Entry 10: November 28, 2011

I have been blessed

There are so many things I wish to say in my final journal, it’s hard to find a place to start. The realization that we would be returning to America hit home Thanksgiving night as I walked a bouquet of flowers to give a final thanks to each of the women who made this semester possible. In a room full of eighty individuals made up by Italian and American family and friends, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to be sitting there enjoying, ironically, a Thanksgiving meal in Italy. On the day that we, in America, give thanks to all of life’s blessings, mine seemed uncountable. I looked at Dr. Betty Webb when she humbly received her flowers, and had to hold back my tears as my voice was on the verge of breaking as I spoke for the group. In this moment, I saw the life that I have been given the chance to live in such a special way, and I knew, in the most meaningful sense of the phrase, that I have been blessed.

Our last free weekend abroad was soon to be followed with the slow and arduous process of exams, papers, tests, and the worst of all, packing. I wasn’t ready to face that week yet, and neither was anyone else. I couldn’t begin to think about stepping on a plane that would be leading me in the opposite direction of the place I feel I now belong. The world that I left in the U.S. is one so far and so different from the one I see now, and who I was before I came seems like a different person from who I am now. We all had an automatic consensus that we would live out the last two weeks to the fullest, heading back to the unknown world of home without a shred of regret when December 4th came. Thoughts and ambitions of what all of us wanted to do while we were here stirred in the air as we compared ideas for the last weekend, and following week ahead. Making it to the places we had each so desired before the semester was over suddenly became realities. The desire I had to watch the stars from my special spot on the hill turned into a midnight study-break with Holly, and a bond stronger than I thought would ever have developed among the twelve of us in only three months now had us bound together like sisters. We pushed ourselves to the utmost of our limits, supporting each other every step of the way. We were twelve determined young individuals—determined to do, see, and feel the best that this part of the world had to offer us.

Paris, France proved to be (yet another) one of my favorite weekends of the semester. Among seeing the wonderfully famous Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and Eiffel Tower (of course, making it in time only see from a distance before our train left), I channeled the French I had studied for two years previously and held half conversations with locals, and I took pictures of some of the most beautiful architecture I had seen yet. Our cheap yet awesome hostel, free tours of city, and inexpensive crepes made a weekend to remember without breaking anyone’s bank. I had also made sure to look at flight costs early on to book for the cheapest means of transportation. Plenty of time en route to and from the “city of love” also allowed for me to do my schoolwork without coming back to another mile-long to-do list. The excitement in the Palazzo was insuppressible when the groups that headed to Barcelona and Rome for the weekend each came back with raving reviews of their own experiences as well.

It seems that the Meredith College group for Fall 2011 was set out to make John Rose, Dr. Webb’s husband, proud from the beginning of our semester. He said once, “Who needs sleep when you can sleep in the grave?” This sentiment has become one of our favorite mottos since we realized how much more we can get done when we “don’t sleep”. The stress of exam week and the work it entails is enough to keep a college student awake, but when you’re living for three months in the heart of Italy, time needs to be considered for long walks and talks, watching sunsets and stargazing, and least of all, interacting with the local townspeople who’ve become like family throughout the semester. Upon my return from Paris, I spent the hours in my days studying, reading, and writing, while making half-hour breaks for walking up the main “Corso” to see the Christmas lights, chatting with Fabrizio at Gerasmo’s, and for climbing to my favorite spot that gives a view of the land that melts away my stress. The night Holly and I couldn’t focus another minute on our research paper, we wrapped up in a bundle of layers and took two blankets to the top of the tall hill where we could see the lights of every neighboring town below us, and the stars just as bright above us. We lay down for two hours and counted shooting stars as we laughed, cried, and shared thoughts and memories of the semester passed.

I was worried of how I would find closure with what has made up three monumental, wondrous, and transformative months of my life when I had so much else to do and think about, but my closure came when I didn’t expect it. I’m not sure how it hit me, but I finally realized that there wasn’t necessarily a meditative process or a set of directions that would allow me to close this chapter of my life and make me okay with leaving all this behind. I became aware somehow that it was the way in which I, and the eleven others of us, have chosen to live this semester that has brought my closure. Reflecting upon it, I saw it was the way we didn’t let a moment slip by that didn’t fulfill one purpose or another. Whether spent doing homework, looking out our bedroom window to watch the Sansepolcrans go about their day, having an intense conversation about cheddar cheese (of all things), or swimming in the Mediterranean Sea at Cinque Terre thinking that never a moment sweeter has passed us by, every fraction of our time here had been a fundamental part of the greater experience each of us will cherish for the rest of our lives. We can leave this place with the knowledge that we surpassed our greatest expectations, pushed passed our highest limits, and inspired ourselves to a life of exploration in ourselves and of the world around us. As clear as it was to me on Thanksgiving night when the proud and smiling faces around me said more than words ever could have, I know truly that am blessed.

Entry 9: 11/17/11

London!

