Things We've Learned in Italy

1. Pena is pain; penna is a pen; penne is a pasta; and pene is penis.


2. Walking is how people stay fit, because all they eat are carbs and sugar.

3. There are NO SKITTLES ANYWHERE.

4. WaWa is a sound children make.

5. Drivers are freaking ridiculous. They are worse than any city-dwellers in the States.

6. The only music they play is by Lady GaGa, Rihanna, and Train.

7. You will see more of the trains than the sights themselves.

8. Many of the sights aren't as big as you think they are.

9. Americans truly are the loudest people in the world.

10. "Dinner" is a relative term.

11. Breakfast is the smallest meal and lunch the largest.

12. Hand gestures, sign language, and an Italian/English dictionary will get you by.

13. The nationals know, by sight, that you are NOT Italian.

14. Old men are perverts and young men, cheap.

15. Everyone is skinny; you will feel fat.

16. Dogs are never fixed. In fact, they’re bred.

17. They’re also better behaved than the men.

18. What you think is cheap, is actually more money in the States. Think about that exchange rate.

19. American-Italian food will never, ever compare.

20. Taxi drivers are fun.

21. Everything is more beautiful than anything at home.

22. You will get fined for jumping into the Trevi Fountain. But not for drinking out of the fountain by the Spanish Steps.

23. Hot chocolate is actually hot, melted chocolate.

24. They have no idea what Chicken Parm, Fettucine Alfredo, and the Seven-Fish Dinner are.

25. American ice cream does NOT equal Italian gelato.

26. Us tourists have to stick together.

27. They probably think we're as funny as we think they are.

28. The term "alcoholic" does not exist here.

29. Nor does the term "butterface."

30. This place is home.
 
xoxo Ashley

Final Days in Italy

Well, this is it, my last weekend in Italy.  It is so hard to believe that these four weeks went by in a flash.  It felt like just last week I learned of the abroad in Brescia program, and felt like just yesterday I was rigorously preparing and packing my belongings, and now it's already over.  Needless to say I had good times here in Brescia and all of Italy.

This weekend was pretty leisurely for me.  I had my finals on Thursday and packed my suitcases.  Friday and Saturday I was feeling pretty lousy so I stayed in my apartment and packed.  Today, as our last day, Elisa was very generous and invited us to her house for lunch!  We all participated in cooking tiramisu, chicken and mushrooms, and pasta.  I really enjoyed cooking with everyone because it gave us an opportunity to work together and taste the fruit of our labor.  Of course I won't be a professional cook after today.  Now I'm preparing to head back to the United States

I have a lot of positive things to look back on from my stay in Italy.  I loved living in and attending school in Brescia while at the same time learning about its history, culture, learning the language, and visiting other cities in Italy including Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan.  In these four weeks I have done more traveling than I have done in many years.  Brescia was a wonderful city and a city full of history, and I loved spending time there.  I will miss Italy very much, especially shopping, eating Italian cuisine, and living the Italian lifestyle in general.  I received a true taste of Italy and part of my ancestral roots.

This trip had its ups and downs, but all were overcome.  I highly recommend Brescia to any students who wish to study abroad.  Italy is a wonderful country with lots of inetresting and fascinating places to see and fun things to do.  Plus, Elisa and Dr. Clewis were very supportive of me and everyone in the group and made sure we were all comfortable and prepared for the trip.  I have no doubts that any student who decides to go abroad in Brescia will be in good hands. 

Once again, I will miss Italy very much, I really had a lot of fun.  Nonetheless, I will be so happy to finally return to my home in America, where my family will be there to welcome me back with open arms.  I don't know when the next time I go to Italy will be, or if I will go to another country anytime soon, but this trip is one I will remember for life.  But it's great to be going back home to the USA!!!!!  Arrivederci!!!!

-Gabrielle

Can't Get Enough of Lago di Garda!

