tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45317246109223536142024-02-07T09:47:09.304+01:00Milano, ItaliaSamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-63060736437016192482008-11-16T21:59:00.019+01:002008-11-16T23:15:04.357+01:00Under the Tuscan Sun<span style="font-size:85%;">Sorry for the delay in blog updates. Unfortunately, I am still without a functioning laptop and am too nervous to take it anywhere here in Italy to get fixed. </span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">My latest adventure was to Tuscany with 60 other students in my program. The pictures are more beautiful then I could ever explain or put into words (plus I am sick and just took some advil pm..haha) so I will just tell you the towns we went to and then share some pictures. We stayed in the beautiful town of Siena and also traveled to Montalcino (famous for red wine, specifically brunello and chianti classico) where we saw a beautiful castle, attended mass and saw the blessing of the tractors and enjoyed local cuisine! We also went to the town of Pienza bulit by Pope Pius II who was born there and adorned the town with very handsome buildings. In addition we had the opportunity to visit the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in Italy and also, where I took all the amazing Tuscany landscape photos. We were even able to witness one of their seven times a day of pray. The final town we visited was Arezzo where La Vita è Bella (Life is Beautiful with Roberto Benigni) was filmed. There we had a private tour inside the Basilica of San Francesco. We were able to see frescoes painted in 1452 and while we have seen many fresco paintings on our different trips, with this one we had a guide who explained everything so it made it that much more interesting. </span><br /></div><div><div><br />Siena:<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiprIR_z9CxkcP5o4tWMrLxLOHcTKbgOeOGgQ-KeuvnJvngDBfl6PCBzVgCT3NsYZsxFfsVAaSiSTJwLBT6WkJrICnscii79DhyjsggRP-y8wu5uAio_osWSGA1MdbYJC3W19vZHDfEIM/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269368451010764322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiprIR_z9CxkcP5o4tWMrLxLOHcTKbgOeOGgQ-KeuvnJvngDBfl6PCBzVgCT3NsYZsxFfsVAaSiSTJwLBT6WkJrICnscii79DhyjsggRP-y8wu5uAio_osWSGA1MdbYJC3W19vZHDfEIM/s200/Sam's+Pics+006.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTI7qS9mnaK6WlUMm25lcdrGmtQ0jeW_xDThDPTLrJxIQT_xKhupJR_sZR-nbYPxl61nCj-oycw0YxEO5Jh8AoRXTuf8_UVtXq-iu7478-BPxkaC-TiJRTWFiv49q0oC5Alg4KGB6KKxU/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269372743537577842" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTI7qS9mnaK6WlUMm25lcdrGmtQ0jeW_xDThDPTLrJxIQT_xKhupJR_sZR-nbYPxl61nCj-oycw0YxEO5Jh8AoRXTuf8_UVtXq-iu7478-BPxkaC-TiJRTWFiv49q0oC5Alg4KGB6KKxU/s200/Sam's+Pics+009.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269370649417354722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYNPyhIF9GpwuF9_0t0WYlJgJh-d11iwXnsUKRmOnAHaE10KfkuZosRPufGZqO1uKhdD1rM1gLB-QZ-_vEwg-QfIp74szk4olVgFI3FPlI3K_4CBSeaIxC1T2uoJNEJgF9ebFVnOygbA/s200/Sam's+Pics+007.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Montalcino:<br />You might not be able to see it but that is a 4,700 euro bottle of wine!! YIKES!</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><div><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhtGgOJ5U0thc2oByrWfZzmgrGrs-9G9TDr3yVewBqglZGnqQ2NkY1_NRz7j1pD9we5pfb3GWo2njzhDG7azzPMq0WoGcC5kaiUD7oy4TPaa1hBq8hBvJJHi9U51c1qg1462Q1kgpsq0/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269375512974295362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhtGgOJ5U0thc2oByrWfZzmgrGrs-9G9TDr3yVewBqglZGnqQ2NkY1_NRz7j1pD9we5pfb3GWo2njzhDG7azzPMq0WoGcC5kaiUD7oy4TPaa1hBq8hBvJJHi9U51c1qg1462Q1kgpsq0/s200/Sam's+Pics+029.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSmvag_QUB0MmXPgejR_u45amNyFdq3t_l6vwa-IUUlMtv6_45JlhhzxyisJyOsJ66fo7vHctBOVehfWpsS0vkVjVeiQ0RbjBPkCWwqCW5k89BmMGf6NjXqseO7g9lDiYatWi7Kxzzig/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269377353776976946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSmvag_QUB0MmXPgejR_u45amNyFdq3t_l6vwa-IUUlMtv6_45JlhhzxyisJyOsJ66fo7vHctBOVehfWpsS0vkVjVeiQ0RbjBPkCWwqCW5k89BmMGf6NjXqseO7g9lDiYatWi7Kxzzig/s200/Sam's+Pics+026.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269376951074910450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EHb_D0lanKLD2YLAANsNazyCrYa3d3yRYKwi4LVRdzOMhNZG4b_sBFWKWRwMYt_IPAOtpT7hKBvjMNX8YGTbQ_gJ2lm8M3os93naZnwxh1H8PtZREICUY67QYabvwZkksn8Wk2Ald4w/s200/Sam's+Pics+035.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gEmFDgFMQS3kkpXae-AnMv5wxDK_H8fLE1lSZX_gqehVbXUMO9yb_TSNtu1D4Aj99uEvQ7pZxy6JrqTAgp9nFpgOsxPKqva7m_9J9zjB29ytJeQHWjtWpyDGRwZ9ox-2p9tcDK9HVCk/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269377717175188914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gEmFDgFMQS3kkpXae-AnMv5wxDK_H8fLE1lSZX_gqehVbXUMO9yb_TSNtu1D4Aj99uEvQ7pZxy6JrqTAgp9nFpgOsxPKqva7m_9J9zjB29ytJeQHWjtWpyDGRwZ9ox-2p9tcDK9HVCk/s200/Sam's+Pics+038.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269376947892566994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFDd4n8JkjkUnOAzaoSCRdAj3H0J1HhoO78zOLHdr4Im-b4-LratBvjNe4uLfXUmX5Olcw4Lrg-6yl6KiGbaTjcYgrORTtxbbbrcE3XwwTnXX-5rb319xRNZrW03wG-eX7AJs1-jHa50/s200/Sam's+Pics+033.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Abbey and landscape:</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0xoWbCgaNoLReJOkDMglAqj_p5xcHlAq2NYG_Z-hvgRt4n3muP4PPrgI5Mi6cu1P14w_dxLhmx_b76AUm7CUrQRE5YNfjWUS0sW4duFksnjHg4wWUhOWwm05cDbHeVS-Bq9OZ1gVXkk/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269379268113017602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0xoWbCgaNoLReJOkDMglAqj_p5xcHlAq2NYG_Z-hvgRt4n3muP4PPrgI5Mi6cu1P14w_dxLhmx_b76AUm7CUrQRE5YNfjWUS0sW4duFksnjHg4wWUhOWwm05cDbHeVS-Bq9OZ1gVXkk/s200/Sam's+Pics+041.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99T81b8EKRXRaUbsCZnzSKkvV2hUnu102TlnIzBnthRd0G0Az099xVBovAKdpdlMkzwrIuKTyBaBI6nF9tcdkjeMKJimDtiIK_SV83hwN9De9oxL02RW-cJZJWLF1gZd6_ETdH1qLA7g/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+048.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269378804595596418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99T81b8EKRXRaUbsCZnzSKkvV2hUnu102TlnIzBnthRd0G0Az099xVBovAKdpdlMkzwrIuKTyBaBI6nF9tcdkjeMKJimDtiIK_SV83hwN9De9oxL02RW-cJZJWLF1gZd6_ETdH1qLA7g/s200/Sam's+Pics+048.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269379947887015314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD69jyRT0kYQe7uYHVFYw8K1jURsHKrF02KqXUAkn6lAdMYnMnzm2zhT6XBhNQJctiFSw8NSkzPv-h5pBYC-3uhSYP39bFQPi69gLC-KnFmrzAReO8bnjvH0qn7z4hd5Aq8SXPWC4O9E/s200/Sam's+Pics+043.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><br /> </div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269371678393018274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoiXNkVPWzBXMP14PcgxtChMRHQjQ0RcTCVowMypqM8T2QAu5srZZn8VoNOEd9d9gM7mmrtNKlEGpHa5A8irxj3N3KQrZKI8_67INLjIbaImkBmz_Fabt_4Na-Et1sRLKsTXSts4HDbU/s320/Sam's+Pics+046.jpg" border="0" /> <div> </div><div> </div><div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Pienza:</span></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf0inysbDQ1-LxAUlaLUJXhE_veRfb1LyyfY8AhaFk1ykdmKxkuh06fMb5Ly8Q6qbiVDj9B52vXcxaQ7lmLGHRxJ9yuQLlzEzCpILSlA49Zd-b3VqSMJUyHXguURUz1NYIZ_oT1JagYE/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+053.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269381095396105986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf0inysbDQ1-LxAUlaLUJXhE_veRfb1LyyfY8AhaFk1ykdmKxkuh06fMb5Ly8Q6qbiVDj9B52vXcxaQ7lmLGHRxJ9yuQLlzEzCpILSlA49Zd-b3VqSMJUyHXguURUz1NYIZ_oT1JagYE/s200/Sam's+Pics+053.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCg_e5ULhKf182vLbUzCcpvghvgoYI8Vw1pms6fzJcUxzoJxanDBX7YYmRn1eI8KzXOFQP84Zv86DH3u57yE0hOGUrj5Q_8PJlYSDiSxSDzjgg-o2kxLq4FzVf0VDS2wMEdNm_YdLUf_E/s1600-h/Sam's+Pics+058.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269381456837351714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCg_e5ULhKf182vLbUzCcpvghvgoYI8Vw1pms6fzJcUxzoJxanDBX7YYmRn1eI8KzXOFQP84Zv86DH3u57yE0hOGUrj5Q_8PJlYSDiSxSDzjgg-o2kxLq4FzVf0VDS2wMEdNm_YdLUf_E/s200/Sam's+Pics+058.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269381264445322754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwgRwy4RXF7pVPm7hyphenhyphenfwziSWaTvHBhuk0xRYjaGZ_4NhUPjKA77taPOkrdu-Lrr52RQET3JIJzsIVKL66cCaOTRKDW2J7u4slu9S1eclwiV9ik8js6mUitvGj7B8SuUfPWAaSfDbA1q4/s200/Sam's+Pics+054.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-19332403138977279422008-10-29T18:55:00.030+01:002008-10-30T00:30:41.626+01:00Weekend in Paris...ain't no thang<span style="font-size:85%;">I feel like I am constantly living in a dream. Tomorrow I will wake up and none of this will have been real. I still can't get over how easy it is to just up and leave for Rome or Paris for the weekend. And once I actually get to these cities I still have to pinch myself multiple times to even slightly be convinced that I am not in a fairytale world. </span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262711315133392738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtigge-INxZpiStytb26fsWhc2NIGp7tgqvmJqV77PYFhqNxVkfD7PM0dquNUuIPBw69A9BtEl1u0RSoeqllFAye7N70I9fb3JlaCU4_mJI0ndjUCZeNcSMF7AaUMg7qZAoodxTi6s_M/s320/Italia+2008+379.jpg" border="0" /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Now begins the adventure in Parigi (Paris):</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">My friend Tera and I, in order to save some money, booked our flight to Paris with the well-known airline amongst poor exchange students called Ryanair. However, with every opportunity there is always a sacrifice that must be made. In this case we sacrificed sleep. </span></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Friday, October 24th, 2008</span></strong></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">At 2:00 A.M. Friday morning I woke up to shower and pack for Paris. And by pack, I mean I threw a change of clothes and my toothbrush into my book bag and headed out the door. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5kvFPJJYgWbWnfwl0S83GsLNZHP4j9EDyVDAlwfdXTurnnD66Wy4JnvGS7gJU0um7KDQfk39MQQTLpQXwRqxDds2v63N2s-kN-l5rE0aO_CbYH2pJJHoDITfOydV5uM7QyJPTYXJIEY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+352.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262711845731689730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5kvFPJJYgWbWnfwl0S83GsLNZHP4j9EDyVDAlwfdXTurnnD66Wy4JnvGS7gJU0um7KDQfk39MQQTLpQXwRqxDds2v63N2s-kN-l5rE0aO_CbYH2pJJHoDITfOydV5uM7QyJPTYXJIEY/s200/Italia+2008+352.jpg" border="0" /></a>Then at 3:00 A.M. Tera and I took a Taxi from our dorm to Milan Central Station where we got on a bus departing at 4:00 A.M. to take us to Bergamo airport (about an hour away). We arrive<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkwnooGzYq1z1v1XNT9gUL5Kd7LNTpAAEEIO3glTz0xzq0jvZ96w-bkQndxL3CgjeYe_3xD0KkBwqccLequQhir0X7kUrzEQGs7G_8MkyAhLz1uuwn7ZlvQZwWc-jbbW4LqUXo1XM0J8/s1600-h/Italia+2008+353.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262712348346026082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkwnooGzYq1z1v1XNT9gUL5Kd7LNTpAAEEIO3glTz0xzq0jvZ96w-bkQndxL3CgjeYe_3xD0KkBwqccLequQhir0X7kUrzEQGs7G_8MkyAhLz1uuwn7ZlvQZwWc-jbbW4LqUXo1XM0J8/s200/Italia+2008+353.jpg" border="0" /></a>d at the airport in plenty of time for our 6:30 A.M. flight to Beauvais Airport (an hour and a half outside of central Paris). When we landed at Beauvais the sunrise was just starting to peek up over the horizon and it was a beautiful sight. We had to walk from our plane outside to get inside the airport and we were both quite shocked with change in temperature from when we left Milano. IT WAS COLD!!! Neither one of us had packed more than a light sweater and we were already wearing those. But we braved the cold for the time being and boarded yet another bus into Paris. Keep in mind on each new form of transportation we would find our seats, put in our ipods, and pass out trying to store up as much energy as possible. But just before passing out on this final stretch we looked out the window of the bus to see a huge, beautiful rainbow! Welcome to Paris! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">We arrived in Paris around 11 and headed straight to the Louvre where first we got some breakfast. Tera ordered her first crepe filled with bananas and nutella (chocolate hazelnut creme thing for those who don't know). Mmmmm. Then we headed inside the Louvre where we ventured through France, Asia, Greece, Egypt, and ended at the Mona Lisa. The Louvre is a massive museum with sooo many rooms and really confusing maps. We saw about all we could see having been up for 10 hours already. Then we went outside where we took pictures of the famous glass pyramid and again realized how freezing we were gonna be if we didn't purchase some more clothes. That's when we decided to go shopping and I ended up buying a new coat and scarf and Tera bought a hat and scarf. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYf1x-KYTGARxvoGWlfYLn8gbSUU5pUlFRc97e80c9d6U1oiWXwKjiu-A0MKz6wCGCYOvyJrm81g21qZqjpUUCncKz7lPyqqj3frcLESoLiLceovgookAxvhG-bDopq95H3infzCJGS0/s1600-h/Italia+2008+363.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262712847216077474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYf1x-KYTGARxvoGWlfYLn8gbSUU5pUlFRc97e80c9d6U1oiWXwKjiu-A0MKz6wCGCYOvyJrm81g21qZqjpUUCncKz7lPyqqj3frcLESoLiLceovgookAxvhG-bDopq95H3infzCJGS0/s200/Italia+2008+363.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgp5nHLcoDtWZ-Mz53qx-o8c2HpwTqdnyIJttDbJKL8xbpZGuOZKZligHYzwIO6GAK2vcPBN3bulyLrwFq-Rp2l-T6p4H5LduXk3BTCaeVMlr9ETKe7edcoa7kaUtw8rGBDDio1O2cSU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+366.