A Run in with the Italian Law....

I have recently realized that I really only have about 9 days left in this wonderful city. Therefore I have spending most of my time outside, walking around and just taking in the general culture. Since I am outside I don’t really have time to blog, but Lou-Lou has informed me that that is not acceptable. So here is my weekend blog! Note – nothing really happens on Monday-Thursday because I have class from 9 to 3 and I am a dedicated student who does not go out on those nights :).

Thursday afternoon a group of us went to the Perugina Chocolate factory. They are sort of owned by Nestle (ew) but the big corporation allowed the Italian company to keep their recipes, secrets and integrity which is nice. We watched a 15 minute video on the factory which started in Perugia. We then toured the museum where we got to see a replica of the Guinness Book of World Records holder for the largest chocolate candy. We then went upstairs to get a tour of the factory. Waiting up there was a bar full of free chocolate. People were stuffing the candies into their bags and pockets. It was actually really nerve-racking. I gave up and just walked out of the crowd. We then did a run through of the factory which was half closed because they don’t make chocolate in the summer (Weird). We finished the tour and went back to Perugia.

Friday we went to the beach in Ancona. Half of us (including me) missed the train due to a run in with the Italian law….but we managed to work it out so that we could still get to the beach. We had to take a train, then a bus, then another train. Luckily for us, we arrived at the beach the same time as the group who had caught the right train because they got lost for two hours trying to find a beach. It took us 7 hours of travel time when it was originally supposed to only take 4. Caitlin and I purchased our tickets later in the day than the rest of the group and the train they were on was full by the time we got our tickets. So we decided to take a later train and just stay on the beach. We were able to stay from 1 to 6 and then we got a nice dinner and then we caught our train at 7:40. We stayed on that train for 2 hours and then switched to another train back to Perugia. We met a girl from New Zealand who was going to Perugia as well. She is originally American but has lived in NZ for 5 years. Now she is going across all of Europe and is working on farms for a living. If I was capable of giving up everything and everyone at home, I think I would really like to do that. She was really cool. Caitlin and I successfully made it back to our apartment by 11. We were so proud of ourselves for making it through the rest of the day alone without any complications.

Saturday Whitney and I got up and took a walk around the city. She took me to the place where there was a large Italian party a few days before. We realized that there was going to be an eco-friendly fair later that day in that location so we went back to the apartment for lunch. Tara was ready to go by that time so all three of us went back to the fair and walked around. They had some really cool stuff including some wallets that were made out of recycled tapes and floppy disks. We then headed back to the apartment. Whitney and I decided to stay in for dinner instead of going to some of the other people’s apartment. She did my makeup, because my hair was curly from being braided. We went out for a walk for some coffee and gelato. We managed to get really lost and were walking along a sketch road down below the city’s center. Somehow we came out on the road right beside our apartment. It was kind of hilarious in a “we might be kidnapped on the road and I’m glad we’re alive now” sort of way.

And that is all that has happened so far. I really need to catch up on my school blogs so I am staying in today. I think we are going out for dinner tonight. But other than that it is a lazy Sunday.

Lazy Weekend

This weekend there was a festival going on in Perugia. It was also the first weekend that we got to stay in Perugia, so we didn’t really know what to expect. Class ends on Thursday here so we had 3 days of vacation time to enjoy. Friday we went out shopping around town. We looked at all the shops set up down the streets and I purchased something for Becca. I also went and bought some makeup because I was really missing my red lip stain. That night we went out and listened to some of the free concerts going on. We first listened to a female singer who took on the beginning of Bohemian Rhapsody. I was distraught that she didn’t finish the whole song. We then walked up to the next stage where this ADORABLE band was playing. The lead singer looked like an older Jonas. They were wearing scarfs and they played kazoos in some of the songs. Tara bought one of their CD’s. We then went dancing but left around midnight to go to bed. Saturday we walked around the shops again. Caitlin and I stayed home that evening in order sweep and mop the apartment. The others went out for gelato. Sunday we went for a walk outside of the ancient city walls. Perugia is actually a lot larger than I thought it was. We walked back and just relaxed for a while. Whitney cooked dinner for me and I made her a rosemary grilled cheese sandwich. We bought this bread in the market and it was absolutely delicious. Then we went out with Hannah, Samantha and Cedric to get gelato. Caitlin and I sprung for the waffle cone. I had riso which means rice. It is my favorite gelato. I mix it with flowermilk flavored (which is like a really sweet vanilla). It is so good. I get it every time we go to that particular gelataria.  We sat on the steps for a little while but then went back to the apartment to go to sleep. After I was already in my bed, Caitlin got a call from some of the people in our Italian class who wanted to hang out on the steps (which is the popular spot to hang out. There is always some group of people on the steps. It’s actually a bit ridiculous). So we went out and sat on the steps for about an hour with them. I got my Italian midterm back today…made an A. Not exactly sure how that happened other than the grace of God, but that is it.

