Holly Mills
Entry 8
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles – Amsterdam!
When a small group of us first started discussing the idea of going to Amsterdam, Netherlands, I never really believed we could make it happen. It seemed like a far off adventure of our wildest dreams, entirely unobtainable in present day reality. Last week though, those dreams were realized when six Meredith girls, accompanied by two Italian friends, set off for Amsterdam! Our journey began with some bumps in the road when our group divided in two on Wednesday afternoon in order to allow some students the time to register for Spring classes. The first group headed to Arezzo only to discover the train they intended to take had no available seats. The next available train was a pricey upgrade but got them to Milan, nonetheless. When my group arrived in Arezzo we were frustrated to find the same situation for the later train as well! We dug out some more money from our wallets and continued on to join our friends at the massive train station in Milan.
When we arrived at Milano Centrale we took a small amount of time to explore the train station and get a bite to eat before we hopped on the bus for the hour-long ride to the airport. Each leg of our journey put us that much closer to our final destination and yet, it already felt like we had traveled so far! All day and night I tried my best to nap on the trains and bus rides knowing our sleeping arrangements for the evening were questionable. Since the airport is an hour away from Milan and our plane left at six thirty in the morning, we knew it made little sense to purchase a hotel room for a few hours of sleep when we would have to leave at four in the morning to catch our flight. As such, we hesitantly but unanimously agreed to try to sleep the in airport! Luckily, when we reached Bergamo Airport we were surprised to see the large number of people whose plans for the evening seemed to coincide with ours. Everywhere we looked huddles of people could be seen sleeping in chairs or on the floor. We began a search for a place large enough to temporarily house our group for the evening in this motel of an airport.
Eventually, our group of eight snuggled into a corner next to a large kiosk and decided to hit the hay. With bags for pillows, jacket s for covers, and friends all around, we nuzzled into our own corner to rest. We created a sleeping rotation so that someone could watch our things and the time while others dozed. I was in the first group that got to “sleep.” Resting and sleeping are two very different things. While I did rest in the Bergamo Airport, I doubt that I ever truly got much sleep. When I woke up at the end of my hour and a half rotation, the scene around me had become even more peculiar. In every direction I looked there were lines of people sleeping. It was three in the morning and this airport looked like a free hideout for tired travelers. Every once in a while someone would make a loud noise and several sleepy heads would wake up with annoyed faces. Though the situation was indeed very strange, I kind of felt like we were part of a larger community. All of us had places we were excited to get to, none of us probably wanted to sleep on the floor, but nevertheless there we were on the linoleum together!
A rude wakeup call came for most of the sleepy travelers when, at four in the morning, a woman on a rolling floor waxing machine came and woke everyone up! The entrance ways to the gates, which were previously closed, were finally open. With tired eyes and sore backs, we headed to check in and go through security. Unfortunately, we had to wait another hour before a staff person was even there to man their stations. We found ourselves in yet another “hurry up and wait” situation, but tried to make the best of it. When we finally made it through security and to our gate the excitement was really building. Our group boarded the plane together at six thirty in the morning and happily walked towards the plane for Holland. We found our seats and buckled in for the ride ahead of us…next thing I knew we were in the Netherlands! Everyone fell asleep as soon as the announcements stopped and the plane took flight. I woke up just as we were landing over the picturesque landscape of Eindhoven.
Eindhoven Airport is roughly an hour and half from Amsterdam. When we arrived there was a convenient ticket counter where you could buy roundtrip bus passes to Amsterdam and back on the day of your departure. Everyone purchased tickets and waited half an hour for the bus to arrive. As we shivered outside at the bus stop, we discussed all the possibilities that awaited us when we finally arrived. Would our hostel be as exciting as it looked online? Would we find our way around the massive city easily? Which landmarks should we visit first? A sea of questions floated amongst us until our bus reached the airport. I welcomed another chance to sleep as the final leg of our journey created a definite light at the end of this very, very long tunnel. The Dutch bus driver was a jolly older man with a belly laugh so deep and gay we could not help but smile as we slowly faded to sleep. After an hour and a half we woke up and grinned at each other – we were finally there!
We stepped off the bus and hurried to get our stuff. Once we were all together, we looked around and asked, “Well….now what?!” We had been traveling for nineteen hours and the tired brains voted to find the hostel first. I had written down the directions to the hostel from the train station but it required taking a tram. We had no idea how to navigate the Amsterdam tram system but we used our recently acquired traveling skills to find a ticket booth. It took us a while, but we finally boarded tram number two and headed away from the central station. Previously, I have tended to be a relatively directionally challenged individual. I was the person that had planned most of the trip, however, so I felt like it was my job to get us there! I had the map, directions, and determination to get our group to the Uptown Flying Pig Hostel as soon and as safely as possible. It took some trial and error and lots of question asking, but when I saw the sign for our hostel ahead of us the sense of accomplishment was worth it! While I may an independent world traveler, at the moment all I wanted to do was call home to share my excitement. We walked up the steps to the Flying Pig Hostel, were buzzed in by the secretary, and prepared ourselves for what waited down the steep stairs.
