Ciao Tutti,
I'm up and about to leave for the airport! It feels like I just got here yesterday, but these have definitely been the best four months of my life. I'll have a lot of time to reflect on the airplane.
My next (and final) post will be from the USA!
Ciao,
Michael
Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts
Friday, May 20, 2011
Last Day in Roma!
Pictures Coming Soon
-----------------------------------------------------
Ciao Tutti,
Today was my last full day in Rome. I have been planning on making the most out of this day for the past few weeks. I woke up early in the morning and went to Saint Peter's Basilica.
Then, I went and had gelato at "Old Bridge Gelato" by the Vatican. It is one of the places that has the "Best Gelato in Rome," thus I had to try it. For 1.50 euro, I got a cup of gelato bigger than anything I get for 2 euros. They also give you three flavors instead of two for their "small size." I picked chocolate and nutella and asked the guy to give me whatever he recommends. He gave me a ricotta flavored gelato - it tasted just like ricotta. Normally I like ricotta, but ricotta gelato did not exactly sound right!
After gelato, I went to my favorite panini shop in Rome to grab my last panini. I ordered a turkey, eggplant, and sundried tomato panini with a pesto sauce. Then, I went to Piazza Navona and had a picnic. I listened to the street musicians and people watched. So many people looked at me with sandwich envy - it was great! Then, I walked around Piazza Navona for a bit. They were setting up a stage for a concert, it looked pretty intense.
Then, I went to grab an espresso at the coffee shop with the "Best Espresso in Rome," Caffe Sant'Eustacio. It hit the spot...as usual!
Then, I went to the Pantheon to see it one last time. The huge gaping hole in the ceiling never gets old!
After the Pantheon, I walked to the Trevi Fountain. I threw the coin over my left shoulder to ensure my return to Rome (again, for good measure).
Then, I walked to the Spanish Steps and sat on them as I called my Dad for 10 minutes.
Then, I took the Metro to the Colosseum. I didn't go in, but I walked around it.
After the Coloseum, I saw the Arc of Constantine.
Then, I walked up to a lookout point that has a view of the Roman Forum.
After, I went to the Campidoglio which was a piazza that Michelangelo designed.
Then, I went to take a picture in front of the Wedding Cake (aka "Il Vittoriano) at Piazza Venezia.
Then, I went to my second favorite church in Rome (next to Saint Peters Basilica - yes, I know its in Vatican City), Chiesa del Gesu. It was the first Jesuit church and has an amazing painted ceiling that looks like it is made out of sculptures!
After, I went to Largo Argentina to see those ruins for one last time.
Then, I went to Teatro del Gelato for my final gelato in Rome. It is my favorite gelato in Rome, too, which is good because it was right by my apartment!
Then, I went home to relax for a bit and pack. Up to that point, I walked 10.2 kilometers or 6.34 miles! I call that going out with a bang!
After relaxing for a bit, I went out to my favorite restaurant, Monte Carlo Pizzeria, for my last meal in Rome. Monte Carlo is the first restaurant my Dad and I ate at when we were exploring Rome when I first got to the city. Talk about bringing it full circle. I had a potato croquette, pizza, tirimisu, coke, and some wine. It was great!
After dinner, I walked to Piazza Navona to say good bye. It was having a political rally for gay and lesbian rights with a band. It was the first time I've seen an actual band with special effects performing in Piazza Navona.
Then, I went and took some pictures of Castel Sant'Angelo and Saint Peters Dome at night before finally heading back to my apartment to finish packing.
I leave for the airport tomorrow morning at 6:45 AM. My flight is at 10:20 AM and gets in at 1:55 PM. It shouldn't be too bad.
Ciao,
Michael
-----------------------------------------------------
Ciao Tutti,
Today was my last full day in Rome. I have been planning on making the most out of this day for the past few weeks. I woke up early in the morning and went to Saint Peter's Basilica.
Then, I went and had gelato at "Old Bridge Gelato" by the Vatican. It is one of the places that has the "Best Gelato in Rome," thus I had to try it. For 1.50 euro, I got a cup of gelato bigger than anything I get for 2 euros. They also give you three flavors instead of two for their "small size." I picked chocolate and nutella and asked the guy to give me whatever he recommends. He gave me a ricotta flavored gelato - it tasted just like ricotta. Normally I like ricotta, but ricotta gelato did not exactly sound right!
After gelato, I went to my favorite panini shop in Rome to grab my last panini. I ordered a turkey, eggplant, and sundried tomato panini with a pesto sauce. Then, I went to Piazza Navona and had a picnic. I listened to the street musicians and people watched. So many people looked at me with sandwich envy - it was great! Then, I walked around Piazza Navona for a bit. They were setting up a stage for a concert, it looked pretty intense.
Then, I went to grab an espresso at the coffee shop with the "Best Espresso in Rome," Caffe Sant'Eustacio. It hit the spot...as usual!
Then, I went to the Pantheon to see it one last time. The huge gaping hole in the ceiling never gets old!
After the Pantheon, I walked to the Trevi Fountain. I threw the coin over my left shoulder to ensure my return to Rome (again, for good measure).
Then, I walked to the Spanish Steps and sat on them as I called my Dad for 10 minutes.
Then, I took the Metro to the Colosseum. I didn't go in, but I walked around it.
After the Coloseum, I saw the Arc of Constantine.
Then, I walked up to a lookout point that has a view of the Roman Forum.
After, I went to the Campidoglio which was a piazza that Michelangelo designed.
Then, I went to take a picture in front of the Wedding Cake (aka "Il Vittoriano) at Piazza Venezia.
Then, I went to my second favorite church in Rome (next to Saint Peters Basilica - yes, I know its in Vatican City), Chiesa del Gesu. It was the first Jesuit church and has an amazing painted ceiling that looks like it is made out of sculptures!
After, I went to Largo Argentina to see those ruins for one last time.
Then, I went to Teatro del Gelato for my final gelato in Rome. It is my favorite gelato in Rome, too, which is good because it was right by my apartment!
