Bits and Pieces

So I realize that my blog posts have become a little less frequent than when I initially started, but I have begun to develop a bit of a routine here and my daily life wouldn't be all that interesting to read about. Today, for instance, I woke up at 8 and went to class from 9-3. (My class schedule MTW until the end of March is pretty rough, although I only have one class Thurs and no class Friday). Three two hour classes in a row with only a little bit of time in between. Afterward I came back to my apartment, went online for a bit and took a nap before my yoga class.

Yes, I am taking a yoga class - with about 4 other girls from BCSP and an assortment of other ERASMUS (exchange) students. My class starts at 6:30 every Monday night and lasts for an hour. It's definitely a lot different than other yoga classes that I have frequented in the states, but I am really enjoying it and I think it takes care of the "stretch and strengthening" exercises I am supposed to do in preparation for the half-marathon that I am scheduled to run at the beginning of May.

You may think I'm crazy for going to Italy and taking on such a task, but without running I would be so lost. It keeps my mind sane and my body healthy. Because trust me, if I wasn't running - despite all of the walking I do - I would come back at least 30 pounds heavier. Plus this way, I can still indulge in the amazing food and not have to worry so much about it. Moreover, running a half-marathon in Italy will be such an amazing experience. I ran my first half this past November in the Outer Banks and the feeling I had when I finally crossed the finish line was indescribable. I ended up with a pretty good time for my first one - 1 HR 52 MIN - although I'm not sure if I will actually be able to beat my time since training here is a bit more difficult, but it would definitely be awesome if I could. We are running the half in Trieste, Italy which is a Northern Coastal city and supposedly gorgeous when the weather is warm. Needless to say I'm pretty stoked.

I have also started volunteering at a middle school teaching English once a week to a classroom full of 12 year-olds. My first class was last week and it surprisingly went extremely well. The students were well-behaved and engaged in the conversations we were having in English. The only down side is that the class starts at 8:00 in the morning, but it is definitely worth it, and I lucked out that the school is maybe a 5-10 minute walk from my apartment, which is nothing. I have also been giving a lot of thought to taking a year off between undergrad and grad school to go teach English abroad in a foreign country and this opportunity will definitely give me a little experience in that field, and open my eyes a little bit to what I would really be getting myself into if I do end up deciding that that is what I want to do.

I can't forget to mention one of my favorite nights here thus far, which actually occurred just this past weekend. Allie's roommates decided to have an "international party" consisting of 5 Americans, 5 Italians, and 5 Spaniards. We were all charged with the task of preparing a few dishes indigenous to our native countries and would then sit down to a grand feast and great camaraderie. And of course, as the designated Americans we decided that it would be inappropriate to cook anything but cheeseburgers and french fries. But let me tell you, the burgers we made were some of the best I have EVER eaten. (Secret ingredient: Rosemary). But everything was fantastic. The Spaniards made tortillas and a traditional rice dish, and the Italians prepared a pasta with speck (a type of prosciutto), onions, and lettuce in a light cream sauce in addition to a large plate of fresh cheese and salami. It was so much fun. We even made sure to seat ourselves so that everyone would find themselves amidst mixed company with the one uniting factor that we could all speak Italian. That feeling of hospitality and comfort in the presence of good food and friends is irreplaceable.

That's one thing that I have found about the Italian culture that I really wish could carry back over to United States when I go back. The food is unrivaled by most in terms of taste, but it isn't just the eating that really defines Italian cuisine. A meal is more than just food. It's about family, friends, companionship, and the "experience" of the meal. You don't sit down for a mere 20 minutes and gulf down everything on your plate. You savor every bite and every moment of conversation with the people you are with - a process that often endures for 2 hours or more with at least 2 courses and of course followed by a caffè. When I went to Allie's apartment, we started dinner at 10 and I didn't make it home until 2. Needless to say it was a magical night, and the type of tradition I hope to absorb into my own life.

I will leave you with a group shot of all of the BCSP Spring 2011 students taken when we took our day trip to Ravenna.

Front and center - Allie and I of course! ;]

Traversing the Medici Waters: A Weekend in Firenze

Last weekend I made my first overnight trip outside of Bologna. UNC has a pretty big study abroad program located in Firenze (Florence for all of you English speakers ;]) and one of the girls I play club soccer with is spending the semester there and she invited me to spend the weekend there with her - not to mention that Firenze is the capital of some of the most amazing pieces of art ever created. I was originally planning on taking the train out with some of my friends from Bologna, but everyone's plans ended up getting a bit crazy so I ended up flying solo, and caught a train around noon on Friday headed south to Firenze.

