Free Weekend in Venice

We finally had a free weekend where we had Friday off of school to go traveling for a few days. I decided to go to Venezia because my host mom said it was the best time to go because there would be less tourists. She was half right, but I'll get to that later.

Anyways, to get from Siena to Venezia, my friend Rahel and I took a bus to Florence and then took a fast train to Venezia. We left earth Friday morning and arrived in Venezia at 10:40am. I had looked around on booking.com and airbnb.com for a place to stay and found a room in an apartment with access to a kitchen and it was close to the train station. It was a little overwehlming at first. Venezia was full of people even though it was the middle of February. The streets are also very confusing and Venezia is literally a maze as some streets connect while others just dead end.

We were able to find our apartment and then we went exploring. Our first stop was to Piazza di San Marco and La Basilica di San Marco. It involved a lot of weaving and reading signs, but it was amazing when we got there. The piazza was huge and amazing. The church (like every church in Italy) was ornately decorated with gold, statues, and mosaics. It is free to enter the church and on the inside, there is wall after wall of mosaics. Even the ceiling is covered. The alter is carved dark stained wood and over all it is a fantastically decorated church. There are two places in the church you have to pay for. The first is la Pala d'oro and the second is the treasury and where they hold the bones of saints and famous people. It ends up being around 5 euros which is totally worth it. La Pala d'oro is a huge gold tablet/picture of famous saints and other important Christian people. There are over 2,000 precious stones as well. The treasury is full of elaborate chalices and dishes and candlesticks as well as other intricately detailed objects that were once used by the church. The bones of saints are very important to the Italians or at least were important. They would save a bone or hand and keep in in a very elaborate case for everyone to see. This room made me feel a little uncomfortable, but it is worth seeing because it is a part of the history and culture of Italy. 

After that we went up in the tower and looked out over the landscape of Venice. It was a beautiful view of the whole city and the water. Plus the old bells were still there. Later we walked around the edge of the water and enjoyed the view of the other islands close by. We also just walked around the city and got a little lost. Venice is a very beautiful city when you get away from the main streets.

We decided to go out for dinner that night as a celebration for arriving and having a little break from school. We tried to finds non touristy resturant, but were  unable to find one is close proximity to our apartment so we gave in and had a mediocre lasagne and wine.

The next day we slept in a little late and then bought a day ticket to the vaporetti (water bus). It was a little expensive, but a one way ticket is 7euros so paying 20 euros for the whole day is more worth it. Found the right water bus and made our way to Murano Island where they are famous for their glass making and glass art. We went to the Murano Glass Factory first where they let you watch as they make a couple glass pieces and give a little information about glass making. After that we explored the glass shop and the rest of the island. We found the famous glass statue and looked at a lot of glass. We didn't go into the glass museum because it was a little expensive and we were ready to move onto a different activity. We decided to find another Basilica and walked over to it. It was harder to get to because we had to cross the grand canal and there aren't as many bridges to get to the ther side. We didn't go in and it was getting late so we decided to grab a ride on the vaporetti back home so we could buy some groceries. That night we made our own dinner and just relaxed as after a long day of walking around. I skyped my friend Jill and had a great night. Our final day in Italy was okay. It decided to rain all day and everything was very wet. We walked around a little bit and I found another very large famous church in the center of Venice. We didn't go in but it was grand on the outside. We also came across a music museum inside an old church with instruments from famous Italian artists.  The last place we went to was the old ghetto. We spent the rest of the day from a Burger King which sounds lame, but I have been eating real Italian food for over a month and secondly, it was dry and warm and eating American style food was nice after so long.