Then, I went home to relax for a bit and pack. Up to that point, I walked 10.2 kilometers or 6.34 miles! I call that going out with a bang!
After relaxing for a bit, I went out to my favorite restaurant, Monte Carlo Pizzeria, for my last meal in Rome. Monte Carlo is the first restaurant my Dad and I ate at when we were exploring Rome when I first got to the city. Talk about bringing it full circle. I had a potato croquette, pizza, tirimisu, coke, and some wine. It was great!
After dinner, I walked to Piazza Navona to say good bye. It was having a political rally for gay and lesbian rights with a band. It was the first time I've seen an actual band with special effects performing in Piazza Navona.
Then, I went and took some pictures of Castel Sant'Angelo and Saint Peters Dome at night before finally heading back to my apartment to finish packing.
I leave for the airport tomorrow morning at 6:45 AM. My flight is at 10:20 AM and gets in at 1:55 PM. It shouldn't be too bad.
Ciao,
Michael
Thursday, May 19, 2011
IES Farewell Dinner
Ciao Tutti,
I had a great day yesterday. I had no exams, but exams continued until 2:15 PM on Thursday. I took advantage of my free time by going to the beach with a group of my friends for one of my friend's, Tahli's, birthday. The beach is about a 30 minute train ride from Rome and the train ride is part of the public transportation system, so it only costs 1 euro to go. We met at our school at 10:30 AM and got to the beach by 12:00 (we had to take a bus to the train station). Once we got to the beach, we met up with one of the Italian students who is a member of a private club on the beach. He took all six of us into his club!
The sand was so hot that I thought my feet were on fire when I had to walk on it! I didn't fully go into the water because it was so cold, but I sat along the shore and let the tide cover my waist. The water was so blue and it was so refreshing. The beach was a perfect way to relax after a week of finals, Tahli definitely had the right idea for how to spend her birthday!
I only stayed at the beach for three hours because I needed to get back to my apartment early and weigh my bag (I borrowed a scale from one of the people that works at IES). I made it back to my apartment by 4:15 PM. After weighing my bag, I found out that it was exactly 23 kilograms which is the limit - talk about luck!
I straightened up my room a bit and threw out some things I'm not taking back to the US. Then, at 6:00 PM our "IES Farewell Dinner" began. It started off with the screening of the two movies that our film class made in front of an audience of our peers. As director, I introduced one of the films. I think the students liked our film - it is kind of funny watching people you know on screen acting as people they are not!
Then, the two people who run our program gave out four awards to the student body - Best Comprehension of the Italian Culture, Most Motivated, Most Inspiring, and Best Full Year Student. I won the "Most Inspiring" Award. I was completely surprised! The director of the program, Octavio, said that he got a call two years ago from Penn State saying that they had a student who was determined to study abroad in Italy. Octavio also mentioned that I made it clear that I was going to have the time of my life over the past four months. He commended me for my rigorous travel schedule and also said that I was not ready to go home, which was true! The award came with an Amazon.com gift card as well.
After the award ceremony, we had a dinner on the school's terrace. The buffet was absolutely amazing. I filled my plate to the brim!
Then, we all started making rounds to say bye to everyone which was kind of premature because everyone met up late last night at one of the favorite hang outs for students. I stayed out until about 12:15 AM before calling it quits. It took me a good half hour to make my rounds and say my final good bye to everyone. I have met so many people over here that I think I will stay in touch with when I get back to America. I already have a few people from other Big Ten schools coming out to Penn State football games.
It was bittersweet night last night in Rome. Pretty much all of the students had flights out of Rome early this morning - I was only one of a few students who is staying late.
I had a great day yesterday. I had no exams, but exams continued until 2:15 PM on Thursday. I took advantage of my free time by going to the beach with a group of my friends for one of my friend's, Tahli's, birthday. The beach is about a 30 minute train ride from Rome and the train ride is part of the public transportation system, so it only costs 1 euro to go. We met at our school at 10:30 AM and got to the beach by 12:00 (we had to take a bus to the train station). Once we got to the beach, we met up with one of the Italian students who is a member of a private club on the beach. He took all six of us into his club!
The sand was so hot that I thought my feet were on fire when I had to walk on it! I didn't fully go into the water because it was so cold, but I sat along the shore and let the tide cover my waist. The water was so blue and it was so refreshing. The beach was a perfect way to relax after a week of finals, Tahli definitely had the right idea for how to spend her birthday!
I only stayed at the beach for three hours because I needed to get back to my apartment early and weigh my bag (I borrowed a scale from one of the people that works at IES). I made it back to my apartment by 4:15 PM. After weighing my bag, I found out that it was exactly 23 kilograms which is the limit - talk about luck!
I straightened up my room a bit and threw out some things I'm not taking back to the US. Then, at 6:00 PM our "IES Farewell Dinner" began. It started off with the screening of the two movies that our film class made in front of an audience of our peers. As director, I introduced one of the films. I think the students liked our film - it is kind of funny watching people you know on screen acting as people they are not!
Then, the two people who run our program gave out four awards to the student body - Best Comprehension of the Italian Culture, Most Motivated, Most Inspiring, and Best Full Year Student. I won the "Most Inspiring" Award. I was completely surprised! The director of the program, Octavio, said that he got a call two years ago from Penn State saying that they had a student who was determined to study abroad in Italy. Octavio also mentioned that I made it clear that I was going to have the time of my life over the past four months. He commended me for my rigorous travel schedule and also said that I was not ready to go home, which was true! The award came with an Amazon.com gift card as well.
After the award ceremony, we had a dinner on the school's terrace. The buffet was absolutely amazing. I filled my plate to the brim!
Then, we all started making rounds to say bye to everyone which was kind of premature because everyone met up late last night at one of the favorite hang outs for students. I stayed out until about 12:15 AM before calling it quits. It took me a good half hour to make my rounds and say my final good bye to everyone. I have met so many people over here that I think I will stay in touch with when I get back to America. I already have a few people from other Big Ten schools coming out to Penn State football games.