My mind was made up as soon as we reached the bottom of those stairs. The Flying Pig Hostel is the most interesting place I have ever stayed in my life. The walls are entirely covered with art and letters from people who have stayed there. They have their own bar and mini restaurant, laptops for rent for one euro, spacious rooms with comfortable beds, and even great hot water pressure! Our group was divided into two rooms with six of us in a room of ten and another two people in a room of eight. The entire weekend in Amsterdam everyone we met at the Flying Pig was so friendly and helpful! We even ended up touring the city with friends we made in our rooms.
There are so many things we enjoyed seeing and doing in Amsterdam that it’s hard not to write about them all! Of all the places we went, the Van Gogh Museum is one that stuck out most definitively in my mind. Having never studied much of Van Gogh’s work, I had no expectations going in. I really had no idea what a treat I was in store for! The museum holds four full floors of Van Gogh’s masterpieces. It is always such an incredible feeling to gaze upon painting with my own eyes that, until previously, I had only ever seen in photos. It was such a treat to walk around with my friends and have the freedom to linger and examine all the tiny brush strokes that created full, beautiful works of art. I was dazzled by the museum as a whole and it was an experience I’ll never forget.
As a Meredith student, I feel it necessary to talk about our walking tour of the Red Light District. While this statement may sound confusing to some, rest assured the spirit of the Angel Community followed us to Holland. My freshman year at Meredith, we were all required to read Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. This book, which follows the lives of women around the world through tragedy, injustice, and triumph against all odds, absolutely changed my life. As we walked around the Red Light District and saw young girls displayed in windows waiting to be purchased, my stomach lurched. The entire time we were in the famous district, where sex is seen as a casual business transaction, my heart ached remembering the stories of young girls forced into prostitution against their will. As I watched women attempt to beckon anyone and everyone into their brothels the overwhelming desire to bust open windows, grab their hands, and run nearly consumed me. I tried to remember that some women genuinely choose this profession, albeit out of desperation, but even still: my thoughts ran wild with the possibility of becoming just another person to keep walking past a scared and abused daughter of a far off family. When we wandered out of the red lit streets I expressed my thoughts with the group and was relieved to know I was not the only one haunted by Half the Sky. The deep desire in my heart to create a change and stop this abuse speaks volumes about the impact Meredith College has had on me. While I’ve always been an activist for the underdog, Meredith has further instilled in me with the courage to believe that I, like the woman in Half the Sky, truly can make a difference.
I cannot talk about Amsterdam without mentioning the amazing food! Amsterdam prides itself on the cultural feast of possibilities available to please hungry palates. While in Holland we enjoyed delicious Mexican, Greek, American, and Dutch food. We were all very eager to try to the Dutch food that is just as stick-to-your-ribs-like as soul food. Our group ventured into the Leidsplein Square to go to the Pancake House where we shared traditional Dutch pancakes. I was quite surprised when large, slightly thicker than crepe pancakes arrived at our tables! We also enjoyed traditional Dutch food which included heaping plates of rice and gravy with the largest meatball I have ever seen! Each night we returned back to our hostel with full bellies and smiling faces.
Our trip to Amsterdam was whirl wind of places, delicious food, new friends, and new memories with what feel like old friends. This was the longest travel break I’ve been on so far, and yet there are still so many things I wish we could have done! Yet again, the company with whom I traveled made my journey that much more exciting. Each trip I take with any of these girls teaches me so much about them as well as about myself. Our trip to Holland was an all around adventure. We made it back Sunday entirely exhausted, but grateful for traveling mercies and our own beds. We have four short weeks left in Sansepolcro and this past travel break might be one of my last big excursions. As I begin to prepare myself for leaving this amazing place, bucket lists are being formed and plans are being made. I plan to cherish each day as if my plane leaves tomorrow and go forth with the wise words of Van Gogh, “As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed.”Entry 7
Castles, Shopping, and Girl Talk – Every Princess’ Dream!
I truly cannot believe how fast this semester is flying by! With the whirlwind of traveling and studying we have done in the past two months there is still so much I would like to do! Last weekend, some of the girls and I decided to take the chance to explore some of the closer cities right outside of Sansepolcro. Though we have lived in “The Polcro,” as we affectionately call it, for some time now, we had yet to go into some of the towns waiting just outside our city walls. To remedy this, Friday and Saturday were planned to be days of branching out for our adventurous crew of twelve. About twenty five minutes away by bus from Sansepolcro, Anghiari gazes down at the valley from the beautiful Tuscan mountainside. Anghiari is built primarily around their outstanding castle…yes, a castle! Bring twelve American girls, born and raised on Disney Movies, to a castle and the day will be a guaranteed hit! And so it was!