Karaoke and other Perugian Shenanigans

So Monday was Caitlin's 20th birthday! I took her out for birthday gelato at lunch time and Whitney cooked her dinner. Tara bought her this extremely delicious cannoli. But the real party came when we went to Merlin’s. It is this Irish pub in Perugia that has Karaoke on Monday nights. We showed up and there was no one there. Therefore we had no reason to be embarrassed. Courtney and Samantha started the evening off with some Spice Girls. Then they moved onto "Don't Stop Believing." I sang one song with Whitney; "Dance with Somebody" by Whitney Houston. We finished the evening singing a song called "Boom Boom Boom" that I have never heard of before in my life. There is a video of this musical magic on facebook if anyone cares to watch it. I am not sure I understand the appeal of Karaoke. But I do believe that Caitlin enjoyed herself so that is all that matters.

Yesterday (Wednesday) we went to Assisi. It was pouring rain and we had to take the bus. It was really loud and the Italian youth were yelling about how we were all Americans. Our tour guide was the best one yet. His name was Marco. He was really invested in getting to know us and using our majors and personalities to connect what we were seeing so that it would be interesting to everyone. He kept calling me his Dear Emily. It made me really happy. :) We toured the Basilica Papale di San Francesco. It was the first time that I remember hearing the theology of Saint Francis. Even though I am not a Franciscan monk I still went down to the location where his tomb was to pray. It was a really moving moment. I felt a calm wave move over me during the time I was down there. Something else that was really cool was near his tomb people place photos of their family members in the hopes that St. Francis will protect them in both this life and that after. Also if you wanted to give a donation you could take a candle and put it in a pile in front of the tomb. Eventually that candle would be one of the six burning on the alter in front of his tomb. Because of a train strike we did not have as much time as we thought we would in the city so we only got to see that particular Basilica.

This weekend I probably won’t have internet because my apartment has lost its connection. So just know that I am staying in Perugia this weekend. We are thinking about going to the open market on Saturday but that is about it. Honestly I am a bit travelled out. I am looking forward to getting a few good nights of rest. The one thing about America that I miss is the clothes dryers. My clothes are so big on me now because they haven’t been shrunk in the dryer! It’s slightly infuriating. I foresee the purchase of a belt in my future. Also I had my Italian midterm this morning. Italian will surely be the death of me. This is what I know so far: Mi chiamo Emily. Io sono Americana. Sono di north Carolina. And that is it. I am pretty sure that the stuff we are learning now I did not even think about until my second year of French. Leggare, mangere, dormire, etc. all these verbs that we had to know how to conjugate. It was torture. But I keep thinking that I don’t have to transfer these credits and all is well in the world again. Until next time dear reader!

Florence: Like Where's Waldo but for the Jersey Shore Cast

This is going to be a run through of my weekend shenanigans in Florence. Thursday we left Perugia after class and got on the train to Florence. When we arrived we walked to our hotel. We got a little turned around with our directions so two girls from our group went on ahead to look for it. On their way they had the best of luck. They saw Jwow and Deena from Jersey Shore...they were so excited! We got settled in our hotel finally and then went to find dinner. We had Chinese food. It was different. I had plain rice (that was sticky!) and cashew chicken. The chicken kind of tasted like plastic. But it was an interesting experience none the less.  We went back to the hotel and tried to go sleep. In Italy it is pretty common that living spaces don't have air conditioning because the windows are always open and the walls are thick that they keep things cool. Well, our hotel room was burning hot and with four girls sleeping there is was impossible to shut the windows. That probably wasn’t the best idea because our windows faced the main street and the people of Florence decided to have construction projects at two in the morning.

Friday, we got up early, after having gotten the worst night’s sleep. Tara was the only one who can sleep through anything so the other three of us woke up tired and cranky. But it was Whitney's 21st birthday so we knew things had to turn around. We started the day at the Bargello Museum where we saw Donatello's David and other works by Ghiberti and Brunelleschi (we weren't allowed to take pictures). Our tour guide was an art history scholar so it was interesting to hear all she knew, however because of my lack of sleep, I was becoming annoyed at how long winded she was. Then it was off to the Uffizi Gallery where we saw more art by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, etc. I got to see the “Birth of Venus” in the flesh. I made a really happy squeal when I walked in the room where it was displayed. After lunch (ricotta cheese and lettuce Panini) and wandering around we went to Brancacci Chapel where most of us fell asleep during the video. This is where Masaccio’s “The expulsion from the Garden of Eden” and “The temptation” are. These are some of the most emotional pieces I’ve seen. After our tour, we finished the day at the Santa Maria Novella and saw more works by Giotto and Brunelleschi. After our long day of walking around we went back to the hotel to take a nap before going out for Whitney's birthday dinner. We ate a nice dinner and then went out on the town. We found a club where we could dance. It was so much fun. Six of us girls just dancing like crazy together! The DJ did not play a single song that was released after 2005. But it was awesome because it was a blast from the past and we knew all of the words. We slept much better that night after finding the air conditioning and closing the windows.