Our time finally came and we boarded our train back to Florence. When we arrived in Florence, we discover that the bus station was completely closed. We asked one of the guys working in front of the entrance if the buses were still running and he said yes and that it would pull up in front. Luckily there were other Italians joining us as well so we didn't feel so lost. The bus for Siena comes and then just keeps on going without stopping and all of us were like shocked and tried to run after the bus, but it was gone. Turns out, it only picks up at the other station on the otherside of the train station. Unfortunately that was the last bus of the night and the last train was leaving shortly and we didn't have enough time to get tickets and get on the  train. So after much though, Rahel and I joined two other people in taking a taxi back to Siena. This is no ordinary feat and it is very expensive(125 euros=$141). The guy we were with was super nice and paid for a large majority of the fee. Since we only made it to the train station in Siena, Rahel and I still have a 30 minute walk back home. 

Even though it was a rough time getting home, it was a great experience and it was so surreal! I never thought I'd ever be able to say I've been to Venice. Although it was a beautiful city with the canals and water, it was very touristy and there are always tons and tons of people which kind of takes away from the experience. It is also a very expensive city too and the food isn't that great or authentic.

Chocolate and Assisi and Florance! Oh My!!!

This past weekend was very busy. I did lots of traveling and saw so many new things. To start off, Saturday we went to a chocolate factory in Perguia. It was a nice way to spend Valentine's day or Giorno di San Valentino. Italians actually celebrate it similar to the U.S., but it is not as big of a holiday as much as it is in the U.S. Couples still go out and men get their girlfriends flowers and chocolate is a big thing. So to celebrate I enjoyed sampling free chocolate and learning about how they make chocolate. We even got to walk on this platform above the factory and see them make chocolate Easter eggs. Nothing else was going on in the factory on that day, but we got to see all the equipment and the different machines.

After that we went to Assisi which is the city of Saint Francis. We went to the church of Saint Francis which is absolutely beautiful. The paintings on the wall are amazing and very detailed. The decorations were very intricate and there were many carvings and marble and iron work and mosaics. They even have a crypt where they have his body buried. There is a staircase that leads down to the crypt from the main part of the church. Not to mention this church is huge and could probably fit the whole city plus the next city over into it. Unfortunately, I couldn't take any pictures which is so disappointing because I wanted some just for myself to remember. I did take lots of pictures around Assisi. It is the cutest little town and they even have a castle and a path inside the city that leads you to great lookout points and has lots of greenery. I want to for sure go back there and keep exploring because I didn't get enough time to look around.

On Sunday I went to Florence (aka Firenze). It was so crowded with tourists everywhere. I don't know if it was just because it was Sunday or if this was a normal thing. I didn't spend a lot of time there; only a few hours. We went to a famous market and also found this really cool indoor food market as well where vendors make high quality food in front of you with fresh ingredients and then you can sit there and eat. It was packed full, but we did stop to get a cannoli. After that we wondered over to the Duomo or the main church and also the largest most elaborate church in the city. This is also the church that Siena found out they were trying to build a bigger Duomo than them so they started to build onto their church only to not be able to finish it. We went to Ponte Vecchio which is a really old famous bridge that you always see in pictures of Firenze. After that we walked around a little bit looked in a few stores. I went to H&M Florence! That's one off the list. Finish off the day we went to the church Sanat Maria Novella which is famous because they have a famous painting of Jesus showing him as being The Way, The Truth, and The Light. Overall, the church is beautiful and was also full of murals on the walls and beautiful architecture.

We took the train to get from Siena to Florence, but it is much faster and slightly cheaper to go by bus. I am glad that we took the train because now I understand better how to use the train system and where to go. Although the train was slower, I like how the trains go compared to the bus.

-Cori

Pictures to come soon!!!

My First Week of Classes and Sevice

Although the 3 week intensive course ended does not mean that I'm done for the semester. Instead this was only the beginning. My first week has already come and gone. It happened so fast and now I realized that my semester is slowly becoming shorter. EEEEEK!!!

The classes offered this semester were: Religion, Anthropology, The History of Italian Cuisine, Sociolinguistics, Studio Art, Advance Photography, and Art History.