It only costs 6,95 for a one way trip to Firenze on the slow train, which includes a transfer in Prato and takes about an hour and a half to two hours, but I didn't mind at all. As hard as I tried to do my grammar homework and get some reading done for my Italian literature class, I just couldn't help but stare out the window at the beautiful Italian country side for almost the entire train ride.

I arrived and met my friend Shannon across the street from the train station and we hardly skipped a beat. To preface, Shannon and I haven't really spent much time together outside of soccer practice, games, and tournaments, so up until then we hadn't gotten many opportunities to really get to know each other extremely well. However, in less than a day it felt like we had already become best friends.

Shannon took me back to her apartment where I was able to drop off my bags - which was only a backpack - and we proceeded to begin exploring Firenze. We wandered through the city and saw La Piazza della Repubblica, il Centro Mercato, and La Basilica di Santa Croce where lucky for me, there was a chocolate festival well underway with some of the most delicious chocolate I have ever tasted in my life. I ate more chocolate in one sitting than I would probably normally eat in a week. But it was SO good. We also went to see Il Duomo (also known as La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), which I had heard was pretty amazing, but it nonetheless took my breath away the moment I laid eyes on it. I have never seen another building quite like it. It was hard to stop staring at it because it was just THAT magnificent and absolutely gorgeous. We also made our way to Ponte Vecchio which was probably one of favorite places I saw during my time in Firenze. The bridge itself was aesthetically pleasant in every way. It also offered a stunning view of the Arno River and I definitely went a little picture-crazy. Afterward we headed to one of Shannon's friends apartments to eat a late dinner of yummy pasta with ragu sauce, bread, and vino - the perfect end to an exhaustingly wonderful day. The kind of day where it just feels good to be tired. It was also kind of funny because while we were hanging out with some of Shannon's friends, after spending a mere 7-8 hours with this girl (the first time that a soccer ball wasn't involved), someone asked us if we were besties from home, to which we responded by looking at each other with the mutual understanding that the answer was a yes/no, it's complicated but we're such good friends now kind of thing that we couldn't help but laugh.


Il Duomo


Piazza della Repubblica


La Basilica di Santa Croce


Chocolate Festival!


Me in front of Ponte Vecchio


Ponte Vecchio

We ended up hitting the sack pretty late, so we slept until about 10 or 11 the next day and went for a run around Firenze (no big deal). Some of my friends think I'm crazy for how much I like to run, but they haven't met this girl yet. In Bologna, the only places that it is really acceptable and possible to run are in parks so it was a really refreshing change to be able to run around a city instead of having to count laps. Running is one of the best ways to truly get to know a place, and the scenes were gorgeous. I was practically gawking at everything we passed, especially when we were running by the River. And Shannon was nice enough to slow down for me since I was too busy looking at everything except where I was going and way too preoccupied to even think about how fast I was running. After a nice 5-miler we showered and grabbed some lunch at one of Shannon's favorite make-your-own panino places and proceeded to continue our exploration of the city together. And we of course had to stop by the chocolate festival once again to double dip. We first headed across the River to the Piazza di Michelangelo, which is somewhat of a hike, but the view is totally worth every step. One who traverses this piazza is treated to a breathtaking skyline view of Firenze - and I thought I had gotten picture-happy when we went to Ponte Vecchio. It was indescribably beautiful and refreshing with the same sensation one feels after reaching a desired destination after a long and difficult journey. We spent a good chunk of the afternoon at the piazza, and then headed back across the river where we met up with another girl to visit La Galleria dell'Academia, the home of the David. L'Acadamia is home to a variety of other works of art from the Renaissance era, but the David is by far its most highly sought out attraction, and for good reason. Not only is the actual statue huge - much larger than I would have ever expected, but it is glowing with artistic perfection. One can't help but to just sit and stare at it. Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed - as if they would ever be able to capture its entire essence anyway - but getting to see such a renowned and historically significant statue not only took my breath away, but it kind of it me that WOW, I am in ITALY. It gave me chills and instilled in me a sense of appreciation and wonder that I had yet to experience. We wandered a little more around the city, bought some postcards, and headed out to a bar/caffe for one of the biggest arrays of apperitivi I have yet to find thus far. Dinner was wonderful, and afterward we met up with some of Shannon's friends and went out for a bit.


View from Piazza di Michelangelo


Me and Shannon, and oh hey there's Firenze in the background!



