russica.

My friend and roommate Jacqueline made it her personal goal to collect aprons from each place she traveled to while she is abroad. In Siena, we would pass the cutest embroidery shop on the way to the piazza el campo almost every day. Finally we made a mission to go in and look at what the store had to offer. It was a small little shop very orderly and inviting; they had everything from towels and aprons to bibs and slippers. The aprons were quite adorable in their housewife/county kitchen style. I figured I would purchase an apron as motivation to learn how to cook, and even though I do not cook often I would like to make a valiant effort to pick up some skills while I am here. What better place to learn how to make good food rather than Italy?

The comessa (shop keeper) of this little embroidery shop was extremely talented! I got my name and an Italian phrase written on my apron. It was a little difficult to tell her exactly what I wanted on my apron, but with the amount of Italian I spoke and the amount of English she spoke I was able to get the message across. She was very patient with my only 2 week knowledge of the language. We got to talking with her and we told her we were students studying Italian in Siena for two weeks, she seemed very interested in this fact we shared with her. In our efforts to make conversation with this woman she asked if we would teach her English in exchange for help with our Italian. We gladly agreed!! This was such a positive cultural experience for me. I think I was more excited to help her with English than I was to learn more Italian. It was exciting to see her interest to speak English. We have been back a few days in a row since we purchased the aprons to visit with her and exchange language practice. It was such a wonderful and exciting occurrence I was able to be a part of. This apron will have many encouragements, memories, and hopefully some food stains as evidence of my attempt to cook!

Cicolatto caldo.

On the very frosty day we signed up to visit one of Siena’s neighboring towns, San Gimigano I was introduced to Italian hot chocolate.  To say the least, it was love at first sip. Their definition of hot chocolate is literally hot, melted, chocolate, in a cup! I was not expecting this pleasant surprise but I was willing to consume anything above the bone chilling temperatures of the outside air. I continued to chug this delectable drink so I could try and thaw out. It was so rich and so thick that it gave me a little bit of a stomach ache. It was still worth it though!

the to do.

Once I get to Florence I plan to accomplish each of these tasks. Some are random; some are typical tourist activities and some are just for me. I will try to post pictures of each of the things on my list. Wish me luck. If you have of any other fun/exciting recommendations please let me know!!

The official list of to do’s:

·         Experience the view from the Piazzale Michelangelo

·         Hike through the villages of Cinque Terre

·         Take more cooking classes

·         Capture a beautiful sunset

·         Read in the Giardino di Boboli (Boboli Gardens)

·         Visit the Palazzo Pitti

·         Buy something totally random from the market

·         Befriend a local Italian

·         Dance in the streets of Florence

·         Try Tuscan steak
Canoe in the Arno
 Find a secret bakery
·         See Michelangelo’s David of course!!

·         Attend a church service in the Duomo

·         See Iron & Wine in concert in Bologna

·         Make a home cooked Italian meal

·         Buy an old book in Italian

·         Find an authentic Rosary (for Susan)

·         Spring Break in Greece anyone?

·         And the list shall continue…

Buon Appetite!!

Rolling Pici

The wise words of Jacqueline Cassard; “Tonight I became a woman.” I was able to experience an authentic Italian cooking class. Our instructor Lella, did not speak an ounce of English which was interesting and confusing at times. She owns her own culinary school called, Scuola di Cucina Cookery School. Lucky for us she had a translator to help us understand her expert tips and tricks for Italian cooking. On the menu for the evening was pici a all’glione, gnocci and tiramisu. We made the pasta and sauces from scratch. The 4 hour class quickly taught me how much goes into preparing a truly authentic home cooked meal. By the end of the class I was almost too tired to eat….haha yeah right! Once I smelled the succulent aroma from the garlic, basil, and oil the anticipation was killing me! Each dish was better than the first, and I am not usually a fan of tiramisu but I have to say this one passed the taste test with flying colors. I walked away with not only an overly stuffed stomach but a mind full of knowledge about kneading dough, rolling pici, and the skillful technique it takes to master the art of pasta!

Gnocci

Pasta per Tutti!!

Pasta for everyone. or maybe just for me. and maybe Jacqueline ;) every night! Have I really consumed pasta every night? and the answer is…YES and I love it! Maybe there was pizza thrown in there a few nights, who knows?  Molto Benisimo! I have had so many different dishes that have all been exquisite.