So, imagine you're in good 'ole PA.  It's summertime and you're stuck toiling away at work, but what do you have to look forward to come Friday at 5 PM?  Why, the Jersey Shore of course!  Well, in Italy, Lago di Garda is the Italian Jersey Shore!  Needless to say we were all excited to revisit the lake and relax after another busy week of studying and travels.  Below is a video we took while on the paddle boats.  We picked two that had slides and some of us had quite the fun time sliding down into the lake!  Check it out!

Venice, Milan, & Amusement Parks, Oh My!

This weekend, unlike the last two, was one in which I took several day trips rather than staying in one city for three days straight.  Each day with each trip was exciting and nothing short of amazing. 

Friday I went with Sara to Venice.  I had been anticipating Venice all the weeks I have been in Italy and needless to say I was thrilled to be there! Venice was everything I had imagined.  Lots of nice buildings and water canals flowing all around.  There were mototrboats for all purposes in Venice, from ambulance boats, to police boats, to taxi boats, to ferries.   

The famous bridges in Venice were magnificent and well preserved since I realize they have been around a very long time.

After walking around one of Venice's aquares and passing the shops, Sara and I ate lunch at a nice restaurant.  That was when I got the chance to eat some of Venice's famous seafood.  Sara and I ate some fried seafood which was among the best I have ever eaten!  In addition, the resteraunt's atmoshere was nice, and there was even a live band that performed which was a real treat! 

After lunch Sara and I did some shopping at the stands in San Marco square.  I was amazed to find some beautiful authentic Venetian masks for good prices at the stands.  I love them very much.  Afterwards, we had the chance to go on a gondola ride!  We rode in a nice gondola with embroidered seats.  A few times the gondola tipped to the side, and Sara was a bit nervous, but I knew the gondoliers knew what they were doing.  The ride was enjoyable and I was able to see parts of Venice I was unable to while walking. 

After the ride Sara and I walked around San Marco square some more and shopped some more.  I noticed that Venice's corners and stone pavements were the narrowest I have ever walked through.  Sometimes they were hard to walk through since many people tried to go through at once.  After a few more hours Sara and I took the ferry to the station and back to Brescia.  I loved Venice because it was a unique and quite magical city with beautiful landmarks and water canals that provide a comforting feeling of being by the sea, similar to that of Florida. 

On Saturday Sara and I went to an amusement park by the lake called Gardaland.  Sara told me it was the largest amusement park in all of Europe, but it was a lot smaller compared to Dorney Park and Six Flags.  But it was an amazing theme park with lots of fun rides.  We went on water rides, roller coasters, even 4D rides which were amazing!  This was the first time in quite a few years I've been to an amusement park, and it felt wonderful to be at one again.

 

On sunday Sara and I visit Milan.  It was a nice city, but not as exciting as the other Italian cities I visited.  I walked through the domed square where all the fancy resteraunts and shops were which was breathtakingluy extravagant!  I have never seen such a beautiful domed square in my life before.  I tried to go inside the duomo church but was denied access because I was not properly dressed which was a disappointment.  But that just gave me an opportunity to explore other areas, including the theater and the Palace courtyard. 

After some sightseeing, Sara and I ate lunch at a  nice cafe.  I ate some delicious pizza and tried some fried veggies and fried rice and veggie-filled balls which were divine!  Afterwards Sara and I just walked around and left for Brescia.  I enjoyed this past weekend very much because I had the opportunity to explore and experience different cities and sites.  I am really tired from all the walking but I loved every minute of it.  I am loving my experience in Italy all the more. 
-Gabrielle

Teatro alla Scala.