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262713133558520626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgp5nHLcoDtWZ-Mz53qx-o8c2HpwTqdnyIJttDbJKL8xbpZGuOZKZligHYzwIO6GAK2vcPBN3bulyLrwFq-Rp2l-T6p4H5LduXk3BTCaeVMlr9ETKe7edcoa7kaUtw8rGBDDio1O2cSU/s200/Italia+2008+366.jpg" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262712986704568578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfKKl0U6sx7a9Qyfi8ObWvAmQIQDTvFtySeBwfSAi1UntTN5JcM98s6jvN1YGHGLvg6kLfKaRLPQeaxsiGk2vW3E1JUXThzJxWod4BGVKvYwFBhPJQMY8oU5xe8nR72ZEMp6A36F2Ed4/s200/Italia+2008+368.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">With our body temperatures back up to normal we headed to the Notre Dame. We ended up spending a lot of time in this magnificent cathedral mostly because it was so beautiful but also because when we went back outside it had started to rain. mawww. We re-entered the cathedral and just relaxed inside for over an hour. Possibly taking a wee bit of a nap, but I think for both of us, it was a perfect opportunity to just reflect on our amazing experiences since we've been abroad. I really wanted to go up in the bell tower but unfortunately, we missed the cutoff time for the line.<br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvjbzqwKME9jo0Vy2oxdp_mzrgbuSzWG8NP0k657ePUAmwdKNWVYkzbIsKv1J3Yl6dDIR9YBFhTF677-mTjbJDtwrTAk5nVm8uz8AZw-_irx0ncxRGUzDRhwJpwIGzBe9GNj-mvO129I/s1600-h/Italia+2008+374.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262714022980479298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvjbzqwKME9jo0Vy2oxdp_mzrgbuSzWG8NP0k657ePUAmwdKNWVYkzbIsKv1J3Yl6dDIR9YBFhTF677-mTjbJDtwrTAk5nVm8uz8AZw-_irx0ncxRGUzDRhwJpwIGzBe9GNj-mvO129I/s200/Italia+2008+374.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra0hi2_nmbALUoGUPnUWOLDuBNZ79_TFYCwjoSLP1KyFH4YUuFDS9YKoRWk2lcfOm6m03tl2JZtLR2RxUZ8hZt9roBIJ2MbAGY5qglCNS4p0PI6HKi4s3UqV4EfGhysScMLNWgem3GGE/s1600-h/Italia+2008+378.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262714350163767762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgra0hi2_nmbALUoGUPnUWOLDuBNZ79_TFYCwjoSLP1KyFH4YUuFDS9YKoRWk2lcfOm6m03tl2JZtLR2RxUZ8hZt9roBIJ2MbAGY5qglCNS4p0PI6HKi4s3UqV4EfGhysScMLNWgem3GGE/s200/Italia+2008+378.jpg" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262714183915949058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcS3HMLTnOqOKTp80T-O9za7bDhdBQ-9XdGxHgiiGeLuIs0IE-7OE2IA5AiU2A03teWbW2JbTupWurbW293wSu6ibkaSo173mLYRVhAxeNr-A31N0fUm8_eSDGXw54Lh9fOIe4qogsps/s200/Italia+2008+377.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:85%;">Once the rain had ceased and we had somehow found the energy to stand up, we left Notre Dame to go see the Eiffel Tower. We had<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iMU2uaXWmCjtb-vgwDYvaF6TY9KXx1AiGZHwWcb4fQ9GFcIDejrhu31nWKfk3FSkzc4nVulvVnpfETF51b5Hbq51uB96a4BMVdXDeFWx6SXLypWR1vA6OFVB9nnf_rM0SAPvxmvFbVk/s1600-h/Italia+2008+384.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262714984678645730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iMU2uaXWmCjtb-vgwDYvaF6TY9KXx1AiGZHwWcb4fQ9GFcIDejrhu31nWKfk3FSkzc4nVulvVnpfETF51b5Hbq51uB96a4BMVdXDeFWx6SXLypWR1vA6OFVB9nnf_rM0SAPvxmvFbVk/s320/Italia+2008+384.JPG" border="0" /></a> about 2 hours before we were supposed to meet Kristen (my good friend and roommate for the last two years and soon to be future roommate back at IU in the spring who is studying abroad in Rennes, France). The sight of the Eiffel Tower blew me away! It was just getting dark so they had it all lit up. It is currently blue and has the stars because France is hosting the European Union and it will be this way for the next 6 months. I'd always seen pictures and read about the beauty of the architecture of this tower but until I saw it for myself I never truly appreciated it. I just kept saying, "It is so big!" And of course its size made it very difficult to get a majority of it in a picture. But Tera and I managed to entertain ourselves by having a little photo shoot and trying several different angles, etc. I feel in love with the Eiffel Tower. </span><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Then it was finally time to be reunited with my roomie (ahhh a little piece of "home")!! We met each other under the Arc de Triomphe which was an area buzzing with traffic and people. Thanks to Kristen having a family friend living in Paris, for the rest of the trip I was spoiled rotten. Kristen's grandmother has a friend named Claude who was kind enough to let us stay at her home for two nights. But first we met up with her son Laurent and his wife <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjco0xyFexig1XBBNfHs1c5ZgTW6WUClvZ3KVWzOtJulXv1xZ8e_g809783IHNjvEZwFxy6OuzCQX6pH0TOWptCvg3Vg7vntIRd27Hel7pVAAA57aD7jcxjO9-VekLAQ3SUzxqw7CVquk/s1600-h/Italia+2008+387.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262715352295887010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjco0xyFexig1XBBNfHs1c5ZgTW6WUClvZ3KVWzOtJulXv1xZ8e_g809783IHNjvEZwFxy6OuzCQX6pH0TOWptCvg3Vg7vntIRd27Hel7pVAAA57aD7jcxjO9-VekLAQ3SUzxqw7CVquk/s200/Italia+2008+387.jpg" border="0" /></a>who took us out to a very expensive dinner. I had a delicious filet mignon which was the 2nd cheapest thing on the menu. Then we went back to Laurent's apartment, which was on the top floor of a building across the street from the Eiffel Tower!!!!, to have some coca-cola light and chat for awhile. We got to go out on his balcony and gaze a little longer at the fantastico blue tower! Then we walked a few streets over and went to Claude's apartment (just around the corner from the Arc de Triomphe). Claude is the president of a company and is obviously very successful as her home was very classy and filled with famous pieces of artwork. We had our own separate "apartment" that was connected to hers and since Tera and I had been up now for 22 hours we went straight to bed. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong></strong></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Saturday, October 25th, 2008</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">The next morning, Tera left to meet up with a friend of hers also studying in France and Kristen and I linked arms <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEuxvMJJErx8GL_IF7MhQVaBLQDRviUsfFe4MXselt5SDY9XZfrFWZNk0wnPg_zT-Bjqf6yJRHY-q1psrAaNWXZ83WG0ey4pGmhConjTwedBfLF66UzP5jR4AUQ2xXLXiwjiIt4WPTLU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+404.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262716185363695762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEuxvMJJErx8GL_IF7MhQVaBLQDRviUsfFe4MXselt5SDY9XZfrFWZNk0wnPg_zT-Bjqf6yJRHY-q1psrAaNWXZ83WG0ey4pGmhConjTwedBfLF66UzP5jR4AUQ2xXLXiwjiIt4WPTLU/s200/Italia+2008+404.jpg" border="0" /></a>and hit the streets of Paris! Of course, we first headed back to see my new love (the Eiffel Tower) where we had plans to go to the very top. However, between the enormous line and the fog that loomed over much of Paris for most of the day we decided it wouldn't be worth it to wait and pay and end up not being able to really see anything once we got up there. Instead, we went to the Musee D'Orsay. This museum was installed in the former Orsay railway station, built for the Universal Exhibitio<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05HzwFalM-0Xo2I73IqoNwusy8vXJW4qQgMt-IFB6ILhMjdyXOP_JsZw7BILpROLqK3MxN2eFeqWwTG6B3_25PpH9zQAvV5avtT6lXs-fqtT3TfIvb9p8AY6NzX1ABNObWwXyl49OYtY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+415.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262716546986015522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05HzwFalM-0Xo2I73IqoNwusy8vXJW4qQgMt-IFB6ILhMjdyXOP_JsZw7BILpROLqK3MxN2eFeqWwTG6B3_25PpH9zQAvV5avtT6lXs-fqtT3TfIvb9p8AY6NzX1ABNObWwXyl49OYtY/s200/Italia+2008+415.jpg" border="0" /></a>n of 1900. So the building itself could be seen as the first "work of art" in the Musee d'Orsay, which displays collections of art from the period 1848 to 1914. Afterwords, we went to a small cafe and each ordered a galette (a buckwheat crepe) filled with ham, cheese, and egg. At one point during our meal Kristen looked up at me and smiled and said, "Just in case you forgot... we are at a cafe IN PARIS!" La mia vita è un sogno! (My life is a dream!) </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Following lunch, we walked to where Moulin Rouge is and stayed just long enough to take a picture. Nearby, we walked up a bazillion stairs to see the stunning Sacré-Coeur basilica of Paris. The sun peeked out for a little bit while we were there and we sat on the stairs where a huge crowd had formed to hear a man who was playing his guitar and singing American songs. Then we went too.....STARBUCKS!!! :D where I got a java chip frappuccino to hold me over for the next two months. </span></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262717224151090114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfBs49i3Vu8by2pCQVJbxhP7QQUT3S5oavTSXbhuWzz5Af1HmiG1hHo0-pjAeK9eo6SBHiji4PWk41sASp-rc39cgjtTI7h_5yRJgvBJ0tjl1Hqr7sQnTMdgSLRfWjNUbVOcliqxzGdA/s320/Italia+2008+414.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJf5Im7zKvxB6wIm4WIsEv_aPsztfLXZuxz32ey-n8r1gfSyIukHC6ItMDL5fkbPasCUAfaCQml0jkf5ZgqOH5fLx2mDVDiR3XjBNSqiHU5uXGhowECpRKa2zS1Cy1544DVfCgy8m2Rw/s1600-h/Italia+2008+420.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262717663760732914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJf5Im7zKvxB6wIm4WIsEv_aPsztfLXZuxz32ey-n8r1gfSyIukHC6ItMDL5fkbPasCUAfaCQml0jkf5ZgqOH5fLx2mDVDiR3XjBNSqiHU5uXGhowECpRKa2zS1Cy1544DVfCgy8m2Rw/s200/Italia+2008+420.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">We met back up with Tera and headed back the apartment for a little nap before my favorite part of the whole trip began. Claude (our host) was born,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckUQkAm7I4jUV0o36Nlq07gkRmdktcoAI5ElXoJJK3o7D63DLcyoBkGQB6LzcfqTol8Gxse-08xGevUFpU8KtYm3gKWMCGKZk8frxVfxU2iu-XD4MDoIm0Heg4_o4925rE6WHHo6R0Gg/s1600-h/Italia+2008+416.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262718870574631922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckUQkAm7I4jUV0o36Nlq07gkRmdktcoAI5ElXoJJK3o7D63DLcyoBkGQB6LzcfqTol8Gxse-08xGevUFpU8KtYm3gKWMCGKZk8frxVfxU2iu-XD4MDoIm0Heg4_o4925rE6WHHo6R0Gg/s200/Italia+2008+416.jpg" border="0" /></a> raised, and obvs still lives in Paris, so she was really really excited about getting to show us around the city of lights that night! First, she took us out to dinner at a Chinese/Thai restaurant which although wasn't very French, it was still very yummy. Then she told us to bundle up because she was going to take us driving in her Porsche convertible and show us all the sites!!! ahhh! It was sooo amazing! I couldn't stop smiling the whole time. We drove around and Claude was our tour guide who told us about everything we were passing by. She ended the tour by parking near the Eiffel Tower and we waited until 11pm when the tower is illuminated with sparkling white lights. A perfect end to a perfect weekend. </span><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSHvs1-wFge_jlUuFtZqPDcmhfXc34CQm4HiwsvYIMMQzN49fnH8yLTC4BLD9Mop5SNG7UGm_zwV9OLRU7gg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxogFzHKNpyYTnLb4nqnH81n2MNSq4k8YsRD9vVziE3S7oAAQDM-SKRfRP49M5ynkFP-Wd6SPKDHJ6q4PLpUg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-83066763222906498392008-10-28T01:15:00.005+01:002008-10-29T18:48:29.708+01:00Roma, non basta una vita<span style="font-size:85%;">The title means, "Rome, a lifetime is not enough." Luckily, my travelmates and I had a three day weekend for our travels in Rome and while we didn't get to see EVERYTHING, we did manage to see everything that we personally wanted to see and had carefully planned out. We had AMAZING weather the entire weekend as you will see from the beautiful blue skies in the pictures.</span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261977934110084818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVU-eh6dP9cLiXpdh-fdLoAPENBp6R17oTRWVSWuz69byb6jMWGm0FNvIVavwo15-zj34_-_g0gNHiKNtiLpL73RCvmi3FulTtAj17XtLDDQE8YXtYBqkuVNiwabHPzz1uX0vAEmkcRg/s320/Italia+2008+239.jpg" border="0" /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">It all began earlier on Friday morning. We met at the central train station in Milan and boarded our 8am train to Roma. While on the train, we attempted to call our hostel because the website had told us to give an estimated time of arrival on our check in date. But everytime we dialed the number a recording just kept telling us the number did not exist. We had heard many horror stories of hostels, including but not limited to, people who never actually found the hostel they had booked. However, the rational side of me kept the irrational side from freaking out and I said calmly to Tera and Maya (my travel buddies), "We can't do anything about this right now, so we will just have to stay calm, get to Rome, follow the directions for finding the hostel and go from there." They looked up at me with terrified yet trusting expressions and nodded their heads in agreement. </span></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYdLcRZjmxm9_BBhTZVGpLoyaMfvsvEQ99lDe7VNB9FMJHYyY1Raimxjazi3NRtr9qDeHyPNlsqkBnTP7Inz7LPCezdxnw11MQzzVm0pnpEYKT2yDaNw5ocYUmjJRBb8GHa_YE0fgPr8/s1600-h/Italia+2008+238.6.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261978425094277746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYdLcRZjmxm9_BBhTZVGpLoyaMfvsvEQ99lDe7VNB9FMJHYyY1Raimxjazi3NRtr9qDeHyPNlsqkBnTP7Inz7LPCezdxnw11MQzzVm0pnpEYKT2yDaNw5ocYUmjJRBb8GHa_YE0fgPr8/s200/Italia+2008+238.6.