And the beat goes on

Im sad to say that tomorrow is the last day of the program! I can't believe it has gone by soo fast. It seems like just yesterday we were all arriving, wide-eyed and compeltely unsure. Now we are seasoned travelers, I was even asked directions last night - must seem like a local. Currently we are in the middle of finals, packing, eating every last bit of gelato and savoring every moment in Siena. It is weird to think of leaving here, for good. Siena has become such a part of my life...it is my home here and the thought of leaving is quite sad. I know I am on to a new adventure but I only wish I could savor the last moments here and stretch them out for as long as possible.

Ciao for now :)

Firenze!

Last Friday we took a group excursion to Florence. We boarded the train in Siena at 830 and it was already looking to be a warm day. By the time we got there the sun was in full effect. We headed straight for the Uffizi Museum. It is one of the largest museums in the world and with only 2 hours we were not able to see everything. But thankfully we had our art history teacher, Piergiacomo, along with us and he was able to give a detailed account of almost every piece we saw. After fighting the crowds in the museum we crossed over the Ponte Vecchio to a little Italian restaurant for lunch. It was, of course, a delicious 4 course meal with both red and white wine. My mom always comments, saying that it seems the group meals are my favorite part...but it would be yours as well with all the wonderful food we are served! After lunch we visited the Academia where we gazed upon the glory of David. If you have never seen the David in person, you are missing out. You turn the corner and suddenly, at the end of a long lit hallway, David stands before you - basking in the sunlight that streams in the window. He is strong, powerful and can't help but take your breath away. It sounds silly but his presence is undenialale. After visiting the Academia, we checked into our hostel and relaxed a bit before getting ready to go out. We were celebrating not only my birthday, Laine's birthday but also our last weekend as a group. We caused some commotion at a local bar and then headed to a discoteche called Twice. We danced the night away and when we finally managed to leave the club sometime late into the night it was still around 70 degrees outside. We spent the next morning shopping the street markets for last minute gifts and when the heat became unbearable, we caught the train back to Siena. It was a wonderful outing although bittersweet - knowing it was our last excursion as a group.

Barcelona

I just returned from a glorious five day vacation in Barcelona. We had a break in school and a whole group of the girls headed to Spain for sun and beach time. We left Tuesday morning taking a bus to the train station, a train from Siena to Empoli to Pisa where we then boarded our flight to Reus, Spain. After an hour and a half flight we touched town in the sunny weather but still had to ride an hour and a half bus into the actual town of Barcelona. That's what we get for going the cheap, Ryanair way. After the bus dropped us off in town we took the metro several stops to Barceloneta to find our hostel. It was literally located on the beach, in a building that is a bar in the front and hostel in the back. We checked in with a man named Paolo who had definitely adpated to the local culture with his long, dark dreds but he liked us because he is Italian. We chatted it up and finally made it to our room after getting the low down of places to eat, shop and go out at night. We were so exhausted from traveling all day it took all our effort to find food at a local cafe (nachos, yum) and pass out. Wednesday was much more productive. We awoke to cloudy skies and decided to see the sites since beach time was not going to happen. We headed up to the famous street, La Rambla, where there are dozens of street performers (tons, all about 5 feet from each other dressed in elaborate costumes), musicians, and street vendors. This street also has tons of fabulous shopping but is famous for pick pockets. Luckily we all made it out alright (although we did have a scary encounter with a pick pocket on the metro later in the week, luckily Hannah caught the man with his hand in her purse and was able to stop him). That isn't to say our money wasn't spent. The shopping dragged us in and no one made it out without at least one purchase. We finally made it up to a few of the sites (some of the Gaudi architecture buildings) before heading all the way back home. Despite our busy day we took a short siesta and made plans for the evening. We met an American guy through our hostel who is living in Barcelona and works with several hostels around the area taking people out at night. We met up with him aroun midnight along with others from our hostel and just hung out on the beach and enjoyed the night before we headed to a local club called Shoko right on the beach. No place in Barcelona gets going until after 1 am so if you want to party you have to be able to make it through the night. We got to the club around 1 or 130 and danced for a few hours. It was crowed and played strange music but it was a blast. Laine and I headed home around 3, walking back on the beach. It was a lovely night. The next morning we awoke to bright sunshine and headed directly to the beach, all of 5 five outside the door. We quickly staked a spot on the sand and set up for the day. By early afternoon the beach was swarmed with people, umbrellas and lounge chairs. We soaked in the sun, swam in the cold and beautiful ocean, and adapted to the Spanish-beach going culture. The beaches are beautiful apart from all the hundreds of vendors trying to sell you everything from a massage, sarong, henna tattoo, coconut, beer, hats, etc. It got a bit old. After getting our share of vitamin D for the day, we took the metro up to the famous Gaudi park, Guell Parc. It was beautiful with tons of trees, trails and funny looking houses that look a bit like gingerbread. From up top we had an amazing view of the city. We wandered around some more and then headed back. It had been a full day and after dinner we all headed to bed. Friday was our final full day in Barcelona and we spent the morning on the beach and then in the afternoon Laine, Rachel and I rented bikes near our hostel and rode around the whole city. We saw a beautiful fountain, another park, rode past the Sagrada Familia and back along the water. It was a great way to see the city but with so many cars and pedestrians we were glad not to have gotten in an accident. We returned our bikes around 5 and took a siesta on the beach. For dinner we stopped a great falafel place nearby and then headed to another park in the city where we witnessed an amazing fountain and light show. I felt as if I were in Disneyland and after the show we sat on the steps of the fountain and listened to a local guitarist while overlooking Barcelona. We sat there and contemplated how time seemed to go by so quickly here and how we can't believe we are almost done. Despite that, we all agreed how lucky we were to be spending a beautiful friday night in Barcelona. Today we made the long trek home, more buses, metros, trains and planes but it was worth every second. Now that I am home I can't help but question how fast time has gone. How is it already June? I only have 2 weeks left here in beautiful Siena, I don't know what I will do when I leave. It has been amazing.