Saturday, we got up early again to race over to the Accademia Gallery to see the long awaited Michelangelo's David. We had talked about it and seen pictures in class early that week but to actually see it in person was absolutely amazing! It was surreal to see it in person. It is so large! The museum has installed sensors on the leg because it is starting to crack under the weight. Also we noticed that there were letters carved into his calf. I think they were M.L. I need to look into the meaning of that. Too bad we couldn't take pictures of that beautiful sculpture. Our group then went over to the Medici Chapel. There was a church that has the tombs of 6 of the Medici family members. It was really ornate. After that we had lunch and then went into the Duomo and its Cathedral Museum. It was a bit disappointing because we were supposed to see the original gates of paradise but they were being restored. We ended the day with the San Marco and then dinner. That night we went out and met Whitney’s neighbor who is in the army. He has been stationed in Italy for 2 years. I am constantly amazed at how small the world is.

Sunday we checked out of the hotel and then went over to the Galileo Science Museum. It was fascinating. I enjoyed seeing all the different celestial and terrestrial globes that they had. I decided that when I am older and have the money to purchase superfluous things I want a gyroscope and a pocket watch. The museum provided a lot of interesting artifacts and gadgets that they used. There was a lot of stuff to learn! Then we had free time for the rest of the day before the train home. So me and some girls walked around the market for a while and then went to lunch at the pizzeria where we were informed that the Jersey Shore cast works. The pizza was cooked in a brick oven and it was delicious. We got on the train shortly after that. It started to hail and the train went sideways at one point and stopped. It was really scary. I kept saying that the dementors were going to get on the train and suck our souls out. And that, dear reader is Florence in a nut shell.

This weekend we left for Rome. We left on Thursday night on the train. I think it was the first time I’ve ever ridden on a train. We arrived at the terminal and it was like a shopping mall. We had drivers come and pick us up to take us to the apartment we were staying in. We called it an apartment, the landlady called it a dorm, but it might have been a hostel because all 10 of us students were in the same section with 4 different rooms, 2 bathrooms, and a small kitchen. By the time we got settled it was 10:00 and we walked across the street to eat dinner. The landlady set it up so that we could all eat there that late. I had spaghetti. It was pretty good but I was very thankful to get to bed that evening. The train ride took about 2 and a half hours and we had a long day of classes before that. The bed was hard as a rock yet it was surprisingly comfortable.



Me at the Pantheon



Friday we got up early and headed over to the Vatican so we could know where to meet up later in the afternoon. Afterwards we went to breakfast. I had a muffin and fruit. We had free time until 2:00 so we walked over to the Pantheon. It took us a while to find it but it was worth the walk. It was beautiful! We went inside and saw the tombs of the first two kings of Italy and of Raphael.

"Laocoon and Sons" in the Vatican Museum

Then we grabbed lunch and met back at the Vatican. Our group had a tour of the Vatican museum which included the famous "School of Athens" by Raphael and the Sistine Chapel. I was so excited to see some of the sculptures. It is absolutely stunning! No words can express the magnificent art there. I was a bit worried about seeing the Sistine Chapel because I thought that it would be an eye sore after the restoration. All of the photographs have been so bright and it does not fit into the original ideal I had set up for Michelangelo. I was very pleased when I walked in to see that was a misconception. Since it was so high up the light didn’t really hit it like it would have in the pictures. I could not take my eyes off the creation of Adam and the creation of Eve. I wish we would have had more time in there. I could not speak for at least 10 minutes after because I was in such awe of it. The only disappointing thing about the Sistine Chapel is that you can't take pictures of it and people were talking--which you're not supposed to do! After ou

Me at the Trevi Fountain

r tour we had dinner. Then all of us did the Rick Steve’s walking tour of Rome to see all of the sights. We walked to the Piazza Navona which is the location of Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers and then back past the Pantheon. Then we walked to the Trevi Fountain which was beautiful. I threw a coin in over my shoulder and made a wish!! Finally, we walked to the Spanish Steps where we thought we would take the metro back to our apartment but it was closed. So we just took a taxi back which was an unplanned adventure…haha. It is estimated that we walked at least 10 miles that day. 