It was bittersweet night last night in Rome. Pretty much all of the students had flights out of Rome early this morning - I was only one of a few students who is staying late.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Finito!
Ciao Tutti,
I'm official done with my finals and am a college senior! Kind of scary, right? I had three finals this week (hence the lack of posts) and was cramming ever since I got back from Tuscany. I had no classes on Monday (it was a study day), one final and one class on Tuesday, and two finals on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, I had my architecture final. I studied a lot for it and it paid off. It was the easiest final I have taken in college! Tuesday afternoon, I had my last film class. We put the final touches on our film and watched everyone's for the final hour of class. The big public screening is tomorrow night at the IES Farewell Party!
On Wednesday, I had two exams. My first one was for Italy and the European Union. It was challenging, but I think I did all right on it. My second one was for my Memory and Conflict course. I felt very prepared for that final and think I did well on it!
Now, I am done! I am going to Saint Peters' Basilica early tomorrow morning to see it one last time. Then, it is my friend, Tahli's, 21st birthday and a bunch of us are going to go to the beach to celebrate it for a few hours. Afterwards, we are all going to come back and go to the IES Farewell Dinner. It is kind of scary that I am already done with this semester. It feels like I just got here yesterday! It flew by!
On Friday, I am going to do as much of Rome as I possibly can in one day. I hope to see the main sites one last time before I head home early Saturday morning! I can't wait to get back to America, step foot on familiar soil, and see all of my family and friends. It is going to be a crazy and amazing next few days in Roma!
Ciao,
Mike
I'm official done with my finals and am a college senior! Kind of scary, right? I had three finals this week (hence the lack of posts) and was cramming ever since I got back from Tuscany. I had no classes on Monday (it was a study day), one final and one class on Tuesday, and two finals on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, I had my architecture final. I studied a lot for it and it paid off. It was the easiest final I have taken in college! Tuesday afternoon, I had my last film class. We put the final touches on our film and watched everyone's for the final hour of class. The big public screening is tomorrow night at the IES Farewell Party!
On Wednesday, I had two exams. My first one was for Italy and the European Union. It was challenging, but I think I did all right on it. My second one was for my Memory and Conflict course. I felt very prepared for that final and think I did well on it!
Now, I am done! I am going to Saint Peters' Basilica early tomorrow morning to see it one last time. Then, it is my friend, Tahli's, 21st birthday and a bunch of us are going to go to the beach to celebrate it for a few hours. Afterwards, we are all going to come back and go to the IES Farewell Dinner. It is kind of scary that I am already done with this semester. It feels like I just got here yesterday! It flew by!
On Friday, I am going to do as much of Rome as I possibly can in one day. I hope to see the main sites one last time before I head home early Saturday morning! I can't wait to get back to America, step foot on familiar soil, and see all of my family and friends. It is going to be a crazy and amazing next few days in Roma!
Ciao,
Mike
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Tuscany
Ciao Tutti,
I took my final trip of the semester on Saturday. I woke up at 4:30 AM (after getting an only an hour of sleep) to catch a bus to take me to the train station so I could catch a 6:15 AM train to Florence. I got lucky and caught a night bus at 5:00 AM which had me at the train station by 5:15 AM. It was way too early, but the night buses in Rome run even more sporadically than the normal buses do - now that's saying something.
I had an hour to get some breakfast, so I had an espresso, orange juice, croissant, and doughnut. I ate my breakfast and watched the train station come alive with tourists of every nationality, social class, and different purposes of travel. It was interesting to people watch.
After my breakfast, I got on my train and headed towards Florence. I started a new book that my father brought me when he visited me a month ago (it is so good!) and listened to my iPod. We arrived in Florence before I knew it - I love bullet trains.
After arriving in Florence, I checked into my tour and got onto the tour bus. The tour started right on time and I sat next to an older woman from New Zealand, Sue. We got to know each other quite well throughout the day. She was on a six week tour of Europe after selling her vineyard back home. She visited some family in England and decided to see Europe while she was over here.
Our first stop was Siena. Our tour guide was very concerned that I would not be able to keep up with the group tour as Siena is very hilly and wanted to call me a taxi at my own expense to take me to the city center. That would have meant that I would also have missed the tour! He said he needed to keep the tour moving and couldn't wait for me. He was also afraid I would get lost and not be able to find my way back to the bus. After about two minutes of telling him that I was a study abroad student who traveled across Europe the past semester and I would be fine, he still was very concerned. I finally told him that he could leave me behind in Siena if I missed the bus and I would find my way back to Rome or Florence. He reluctantly agreed. Lets just say that I think he was impressed when I rode the five escalators to get into the city with no problem. I would say I impressed him again when I was constantly in the front of the pack navigating the hills of Siena with more ease than most of my tour group.
Siena itself was a beautiful city. It reminded me a lot of Split, Croatia and the older part of Barcelona - both were built by Roman emperors, so I was not that surprised. Our first stop was one of the gates of the city.
Then, we saw the oldest surviving bank in the whole world, Monte dei Paschi. It was located in a beautiful courtyard.
After the bank, we passed by a few cars that were decorated in a style that looks very "redneck." Apparently, Siena has a huge student population and they hold "car battles" at the end of every academic year. The cars looked really cool.
Then, we went to the most famous part of Siena, the Campo Square. It is one of the nicest squares I've been to in Italy. It is sloped down towards the Siena government buildings and people lay out on the square and sunbathe or just talk. It is so inviting!
The square is also home to the famous Palio horse race that takes place twice a summer. The Palio is a horse race in which all 16 neighborhoods of Siena compete. The horses are randomly assigned to a lucky 10 neighborhoods (the other 6 do not participate in the race). The neighborhoods can pay a jockey any amount of money to bring whatever horse they receive to victory. If your neighborhood wins, mass chaos erupts and people start crying. It sounds like a great event and is another example of how serious Italians take their sports!
Then, we went and saw the world famous Siena Duomo. It was absolutely beautiful and reminded me a bit of a smaller scale Florence Duomo.
Siena itself was absolutely beautiful! I wish we had more time in the city to explore it and "get lost." I feel like there is so much I did not see.