Touring the countryside

Its been a busy week of nights out, concerts in the Campo, group excursions and of course school. The weather is finally nice and sunny here so Ive been enjoying more gelato and sitting in the Campo. On Thursday we took a group excursion to Bologna, Rimini and San Marino. We got caught in a thunderstorm in Bologna but our group lunch definitely made up for it. This picture shows us caught in the rainstorm with nothing but our sweaters to cover us, the result made us look like nuns. We stayed the night in Rimini, a small beach town on the east coast of Italy known for the best discotechs in Italy. Somehow me managed to fail miserably at finding the "rocking" nightlife and instead walked 45 minutes around the city and ended up in a club full of middle schoolers. Needless to say the night ended with some gelato and nutella crepes to put us in a better mood. The next day we visited some churches and museums and had a few hours free time to hang out on the beach. It was wonderful although there was no one else in town it seemed, must not have hit the tourist season yet. After lunch we boarded the bus again to head for San Marino, a small independent republic within the heart of Italy. It has always been independent and the San Marino people are very proud of their heritage and independence. While touring the city we were caught in yet another thunderstorm however a nutella crepe made it all so worth it. We took the bus all the way back to Siena and arrived late Friday night. Yesterday we spent just walking around town and climbing the tower in the Campo, giving us gorgeous views of the town and countryside. bunch of us headed outside the city walls to the boys apartment where we cooked dinner and watched the sunset. We took the 930 bus back into town and cruised around the Siena carnival for the evening. It is beginning to feel like summer and with my upcoming trip to Barcelona I have to constantly remind myself that I need to do my homework because I actually do go to school sometimes :)

weekends that turn into weekdays that turn into weekends

With only a few weeks left in the program it seems that the days blend together more and more. I live for the weekends when I get to travel to some amazing place in Italy and yet the weekdays are just as fun, hanging around the Campo, eating gelato and exploring more of the town. I can't believe I'm going to have to leave this amazing place. It feels like I just got here. Here is a brief update of the past few days:
FRI - took the train to Cinque Terre with Lanie and Rachel and a few other girls. We got to Riomaggiore mid-afternoon and after checking into our hostel we headed for the beach in Monterosso. We spent the afternoon lounging on the rocky beach and exploring the tiny town of Monterosso.It is the northern most town of the five. We even stopped by the wine bar where mom and I had made friends with the people and had rented a room from them. The wife immediately recognized me and gave me a big hug and kisses. It was so nice to feel like I knew some people in this small town. When the sun finally set we took the train back to Riomaggiore (the southern most town) and ate dinner at the "most happening nightlife" bar in town. Bar Centrale happened to be right below our room and really was where everyone in the 1000 person town hung out. For some reason there was a huge group of college students also staying in our town so it was a fun atmosphere. We discovered an AMAZING gelateria right next to bar centrale - possibly the best gelato I've had all trip. Homemade and delicious, I definitely recommend it if you are in Cinque Terre.
SAT - Got up early and after breakfast we headed out along the Via Dell'Amore, the first leg of the 7 mile hike between the 5 towns. We saw some amazing views of the coastline and the turquoise water. It is more like a stroll than an actual hike and is decorated in one part with hundreds of locks that people have locked on with their lovers. is a popular tradition. This hike took us to the town of Manarola, very picturesque, and we continued on to the town of Corniglia. More amazing views and lots of pictures. Sometimes I worry that everyone back home looking at my pictures wonders why I take so many of the scenery; but you can't help it here, everywhere you turn is beauty. Since the last few hikes were closed due to mudslides we took the train to Vernazza and then to Monterosso where we spent the afternoon in the sun, swimming and enjoying a lemon festival. This included free tastes of Limoncello, chocolates, lemon cake and of course just plain lemon. We stayed and had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the ocean and enjoying fresh pesto pasta. Sometimes I forget that I'm in school here. After dinner we took the train back to Riomaggiore, got gelato of course, and watched the game at Bar Centrale with the rest of the town. And by "the game" I mean the Inter Milan vs. Munich for the Euorpean Soccer Title. Milan won 2-0 which made everyone extremely happy. As I said before, soccer here is the true religion.
SUN - Got fruit and crossiants from the local market and headed down to the shore where we sat upon the giant rocky cliffs and gazed out at the ocean. It was so peaceful I didn't ever want to leave, but unfortunately our train left at 1. to Siena was nice as it feels like returning home after any trip and the sun was still out giving hope for a beautiful week ahead.

