A Jam-Packed January

     Ciao! In the last few hours a group of my friends and I decided to travel to Rome this weekend, for 24 hours. We are leaving Saturday morning at 5:50am and returning at 6:13am Sunday morning! Long story short, this arrangement made the most sense with the ticket options, so we will be packing our Rome experience into one full day! Planning this trip has made me excited for traveling again, as I will be leaving the country much more this semester. As of right now, almost all of my weekends are booked and this semester is going to fly by even faster than the first one.
     In the past 3 weeks I have been enjoying many local sites around Florence, as our Program Director set up various outings as part of our orientation week. Some of these day trips included a visit to a local journal/leather shop (where we watched the craftsmen - two brothers - make journals, photo albums, and other products by hand, and learned about this historic and traditional trade), a horseback riding excursion (which is a whole different story...let's just say standard safety practices are more advanced in America than here), a trip to the town of Assisi (in Umbria), a medieval dinner (complete with short dance and flag twirling performances and a mock duel), a cooking class at a local restaurant (eating the bruschetta was much more difficult after we chopped up the raw chicken livers for the "fegatini" pate ourselves), and a day spent bike riding around the city walls of (Tuscan town) Lucca.

The view from behind Assisi's wall of the landscape outside the town

Part of an old fortress in Assisi

Horseback riding in Tuscany

Three of my friends and me in Lucca

     We were also very privileged to be among the few people who actually get to see, in person, Ghiberti's famous Gates of Paradise. These were originally the doors on the Florence Baptistry, but were taken down and replaced with replicas for preservation, etc. They were created during the early Renaissance; many artists competed for the commission of the doors and 21-year-old Ghiberti was the winner. This pair of doors was dubbed "The Gates of Paradise" by Michelangelo himself. They are still under restoration (after have been for the past 20 years), but we got a behind-the-scenes tour of the 'workshop' where many works are being restored, including the doors. And I may have snuck a picture or two ;)

One of the Paradise Doors

     Two weekends ago I was able to spend the day snowboarding with friends in Abetone, which was icy and definitely lacking good fresh powder, but the day was a blast nonetheless. I wasn't prepared for snow activities when I came to Florence, and understandably, I didn't want to wear jeans or cotton in the snow. So, a few days before leaving, my roommate and I walked over to the hardware store and purchased some lovely waterproof (matching jacket + pants) suits for the snow. I think they are designed for riding motorcycles and vespas in the rain, and they are certainly not high fashion, but they did the job and kept us dry for the most part. We were able to spot each other by looking for the only other hideous forest green shiny blob on the mountain :) And to keep our hands dry? Cheap knit gloves with surgical gloves and saran wrap over the top for water protection! And helmets? Of course not, we were clearly working with the bare minimum. Shh....don't tell mom!

A picture I took of my roommate, Joelle, on the mountain

Chillin in our super-fashionable water-proof suits!

    The day after snowboarding my body was very achy; I though I was just sore. However, a few hours later I felt my fever coming on, and it wasn't long before I was bedridden. This was the beginning of what we like to refer to as The Plague that ravaged our Pepperdine Villa. With everyone in such close confines, it's no surprise that the sickness spread to almost all 50-some of us. Being one of the first ones to pave the way with the sickness, I suffered through and ate whatever I could that was available at meals, I weakly sat in class each day, and tried to keep up my normal responsibilities (in order to skip class, you have to have a doctor's note, and I was in no feeling up to venturing outside to the doctor). Just as I was beginning to get better, the big onslaught occurred and everyone else started to get sick. Then, of course, our Program Director got worried, and she paid for everyone to see the doctor (free house visit), get whatever medicine they needed, and she demanded that they all skip class for 2 full days. My sense of injustice was somewhat mitigated by the fact that I was probably responsible for many of them being sick...thankfully, we are all much better now and back to life as usual.
    That pretty much sums up what I've been doing so far this semester, excepting classes and other random activities. I'm looking forward to starting my travels and attempting to keep up in school too! :)

Bringing in the New Year with (many) a Bang.