The trip I took to London this past weekend was another ambitious one for the books. My cousin, Stacey, has lived in England for eleven years, yet I have never had the chance to visit her from the US. After looking up the prices of plane tickets to London, and seeing that I could make a trip there for less than a fourth of the price I could from the US, I couldn’t imagine not taking the opportunity to go. I knew before I left that this trip would be pushing me to my limits. While it was something I was highly looking forward to, I had just returned from my exhausting trip to Poland on Monday, and would be leaving for London before sunrise on Thursday; not to mention the school work I would have to catch up on upon my return. It would take a lot out of me, but I knew it would be worth it to see my cousin in a city I’ve always wanted to visit.

 Of the many connections I had to make to get into London, the flight was the easy part. Catching the 6:20am bus to Arezzo after three hours of sleep was not so easy! The night before had been a frenzy of packing and school work preparing for the classes I would have to miss. I traveled an hour by bus, two hours by train, and then another hour on a shuttle bus before I finally made it to the airport. While standing in line to check in, I met another study abroad student from Vanderbilt University in the US who was studying in London for the semester. Tara and I shared about our different experiences abroad and plans for the future, and soon developed a friendship en route to England. She was able to give me all sorts of different ideas of things to see and do in London, and we made plans to meet up while I was there. We parted once we landed and I headed off in the direction of Victoria London Station to reunite with my cousin for the first time in probably seven years. Little did I know how unnervingly busy the city would be, especially at one of its most popular junctures such as this one.

The first thing Stacey suggested once we were together was to “grab a cup of tea” before heading out to meet up with her boyfriend for dinner. I couldn’t have pictured a more British introduction. I grew a great appreciation for the act of drinking of tea while I was in London. It’s a chance for individuals in the hustle and bustle of the city to take a break at any given point in the day to relax, catch up with a friend, or perk up. I also found myself completely enthralled with the accent every time I heard people talking around me, and I enjoyed pretending to be British myself by practicing my own accent—I wasn’t too convincing.

The touring I did around the city was quite ambitious. Friday and I took on the city and mastered the system of the tube, travelling from place to place. I toured the areas around Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace. I couldn’t believe my luck when I stopped to ask a man what the few people who were beginning to gather were coming to see. It was the eleventh of November, the anniversary of the signing of the armistice in WWI, and because this year’s date read 11/11/11, an important ceremony would be taking place at the Cenotaph. As a crowd gathered around me in my position at the front of the fence encircling the monument, and at the eleventh hour, a two minute silence was held to honor those who died. A procession followed with military individuals, representative of different countries, four WWI survivors in wheelchairs, children to represent the Youth of the Nation, and finally, the Prime Minister. This serendipitous moment was extremely significant, especially after my studies of other wars. I walked on further after the ceremony to find the courtyard outside Westminster Abbey covered with small cross-shaped stakes, each with the names of soldiers written on them. Many of these were placed in honor of “the unknown soldier”, to represent all those who died without identification.
My cousin and her boyfriend took me to try different types of food popular around London, and also took me to places I wouldn’t otherwise have probably known to go. We spent a day together South of the river, and made it to Greenwich where a great street market and the meridian dividing the east and west of the world can be found. While I saw a lot, she and I decided that another visit most definitely needed to happen. The day I had to leave came too soon. I wanted to continue exploring the diverse and exciting city, but I knew at some point down the road there would be other opportunities.

London, in all, was an absolutely beautiful city where I met some fascinating individuals and got to see such important sights and events. The trip home wasn’t nearly as unnerving as the one there, and when I returned, everyone was eager to hear of my recent experience. It was great to come “home to family” and to hear that the others in the group had great weekends themselves.

Entry 8: November 3-7, 2011

I have always found it unnerving to consider such events as the Holocaust, segregation in world history, and current day genocide. We, as humans, are of a nature capable of horrendous and unthinkable things. However, I learned the importance of seeing the full spectrum of our nature, from the very worst of what we are capable, to the very best. On November 3, 2011, Katy Clary and I arrived in Krakow, Poland, for the Auschwitz Jewish Center Program for Students Abroad and for what we would soon find five days of the most significant days of our lives. Words don’t do justice to all of the thoughts and feelings that arose during that time, because the depth of emotion is simply indescribable. After all of the anticipation and nervous tension leading up to the trip, I discovered something there I couldn’t begin to prepare for, and came out with new experiences and perspectives I would carry with me from here on.

Each of the fifteen American students, who became like a family over the course of our trip, came from studying in many different countries around the world; Italy, France, Spain, Germany, England, Poland, Austria and even Israel were represented. I have never before been among the presence of such an impressive and dynamic group of people, and while I was slightly intimidated in the beginning, I felt extremely honored to get to know and share this same experience with each of them. Some came for academic reasons, some out of personal curiosity, and others for closure on the subject that had so brutally affected their family. I suppose my reason was a mix of all of these things. I knew that I personally hadn’t reached a level of understanding about the events of WWII and the Holocaust that satisfied me, and I knew I needed that in order to better understand both the nature of human beings and of the world we live in today.