Tuscan cooking

While here in Siena I have been taking a weekly cooking class with an adorable woman named Elisabetta. There are four of us in the class and every wednesday after class we head over to her kitchen. Adornded with aprons we begin the process to create a typical 3 course Tuscan meal. Throughout our five classes we have learned how to make several pasta dishes (including actually making homemade pasta), sauces, meat dishes and several delicious desserts. Elisabetta has us help her chop vegetables, grind nutmeg, stir sauces and even peel grapes. Usually we are all starving and just want to lick the bowl while we are still making the cake or tiramisu but alas we resort to simply gnawing on a piece of bread and sipping on white wine. My favorite part was making the pasta. No bowls or utensils were involved, simply a mound of flour with an egg in the middle and then you mix it together with your hands. After this has become a dough like substance, we ran it through the pasta machine several times until it comes out pasta! Amazing. After laboring over the dishes we finally get to enjoy all the food. We all sit around the table, sometimes accompained by Elisabetta's husband or daughter, and eat our way through the first, second and third courses all with some excellent red wine and italian converstaion. Elisabetta is sure to make sure we don't go hungry which means we finish most all of the food and defintely all the dessert. We happily wave goodbye as we make the steep climb back into town, with protruding but happy stomachs. Unfortunately we have no more classes but Elisabetta enjoyed us so much that she invited us to have a party at her own house ina few weeks and I promptly requested we make tiramisu again. Can't wait.

Top 10 of the past week

10. Daily cappucinos at meetlife with marmelade crossiant
9. Having a pizza and movie night with the group - watching "Francesco's Italy", a funnier, more entertaining Italian version of rick steves
8. Discovering a new gelateria - with amazing dark chocolate gelato- and enjoying it while basking in the sun in the campo
7. Art history class monday morning with Piergiacomo-my adorable Italian professor
6. Cooking class, making homemade ravioli, chicken with grapes and a creme tort for dessert
5. A four course group lunch during our all day excursion to some nearby towns, the only part of the day when we weren't in the pouring rain
4. Watching the inter milan vs. Siena soccer game at the cafe even though the game was in Siena we couldn't get tickets, too many people wanted to see Milan
3. Hanging out at the tea room, everyone with their own personal teapot and of course delicious dessert too accompany
2. Listening to "live" music at meetlife cafe, aka a dj and drum machine, while finishing off a bottle of red wine with my roommate and then getting take out Chinese for dinner
1. Visiting Brolio castle in Chianti to learn how the wine is made as well as the history of the baron who lived there and invented Chianti and finishing the tour with a private wine tasting

It has been a glorious week and the sun is finally deciding to show up. Can't believe I only have one month left here.
What will I do when I have to go back to living a normal life?

time marches on

It has been rather cloudy and gray the past few days in Siena, not at all like the picture but we can hope. We're all anxiously awaiting Spring's arrival which hopefully is any day now. Despite the weather we have all been furiously planning every weekend and side trip imaginable. It is hard to comprehend that we only have a few more weeks left. Every weekend from here on out is planned - group excursion this weekend to nearby small towns, cinque terre the following weekend followed by 2 days in Bologna/Rimini, Barcelona the weekend after that and then finish it all off with a weekend in Florence. As a group we have all gotten so close over the past few weeks and it will be weird to suddenly break off and go our separate ways. But I shouldn't dwell on that now, there is still plenty of time.
Siena is starting to perk up a bit with the Palio right around the corner and despite the fact that I feel more and more like a local everyday I still have my adventures - counting out the correct change in the grocery line, buying contact solution at the sunglass store, haggling for jewlery at the wednesday market or playing italian trivia at the nearby bar. Life has become "normal" and sometimes I have to remind myself that I am in Italy. I start to forget that I am in this amazing city in this amazing country and need to take a step back and take it all in. This in turn leads to my problem of wanting to take in everything - and thus may get stuck here trying to see it all. Oh well I guess there are worse things.

ciao for now!

the sinking city

This past weekend I took the train up to Venice with a few other girls in the program. Luckily the train was extremely simple and we made it safe and sound despite having to wake up at 5 am. (the joys of being a broke college student). The forecast had predicted rain but someone decided to smile down on us and we only experienced wet weather for a brief stint on Saturday.
Friday we spent the afternoon roaming around the tiny streets and looking in all the shops. Everywhere you turn it is either a glass shop, mask shop or water. My favorite part was turning a corner and seeing a tiny bridge across a little canal. Venice is absolutely gorgeous and I could have taken about 1000 pictures. Over the weekend we saw several brides and I can only imagine how beautiful their pictures must have been.
Friday night we paid 5 euro and had dinner at the hostel. It was basically like one huge family dinner with all the others staying there. We had all you can eat pasta, cake and sangria and had the chance to meet tons of people from Australia. The next morning we wandered over to St. Marks Basillica, toured inside and upstairs gaining a lovely view of the square below and then hopped on a boat to Murano Island. We watched a brief glass blowing demonstration and perused the shops. They are dangerous however, the more time you spend inside the more the jewelry starts to sparkle and call your name. Luckily I got out of there just in time.
On our way back we took the boat all the way up the grand canal and got the grand water tour. The buildings were all built to be seen from the water so you don't get the true essence of the city until you've traveled it by boat. Although you can see where the water is silently creeping up the steps, Venice is still standing and still as glorious as it once was.
Sunday we meandered and wound up sitting on the dock by the Rialto bridge just taking in the scene. It seems that every new city I go to in Italy I fall in love. It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and unique every town is. It is truly unbelievable.

