Ciao everybody!
Since the last time I had the opportunity to update my blog, so many things have been going on. This past Thursday(the 24th), I had a Wine Tasting Dinner Class in one of Florence's upscale restaurants called "Dino." It was really nice because all of the Wine Tasting and Food's classes at my school were invited for a very elegant 5 course meal paired with some of the most delicious wines of Italy. The dinner was comprised of very popular Italian dishes such as an assortment of meats and cheeses, bruschetta, risotto, pasta (rigatoni), some type of eggplant casserole (I think that's what you call it), tiramisu, etc...and the wine kept coming and coming! Haha. Overall, it was one of the best Italian meals I have ever had, the people I sat with were great, and everyone left happy, full, and a little tipsy (well, maybe more then just a little)!!!
On Friday (the 25th), my friends and I and also maybe half of our entire school went on a free, school sponsored Wine Tasting Trip to a vineyard in the Chianti region of Tuscany. Here, we were taken on a tour of the 350 year old vineyard where they make some of the best wine and olive oil I have ever had in my life! The grapevines, the olive trees, the smell of fermenting grapes in 300 year old barrels, the history, the romantic views of the villas and Italian countryside...the only way to put it in words is simply "AMAZING!" After the tour, we were taken inside the old, classical villa and had the opportunity to sample an assortment of the vineyards finest red, white, and dessert wines and also their fantastic extra virgin olive oil. Life was good! I enjoyed the wine so much that I purchased 4 bottles of different kinds of wines to take back home, where I plan on sharing some with family and friends and using the rest for starting my own wine collection. At the table, I also promised everyone that I would save a bottle of the best wine, which can age for up to 15 years, and that at some point down the road in our lives we would all reunite and share a glass together again...this is my wish!
The following day, on Saturday, I was planning on going to Venice with a couple of friends however I wasn't able to go because I came down with a bad cold, fever, and sore throat. In the morning, when they left, I woke up and had completely lost my voice so I figured that the best thing to do was to stay in bed, get plenty of rest, and to wake up and spend a relaxing day in Florence. After getting plenty of sleep, I woke up at 10 AM, got dressed, and went out to spend a wonderful day in Florence. Accompanied by my roommates Charlie and Garrett, we walked through the market where we got Fiorentina soccer jerseys and scarfs to wear to the games, then we headed over to the Duomo and found out that they were having a huge parade to mark off the beginning of this years' wine harvest. There were trumpeteers, people dressed in historical/classical Italian garments and clothing, soldiers, flag dancers/throwers, and even a wagon that rolled by selling original Chianti wine (of course I had to buy a small bottle of it to take back home and share with family and friends). For two hours, we followed the parade through the streets of Florence and watched the grand finally...totally packed but an awesome experience! Afterwards, Charlie and I decided to head over to the Uffizi Gallery to look at some works done by the famous Boticelli, Michaelangelo, Raffaello, and Leonardo Da Vinci. The Uffizi Gallery is so big and has so much amazing art to see, it wasn't possible for us to see even a fraction of what it has to offer so we decided just to go and see the ones we've been really looking forward to and plan on going many more times throughout the semester, especially after all of the tourists are gone. I would just like to say though, that never in my life have I have seen such amazing and exquisite art. The feelings I got when I saw the works of Boticelli and Leonardo Da Vinci are something that will live with me forever! My two favorite pieces of art were "The Birth of Venus" and "Spring" by Boticelli. I don't really consider myself to be "big" when it comes to art but when I saw these two painting, they meant something different to me...something meaningful and beautiful that I cant really describe. Looking out the window, I noticed the sun going down and so Charlie and I quickly made our way out of the Uffizi Gallery and quickly made our way over to Piazza Michaelangelo...my first time! Of all the places I have been in my life, I truly think that Piazza Michaelangelo is one of my favorite places on Earth! The piazza is located across the Arno River on a hilltop overlooking all of Florence and has the most amazing views of the city and the mountains in the background. Here, Charlie and I stood, talked about life, and watched as the sun painted a beautiful picture in the sky and slowly began to set...my god, what sight!!! It was during this time that I thought a lot about some of the most important things in my life and decided that this was my new place where I would come to think and let go...I truly look forward to the next time I have a chance to go back which will be soon...very soon!!!