My Class schedule consists of Italian, Art History, Religion, Anthropology. I am also in two classrooms: a fifth grade classroom and a middle school classroom where I teach English. I will also hopefully be helping clear the wall around the city. In this service you are essential clearing a path around the wall of the city because the city does not regulate this, but the vegetation needs to be cleared because it is starting to ruin the wall and erode away the stones. Plus in the center of the city there is this green space that is now privately owned so no can really go exploring there, but with this project you get to be outside in the grass near parts of the wall that you can't normally access. Eventually they will be creating a walking path that will be open to the public. I have already done this type of service in the beginning of the program when to was required for the whole school, but I really enjoyed it and would for sure do it again. Can't wait for what these service projects bring my way as far as learning and experiences. I also can't wait to see what this semester brings my way as I keep moving forward.

- Cori

La Gita!!!

So I know I haven't written in a while because real classes have started as well as service which leaves me with limited time for sitting down and writing my thoughts. Any ways I finished the three week intensive course for Italian and to celebrate surviving we go on a 4 day trip. This year we went to the alps!!! I was beyond excited to go and ski and enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

Day 1 of the Gita:
We get up way too early to meet our bus that will take us to Calavese. On our way there, we stopped at a cheese factory that makes specifically Parmesan cheese. Each round weighs 40 kilos and takes months to become ready. There is also an organization that comes through his factory once a month or so and check the cheese. They can tell if there is a bubble in the cheese just by tapping it with a small hammer and listening to the sound. My roommate Melissa and I bought a little bit of cheese for our host family because our host dad loves cheese. Next we went to a balsamic vinegar factory. We got a short tour and were shown the barrels where they keep it. They have a barrel that they have been using since the mid 1700's and are still using today. The barrel alone is worth 40,000 euros and the balsamic vinegar inside is also worth 40,000 euros. Who knew it could be so expensive? Afterwards we got to taste test all the different kinds they sell. Most of them were delicious and they even had vinegar filled dark chocolate candies which weren't that bad. We eventually arrived around 7pm and got settled in our respective hotels before going to the other hotel for dinner. That night, nothing much happened and after a lovely German style dinner, we headed to bed. One thing to note about Cavalese is that the people's first language is German, but they speak Italian as well because at one point they were apart of Austria until they rejoined Italy.

Day 2 of the Gita:
We get up early and have literally the best breakfast of my life. Out hotel had the best food ever and I don't even like breakfast. They also had so many different choices and fresh squeezed orange juice. We went to another cheese factory that was a little bigger than the last one and they also use different milk because the cows eat the plants on the mountain which are different than the plants on the lower parts. They also have two different types of cheese because the cows are moved during the year between high and lower parts of the mountain which also has varying plant types and in turn makes two very different types of milk. When we went through this factory, we had to dress head to toe in protective gear to help keep the factory sanitary. We had hair nets, jackets, face masks, and booties for our shoes. We were quite a site to see, but we got to watch the workers pull out finished cheese rounds from the bottom of the big cauldron looking things. So cool! After that we had some free time before we were suppose to go to a place in the woods where they take these special trees and use them in super eco-friendly ways to build houses and such. We weren't able to go to that though because it had been snowing all night and continued throughout the day and had cover the ground in at least 1 ft. of snow. The bus driver was uncomfortable with driving us up there because the roads hadn't been cleared. Instead we had more free time which I spent resting and playing cards with friends. I also did have snow pants or a coat for skiing the next day because I didn't want to bring the extra bulky heavy weight with me to Italy and not use it so I went and found a place that had all their stuff on sale. It was still really expensive, but it was so worth it as I will explain later. It ended up being better this way and a lot of people went to the spa or hung out or slept and we were all content to the fact that we missed the activity. That evening we had planned on going to this really nice restaurant up in the woods that was suggested by the hotel. The only problem was that our bus wouldn't/couldn't take us so the hotel shuttled us part of the way there and then we had to walk a kilometer up steep hills in the snow while it was snowing. So it took a while, but eventually we got up the hill and found the restaurant and ate a very meat heavy typical German meal that was amazing followed by strudel for dessert. At the end of the evening we were given the choice to either walk home or take the shuttle and some people decided to take the shuttle, but most people just walked. Once we made it down the hill back into the city and avoided all the tractors plowing snow, we were told to take a path that curved down another hill that lead into Calavese. This was interesting and beautiful. We didn't really know where were going and just hoped that this path lead us back to the city. Luckily enough, we followed the right trails and made our way back. We arrived late so I pretty much went to bed because the next day I had to get up early to go get equipment to go skiing.