We left Siena about 45 minutes after our tour ended and headed to an organic wine farm just outside San Gimignano. We got a tour of the vineyard, stables, and wine cellar. It was quite interesting and so beautiful.
Then, we had lunch and a wine tasting at the wine farm on their terrace overlooking the Tuscan countryside. The food was even better than the view! They started us off with a garlic bread and a white wine. Then, they brought out handmade pasta in a meat sauce and served a Chianti along with it - it was the best pasta I've had in Italy. After, they brought out a platter of cheese and salami and served it with another red wine. Then, they gave us biscotti and an aged dessert wine. That wine was too sweet!
After we ate, I went and bought the first two bottles of wine we had for souvenirs back home for only 11 euros total!
Then, we took a 10 minute bus ride to San Gimignano. We had an hour to explore the town which was very cool. It earned the nickname "Medieval Manhattan" because it had over 72 watch towers in its prime. The watch towers were built by the rich - the richer you were, the taller your watch tower could be. If you became poorer, your watch tower was cut down to an appropriate size.
San Gimignano was another hilly town and it was a pleasure to walk around it. There was a gelato shop that won the World Gelato Championship two times in the past five years. The gelato was amazing! I had a chocolate and a tirmisu and it was the best gelato I have had in Italy!
After San Gimignao, we had an hour and a half bus ride to Pisa. I fell asleep out of exhaustion! When we arrived in Pisa, we boarded a tram that took us into the city center. The three main attractions in Pisa are right next to each other - the leaning tower, the church, and the baptistry. We had 45 minutes in Pisa which was just enough to take your cliche picture and climb the tower (if you wanted to, I did not).
After, we got back on our tram and had a quick tour of Pisa. We then got back on our bus and went back to Florence.
We arrived at 8:30 PM and my train was at 9:40 PM, so I went to a microbrewery by the train station we ate at the first time we were in Florence that had great french fries for only 3.50 euro. They hit the spot!
My train was 10 minutes late, but I arrived into Rome on time. I made it home by 11:00 PM and immediately fell asleep! It was a great trip, but a busy trip. It was a great way to end my semester full of travels!
Ciao,
Michael
I took my final trip of the semester on Saturday. I woke up at 4:30 AM (after getting an only an hour of sleep) to catch a bus to take me to the train station so I could catch a 6:15 AM train to Florence. I got lucky and caught a night bus at 5:00 AM which had me at the train station by 5:15 AM. It was way too early, but the night buses in Rome run even more sporadically than the normal buses do - now that's saying something.
I had an hour to get some breakfast, so I had an espresso, orange juice, croissant, and doughnut. I ate my breakfast and watched the train station come alive with tourists of every nationality, social class, and different purposes of travel. It was interesting to people watch.
After my breakfast, I got on my train and headed towards Florence. I started a new book that my father brought me when he visited me a month ago (it is so good!) and listened to my iPod. We arrived in Florence before I knew it - I love bullet trains.
After arriving in Florence, I checked into my tour and got onto the tour bus. The tour started right on time and I sat next to an older woman from New Zealand, Sue. We got to know each other quite well throughout the day. She was on a six week tour of Europe after selling her vineyard back home. She visited some family in England and decided to see Europe while she was over here.
Our first stop was Siena. Our tour guide was very concerned that I would not be able to keep up with the group tour as Siena is very hilly and wanted to call me a taxi at my own expense to take me to the city center. That would have meant that I would also have missed the tour! He said he needed to keep the tour moving and couldn't wait for me. He was also afraid I would get lost and not be able to find my way back to the bus. After about two minutes of telling him that I was a study abroad student who traveled across Europe the past semester and I would be fine, he still was very concerned. I finally told him that he could leave me behind in Siena if I missed the bus and I would find my way back to Rome or Florence. He reluctantly agreed. Lets just say that I think he was impressed when I rode the five escalators to get into the city with no problem. I would say I impressed him again when I was constantly in the front of the pack navigating the hills of Siena with more ease than most of my tour group.
Siena itself was a beautiful city. It reminded me a lot of Split, Croatia and the older part of Barcelona - both were built by Roman emperors, so I was not that surprised. Our first stop was one of the gates of the city.
Then, we saw the oldest surviving bank in the whole world, Monte dei Paschi. It was located in a beautiful courtyard.
After the bank, we passed by a few cars that were decorated in a style that looks very "redneck." Apparently, Siena has a huge student population and they hold "car battles" at the end of every academic year. The cars looked really cool.
Then, we went to the most famous part of Siena, the Campo Square. It is one of the nicest squares I've been to in Italy. It is sloped down towards the Siena government buildings and people lay out on the square and sunbathe or just talk. It is so inviting!
The square is also home to the famous Palio horse race that takes place twice a summer. The Palio is a horse race in which all 16 neighborhoods of Siena compete. The horses are randomly assigned to a lucky 10 neighborhoods (the other 6 do not participate in the race). The neighborhoods can pay a jockey any amount of money to bring whatever horse they receive to victory. If your neighborhood wins, mass chaos erupts and people start crying. It sounds like a great event and is another example of how serious Italians take their sports!
Then, we went and saw the world famous Siena Duomo. It was absolutely beautiful and reminded me a bit of a smaller scale Florence Duomo.
Siena itself was absolutely beautiful! I wish we had more time in the city to explore it and "get lost." I feel like there is so much I did not see.
We left Siena about 45 minutes after our tour ended and headed to an organic wine farm just outside San Gimignano. We got a tour of the vineyard, stables, and wine cellar. It was quite interesting and so beautiful.
Then, we had lunch and a wine tasting at the wine farm on their terrace overlooking the Tuscan countryside. The food was even better than the view! They started us off with a garlic bread and a white wine. Then, they brought out handmade pasta in a meat sauce and served a Chianti along with it - it was the best pasta I've had in Italy. After, they brought out a platter of cheese and salami and served it with another red wine. Then, they gave us biscotti and an aged dessert wine. That wine was too sweet!