The Italian Culture eats very different from the American Culture. The usually have an Antipasti like an appetizer such as Bruschetta (my favorite) or salami or a salad. The salad is usually just green lettuce with oil and vinegar. Then there is the first course, which is usually a pasta dish, such as the ones below that have made up my diet. The second course is next, which is usually meat or fish. A side dish is also included which can be potatoes or vegetables. And we cannot forget…dessert! Common desserts are gelato or tiramisu. All the dishes are served by themselves. For instance; if you were to get a hamburger and french fries the hamburger would be served on a separate plate than the French fries. You get the idea.

The following are pastas which I have consumed:

-Farfalle (bowtie)

-Pici (fat spaghetti)

-Spaghetti

-Ravioli (my favorite so far)

-Pene

-Penette (mini pene)

-Tagliatelle (similar to fettucini)

-Gnocci (dumplings)

-and I am sure there will be more to come…

Obviously my favorite dish so far!!

Gesu Christo.

I attended catholic mass at il Duomo. It was a remarkable experience-one I am glad I was able to partake in. I went with about five other girls from the program. We went to the 6:00pm service. Considering the twenty degree temperatures and the marble composition of the church it was a little chilly to say the least. We were all bundled in our jackets, mittens and scarves awaiting for what would come next. My favorite part about the service was when the priest sang in Italian. The Italian language is so beautiful in general that, when sung it was even more magnificent. I could understand bits and pieces of the sermon and the readings but as a whole I am not sure I could tell you what the main subject of the teaching was. I understood the Lord’s Prayer and that, I was excited about. It can be the littlest thing that can create leaps of progression into becoming more accustomed to the culture; from ordering your lunch at the local café to understanding the Lord’s Prayer at mass-it is a wonderful feeling. This sensation is difficult to explain, but the feeling of accomplishment is greatly worth the effort. The bulletin definitely helped tremendously as at least I could follow along and quickly attempt to pronounce the sections we read as a congregation (TUTTI). Communion was offered but I did not receive it because in the Catholic Church you are not supposed to if you are not Catholic. We were under the impression that it was expected to dress very formal out of respect for the church.  It was much more casual than I had anticipated it to be, aside from the occasional floor length mink coat the classic elder Italian woman sported. Most people were dressed in everyday Siena attire which is quite fashionable to begin with. It is not particularly accepted to go to the store in sweats and ugg boots. It was a great feeling to be so far from home, in a foreign country, and know that God is everywhere. Even though we know he sees all, it was a good reminder for me that He still watches over me every single day, even though I am not in my normal routine.

from cheers to ciao!

 Our trip to Siena started off with a 5:15am wakeup call, breakfast in a box, and a cold dreary London morning! We waited for an hour on the bus in front of the hotel for everyone to be accounted for. The trip from our hotel to London Heathrow airport took about 30 minutes. 165 college students + checking in for one flight with about 2.3 bags each= about another 55minutes. When I came up to check my bag and pay for the additional baggage my card was not accepted so I was instructed to go to another gate and pay manually. So I used an assortment of leftover pounds and American dollars to pay for my bag. Once I got done with that ordeal I had to wait in line to get through security which took about 20 minutes. Meanwhile the clock is ticking closer and closer to 9am and boarding for our flight closed at 9:30 and I had no idea where my gate was. Luckily I ran into some other girls who also had issues with their bags so we got through security together, luckily. We swiftly paced though the London airport, which is more like a huge mall with department stores in it that conveniently picks up people in airplanes to take them to different countries. We had to go down a level to look for our gate for our flight to Pisa and the gate wasn’t even posted. So we could relax for a moment-or maybe longer. 20 minutes later our gate was posted. Once we got to the gate we waited an hour before we boarded our flight then once we got on our flight we waited an hour in the jet way. Our flight took 2 hours. Once we landed in Pisa we came to find many of the bags on our flight were left in London. Mine thankfully was not! We had to wait for the 20 plus people to file claims for their lost luggage, split into groups alphabetically by last name, load the buses and make sure no one was left behind. This process took 2 ½ hours!!! It was such torture being in Italy and being stuck at the airport. Once we finally got on the road the trip to Siena from Pisa was 2 hours! Since I slept during the whole flight I tried my best to stay awake so I could sleep that night. The drive to Siena was so beautiful it was like something out of a movie. With grassy fields, pastel houses, and the bare trees of winter I felt so incredibly lucky to be in such a beautiful place. We arrived it our hotel, Hotel Athena we quickly put our bags in our rooms and headed off to dinner that the program had organized for us! It was a traditional Italian 5 course meal with meal, lasagna, turkey and potatoes, and dessert. Not to mention the three different types of wines we got to try. The dinner was so fancy and molto bene! (very good). I was exhausted and got myself into my twin bed with one pillow, one sheet, one blanket and one amazing book; Streams in the Desert.