The AJC Program was brilliantly designed to have one event educate and prepare us for the next. To fully appreciate or understand what we would see at Auschwitz or Birkenau, we needed to understand the history leading up to them and be able to tangibly see the area in which many of these events took place. After the first night where we were asked to share our expectations and motives for attending the program, the second day began with a tour of Kazimierz, the Jewish section of Krakow which contains many of the city’s synagogues. Here we also learned about the Jewish culture and traditions that take place each year as a part of the religion. It was surprising to find that only one of the at least five Synagogues we went in was still in use today. The total registered population of Jews in Krakow is only one-hundred and fifty. I wondered whether this is because many actually do reside in the city and don’t register out of apprehension, or because there really are only that few remaining in the city. Seeing the Jewish graveyard of the area was a very meaningful experience. It was enclosed by a wall that had been constructed of pieces of old gravestones that had been destroyed during WWII by the Germans, and on the many gravestones still standing were stones which had been placed by visitors over time. Leaving a stone in the Jewish culture, as something more permanent than a flower, is a sign of respect and honoring those that have passed. After lunch, we headed to the other side of the city divided by a river to where the old Jewish Ghetto was situated in the 1940’s. This was our first experience in an area that once held such violent and poignant anti-Semitism. When we saw the remaining part of the ghetto wall that was put up by the Nazis, it really hit me that we were standing in a place of such harsh memory. We toured the Schindler’s Factory and a photography museum before sitting down in a Polish café to meet and listen to a “Righteous Among the Nations” speaker, Miroslawa Gruszczynska, and her experience keeping a young Jewish girl in hiding throughout the war.

The next day we all knew was going to be tough. It was the day we were to tour Auschwitz I concentration camp. I had strange foreboding feeling from the moment I woke up. I knew that something was about to change, whether it be my perspective, my knowledge, my sanity, or all of the above. The majority of this was simply fear of the unknown, but it was also a reality, as my knowledge of the events that went on in that camp changed. As my expectation was to pull up to a deserted, gloomy and haunting place that in my mind should exude a disturbing and awful air, I was caught off guard when I stepped out of the van to blue skies and beautiful autumn leaves falling quietly to the chilling ground. We approached the main entrance among a crowd of other tourists and watched with confusion as others snapped shots of smiling faces in front of the of “Work gives Freedom” sign. I was disturbed by the lack of emotion and consideration these unknown individuals could have in this place where so many were once tortured and killed, but I couldn’t help noticing how Auschwitz actually looked pretty in the crisp air with the sun playing on its dark, red brick buildings and grassy courtyards. A much different experience would hit me the next day at Auschwitz II-Birkenau, a place that no matter how beautiful the day, cannot by any measure look “pretty”.

Touring Auschwitz II was a day of realization; it was one of hard-felt emotion, of hatred, of sadness, and of endless questioning. This was the concentration camp built for the “Final Solution” to wipe out the Jewish population, and, in turn, thousands of individuals of various other races. The sheer enormity of it was enough to immediately send a wave of disturbance through my body. Our tour guide, Kasha, was one positive part of the experience, for she had a way of relaying all essential information to us in an unbiased, matter-of-fact manner in her soft, concerned and beautifully accented voice. She led us through the sections of the camp that would complete the picture of Birkenau we didn’t want, but needed, in order to understand as best we could the realities of what took place there. Stories of devastation and walks among places I never thought I would walk filled 3 excruciatingly long hours. The rest of the day I felt as though I was going through the motions of what a normal day should be, although this day was far from it.

When we got back to the hotel, we were given a little reflection time before we concluded our day, and ultimately our trip, with a tour around the main sights of Krakow. We were taken around to see the beautiful forms of architecture that adorned the city in an enchanting, fairytale-like way. We walked along the park until we reached the Wawel Castle, a sight to literally take you back to your childhood dreams. It was grandiose and brilliant sitting high on the hilltop. The stark contrast between what I had seen that morning and the beautiful spectacle that stood before me was evidence to the spectrum of beauty and malice that makes up human nature. Eventually we made our way to an authentic Polish restaurant for our final dinner together. After the meal, we were asked to share our thoughts about the weekend’s experience. I believe each and every one of us struggled in composing our thoughts and felt discomfort sharing, but as we all sat around the table contemplating what to say next, we opened our hearts and our minds and found the beauty in having gone through this momentous experience together.

I may never any of the individuals I met on this trip again, although I certainly hope I do. I look back with such high esteem for the 15 of us who, together, reached a milestone in each of our lives in so many different ways. As we tried to make sense of the realities we faced that weekend, or more appropriately, the realities those who were victims of the Holocaust faced, I could feel a part of me change because of it, and not in an uncomfortable way. By witnessing the truth of this brutal part of history, I gained an aspiration within me to influence mankind to do better for our future. Over the course of five days, in the company of incredible, inspiring individuals from different walks of life, and I came out of a transformative experience that will continue to shape my perspective on life as I keep discovering all that I learned from the AJC Program and those who were a part of it.

Entry 7

The Flowers at My Feet

There is a quote I read a long time ago that I periodically remember when I catch myself moving too fast. Jeremy Bentham quoted his famous words, “Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.” It is all too often I feel that we as individuals do the same, forgetting to stop and enjoy the little moments and opportunities that are often some of our fondest moments. This past weekend, instead of traveling to find the next most popular city in Italy and exhaust myself in the process, I took the chance to travel to some nearby places that heaven forbid be forgotten.

