 24 hours (and spending the night on the floor of JFK during a layover) with skin that is peeling off in sheets.

Note to self: When in the mediterranean, you must reapply sunscreen. Constantly.