Before I left for this trip, my voice teacher said to me, "You're going to visit the Opera House in Milan, right?"  "Oh yeah, of course!" I replied, having never even thought about visiting the Opera House in Milan.  This was the beginning of setting a plan into action.  I knew I had to at least stop by and see it - just for her!
When we first arrived in Brescia, Mrs. Clewis had mentioned going to see some performances at the local theater.  After learning of the website, we looked at our options but unfortunately nothing seemed to work with our schedule.  That's when it occurred to me to check out the acclaimed opera house, Teatro alla Scala, in Milan.  It turned out, that almost every weekend there was a different show, and one happened to work out for us perfectly.  It was a ballet featuring 3 Russian composers - Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and one I'd never heard of before.  This would be perfect!  Seats in Galleria 1 were only 20 euro - even better!  Four of us decided that we would make a day trip to Milan and attend the performance.
After making the plans, I learned that Teatro alla Scala had quite a history to it.  It's been around for hundreds of years!  In 1776, it caught fire and burned down.  The people of Italy pleaded with Prince Ferdinand for the funds to rebuild the opera house.  Their cries were heard and the opera house was rebuilt.  Then, in 1939 the opera house suffered another casualty when it was hit by bombs in World War II.  Again, the opera house was rebuilt and is what we know it to be today.  The opera house is also home to an academy that trains its students to be great performers in vocal, instrumental and dance performance.  If they're exceptional, they may get to become a part of the Teatro alla Scala performance company one day!  In addition, I learned that Teatro alla Scala is the place to go to see musical and theatrical performances, not just in Italy but in all of Europe!  Now, I could understand why it was so important to my voice teacher that I make the trip to go there!
The four of us were really impressed with the performance we saw.  The musicianship and dancing was absolutely breathtaking and the theatrical interpretations of the choreography was truly amazing.  We were all happy that we made the trip - it was definitely worth the aggravation that it took to actually find the opera house!  (Note to readers: "straight ahead" is not a good enough description for directions.  My suggestion - take a taxi!)
Also, while we were in Piazza alla Scala we had the opportunity to walk around a little bit.  We went to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and The Duomo.  Here are some pictures of our adventures!  Enjoy!

Teatro alla Scala

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and The Duomo.

-Jenna

Hustlin' & Bustlin' in Roma

This past weekend I took the trip I've been anticipating so much to Rome.  In those 3 days I've spent there, I learned that some of it was what I had imagined, and some things weren't.  Rome was MUCH larger and busier than Brescia, and more crowded.  It was also as hot as Florida so I had to wear sunblock frequently.  As I had hoped, I had the opportunity to visit the historical sites I wanted, plus some others. 

On Friday after arriving, freshening up, and some lunch, Sara and I walked around the streets of the Spagna district of Rome.  I passed by and visited some shops and bought some nice things.  Then we stopped by the Spanish Steps where some of the other girls were for some pictures.  We then walked by and took pictures of some ancient ruins including the Piaza Di Spagna, the Piazza di Popallo, the Piazza Venezia, the Altare' Della Patria, and the Fori Imperiarli.  Save for the fact I almost lost my camera forever when it slipped out of my hands without knowing it, but then some kind tourists found it and returned it to me.  I was very fortunate or my trip would have been thrown way off and I would have been bummed out the rest of the time.

After walking some more Sara and I came to the Fontana di Trevi fountain!  It was really big and lots of people were around it.  The water looked so clear and cool, too bad no one's allowed to touch it.

Later I tasted a delicious pastry called a pasta frolla for the first time.  It was a little tart with chocolate filling on top. MM-mm!!  Later that evening, my feet were very sore and blistered from walking so Sara and I took a rest on the Spanish Steps. I noticed that the streets of Rome were very busy at night as well as day, very much like New York city.

On Saturday I toured the Vatican!  Since Sara and I booked in advance, we didn't have to stand in line.  Good thing, because as we walked, the line for the Vatican museum stretched blocks and blocks down!  Before it was time for our tour we hung out in St. Peter's square which was magnificent in structures and statues. 

 

When our tour began, Sara and I joined a group and we first walked through the courtyard which was big with magnificent scultpures around.   

Even before entering the main section of the museum I was astonished!  Outside around me were beautuful sculptures and inside were sculptures of animals and people, and detailed tapestries and paintings on the walls and the ceilings!  Just as my mother told me before I came, I would definitely feel like a tiny man in comparison to the Vatican's art, and I did.  The only disappointing part of the tour was that we were not allowed to take photos in the Cistine Chapel, and I was not aware of that rule until I was stopped by one of the guards for trying to take photos.

