Venice!

Amo Venezia! Last weekend me and my roommates went to Venice and Padova. It was so incredible! Venice is absolutely gorgeous and it was so cool to see all the waterways and canals used as everyday streets! We stayed at a little hotel in San Polo just across the Grand Canal from Piazza San Marco and Doges Palace. The night we arrived, we took a gondola ride through several famous canals. We saw Mozart's house, Vivaldi's palace, Casanova's house, Elton John's house, and Marco Polo's house! We went out for a crappy dinner that night, but it was nice to spend time with the girls. We saw Harry's Pub where the first peach bellini's were invented. For just a little glass of bellini it cost about $25!!!! so we ended up just getting some at a less expensive place later on. The next day we saw all of Piazza San Marco including Palazzo Ducale (Doges Palace). We then took a water taxi to Murano where they do all the famous glass blowing! We saw a brief demonstration and I couldn't believe how easy the man made it look. It took him about 2 minutes to form melting glass into an incredibly exquisite little horse!
After exploring Venice we hopped on the train and headed to Padova, only a 45 minute ride from Venice. Padova has the second oldest university in Italy. The town was super cute and we saw several famous art exhibits. Our hotel was right across the street from Saint Anthony's Cathedral and Donatello's famous "gattamalata". We also made reservations to the Arena Chapel to see Giotto's famous frescos. One of my favorite moments of the weekend was while we were in Padova walking back to the train station. There was an old man, maybe around 60, with what I presumed was his granddaughter, about 3 walking hand in hand just in front of us. They were dressed nice like they had just come from Sunday mass. They walked into a chocolate shop to get some sweets for what I overheard him say was the family dinner. The man was so kind and sweet to the little girl and she looked up at him with the most big, blue trusting eyes. He lifted her up high so she could see all the different kinds of chocolate and let her pick out the one she wanted to try. He greeted us very kindly as they walked out of the shop and the little girl smiled at us as they passed. I might be the biggest dork on the face of the planet, but it was so sweet to see and it made me smile. It will be nice to be back at home with my own family next month!
Before getting on the train to go back to Perugia, we stopped at McDonalds. Yes. We did. I bought fries and scarfed down every single one of them!

Update

I have been so busy the past few weeks! Catching up on everything I've done is going to take so long! The weekend before our fall break we went horseback riding in Chianti, Tuscany! It was such an incredible experience and the perfect way to see the beautiful, rolling hills of Tuscany. After horseback riding, we returned to Perugia for the week-long Euro Chocolate Festival!!! People from all over Europe come for the delicious Perugian chocolate. I've never seen this city so packed and busy. It was absolutely insane! I drank some of the best hot chocolate of my life and saw some awesome chocolate sculptures. There was chocolate liquor, chocolate beer (Guinness with chocolate), chocolate for your dogs, chocolate covered anything you could dream of...etc. The city literally smelled like chocolate when you walked outside. I was in heaven. During this week, we unfortunately were all taking midterm exams. After the exams were over, we had a 10 day fall break! I went with my friend Mattie to England. I had an absolute blast!
We arrived in London and went straight to our lovely flat in SoHo. It was amazing; so much nicer than we had imagined! The location couldn't have been better. The next day we went to Buckingham Palace, briefly watched the changing of the guard, and then explored all of Hyde Park! I've never been to a more beautiful park in all my life! We walked all through the park and saw Kensington Palace and gardens, Holocaust Memorial Rose Garden, Peter Pan statue, and the Marble Arch.

We also took a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath! It was a wonderful day. The weather was perfect and it was so nice to not have to worry about scheduling and catching trains. The Roman Baths were so awesome and the city of Bath was so cute and tranquil! It was also really cool to see the hometown of Jane Austen.
The other day trip we took out of London was to Canterbury and Dover. Canterbury was great and I loved the cathedral. Dover was soooo great though! It is located on the southern coast of England close to the English channel. We visited the medieval Dover Castle and saw all the old secret war time tunnels. As a history minor, I loved learning more about the English perspective of the wars and how very different and close to home the wars were for them.
After exploring as much of London as we possibly could over the next few days, we went to Thriplow Farm just outside of Cambridge where Mattie's extended family live. This was probably one of my favorite parts of our visit to England. Cambridge is AMAZING! I would die to be able to study at Trinity or King's College. I've never seen a more beautiful campus. Thriplow Farm was also incredible. I had my own bedroom which overlooked the huge backyard and the horse pastures. Every morning I woke up to the sounds of horses and leaves rustling in the breeze! I enjoyed home-cooked meals 3 nights in a row and actually loved taking a break from pasta and pizza!
England is absolutely phenomenal and I can not wait to return and see more of the U.K.!

Perugia is wonderful. I've been here for a little over a month and I am slowly getting used to the customs and lifestyle differences. There are many! Some differences I was prepared for. But many I wasn't. For example, Italians tend to be slow. In everything they do. Except driving. I knew this...felt prepared for those frustrations. Every time I have gone to the post office, I have had to wait at least half an hour. (I feel like that's a universal thing though...) No big deal, right?