After we ate, I went and bought the first two bottles of wine we had for souvenirs back home for only 11 euros total!
Then, we took a 10 minute bus ride to San Gimignano. We had an hour to explore the town which was very cool. It earned the nickname "Medieval Manhattan" because it had over 72 watch towers in its prime. The watch towers were built by the rich - the richer you were, the taller your watch tower could be. If you became poorer, your watch tower was cut down to an appropriate size.
San Gimignano was another hilly town and it was a pleasure to walk around it. There was a gelato shop that won the World Gelato Championship two times in the past five years. The gelato was amazing! I had a chocolate and a tirmisu and it was the best gelato I have had in Italy!
After San Gimignao, we had an hour and a half bus ride to Pisa. I fell asleep out of exhaustion! When we arrived in Pisa, we boarded a tram that took us into the city center. The three main attractions in Pisa are right next to each other - the leaning tower, the church, and the baptistry. We had 45 minutes in Pisa which was just enough to take your cliche picture and climb the tower (if you wanted to, I did not).
After, we got back on our tram and had a quick tour of Pisa. We then got back on our bus and went back to Florence.
We arrived at 8:30 PM and my train was at 9:40 PM, so I went to a microbrewery by the train station we ate at the first time we were in Florence that had great french fries for only 3.50 euro. They hit the spot!
My train was 10 minutes late, but I arrived into Rome on time. I made it home by 11:00 PM and immediately fell asleep! It was a great trip, but a busy trip. It was a great way to end my semester full of travels!
Ciao,
Michael
Saturday, May 7, 2011
An Epic Game of Soccer
Ciao Tutti,
I just got back from one of the best games I've been to in my life. The fans of Roma are even more enthusiastic about their team than the Lazio fans were. I can now say that I am a lifelong fan of AS Roma.
AS Roma played AC Milan tonight which is a huge rivalry to start with - AC Milan is one of Roma's four main rivals. AC Milan historically has had a great team, but they haven't won the championship in five years. You can call it a bit of a slump. Tonight's game was a huge game because if AC Milan tied or won they would be crowned champions of the Series A soccer division of Italy. If Rome won, it would continue its quest to win the championship.
We got to the stadium donned in our orange and red Roma uniforms and t-shirts (much like Griffindor colors) at 8:00 PM for the 8:45 PM game. The handicapped seats for the game were too expensive, so we chose to tough it out in the middle of the crowd. This was kind of funny because they do not respect seat assignments in the soccer stadium, so it is kind of a free for all. We found three seats together around 30 rows back from the field in the corner in the section next to the die hard Roma season ticket holders.
The section of die hard fans was absolutely amazing. As a Penn State student, I wish our student section was that rowdy! They were waving HUGE flags, screaming chants the WHOLE game, and even had fireworks. They made the game so much more exciting.
Roma played well against the highly favored Milan. At the end of the game, it was a tie. 0-0 was the final score. Roma players jumped up and down as if they had won the championship and Milan was just standing there. It was a crazy atmosphere and the crowd went wild. I can seriously say that both teams deserved to win that game, so it was a game fit to end in a tie.
Now, I can say my trip to Rome is complete. I could go home now and be happy. AS Roma has won me over. I am now a fan and will chant FORZA ROMA for the rest of my life.
Forza Roma!
Ciao,
Mike
I just got back from one of the best games I've been to in my life. The fans of Roma are even more enthusiastic about their team than the Lazio fans were. I can now say that I am a lifelong fan of AS Roma.
AS Roma played AC Milan tonight which is a huge rivalry to start with - AC Milan is one of Roma's four main rivals. AC Milan historically has had a great team, but they haven't won the championship in five years. You can call it a bit of a slump. Tonight's game was a huge game because if AC Milan tied or won they would be crowned champions of the Series A soccer division of Italy. If Rome won, it would continue its quest to win the championship.
We got to the stadium donned in our orange and red Roma uniforms and t-shirts (much like Griffindor colors) at 8:00 PM for the 8:45 PM game. The handicapped seats for the game were too expensive, so we chose to tough it out in the middle of the crowd. This was kind of funny because they do not respect seat assignments in the soccer stadium, so it is kind of a free for all. We found three seats together around 30 rows back from the field in the corner in the section next to the die hard Roma season ticket holders.
The section of die hard fans was absolutely amazing. As a Penn State student, I wish our student section was that rowdy! They were waving HUGE flags, screaming chants the WHOLE game, and even had fireworks. They made the game so much more exciting.
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| They had fire fighters to put out the fireworks the fans threw onto the field |
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| The Roma fans threw a smoke bomb/firework at the Milan fans despite the two section buffer zone between them. |
Roma played well against the highly favored Milan. At the end of the game, it was a tie. 0-0 was the final score. Roma players jumped up and down as if they had won the championship and Milan was just standing there. It was a crazy atmosphere and the crowd went wild. I can seriously say that both teams deserved to win that game, so it was a game fit to end in a tie.
Now, I can say my trip to Rome is complete. I could go home now and be happy. AS Roma has won me over. I am now a fan and will chant FORZA ROMA for the rest of my life.
Forza Roma!
Ciao,
Mike
Thursday, April 28, 2011
And We're Off
Ciao Tutti,
I'm on my way to the Amalfi Coast of Eastern Europe - Split, Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast for a weekend of white water rafting, island hopping, and pure relaxation. We took the train from Rome to Florence and have a 11 hour drive to Croatia. It's a long drive, but I hear it will be so worth it.
We had a pretty ordinary week in Rome this week. It was very, very short. 2 days of classes for me to be exact. My classes on Wednesday were long and drawn out - a result of my excitement for this weekend. I honestly have no idea of what to expect.
The only other thing that is worth mentioning is that our power went out last night. We couldn't figure out how to get it back on until this morning, so our showers were a bit cold.
That's about it! Time for my 11 hour bus ride.
Ciao,
Mike
I'm on my way to the Amalfi Coast of Eastern Europe - Split, Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast for a weekend of white water rafting, island hopping, and pure relaxation. We took the train from Rome to Florence and have a 11 hour drive to Croatia. It's a long drive, but I hear it will be so worth it.