Of all the wondrous places I’ve been in Italy, my favorite travels so far this semester have been to the smaller, more overlooked parts of Italy. There is a very different atmosphere in these places that don’t host millions of visitors a year, or sometimes a month, to see their beautiful characteristics. Cities like Rome and Venice almost lose their sense of Italian culture as they’re hidden under a blanket of tourists and captured by millions of flashes. Anghiari is very small neighboring town to Sansepolcro that is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. We had driven through it countless times before our group excursion, but driving through doesn’t show you half of the beauty this little city holds. Built of stone, its numerous round, tall towers and curving walls create a maze of alleyways that are home to many art shops, butcheries, museums, and more. The city itself rests on the hillside overlooking the sweeping fields below and Sansepolcro in the distance. As all twelve of us dispersed to explore the place, a few of us headed a little off the beaten path and found ourselves in the company of one of the nicest couples I’ve met in Italy. We were peeking around the corner of the front gates of a beautiful Villa out of curiosity, when the old man who lived there and his wife appeared out the front door, waving at us to come in. Hesitant at first, we explained we only wanted to admire their beautiful home, which we then learned was also a family business of antique selling. Before we knew it, we were being served hot tea and candies and told to look around as we pleased. The older man was so excited he gave us a short walking tour and history of a couple of the landmarks. Barbara and Antonio were their names, which I will never forget.

Arezzo and Siena are two somewhat larger cities I ventured to over our free weekend, yet they are both still anonymous enough to maintain their authentic feel. The shopping Arezzo is so famous for on the wide, pedestrian street “Il Corso”, was something I knew I needed to experience during my time here. Four of us, Meredith, Katy Clary, Holly, and I, decided it was worth checking out since we were in much need of some warmer clothes for the approaching winter. Each store along this one street just beckoned you inside and, unable to resist the urge, we almost always gave in. As we were all still on a budget though, we conceded to only going in stores where the price tags didn’t pain us to look at. Our hunger set in before long, and we found a quiet restaurant, clearly family owned, to sit down and relax our exhausted shopping-oriented minds and eat some great food.

Siena offered an interesting mix of larger-city sights with a smaller-city atmosphere. We arrived there on the national holiday of All Saint’s Day, which may have accounted for the lack of congestion, but because we had the day off, it was a perfect opportunity to see the city. Its Duomo was almost exactly like that of Florence’s, but about a tenth of the size. The same immaculate detail covered every inch of the exterior and its contours outlined the familiar Cathedral in front with the Duomo in the rear and tower on the right side. The Piazza del Campo was another main sight in the city that brought others in the city together and offered more impressive, artistic features. I found myself most excited when I saw the Christmas decorations already lining the alleyways with dangling lights and red bows around green wreaths; it triggered that same jittering excitement for the holiday season I associate with being back home, and almost made me forget that home wasn’t where I was.

Places such as these show me a perspective of Italy that feels untouched by the glamorization of the tourist industry. While each and every one of my travels will be memorable in their own way, it is the little moments in these seemingly hidden places that really shape my experience here, much like the way I’ve grown to love this small town we call home. I’ve learned the importance of appreciating the small things, like the flowers at our feet, instead of constantly reaching for the stars to find beauty.

Entry 6: October 31, 2011

There’s No Place like Home

For what felt like the first time in weeks, all of the girls spent the weekend together in Sansepolcro, taking a break from the commotion of busy and sometimes hectic travel. The stress of planning where to go, what to see, and how much it would cost were all questions we were unanimously relieved not to be asking this time. For so many weeks in a row we had traveled here and there, taking advantage of every minute to cram in a plethora of sightseeing and travel that we had forgotten how much of Italy there is to absorb in this beautiful city. Without an itinerary to stick to or schedule to meet, we were excited to indulge simply in the art of doing nothing.

As the early bird that I am, I was more than surprised when I awoke to see my clock say 11:00. To most any other girl in the Palazzo, this would have been early, but for me it was at least two hours of the day I felt had been wasted. As I hurriedly got out of bed and began my mental to-do list in my head, I stopped. It was one of those moments I had on a daily basis at the beginning of the semester where I had to pinch myself to be reminded that I was living in a Tuscan countryside, and that for a period of three months, I had one incredible opportunity to slow down. I mentally put aside the to-do list, got dressed for the chilly morning, and headed across the street to enjoy a cappuccino and a croissant at the café.

It had been too many weekends since I had been in Sansepolcro on a Saturday morning, I had forgotten the exciting yet peaceful atmosphere of the city when work and school weren’t keeping the people huddled up in classrooms or offices. The Saturday market always attracts a multitude of families to come out and shop the stands. The market is a quaint conglomeration of clothing, both new and used, jewelry, art, home décor, and a variety of foods. As I strode up the main street, I stopped to sift through a few racks of clothing and took the opportunity to chat with the vendors. So far, my vocabulary doesn’t span further than the very simple conversation one can have when buying an article of clothing and discussing things such as where I’m from, why I’m in Sansepolcro, and how I like it so far. But being able to hold that conversation at all in Italian was one a very proud moment for me, as it did justice to the many hours a week spent studying the language.