• I was not prepared though for my first grocery store experience. While you check out, you have the option of using plastic bags or not. Well of course you need a way to carry your items home, so I said yes, please I would like a bag. Turns out, there is a charge for plastic grocery bags. It wasn't much of a charge, but just the idea of it baffled me!
  
• Italians also eat dinner very late. Restaurants don't even open until 730 or 8 pm. At first, I couldn't stand waiting that long to eat! But me and my roommates have been cooking later and later and even though it isn't the healthiest time to eat, I've actually grown to like it.
  
• "La pausa" occurs every afternoon from around noon until 4. It is the break Italians take each afternoon to go home and rest from work. Everything closes and it is difficult to try and get anything done during this time! Running afternoon errands is impossible. Coming from the states where we have 24 hour WalMarts and food joints, it has been super difficult to get used to this. I've had to become more flexible in scheduling shopping trips and other outings. Although the convenience factor is small compared to the states, I actually do love the laid-back relaxed way of life.
• Nightlife has been quite the experience. Most clubs back home have a cover charge to get in. Well, clubs here don't. They just don't let you leave until you've paid 10 +euro. This equates to around 15 US dollars! Last week me and my roommates and some other folks went out to a bar to get some drinks. Then we were invited to a discotecca! So we went with some guys who told us they could get us in for free. We thought, well why not?! We get inside and can I just say that night clubs in Italy are not exactly classy places. We had been there about 5 minutes and the guy who got us in told us we had to give him 10 euro! I was PISSSSED. We had no idea we had to pay. None of us bought drinks and we were planning on leaving soon. All of us decided that the guy who wanted our money was sketchy and probably didn't even work for the club. So we made our way to the door. Oh but wait. The bouncers wouldn't let us LEAVE because we didn't have exit passes. I managed to sneak out, but the other girls were stuck inside. I knew a guy outside the club and explained the situation to him. Fortunately he was able to get everyone out without having to pay!
  

Looking back on that night makes me angry. But the exit charge is pretty much the same as a cover/entry charge back in the states. We just had no idea. The difference though is everything back home is out in the open and there are no "hidden charges". You know what you are getting yourself into and aren't surprised by weird people trying to take advantage of you. Quite frustrating, but now we know! haha It seems that we are having to learn about these cultural differences the EXTRA hard way!

• Coffee is another interesting difference. There are rules. Big time! Most Italians don't order any sort of a coffee drink with milk in it after mid-morning. If you want a Cappuccino or Cafe Late, you better get it for breakfast or else you will be laughed at! The coffee in Italy is amazing though. They seriously know how to brew it here :)
• One thing I don't think I will ever get used to is the idea of very little personal space. While having a conversation with an Italian, usually they will stand very close to your face. You get every detail in people's complexions and every tasty bodily odor! Sick. Or when you are walking down the street, people don't move out of your way. If they do, it's at the very last minute! Last weekend me and my roommate's were riding on the mini-metro from the farmers' market back to our apartment. I was sitting in a seat and others were standing holding onto the side bars. A girl decided there was enough room in my seat for her as well, so she plopped right down! I was so startled. I immediately gave my seat to her and stood the rest of the way home. I think she thought I was strange, but I really had no desire to be sitting that close to a complete (smelly) stranger. Call me weird.
• Another interesting thing about food service is having to ask for the check. Back in the states, waiters bring out the check as soon as possible to try and hurry folks out for more business. In Italy, you have to ask, sometimes multiple times, for the check to be delivered. Italians do not rush through meals. They take their time eating and enjoy mealtime as much as possible. I love it. But our first restaurant experience was funny. We sat for a very long time after finishing our food before realizing we needed to ask for the check!
• Fashion. If you are seen walking around in your sweat pants(which I do on a regular basis back home...in public places), people think you are depressed or have something seriously wrong with you! The sloppy, yet comfortable look doesn't fly here in Italy. Sad day. Wanna know what is in "style" right now? M.C. Hammer pants!!!! NOOOOooooooo. Girls wear them everywhere. They look ridiculous. I'll try and snap a pic of this phenomena to bring home with me :)
  

Despite the frustrations and differences we have had to get used to, I am enjoying Italy soooo much! The learning experience has definitely encompassed much more that what I am learning in the classroom. There is a great sense of community here in Perugia. We have met tons of people just by walking through the piazzas and going to the same pubs and pizzerias. There are also many students studying in Perugia from all over the world. Hearing people's crazy life stories and backgrounds is fascinating. One month down and I can't wait for all the amazing experiences I will have in the next 3!!

Cinque...

This past weekend my roommates and I, and a few other folks from Perugia went to Le Cinque Terre (the five towns). It was quite possibly the prettiest place I have ever seen! Each of the cities are built on the rock of the Italian west coast. It was amazing to see how the buildings were perfectly situated among the rugged landscape. Our group of eight stayed in a hostel in the southern most town of Riomaggiore. Friday night we did a little exploring and then watched a beautiful sunset over the ocean! On Saturday, we all started out in the morning to hike to the northern most town of Monterosso! It took us about 4 hours and most of the hike was along the coast. (Shout out to Kevin who did the whole hike in Adidas flip-flops) The views were amazing! One of my favorite hikes of all time. It's kind of difficult to describe the atmosphere of Cinque Terre. Each town is unique, yet they all have the same romantic, laid-back, welcoming feeling. Cinque Terre is a popular tourist destination for many people traveling through Europe. There were many Germans, Australians, French, American, Italian, and English people. It was so nice to hear some English since we hardly do in our home town of Perugia!