Unfortunately we could not afford a gondola ride as they are more than 100 euro but I guess that gives me something to come back for...that and enough money so that I don't have to spend the night on the top bunk :)

The Palio is what makes Siena famous. It happens twice a year but the town gears up for it year round. Within the walled city of Siena there are 17 contrade or neighborhoods. These contrade are small, lasting only a few blocks, but it is important to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. All Sienese belong to one of these neighborhoods depending on where they were born. Each contrada has their own mascot, flag, church, museum, club, government and saint. I currently live in the Elephant district and my school is located in the Porcupine district - where my teacher is from and according to her, the best contrada. The flags that adorn the town starting in early spring and continue through the summer show the different mascots. Every contrada has one main enemy - the contrada that is its neighbor. So, for example, the Porcupine and the She Wolf are enemies and also located physically right next to each other. This could make for some tension between neighbors.
The Palio started in 1329 and the actual "Palio" is a silk banner that is hand painted every year. It must have either the Virgin Mary or st. Madonna on it as well as the symbols of the contrade who competed that year. The Palio is the prize for winning but pride is the real achievement. Every year on July 2nd and August 16, 10 of the 17 contrade compete in a 3 lap horse race around the Piazza del Campo. Thousands of people are jammed into the center of the campo as well as in bleachers set up around the shops. One horse from each contrade races around the track furiously to make the finish line. Usually horses wipe out but luckily only some of the riders suffer mild injuries.
The days leading up to the Palio are filled with parties, celebrations and traditions. There are flag throwers, drummers, parades and many medieval costumes. The night before the Palio, hundreds of people gather in the streets to take part in an outdoor dinner with lots of food and music and socializing. The actual day is filled with excitement, anticipation and lots of emotion. The horses and their riders are blessed within their churches (yes the horses go in too) and then make the parade down to the Campo. After a brutal, loud, adrenaline filled three laps the winner is crowned - there is yelling, joy, laughter, excitement as well as tears, rage and sometimes fights. This is serious business and an integral part of these people. The winning contrada spends the next week in full out party mode and has bragging rights for a whole year. The also begin to plan a giant celebration in September to commemorate their win. The winning jockey is paid over 300,000 euro and the second place contrada goes into hiding.
It is an exciting tradition that these people take extremely seriously but also in good fun. It has gone on for centuries and only ever stopped due to war. At one point the Pope found out that the Sienese were letting horses go into the church to be blessed for the race and he condemned it. This outraged the people so much that when the Pope did come to visit, no one showed up to see him.

My goal is to come back in July to see the Palio and take part in this lively tradition!

Soccer - the real religion of Italy

Today I ventured to my first Italian soccer game. Soccer, or calcio, is widely the most popular sport here in Italy. There are several teams, one from most towns, and fans are die hard. Today AC Siena was up against Palermo. It was a rainy Sunday but that didn't drive anyone away. We sat in the cheap seats section, near some Palermo fans. A few sections away was the real Palermo section - hundreds of individuals decked out in pink and white with hats, scarves and signs. Starting an hour before and not ending until hours after, those fans were screaming, chanting, singing and whistling. They continued throughout the whole game and not only put our fans to shame but were most likely just as tired as the actual players by the end.
The actual game was quite exciting. Three goals, several penalties and overall exciting, fun soccer. Despite the pouring rain and a loss 2-1 for Siena, it was an exciting atmosphere and I can only imagine what it would be like sitting in the stands at a Rome or Milan game. In a few weeks Siena will play their last home game before gearing up for the world cup. There last game is against Milan and would be amazing to see but getting tickets may be a trick.
I love how much emotion goes into everything people do here. Life is all about the things and people they love..nothing else matters.

singing in the rain siena style

Yesterday was a typical tuesday. Woke up and went with my roommate Katie down to the nearby cafe called MeetLife and sipped on a cappucino. We met up with our group at the University of Siena and spent an hour talking with locals university students about different topics and how our cultures differed. Had a short lunch break and was strolling through the streets enjoying the sunshine and warm weather on my way to Italian class. During class the rain started pouring and when I mean pouring, I mean monsoon. We literally ran through the streets of siena without umbrellas and some without shoes, screaming and laughing the whole way. All the Italians were waiting it out, in the shops or under umbrellas and we just shook off the strange looks we kept recieving. Thunder and lightening accompanied our laughter and we were just those crazy American girls. It was quite an experience. We all looked like we had just been swimming!

ciao for now!