We arrived to Anghiari Friday afternoon and hopped off the bus to immediately begin scouting out the landscape of the tucked away Renaissance beauty seen from all angles. Together, we walked with Dr Bailey to a crossroads, where we received maps and divided into groups. The two groups set off in opposite directions only to be reunited at the top of a hill merely three minutes later! We laughed at the coincidence and headed to the closest overlook. When we finished climbing the stone steps and reached the side of the castle, the breathtaking view left me speechless. Though I had seen the valley from the castle by night, I had yet to glance upon the wonder of our daily surroundings during the light of day at Anghiari. In every direction I could see the beautiful changing leaves of fall covering green grass. Giant mountains, tiny towns, tall Cyprus trees, and countless farms stood below me like a finished blueprint of Utopia. My senses were overwhelmed with all the minute details waiting to be absorbed. Though I could have stayed there for hours, we decided to keep the tour moving and head to the nearest gardens.
After a lovely bit of sightseeing (and lots of pictures, of course!) we wandered up a steep cobblestone hill to find a gorgeous villa through a gate on the left side of the road. The gate was open and, at first glance, we thought we had reached another garden. Upon further investigation however, we realized it was actually someone’s private home! The owners were outside and graciously welcomed us onto their property. I expected slight freedom to look around, but I never could have anticipated just how far their hospitable hands would spread. Within ten short minutes of introductions and compliments to their beautiful land, the lovely older couple invited all of us into their antique store. Inside, we were given free reign to explore the entire house while they fixed us some lemon tea! Each room of the antique house was more splendid than the last. I was baffled at the historical significance and date of some of the pieces they showed 
us. Every few seconds the girls and I would look around at each other, mouths gently grazing the floor below us, in sheer awe of the situation in which we found ourselves. Soon enough, our hosts offered us the best lemon tea I’ve ever had in my life! They explained a little about their lives, their shop, and the villa while we quietly drank our warm tea. Their home, just to the left of the antique shop, was situated on “Villa Mira Valle” meaning Villa that Views the Valley. They excitedly shared the story of their home as well as asked about our time in Tuscany. After inviting us to come back and visit, the husband took our group on a personal tour of Anghiari! His whole family has lived in Anghiari for over four generations. He took us through all the nooks and crannies of the small town declaring, “I can take you places no one else would even be able to find. They don’t know about them but this, this is my home.” My heart was warmed sevenfold by the abundant hospitality graciously extended to us from these Tuscan strangers. “Southern Hospitality” took on a whole new meaning for me when seen through the eyes of a southerner in Tuscany. I cannot describe enough the joy I felt at coming to know such kind people, simply because their gates were open and their garden was beautiful.
We returned to Sansepolcro shortly after we concluded our private tour in Anghiari. Saturday morning five girls and I made a lovely family-style breakfast of pancakes, toast, and cereal. We talked over our meal and reminisced about all that we have accomplished so far. In fear of losing anymore time, we got ready quickly and hopped the next train to Arezzo! Arezzo is the largest town close to Sansepolcro and is an hour away by bus. For most of us, Arezzo is associated with nausea from the bus ride, rushing to catch trains, and long hours at bus stops. Saturday, though, our group was determined to truly get to know Arezzo. We meandered through the city streets until we found “il corso.” The main walking street in each town usually has a great deal of traffic as well as commerce. As such, we headed to “il corso” first in hopes of finding some good deals on much needed winter clothes! The weather in Italy has turned quite cold and any 
of the girls can frequently be seen walking around the Palazzo wrapped in blankets. On the lookout for sweaters, coats, and scarves, we set out on our Arezzo shopping spree! We were incredibly successful and found several items each for inexpensive prices. A rumbling of tummies stirred the unanimous vote for dinner before catching the last bus back to Sansepolcro for the night.
Over a delicious dinner at a quaint restaurant off the beaten path, my companions and I followed up with the dinnertime ritual of “highs and lows.” This is a tradition I brought with me from my church back home. Anytime we go on a trip we end the evening with a discussion of our days’ high points, low points, and then the awkward “hoes.” “Hoes” can most easily be described as things that aren’t necessarily good nor bad, but just are and affect you. As each person shared their highs, low, and hoes of the past week, I was reminded yet again of how blessed we are. Many of us have loved ones dealing with very difficult situations back home, while we find ourselves in Italy. Despite the fear of being thrown back into the reality of life outside of the Palazzo, I looked across the table at the people around me and found great solace. I have no idea what awaits me in the United States this December. My support system was great before I left, but with my new family of twelve I feel unconquerable! Life can hit me with its best shots with these girls by my side -- I do not fight alone. In countless blogs I have spoken of the new family I have here. I cannot stop though, because each day truly feels like a present hand-picked for me. While I am apprehensive about our final weeks in Italy and our return to the States, the beautiful women on this journey with me make every step worth taking. They are my high, every single day.