As requested, here is a recap of my New Year's Eve in Florence:


     On Saturday night, after bundling up for the night out, I caught a train to the Center with my friend and her mom and sister (with whom I was staying during this particular part of the break). The train ride from the part of Florence in which we were staying to the center of Florence was a short one, only about 7 minutes long, but in that period of time I almost witnessed my first fight on a train. There were a bunch of younger men, maybe 10 to 15 of them, who were all really worked up about something and were somewhere between talking loudly and yelling. We sat down in the same car as them, but farther away. During the ride, the man I was sitting next to started yelling over at them and getting involved in their argument. At one point, some of the men came over and, back and forth above my head, continued their altercation with me in the middle. We finally moved over to the next car, and I thought the rest of our night would be smoother once we got out of the train.
     I could not have been more wrong. As soon as I stepped off the train, I wanted to turn around and get right back on. My history classes from the past came alive as I felt like I was literally in the middle of a war zone there in the Center. Between the huge fireworks being set off by civilians on every side and the mine field of broken glass, waving sparklers, and (unusually) plastered Italians, even my industrial ear plugs were futile when pitted against the explosions that literally shook the ground. At this point, it was only 9:15pm. 
     After navigating our way through the masses of people (holding hands at all times so as not to be separated indefinitely), we sought refuge in a cafe that was still open. That lasted for about 45 minutes, and then we decided to venture outside once again. While wandering through the streets, we rushed past each piazza as we learned that they were the most dangerous. Fireworks that I'm sure are illegal in the U.S. were like children's toys in the hands of Italians. They were setting of large, legitimate fireworks no more than 10  yards away from where we and others were walking, and then running away as the explosives detonated. I was afraid for my life more than once. When we weren't busy navigating around the piazzas, we were dodging people who walked through the streets waving sparklers right in front of our faces and smashing bottles where we were about to walk. Some way or another, we managed to get to Palazzo Vecchio, where the booming seemed a bit softer, and the background noise was mostly due to a classical concert which was being performed by an orchestra. We stood there for a few minutes, relieved, and then looked around only to realize that we were seeking refuge in the senior hang out spot. Literally, I could not see anyone who looked under the age of 60 except, of course, ourselves. But hey, it was safe, so that's where we stayed until the end of the night.
    I must say, with all the theatrics of the evening, you would think the firework show at midnight would be out of this world; however, I can say without a doubt that America is, hands down, far superior to Italy (and probably all of Europe) in this regard. After hours of anticipating, midnight arrived with no more than a wimpy, single file line of simple fireworks that could best be personified as patient and polite...after an individual firework went up, the next one waited for a few moments to slowly go up into the sky and do the same, one after another, with the only variety being in color. I actually laughed out loud when I saw the display.
     Finally, when it was all over, we began our search for a taxi to take us home, which was a whole ordeal in and of itself. Somehow we found one, got back, and went to bed around 2am. It was quite a night, and I am glad to still have my hearing and my life :)

Time Flies when You're Having Fun

It's been 2 and a half months since my last post, and I'm finally back for another one! I am currently back in Tuscany after spending the greater part of Christmas break in Berlin, Prague, and Vienna. A lot has happened in the past few months, and here is an update of the highlights:

- SPAIN: For our Long Weekend (a 5 day break in the semester), several friends and I went to Spain (first Madrid and then Barcelona). We enjoyed walking around Plaza del Sol, visiting the royal palace, locating artwork we learned about in Humanities class in El Prado Museum, and other sightseeing in Madrid, and in Barcelona we saw Gaudi's famous architecture, walked through Park Guell, saw a Flamenco show, and ate Spanish churros.

- FLORENCE: In the Pepperdine Villa, we had a big Thanksgiving dinner together, and a Christmas dinner too. We all have so much fun together and get along really well. This is a fabulous group to spend the year with, and they are the best family I could ask for while I'm away from my actual family :)

- SWITZERLAND: On Thanksgiving weekend I went to Interlaken and Bern (Switzerland) with my friend Joelle. Interlaken is one of the world's extreme sport capitols, so Joelle went paragliding, and then came with me to watch me go canyon jumping...it was possibly the most frightening and thrilling thing I've ever done. We also went to a Swiss chocolate tasting, and walked around the lakes (Inter_Laken = Between_Lakes). It was probably one of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever been.

- ISCHIA: Almost everyone in our house went to Pompeii and the island of Ischia (a neighbor island of Capri) for an optional field trip the weekend before midterms. All expenses were paid for by the school, and we got several awesome tours of historical landmarks, ancient ruins, cities, etc. But the best part was a whole day spent at Poseidon Thermal Baths on Ischia. The premises included a private Mediterranean beach and 22 thermal springs and pools ranging from 15 to 40 degrees, the use of which are supposed to promote wellness, health, and relaxation. We could not believe this spa day in paradise was just another weekend of school!

- GERMANY: In Berlin, Germany, I stood where the wall used to be, halfway in East Berlin and half in West Berlin. I also saw historical/political monuments such as the Brandenburg Gate, Victory Column, and Reichstag.