Saturday we got up early again and took taxis to the Villa Borghese museum which I have not heard of before (at least in my recollection). It was in the mansion of a "nephew" of one of the popes. The nephews were actually sons of the popes and it is where we get the world nepotism according to our tour guide Elizabetta the previous day. This particular nephew commissioned art and so a lot of the art he had asked to be made was in the house. There were nice tiled patterns on the floor, fresco on the ceilings, paintings hanging on the walls, and statues everywhere. He was a patron of Bernini so the majority of the sculptures are by him. They were absolutely amazing. I have honestly never seen anything more beautiful in my life. I was glad that I took mythology in high school because I was able to walk through the museum and tell my classmates about the stories behind the statues. The one of the Rape of Persephone was amazing. The details! You could see the indentions of Hades fingers in her thigh and a tear on her cheek. I also appreciated the detail in the sculpture of Apollo and Diana. After the museum we walked back to the Spanish Steps, had a quick lunch, and got extremely lost trying to take the metro back to the Vatican to meet up with another tour guide named Isabella. She took us into St. Peter's Basilica. It was so stunning. I was awe-struck. I can imagine what it would have been like for a Catholic to see it. But Michelangelo’s Pieta was in there as well and I squealed. It was behind glass though because a crazy guy came in and chipped of one of Jesus’s toes and Mary’s nose. So that was a bit disappointing.  Afterwards, our professors took our group out to an Italian restaurant for a 4 course meal. The dinner for everyone else included: bruschetta and meat, then Carbonara pasta, next salad, lamb, and pork chop. However I had bruschetta, tomato pasta and grilled veggies because I don’t eat pork products. Dessert was tiramisu! Delicious!!! It was another great day--of course, throbbing feet again.

Sunday we got to sleep in a little because there was nothing planned until the train back. So we took the metro to go see the Colosseum. Awesome!!!!!!!!!!! We had breakfast at a cafe looking at the Colosseum. We got tickets to go inside too which was pretty cool! Then we walked around the Forum, which are the ruins of the old part of Roma. It was incredible! Then we went back to the apartment, got on the train, and arrived back in Perugia around 9:00. Despite my love for art and the art in Roma I was so happy to be back in Perugia. I missed my little Italian town :)





Whitney, Caitlin, Hannah, Me and Courtney inside the Colosseum







The Rape of Persephone detailed

Rome makes me want to roam around the world...

I am now in Rome! It is my second night here. We have great Internet service (unlike Perugia) which I did not know until after I got here...which means i left my computer. So because I am typing this on my iPod I am just going to list what I did today and go into further detail at a later date:
1. Awake and take a freezing cold shower
2. Walk to Vatican city
3. Eat breakfast; fruit and a muffin
4. Walk to the pantheon
5. Eat lunch
6. Tour Vatican museum which includes bot Raphael's "school of Athens" and michelangelo's Sistine chapel :D
7. Eat dinner
8. Walk to piazza navona
9. Walk back to pantheon
10. Find the Trevi fountain :D
11. Make a wish
12. Find the Spanish steps
13. Realize metro is closed
14. Decide to take taxi back to apartment
15. Arrive home

9 am to 11 pm spent walking around Rome. All in all one of the best ways to spend a Friday

First Day of Classes = Awful.

Classes started today. I was quite unimpressed with the institute’s organizational skills. My schedule said I was in room 1 for my Italian course. The full schedule on the back of mine said the class was in room 6. I asked one of the employees there and he asked someone else and they said it was in the photo lab. So I wait there for 15 minutes and no one enters. So I go in search of them again only to find out that they had stepped out for coffee. So I waited another 10 minutes for the right person to come back. So 30 minutes late to class she points me to the right room (room 5). However halfway through the professor reading the syllabus she asked my name and when I told her she said “Oh you are supposed to be in the other class we switched you so we could each have even numbers.” During the class break the other professor came and found me and told me where his class was located. I get in there and realize that he had actually been teaching during this time while the first class I was in had just read the syllabus. Therefore I am already behind. Also it didn’t even out the class room numbers! I made it an odd number in the second class. So lord knows where I am going to be tomorrow. On the bright side I think I like the second professor better. He is comical and he has a way of keeping the class engaged. After a break and lunch (yogurt, strawberries and a peach) I went to the GWU class. We just got a brief overview of the renaissance and the layout of the course. We leave for Rome on Thursday so that is pretty exciting. Kathy (one of the 2 instructors) informed us that something on the Trevi fountain is a fake. I am going to have to keep my eye out for that. For dinner, Tara cooked chicken in a tomato sauce with pasta. We all sat around and eventually broke out into a hysterical laughing fit about face mountains and the way that Caitlin laughs. This seems to happen often at the dinner table. Kathy and Earl are our neighbors and they said they heard the giggle fit. I don’t know how they put up with 4 crazy girls living next to them but more power to them. Whitney, Caitlin and I met up with Cedric, Matthew and their roommate Joe to go see the sunset up on the top of the hill. However there were too many trees in the way. But we sang musical tunes and took pictures and just enjoyed the scenery. I think I am going to bed at 11 which is the earliest that I have been to sleep since the first night. Bonna Sera!