After the hike, we all were exhausted and hungry! We grabbed some food and beer and went to the beach in Monterosso to relax for the rest of the day. I think we all fell asleep for a while. The sounds of the waves rolling onto the beach were so peaceful! After returning to Riomaggiore that evening, we decided to go to the grocery store and pick up some food. We cooked a delicious meal! Spaghetti, garlic break, caprese and wine. YUMMM! After dinner we went out for some drinks and to sit by the water. We met some Australians and talked with them on the rocky beach till VERY late! We all had a great time and really enjoyed getting to know each other better and experiencing the breathtaking beauty of Cinque Terre!
Cinque Terre so far has been the highlight of my trip. I will most definitely go back for a longer stay if I ever have the chance!

Trip to the southern coast of Italy!

I. Love. the Amalfi. Coast. I went with a group of students to Naples, Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii this past weekend. It was absolutely gorgeous!! When we first arrived, we took a tour of the ancient ruins of Pompeii. It was incredible to see the huge city that was at one time completely covered in volcanic ash. And it was really weird to see exactly how the original inhabitants lived. There were preserved petrified people that were still in their original frightened positions. But I really loved Pompeii and learning all the history behind the city.
Next we went to Sorrento to check into our hotel rooms. We stayed about a half mile from the beach. The Sorrento coast is absolutely breathtaking and I hope I can go back someday and spend more time there. The following day, we took a ferry to the Island of Capri. It was such an amazing day! We took a little tour boat around the island in the morning. After the boat ride we went to the beach and swam in the ocean. Then we took a little chair lift to the very top of the Island. From there the panoramic views of all the surrounding water was unbelievable! The above picture was taken about half way up the island. The picture on the left was taken in the "Green Grotto". I could not believe how beautifully blue and clear the water was! The Island is a volcanic island and was formed mostly from rock. This is why the island is so tall and vertical. It is incredible to look at it from a distance. Below is a picture of the panoramic view from the top of the island looking down. And the picture doesn't even do it justice!
The next day, we left Sorrento for home via Naples! Naples didn't rank too high on my list. It was very dirty and too metropolitan for me. BUT...we did get to go to the place where pizza was invented! The place is called Pizzeria Brandi and had been in existence since 1790.
I was so thankful for the trip because in Perugia it is starting to cool off quite a bit and the southern coast of Italy is still quite warm. And the ocean water felt so great!

Pics of Perugia

The top picture was taken on an excursion to a small, local Italian farm in Passegniano, Italy; about a 30 minute train ride from Perugia. Olives, grapes and legumes are grown here. In the background is a large, gorgeous lake and the surrounding hillside was breathtaking! Italian farms are central to the culture and I was thankful for the opportunity to meet the farmer and his family. The farm has been in their family for hundreds of years, with the same crops being harvested and the same wines and oils being produced. While visiting the farm, we were taught the timeless art of making homemade pasta! When picturing the cliche Italian kitchen and preparations for an Italian feast, we often think of all the women of the household working all day to produce a simplistic, yet perfect taste in all the dishes, yelling and laughing at each other in quick, beautiful Italian. This was exactly how it was! All the women, including great-grandma, worked to serve all of us one of the best 4 course meals I've ever had! So much of the Italian culture revolves around mealtime and the gathering together of loved ones. Therefore, preparing for the gathering is a crucial part of life. From the homemade wine, to the homegrown spices and oils, the Italians' love and appreciation for life is seen in the dedication to mealtime perfection! The little glimpse of true Italy I saw on Sunday was wonderful and I hope to have many more experiences like that during my stay!

la scuola

We have finished our first week of intensive Italian classes. Next week the normal class schedule begins. I am looking forward to different classes and getting into a more normal schedule. The weather in Perugia is actually cooling off quite a bit. I love walking through the city and learning where everything is located and most importantly, where the best gelato is!! For those of you who asked, my address is:

c/o Chelsea Berry
The Umbra Institute
Via Bartolo 16
06123 Perugia, Italy

One thing I did this past week that was interesting was going for a run. Perugia is a hill town. It was built in 1200. The streets and buildings are incredibly old and not much has been updated over the years. City planners back then didn't think ahead very well when deciding NOT to put in sidewalks. Haha :) A good half of my run was with the moving cars. Many people looked at me like I was crazy. Probably because I was running in the streets and also because it was all up and down steep streets. I didn't realize how big Perugia actually was until I got lost. It wasn't too bad because I know enough Italian to ask for directions back to my apartment. If nothing else, it was a good way to get to know more of the city. The panoramic views from the top are incredible! Pictures soon to come!
Ciao amici <3