When in Rome

Yesterday I returned to Siena after taking a 5 day excursion to the wonderful city of Roma. We left wednesday morning by bus and after checking into our hotel, we spent the afternoon following our art history teacher around the city on a walking tour of the major sites. We hit the Colliseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum and several other of the ruins around that area. We walked through the Pantheon, got gelato and ended in a beautiful, typical piazza. There were outdoor cafes that lined the sidewalks surrounded by colorful, shutter-adorned bulidings. The center of the piazza held two major fountains with intricate carvings of people and animals. One was even the fountain featured in the movie Angels and Demons. We sat in the square killing time before dinner and perused the steet paintings, street performers and musicians. It was magical and several times it would hit me that I was ACTUALLY in Rome, this wasnt a dream. We had a group dinner at a small trattoria with a pasta course, meat dish and of course was finished with Tiramisu. The evening was our first exploration of the nightlife and after getting quite lost on the metro we ended up in Campo di Fiori where there are several bars and several students. It was fun mingling with all the others and seeing the nightlife and soon we were off to a danceclub near by. Rome is the city that does not sleep so - to do as the saying - when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
The next day we awoke and took a morning tour of some museums and churches and ended the tour at the giant monument celebrating the reunification of Italy. We were able to climb to the top of the monument and were rewarded with a 360 degree sky view of the entire city of Rome. It was a beautiful sunny day and Rome seemed to stretch on for miles.
The afternoon was free time and we savored our gelato near the Pantheon then trapesed around the city, shopping and exploring. The nighttime brought some rain and we only ventured a short ways to a small restaurant with a live piano player. We sipped wine and pretended to have more money than we actually did.
Friday we toured the Vatican and St. Peter's Basillica. It was culture week in all of Italy meaning all national museums were free. This meant massive crowds at the Vatican but it was still amazing and the Sistine Chapel was unbelievable. I could have stood there for hours admiring the work. That afternoon we checked into our hostel for the next two nights and took a short siesta because our legs needed rest after all the walking we had been doing. it felt as if I had just run a marathon. I guess all the gelato and pizza is now justified.
Friday night we explored an ice bar where you must adorn large capes and gloves before entering the -5 degree celsius bar. Everything is made of ice, the seats, walls and cups. It was a fun experience but we couldnt stay there for long. After, to warm up we sat in a restaurant nearby and drank wine until the place finally closed at one.
Saturday I ventured 30 minutes outside of Rome to a small town called Tivoli. We visited Villa d'este, a beautiful Villa with famous water gardens up on a hill. The fountains and gardens were absolutely amaizng, even in the slight drizzle. It still amazes me all the quaint small towns you can find right outside the cities.
We returned from that excrusion early evening and while most people went out to try a pub crawl, my friend Taryn and I toured the Spanish Steps, the biggest McDonalds in the world and sat at the Trevi fountain for a long while. We got dinner on a side street under a canopy of ivy and candlelight. It was amazing and people watching was excellent. We finished the night with gelato and another look at the fountain.
Sunday we ventured over to the Vatican to be blessed by the Pope along with hundreds of others. We could hardly see him as he was up in a tiny window but it was still a fun experience. After we took the metro to the Colliseum and walked all around the inside. The rest of the afternoon was spent walking through the streets of Rome and soaking up all of it. As we took the bus back to Siena I was thankful to be returning "home" and to be away from all the crowds but I hope to return to Rome soon as I have fallen in love with the culture, history, people, food and atmosphere that is there. It is a city that spans generations and has so much to offer. I am throughly impressed and this has only inspired me to explore new cities in the coming weekends.
As you can see, life here is wonderful. I am getting more and more adjusted everyday and am now beginning to see how fast time is flying by. There is so much to see and do and so little time.

Ciao for now!