As a way of celebrating all of us being together in the city that has taken our hearts, we had a night out on the town together. We spent the long hours in front of the mirror fixing hair and dressing up, all concluding in a series of photos before heading out. We recognized many familiar faces out on the streets. People who we spend time with frequently and others who we hadn’t seen for weeks stopped to catch up, and yet again surprised, we were able to speak back in Italian! The night seemed to arouse a unanimous feeling among us all that I can’t describe. It was a mix between the comfort that our newly found sisterhood had brought us, the excitement for the times that lie ahead, and the want for the semester not to end.

The person I was when I arrived here and the person I feel I have become seem to be two different people. I have grown a confidence in myself that before this semester seemed so small and hard to reach. I’m still not sure what it is about this place or the experience I’ve had that has brought me to where I am emotionally, but I couldn’t be more grateful for what the semester has brought me. The best part about it all is that it isn’t over yet. It seems I still have a world of self-discovery and experience ahead of me in this small, but extraordinary city.

Entry 5

Woke Up in Verona, Spent the Day in Venice, Fell Asleep in Bologna

This past travel break proved to be one of my more whimsical experiences for the semester. While many of the girls had tossed around ideas of where they wanted to go and had started planning earlier on, Holly and I were two of the group who really hadn’t set a clear direction for this break yet. There was a group heading to the Amalfi Coast, but we had already seen the coast in Italy, and there was an even larger group heading to Venice, but we would have been a pack of 8 herding through the crowded Venezian streets. It was coming down to the last minute to make plans, and Holly and I still weren’t entirely sure where we were going to end up this break. Instead of trying to make up our minds on one place in particular, we decided to be ambitious and set out on in three different directions for this one.

The first place we decided to go was Verona, the city of love. Plenty of references to love stories (or tragedies) have taken place in this medieval town, so we needed to see what the hubbub was all about. We got to the city mid-afternoon, in time to find our hotel, settle in, and head out for some sight-seeing. Sure enough, our expectations about the romantic city were not disappointed. The cobblestone streets weave through the multi-colored historic buildings that take a hold of you as you pass by them. The old architecture of the city walls, ruins of Roman archways, and the large, open piazzas give a sense of history and comfort around every corner. We made our way to Juliet’s house that afternoon to see the setting where theoretically Shakespeare’s Rome and Juliet took place. There is something very special about the small courtyard and balcony that looks down upon it that makes the story of the hopeless lovers come to life. Juliet’s statue stands in the middle waiting to be taken pictures with, and the walls leading up to it remain covered in graffiti love notes and little hidden, rolled-up love letters stuck in between the bricks. Of course, we took a moment to sit down and write a letter to Juliet ourselves, which we then hid in our own places in the walls.

After “La Casa di Giulliet”, we headed straight for the Torre dei Lamberti, the tallest tower in the city, to catch the sunset from high above. We cheated a little and took the elevator to spare ourselves the 100+ steps we would have had to climb. Once we got to the top, we found the most spectacular view of the surrounding city and its waterway, and could see the distant hills of the Emilia-Romagna region. Save for a family of three that headed down before long, we were the only two at the top of the tower, which made the moment that much more special. That night, we had dinner in the Piazza Bra right in front of the Arena di Verona, and then headed back to get some much needed rest for our day trip to Venice.

Venice was a beautiful city, but flooded with tourists. As we walked out of the train station and questioned which direction to head first, we were mostly overwhelmed by the amount of people we didn’t expect still to see in mid-October. Lunch was a good place to start, and we found a great deal on some delicious paninis. After lunch we took the Vaporetta through the Venice Grande Canal to reach the Peggy Guggenheim Museum and spent over two hours there. The Guggenheim was one of most interesting museums I’ve seen in Italy. It contained work by Picasso, Braque, and Calder, with a great display of modern art. We wrote down wishes to hang on the wishing tree outside the museum, and in doing so, we found ones left by the other group of Meredith girls who had come to Venice for the break. That was really something.

We made it to St. Mark’s Square by the afternoon and even with the shoulder to shoulder tourism, we were able to feel as if we were in our own world marveling at the incredible architecture and art. We stopped in a store that sold all Murano glass jewelry and indulged in a little shopping before heading back to the train station to make it Bologna for the night. While Venice was very impressive, I was glad not to be staying in a place where I felt no one around us actually belonged. We were all simply visitors in this centuries-old city.

Making it to Bologna was the easy part. Making it to our hotel in Bologna was anything but easy. After finally finding the right bus stop out of the numerous there were, we failed to realize that our number bus had one heading into the city and one heading out of the city. It took changing buses three times before we were finally heading the right direction. All of the hassle was completely worth it when we got to the hotel—located pretty far out of the way, but the most comfortable accommodations we’ve had yet. We knew we had to enjoy a Bolognese meal while in Bologna, as their cuisine is famous. I have to say, the meal we had that night was probably the highlight of the weekend. We ordered two entrees to split and a ½ liter of wine, but we were also served complimentary pizza as an appetizer, a large mixed salad, and fresh bread along with everything else. The famous Bolognese sauce we had served on tortellini was delicious, as were the pork chops in a balsamic vinegar sauce. Because there wasn’t much else that could top the meal that night, we headed back to our lovely hotel and got in bed to watch Letters to Juliet. After all, we were where the movie took place!