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Our train arrived in Roma in the early afternoon. We quickly got some lunch at the station, bought "Roma Passes" (which covered transportation, entrance to two museums and discounts on all other museums), took deep breaths, and then pulled out the directions for our hostel. However, before leaving the metro station, Tera decided she had to use the bathroom before we started our adventure. The only bathroom available looked like an elevator door (see picture) and only opened after inserting 50 cent euro into a coin slot. As she stepped inside the door closed behind her and Maya and I heard a lady's voice recording come on. Apparently, it talked to Tera the entire time she went to the bathroom and told her how much time she had remaining. So creepy! </span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Well turns out the directions to our hostel were perfect <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmFfeylEHX2SZBeEo6H8liYalnNRe_lwI2Zc4MY6CqPeVH_OO_7nIJ-KHI8QU6nkRbppzFKco5zQsdya4svtEvtBFaGFdX4INMCpSlvP-_TGLAV8zC0Nx4LHalEmUMOmnjib8fM-JkLQ/s1600-h/Italia+2008+238.8.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261979928062316994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmFfeylEHX2SZBeEo6H8liYalnNRe_lwI2Zc4MY6CqPeVH_OO_7nIJ-KHI8QU6nkRbppzFKco5zQsdya4svtEvtBFaGFdX4INMCpSlvP-_TGLAV8zC0Nx4LHalEmUMOmnjib8fM-JkLQ/s200/Italia+2008+238.8.JPG" border="0" /></a>and it did in fact exist. However, when we arrived they told us that they had overbooked and would have to send us across the street to another hostel (a very common occurance). Luckily, the hostel across the street was decent enough: friendly staff, other friendly student guests, safe enough to leave our stuff there during the day, clean...enough and it provided breakfast. Plus it was only metro stop away from the train station in one direction and the Colosseum in the other direction. </span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-W4qBHDoKn6nZ8fc8ry8IAUugC3gIdSQ14iyNiD3SVHD7TxVhbATc9qcbKM9tmeDpA0583IiFK0jvUPTNivSwqC53PSqqC5N5mQkFzYJB5_HN1Ax0X0GysFUel_5OY6TOJuIIuMYGAg/s1600-h/Italia+2008+238.8.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261979140801118274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI2Osya_MMu6deYKQynkdK5IHDu4hpnK_RQLO0_NXUc4EEGacvJLTrTfyNuwqaVtniTn2aWtFI_nQtEYABTH6ukzQ3FEGnWVbXfUYy4TU0kH_KOp89sUfQQlj5MXPFutwraw6zHVgFZk/s200/Italia+2008+238.9.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">We didn't waste any time starting our rigrious touring schedule and jumped on the metro to go straight to the Colosseum. Thanks to our Roma Passes we didnt have to wait in the massive line and got to head directly inside. We spent awhile exploring and taking pictures. It's hard to pick just a few to put on here. </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFufZyYBHhw5pFpGCFdy6r_ipBakKzXCo5qp6yESjxhPcYvbCayM0UQy5Hx-WqUJo-CFQVjwWQ_od84YRz57rJnn0dDNzz5FW4YIwReayXp-x94B4tFRS6sHqkfHiSXQMQjbiPAIS46A/s1600-h/Italia+2008+242.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261980465228253650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFufZyYBHhw5pFpGCFdy6r_ipBakKzXCo5qp6yESjxhPcYvbCayM0UQy5Hx-WqUJo-CFQVjwWQ_od84YRz57rJnn0dDNzz5FW4YIwReayXp-x94B4tFRS6sHqkfHiSXQMQjbiPAIS46A/s200/Italia+2008+242.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261980962585183106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5cuiHFt6ijTwK4jdmYFnpix3XBcYXGWr2LLJVOKgzigl5MvayccC4ZbsbWHy2qAxPLhMP4fvNI1NNtZwLUITdO3LavuRHDMOiCb-4KlZTepG55jmTgPyhnjwnSvWEFToc72OsbbDiv2Q/s200/Italia+2008+245.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261980683612394834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQKIN8NeE24HpBa3eExvwGV0R9Qszar-k4Lrm9wr8k29kjBEz7MwJs8OaTQPYDXX6ouD2oUhTq4GsNf_E_hiVd01tieyLR3kM9i3mSzS4ibjkJpo0NvghuSyMWCpv0AxDCIM5FKtlFWE/s200/Italia+2008+248.1.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> <span style="font-size:85%;">From the Colosseum we had a great view of the Arco di Costantino:The largest and the best preserved of Rome's triumphal arches was erected in AD 315 to celebrate the victory of emperor Constantine over Maxentius. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261981624093352994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G9Y76Fes7saMyGa318xSL4V0LDo-EVquYB6rq5nJxDxM58O7-89uT7ahpHO0oYAW5GeK21kG1BkoHLNw3Em-v4zjMXMHYXi_JZfXrQdepOdU0uWa5nQstzQemINwByA4zqMEudY5gd8/s200/Italia+2008+247.jpg" border="0" /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Just a few steps away was the Colle Palatino and Foro Romano...basically a bunch of Roman ruins, gardens and the house of Augustus. We spent a lot of time roaming around this area as it was so interesting to think this enourmous land and ruins area had once been someone's home. And the scenic view from up on this hill was mesmerizing. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSy120Jb3F5nonMSsLh9wWNd6r2dxAiImjlBpU8k2R6d2tqKQC01hVFkhO-Cf6Wz3wouWMdcr57KOVnwVIsUY6cz9B7AoByUe8VfPiU479P0rJg5qYis7KYs4-9ThaLA4dhvHrUpa6p8/s1600-h/Italia+2008+254.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261982289346456258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSy120Jb3F5nonMSsLh9wWNd6r2dxAiImjlBpU8k2R6d2tqKQC01hVFkhO-Cf6Wz3wouWMdcr57KOVnwVIsUY6cz9B7AoByUe8VfPiU479P0rJg5qYis7KYs4-9ThaLA4dhvHrUpa6p8/s200/Italia+2008+254.jpg" border="0" /></a></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhcAhPH3z1Xo0lZQrH-lD22waVJLuIGVmyCji-08_W3OroTMIfrdiWEXsn6lsFNQ6zntgz8Jc_hp-cFWxoR0W_HUnaUyxJ0ldhr2V59KpkMrqeKxigo04MYX4__NSG0cR4yfX0TKT7Cw/s1600-h/Italia+2008+260.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261982798225969218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhcAhPH3z1Xo0lZQrH-lD22waVJLuIGVmyCji-08_W3OroTMIfrdiWEXsn6lsFNQ6zntgz8Jc_hp-cFWxoR0W_HUnaUyxJ0ldhr2V59KpkMrqeKxigo04MYX4__NSG0cR4yfX0TKT7Cw/s200/Italia+2008+260.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div><br /> </div><div> </div><div><br /> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261982958968213890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVr_6ul0WdyVu_5j0BOBjPitIuOJcIzT0Kxw-MJJpjc6DCLy2eObCoJNUnkkH6IqnHYVIQbp4HNY_HtQNWWUjZsOD3FFnxdDGAoSsMnsimUc1L2-wckxt7CUS5snw5qgT6BpPR6tCpms/s320/Italia+2008+261.jpg" border="0" />Next stop: the famous Trevi Fountain! After we managed to push our way through the mass of tourist gathered around this epic water pool, we made our way to the front where we all threw in our coins to gurantee our return to Rome. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgF1MuTequj6imneGKzJVm2pbtGNNXej0hQ_II_oz0BBnTwjQ-HaPcVD2nMyMxN_HJv9Pv9-eVqNV68hVuiyarkihwTx4vkwpZcF2PbYpdFpKvjS3JHZzsoEBwa0BhqYLirbaiBaAoSqg/s1600-h/Italia+2008+264.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261983818377970210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgF1MuTequj6imneGKzJVm2pbtGNNXej0hQ_II_oz0BBnTwjQ-HaPcVD2nMyMxN_HJv9Pv9-eVqNV68hVuiyarkihwTx4vkwpZcF2PbYpdFpKvjS3JHZzsoEBwa0BhqYLirbaiBaAoSqg/s200/Italia+2008+264.jpg" border="0" /></a>And then, being exhausted from the traveling, exploring, and heat of the sun we decided to find a gelateria. We ventured a little ways away from the crowds and found a quiet gelateria called Valentino's. The owner was a kind, older Italian man who made us amazing gelato milkshakes and seemed to thoroughly enjoy our company. He spoke very good english (which seems to be essential for good business in such a high tourism spot as Rome) and he asked<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgCKZ6EQzDb3TsWwSXvdL-XBXxhCw0ARe-NK_pBSNJK3CZogX5O79uCuZETLBONtTK81UDxmlf6HitmSZKJ5Rw8-821kjv_47HBVH_xnwEwGLRzH9k7HGzr10WY0-znXXQLJevhKEMDE/s1600-h/Italia+2008+270.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261984130681139682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgCKZ6EQzDb3TsWwSXvdL-XBXxhCw0ARe-NK_pBSNJK3CZogX5O79uCuZETLBONtTK81UDxmlf6HitmSZKJ5Rw8-821kjv_47HBVH_xnwEwGLRzH9k7HGzr10WY0-znXXQLJevhKEMDE/s200/Italia+2008+270.jpg" border="0" /></a> us to come back. We tried to go back and see him on Sunday but unfortunately, he wasn't there. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">We finished the evening with a trip to the Pantheon and the beautiful Piazza Navona.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261984415772783634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLW2_emsdBac7jN8PH7oJz5rH_fgZCHgwOqUKa5E6UVzCz-Cy1djrDp2brgePZshPMQ5_ta3N69AtGkzUV6y4OyD7RTKT3CAIDpDYHn-zj8wrk5dKoDykTfZ827UsGJSV87sdR6r_1XPQ/s200/Italia+2008+271.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Saturday morning we woke up early and headed start to Vatican City where we visited St. Peters Basilica (and saw Michelangelo's Pieta) and the Sistine Chapel. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrfJ2dfQcHR_A0Ajth0L0dR9VePOPB-oXihEAZNRhxziYFIsc3M1WEYDBsKSjHvX9uHJJGEwaKtsKNRgV4Ty5hT1Pm4z_VOori2cwulB3-4yeTOKivxzXP9ebnCg05v4bKa20qAR3ka0/s1600-h/Italia+2008+272.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261985519544761298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrfJ2dfQcHR_A0Ajth0L0dR9VePOPB-oXihEAZNRhxziYFIsc3M1WEYDBsKSjHvX9uHJJGEwaKtsKNRgV4Ty5hT1Pm4z_VOori2cwulB3-4yeTOKivxzXP9ebnCg05v4bKa20qAR3ka0/s200/Italia+2008+272.jpg" border="0" /></a>When walked out of St. Peter's Basicilca we saw a sign pointing one direction that said Sistine Chapel. So we headed that way but didn't really see any signs after the first. We kept walking in what we assumed was the right direction and stumbled upon a line of people. None of us were sure what the line was for but we hoped it wasn't for the Sistine Chapel because it just kept going and going and going AND going. We walked along the line of people and figured out that they were in line for the Musei Vaticani.....which as we were walking I read in my guide book (thanks for letting me <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8ODE4nUSqHO7lyYW8fWVFh04iqSRSOwj16I-jCyD7DQvhkuvAJ6nSMIRE2yUnP8WJAyYtxEih0dNPpWPkEtrXQuiIbEAGCA5scCHj95GcUWGCASC2sHVC614gKjlq4lWadL3iE6hafE/s1600-h/Italia+2008+277.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261985765559168338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR8ODE4nUSqHO7lyYW8fWVFh04iqSRSOwj16I-jCyD7DQvhkuvAJ6nSMIRE2yUnP8WJAyYtxEih0dNPpWPkEtrXQuiIbEAGCA5scCHj95GcUWGCASC2sHVC614gKjlq4lWadL3iE6hafE/s200/Italia+2008+277.jpg" border="0" /></a>borrow it Grandma!) was where the Sistine Chapel was located. At this point, the last thing we wanted to do was turn around and join the end of what seemed to be the never ending line so we just kept following it forward. Eventually we realized we were only a block away from the beginning of the line and there was suddenly caution tape acting as a rope to narrow the far from 'single file' line. We all looked at each other and tried to decide what we should do. Then all of a sudden I yelled, "Come on!" and ducked under the tape motioning for the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-qo_wAcUrxdWsNNQPXYxcPB1gWUwYZNzR-UjX6G2cX2iUvYemnuq43v3nsA0fLCtd4ggJrWcGc1RaRcvL2uYhr_bbLTwr3uc8hMF_ZgkHMKTWMUE0zwBTD33Uld9Qko9YMt3O2oPkrY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+282.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261986767841114626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-qo_wAcUrxdWsNNQPXYxcPB1gWUwYZNzR-UjX6G2cX2iUvYemnuq43v3nsA0fLCtd4ggJrWcGc1RaRcvL2uYhr_bbLTwr3uc8hMF_ZgkHMKTWMUE0zwBTD33Uld9Qko9YMt3O2oPkrY/s200/Italia+2008+282.jpg" border="0" /></a>m to follow me. They hesitated for a second then jumped in after me. We joined the line 'Italian style!' Thanks to the fast moving pace at this point in the line and the large tourist group that also decided to cut at that exact moment, we managed to sneak in unnoticed. A tour guide just in front of me started yelling for a police man standing nearby to come over and started screaming in Italian about this tour group (pointing to all the people behind us and totally overlooking our "innocent" little faces....wooosh). He said he was just there to control the car traffic and said he couldn't do anything then got back to his job. Ok, I realize what we did was not right at all but.... we only waited 10 mins instead of probably the 3 hours we would have waited to get inside the Musei Vaticani. Once inside we went through room after room after room of beautiful art until we finally reached the Sistine Chapel! Which was of course, so amazing. And I might have snapped a few illegal pictures....maybe....<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261987088877229186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRrhEt8Gtilf8S9rG0PZeiijPBOPdXKhJ22p60sDuY0d2qWcdtf2fTPL9pM_I3Gi8pvQcHXiycV5IIQqzlFGbYdE-Kjhzs4CstpPq23R65PPFa1dDOSYRffgCtl82b379v7phtYT5l88/s320/Italia+2008+286.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Next, we went to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Saint Mary Major), founded in the 4th century, is one of the five great ancient basilicas of Rome. And ended our day at the Spanish steps...which I might have enjoyed more if I could have actually seen the steps versus them being covered with locals and tourists alike. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3hcM6g6plpEMMkvpXkdj_tRm6BLy_yW2U8aS-iOyvs4Z0OelJjqY0QXUaVyzt_xgnWVFkbDMi467igOvrVVWX9mVLOLb72dOSZMkik8-oMdyux0UedAaT9wHs27hVuXFjPTC4mfH0ek/s1600-h/Italia+2008+293.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261987604917111426" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3hcM6g6plpEMMkvpXkdj_tRm6BLy_yW2U8aS-iOyvs4Z0OelJjqY0QXUaVyzt_xgnWVFkbDMi467igOvrVVWX9mVLOLb72dOSZMkik8-oMdyux0UedAaT9wHs27hVuXFjPTC4mfH0ek/s200/Italia+2008+293.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OhllWK1eTvGq83JRj4DARYcHlOQHIP_fLTpcl_8IVaiVsqYH9uG7zmgVk4e67Cu3tZsTVHcVdXG01SWUn5zH6jgbmT9QMjdE187i07SHOGgnDPBcFXz1zsWYaMJahS8Yu9Y8av6HQ20/s1600-h/Italia+2008+299.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261987618231548994" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OhllWK1eTvGq83JRj4DARYcHlOQHIP_fLTpcl_8IVaiVsqYH9uG7zmgVk4e67Cu3tZsTVHcVdXG01SWUn5zH6jgbmT9QMjdE187i07SHOGgnDPBcFXz1zsWYaMJahS8Yu9Y8av6HQ20/s200/Italia+2008+299.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">That night we ate at a Ristorante Cinese (Chinese Restaurant) and enjoyed the famous Roman Tartufo, an ice cream dessert usually covered in a hard shell of chocolate. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261988316439223010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xTMttLP1GeeReEl-l3qlxlmnPyQFXHkkQney4P1RvD_DWtMAM2llbIly_eIQV82IMQpuytK61nPyFFI0i-FiVkcUqRoWT6YphvRDK0dBm3F_7sjHXrW2mrAjfoRHxK_ddfJI2cqlvoU/s200/Italia+2008+302.1.JPG" border="0" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Our last day in Rome we ventured off the b<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXNaKepSKIEGGSa60imbVD2Uzg5p7cAhFTnnYdsuqnxiUXVU5aM1ne1mItqlW0E_kboFKAeUtkPAYFCLOY3XibQG6YW6HKIjDwtQpdzTne_xKKjkKWHjZAVacblo82YxPJZwHfP08jmA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+311.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261989233807829218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXNaKepSKIEGGSa60imbVD2Uzg5p7cAhFTnnYdsuqnxiUXVU5aM1ne1mItqlW0E_kboFKAeUtkPAYFCLOY3XibQG6YW6HKIjDwtQpdzTne_xKKjkKWHjZAVacblo82YxPJZwHfP08jmA/s200/Italia+2008+311.jpg" border="0" /></a>eaten path a little to the Catacombs, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7tTxK01XWQwpOigEtZS_mH_7ELuMUXaCeLuQe92FMsZISFpWBPBlEyTiWxeVDYmJwzLQpbJqM3EabVenY6QzDhDZyzeb75-rMLaBcuGgRpnpSKsITt3qa3W9ok39enzpFqqC_B_6Uho/s1600-h/Italia+2008+312.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261989386413779762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7tTxK01XWQwpOigEtZS_mH_7ELuMUXaCeLuQe92FMsZISFpWBPBlEyTiWxeVDYmJwzLQpbJqM3EabVenY6QzDhDZyzeb75-rMLaBcuGgRpnpSKsITt3qa3W9ok39enzpFqqC_B_6Uho/s200/Italia+2008+312.jpg" border="0" /></a>where early Christians buried their dead. We visited the largest of the three open to the public, San Sebastiano, named for the saint who was buried there and burrows underground on four levels. A creepy, yet very interesting adventure. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">We spent our last remaining hours enjoying paninos in a park with a view of the colosseum and then one last adventure to the gelateria and Trevi Fountain before boarding our train to head back to Milano. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Overall, Rome was a beautiful, historical, and tourist filled city. I loved the adventure and seeing all the famous sites I'd always dreamed to see, but after being there I was glad I had made the decision to study in Milano. The massive amounts of tourists in Rome would drive me crazy!! </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-35440166381904289052008-10-23T18:59:00.001+02:002008-10-23T19:00:55.359+02:00Sad news but a happy endingMy laptop is broken.. but can hopefully be fixed. But wont be fixed until probably late next week. Which means a delay in blog updates. :*(<br /><br />But I am going to Paris this weekend!! so yay!Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-31469109223070694292008-10-18T02:15:00.001+02:002008-10-18T02:20:00.223+02:00Things I took for granted continued<span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>1) Post office</strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">You would assume that the easiest and most common activity done at a post office would be to buy stamps and/or send a letter. Ah..but not so in Italia. One day a few weeks ago my friend Sarah and I decided to venture to the post office to buy stamps and send some postcards. First, we got lost trying to find it and had to ask for directions in which the lady that we asked told us in Italian and we only understood a few words. But enough that we knew we had to walk straight ahead and "grande!" Sure enough we walked a few blocks and then just around the corner was the biggest post office we'd seen yet in Milan. So we ventured inside. I wish I had a picture of the crazyness and chaos we entered. There is not just one (or maybe 2, 3 at the most) counter as there is at most American post offices but at least 10 if not more. We had no idea which counter we were supposed to go to and realized we had no idea how to say stamp in Italian. We went to the nearest window and they sent us to a different room. We walked up to that window and they sent us back into the previous room to window "#3." That would be fine if the windows were labeled with numbers! The 3rd window from the right? from the left? So we asked another individual who sent us to an entirely different building a few blocks down the road. Really?! We entered this building to find it was even more confusing than the first and a lady who saw us struggling and, praise God, spoke English told us our best bet was to just go to a tabbacheria and buy stamps there and put the postcards in a mailbox ourselves. At the nearest tabbacheria we struggled to communicate the words "buy stamps", "mail postcard", "different price than letter?", "cheaper stamp than letter?", "no we need stamps to mail to the United States" but after help from another English speaking Italian we finally had success. </span><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">This week, my second attempt at buying stamps resulted in me walking for 30 minutes to 3 different tabbachierie who either didn't have stamps or stamps only for Italy. I went home with no stamps. But fortunately the next day I was successful on my first try at a 4th tabbachiaria. Oh, and this time not only could i say stamps (francobolli) but I could form the entire question! Maybe I am learning Italian afterall. :) </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>2) Banks<br /></strong>Again, you would assume the easiest and most common thing to do at a bank is to get some money. Ah sigh but once more this is not always the case in Italia. When I got down to my last euro from what I had exchanged back in the States, I decided to take my travelers checks to the recommended bank by our program. IES informed us that banks charged less commission for exchanging travels checks than change offices. I headed to what we will call for purposes of this story (because I forget the actual name) Bank Italia and walked up to the available clerk. More prepared than with my stamp situation I asked in Italian if I could change my travelers checks for euro. The man looked at me and my blonde, pale American friend and replied to us in English, "We do not change travelers checks here, you must go to the change office." So I asked him where it was and he replied in ITALIAN. Great thanks a lot buddy. This time we didn't catch any of his directions except go out that door and then.... So, not wanting to pay a ridiculous commission I walked a little ways until I found another bank. "You must go to Bank Italia for that. We don't do that here." Perfect. Just perfect. In the end I went to a change office and lost so much money it made me nauseous. So I went and spent more on a gelato and called it a day... ;)<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><strong>3) Education about the harmful effects of smoking and second hand smoke<br /></strong>There is not much to say about this except that Italians smoke everywhere, all the time and with no regard to those around them. Just walking through the courtyards of my school for less than 3 minutes, my hair and clothes reek of cigarette smoke from walking through the clouds that fill the air. Didn't these people have the D.A.R.E program?! Clearly, they have never seen the healthy lung vs. unhealthy lung slide show. And I still haven't figured out how everyone isn't keeling over from lung cancer. It's really quite sad actually.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><strong>4) peanut butter<br /></strong>For what ever reason, I have always loved peanut butter. It's great on sandwiches, in candy, by itself, on ice cream, etc. If I don't have peanut butter for long periods of time I find myself craving it. So, after a month in Italy I realized I was really missing my pb. Unfortunately for me, this essential food in my life doesn't seem to be on the food pyramid for the Italians. The grocery store nearest to where I live only offered one brand and one kind of peanut butter. A lot different from the multiple brands, multiple kinds (crunchy, smooth, low fat, regular, pb and jelly mixed) that I am used to staring at for minutes on end sometimes trying to make a decision. One option here (at least at my supermacato, although others may have more): Sugarless peanut butter. Let's just say it doesn't taste the same. But it will do for now. </span></p>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-52083807642421008862008-10-14T14:20:00.001+02:002008-10-16T23:28:14.081+02:00Che cosa studi?<span style="font-size:85%;">When we first arrived at the Collegio Dorm, the Italians always were asking us Americans "Di dove sei?" (Where are you from) and "Che cosa studi?" (what do you study). Let's just say it got a tad bit annoying... We considered wearing t-shirts that said "Mi chiamo Sam. Sono di Ohio. Studio business." I'm so glad we've made it past that stage! </span><div><div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">This is the third week of my classes and already I am behind in readings and general studying. I am taking only 4 classes (very little compared to my normal schedule back at IU). </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I am taking: </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Intermediate Italiano 200 (IES)</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I really enjoy my professor for this class. She does her best to make learning Italian fun. Overall, I am almost always frustrated with my lack of Italian skills in both listening and speaking but she seems to be the one Italian I can always understand. However, my Italian speaking in this class...or lack there of is a whole other issue. Some of the lower level Italian classes have gone on field studies to places like the grocery store or furniture stores to learn vocabulary. Our teacher told us today she didn't want us to think our class wasn't fun because we didn't get to do those things and proceeded to tell us that she would like to take us on a trip to go trekking (aka hiking). So much better than the supermercato!! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Strategic Management for Small and Medium Enterprises (IES/Cattolica Universita)</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">This is the one class I am taking through the partner university Cattolica, although it is still taught in English. The first few classes were a mix of lecture, class participation and group work so the two hours flew by. But the past two classes have consisted of pure lecturing and taking notes. Uffa! (as the Italians would say). However, Professor Antoldi is very nice and overall I think I will really enjoy the class. It is so different than my business courses back home which focus on LARGE and IN CHARGE corporate America. Whereas, this course gives insight into the Italian way of business, which is primarily small enterprises often family owned and run. The picture below is from Università Cattolica. </span></div><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64vXhtXDoatsefVK7fJTwxSd_1NHOOQiL_44dLGITGvTHYQWEZAEGrsA4karcr7sdo60Ll3HztP1jQTW06hmwl43pe6Dy8t1h-z6f3Yz4CCLUbcqBPi5MQaNVXZ0y_mGhkzZo0TmuziE/s1600-h/Cattolica.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256980822693245954" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64vXhtXDoatsefVK7fJTwxSd_1NHOOQiL_44dLGITGvTHYQWEZAEGrsA4karcr7sdo60Ll3HztP1jQTW06hmwl43pe6Dy8t1h-z6f3Yz4CCLUbcqBPi5MQaNVXZ0y_mGhkzZo0TmuziE/s320/Cattolica.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Comparing Italian and English Renaissance Literature (IES)</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I couldn't help but jump at the chance to return to the subject I have always loved but haven't been able to fit in my business this and business that schedule at IU since freshman year. Amo lettartura, amo leggere e amo scrivere..a volte (I love literature, I love to read and I like to write...sometimes). We just finished reading the first five cantos of Dante's Inferno and this week we will start Boccaccio's Decameron. I love it all!</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Post-Industrial Business in Milan: The Case for Fashion (IES)</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">To be completely honest, I only decided to take this class because it fit well time-wise with my other three classes to give me an overall decent schedule. The class itself is ....interesting I guess. The professor is a complete scatter brain and most of us can't figure out if it is the language barrier that is causing her so many mishaps or if that's just how she is normally. It is quite common in Italy to be, in a word, disorganized. She means well... I think. A lot of the business aspects of the class are overlapping with my management class so that is good for review. haha. The fashion aspect is not a normal area of interest for me but aftering spending this past summer working on the designers floor at Macy's and now living in Milan, I figure why not?! While in Milano, do as the Milanese do! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">In addition, I recently signed up to have a language partner and I met her for the first time today. Her name is Michele (she told me to call her Miche...because I kept butchering the pronouciation of her whole name...haha oops). She wants to practice her English and I, of course, NEED to practice my Italian. She also is a student at Cattolica Universita and is 21 years old. She speaks English very well and I feel bad that she has to listen to me struggle through a few measely words of Italian. She seems very genuine and intelligent so I think we will get along well. For example, she said that one reason she loves her job (being a fitness trainer) is because she gets to meet so many different people and she is able to learn something new from every person that she meets. I loved that she said this! Wherever I am, I always try to value the opportunity of meeting a variety of people with so many different stories. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">In other news, when you get sick of eating Italian food, find a good Greek restaurant and enjoy a full meal with good friends. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256982603142825842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMka5Z_L0duLC9bGatl7dwpkduLH-5tlyxnI2Kl9oKVUPHW_Auel9EwsuXjsLHj4kJ3HTDcg5YXGXjCZpKTSB8yDaHDUB7UFG2413D7E7RcgUrxuUNPuS5zb2q743e7eZ2xExa8dFv1s/s320/Italia+2008+214.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Coming soon: My weekend trip to Roma! :D </span></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-15171750875184610032008-10-04T19:04:00.000+02:002008-10-04T19:09:39.925+02:00Enjoy :D<a href="http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=aOo36FnSTqQ">http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=aOo36FnSTqQ</a><br /><br />If that link doesn't work then just go to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">www.youtube.com</a> and search for the EU vs. Italy video.Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-42855560022346152492008-09-30T12:28:00.000+02:002008-09-30T17:29:31.967+02:00Climb Every Mountain...Until You Find Your Dream<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZnmS7xKC4LbUpyzbYywBHc2NbR-lEhN0E1lsk-eT-SV7EdteqJtXAvJnQ_AzGtQFw5oRWIWJvrxIngUF17-TSy_MoxvMClOuMTx165K30X48QTtDYzJUj0IvCDFtFCB7_8h1blgPLEU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+143.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251835040633195490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZnmS7xKC4LbUpyzbYywBHc2NbR-lEhN0E1lsk-eT-SV7EdteqJtXAvJnQ_AzGtQFw5oRWIWJvrxIngUF17-TSy_MoxvMClOuMTx165K30X48QTtDYzJUj0IvCDFtFCB7_8h1blgPLEU/s320/Italia+2008+143.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I had the amazing opportunity to spend this past weeked in Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley), a mountainous region in north-western Italy. It is bordered by France to the west, Switzerland to the north and the region of Piedmont to the south and east. We were able to see (and go almost as high as) Monte Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps.</span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251785446571367698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlfNgOnQJwphyr9jeTWodKmMkELusf4nuPqyI1P8pf2msGg5BfDWL-mzlA9s-JPvM80JYwbBTeX6SxdsMAIUfhAFd11alpfLAGEy8JzecEs9TeiPjoRzz1bqFVNi4FqgCt4BMGyMlWE0/s200/Italia+2008+147.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;">We left Milano early Friday morning and stopped first at the Forte di Bard (<a href="http://www.fortedibard.it/">http://www.fortedibard.it/</a>) and inside the fort we went to the Museo delle Alpi. The museum was one of the most unique (in a weird yet interesting way) museums I've ever seen. But they were very strict about photos being taken inside....and I mean very strict. I tried to sneak a photo with no flash but got <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoL9yOGO_35MbDPfvFzOEw2hhrRgKd0yXDp-CGCdimBjbAYlogPTYhaW7FPL8njDmRy-iuhWKxofnb2yEV0XMMT39M53OymN-DV0f1N-nWCmqj4tUQWZPZTsTdD1EcGKYshzYQaNMOaMU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+141.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251783243824376466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoL9yOGO_35MbDPfvFzOEw2hhrRgKd0yXDp-CGCdimBjbAYlogPTYhaW7FPL8njDmRy-iuhWKxofnb2yEV0XMMT39M53OymN-DV0f1N-nWCmqj4tUQWZPZTsTdD1EcGKYshzYQaNMOaMU/s200/Italia+2008+141.jpg" border="0" /></a>caught! They gave us way too much free time at the Forte so after doing all the exploring there was to do and eating lunch we found a chocolate shop with free samples! So, we all indulged in the free samples and bought a few bags of DELICIOUS chocolate for only 1 euro. The view from the top of the Forte was incredible and we did get to ride these Willy Wonka like glass elevators to get there. After that we loaded the bus and went to our hotel, Holiday Inn Express, in Aosta. We went to a semi-nice dinner and explored the cute little town later in the evening. </span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPbDVYFTz6nV76mquQxOOLVh0HBE4xf6GU2DO1FnPzc7YQC034WwStZh0FOym2Kk-8OTapOaZt3Za-BW3bDA5NvFXdRU3c9gGMLaaqNClVKm4G6xeU15ukmkE2KooLWLpR9sTcXqWF5U/s1600-h/Italia+2008+173.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251788660865984226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPbDVYFTz6nV76mquQxOOLVh0HBE4xf6GU2DO1FnPzc7YQC034WwStZh0FOym2Kk-8OTapOaZt3Za-BW3bDA5NvFXdRU3c9gGMLaaqNClVKm4G6xeU15ukmkE2KooLWLpR9sTcXqWF5U/s200/Italia+2008+173.jpg" border="0" /></a>The next morning/day was by far the greatest experience of the whole weekend. We woke up early and had breakfast (there was cold milk!!! :D) and then headed to Mont Blanc which all the brochures called "The Eighth Wonder of the World." We rode in a few gondolas (aka sky lift like elevator thingys..haha) until we reached Punta Helbronner 3.462m up ( Mont Blanc is 4.807m up). When we reached the height of the clouds we were trapped in the fog for awhile and couldn't see a thing. But the moment we were above the clouds, everyone gasped in unison and we all agreed, "This must be heaven!" </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Up on Punta Helbronner we were able to admire a 360 degree panaroma of the peaks from Mont Blanc to the Giant's Tooth. We were lucky to have a very warm sun shining on us as the temperature dropped significantly at that altitude. The platform was on the border of Italy and France so we were in two countries at once! I could never put into words how beautiful it all was so I will just share a few pictures.</span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1BsBulGV7IoO59gUlMrVTecgXA6MF9chdJ5U0ypRH2tsC36IQoFEsapGMtx0Adx4IwRPnReHayqbn2LqspbXir2vuwOKsglboWGcxkOR0mX9yJ8W4BqoYMAmLEe8JKl7QaK0aP4AFHs/s1600-h/Italia+2008+176.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251790923825754962" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV1BsBulGV7IoO59gUlMrVTecgXA6MF9chdJ5U0ypRH2tsC36IQoFEsapGMtx0Adx4IwRPnReHayqbn2LqspbXir2vuwOKsglboWGcxkOR0mX9yJ8W4BqoYMAmLEe8JKl7QaK0aP4AFHs/s200/Italia+2008+176.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE-n-qkRyoeCItr3PSekJEo8eaf5iPLXkVJH9W8GxUlHd_4SoC-aM15ag9ghQkftKeUpKNLTdhQw-hsCeBRapeBWjFqWkmVJWBuzndPoUeLBdBmkIkQepKEMy953PWCsvTx_4cBEFF6Y/s1600-h/Italia+2008+174.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251789985855369538" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE-n-qkRyoeCItr3PSekJEo8eaf5iPLXkVJH9W8GxUlHd_4SoC-aM15ag9ghQkftKeUpKNLTdhQw-hsCeBRapeBWjFqWkmVJWBuzndPoUeLBdBmkIkQepKEMy953PWCsvTx_4cBEFF6Y/s200/Italia+2008+174.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikP_sXJqQUlBub80gEnyEZcB0fklBbRYMVFOCBEChwEqUt7Ighb6bsQSzdkiYhmZWuh1xV3NMqLOZWA_73sTz0B20AN7OrlZ3uijeSgUoGkaPEGs29uFxps-gfAfdmTzOa52hlChmIwaU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+182.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251790537857232018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikP_sXJqQUlBub80gEnyEZcB0fklBbRYMVFOCBEChwEqUt7Ighb6bsQSzdkiYhmZWuh1xV3NMqLOZWA_73sTz0B20AN7OrlZ3uijeSgUoGkaPEGs29uFxps-gfAfdmTzOa52hlChmIwaU/s200/Italia+2008+182.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">After many of my peers had gone down a level to the restaurant for lunch, I stayed just a little longer to take in the sun and the indescribable view. I couldn't help but think of the bible verse "He can move the mountains, my God is mighty to save." So I pulled out my Ipod and played "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong (thanks Chloe :)!) and just tried to take it all in. I tried to imagine God creating these mountains, I pictured the 'mountains' in my life, the 'mountains' to come and prayed for the faith to believe that God would move my 'mountains' and only create beauty from them.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Listen to Mighty to Save: (<a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=230833141">http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=230833141</a>) </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">We had lunch at a little mountain restaurant 2.200m up called Rifugio Pavillon. Since lunch was at our expense most of us ju<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_dPIRAzLClSnlS2_Z8rR0-oYHI7XmluUqgyjyJ3UJNniHjQShRbpwwKEXo7f6XE6eEVXFXx2IJ8BfekzoJ_Z6ktdAx5qKeyijnVen-kmtiSAvvG_-CvnYeMne63bXiNWPVKD3LGXbfg/s1600-h/Italia+2008+190.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251830572596750338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_dPIRAzLClSnlS2_Z8rR0-oYHI7XmluUqgyjyJ3UJNniHjQShRbpwwKEXo7f6XE6eEVXFXx2IJ8BfekzoJ_Z6ktdAx5qKeyijnVen-kmtiSAvvG_-CvnYeMne63bXiNWPVKD3LGXbfg/s200/Italia+2008+190.jpg" border="0" /></a>st got pizza or a panini (aka sandwich). Then, the real adventure began. We had the option to take the gondola's back down the mountain OR we could hike 2 hours down the mountain by foot. Someone...no one seems to remember who at this point told us the hike was "easy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BltqSF1mE-1iguZQ0HcCNi58TWkRs3Y9PBAg8B_NSCQYYoyfn4VsWZVEBbtGyJJ6BncktiS-4-X4dn5eR84QckFSVUYnk6k4-U0U3wUg61koybEk9zG_OtUtLgb5LQmpdJok3jcdpPw/s1600-h/Alps+Slide.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251830868513766930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BltqSF1mE-1iguZQ0HcCNi58TWkRs3Y9PBAg8B_NSCQYYoyfn4VsWZVEBbtGyJJ6BncktiS-4-X4dn5eR84QckFSVUYnk6k4-U0U3wUg61koybEk9zG_OtUtLgb5LQmpdJok3jcdpPw/s200/Alps+Slide.jpg" border="0" /></a>." HA! It was def. not an easy hike, but it was also one of the most amazing things I've ever done. There were points in the hike where you had no choice but to sit on your butt and slide while navigating yourself from falling off the side of the cliff. EVERYONE fell at least once but somehow we all made it down alive. My legs are still screaming at me, 3 days later. I never realized how little I work the muscles in my legs for going downhill. About 25 of us hiked down the mountain but everyone at different paces. I ended up in a group of five girls and I would say we had the most fun! We passed the time by singing songs from Sound of Music, Pocohantos and various other nature movies. I somehow ended up in the front of the group and therefore got the nickname "Sam, our fearless leader" since I came to all the obstacles first. However, my solution for everything was just to squat and slide down the dirt trails with my arms in the air and yelling, "Weeeee!!!" My companions didn't always follow my lead in this aspect. We knew we had almost arrived to the bottom when we started to smell the cows and I don't think any of us have ever been happier to take in that usually unpleasant scent. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(See below the "Colors of the Wind" sing-a-long)</span><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxz3cOdCpE06pFx1S5V9m-BWQa1c8kY9VUXR055JdBNCyx7U7Jhi5JXgq5OCIY5eAqucBaIGS1K_r-SrvpAtg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the famous mountain town of Courmayeur. A few of us found a cafe with 12 different kinds of hot chocolate. It was like drinking a melted chocolate bar. We spent our free time there warming up and reminiscing about the adventures in the Alps. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">The next d<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJECMZcw9aIVKBtvkoXI8FKmSl4vvqUFHP17LXgwMC8OuDGwYsCaSHBKnVa8L3sRrKA4gdDnS66Nkk-UQlA3k75QmHujjBWbQnhxpNCdhxXRKqRqjP7YVgWhAv_pIfpJocZj1cYvG4a4/s1600-h/Italia+2008+208.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251833287759808610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJECMZcw9aIVKBtvkoXI8FKmSl4vvqUFHP17LXgwMC8OuDGwYsCaSHBKnVa8L3sRrKA4gdDnS66Nkk-UQlA3k75QmHujjBWbQnhxpNCdhxXRKqRqjP7YVgWhAv_pIfpJocZj1cYvG4a4/s200/Italia+2008+208.jpg" border="0" /></a>ay we had a guided tour of Aosta. The tour guide was all excited because we happened to come on a very important day for Aosta. The start of the festival La Desarpa...the walking of the cows. The cows come parading <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPSGtm4_FxZufZSJ9WlQUtrYoA1XfASXXZnlFZJXG76os9dQ-BD7aziTZPjJ2D9OlSeHKEbG8nstDlkP9W_PilAoN6Rdxvb-qleGEB7AS_J3_m0oEmNzdVOQW6_rmTWgaUjbDXpl6TRw/s1600-h/Italia+2008+199.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251833467879221122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPSGtm4_FxZufZSJ9WlQUtrYoA1XfASXXZnlFZJXG76os9dQ-BD7aziTZPjJ2D9OlSeHKEbG8nstDlkP9W_PilAoN6Rdxvb-qleGEB7AS_J3_m0oEmNzdVOQW6_rmTWgaUjbDXpl6TRw/s200/Italia+2008+199.jpg" border="0" /></a>down from the mountain into the town and there is food and music and dancing and all kinds of Italian crazyness. We left Aosta in the late afternoon to visit Castello di Fenis. The Castello di Fenis is a 13th century castle built by the Challant family. This fairytale like castle took almost 100 years to build and is the best presserved castle in the Valle d'Aosta. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Our final stop was at a wine and cheese tasting place famous in Aosta. We didn't actually get to try any wine but we did get to try their famous meats, cheeses, and .....lard. Haha! Then we started the 2 hour drive back to Milano....</span><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-59009766584368252632008-09-24T16:37:00.000+02:002008-09-24T16:45:47.351+02:00Mi manchi molto!! (I miss you so much!!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNfMpwh9NpueC5w_UbZNk2WR3QcXXeN7ZErV1iws03BXUCux30pBFyF1Tq6XtKT_d5JKOkk_wWcrj_E406njZXgMQJTyN0OM5AP8r55JV2-E8X1zEUrTld-dqmWb-u92l-n_yeIU05TU/s1600-h/DSCN0099.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249597791672026546" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNfMpwh9NpueC5w_UbZNk2WR3QcXXeN7ZErV1iws03BXUCux30pBFyF1Tq6XtKT_d5JKOkk_wWcrj_E406njZXgMQJTyN0OM5AP8r55JV2-E8X1zEUrTld-dqmWb-u92l-n_yeIU05TU/s400/DSCN0099.