trains, trains, and more trains

It's 5 am Friday morning. The streets of Siena are uncharacteristically quite, emptied and somewhat creepy. I walk to the corner to meet Austin, Paris and Hannah. We quickly march up to the bus stop to meet the 3 boys also traveling with us this weekend. Since it is so early there are no buses running to the station so we make the 15 minutes hike downhill and outside the city walls to the train station. Once there, we managed to buy round trip tickets to Napoli from the kiosk and wait only a few minutes for the 5:57am train to arrive. As it pulls into the station we hesitate only for a moment as to why on earth we are all awake at such a ridiculous hour and then push the thought aside as we board the train. We make it to Chiusi no problem and have just enough time for a quick cappuccino before boarding a large overnight German train headed for Rome. Unfortunately for us, our tickets weren't quite enough to cover this train ride so we had to pay slightly extra when the ticket lady came around. As we watched the landscape change outside and the the sun slowly rise over the Tuscan hills we became slightly jealous of the other passengers with their fold down beds and private sleeping compartments. Ok so we've made it to Rome and it is now probably around 11. Check the reader board and we hop on a train to Napoli after paying a few more euros for a ticket supplement. Make it to Napoli and as we wander around looking for the Circumvesuviana Train line headed for Sorento, we all clutch tightly to our belongings. Napoli is known for pick-pocketing and even the overhead announcements warned passengers "beware pickpocket". OUr fourth and final train of the day pulls into the station covered in bright, bubbly graffiti and we cram inside with hundreds of others. The 70 minute ride goes by fast and before we know it we arrived in beautiful Sorento. It is now 3pm and although we are exhausted and hungry we catch a bus for what we thought was a 10 or 15 minute ride over to our hotel. 45 minutes later and after surviving the ride along the steep coastal cliffs on tiny winding roads we are dropped off at our hotel. We stayed in tiny, colorful bungalows with 2 bedrooms and a kitchen that had a gorgeous view of the ocean. It was only a short walk down the road to our own private rocky beach. The view as amazing of the coast and as we relaxed on the smooth rocks the Mediterranean ocean lapsed at our feet. Saturday brought beautiful, sunny warm weather and instead of trekking to Pompeii as we originally had planned, we headed to the beach instead. It was a glorious day of sun tanning, skipping rocks and jumping off the dock into the clear, blue ocean. There were hardly any others on the beach and we were able to spend the whole day relaxing and realizing how lucky we were to be spending a saturday on the coast of southern Italy. That night we bought cheap pasta from the market and cooked up a delicious Italian meal that we enjoyed from the comfort of our bungalow porch. We made friends with our neighbors who were from Australia and drank wine as the sun set into the hills.
Sunday we checked out and took the bus into Sorento to tour the streets, admire the palace hotels and smell the orange/lemon trees on every street corner. Sorento is famous for lemons because so many are grown all around that region. Everywhere you look, even in the city, there are orange and lemon groves. That being said we of course had to try the lemon gelato and lemoncello. There were an abundance of lemon products and this just added to the glory of the town.
At 1130 we took the train into Sorento to begin our trek back. In Sorento we were told by what we thought was a trusting authority, that our tickets would allow us to get on the 3pm train to Rome without having to pay extra. We camped our in the station for a few hours and when 3pm rolled around there was no train to be seen. After asking several people what train to get on or what ticket to buy (and of course never getting the same answer) we bought a supplement and boarded a 430 train to Rome. It was standing room only so we spent the next 2 hours standing next to the bathroom in a tiny cramped space. Once in Rome we had to wait in the ticket line for an hour before finding out that there were no more trains to Siena that night and our only option was to stay in Rome until the next morning or travel to Chuisi and get stuck there. We opted to stay in Rome and after eating some dinner, ventured out into the city. We had until 5:45 am so we bought a map and walked to the Fountain of Trevi. It was absolutely gorgeous at night, all lit up and we spent awhile there just basking in the glory of it. We threw a few coins in - which promises a return to Rome, and the more coins you throw, the better your chances are of falling in love with a Roman . We made it over to the Pantheon and sat there while munching on gelato. At 1am we were getting tired and walked back to the station where we found some wall space and curled up to try and sleep. That only worked for a short time as we soon became cold due to the stone floors so we entertained ourselves for the next few hours with word games and people watching as there were hundreds of others also stranded. The volcanic eruption in Iceland had messed up most flights in Europe causing the train system to in turn become a nightmare. Luckily at 6 am we found a train headed north and literally sprinted down the terminal to catch it. In the hurry we forgot to validate our tickets which usually results in hefty fines but the ticket lady took pity on us poor students and we were fine. Made it to Chuisi and somehow in our delirium caught a bus to Siena. Finally made it home at 930 Monday morning...just enough time for a shower and then off to 5 hours of class.
Quite the weekend.
I am somewhat rested now and only one more day of class before we all head to Rome again for 5 days. I suppose this is the life in Italy - travel, trains, no sleep and off to a new city almost everyday. Things could be worse.

Ciao for now!

Grocery shopping...an experience in itself

In Siena there are several small markets, wine shops, butchers and bakeries. There are also a few actual grocery stores but they are quite different than ones at home. You walk in and pick up a basket that you can either carry or wheel around with a long handle that extends from the basket. The store is quite small and is brokenup into sections...the fruits and vegetables, meats and cheese counter, wine, and two aisles of other food. I start with vegetables. You must first grab a plastic bag and then adorn your hands with lovely plastic gloves. After selecting what item you want, it is placed on the scale where you must enter the corresponding number and consequently a small sticks is printed out to be put on the bag so the cashier knows how much to charge you. After vegetables we move onto wine which ranges from high priced bottles to .89cent box wine that looks like an oversized juice box - aka juice boxes for adults. Next to the wine is the meat and cheese counter where you can order fresh cheeses and salami among other things. Turn around and we are at the first aisle. Pastas, sauces, rice, cookies an chocolate adorn this aisle. Once you reach the end you turn right for the frozen foods and toiletries aisle or turn left for drinks, water and of course - milk. The milk and eggs are not refrigerated and the mill comes in small cartons in about a million different varieties. I'm not sure how I managed to pick the one I did but it tastes fine so I'm sticking to it. People here get groceries every couple days because they eat fresh food and so you must eat it within a few days. There are no preservatives or costcos here..just fresh ingredients.
Finally I make it to checkout. People understand the concept of lines but the rules aren't followed. If you don't stand your ground some little old italian woman is sure to step in front of you and others will see fit to follow - believe me it happened. Ok so I make it to checkout and begin unloading my groceries. The policy is bag your own items and it costs extra for the bag so you better remember to bring your own. Exact change is encouraged and there is no shame in hunting your purse for coins. However I do get flustered when they begin ringing up the next person while you are still there trying to collect everything. By the time I finally leave I feel a sense of relief not having to cram down tiny aisles and count change at the counter. Whew...now to carry it all home.