We had a pretty ordinary week in Rome this week. It was very, very short. 2 days of classes for me to be exact. My classes on Wednesday were long and drawn out - a result of my excitement for this weekend. I honestly have no idea of what to expect.
The only other thing that is worth mentioning is that our power went out last night. We couldn't figure out how to get it back on until this morning, so our showers were a bit cold.
That's about it! Time for my 11 hour bus ride.
Ciao,
Mike
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Family Visit: Day 5
Ciao Tutti,
Saturday was the last day of my Dad and brother's trip to Italy. We spent most of the day in Florence and traveled back to Rome in the evening. We woke up around 8:30 AM and had breakfast in our bed and breakfast's kitchen. It wasn't bad and consisted of coffee, pastries, and cereal.
After breakfast, we walked to the Accademia and we saw Michelangelo's most famous sculpture, the David. I was able to point out that David's look changes from confidence to fear depending on how you look at him. We also saw an exhibit on musical instruments, some medieval art, and half-finished sculptures by Michelangelo which were started for a Pope's tomb, but Michelangelo got fed up with the Pope and stopped working with him.
After, we went to the famous Duomo, but the line was too long to get in. We did, however, see the famous "Gates of Paradise" of the Baptistry.
Then, we walked to a gelateria that is supposed to have the best gelato in Florence, GROM. It was pretty good. Afterwards, we walked down to Piazza della Signoria and saw a few famous statues.
Then, we went to the famous Mercato Nuovo where the wild boar or Porcellino resides. Matt and I rubbed the boar's nose which ensures our return to Florence one day.
Afterwards, we went to see the Ponte Vecchio and take a few pictures.
Then, we grabbed lunch at a restaurant on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio. After lunch, we went back to Piazza della Signoria and listened to an amazing guitarist. Then, we went to Piazza della Reppublica to attend an Olive Oil Festival. We wanted to buy a few bottles of olive oil from Italy for back home, so this was the perfect place for us. We tried about 15 types of olive oil and picked our favorite. My Dad bought a bottle for my Mom, my brother bought a bottle for himself, and I bought a bottle for my apartment in Italy.
Then, we headed to the train station to catch our train back to Rome. We took a taxi back to our hotel and packed our bags. Then, we took a taxi back to my apartment to drop my bag off and went to our favorite restaurant in Rome, Monte Carlo for the third time. It was great, as usual, and served as a phenomenal ending to a phenomenal vacation. Then, we all went back to the hotel and fell asleep.
Ciao,
Michael
Saturday was the last day of my Dad and brother's trip to Italy. We spent most of the day in Florence and traveled back to Rome in the evening. We woke up around 8:30 AM and had breakfast in our bed and breakfast's kitchen. It wasn't bad and consisted of coffee, pastries, and cereal.
After breakfast, we walked to the Accademia and we saw Michelangelo's most famous sculpture, the David. I was able to point out that David's look changes from confidence to fear depending on how you look at him. We also saw an exhibit on musical instruments, some medieval art, and half-finished sculptures by Michelangelo which were started for a Pope's tomb, but Michelangelo got fed up with the Pope and stopped working with him.
After, we went to the famous Duomo, but the line was too long to get in. We did, however, see the famous "Gates of Paradise" of the Baptistry.
 | |
| Gates of Paradise |
 |
| Duomo |
Then, we walked to a gelateria that is supposed to have the best gelato in Florence, GROM. It was pretty good. Afterwards, we walked down to Piazza della Signoria and saw a few famous statues.
Then, we went to the famous Mercato Nuovo where the wild boar or Porcellino resides. Matt and I rubbed the boar's nose which ensures our return to Florence one day.
Afterwards, we went to see the Ponte Vecchio and take a few pictures.
Then, we grabbed lunch at a restaurant on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio. After lunch, we went back to Piazza della Signoria and listened to an amazing guitarist. Then, we went to Piazza della Reppublica to attend an Olive Oil Festival. We wanted to buy a few bottles of olive oil from Italy for back home, so this was the perfect place for us. We tried about 15 types of olive oil and picked our favorite. My Dad bought a bottle for my Mom, my brother bought a bottle for himself, and I bought a bottle for my apartment in Italy.
Then, we headed to the train station to catch our train back to Rome. We took a taxi back to our hotel and packed our bags. Then, we took a taxi back to my apartment to drop my bag off and went to our favorite restaurant in Rome, Monte Carlo for the third time. It was great, as usual, and served as a phenomenal ending to a phenomenal vacation. Then, we all went back to the hotel and fell asleep.
Ciao,
Michael
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Short Week
Ciao Tutti,
I have finally caught up with this blog and posting all my pictures in the below posts (as promised). I have also put all my pictures up from my Spring Break trip - you can find them on the right sidebar.
I got back to Rome on Monday night around 9:00 PM. I flew into the main airport in Rome - Fiumicino. Normally a taxi ride from the airport to the city center costs 40 Euro, but there is a train that takes you to the main train station in Rome for 14 Euro. Given that I had a suitcase with me and the train was not an option, I explored a different method of transportation. I found a shuttle bus that drops you off right at your apartment or hotel for only 18 Euros. It worked great. I arrived and waited for about 20 minutes, then the bus driver came and got my suitcase and put it in the van. I was the second person he dropped off and was at my apartment by 10:15 PM. Not too shabby.
When I arrived, my ISC, Silvio, was entertaining a few guests for a dinner party. There is no better way to start speaking Italian again after a week of speaking bits and pieces of other languages than to start talking to a group of Italians over dinner! Baptism by fire - and it worked. By the end of the meal, I was back in Italian mode. The meal consisted of very good pasta and something I have never tried before - liver. If I was back in the States I never would have tried it, but I am a bit more open minded while I am abroad and see everything as an experience. It honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It tasted like meat, but kind of crumbled once you put it in your mouth. It is not something I would ever make for myself or order at a restaurant, but is something I would eat if it was placed in front of me at an event or a business meeting.