Before heading back to Arezzo to catch the bus home, we wanted to spend some time seeing the city of Bologna. The atmosphere was exactly that of a college town, with students our age everywhere (who weren’t tourists) and parks where people were either laying around studying, running, playing, or just sitting on a bench and enjoying the nice autumn day. It was a place we decided deserves more time spent there in the future.

Our last attraction was in Arezzo where we went to an international street festival. There were stands selling food of all different nationalities, and more tents with clothing and gifts. Through everything we did and saw, we still managed to get home by 5:00pm in time to relax for the remainder of the day—a great way to put an end to an incredibly ambitious weekend.

Entry 4

Roma!
When we were faced with the choice this past weekend to either stay at the Palazzo or journey out to a new destination for our free weekend, four of us decided it would be the perfect opportunity to see the Ancient City. I had been conversing with a family acquaintance who lived in Rome and whom I had never met, but who was interested in having me stay at her home in Rome for a weekend, about coming to visit. She guaranteed that the weekend was great for her and was willing to host the four of us for a night. With the offer of a free place to stay at the home of a local who could show us around, we were sold.

Traveling outside of a travel break proved to be much more accomplishable than we originally thought. We predicted that our trip to Rome was going to be rushed and somewhat stressful trying to cram in everything there was to do in such a short amount of time, but from the moment we got there, our “tour guide” Sharon had us following her on a mission through the network of narrow streets that led us to all of the main sights of Rome. Just in Friday afternoon we were able to see the Roman Forum, the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Piazza Navona, and multiple famous monuments and churches along the way. We didn’t choose to wait in line to actually go into the coliseum, for the grandeur of it is easily seen from the exterior and it saved a significant amount of time [and money] in not doing so. The other sights didn’t cost anything to see, which again saved us some extra spending cash! And as every college student can attest to, every penny counts.

After our speedy and successful and touring around the city, we began to make our way toward the residential section of Rome, called Trastevere, where Sharon lived with her fiancé Francesco. We had been lugging around our backpacks all afternoon, and although we had packed as lightly as possible for the two day excursion, Rome has a lot of ground to cover which makes any extra amount to carry a hassle. We were all silently thinking the same thing—that our feet weren’t going to make it—as the walk back to her home seemed to never end. At one point we had to take the tram to get to her side of the area and, thinking we would be able to buy our tickets once we boarded the tram, didn’t worry about stopping to buy them on the way there. The machine on the tram was broken. As rare as it is to get caught without a ticket, since the authorities hardly ever check, we were all holding our breath stop after stop with the thought of having to pay the one hundred euro fine causing just a tad bit of panic. We all let out a huge exhale as we safely reached our destination and also saw Sharon’s apartment around the corner. All of the walking was definitely worth it when we walked in the door and smelled that mouth-watering scent of home-made lasagna and saw a table set for us with wine and bread. We finally experienced a true, authentic Italian meal at an Italian’s home. By authentic, I mean we had the first course, second course, wine, bread, espresso, and even got to try grappa—an incredibly strong Italian liquor… not very tasty. But the meal itself and the homey feel of Sharon’s home was just what we needed for the weekend.

We got up early and headed out to see the Vatican museum and St. Peter’s Basilica before leaving on our train in the afternoon. We got to meet up with some other study abroad students Holly had met on our initial transatlantic flight and get some delicious gelato as well. For a two day/one night trip to Rome, we saw almost all we wanted to see, paid much less than expected, and got home with the rest of our weekend to rest, enjoy Sansepolcro, and work on some much awaited homework. My weekend couldn’t have been spent in any better way than that.

Entry 3: October 11, 2011
Destination: Cinque Terre

The 6:00 a.m. alarm clock that sounded through our half-empty room on the day of departure woke us up just in time to pack our bags, get to the ATM, and pack a bag of food for the train before arriving at the bus station with 10 minutes to spare. What we found was that those 10 minutes were not to spare—the bus to Arezzo was waiting at the station and rearing to leave just as we got there! As we headed out into the cool, quiet of the morning, the five of us were each silently anticipating what the weekend ahead of us would hold. It was the first travel break any of us had traveled completely on our own. We knew what times we needed to catch the train, we knew where we were headed, and we had a faint idea of what to do once we got there, but as far as what the outcome of the trip would hold, we didn’t have a clue.

Cinque Terre in Italian means “five lands”—five beautiful coastal towns all connected by a short train ride or, if you really want the full experience, by narrow hiking trails that wind around the large, stunning mountains giving you extraordinary views of the Mediterranean ocean lapping up against the rocky beaches that just beckon to you from high on the mountain. All of us were extremely excited to discover what the Cinque Terre would be like. We’d only ever heard raving reviews from other study abroad students, and couldn’t imagine that an Italian beach would be anything short of impressive. What we didn’t expect was to be absolutely awestruck from the moment we stepped off the train to the moment we got back on it to return home three days later.

We started our journey with a train we thought would be a straight shot to Monterosso—the description we typed in online. We arrived to the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence and sat patiently for a few minutes before the worry that we may need to change trains encouraged us to approach an older woman and ask if we were headed in the right direction. The woman looked at us with confused eyes and, upon realizing that we were five very unaware college students traveling on our own, took us to the timetable map of departures and gave us a small lesson on how to find our train. She kindly led us the correct binario and even gave us some advice “from a mother” to be careful and stick together the whole time. Our next stop was in Pisa and yet again, we had to change trains, but luckily after that we were smooth sailing to Monterosso, the furthest of the five beach towns.