a day in the life

I wake up to the sounds of church bells, vespas and clinking dishes from the cafe down the street. I open my shutters to sunshine and after putting on my boots, skinny jeans and a scarf I head for class. I walk along the cobblestone streets, through the Campo where people sit enjoying the sun or in the outdoor cafes sipping on cappucinos. I head up past the trendy shops and tour groups, to my school. I spend a few hours in class, usually with only about 7 other people and if I get bored I just look to the ceiling to admire the frescos painted there. After class some of us trek down to the Campo where we stop first at our corner gelateria and then go sit in the sun and take in the scene with the rest of the town. Its about 6 or 7 now and most of the town is either lounging in the Campo or enjoying an apertif at one of the bar/cafe/pizzeria/coffe shop in one located on every corner. After finishing our gelato I cruise through the grocery store and pick up some vegetables, pasta, and fresh cheese. Cook up some delicious food, wash it down with some vino and then decide where to head for the night. Most likely we in the Campo, grab a few drinks at the bar and mingle with the rest of the locals who all socialize in the ourdoor center of town. If it is a school night Ill most likely head home around 12 although I will still be awoken at 3 am promtly as the late nighters head home from the bars. Late night renditions of La Bamba in Italian always make for a good story.


On a side note - took a day trip to Firenze with Austin and Georgia today. A little rainy in the morning but after shopping through the markets we hiked to the top of a hill and found the most amazing views of the town. Unreal. Afterwards we got gelato and took the bus home. I love that I live here. It might be the most amazing country ever.

That's a dishwasher...right?

The other day Katie, my roommate, and I were making dinner and exploring our tiny kitchen. A large white cabinet looking thing was somewhat mounted on the wall and we figured it must e a dishwasher. I convinced Katie to turn it off to see if we could open it and figure out how to load dishes. Let me tell you...it was not a dishwasher but the hot water heater. I happened to be walking back Down the hall to our room and ran into our neighbor, in his towel. Mind you we've never spoken before this time and he simply asks " do you know what happened to the hot water, it just turned off randomly while I was in there, I had just put shampoo in my hair." Nope I have no idea I answer, trying to hide my laughter. As soon as he went back to his room I sprinted down the hall ad we quickly turned it back on. That was close but u guess it's one way to meet our neighbors :)

Buona Pasqua

I'm beginning to feel more settled. Friday night we ate a typical 4 course italian meal which was delicious. Then we headed out to discover the local Siena nightlife. There are a total of 2 dance clubs in Siena and we hit both. The first was a trendy bar with almost all European men eyeing anything female who walked through the door. Our group planted in the middle of the place and I remained in my seat for most of the time because the boys in our group offered protection. After that we decided to explore the dance club near our apartments. It was also all guys but was a great place to dance, of course, to American music. Ended the night late which is defintely what the sceneis around here. There are hundreds of people out all night and most do not start their evening, even dinner until at least 9 or 10.
Yesterday brought on the grocery store. I hardly knew what to buy and when I got to the milk section it was quite a dilemma. None is refrigerated, it is all in cartons and there are about 12 different kinds. I couldn't read any of them. I picked one, randomly, and my cereal this morning tasted alright so I think we're good.
Because I'd Easter we all met this morning for mass at the Duomo. The cathedral was gorgeous and the service, although entirely in italian, was beautiful.
It poured rain today so unfortunately we were holed up inside for the rest of the day. The upside - gelateria was still open and in Italy it is perfectly ok to eat gelato no matterthe weather. And it is good. My next goal is to become best friends with the gelato guy at the place I've fine literally every day. By next week I'll be a regular.
Ciao for now!

Just the beginning

So it has been a crazy last few days. Yesterday was the first day of my program. Mom left in the early afternoon on the train and I think all went well with that, we managed to get her to the station after at frist getting on the wrong bus.
That afternoon I met all the pepole on my program and the directors, as well as got to see where we are going to have class. There are 11 girls including myself and 4 boys - total of 15. Most everyone is from UO except 2 girls from Seatte, 1 from Minnesota and another boy from Washington I think. Our school building is right across from the main bus stop area in Siena, also right near a park and soccer field. It is on the second floor above a bank and the whole buliding used to be an old palace. There is a small library, a few rooms for classes, 3 computers and another hang out room. It seems nice and is open all during the week for us to go there and hang out except it is closed on the weekends. We have a site director (Silvia) and housing coordinatior (Claudia) and a visiting professor. We havent met the italian professors yet. After orientation yesterday a bunch of us went to dinner in the Piazzo del Campo, the main square in Siena and very famous in Italy. We still look like and act like tourists but we had fun getting to know eachother and practicing pouring the wine during dinner without spilling all over the tablecloth - we did this with little success.
Today we moved out of the hotel and had more orientation at our school. We learned about the excursions we will be taking throughout the term - to places like Florence, Rome, Bologna, Rimini and near by wineries. I signed up for an extra class which meets 5 times and teaches us how to cook Tuscan dishes.
We had pizza for lunch and then had a walking tour of Siena. We learned where the grocery store was, the post office, the best atm machines, best gelato and more. This afternoon everyone is moving into apartments. Everyone on the program is rooming with at least one other student from the program. All the girls are in apartements very close to eachother - in the same neighborhood within the city walls on the south end near the University of Siena. The boys have an apartment outside the city walls and have to take the bus. I am living in a place called miniresidence with a girl named Katie. She is a junior from UO as well. We share a room that overlooks the street, we have our own bathroom and desks and the washing machine is across the hall. We live in a dorm - type place in that our room is at the end of the hall of 6 rooms or so. All the rooms share a general tv area room and a kitchen that looks a bit like one you would see in an office building breakroom. that will be interesting. But I definitely lucked out. The other students living here are Italian and are currently on break for Easter. There are a mix of girls and boys. Not only do we have laundry here but wireless internet and the cleaning lady comes every friday to clean our rooms. Plus it is about a one minute walk to the Campo. We are just down the street behind it.
I am very excited for eveything - class starts tuesday because of the holiday. We have a group dinner tonight and then the rest of the weekend free. Probably going to mass on Sunday at the Duomo to take in the scene. It is sunny today and Im beginning to feel a little more adjusted.
I will upload pictures as soon as I figure out how...did I mention Im currently using the main lobby computer because our landlord is home for the holiday and said we could use it no problem. His name is Fabio....haha