Entry 6: November 1, 2011
A Day in the Life – A Snapshot of Sansepolcro
Life is Sansepolcro finally slowed down this week when I decided to stay home for the weekend instead of traveling. Though the days are speeding by at a terrifying pace, I am truly beginning to learn just how much my body still needs rest. My mom once told me that she grew up believing if she wasn’t working she should be playing. Somewhere along the way she learned that “playing is sometimes exhausting.” This is one of the hardest lessons I am learning this semester. There is so much I wish to do before I return to North Carolina. At the same time though, there is so much to be gained from spending the weekend relaxing with friends in this city we now call “home.” Last weekend, I decided to do just that.
While other study abroad programs are often considered academic vacations of sorts, the Sansepolcro Program is far from an academic sabbatical. Most of us are taking eighteen hours, study multiple hours a day, and have learned lots of time management skills in order to cope with our workload. While the stress has seemed overwhelming at times, I am reminded that the hard academic work is the price we pay for this amazing experience we are blessed to have! With the chaos of deadlines, though, a free weekend home was just what the doctor called for. After another busy week of school, Friday came with much celebration from the Meredith girls. After classes on Friday, I elected to treat myself to a nap! What a glorious, glorious privilege it is to be able to sleep for a few hours during the day! I worked hard for that free time and entirely relished every second of doing-nothingness.
Some of the girls decided to hit the streets of Sansepolcro to find some of our Italian friends and spend the evening out and about. I decided to stay in and snuggle with my friend Liz as we had a marathon of Pretty Little Liars (a sitcom that has become quite the hit in our group.) Cuddled up on the couch, we got pizza to go and enjoyed the suspense of the fictional characters’ lives. The freedom to fall asleep early to a movie was wonderful! We had no trains to catch, no hotels to find, no plans to follow the next morning. The only thing on my agenda was rest and relaxation – imagine that!
The next day was filled with excitement in the Palazzo as two of the girls and I mutually invested in a guitar! For fifty euro we bought a guitar, case, and two picks. It was quite a deal and we were so eager to start playing as soon as possible. For me, playing guitar has been a huge source of inspiration and stress reliever for several years now. Meredith was really eager to start learning and within twenty four hours had mastered the five chords I taught her! Saturday was a really relaxing day and we all enjoyed the chance to go out and about. Saturday night we had our first group experience in an Italian club. We danced the night away with our friends and enjoyed the change in scenery.
Entry 4
Verona, Venice, Bologna – Oh My!
Once again, overachievers united in Italy as my friend Elizabeth and I decided to conquer three major cities in one weekend. With plans in hand, we made our way through the country to arrive at the picturesque town of Verona. In contrast to the chaotic, tourist-filled atmosphere of Florence, Verona was definitely populated, but felt distinctly more Italian. The streets were entirely full of Italians and the beautiful romance language filled our ears everywhere we went. We managed to navigate the bus system with relative ease and made it to our hotel after stopping to ask a few people for directions. After settling our stuff in the hotel, we ventured into the city to find Juliet’s house. Diehard romantics from all over the world travel to Verona each year to see the speculated house of the young lover. When we arrived we saw the balcony upon which Shakespeare’s famous love scene took place. I was quite perplexed when I saw multiple people walk up to the statue of young Juliet and grab her right breast! At first I thought it was a vulgar gesture of disrespect, but I soon learned the symbolism behind this confusing action. Legend calls travelers to hold the right breast of Juliet (through which she stabbed the blade that killed her,) in hopes of having better luck with love than she did. In the spirit of tradition and conformity, Elizabeth and I each took a turn posing for a picture with the bronze breast of Juliet in hand. Awkward? Slightly. Memorable? Most definitely.
Elizabeth and I also took the time to sit and write letters to Juliet. This tradition, repeated by thousands of people each year, was one of the activities to which I most looked forward. I know it seems silly, but the ability to tell my story and seek the guidance of this timeless character is comforting and inspiring to me. I was disheartened, however, when I saw official signs encouraging letter to be mailed, but not attached to the walls in any way. Rebels that we are, Elizabeth and I found small holes at the base of a wall in which to hide our letters. Our hope is that, years from now, we will be able to return to the home of Juliet Capulet to find the letters of our youth waiting for us.
After we left Juliet’s house, Elizabeth and I walked as fast as we could to get to the highest tower in Verona. I have become an avid sunset watcher since I began this adventure in Italy. The journey to find a sunset and the sense of accomplishment one feels upon sees its beauty is something I truly treasure now. We took an elevator and climbed tons of stairs to arrive at the top of the tower just as the sunset broke across the horizon. Standing on the balcony of this beautiful tower while gazing down at the beautiful city of Verona, I remembered: this is what my semester is really all about. Despite the challenges I’ve faced on this journey to self-love and self-discovery it continues to be moments like this which bring me back to the reality of my situation. I am in Italy! This fact continues to amaze me daily and I am so continuously grateful for the growth I am experiencing here.