When we got to Monterosso, we stepped off the train into a place more beautiful than we ever could have expected. We got directions to our Hotel at the information desk at the train station and got our hiking passes for the first day. We walked in amazement alongside the waterfront, which greets you at the train station and leads you to the center of the town, and from there walked just two blocks to our hotel. Hidden down at the end of a side street up some stone steps and through a little pathway of inviting foliage, “Hotel Souvenir” was definitely a hidden gem in this touristy area. Thinking that for only twenty-five euro a night our accommodations would be nothing more than acceptable, we were shocked when we were given the key to an eight-person apartment with its own balcony and small kitchen. It wasn’t luxury, by any means, but for five college students on a budget in a beautiful Italian coastal town, we felt we had found a five star hotel.

For our first day in Cinque Terre, we decided to spend the day acquainting ourselves with the town of Monterosso and spend some much needed relaxation time down on the beach. That evening, Holly and I used our hiking passes and made the trek to the top of the first trail where we found a nice spot to sit and watch the sun set behind the large rocky cliffs across the waterway. It was so nice to have a moment to just sit and breathe and take everything in after the tiring weeks of schoolwork leading up to this break.

Since the hiking was such a success the day before, our next day we started out early and headed on the trail to reach the second town of Vernazza. We stopped and ate lunch and were fortunate to find little baths in the walls of each city to fill up water bottles. Vernazza was the prettiest of the five towns, I thought, because of the way it seemed so central to the water, whereas the other towns seemed to have a separate life from the water. We headed on to the next town of Corniliglia, which had the best swimming due to its plentiful selection of big rocks to lay out on and jump into the water from, and it also had a small gelato/yogurt shop where a couple of us tried the “special”—a plain frozen yogurt with homemade lemonade poured over top, and topped off with fresh honey and hazelnuts. It was the most unusual combination, but absolutely delicious and refreshing. While two of the girls were too exhausted at this point to keep going, the other three of us took the connecting train to the next town of Manorola where we hiked the last leg of the trails to the final town, Romaggore. This last trail was called the Via Dell’Amore—the trail of love. And it most certainly was the trail of love. Couples over time have come to this trail and as a symbol of their love have left a lock attached to different parts of the trail. They covered the fences that were connected to the mountain wall, and lined the guard rails all the way to the end. Needless to say, many of us agreed to return with our future husbands to add a lock of our own.

Our final day was spent relaxing and soaking up the last of the beach time we would probably have before next year. We had quite an experience catching our train rides home, as every connecting train had about 5 minutes in between each stop to figure out where we were supposed to be and race to get onto the train in time. We made it back to Arezzo safely though, and there we ran into three other Meredith girls headed back on the same bus home to Sansepolcro. As we shared our different travel adventures, we each grew a new excitement about where and how our next one will unfold.

Entry 2: September 26, 2011

Note to future students: take the word "study" seriously when you plan to study abroad. We have been busily working away at coursework and enjoying the simple pleasure of a bike ride or walk to a café here and there. We finally did get an actual break, though, and one that I’ll never forget!

This past travel break we embarked on our first travel excursion outside of Sansepolcro and took a weekend trip to Florence. This trip was an educational experience to teach us how to travel on our own, and thank goodness for it, because I never knew how confusing and hectic it could be.

Friday morning I was given my bus ticket and picked up the bag lunch that Margarita was so sweet to make each of us for the road. It included three delicious sandwiches, a banana, danish, juice and water, and a hazelnut chocolate bar... it was just as incredible as it sounds. Our bus took us to Arezzo where we picked up a connecting train to Florence that arrived around 2:30 in the afternoon.

Getting off the train and stepping into a new Italian city was incredibly exciting. The fact that we were about to see some of the world's most famous sculptures, structures, and works of art hadn't yet hit me as we began to walk through the heated and tourist-packed city. We were initially told the walk from the train station to our hotel "wasn't that bad", but with at least 30lbs of luggage each, the 50 minute walk seemed like a daylong pilgrimage. As we rounded a turn, I saw members of the group stop in their tracks and heard a collective gasp at something I apparently hadn't yet seen. And then, there it was, taking the breath away from all those who had never been in its presence; the Duomo stood larger than life, majestic and beautiful, in its famous Piazza in the center of Florence. One by one, we took out our cameras and snapped shots that we knew could not capture a fraction of its presence. It is truly a work of art. Our program director had to herd us along because of how paralyzed we were standing in the middle of the Piazza, no doubt lengthening our long walk to the hotel.

Once we got to the hotel, it was time to crash down onto the beds and gear up to go out and explore the city. For the afternoon, we went to the San Lorenzo Market. It seemed to run on for streets full of every kind of souvenir, article of clothing, and leather made item you could want. I bartered for the first time as I scanned the stands for purses, scarves and jackets. After hours at the Market, we found a place to eat where we had excellent Italian pizza, but just the opposite in service. Apparently tourists aren't well-favored by some locals in the big cities. That night, we took time to recuperate from our traveling and got to bed so we could wake up early for our reservation at the Pitti Palace. The next day, my room was unfortunately one of the three whose alarms didn't go off, and we were awakened 15 minutes before we needed to be at the museum that morning. It was actually impressive that three girls got ready fast enough to make it to the Palace and only be late by two minutes!