Ciao for now!

Acting like locals

Today we experienced the sunshine and lively spirit of Siena. Wednesdays become host to a weekly market held in the center of Siena. The booths march on for blocks, filled with clothes, shoes, kitchen ware, linens, underwear, scarves and just about anything you might need. This was definitely a local hot spot not aimed at the tourists but rather people out doing there weekly shopping. It was overflowing with people so you had to gift your way down the street or even up close enough to see what they were selling. A bargain is a bargain in any language and people were out to find theirs. We needed a break from all that excitement so we headed up to the duomo and toured the inside of the church, museums, old hospital and baptistry. The church was unreal - so intricately carved and decorated. In the museum we could hike up to the top for a postcard type view of the city. It as amazing and we could see for miles.
We ate gelato in the square and observed to scene of tourists and locals alike. A pleasant day in Siena.
Mom leaves tomorrow and it is beginning to sink in more that I am actually staying here, living, studying, cooking for myself ...here. I am nervous, anxious and filled with excitement about what is to come.
Ciao for now!

Ah so much to tell and it is a bit hard to type on my little itouch but I have at least managed to find free wifi in the hotel we're staying at in siena. Yes i finally made it to siena and of already feels like I've been gone so long. Let's back track. Mom and I left portland on Sunday the 21st. We arrived totally jet lagged the next day in Nice, France. It was cold, rainy and we are tired and lugging suitcases down tiny uneven streets looking quite like bewildered tourists. We found our hotel right on the main street overlooking the sea. We however did not recieve the sea view room and since we knew no french we were stuck in a very nice room overlooking the street where the construction workers woke us up every morning promptly at 8. But alas it was still good. The first night we ate crepes for dinner and went to bed early. The next morning brought sunshine and after our capucinos we strolled the shops and hiked up to see the views and threw pebbles into the sea as we watched the sunset. There was a long strand where couples meandered, tour groups gathered and roller bladers showcased their skills. We enjoyed the show. Apparently there is a great nightlife in Nice but we never found it - perhaps we were still in off season.
The next day we took the train from Nice to Ventimiglia and then to Milan. Unfortunately we spent more time in the Milan train station than expected due to the strike. All tuned out well we got to Stresa, walked to our hotel, couldn't find it but luckily the hotel manager ran out intothe square to find us. Took the smallest elevator known to man to our room. The next day we awoke to the church bells. This was a very sleepy town - we were literally the only ones in town and most restaurants were not even open for the season yet. But we found a place although we didn't spend much time in Stresa, toured the islands and took a train down to the cinque terre in search of sun...and people.
We arrived in Monterosso in the afternoon and headed to old town. Apparently the thing to do in cinque terre is to rent a room from a local..so that is what we did. We met GianLuigi who owns a wine bar and he took us and our luggage up the small hill to a beautiful room with a gorgeous sea view. The only problem was the small "10 minute" walk to the town plus the 175 stairs to the room. So we got our exercise and a great view. The next day we took the train to the next town in the cinque (5) terre - Vernazza. Sat by the harbor, ate gelato and watched the waves break over the rocks. Had amazing tiramisu for dessert that night. Our next day we toured the other towns - Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Corniglia. All small, beautiful pictureesque villages built right on the coast with coastal walking paths in between which at one time was the only way of reaching the villages by land. By now we were feelin quite in the know as we were on first name basis with many of the locals. It being prior to tourist season - beginning after easter- we had a special look into the lives if these people. Only 1000 people live in the whole town and have for centuries. We had champagne at the wine bar with the old town men (like in their 80s) and drinks with the owner of Mikeys cantina. It was wonderfully fun.
Yesterday took the train to Florence for one night- marveled at the statues, architecture and fashionistas. Today we shopped throgh the market place in Florence and then hopped in a bus to Siena. It was raining today bit the city still amazes me. It is beautiful but not overwhelmingly big, the people are friendly and the food is excellent. I cannot wait to see where I will be living and who I will meet! It is all so exciting!
Ciao for now!

Just the beginning

Sitting here in the Portland airport awaiting our flight.I can't believe today has finally come. It's a plan that's been in the works for so long and now I really will be gone for four whole months. I'm leaving my home, friends, boyfriend, and family to embark on my next adventure. Not to mention other life comforts - computer, phone, normal clothes- time to be adventurous!