One beautiful dinner and a good night’s sleep later and Elizabeth and I were off to Venice. We were in the train for several hours but finally arrived at the jam-packed island. I was amazed at just how much water surrounded us. Moss-covered steps from the sidewalk disappeared into the sea before my eyes. We hopped onto a vaporetto, one of the many waterbus that allows travelers to easily navigate the massive island, and headed towards the Peggy Guggenheim museum. I must be honest when I say I wasn’t sure what I would find there. Without a doubt though, this modern art museum was by far my favorite attraction in Venice. One of the first things we saw at the Guggenheim was a tree scattered with wishes written by travelers and art lovers who had visited the museum. I was delighted when I recognized the handwriting and signatures of fellow Meredith students who were visiting Venice for the weekend! After making our own wishes and placing them upon the tree, Elizabeth and I explored the museum with awe and wonder. The first painting we saw when we entered the museum proper was a Picasso. I still cannot believe I have seen one of Picasso’s painting with my very eyes. The beauty of each masterpiece we passed brought tears to my eyes as I marveled at mankind’s ability to create such diverse pieces of living art. I could write for days about the art we saw in that museum! The wondrous art in the Guggenheim collection reminded me that each of us is capable of seeing the world from an entirely unique perspective – a perspective no less beautiful than the next simply because it is different.
We explored several other parts of Venice but eventually left the city around six o’clock to catch our train to Bologna. Exhausted, we reached the city known for its food and attempted to find our hotel. The keyword of that sentence being “attempted.” Though we had directions for how to get to the hotel from the train station, these directions served very little as their vague notions directed us in no clear direction. We jumped on bus 27, as directed, but were told only to get off at the third stop. You can imagine, since bus 27 has multiple routes, that the third stop for one bus would not be the third uniform stop for all. We asked for directions and someone kindly informed us that our street was rather close and we need only get off the bus and turn right. Well, we got off the bus but our street was nowhere to be found. We called the hotel and gave us slightly clearer instructions this time: including the bus number, name of the bus stop, and where we could find the hotel after we exited the bus. We caught bust 27 again, only to discover we needed a bus 27 that went the opposite direction! The bus driver let us off the bus and told us where to find the nearest stop that corresponded to our needs. FINALLY, we managed to find bus 27 that left the city and got off at the correct stop. Though we were close, we still could not manage to find our street! “Oh how I just wish we had a map!” I thought. We decided to stop at the Best Western next to the bus stop to, yet again, inquire about the location of our hotel. We were kindly given a map and instructions that led us directly to the hotel in less than three minutes. You can only imagine our relief when we checked into this perfectly lovely hotel, safe and sound at last!
Despite our fatigue, Elizabeth and I left the hotel, yet again, to find some amazing Bolognese food to eat. For fifteen euro we scrounged down a fabulous meal of bread, salad, pizza, tortellini, pork, and wine. Talk about a good deal! We could have gone out to explore the nightlife of the college town but decided to retire to our beds and watch a movie together instead. I feel like that night entirely symbolizes where I’m at in my life right now. I cram so many things into any given day that by the end I am entirely exhausted but entirely satisfied. I’m learning to make my own fun without the company of anyone but friends and finding that fulfilling in and of itself. This brings me a lot of peace.
I am continuing to learn so much about myself on this trip. Each day brings a new piece of wisdom that I store in my heart for a rainy day. Though sprinkles of water still fall here in there, I am so incredibly happy to be out of the season of my life in which a raincoat and umbrella were my best friends. We have officially made it through half of our experience in Tuscany. I cannot believe how fast this time flies. I can only hope that we will each take advantage of every passing day as another opportunity to understand ourselves and this culture. As December quickly approaches and Sansepolcro gets colder, the Palazzo is full of sick Meredith girls. With a mere four of twelve girls well, your hopes and prayers for wellness are greatly appreciated! We have so much to look forward to as this semester speeds along. Here’s hoping we find our own ways of making the best of it!
Entry 3: 10-4-11
When was the last time a view stopped you in your tracks and made you entirely reevaluate life? When was the last time a trip with friends re-centered your soul so much that you looked like a different person? When was the last time you floated in the salty sea where your biggest concern was what to eat for your next marvelous meal? My answer to all of these questions can be summed up in two words: Cinque Terre.
This past weekend I had the privilege of traveling with four fellow students to the beautiful five seaside villages of Cinque Terre. Our arrival, after a series of unexpected train changes, immediately set the group morale high as we wandered in awe of the scenery around us. The Windex-blue water, set off by the rocky beaches, found a home at the bottom of one marvelous cliff after another. Tourists flooded the streets around us as we walked, map in hand, towards Hotel Souvenir where our room awaited. For twenty five euro a night our group stayed in an apartment with two bedrooms, nine beds, a kitchen, balcony, and bathroom! We could hardly believe our luck! Once we settled into our rooms we made our way to the beach, went hiking some, and had a wonderful dinner together at a seaside restaurant.