- PRAGUE: During Christmas break I visited Prague in the Czech Republic, and walked around the grounds of the Prague Castle: the biggest castle in the world, where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic have had their offices. The architecture here in the Castle District was breathtaking, and it was a great atmosphere for the holidays, with lots of Christmas markets, Christmas trees and pretty lights. Oh, and I also had a mini-emergency in Prague...I left my folder in the back of a taxi, and this folder contained ALL of my tickets, information, contact names and numbers, and everything else I needed for the rest of my Christmas break travelling, and we were staying at an apartment in Prague, with no printer...luckily, I was able to pay at a hotel across the street to look up and print out what I needed!

- VIENNA: I spent Christmas this year in Vienna, my first Christmas away from my family. I missed them (and home and friends) SO much, but the homesickness was mitigated by wonderful friends and plenty of Christmas cheer. I was staying at an apartment that one of my friends found with her parents, who are Filipino. We celebrated in the traditional Filipino way, eating a big dinner on Christmas Eve, then eating again and opening gifts (my friend got everyone something small) at midnight. We even had a Christmas tree :) Christmas day we slept, ate, slept some more, and went out and walked around a bit. Though there was no snow, Vienna was still beautiful; we enjoyed the Christmas markets there, as well as the Schonbrunn Palace grounds ("Schonbrunn Palace with its surrounding buildings and the huge park is one of the most significant cultural monuments in Austria. The castle was built to rival French Versailles in Baroque beauty and importance....In earlier times it served as summer residence to various Hapsburg rulers" - aboutvienna.org).

- SCHOOL: I also got my first B. It was a B+ in Humanities...that class and I did not get along very well. This was a pretty big milestone in my life! Also, I was in a media class first semester (called Storytelling Through Media) and my group actually made a short movie, which I got to act in, as well as produce.

- LIFE: I think I have been growing and changing much more than I expected to. From being totally independent in my travel plans and money budgeting, to having to navigate subway lines in a foreign language and locate hostels and apartments in foreign places I have never been before, I have had to become a very different person from the girl who just relies on her parents to do everything on vacations and trips. I was thrown into this situation right when I arrived in Italy, so the person I am now is really all the people in my Villa know me as, and all I know of myself here in this place. I am interested to see how much I notice a difference in myself when I go back to my old environment at home.

I'm sure much more has happened that I can't recall right now, but I've been having fun and time is flying! One semester is already over, and in just over 3 months, I will be leaving this place I have come to love and returning home. I can't wait to be home, but in the meantime I have much more exploring and learning to do! If you stuck with me for this entire post, which was probably way too long and boring at parts, thank you! :)

Fighting the Mafia in Sicily

Finally home (at the Villa) after nine days in Sicily! On Friday, October 7th, I dragged myself out of bed at 4am to pack for a Sicilian excursion. At 6:00, four other students and I were picked up and taken to the airport for our flight to Palermo, Sicily. Before even boarding the plane, the adventures began. When it was my turn to step up to the ticket counter, I was prepared with a passport...but not my passport. It was only then that I found out that another girl (who was in Venice for the weekend) and I had switched passports accidentally a few weeks back. Thankfully, I had a copy of my passport, birth certificate, and drivers license and was able to continue on to Palermo with my group.
In Palermo, the five of us from Pepperdine (along with 2 Italians about our age) took a bus to Corleone, which is where we stayed through Monday, volunteering with an organization called ARCI (Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana). We were taken to a "cooperativa"in Corleone, which has been tasked with cultivating fields taken from the Mafia in Sicily and producing food which is then sold, then proceeds going back to the general public. Our job was supposed to be helping in the tomato and almond fields, but because of the excessive rain, the plans changed. Several days were spent touring Corleone and learning about the mafia and its history in Sicily. This was probably the first time we experienced true culture shock, because we were thrown out of our Pepperdine bubble and into a house full of Sicilians - Sicilians who smoked indoors, didn't know our language, and seemed to get too close to our personal bubbles for comfort. We also felt like we had very little control over or say in what we were doing - we were at the mercy of our hosts. For example, one day they packed us into the car and drove us through the countryside for an hour, ending up back in Palermo. We got out of the van, followed our driver through the street and up a smoky staircase of a building, and entered the studio of a local tv news station. Without hesitating a moment to explain or ensure our personal comfort, they herded us into a small space behind the anchorman. An anchorman who is wanted by the mafia. Appearing with him wasn't enough though; we were featured throughout the entire newscast, and each read a small script in Italian (we didn't understand it, but hopefully it wasn't anything serious enough to get on the mafia's hit list!).