I departed the next day around noon to catch a train back to Bologna. I was sad to leave, especially after me and Shannon had rapidly become such good friends and I still felt like there was a lot of Firenze that I had yet to see, but at the same time, it felt good to get back to Bologna, to home. I'm definitely going to try to make a trip back to Firenze at some point - especially since round-trip train tickets cost a mere 15 euro - but I must say that there is something about Bologna that truly made me miss it while I was gone. I dont know if it was just because it was my first time out of the city for an extended period of time, but I am in love with it. It is familiar, it is a temporary home, and it is mine. And that is a great feeling to have.

Ravenna: The Rhinestone of Italia

I have officially been living in Bologna for a little over a month now. I have a home, my classes are in full swing, and I have begun to develop somewhat of a daily routine. Amidst my time here which has been spent attending class, running in the park, eating, walking through the market on the weekends, frequenting Bar Impero, eating, and other various activities, I have been lucky enough to be able to venture a bit more "fuori la mura" or outside of the wall.

In Bologna, there is a geographically defined area in which the historical center of the city is bordered by a wall and often referred to when giving or receiving directions. However, the wall doesn't actually exist anymore. There are scattered remnants of this communist artifact at various ports surrounding the historical center of the city, but to a person unfamiliar with Bologna, it would be possible to wander in and outside of the historical center without knowing it ever existed.

Two days after my first trip to Parma, I went on another day trip to Ravenna - but this time it was organized by my program, and everyone in BCSP was along for the ride. Ravenna is about an hour and a half away by train and located South-east of Bologna on the eastern coast of the Italian peninsula. We were blessed with great weather, and it was beautiful. We were greeted by Palm Trees and cobble-stones (which are literally everywhere) and accompanied by a BCSP professor who would be our mini-tour guide as we were led in and out of various churches and buildings throughout the city. Ravenna is known for its mosaics - which are historically significant in that they represent a mesh of cultural influences on art during the Renaissance period. I may not be much of an art-history buff, but they were unlike anything I have ever seen before. They covered the ceilings, the walls, and the floors depicting biblical scenes and intricate designs with almost every color imaginable. The specks of gold dotted throughout made them appear as if they were endlessly shimmering like a million tiny little rhinestones.


La Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo


Inside La Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo


Inside La Basilica di San Vitale


Close-up of some of the mosaics, however the pictures don't even begin to do them justice...




La Basilica di San Vitale

In addition to the mosaics we were also able to visit the tomb of the founder of the Italian language himself - the notable Dante Alghieri. After learning so much about how he influenced Italian, it was a bit surreal knowing that I was standing in the place of his burial. And as is to be expected from every BCSP outing, we were treated to a delicious two-course Italian lunch followed by hot chocolate at a nearby caffe. And let me tell you, the Italians don't mess around when it comes to hot chocolate. It is wonderfully thick, rich, and creamy, and is more melted chocolate than an actual drink. Afterwards, we wandered around a bit by ourselves before meeting back at the train station to head back to Bologna. In May, BCSP is taking us on an overnight trip to Toscana (Tuscany) and after a great day spent in Ravenna, I can't wait to see what is in store for us!


La Tomba di Dante


Il Centro in Ravenna

Parma, as in Parmigiano

Yesterday myself and five of my friends decided to take a day trip to Parma, which is a city located Northwest of Bologna about an hour away by train. I met my friend Alexa before we had to catch our train at 11:26 for a traditional Italian breakfast consisting of cappuccino and brioche, and was ready to make my first voyage outside of Bologna.









It was a beautiful day for a day trip. In fact, we had tried to organize this trip Sunday but when we arrived at the train station we discovered that our train had been canceled because there was a strike that day. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it was snowing and freezing cold. Despite the sun being out, the weather was still pretty cold when we finally made it to Parma, but was certainly preferable to snow and ice. When we arrived we walked around for a while, taking pictures and planning out what we wanted to do for the rest of the day. At the top of our list was finding a restaurant and eating a huge lunch of all foods indigenous to Parma. After perusing a few museums, we finally stumbled into a restaurant called Tonic. Don't let the name deceive you. We were at first hesitant because the name of the place would suggest that it would be anything but authentic. However, when we went in to check the place out, we were greeted by a warm and cozy atmosphere, and a menu that could be rivaled by none of the other restaurants we had passed on the way. So, we decided to try it. We honestly couldn't have made a better decision. Our waiter was immediately friendly and hospitable, offering us an assortment of appetizers consisting of Crudo di Parma (Prosciutto), Parmesan cheese, two types of polenta, and a bottle of the house wine. It was out of this world.



Following this were lunch portions of fettucini, tagliatelli, risotto, and the works. We ate until we were beyond full. But it was SO worth every bite. The service was outstanding and our waiter had treated us like family. We found out later that it was supposedly one of the most happening hang-out places at night (which would explain the name) and after conversing with the owners of the place for a few minutes, finally departed - only 2 hours later.