The Pitti Palace was extraordinary. Themed rooms had such intricate wall treatments covered in fabric and lined with paintings. Even the arched ceilings were compelling with their trick-sculptures that seemed to pop out of the smooth surface. We saw painting after painting portraying the characters of the Renaissance and beyond by artists such as Andrea Del Sarto, Caravaggio, and Raphael. It was so interesting to see the art that we study in Art History classes and hear of right in front of our eyes. The following day I went to the Uffizi Gallery where I stood in line with three other girls for almost an hour and half—a wait well worth it. The building itself was much less impressive than the Pitti Palace, but the paintings inside the Uffizi were more meaningful to me than the ones we saw the day before. We saw Botticelli’s "Primavera" and "The Birth of Venus", work by Da Vinci and Michelangelo, and also paintings by Piero Della Francesca who was born in Sansepolcro.

 

The second night, we climbed to the Piazza Michelangelo where I saw the most incredible view of the city below us right at sunset. We sat admiring what hundreds of artists before us created for our eyes to see and let the beauty of it all sink in. It was a moment I didn't want to see slip away. Hundreds of snapshots later, we headed back down to the city to celebrate the night, since it was Allison’s birthday. We ate a wonderful dinner by the Duomo and spent the night meeting other study abroad students and dancing to American music (which is everywhere in Italy).

Our last day, we happened to be traveling home on the day of a train strike that was occurring all over Italy. Our intended train back was cancelled, and so we were forced to take one that got us to our bus stop two minutes too late... This meant spending four hours in Arezzo waiting for the next bus. Eventually we got home late that night, and I made a mental note after the curvy bus ride to take some serious motion sickness medicine with me the next time.

All in all, Florence was an incredible trip, full of fun, beautiful artwork and views, and lessons for traveling in the future. I would like to go back again, because two days was simply not enough time to experience everything there is to do there. I especially want to go back to climb the Duomo, which was closed the day we planned on climbing it.

I cannot wait for further excursions and travel breaks. Florence gave me a tiny idea of how much this beautiful country has for me to see!

Entry1: September 6, 2011

This past weekend, the members of the Meredith College Sansepolcro Program participated in the annual town festival called the Palio della Balestra. This festival is a long-standing tradition here in Sansepolcro, as well in the city of Gubbio, Italy, that centers around the continuation of the cross-bow competition that was once a core event of the Renaissance era. The festival's numerous activities span the course of two weeks, and offer many opportunities for entertainment. To the locals, this festival is a VERY big deal. We were all extremely honored to be invited to be a part of it and process with the town citizens into the main square to sit with other honored members of the community.

In preparation for the processional, we were fitted into authentic Renaissance costumes at a small Italian woman's dress shop, where we kept ourselves very entertained taking pictures of the ensembles we each were given to try on. My costume was a white, long gown that dragged along the ground, had a pretty red rose pinned to the front of it. I also had to wear a flowered wreath around my head, which completed my outfit as one of about the ten other "flower girls", as we called ourselves. Some of the other girls were given thick, warm Renaissance costumes that made the hot and humid night slightly unbearable. While we were all tired and extremely heated as we walked the town for almost 45 minutes, I would not trade the experience for anything. We got to be a part of a celebration that is both an honored tradition and an exciting contemporary event for the town. It was truly exceptional to see a part of the city's history from such a close and engaging perspective. Afterward there was a splendid display of fireworks that lit up the sky. What seemed like the entire population of the town stood together at the top of road and watched in amazement. All in all, this was one of the most significant moments for me so far this semester. The blisters and exhaustion were well worth it!

The following day, we had the special opportunity of getting to meet the new city Mayor, who, to our delight, is the first woman Mayor of Sansepolcro. All twelve of us rounded up and headed down to the town hall, which is located next to the 11th century cathedral in the center of town. We gathered in a conference room that appeared to be built only for Royalty, with its tall-backed chairs and Renaissance paintings on the walls. The Mayor, in her high heels and short cut bob, gave us a warm welcome to the city, which had to be translated, of course, and made us feel at home. She expressed her hope that we would feel like we have a home here in Sansepolcro for a lifetime. All of us were extremely touched and honored by her kind and thoughtful words. The only thing that was frustrating was not being able to say anything back to her in Italian! Another interesting thing is that one of our Assistant Program Coordinators, Sara, grew up here in the city with her younger sister, Ciara, who is the newly elected town Consulate. Power to the women! Both were children when the first group of Meredith students came to Sansepolcro to study and remember it vividly. Now they are dedicated to keeping the program alive and hosting more and more women from Meredith College in this beautiful hidden treasure of a city.

We ended our night with a delectable serving of gelato from the Goblin—best gelato in town—after a good dose of homework. This coming weekend the Balestra continues with the actual cross-bow competition and we're all excited to see it! I will be taking more pictures to share soon, and look forward to experiencing more and more of the Sansepolcro culture.

Ciao!