On Tuesday, we had a field study for my architecture class at Saint Peter's Cathedral. Unfortunately, my iPad alarm did not adjust itself from London time and I was 20 minutes late to class. Fortunately, I was able to go through the line for people with disabilities and missed absolutely nothing! The field study was great in that it was an excuse to go into Saint Peter's Basilica again, but I did not learn a lot. I already knew most of what my teacher said from my audio tour of the Basilica I downloaded from Rick Steve's website. I'm still not complaining - who can say they went to class in Saint Peter's Basilica. That is something special that only a student studying in Rome can say!
Tuesday afternoon, I had my first three hour long class for film (it used to meet for two hours on Tuesday and one hour on Thursday, but now we meet three hours on Tuesday). It was pretty productive. We got our midterm grades back - I got a 95. I think I'm on pace for an A in that class. Our class is remaking two scenes from the movies we saw. I am directing one of the scenes and am filming the "behind the scenes" of the other. The scene I am directing is from "Caterina va in Citta" or "Caterina and the Big City" which was directed by Paolo Virzi. I had an hour of the class to describe my vision for the scene to the rest of the class, cast the scene, and do a few dry runs. I think it is going to come out very well.
Tuesday night, I fell asleep very early as all my traveling finally caught up to me.
Wednesday morning, we had a field study for my Italy and the European Union class at the Italian Crisis Unit. We basically got a tour of the department responsible for extracting Italian nationals from other countries when disaster strikes. It was pretty cool as their office reminded me of what we see in spy movies.
Wednesday afternoon, I had my Memory and Conflict class. We started off with getting our midterm grades back - I one-upped my film grade and got a 96. I was very happy with this. We then discussed the readings that were assigned to us over Spring Break. They were about the "Roma People" or people who migrated from India to Europe about 1000 years ago and are living a nomadic life. They are more well known as gypsies. For the second half of the semester, our class is going to make an oral documentary about their story. It should be an interesting project.
Wednesday night, I again fell asleep very early as I was still exhausted.
Thursday, I did not have class until 4:30 PM. I woke up at 10:45 AM and went to the store to recharge my iPad's 3G data package. Afterwards, I went and worked on the scene I am directing for my film class. I needed to edit my script and start working on a list of shots I need for the scene when we shoot in three weeks. It is starting to come along. Next week, I will sit down with my cinematographer and assistant director and get them on the same page. It is a lot of work, but is really fun and I am learning a lot more about film. I also think this experience will make me appreciate film better.
Thursday night, we went out to dinner with a few people from our program. They had a nostalgia for American food, so we went to an Irish pub for hamburgers and french fries. They were pretty good.
Tomorrow, I am going to Venice for the weekend with my program. They put together quite a good itinerary, so it should be a great trip. I'll post soon!
Ciao,
Michael
I have finally caught up with this blog and posting all my pictures in the below posts (as promised). I have also put all my pictures up from my Spring Break trip - you can find them on the right sidebar.
I got back to Rome on Monday night around 9:00 PM. I flew into the main airport in Rome - Fiumicino. Normally a taxi ride from the airport to the city center costs 40 Euro, but there is a train that takes you to the main train station in Rome for 14 Euro. Given that I had a suitcase with me and the train was not an option, I explored a different method of transportation. I found a shuttle bus that drops you off right at your apartment or hotel for only 18 Euros. It worked great. I arrived and waited for about 20 minutes, then the bus driver came and got my suitcase and put it in the van. I was the second person he dropped off and was at my apartment by 10:15 PM. Not too shabby.
When I arrived, my ISC, Silvio, was entertaining a few guests for a dinner party. There is no better way to start speaking Italian again after a week of speaking bits and pieces of other languages than to start talking to a group of Italians over dinner! Baptism by fire - and it worked. By the end of the meal, I was back in Italian mode. The meal consisted of very good pasta and something I have never tried before - liver. If I was back in the States I never would have tried it, but I am a bit more open minded while I am abroad and see everything as an experience. It honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It tasted like meat, but kind of crumbled once you put it in your mouth. It is not something I would ever make for myself or order at a restaurant, but is something I would eat if it was placed in front of me at an event or a business meeting.
On Tuesday, we had a field study for my architecture class at Saint Peter's Cathedral. Unfortunately, my iPad alarm did not adjust itself from London time and I was 20 minutes late to class. Fortunately, I was able to go through the line for people with disabilities and missed absolutely nothing! The field study was great in that it was an excuse to go into Saint Peter's Basilica again, but I did not learn a lot. I already knew most of what my teacher said from my audio tour of the Basilica I downloaded from Rick Steve's website. I'm still not complaining - who can say they went to class in Saint Peter's Basilica. That is something special that only a student studying in Rome can say!
Tuesday afternoon, I had my first three hour long class for film (it used to meet for two hours on Tuesday and one hour on Thursday, but now we meet three hours on Tuesday). It was pretty productive. We got our midterm grades back - I got a 95. I think I'm on pace for an A in that class. Our class is remaking two scenes from the movies we saw. I am directing one of the scenes and am filming the "behind the scenes" of the other. The scene I am directing is from "Caterina va in Citta" or "Caterina and the Big City" which was directed by Paolo Virzi. I had an hour of the class to describe my vision for the scene to the rest of the class, cast the scene, and do a few dry runs. I think it is going to come out very well.
Tuesday night, I fell asleep very early as all my traveling finally caught up to me.
Wednesday morning, we had a field study for my Italy and the European Union class at the Italian Crisis Unit. We basically got a tour of the department responsible for extracting Italian nationals from other countries when disaster strikes. It was pretty cool as their office reminded me of what we see in spy movies.
Wednesday afternoon, I had my Memory and Conflict class. We started off with getting our midterm grades back - I one-upped my film grade and got a 96. I was very happy with this. We then discussed the readings that were assigned to us over Spring Break. They were about the "Roma People" or people who migrated from India to Europe about 1000 years ago and are living a nomadic life. They are more well known as gypsies. For the second half of the semester, our class is going to make an oral documentary about their story. It should be an interesting project.