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ7XdyhOj9yhHMlmOkbt1Ku4nlA5vqnsFmjTyAclIxAryNo-dHjkiKsTIxdUfUBAqh0ruyqShicnlmhUkXkWyJKVhdggTU0kfQahyphenhyphenI8jLMlLV2SbO-5DDG7VTJWEanslOkHGVU5s-QRU/s1600-h/Jeff+Visit+April+%2708+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249598410845738178" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ7XdyhOj9yhHMlmOkbt1Ku4nlA5vqnsFmjTyAclIxAryNo-dHjkiKsTIxdUfUBAqh0ruyqShicnlmhUkXkWyJKVhdggTU0kfQahyphenhyphenI8jLMlLV2SbO-5DDG7VTJWEanslOkHGVU5s-QRU/s200/Jeff+Visit+April+%2708+013.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pbpP92dRiB9nuwGoTsx6v4_Y3TuapmKdZ9MvVN0k388zqbhhdLjw_hv22y0pN_TMTgIvma0eaiPJ1NyUslLdneLEbbFa3KK_NaEAxOiDI-z5Br0-ow4WlQASPXF3hopmKqH8osWyOBw/s1600-h/DSCN0070.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249598046101035714" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pbpP92dRiB9nuwGoTsx6v4_Y3TuapmKdZ9MvVN0k388zqbhhdLjw_hv22y0pN_TMTgIvma0eaiPJ1NyUslLdneLEbbFa3KK_NaEAxOiDI-z5Br0-ow4WlQASPXF3hopmKqH8osWyOBw/s200/DSCN0070.JPG" border="0" /></a>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-89986454880241458902008-09-22T17:54:00.000+02:002008-09-22T18:24:14.005+02:00No gelato? Private nighttime rooftop tour of the Castello Sforzesco instead?!Our Milan City Nugget for Thursday 9/18 was a private tour inside and on the roof of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan. I spent more time taking pictures and being goofy with friends (see below) then listening to the history of the castle from the tour guide... oops. But the few fun facts that I did hear were very interesting and I still can't get over how old some of these places are. So different (in a good way) from modern skyscrapers in New York City.<br /><br />1: Me with the Duomo on the left and the castello tower on the right.<br />2: Katharine with a gun designed by Leondardo Da Vinci...."shooting"...Samantha.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZtrmsvXf9MrKUzxw4RYqqDlMqFVG-tZUg-iOg-ShgLTK4jILZapcncSjD6Ywyi2CKhr0doZx2-LcQ5t-ofwfAsclWc9mzg6_1k11UKzhUj_Vjp57CCmoLX29baPZD2g40f_gM0lfNdA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+108.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248880207232176658" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZtrmsvXf9MrKUzxw4RYqqDlMqFVG-tZUg-iOg-ShgLTK4jILZapcncSjD6Ywyi2CKhr0doZx2-LcQ5t-ofwfAsclWc9mzg6_1k11UKzhUj_Vjp57CCmoLX29baPZD2g40f_gM0lfNdA/s320/Italia+2008+108.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfFTiupgDjO1AkY882pccPcd726ILWcRJ28dn2nAUU555dTNHfllDrsxWMONBsq-fTdp0K0UG8hyVyft40X2AZQhvth0TjWJtk2s5FCmk8xjd_leZKtk_-_Lq8J8tfCQw0qa-PzPlvcw/s1600-h/Italia+2008+110.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248880202401736962" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfFTiupgDjO1AkY882pccPcd726ILWcRJ28dn2nAUU555dTNHfllDrsxWMONBsq-fTdp0K0UG8hyVyft40X2AZQhvth0TjWJtk2s5FCmk8xjd_leZKtk_-_Lq8J8tfCQw0qa-PzPlvcw/s320/Italia+2008+110.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>My favorite picture from the evening is the courtyard with no tourist cluttering the area. Yay for being VIP! </div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uOhgzHf9sSDurZ-Xem1-YL0WQiKV7SClEWN7Z9OuUh3pmrc64saG9KXar9Tg5Jg5KJ4TaJgAUDRriL0wgpZyHGZPy9wVRXT73sZX9JHfSTdVHJv9rfSD-7NEeh8jh4k6Q1cgqlItEAo/s1600-h/Italia+2008+113.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248879664621264130" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2uOhgzHf9sSDurZ-Xem1-YL0WQiKV7SClEWN7Z9OuUh3pmrc64saG9KXar9Tg5Jg5KJ4TaJgAUDRriL0wgpZyHGZPy9wVRXT73sZX9JHfSTdVHJv9rfSD-7NEeh8jh4k6Q1cgqlItEAo/s400/Italia+2008+113.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-62154169987907777642008-09-22T17:30:00.000+02:002008-09-22T17:53:45.273+02:00Gelato on the Navigli Canal anyone?Every Tuesday and Thursday IES organizes what they like to call "Milan City Nuggets." While most of us don't really approve of the chosen name, we are usually impressed with the chosen event. This past Tuesday (9/16) IES organized a group trip to have gelato in the Navigli Canal District here in Milan. Myself and two of my dormmates, Sarah and Tera, decided to go straight to the canals rather than meeting up with the large and noticeable group of Americans.<br /><br /><div><div>As you can see, it was a beautiful evening. And I must say my mango and chocolate chip gelato were quite scrumptious.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknRIQII9dL1PLfuF7f-6o6G3DCIYZMTNTy-F2dWRgPK-JWKGpoWJt47QTuY6XGgc7Bbv7Rasu_0ItSufTB-CwcW2T7PHEe6-06tOmvPN_GgGU40Jthxy88y3A1jW9B_0VC7tDFV77AVE/s1600-h/Italia+2008+092.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248871776940928834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjknRIQII9dL1PLfuF7f-6o6G3DCIYZMTNTy-F2dWRgPK-JWKGpoWJt47QTuY6XGgc7Bbv7Rasu_0ItSufTB-CwcW2T7PHEe6-06tOmvPN_GgGU40Jthxy88y3A1jW9B_0VC7tDFV77AVE/s400/Italia+2008+092.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-wQ8uyXnXkiVgDGHpF4eTxcA9CLbsJvS8awZQrcncPwwP8-EuXKIqvBUcbsE0aQFVwVZyJt-Ws3e4mxL0LZMkUf7Tbvmy12RqfRv-ZsTmTDCYw1eF6vXYcARdPUPTgkJ3huGNTs5bbQ/s1600-h/Italia+2008+095.jpg"></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div> </div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-61113997819162470572008-09-15T15:38:00.000+02:002008-09-15T16:50:09.439+02:00Random Thoughts<span style="font-size:85%;">Italians LOVE Obama. Check out this ad in one of their local newspapers:</span><br /><br /><div><div>**<span style="font-size:85%;">Roughly** translated it reads: THE MAN. and at the bottom: It is born (or maybe he is born). The man of the day (the man of the hour). A new definition of man.</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246254606465098290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X4tXmPMXf8i-UqJYF65HL6LpUSGna6KjYwSjwJQ06MCORNXjUsTFw1d9COxxBdRElLYKc-ZhXzOG65FB3oPJMS3aJ97-f6FzAFCgQb0cFpUh9Pfvzhk1Ue02krMIKq058CDzch-0Mwg/s320/Italia+2008+089.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">I went to mass at the Duomo this past Sunday with some other people from my program. What a beautiful church and service. The atmosphere in this massive cathedral was unlike any other. It didn't matter that there were tourist coming in and out taking pictures. You didn't even notice them. All you could focus on was the sound of the young but talented choir, the prayers and readings, or the chaos of your own thoughts and prayers. The entire mass was in Italian but being raised Catholic I was able to follow along to an extent. It's still so surreal living here in Milan. "So where do you go to church?" "Oh...you know... THE Duomo!"</span></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246259018160303874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxxQ3gcm4H1lc6GTyAy9RrdZm7mHiBJyl0yUN00mlcZYNt0WwDwA6v7q5NG9oMBOqV5-14jBJyiAely66_WHr3ZhHh-y-fYySaLAg0eb1yHw5haqhQbwHCSUMUjjXjJjOOA4SQ2KhG48/s320/Italia+2008+072.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Things I took for granted (too be continued in future journals I'm sure):<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">1. COLD milk </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(Yes it is true, Italians don't drink milk. They don't really eat cereal... so no need for it there and the only milk we find at breakfast in the morning is steaming hot milk meant to be used in coffee or tea. We've been using yogurt in our cereal and suffering without a tall glass of ice cold milk...sigh)<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">2. Starbucks</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(While I don't consider myself a Starbucks addict necessarily, I def. crave a good java chip frapp or vanilla chai at least once a week depending on stress level... double sigh. Although, I have started to grow accustomed to the ridiculously strong Italian coffee (with a lot of caldo latte e zucchero (hot milk and sugar) of course))<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">3. A/C metros and hygiene conscience Americans</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(God has definitely prepared me for this trip in more ways than one. While I was in Chicago I got a lot of practice using a metro/bus system with a unique mix of people. However, He neglected to prepare me for this same task in non air conditioned metro cars with a culture that doesn't rank hygiene at as high a priority as a majority of Americans. Not to mention the stares we receive on the metro. We've been assured this is part of the culture and is not done just because we are Americans...sureeee)<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">4. The abundance of energy in general</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(One washer and One dryer for 100 people... really?! Ok, I should be happy I even have a washer let alone a dryer! Thank God we don't have to get our electricity from the next country over. Italy gets theirs from France.)<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">5. Dinner at least by 6pm</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">(Breakfast is served here from 7:30am-10:00am; normal. Lunch is served from 12:30am-2pm; again normal. Dinner is served 7:30pm-9pm; not so normal at least in my life. These times would be fine if I ate breakfast at 10am and could hold out for lunch until 2pm then dinner at 7:30 wouldn't be so bad. But in order to get to class on time I eat breakfast at 8am. And breakfast is simply a croissant or some corn flakes with yogurt.....EVERY single morning. Which means by 12:30 after traveling to class, going to class and traveling home from class, I'm starving! So dinner 7! hours later just isnt cutting it!)<br /></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">6. English -- the language... enough said. haha </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't get me wrong. I still LOVE Italy and have/will continue to adjust to the differences. Just thought it'd be fun to share a few of these "small" bumps in the road. ;) </span></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-84265686751631846022008-09-11T18:25:00.000+02:002008-09-12T12:40:38.418+02:00La mia cameraHere are a few pictures of my cozy little dorm room. We aren't allowed to put anything up on the walls...which is depressing. But somehow I got the one room that has a purple wall! Every little bit helps.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEj_-HtFDtdA80LKNVXlLGoa_J-QHXNfCMH1lOtsR9s5KAaezSIjIAHXtHUOnUgz8iqVtDbOnej2Qe5v8mS6n3xCmedca_ZGJDM_qi1E-X48g_s02BQLAyGNh2BDUum_pH_L7uLnxhXU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+081.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244801689239284002" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEj_-HtFDtdA80LKNVXlLGoa_J-QHXNfCMH1lOtsR9s5KAaezSIjIAHXtHUOnUgz8iqVtDbOnej2Qe5v8mS6n3xCmedca_ZGJDM_qi1E-X48g_s02BQLAyGNh2BDUum_pH_L7uLnxhXU/s200/Italia+2008+081.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizs0I-QMQp5ZZHA5cSOdAoQjvtoGNEhs8idZDR-gXBNQLvXwt_TvCqWFd05rb8AoZWk-rpJKbo_W23uBgAQw9NR9owqxruWdLKyK77bk8RmU-QDQlqXtOrkDXUwNrGaXb29g5PXwc2uY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+080.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244801681679804850" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizs0I-QMQp5ZZHA5cSOdAoQjvtoGNEhs8idZDR-gXBNQLvXwt_TvCqWFd05rb8AoZWk-rpJKbo_W23uBgAQw9NR9owqxruWdLKyK77bk8RmU-QDQlqXtOrkDXUwNrGaXb29g5PXwc2uY/s200/Italia+2008+080.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBj7DWANPwmc8s80r8Z7JB0FF3BD97BmRAGPj41Htyf0OfTUMNiYkiAyW5P5waFyV7ypK2njPCRZ7oH6ggOYtdNRRAtUmNMDUhPCGnn964JpYOe6hYdmoAs4NIhP__GWjfNjF5iNlwlQ/s1600-h/Italia+2008+079.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244801679933956434" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBj7DWANPwmc8s80r8Z7JB0FF3BD97BmRAGPj41Htyf0OfTUMNiYkiAyW5P5waFyV7ypK2njPCRZ7oH6ggOYtdNRRAtUmNMDUhPCGnn964JpYOe6hYdmoAs4NIhP__GWjfNjF5iNlwlQ/s200/Italia+2008+079.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuc3fYaCy4Mj7y-rgk_H3sHc2An2662GFSDbWR6Bxqqd06hyphenhyphenzSBmF9xIdv-Vx-P6mIngCUxbrGrTY2bhmW5sOa6FNM6UFCGB-3OT7WQvzSkEoP6xvQy9WRhy9hu9gkPhULFtq-xesvAUg/s1600-h/Italia+2008+078.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244801674411863938" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuc3fYaCy4Mj7y-rgk_H3sHc2An2662GFSDbWR6Bxqqd06hyphenhyphenzSBmF9xIdv-Vx-P6mIngCUxbrGrTY2bhmW5sOa6FNM6UFCGB-3OT7WQvzSkEoP6xvQy9WRhy9hu9gkPhULFtq-xesvAUg/s200/Italia+2008+078.jpg" border="0" /></a>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-35731441735759226992008-09-07T17:31:00.001+02:002008-09-07T17:35:35.800+02:00Verona continued...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEXcYF3aaUci42FqqqWYMMa46Bsq56ZRadZzX7E6YSYOste0qwtse3JbrEFba_iovQKUznnDFfQ-1ZB5RngLd-gRo9G6AzNXTqtn5vX9KCQDyZ76BbiYml92uF9YizMDiXGbK-ET9CKY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+075.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243302780550762402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEXcYF3aaUci42FqqqWYMMa46Bsq56ZRadZzX7E6YSYOste0qwtse3JbrEFba_iovQKUznnDFfQ-1ZB5RngLd-gRo9G6AzNXTqtn5vX9KCQDyZ76BbiYml92uF9YizMDiXGbK-ET9CKY/s320/Italia+2008+075.jpg" border="0" /></a> Two more photos I stole from a friend. The one on the below is me and a few friends in the Galleria at night during the film festival in Milan. The picture on the right is me inside some tunnel at the Castelvecchio in Verona.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9gvFMzBnnWdJ-TLT9_Pj-ZVlRmVnnz1Dy09svwRclr33s9DzFNl_Whw3w6vzEYwtjzKmKV-FfSd4dNqpbtfjHXkRY7gNC2LvkiY2I38-BQNmFAlege2cy4zQ8PlrzvPxYXq76cBJRPM/s1600-h/Italia+2008+075.jpg"></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oV_8Qk0p207meyEVFo9eLsMVIxQoiUOyPr-rcyR-nJFWiKn7Nkq55rtsbfE1Ihioqhy-fNE_9ddvLwW_lNMyuusWhNLN7soYrVXZggnhvrvt3oLjHIzozrZSj4q4v8Ukcnyx0QJd0wM/s1600-h/Italia+2008+076.