Day 3 of the Gita:
Today was our designated free day. You could either go skiing or find something else to do. Originally there was an option to go to a museum that houses a 5000 year old dead guy. It is run by National Geographic and they have tons of information on the science behind what happen. They think he was murdered and he even has tattoos that are visible. Unfortunately, the snow was working against us and continued to snow huge blobs making the roads unsafe. So people went to the spa and sauna or ice skating, or slept or played friends or explored the city. I of course went skiing and it was beyond amazing. This was the best day of my life. It was seriously the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen. Not only do you get to go up in gondolas but the views were fantastic and it actually took a while to go down some of the trails. One of the trails we went straight through the woods. It was my favorite because the trees protected you from most of the wind and snow and you saw all the valleys and snow covered trees. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. It wasn't a hard trial but you had to have control because although the trail wasn't steep, it was narrow with a huge drop off and no protection. Overall, the day was the best. Some of the hills hadn't been manicured properly and so the hills pretty much had moguls all over. I do not have much experience with moguls nor did I have the proper skis for moguls and therefore had a difficult time keeping in control. My boots were not fitting like I was used to and the edges of the skis would not carve so I kept tripping and catching my ski on every bump. I know this sounds like a bad day, but I got to cross this off my bucket list and the trails were amazing and the views from looking atop a mountain were to die for. That night we had dinner and after we made our way back to the ski resort for a discotecha at a bar near the top of the mountain. It was a cool little place that had the structure of a covered jungle gym or an igloo. The DJ played some nice house music and everyone was dancing. Actually, I should say that all the Americans were dancing as the Italians and other nationalities stared/watched us until later in the night when a few Italians joined us. It was fun, but also kinda awkward having so many people looking at us. It made me feel so different and like an outsider.

Day 4 of the Gita:
Sadly, this was our last day in Calavese and i had to say good bye to the mountains and the snow. On our way back we to Siena, we stopped in Firrara. This city is famous because it housed a lot of Jewish people during World War II. They still have the ghettos. We didn't stay too long there; only an hour or so. The A2/ higher level students gave a presentations about the history of the city and the famous families that lived there. After that we had an hour to walk around and explore the different historical spots, we had another two hours on the bus before arriving in Siena in which time ended the trip and now began real school on Monday. :(

Pictures to come soon!!!




-Cori

Sunday in San Gimignano

After a lovely Saturday of just relaxing and getting some work done, I enjoyed a trip to San Gimignano (Pronounced San Jiminano). It is a small city about 45 minutes from Siena. It was planned by the Italian students for our "Sundays Together". The plan was to get there early and explore the cute little town and then we would go to Carnavale. Well most of that stuff happened. We were going to take the bus, but luckily enough only a few people came so we were able to spread out between two cars and get there in less time. Second, we got met back up again in the center of town and decided on what we wanted to do. San Gimignano's architecture is similar to Siena's and was just a classic Tuscan city. There wasn't much to do there as it was Sunday and most shops were closed for the holiday, but there was plenty to see walking around.

We first decided to go to the torture museum. It was normally 10 euros to get in, but the lady gave us the student rate even though we were all over 18. It was actually a really cool museum. They had actual torture devices all over the walls and in cases. They even had a guillotine and I got excited and remembered learning about the  . They gave very nice histories on all the devices and it was very informational. I have to say though, it is slightly depressing knowing that people actually used these and therefore this museum is not for the weak of heart.

After that we had lunch and wandered around the city. We found a couple of really nice look out spots where you can see out to the hills of the Tuscan landscape. They were very pretty and if it wasn't so cold and a little sunnier out then I would have stayed there longer. The city itself had a lot to offer. They also are still surrounded by their original wall and there was even a path the lead you around parts of the wall. There are many churches, but unfortunately they were closed so we couldn't go inside.