Saturday arrived with an early morning for the five friends in the five lands of Cinque Terre. We hiked up the narrow cliff-side trails to Vernazza from Monterosso, our home base for the weekend. Each bend of the path took us through a sea of tourists and one panoramic view after another. A lunch in Vernazza restored our energy and our trek continued towards the next villa: Cornelia. As we pushed our bodies and spirits with each step towards our destination, “Team Best Friends for Life, aka Team Biffle” marched onward with constant encouragement for one another. After another hour and a half of hiking we reached the rocky coast of Cornelia. We stopped to have a refreshing local treat at Un Mare di Yogurt, a frozen yogurt shop with an owner whose bubbly personality and desire to help tourist proved very useful to our group. He offered us his specialty - vanilla frozen yogurt with fresh lemon juice, honey, and nuts on top. The combination of flavors in our mouths after hours of hiking in the hot sun was just what the doctor ordered. The nice frozen yogurt gentlemen gave us directions to the sea where we ran into some Americans who were staying in our hotel. Together, we bathed in the sun, enjoyed refreshing dips in the sea, and made merry conversation amongst fellow students. The dehydration started to set in for a few of us as we proceeded to the next path and Landis and I decided to head back to the hotel by train and try to rest. A much needed shower and nap rejuvenated us for a night out on the town in Monterosso with new friends.
We spent the majority of our day on Sunday lounging on the beach and enjoying the last hours of our stay in Cinque Terre. We headed to the hotel to grab our bags only to discover we had all of ten minutes to make the train that commenced our journey home to Sansepolcro. I wish someone could have captured the madness that was five American girls, luggage and all, sprinting through the streets of Monterosso to get to the train station. We made it however, only to discover three hundred fellow passengers attempting to board the same train. “Team Biffle” went into a collective sprint towards the train doors, holding onto each others’ book bags to keep the group together. Panic ensued as half of us leapt onto the train and the doors started closing! I wedged myself against the door as the other girls hoisted our friends onto the train declaring “EVERYBODY ON THE TRAIN! NO BIFFLE LEFT BEHIND!” Luckily, we all made it onto the crowded train and watched as sad travelers remained on the other side of the closing train doors. One tired little boy had his space highly infringed upon as the Meredith girls, dripping in sweat, hefty bookbags in tow, circled around the only remaining seats in the train car. Tired and hot, we looked at each other and burst out laughing at the comical scene that had just unfolded minutes ago.
The remaining trip back to Sansepolcro was as equally stressful and pressed for time as the first leg of our journey. At each station we found ourselves running to catch trains that we easily could have missed had we made any pit-stops. We learned to navigate the train schedules posted at each station, make our way to the binario where we boarded each train, and let go of any embarrassment in asking for help from others. Our arrival in Arezzo was met with joyous shouts as we found three of our fellow students on their return from Rome. Together, tired but happy, we piled into the bus to go home to Sansepolcro.
The weekend in Cinque Terre with “Team Biffle,” regardless of how silly it may sound, changed my life. The sense of accomplishment we felt, both collectively as well as individually, when we reached each stop of our journey left us feeling like we could conquer the world. If we could navigate our way through the cliffs of Cinque Terre, find an inexpensive but perfectly adequate hotel, catch all of our connecting trains in order to maintain a schedule, AND have time to relax: there is nothing we cannot do. Meredith College prides itself in the independence and courage it fosters in its students. I can say, without a doubt, that the Angels carried ourselves with confidence and poise through the most beautiful place we’d ever seen. Pinky promises to come back and never forget our journey remind us that this trip we have begun is far from over. Until we can return to Cinque Terre, the twinkle of the sun on the sea must be reflected in our eyes. The vigor with which we scaled the mountainside will be perpetuated in our pursuit of adventure and fulfillment. And finally, the love we felt for ourselves and our friends can only continue to grow as we get one step closer to becoming the women we are destined to be.
Entry 2: September 26, 2011
Greetings once again from beautiful Sansepolcro! Last weekend our dynamic group of twelve had our first travel experience outside the walls of our small town. As we prepared for our first organized trip to Florence, we each took the time to go through guidebooks in hopes of finding attractions and sights that interested us. As I turned page after page of a plethora of guide books, the options seemed endless! Did I want to go this museo or that? Would I rather eat at the restaurant by the river or by the Duomo? Should we stick to local hotspots to meet Italians or try to meet other international travelers in one club or another? Though slightly overwhelmed, I found myself becoming progressively more excited about all the exploration opportunities awaiting us in Florence. We worked together with our wonderful, albeit unofficial "house mom," Dr. Bailey, to solidify our plans and practical travel details. We planned to travel as a group by bus to Arezzo (an hour away) and catch a train to Florence. Upon our return trip, we each had a train and bus ticket and were individually responsible for getting ourselves back to Sansepolcro.