I am reading it every day while I am in Italy! So far- beneisimo! 

phoenix.dallas.london.

The first 48 hours in Europe was a whirlwind adventure. Getting in to London at 7:30am I was met by an AIFS representative who took me to the hotel where we were staying. I was a quite a bit more jet lagged than I had realized at the time. There was no turning back now I was in LONDON!!!(not that I was thinking of turning back-I was just thinking how I would miss everyone from home and school) At the hotel, our rooms were not ready yet so there was not an option of squeezing in a shower or a much needed power nap. We were forced/encouraged to see the sights! I was the only one on my connecting flight from Dallas so I decided to be bold and invite myself to join some fellow students. I met two girls from Arkansas and two who went to school in Alabama. They were all very welcoming and polite. I was so excited to start this awesome voyage I had right at my fingertips, but at the same time all I could think of was how sleep deprived I was. Despite the lack of sleep we all had we were determined to experience the life of the Londoners.

 The escapades began when we bought a day pass for the tube which was 6.60 pounds. I was better at navigating my way around London than I thought I would be and the tube became a large convenience to my daily travels. We headed to see the Westminster abbey, the clock tower, the Queen’s Calvary, and I am sure we walked past more than we realized. It was hard to be a real person and interact with the sleep pulling at my brain. We ate at a small little restaurant called Garfunkel’s and then decided it would be a good idea to head back to the hotel to see if our rooms had been prepared. Luckily they were and I had time to take a quick nap before the welcome cocktails that we had planned for 6:30 that evening. I met even more people from all over the US! It seems the majority are from the East Coast and the Midwest. After the welcome I got my taste of a true English Pub! I had to immerse myself into the culture as much as I could for the two short days I would be in London. The atmosphere of the pub was so relaxed and fun. Some friends and I split the traditional meat pies and fish and chips. I was not the biggest fan of the meat pies, especially the chicken liver flavor, but the experience was imperative. 

After the Pub we took the tube to Picidily Circus. This was somewhat equivalent to a smaller version of Times Square. We walked around and got a taste of the London nightlife! There is so much diversity in London it was interesting who we ran into along the way. Our second day in London, we took a sightseeing tour of the city. We got to see Buckingham Palace, and The City of London which is the oldest part of London. (it is more southern London) One of my favorite activities in London was seeing they play Chicago. The music was amazing and the roles were casted wonderfully, especially Velma Kelly, Billy, and Amos! The night ended with a BANG! But after the excitement we were off to bed for our 5:45 departure of the hotel to the airport. Just when it seemed we were not total strangers to London, ready set, you are off to Italy!!!! 

Sitting on the floor of my room I look around at the chaos I have managed to create consisting of books, clothes, converters, maps, luggage tags, shoes (probably too many), neck pillows, stationary, scarves, lists, half packed suitcases, handbooks, journals, my bible, passport, and visa (which are probably the three most important items I will be packing).

 I am not sure yet if the state of denial in which i have so comfortably positioned myself in is a good or bad thing. The reality of seeing myself going to school in a different country that speaks a different language with not one person I know for an entire semester has just not settled in yet. I imagine it may hit me when I get to the airport and when it does I will be running full speed ahead right into a brick wall! Maybe it will just be like when Harry Potter and Ron are about to go to Hogwarts for the first time. I will be running for the brick wall and just before I hit it running as fast as my feet will take me, I will be landing in Pisa for my 2 week long orientation. Its not that I am not exited about going because I most definitely am, the whole concept just seems surreal to me at this point. Considering I will be on a plane to London three days from this exact moment I am sure reality will kick in soon enough.

I have enjoyed so much being home in Prescott and spending time with family and friends and just relaxing. Soaking up all the joy of Christmas and birthdays I could not have asked for a more special holiday season. I wanted to focus on my time here and not worry about where I would be or what I would be doing three weeks into the future. I have thought a lot about what school in Florence will be like or the people I will meet and the anxieties I will have. Doing this does not help very much at all. I should not project about the future as I only have a faint idea as to what the future has in store for me and I am trying hard to be okay with that. This is a challenge that I have been trying very hard to overcome. I do not like feeling unprepared for anything and i am trying to come to terms with the fact that I will most likely never feel prepared for this trip. I have been putting my worries and anxieties in God's hands, as he has called us to do.
I have feelings of wonder, excitement, nervousness, fear, anxiety, anticipation, and joy all mixed into one! I am trying to take it day by day and one step at a time :)