You can't leave San Gimignano without trying the gelato. It is famous all over Italy and has several awards for best gelato. I really love the gelato here in Italy. It is so smooth and creamy and they have the best flavors. The gelato we had here lived up to its name for sure.

Eventually we ran out of things to do while waiting for the carnavale and it turns out that it was delayed until 3;30 instead of 3. We were all tired and didn't want to wait any longer so we decided to all just go home. We had a great day exploring a new city, but it was time to head back and get ready for school the next day.

-Cori

Week Three

I finally finished my third week in Siena. This week has been so busy that wasn't able to write a post until Today (Saturday). To start off the week, we had more Italian classes that consisted of most of our day. We also were introduced to the teachers who will be teaching the FICCS courses which are the classes that help to bring the whole system together. Things like art history, religion, social linguistics, etc are offered to enhance our overall cultural experience in Siena and the Italian language. These courses are all taught in Italian, but are adjusted to adapt to all the levels of Italian that will be in the class.

Wednesday was a very exciting day though. To start off, my class had two hours in the morning to go and explore the market that comes on Wednesdays. We were given a worksheet and had to go through the market and answer the questions in Italian. It was a lot of fun and the market is so huge. It literally kept going and going. The market has like everything; socks, bras, underwear, shirts, pants, coats, make up, flowers and plants, home goods, shoes, and food. My friend and I had to ask about the names of plants and how much they cost and the guy we went up to was really nice. We explained to him that we had the worksheet to do and he answered all the questions and even wrote down the names of the flowers so we could see how they were spelled. It was so cool to go through there because I had never been before. After that, I had Italian class and the Into FICCS courses. To finish the day, I got to go to a cooking lesson! We didn't make everything, but we did get to try everything. The one thing we did get to make was the pasta. The instructor gave us the pre-measured ingredients and we had to mix them, let the dough rise, and them roll them out with our hands. We also had pizza and tiramisu  with our pasta. It was so yummy and we even have recipes to take with us. 

On Thursday we had our reflective writing groups in the morning. During this time we talk about what has been going on and go over the writing prompts we were given. It is also a time to just express concerns we have or anything exciting. These groups are once a week and afterwards we resume our normal schedule of Italian. 

Friday was also a busy day. We had our second exam today. The last exam I got a 92%. I don't know yet what I got on this exam, but I felt like I did good. Afterwards, My class and the higher level class got to go to the Mueso Civico. It was another wonderful museum filled with beautiful art from floor to ceiling in the historic building were the government used to be held. It is located right in Piazza del Campo which is the center of the city. They have works of art from so many eras of time and even have part of the old cathedral in there with all original paintings and choir benches.

Then, to our surprise, it started to snow in thick heavy drops. It was so beautiful to see Siena covered in snow and it was also a rare even. At first the ground was too warm and the snow was too wet to stick, but as it kept coming down the flakes became bigger and fluffier and they began to stick. It didn't last too long, but all the us were out dancing and taking pictures and enjoying the beauty. The funniest part though was that there were so many people using umbrellas. Since I am from NE Ohio, I found this rather funny. Snow, although very beautiful, is also very dangerous in Siena. They do not have the equipment to move or salt the snow. The streets are extremely slippery and the hills are dangerous. Luckily, it did eventually stop snowing and the snow melted, but they had to block off the center of Piazza del Campo because it was slippery, but Siena made it into the nightly news.

This evening I also had a wine tasting class. A friend of one of the SIS coordinators came in a taught us all about wine. He showed us how to find the color and how to determine the age. He also showed us how to analyze the smell to tell what kind of fruit, spices, or flowers are in it. Then, off course we got to taste the wine. We tried a white wine, a red wine, and a dessert wine. I liked the white wine out of all three. The dessert wine was very strong, but it was meant to be eaten with desserts. I have to say that this was a neat experience and I'm glad that I was able to be here to experience it.