The one day that we were actually able to work in Corleone was disgusting, to say the least. We were tasked with cleaning out a small seed/wheat-processing 'plant' (a very small 3-room building) complete with a few machines, lots of unidentified pest poop, and both living and dead mice. We did our best, but I really hope they don't use that building for processing food anytime soon.

We had many other unforgettable experiences during our time with Project Serve in Corleone, including post-dinner tango dance lessons with another volunteer worker (29-year-old Mariano, a native of Argentina), indulging in famous Sicilian cannolis, and driving right past the residences of the previous Mafia King's relatives, who housed him and served as exchange and meet-up points for the Mafiosi. On our last night, the mayor of Corleone and the members of the Coopertiva presented all five of us with certificates of Corleone citizenship. We felt very undeserving, but honored.

After what seemed like much longer than 4 days, the five of us headed back to Palermo, where we joyfully reunited with the rest of the Pepperdine group and spent 5 (much more touristy) days seeing the sights in other parts of Sicily. These sights included Mediterranean beaches, old churches, ancient Greek temples, an ancient Greek amphitheater overlooking one of the most beautiful spots in the world (or so they say), and Mt. Etna - the tallest active volcano in Europe (and had a snowball fight while on it).

What a crazy nine days! Classes today were a reality check, but only three more days before the next weekend! Next stop, Lucca :)

Humor in the Sistine Chapel

I learned something interesting (actually, a few things) in my Humanities class today:

As you (should) all know, Michelangelo was tasked by Pope Julius II with painting the ceiling and one wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome; most people look at his masterpiece with awe and respect for his skill and the depicted holiness of his work, but a closer look reveals a more defiant and satirical Michelangelo.

Take a look at the picture below. It is a portrait of Pope Julius II, who instructed Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo had not been a painter up to this point, but a sculptor. When Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to take on this task, he was very stubborn in not wanting to do it, and, after he gave in and it was all said and done 3 years later, he signed his work with "Michelangelo the Sculptor" to make sure he had the last say and to remind Pope Julius of his unwillingness and of his true vocation as a sculptor. Not only was Michelangelo a bit resentful of being somewhat forced into the Sistine Chapel job, but he was also bitter toward the church for some reason or another. He and a female artist friend of his were a part of a Catholic/Renaissance Reformation movement during his time, even though Catholics were not supposed to have anything to do with the paganism of the Renaissance. For these two reasons combined (his resentment toward Pope Julius II and the church in general), Michelangelo incorporated insults and personal jabs into his painting. As I mentioned above, this picture is of Pope Julius II and seems pretty innocent, but if you look behind him you see two young boy figures. The boy farther back has his arm around the one in the front, and his thumb is slightly sticking out between his index and middle fingers. This is the 16th Century equivalent of giving someone the middle finger...Michelangelo painted an image of a kid flipping off the Pope!

Michelangelo's wall painting is called The Final Judgment. Notice a general theme? Take a close look at the photo below and see if you find this painting appropriate for a holy church building. Michelangelo was gay, which explains all sexual scenes and the images of males kissing that he painted on this wall of the Sistine Chapel. It also explains his acute fascination with the human body (the male body in particular), and his painting of lots of nude male bodies on the wall. There are female bodies too, but they tend to be very muscular and male-like, rather than the more typical softer/slimmer female bodies. Our professor described the painting as "a convention of body builders."

Hopefully I'll make a trip to Rome soon, and see for myself the result of Michelangelo's frustration, defiance, and sexual desires painted for all to see on the walls of this very serious and straitlaced religious building :)

A Close Call in Monterosso

After completing our circa 13 mile hike, we arrived in the 5th city of Monterosso ready to swim and eat dinner. But before finding a place to relax, we decided we should figure out where the ferry was and at which times it departed (we were planning to take the ferry from Monterosso to a city a few miles up the coast, Levanto, where we would then take the train back to Florence). We still had a few hours before our train left from Levanto, but decided to go check out the ferry first thing anyway. A few girls in my group were up ahead, and they rounded a corner, only to rush back moments later yelling at us to run, or we would miss the ferry - the last one for the night was about to leave! We were exhausted but we ran to the ferry and  jumped on right before it took off. Once we arrived in Levanto, we swam in the Mediterranean and had a great sit-down dinner, then went to the train station...but that's a whole different story.......

Back from Cinque!!

My trip was absolutely amazing - blessing upon blessing - everything went smoothly, it was a beautiful day, our group got along great, and we navigated the train station multiple times without getting (completely) lost.