I packed just enough clothes for the weekend, a few necessary toiletries, my computer, and a few books (travel and school related) into my book bag on Thursday night and anxiously awaited our departure the following morning. Promptly after our Italian class ended Friday morning, we all grabbed a bag lunch made by our lovely chefs and headed to the bus station! Leaving the walls of Sansepolcro, I felt my stomach flip ever slightly at the realization that within a few hours we would be at one of the most frequented tourist locations in the world. The bumpy, curvy bus ride to the mountainous region of Arezzo allowed time for us to eat our marvelous lunch, process the previous week, sleep, and enjoy the scenery. Boarding the train to Florence after arriving in Arezzo was a new experience for me since I'd never traveled by train before! Overall the travel proved to be relatively uneventful and pleasant. Little did we know the return trip would be entirely different! Our arrival in Florence was filled with excitement and the sheer recognition that a vast unknown awaited us outside the train station.
We grabbed our bags and prepared for the hike through the city to find our hotel. As we walked for an hour to our destination, the sights we saw along the way were remarkable. We passed through a massive sea of people in the San Lorenzo Market filled with merchants and shoppers buying everything from leather jackets to hand painted works of art. Though I was excited to return and make a few purchases, at the time my only thought was releasing the heavy load off my back and getting some shade out of the hot weather of Florence. Within moments my stress was far from my mind as we rounded a corner and, without warning, the largest, most ornate, breathtakingly astounding church I have seen dazzled the sky before me. I literally stopped in my tracks and felt my breath catch in my chest as I stood in awe of all the intricate details of the famous Duomo. We returned many a time to visit and enjoy the views of this beautiful artistic structure during the weekend. Marching onward, cameras in hand, we arrived at our hotel and had a quick orientation and itinerary review. Following such, we ventured out on our own to explore the city!
Several groups of three or four students headed out, maps in hand, to experience Florence. I headed to the San Lorenzo Market to make my first material purchases in Italy! While I had spent money on food, I had not shopped for myself or anyone else before I went to Florence. I was lucky enough to find great purchases such as an Italian-made leather jacket, satchel, and inexpensive scarves! I was quite surprised to discover how prevalent bartering and competition is among vendors. After a friend of mine purchased a jacket from a store from which I'd made no purchases myself, the staff offered me a free shopping bag to carry my things in for publicity's sake! Vendors stole costumers away from their neighbors by verbally countering the competitions' prices as we walked past. We found more and more of our group in the market and some of us got dinner together. We learned that night that, in contrast to Sansepolcro, some of the staff in restaurants in Florence puts a significantly lower emphasis on politeness and customer service. After defending our group, in Italian I might add, from the insults of the rude waitress, we headed back to the hotel to have a girls' night in hopes of resting up for the following day of touring and visiting.
The morning started off with an interesting twist for my room as our alarm clock, (originally set for an hour and a half before we were supposed to leave for the museum), failed to go off! We awoke to our friends busting into the room to find us still in bed sound asleep. Nevertheless, I refused to let the unexpected obstacle ruin my morning. We threw on clothes, grabbed wallets, and moved briskly to find the rest of our group at the beautiful Pitti Palace. This massive previous residence of the Medici family and several other influential governing families in Italy, contained room after room of priceless pieces of art that pulled your eyes in countless directions. The walls and ceilings were decorated with paintings so deceptive to the eye that the surface appeared to have been carved rather than painted. I was particularly interested in seeing art done by some of the famous painters we have studied recently such as Fra Lippo Lippi, Vasari, Andrea del Sarto, Alberti, and more. I greatly enjoyed the Pitti Palace and look forward to returning to Florence to explore its rooms further as well as visit the massive Bomboli Gardens behind the museum itself.
We traveled through Firenze on our own after leaving the museum. My favorite place we visited was definitely the Piazza Michelangelo. A group of us hiked an hour from our hotel to find this park that overlooks the city. The huffing and puffing was worth every instant. Florence sprawled below me in every direction —mountains, gardens, rivers, and homes perched on the hillsides seemed to wait for my eye to linger on their uniqueness, if only for only a moment. The time to sit in peace and reflect on the weekend as I enjoyed the panoramic view was incredibly valuable to me. As the sun set into the horizon and colors filled the sky, I was immensely grateful for the opportunity Meredith and my parents have provided for me. What better place to study, learn, and grow into the woman I wish to be than in Italy? Here I get to let go of who I think I am in hopes of finding who I might be. No one said this trip would be easy, they just said it would change my life. In the three weeks we have been here, I can definitely say that has been true. Watching the lights of Firenze flicker below me, I came to see that, even if I returned to Raleigh tomorrow, I would not be the same student that left. With a new found appreciation for growth, I returned to the hotel (on a bus well worth the two euro to avoid the hour hike!) and prepared for a night out on the town.