We proceeded to check out some of the city's most renowned sites including "Il Duomo" and "Il Battistero." But not before wandering into a store that sold authentic Proscuitto and Parmesan. And you bet I came home with a large chunk of Parmesan cheese that will probably last me for the rest of my time here. (Don't worry, the woman who sold it to us informed us that it wouldn't go bad for 3-4 months).


Il Battistero


Il Duomo


The Inside of Il Duomo






The Duomo was beautiful, especially the inside. However, it was quite interesting because, in order to turn the lights on that would illuminate the extraordinarily and intricately painted ceilings, you had to pay one euro - which would then only guarantee you a minute of light. But it was without a doubt worth every second. The rest of our time in Parma was spent wandering around and taking in the beauties of the city.

Compared to Bologna, Parma is cute and has a sprightly feel if you will. It was much cleaner, smaller, and less-populated. A lot of the architecture resembled certain parts of Bologna, but I was having a hard time trying to describe in my head what exactly it had that Bologna didn't, and what exactly Bologna had that Parma didn't. Bologna is bigger and dirtier, and it has a completely different feel. There are more students, and more graffiti. The lifestyle in Bologna is just ... different. When having this conversation with one of my friends I commented that it felt like nothing bad could ever happen in Parma. Not that Bologna isn't an extremely safe city, because it certainly is, but it is definitely still evident that it is in fact, a city. However, I would go back to Parma in a heart-beat. Everything was gorgeous, and everyone that we met was uncharacteristically generous.

Nonetheless, it was nice to get out and see another speck of the beautiful country of Italy. On the train ride home we all agreed that it had been a perfect "giro" and a perfect day.

Minor Details

This may seem a bit obvious, but living in a foreign country truly teaches you to appreciate things that you may have otherwise taken for granted. In fact, I have realized that many aspects of my life back at home have become so second-nature, that I barely even think about them. For instance - the luxury of having a dishwasher and/or a dryer. These machines seemed naturally integral to any household, no matter how rich or poor. And yet they are nearly non-existent in Italy. However, these types of things have been some of the easiest to adjust to (shocker, I know). My roommates probably have the idea that I have been washing dishes by hand and air-drying all of my clothes my entire life. The idea of a microwave is alien, and God forbid you ever walk around the house - or anywhere for that matter - without some type of shoes on (no, socks don't count). If you plan on shopping during the hours of 1-4, be prepared to find your favorite store closed on any normal day for "la pausa," and wait, what exactly is tap water again? Tipping and sales tax are ludicrous - as is peanut butter - but opening your umbrella every 200 yards to cover your hair from the rain for the mere 15 steps you have to take to reach the next portico where you will undoubtedly remain dry for the next 200 yards is a perfectly acceptable practice.

Both strange and often comical, these tiny details of daily life here have brought to light a recognition for the way in which I have lived my own life for the past 20 years. Not to mention that paying attention to details becomes increasingly important when understanding the spoken language remains a task in itself. And though these things may be miniscule, they are equally significant. After all, it is often the little things in life that prove to be the most important. And despite all of these tiny, albeit innumerable adjustments, the thing I have found the most difficult has been the sense of being without a true home. Having a space to keep all of my personal belongings that doesn't involve a cloth box with zippers and wheels. I've missed familiarity. I've missed home. Before coming here, I was never really confronted with a genuine sense of homesickness. These were emotions I never really expected to encounter, but nonetheless did for the first time in my entire life. However, I am surprised every day by how much better I have been feeling about everything. About myself - my confidence, my new apartment, my roommates. In fact, I have finally gotten settled into what will be MY room until the end of June. I met my new roommate a few days ago and I really think we are going to get along great. I'm definitely optimistic about the future.

On Monday of this week, our classes at the University of Bologna also began. As of now I am taking a Contemporary Italian Literature class in addition to the History of Emilia-Romagna (which is the region in which Bologna is located). Through my BCSP program I will be taking an Italian political history class in addition to a mandatory grammar class, but those don't start for another week or two. Attending lectures Italian-style is truly an experience. The classes are longer, and the lessons are much less structured and organized. Essentially, the professor has the freedom and discretion to say and talk about whatever he or she deems appropriate. And everything is fair game. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I have been able to understand, but it will nonetheless take some getting used to. Punctuality is yet another American custom that seems to be lost on the Italians. Class may be scheduled to commence promptly at 9:00, but it is highly unlikely that even the professor will show up before 9:15. Suffice it to say the hours are a bit more "flexible" here.

But then again, would you expect anything else from a culture that prides itself on the art of enjoyment?