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243302547056471058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oV_8Qk0p207meyEVFo9eLsMVIxQoiUOyPr-rcyR-nJFWiKn7Nkq55rtsbfE1Ihioqhy-fNE_9ddvLwW_lNMyuusWhNLN7soYrVXZggnhvrvt3oLjHIzozrZSj4q4v8Ukcnyx0QJd0wM/s320/Italia+2008+076.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-71867219089665312712008-09-07T14:51:00.000+02:002008-09-07T15:25:57.080+02:00In fair Verona, where we lay our scene...<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243268627433445186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YnUiGONM_Q6Ga7mfjG6XhPQ7MrZvKW3mCriooFx7zKNqqQ2zQ4aQ4V06e86pJBeEgVHc2kQRRW_SskPaFNMryO5Y1Z0VXg6WTpZUdCJp8u4d_fGPfWP8eeMmZY49VT8Li2KXbva4Jzw/s200/Italia+2008+030.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;">On Friday, I had my first class here in Milano. For the next two weeks we are only having intensive language classes. The first day we had to take a test to make sure we were placed in the right level. While I've taken four semesters of Italian, I have been so out of practice that I have forgotten a ton. Right now I am in level 200 and it seems to be the right fit. My teacher didn't speak a word of English to us even when we didnt understand her she just slowed down, tried to say things another way or moved on to the next thing. When they say intense, they meant intense.</span><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Saturday, myself and five other gals decided to visit the town of Verona (aka the home of the story of Romeo and Juliet). What a beautiful place!!! </span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">1. Cute area as soon as you enter Verona</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">2. The third largest Arena still standing</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">3. The breath taking view from the top of the Castelvecchio (Old castle) built in 1354</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">4. Me :) </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">5. Check out the toilet (or the lack of toilet) at the cafe where we ate lunch</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">6. Duomo of Verona</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">7. The Pope! </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">8. Juliet's Balcony </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">9. "Romeo, O, Romeo"</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">10. Castelvecchio</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">11. A piazza in Verona </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">12. Exhausted from all the walking and the blazing sun</span><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeUWqZynDn3QEyEEegiN8PUEmjK8jS7_0LcjLOS7oZFq3SGhUx6eremh8194wZwylcyW3BPi-aYz_EJEsdamAZVVcI8UrVeU8scD4T6gpDXrXPAjSMeTaeGvdwG4wciiawF4fAYKZTIA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243264026769720018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeUWqZynDn3QEyEEegiN8PUEmjK8jS7_0LcjLOS7oZFq3SGhUx6eremh8194wZwylcyW3BPi-aYz_EJEsdamAZVVcI8UrVeU8scD4T6gpDXrXPAjSMeTaeGvdwG4wciiawF4fAYKZTIA/s200/Italia+2008+034.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQEgH6hyphenhyphenJ1cdhKBgZrVDzUe2DSVkWYJx4E3E1_aqoFnfIcJoHKTv8SaiGHSJB2BqI_FuwzTE95IvawfndIBAb52Q_4DdILNiYAZnNXgwH6bjDxtaWoGxX6KxQZhErHmCvGS4xTIiQKgY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+058.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243264042753983234" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQEgH6hyphenhyphenJ1cdhKBgZrVDzUe2DSVkWYJx4E3E1_aqoFnfIcJoHKTv8SaiGHSJB2BqI_FuwzTE95IvawfndIBAb52Q_4DdILNiYAZnNXgwH6bjDxtaWoGxX6KxQZhErHmCvGS4xTIiQKgY/s200/Italia+2008+058.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM1QfgnCqCLZMBIoVA2PBqX5z1L8mtfKIOHrMV9JFhXE5JmGn0ne4pEgcYO_3mQTGnjyZTaL7Yep4vpssA33fZi5jDpIk9LOBIRGSveJRF_niUhjICt7zU2r1F_tMKoeaVd22Ycl2Dro/s1600-h/Italia+2008+051.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243264031477430162" style="CURSOR: hand" height="169" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM1QfgnCqCLZMBIoVA2PBqX5z1L8mtfKIOHrMV9JFhXE5JmGn0ne4pEgcYO_3mQTGnjyZTaL7Yep4vpssA33fZi5jDpIk9LOBIRGSveJRF_niUhjICt7zU2r1F_tMKoeaVd22Ycl2Dro/s200/Italia+2008+051.jpg" width="222" border="0" /></a><a 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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zdjkt7Fp3WfQlRch9svGq7m3Nfau67Ut8DajCTkpMt5eu9VJAMAGoNtyV6CfWTj8bLmADWQNg7b-MHjxh5ny9LSdKkf-x8_6ngKls9AyNWlo1b41IcfhA3eaTsXEAgCzMPqhrK9Qh90/s1600-h/Italia+2008+069.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243265630044402882" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zdjkt7Fp3WfQlRch9svGq7m3Nfau67Ut8DajCTkpMt5eu9VJAMAGoNtyV6CfWTj8bLmADWQNg7b-MHjxh5ny9LSdKkf-x8_6ngKls9AyNWlo1b41IcfhA3eaTsXEAgCzMPqhrK9Qh90/s200/Italia+2008+069.jpg" border="0" /></a> </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QdYhg3pgNVfCU1AOuXT4pZqS2KbyjYax01N9kROGVjs54EazVLFltrpw3DoM-tL-xIEolwZJ_2cQn-6jg9srgRGqqnaZ5YxlDYvw0afywvzXPg5uk_rL2WH_rnhsHs1zyEWpCKcdFrk/s1600-h/Italia+2008+062.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243265613624626946" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QdYhg3pgNVfCU1AOuXT4pZqS2KbyjYax01N9kROGVjs54EazVLFltrpw3DoM-tL-xIEolwZJ_2cQn-6jg9srgRGqqnaZ5YxlDYvw0afywvzXPg5uk_rL2WH_rnhsHs1zyEWpCKcdFrk/s200/Italia+2008+062.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7nXWgS5awK0KIBa7-Hp4aiMoz_zfylfO3_m29bi_GpPO4nQ5Zr5HAGhetCZmYeeM-7m-UTP4BWcA6oYVfFiPTAZ87J20OmfzUj56RI_tZd6iiPZVcwsGLg6_moupKgqC-CXVo5d33iI/s1600-h/Italia+2008+061.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243265618899176018" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7nXWgS5awK0KIBa7-Hp4aiMoz_zfylfO3_m29bi_GpPO4nQ5Zr5HAGhetCZmYeeM-7m-UTP4BWcA6oYVfFiPTAZ87J20OmfzUj56RI_tZd6iiPZVcwsGLg6_moupKgqC-CXVo5d33iI/s200/Italia+2008+061.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFrrup8cmtFVXEoo-Ali-PUPINBiUBNd0zLlS_l1P_vjS02cn_OsTinYafd2UzDFp___FK7V-Gs5svz3hFLowae214zypP3roEw-skmlUq8khA0dhRRXF5PJ-_wFq61UE9ibYWHDKszw/s1600-h/Italia+2008+041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243266985604679138" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFrrup8cmtFVXEoo-Ali-PUPINBiUBNd0zLlS_l1P_vjS02cn_OsTinYafd2UzDFp___FK7V-Gs5svz3hFLowae214zypP3roEw-skmlUq8khA0dhRRXF5PJ-_wFq61UE9ibYWHDKszw/s200/Italia+2008+041.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik2PBWEoZJoYx75YH4ZHRlyd0Ezu2NDFBDqd66HNPk1-aJAPR1Q-zk-YNuzQ_FBoZrruoP6zesZ6Cki2asBFVveX6Rm_Ggpe6RbdOfHv8diBnJSrcwVNgDm8yLdL9aYJDeYvsNUh57Ag/s1600-h/Italia+2008+065.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243266989981596002" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik2PBWEoZJoYx75YH4ZHRlyd0Ezu2NDFBDqd66HNPk1-aJAPR1Q-zk-YNuzQ_FBoZrruoP6zesZ6Cki2asBFVveX6Rm_Ggpe6RbdOfHv8diBnJSrcwVNgDm8yLdL9aYJDeYvsNUh57Ag/s200/Italia+2008+065.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbQZqSyl9m_LDk-x31LOJhbijWflhboYb4P0FVkxbRv09Ega3qlaOy6S8C9dooytAoRqR7ANR7qGo-6siROtsm5wng3EmZI3MoJIIjxUKhyerczPshsm6fuF8n484_oSByQNURrExJtk/s1600-h/Italia+2008+067.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243266982661950946" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbQZqSyl9m_LDk-x31LOJhbijWflhboYb4P0FVkxbRv09Ega3qlaOy6S8C9dooytAoRqR7ANR7qGo-6siROtsm5wng3EmZI3MoJIIjxUKhyerczPshsm6fuF8n484_oSByQNURrExJtk/s200/Italia+2008+067.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglScm1HspQ-M6ArYWr0QnPY6MRJfYsN7fW3mOYXwYaF_p55omum6FPnZ9LXCYMLz7LjaYugrvWmqZqdXP3MRiQZDP_Fcyi_CdkT5YVlGH7D0yRKQFhb_-uQqQe3Lt9ZpKKAQScuzgzjng/s1600-h/Italia+2008+065.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4OHlU15YEm9vtpnnP9IGbJaABS1Pa4wli2hG4fXNFVBAXXC-02OM6THPQvLsRUXOC8DQDuLuBHTSQrrm6_A-5WRVcUPrhKxrm3RszikXijBouWFEK0wCYGZLUuFpy7PLWoDswAvll2BA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+041.jpg"></a></span></div></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-24370466060435885682008-09-05T19:20:00.000+02:002008-09-06T00:08:39.228+02:00Time for some pictures :)<span style="font-size:85%;">1. The entrance to my programs (IES) building and where I will take most of my classes</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">2. A courtyard outside the IES building</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">3. Me with my first gelato and a european hair dryer in Porta Romana</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22smZ17Rqel-jHy43eGrVogtRjzztXDKO5PnqpxBiLL6ieyPVLMGSvzE_XifWNpCwDZzuHHhHU1mdlF4DOXtIC-RCifkdhj6GaBQAvk_GcFoD2F_UKXGPTUdcaivnCWgcTF5rOfjIRHA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242660537459989890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="287" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22smZ17Rqel-jHy43eGrVogtRjzztXDKO5PnqpxBiLL6ieyPVLMGSvzE_XifWNpCwDZzuHHhHU1mdlF4DOXtIC-RCifkdhj6GaBQAvk_GcFoD2F_UKXGPTUdcaivnCWgcTF5rOfjIRHA/s320/Italia+2008+013.jpg" width="224" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Av_hywaq4JoVDqzRfuCnEebYeCbkORhF_RE3nxlLRroFn6-BM9rXKnQf1ji82DdD-DnvPMpT5TjBJu_-jnDDAezwx4MXrRotj665DQ6xr6uugTZ40qY5xnph6EOIOo7Sr738AWjWq64/s1600-h/Italia+2008+017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242660543609655682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="276" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Av_hywaq4JoVDqzRfuCnEebYeCbkORhF_RE3nxlLRroFn6-BM9rXKnQf1ji82DdD-DnvPMpT5TjBJu_-jnDDAezwx4MXrRotj665DQ6xr6uugTZ40qY5xnph6EOIOo7Sr738AWjWq64/s320/Italia+2008+017.jpg" width="209" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTU0uNr-lsTZ7lbozGcQ_YVQlSxTI9B-kdbjOWEHv3Uk0sWLePgCDdBSAKMDqxcDV8zJXulXcbk7OXRL_wzWqL5N2Av-LLmxOOdDlN28ZcziVxspu59_dj6NaZG3gCFuyKeTXMWdq9I0/s1600-h/Italia+2008+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242660545764443170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" height="193" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTU0uNr-lsTZ7lbozGcQ_YVQlSxTI9B-kdbjOWEHv3Uk0sWLePgCDdBSAKMDqxcDV8zJXulXcbk7OXRL_wzWqL5N2Av-LLmxOOdDlN28ZcziVxspu59_dj6NaZG3gCFuyKeTXMWdq9I0/s320/Italia+2008+026.jpg" width="261" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Other various things: </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">1. In the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is the emblem of Turin, a bull, on the mosaic floor. It is meant to bring you good luck if you spin around on your right heel on the bull's most treasured possession. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">2. Amore</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">3. Teatro alla Scala</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">4. Il Blockbuster</span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OICIjvZEj6daui7OtnknuZ1wHar5YzPbu0nOGCFhq6JPggPov9S2ZljLqWFgtHTSY9epTI22MF57qpnqktyEnvsbqxYlDiudDthpNnhgxfGM6tzLIvaTguyMJuMAAG5t8XGuTWUIyoQ/s1600-h/Italia+2008+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242659243223998258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 195px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 208px" height="270" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OICIjvZEj6daui7OtnknuZ1wHar5YzPbu0nOGCFhq6JPggPov9S2ZljLqWFgtHTSY9epTI22MF57qpnqktyEnvsbqxYlDiudDthpNnhgxfGM6tzLIvaTguyMJuMAAG5t8XGuTWUIyoQ/s320/Italia+2008+008.jpg" width="219" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAANCrygse3HwmsBQf6iEfApqyB65oJyZAaja9MLL-P0sHBpk1zv46F_7mtmLAc9iW0KMAXn1s3tAg6CkKFHr_ej6yrsRwd9EnVa8dQClXONIFbeoHQj_oeqspybGh99_R_V0sUp9USQQ/s1600-h/Italia+2008+009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242659249174613122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" height="272" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAANCrygse3HwmsBQf6iEfApqyB65oJyZAaja9MLL-P0sHBpk1zv46F_7mtmLAc9iW0KMAXn1s3tAg6CkKFHr_ej6yrsRwd9EnVa8dQClXONIFbeoHQj_oeqspybGh99_R_V0sUp9USQQ/s320/Italia+2008+009.jpg" width="218" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7z9PjywAMLmfCpBRvRrDcoWE50LQwe8r5C6NFc3MnknvTksE0oZkEHynpoMOVZEdfeWPk-xbTIrHcW4fnhmSspYm75BfqqwBNsK9yxDGb8qI5XvqUc2GEHGDzeWLmYGjjds3amPfUAg/s1600-h/Italia+2008+015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242659251745872434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 251px" height="239" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7z9PjywAMLmfCpBRvRrDcoWE50LQwe8r5C6NFc3MnknvTksE0oZkEHynpoMOVZEdfeWPk-xbTIrHcW4fnhmSspYm75BfqqwBNsK9yxDGb8qI5XvqUc2GEHGDzeWLmYGjjds3amPfUAg/s320/Italia+2008+015.jpg" width="187" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G6hFABYJ56iUYdMPqkSztCo4SZIKJvHmv80cu7eCglLtWQQVAgTaXdVdbsJt9Ys8tozqPYBIjLaY8v1Yd5Fa0K8n_37SmWJ65CS1S6b9ZWGKZhpXc_7F-jaf477j16MwtuHzkGl052g/s1600-h/Italia+2008+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242659255914601906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="203" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G6hFABYJ56iUYdMPqkSztCo4SZIKJvHmv80cu7eCglLtWQQVAgTaXdVdbsJt9Ys8tozqPYBIjLaY8v1Yd5Fa0K8n_37SmWJ65CS1S6b9ZWGKZhpXc_7F-jaf477j16MwtuHzkGl052g/s320/Italia+2008+025.jpg" width="285" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Alessandro Manzoni (famous Italian novelist) and his home</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9zlBSt_5pvcEIWUOScRFK0rylJ3x-PwtuUrls8LEvNCqAeCgPOqXx1f_DAFByIiBeAHXZB493fnKD55HiiRWqUC4H1n17qloTF9HksSXUw6VO0wZi1ULIbpp81e-miUoNRWtEydEL5o/s1600-h/Italia+2008+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242658330513498306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="252" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9zlBSt_5pvcEIWUOScRFK0rylJ3x-PwtuUrls8LEvNCqAeCgPOqXx1f_DAFByIiBeAHXZB493fnKD55HiiRWqUC4H1n17qloTF9HksSXUw6VO0wZi1ULIbpp81e-miUoNRWtEydEL5o/s320/Italia+2008+010.jpg" width="197" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjaH16Cts2iDaIXo-aAY-nylfT1t5I6LAmM4YhHdkcNz0h-zvDcxzb6xLu4nk6fZsLOwkYj6mp2jOX2zFrtDRBUVEgaATVJV0jRW4Qm68IjV3P5X2svJV16KwtvYlVB0oBtwohhEwu1TA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242658339505461394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="237" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjaH16Cts2iDaIXo-aAY-nylfT1t5I6LAmM4YhHdkcNz0h-zvDcxzb6xLu4nk6fZsLOwkYj6mp2jOX2zFrtDRBUVEgaATVJV0jRW4Qm68IjV3P5X2svJV16KwtvYlVB0oBtwohhEwu1TA/s320/Italia+2008+007.jpg" width="207" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">!The Duomo!