The twenty first birthday of our classmate and friend Allison fell on Sunday so we celebrated Saturday night at the Fish Pub, where we met people from Chicago, New York, England, South Africa, and of course, Italy. We fist-pumped our way through the night and celebrated with new friends before the guys from Chicago made the trek back to the hotel to make sure we arrived safely. We slept soundly that night and woke up eager to make it back to Sansepolcro.
Returning to Sansepolcro was quite difficult as, nationwide, railway workers decided to strike. Three of our trains were canceled and our pack of young women was, I'm sure, quite a sight to see as we ran through the station to hop a train that just HAPPENED to go through Arezzo. When we got to Arezzo, we missed the bus home by two solitary minutes. But yet, our four and a half hour wait for the last bus to Sansepolcro was much more pleasant than I anticipated! We ate, studied, and even had an impromptu jam session at the bus stop that undoubtedly left many Italians wondering what awkward traveling chorus happened to end up in their Tuscan town.
We finally made it back to lovely Sansepolcro around ten o'clock on Sunday night. Walking through the city walls to see familiar places and faces was such a dramatic contrast and immense relief after the weekend in Florence. The group consensus was clear: we were finally home. We all crashed early that night in our comfy beds, in our own rooms, as a “family” that just three weeks ago had been strangers. The trials of the weekend taught me lessons, the positives brought me joy, the company always guaranteed a warm shoulder or a laugh, and I look forward in hope to our next adventure through Italy. How blessed we are indeed!
Entry 1: September 19, 2011
Back to the Middle Ages! Next Stop -- Reality
What an incredible first few weeks I have had in Sansepolcro! This weekend we had the first part of the Balestra Renaissance Festival. The eleven other Meredith girls and I dressed up in our rented dresses and accessories to parade around town in our Renaissance outfits and enjoy the transformation our tiny town quickly made. Half of the Meredith girls dressed as Vestal Virgins – cloaked in flowy white gowns with a crown of flowers resting upon each of our heads. The other half were gowned in elegant and intricate dresses made of velvet , pearls, headdresses and lace. Though their dresses were much hotter than ours, they each had exceptionally unique qualities that added a contrasting pop of color to the white and pastel dresses of the “flower children.”
As we walked through the streets my eyes widened at the remarkable sight unfolding before me. All of Sansepolcro was full of people dressed in the styles of the Renaissance! This seems especially fittings now as we have been studying the art and architecture of the buildings around us to discover that many of them were built in as early as the tenth or eleven century. I am astounded to know that we walk now where people have walked for thousands of years! All around town there were merchants creating and selling tradition items: pottery, paper, leather, jewelry, masks, clothing, candles, spices, everything! We were unable to purchase much since we processed with our proud Meredith Renaissance banner yet the merchants were still interesting to observe as we slowly passed each booth. Though a lot of the girls were wearing comfortable heels and had many blisters as a result, everyone really enjoy the experience! Crowds of people gathered around the main Piazza di Berti as we, amongst many other beautifully clad patrons, slowly processed and took our seats around the inner square of the park. We saw classic jokers who performed tricks, gypsies, people on stilts, merchants, the band of Sansepolcro, Renaissance dancing, and much more! The spectacles performed reminded me of the entertainment noblemen of the Renaissance era would have hired to amuse them at the time and I can understand why! They were wonderful!
After stepping through the time portal that is the Balestra in Sansepolcro, life has indeed returned to "normal." (Though I must say life in Tuscany feels far from what we usually consider normal!) Classes have begun full force and the homework load is piling on fast. The realization for many of us that we are here and not going home is finally starting to set in. With the hustle and bustle of classes and festivals and exploration of this beautiful town, I am struggling to make time to enjoy the present moment. I could plan all day the long list of things I would like to do yet I am learning that sooner or later one must stop planning and simply start doing! I must recognize that the next moment has yet to come and NOW is the only time I've got to live. This isn't a new struggle but one that I find particularly difficult since there is so much I wish to appreciate in these precious Tuscan moments.
I pray that with each passing day I can become more and more attentive to growth, learning, and exploration as we delve head first into the beautiful culture that surrounds us. Academically speaking, these are the times I wish I'd paid more attention in school! As professors rattle off the names of famous people "they're sure we know," I struggle to retrieve memories of lectures I know I heard but didn't retain. Luckily though, lessons here are quite different. As I study about the history of this place I take pleasure in knowing I'm not learning just for the sake of a passing grade. There is something spectacular about learning about the characteristics of Gothic or Romanesque architecture then walking outside the Palazo to see those very traits all around me! I am beginning to identify characteristics of the architecture that remind me of how “molto antico” this quaint town truly is. Be it a Roman arch here, rosettes there, or a family crest, there is history every way I look. I am continuously growing and learning about the culture and myself and I am so very happy to be here! My Italian gets better by the day and though I have to remember to be patient as I learn, I am eager to have more conversations with my growing number of Italian friends. I am very hopeful about this semester's course work and all of the beautiful surprises I'm sure Sansepolcro has in store for us!