Wednesday night, I again fell asleep very early as I was still exhausted.
Thursday, I did not have class until 4:30 PM. I woke up at 10:45 AM and went to the store to recharge my iPad's 3G data package. Afterwards, I went and worked on the scene I am directing for my film class. I needed to edit my script and start working on a list of shots I need for the scene when we shoot in three weeks. It is starting to come along. Next week, I will sit down with my cinematographer and assistant director and get them on the same page. It is a lot of work, but is really fun and I am learning a lot more about film. I also think this experience will make me appreciate film better.
Thursday night, we went out to dinner with a few people from our program. They had a nostalgia for American food, so we went to an Irish pub for hamburgers and french fries. They were pretty good.
Tomorrow, I am going to Venice for the weekend with my program. They put together quite a good itinerary, so it should be a great trip. I'll post soon!
Ciao,
Michael
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Reflections
Ciao Tutti,
I am currently crossing another thing off of my very long bucket list of things to do while studying abroad in Europe – ride the train through the Chunnel between Paris and London. I parted ways with my fellow study abroad students about an hour ago and headed to Paris Nord train station. I got there really early, as I always try to do, but was waiting in the wrong place. I completely forgot that the United Kingdom is not 100% part of the European Union, thus I needed to report to the international travel booth for passport check. Eurostar was great, though. They popped me in a wheelchair and flew me through France Border Control, UK Border Control, Security, down the elevator, past a few train cars, up the ramp, and to my seat in less than 20 minutes. I am seated in my own car – seats for people with disabilities are in first class and I suppose people do not want to pay for a first class seat for a two hour train ride. I’m not complaining!
Now that I’m on the train, though, I have some time to reflect on the past week of traveling around Europe in an intense fashion. It should be no surprise to you when I say that this was the best spring break of my life. Please let me put it into numbers for you (excluding London):
- Four different cities (Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris)
- Four of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been (Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris)
- Seven different countries (Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, and England)
- 40 hours on a bus (maybe that is not something to brag about)
- 2852 kilometers on a bus
- Four different hostels (Czech Inn, St. Christopher’s Berlin, St. Christopher’s Amsterdam, St. Christopher’s Paris)
- 24 new friends
- Six languages spoken (English, Italian, Czech, German, Dutch, and French)
- A countless number of stories to tell over the course of my life
I don’t think anyone could say that was a bad spring break. I can now say that I witnessed the sun rise over the plains of Eastern Europe, saw the astronomical clock show in Prague, visited the wall that divided and then reunited the world in Berlin, sailed in the canals of Amsterdam, had a baguette and wine while watching the Eiffel Tower light up in Paris, rode the Chunnel from Paris to London, and it’s not over!
The tour company I traveled with exceeded my expectations immensely. Bus2Alps put together a great travel itinerary to maximize our time in each city which enabled us to see all the important sights. In each city they arranged for a walking tour which covered the most important sights of the city. Our tour leader, Stephanie Savage, was phenomenal. She was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond to help us out or point us in the right direction. She knew each city very and was able to answer any question we had. I have already booked my next trip with Bus2Alps (to Croatia) and would not hesitate to recommend Bus2Alps to anybody!
It was quite interesting going from Amsterdam to Paris. In Amsterdam, everyone happily spoke English to us and random people came up to us to ask us if we needed help in finding something whenever we looked like we were lost. Random people would wave to you and say hello as you passed them on the street. I knew the Parisians would be different and went into Paris with this in mind. I had the pre-conceived notion that French people were rude and hated Americans. For the first 24 hours or so that notion was starting to break, but once we left our tour to do our own thing I started to see the “true Parisian.” Whenever I asked anyone for directions in English, I got the evil eye. I was shoved and my crutches were kicked out from under me on numerous occasions. I somehow managed not to fall, though! I know that New Yorkers do not have a stellar reputation either, but I personally think Parisians are worse.
I believe that I grew on this trip as a person - I had my first major “I’m not in America anymore” moment. I am actually surprised it took this long and that it did not happen in Italy. In America, and I guess even Italy, I have never been told what I can’t do. I have never had limits placed on me. I have always been allowed to do anything that able bodied people are allowed to do if I am up to it. This is why I was surprised when I was denied access to the top floor of the Eiffel Tower. As I mentioned in my previous post, the staff of the Eiffel Tower told me that I could not do stairs if the elevator broke that goes between the top and middle part of the tower. For the average person with a disability this is completely reasonable, but it is normally approached by the customer service agent asking the person with a disability if they are able to descend stairs in the event of an emergency. If the person says no, then it should be explained to them that the policy is that everyone who goes to the top of the Eiffel Tower must be able to navigate stairs. If the person says yes, they should be allowed to climb the Eiffel Tower. After being denied access, I told the staff member that I could navigate the 1,000 stairs down the Eiffel Tower if needed. She then said that all people with mobility disabilities are not allowed up to the top. When I asked her if I could sign a waiver, she claimed she didn’t understand. Then, I asked her to speak with a manager and, again, she claimed she did not understand. At that point, I realized it was not worth arguing over and walked away. As soon as I walked away, the staff member closed her window shade as if she was trying to deter me from coming back to argue. It was very frustrating.
I also will never get upset in America when someone starts speaking a language other than English. I used to get annoyed when people would not speak English, but now that the tables have been turned and I know how it feels I will definitely try to be more tolerant. I will not let the above experiences deter from my time in Paris, but instead I will take away the good things. Other than the absolute beauty of Paris, I will take away a greater appreciation for the freedom I have in America and a greater toleration for people who do not speak English. After all, I think one of the most important things one can do in life is taking the bad and turning it into the good.
This trip also confirmed my decision to return to Europe next summer to do a traditional “backpacking across Europe” trip. A city like Prague was not even on the list of places I wanted to visit and I loved it. How many places like that are jewels waiting for me to discover. I feel like a more knowledgeable and cultured person already – imagine what a full summer can do. I can’t wait to find out!
By the way, this was posted from London!
Ciao,
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