</span></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQUU8olQ6q_veHgnbPg_ahdTl-OYZe6pT1E17918ug7NQxgAaIrp0OQUYnzxVrpyCWpWcyY4XNNjEt_u8CiLAaxCEYR-bKRfXRcKD4MWlDG1IkZnRq990oZU_bKQXeXNrBxIqYT_KyAA/s1600-h/Italia+2008+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242657929094087250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="281" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQUU8olQ6q_veHgnbPg_ahdTl-OYZe6pT1E17918ug7NQxgAaIrp0OQUYnzxVrpyCWpWcyY4XNNjEt_u8CiLAaxCEYR-bKRfXRcKD4MWlDG1IkZnRq990oZU_bKQXeXNrBxIqYT_KyAA/s320/Italia+2008+004.jpg" width="218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xGcwzs4mzX0L-k3nUcU6NxkDfinsjujtNBnUF4eCThplGvFmBSBVApk7s_xfDFlBhVMhsGmikfaGjJUYXB0Sf-OVypemTkJvTF6Mzr-N7wNhEByEeQHZ7nO-DAooUwAZZ5eutElKznY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242657353746225842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="224" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xGcwzs4mzX0L-k3nUcU6NxkDfinsjujtNBnUF4eCThplGvFmBSBVApk7s_xfDFlBhVMhsGmikfaGjJUYXB0Sf-OVypemTkJvTF6Mzr-N7wNhEByEeQHZ7nO-DAooUwAZZ5eutElKznY/s320/Italia+2008+005.jpg" width="203" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyrviVivW68VlB5skR3KMUMu2inf6TwEepdzuhT_NxbqU3iY1J3RUmSLL1J-1lAEFK_0c6dNORIoGYv7H8_YeVrrdbZxdkMnTBQQODtRJsFX-UmAhyphenhyphennCecglrJTt7uc2Rl626j2DWIIU/s1600-h/Italia+2008+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242657362422392002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="304" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyrviVivW68VlB5skR3KMUMu2inf6TwEepdzuhT_NxbqU3iY1J3RUmSLL1J-1lAEFK_0c6dNORIoGYv7H8_YeVrrdbZxdkMnTBQQODtRJsFX-UmAhyphenhyphennCecglrJTt7uc2Rl626j2DWIIU/s320/Italia+2008+006.jpg" width="226" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Collegio di Milano, where my dorm is...pictures of my single bare room to come.</span></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDM6dfYKZ6DLjSKTBs8yJR9vNbIEV23dsqEwdnrcYehNx_vh5PNxxzdovXDb5tSWOAJislAmMIoop7Tk7P2F0tzCXleRqLF3YoQYDowEO1anTSwQil2YXMw7KqgvGYRtGKdFkbBoSQu0/s1600-h/Italia+2008+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242655752507807826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="175" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDM6dfYKZ6DLjSKTBs8yJR9vNbIEV23dsqEwdnrcYehNx_vh5PNxxzdovXDb5tSWOAJislAmMIoop7Tk7P2F0tzCXleRqLF3YoQYDowEO1anTSwQil2YXMw7KqgvGYRtGKdFkbBoSQu0/s320/Italia+2008+002.jpg" width="255" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDFubnLG0bXuQ-27NAnyQIIDwfiEbawjYhxSqYBP4y2QkZjbYgjQmye4ctXH5T3XOFC6b7cgtYS4mGAmMrhErixzcsZx6U-m3-Waw5OD1ASSHBFwhnovSc8j_2mCrGEr3gHra10u8FQI/s1600-h/Italia+2008+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242655758861172498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="235" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDFubnLG0bXuQ-27NAnyQIIDwfiEbawjYhxSqYBP4y2QkZjbYgjQmye4ctXH5T3XOFC6b7cgtYS4mGAmMrhErixzcsZx6U-m3-Waw5OD1ASSHBFwhnovSc8j_2mCrGEr3gHra10u8FQI/s320/Italia+2008+003.jpg" width="193" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDFubnLG0bXuQ-27NAnyQIIDwfiEbawjYhxSqYBP4y2QkZjbYgjQmye4ctXH5T3XOFC6b7cgtYS4mGAmMrhErixzcsZx6U-m3-Waw5OD1ASSHBFwhnovSc8j_2mCrGEr3gHra10u8FQI/s1600-h/Italia+2008+003.jpg"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Torrazzetta, the farm/hotel in the Pavia countryside.<br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2ARPQYI-OqAkUxsG0XdBMx6KgO4dMZy_2CbjscdoCxiWfp_mo8M-lMuoAJe4LAq-1dazYIQDhJUo5BPK7luR2t8DFxMsDBLOAEV1E3qXA-EUTcVIPZ319jVdRON4220WPoG9mEqFGdY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+018.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242655121630632386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="218" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2ARPQYI-OqAkUxsG0XdBMx6KgO4dMZy_2CbjscdoCxiWfp_mo8M-lMuoAJe4LAq-1dazYIQDhJUo5BPK7luR2t8DFxMsDBLOAEV1E3qXA-EUTcVIPZ319jVdRON4220WPoG9mEqFGdY/s320/Italia+2008+018.jpg" width="278" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCFzXYtjD1sq5IRatYMVdTyHl_IyD0Xw1BW0fHYq6JJi4fAzF7h6UYbEv8LoBRdK6-6c2iovKexeYDFQ3g6XKLpi20c3ryVcpqESVTfTtTWnIAYwNTc6wagPjMtnrmvN1C5Jm83xo7qQ/s1600-h/Italia+2008+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242654420863611058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCFzXYtjD1sq5IRatYMVdTyHl_IyD0Xw1BW0fHYq6JJi4fAzF7h6UYbEv8LoBRdK6-6c2iovKexeYDFQ3g6XKLpi20c3ryVcpqESVTfTtTWnIAYwNTc6wagPjMtnrmvN1C5Jm83xo7qQ/s320/Italia+2008+019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50EM1P2I450htuv89DGi2tj5X-EtOhXoA6Cz2R6p14M1is89xPzXGg32bmzwRQMDD8pxY_TpCyoUvHiRCEZCq_m0LOi2ZewLRZ1N25h7bOZYUgnJcPa7xS_UWb2BmWIR8RtD2JNEmETE/s1600-h/Italia+2008+020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242654425178150418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="211" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50EM1P2I450htuv89DGi2tj5X-EtOhXoA6Cz2R6p14M1is89xPzXGg32bmzwRQMDD8pxY_TpCyoUvHiRCEZCq_m0LOi2ZewLRZ1N25h7bOZYUgnJcPa7xS_UWb2BmWIR8RtD2JNEmETE/s320/Italia+2008+020.jpg" width="280" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KndmF0UGHWxbBiABUh5TH8elhd-SVV8vPw6-WO7GHYNlr81AYDO8_niadijhMt6WJBwF7LWOcnhvx_84W8XVc6lvB4KwyeNG5KcciCNM7eQjNeWe6kdEhyxdmuCZH6K6eou0mJ7V2W0/s1600-h/Italia+2008+021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242654434604989506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="247" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KndmF0UGHWxbBiABUh5TH8elhd-SVV8vPw6-WO7GHYNlr81AYDO8_niadijhMt6WJBwF7LWOcnhvx_84W8XVc6lvB4KwyeNG5KcciCNM7eQjNeWe6kdEhyxdmuCZH6K6eou0mJ7V2W0/s320/Italia+2008+021.jpg" width="229" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB04YigvFcrxt616Nh_NkzdAxae_PlbFcaU6wRWBnMHkQpuNBMX2JvyrRee23RX6Ft2hPJxqqCUX5vYRuOIBnvFMDp34iFmZz5cwU_3yELJuqcLrIGdrb_WsRkKvwjHKmGPtE4Eofqxhk/s1600-h/Italia+2008+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242654445440114690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="211" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB04YigvFcrxt616Nh_NkzdAxae_PlbFcaU6wRWBnMHkQpuNBMX2JvyrRee23RX6Ft2hPJxqqCUX5vYRuOIBnvFMDp34iFmZz5cwU_3yELJuqcLrIGdrb_WsRkKvwjHKmGPtE4Eofqxhk/s320/Italia+2008+022.jpg" width="263" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENb7C3-v_17YrA6bhVNfSpI-Hs8N3FpVW5WqJ9Qw0l3bdg1MW4z3Jm3n_efmyHjDRk2JfIBKB1Tz-0uQixhAWcyYargMVAZA0Ni2Vph6keakAM3Re7-qLkLEXdIiqB7pz2lBB-rr4J6c/s1600-h/Italia+2008+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242589210394649330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="206" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENb7C3-v_17YrA6bhVNfSpI-Hs8N3FpVW5WqJ9Qw0l3bdg1MW4z3Jm3n_efmyHjDRk2JfIBKB1Tz-0uQixhAWcyYargMVAZA0Ni2Vph6keakAM3Re7-qLkLEXdIiqB7pz2lBB-rr4J6c/s320/Italia+2008+001.jpg" width="299" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvJvZl-nAC-MuVSLVeEfvJQadAtUh9rFYR7ekK1Im5HwoSyqOR1taG2MOsz8JILfCQFgquwlGzkcqoNT1YhfUng0HlohdE0Q0LzTc6yBgPrsBdfDnPBrsdRX9SIgoBJ35FjQRFrjrYX0/s1600-h/Italia+2008+002.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTOFUZmNSRfALm65li9-L5Wwp6mC-GxSHApaHCGYz2ELQD9IqY8QZlLrLsrnz8HO6RIj5pUq9HsiJbfoT2EKAv8C6BLkK_ehRr-j_ACSrl8M_QHYf8eAgDRM8pG-spy5QeUfNFTChRDY/s1600-h/Italia+2008+003.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531724610922353614.post-59862656337447166692008-09-04T23:00:00.000+02:002008-09-05T01:39:30.509+02:00Va bene!<span style="font-size:85%;">Arrivato in Italia!! </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Sorry it’s taken me so long to write in here but they have kept us very busy with orientation for classes and getting us acquainted to the city of Milano. First off, AMO ITALIA!! Things have been great so far despite the waves of fear and thoughts of “what was I thinking!?!” that come every now and then. Here is a day by day as much as I can remember thus far and as soon as they fix the internet in my dorm room I’ll do better about updating daily(ish)....hopefully.<br /><br />August 31 – September 2, 2008<br /><br />After spending my last night in Ohio with the lovely Cocuzzi family and friends, I woke up with only 2 hours of sleep to finish packing and head to the airport for my flight to Italy. Let’s just say if it weren’t for my amazing grandparents and my mom flying in from Texas to see me off I think I would have curled up in a ball and missed my plane. There were some issues figuring out how everything for 3 months and 2 seasons was going to fit into only 2 suitcases. I ended up taking 2 very full suitcases, 1 very fully carry on and 1 very full backpack. On the way to the airport I was feeling only one emotion for most of the way……FEAR. I might have had a slight sobbing/asthma attack in the car (good thing mom was driving). But as all good moms do, she assured me that I would be fine and reminded me of what a great opportunity it was and how long it had been a dream of mine that was finally coming true. So I waved goodbye and loaded my plane (after I got my Starbucks of course :)).<br /><br />My flight left at 11am and flew to Philadelphia. It was a short flight and I slept most of the way. In fact, I don’t even remember who was sitting next to me. I arrived in Philly around 12:30 and my next flight wasn’t until 4:30 to Milano. However, through facebook I knew there was at least two other girls on my same flight and one had arrived in Philly earlier that morning. After several hours at the airport our group of 3 turned into 10 and we met about 15 other students in another program. What a comfort! Especially when we landed in Milano at 6:30 AM and together struggled carrying our loads of luggage, figuring out how to buy a train ticket and which way to take the train, loading our luggage onto the train, getting off at the right stop, flagging down a taxi (which apparently you don’t do in Italy… you are supposed to call for one ahead of time) and finally arriving at our program’s building on Via Carducci. Other than the hassle of bags and the train door closing just after I put my bags on and just before I myself had stepped on, things went pretty smoothly (there was a button that someone eventually found to open the door before the train left me stranded all alone at the station with no luggage). Oh and there was the fact that our plane landed during a thunder storm and the bumpy landing made me so nauseous that I didn’t recover for over 24 hours (probably due to the fact that after the plane we rode a train, then a taxi and later in the day a bus). </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />We were the first group to arrive at IES (my programs name) and had lots of time to explore the area and get to know each other a little better. Then at 2pm we all loaded onto a bus that took us for a few days of orientation at a beautiful Agriturismo (Farm with a hotel sorta) called Torrazzetta in the Pavia countryside. Our rooms were pretty nice, there was huge pool, amazing food and they loaded us with information about what was to come.<br /><br />September 3, 2008<br />We headed back to Milano and got our luggage to move into our various living areas. All the students are either in apartments spread all throughout Milano or where I live which is the in Collegio di Milano. Basically it’s an honors dorm with 11 IES students and 88 Italian Grad students who are really nice and most speak English. They are really patient with us if we try to speak Italian and they encourage us to listen and speak the language with them as much as possible so we learn it better. I have a single room which is a decent size with a bed, closet, desk, air conditioning!, my own bathroom, and a pretty big balcony. The dorm building itself is very nice and has a lot of great luxuries that those living in the apartments don’t have like a washer AND dryer, a gym, cooked meals, big screen tv, an awesome Italian doorman who takes your key when you leave so you don’t lose it, and (DAD you will like this) a security system.<br /><br />September 4, 2008<br /><br />Today we met at the Duomo Cathedral and they gave us a walking tour all over Milano. What a beautiful city with so much history! We also had a tour of the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore where most of us will be taking a class or two outside of our IES classes. I will be taking one business course in English there along with an Italian language course and 3 Italian culture classes through IES. It is a beautiful university with perfect grass because apparently it is bad luck to step on the grass.<br /><br />IES has so many great events and trips set up for us throughout the next 3 months so we can really dive into the city and culture if we choose. Tonight to celebrate the end of our first full day in Milano IES treated us to an Aperitivo which is basically the Italian happy hour. You pay (or in this case they paid) 7 euro for one drink and a buffet of appetizers. They had the place all decked out for us and other then the poor waiter who had to run around and get 100 drink orders the atmosphere was very pleasant and relaxing.<br /><br />Tomorrow we take an esame to figure out what Italian language level we will be placed in. So me and another girl living at the Collegio came back and just spent sometime speaking in Italian to each other. I forgot how much I love the language!<br /><br />I'll post a few pictures soon! I miss you all!<br /><br />Ti Amo! Ciao!</span><br /><br /></span>Samhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03306626996854725123noreply@blogger.com8