                                                        

After the Vatican tour I was very tired from walking all day, but I wanted to see more.  Soon, Sara and I managed to find the Jewish quarters of Rome!  I've wanted to see it since my parents recommended it.  Sara told me it was known as "The Ghetto."  It was a small, quiet area, with synagogues and a Jewish museum and kosher cafe's, though many of them were closed so I could not enter.

After visiting The Ghetto, my day ended with a nice dinner with Sara at a nice resteraunt by the hotel.  The manager there was very friendly and obviously used to seeing American tourists because he asked me where I was from, and spoke to a few boys who were from New York.  

On Sunday, my last day in Rome, I first had a tour of the Colloseum.  It was a fun tour, but very short.  After awhile we were free to tour on our own.  It was also extremely humid, so much so that despite my sunblock I got a little burned.  

After the tour Sara and I had a nice lunch at a local restaurant and then went to the hotel to get our stuff.  We walked around the shops at the train station.  Prior, this weekend was the first time in my life I took the subway so many times at once, and it was extremely crowded with a lot of pushing and shoving.  We walked around and looked in stores and even looked in an old church nearby.  

   

While walking I noticed how different the train stations in Italy are from those in America.  Here, with all our walking and aching feet, the only places to rest were the cafe's.  After getting on the train to go back to Brescia, I was sweaty and tired, but I was glad to be back.  I had a good time in Rome, but it's busy streets and all the hustle and bustle was a bit too much for me to handle and wore me out.  Great weekend in Roma! 

-Gabrielle

Roma, Ti Amo

Our sojourn into Rome could not be described with a wider array of adjectives: exciting, exhausting, entertaining, eye-opening, awe-inspiring...the list goes on. Most of us left early Friday morning, some Thursday night; either way, almost everyone was traipsing through the Eternal City by Friday afternoon. On Friday alone, we climbed the Spanish Steps (la Scalinata di Piazza di Spagna); made wishes on coins dropped into the Trevi Fountain (la Fontana di Trevi); stood beneath the oculus of the Pantheon (il Pantheon); and saw the Colosseum and Arch of Constantine (il Colosseo e l'Arco di Costantino) in all their breathtaking glory. After all of that, we went to the Hard Rock Café for as American a dinner as we could get, then a few of us saw Sex and the City 2 in a very Italian theater. Did you know that you could purchase cappuccino, espresso, wine, and cocktails, cake and gelato, as well as hotdogs, popcorn, and nachos in an Italian theater? And very much like an airplane and a first-class Eurostar train, they give you assigned seats.

Saturday was a hectic day - most of us were touring the Vatican and the city at large. Just a recap: the Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign state within the city of Rome, and the capital of Catholicism. I Musei di Vaticano - the Vatican Museums - house innumerable works of art (including Raphel's "School of Athens," Perugino's "Madonna and Child with Saints," and Giotto's "Stefaneschi Triptych" -- shout out to Marcia Cooper for Art History 116!), as well as the legendary and magnificent Sistine Chapel (la Capella Sistina). Over 4 million people visit the museums each year.

And let me tell you, that statistic isn't lying.

Gorgeous and unforgettable though the Vatican museums and gardens were, it was a long, hot, sweaty, crowded, hurried, exhausting trek through the beauty, art and history of hundreds of years. That isn't to demean the experience itself; that is just to say, make sure you have stamina and a lot of water.

I'll leave you with this, as I have to head over to the other apartment for dinner. Here is a grocery list of what I learned in Rome:

1. Crazy Roman drivers trump crazy New York drivers any day.

2. Asking for crepes in Rome is bound to be an adventure.

3. Everyone is going to sell you something.

4. Nobody cares if you're in the way.

5. Sneakers will be your best friends and taxi cabs the luxury you wish you could afford.

6. Learn to haggle.

7. Police officers are no help. They don't know where they are anymore than you do.

8. There will always be more people than hairs on your head.

9. You will always feel like you smell. Don't worry, everyone else does too.

10. Though chaotic, tiring, loud,  crowded and ridiculously large, Rome really IS as beautiful as everyone says.

Buona serata! :]

 xoxo Ashley