On Sunday, a bunch of friends and I went on a day trip to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre, also known as "The Five Villages," are some of the most romantic, beautiful, picturesque, and authentic fisherman's villages located on the Italian coast. The five villages forming the so-called Cinque Terre are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. For the trip, we all signed up with a local travel agency called FlorenceForFun and "boy, did we have fun!!!" Haha. Leaving at 8:30 AM, we traveled by train and after a quick stop in Piza, arrived in Cinque Terre just before noon. Here, we were given some time to have lunch on our own, receive our Hiking Daily Pass, and then begin our hike through each village. The hike, was and will always be something that I will never forget! The hike through the first three villages was pretty easy, and the scenery was simply amazing. However, if you chose to go ahead and do the hike through the last two villages - something I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND to anyone going to Cinque Terre - the difficulty is much more difficult and a lot more tiring but the views...Stunning! Simply something that is too hard to put in writing!!! In Monterosso, the last of the five villages, we were given the rest of the day to enjoy the sights, the beautiful weather, and to swim. Here, we all relaxed on the beach and then my roommate, Charlie, and I took the time to scope out some good spots where we convinced the rest of our friends to come and go CLIFF JUMPING!!! The spot we found to jump from was located near a bunch of rocks and cliffs that surrounded a calm, tranquil pool of deep, aqua-colored water. Scared, but excited at the same time, Charlie and I were the first one's to jump (20 feet). What a rush!!! Soon, all of our friends climbed up on the rocks and got the courage to jump...it was awesome! Of everyone who jumped, I was most proud of our friend Hallie. Scared of heights, we took the time to convince her to face her fears and that we wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. We were there for her. After standing 20 minutes up on the rock, she finally jumped! It's amazing how during these four months that we are traveling, living/studying abroad, we take a chance to have new experiences and do things that we never thought we'd do...to have the courage to face the challenges in our lives. Personally, I thought it was sooo awesome that she decided to take a breath, build up the courage, and finally jump. In life, I feel that we all must "jump" at some point! Halfway through all our jumping, a large crowd started to build on the ferry dock and people began to watch, take pictures, and cheer for us...so cool! Before we left, Charlie and I decided to go even higher and jumped a few times from 30 feet up...so high, but so much fun!!! I never would have thought I would ever get to do anything like that...what an experience! Finally, as the day began to come to an end, we all had some time to get dinner and watch the sunset. It was at this time that I decided to leave the group and go on my own. I got some crab claws and calamari for dinner (sooo good!) and afterwards went on the beach, sat all by myself, and listened to the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks and watched and waited as the sun began to set over the horizon...it was BEAUTIFUL! After the sun finally set, I left the beach, met up with the group, and we all hopped back on the train and headed back to Florence to end our beautiful and one of my most memorable days in the sun.
"As I sit here and and reflect on my life,
my heart grows fonder because I know that the next set of waves will come in.
My life, my love, my journey...it will never end.
As I sit here and watch the the last ray of light disappear over the water,
I know tomorrow will be another day, and the sun will rise again."
- Paul Nowacki -
Things to come:
- Fiorentina Soccer Game: Champions League Cup (9/30/08)
- Trip to Switzerland and Lake Como this weekend!
Pictures:
My camera charger and uploader have finally been released from Customs and have arrived! I have been uploading all of the pictures of my trips and experiences on Facebook so go and check them out. If you don't have Facebook, you can set up a free account at www.facebook.com, friend request me, and soon be able to see all of my pics.
(To be continued...)
Take care!
Ciao,
Paul
Monday, September 29, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri! 9/17/08 - 9/23/08
Hey everyone!!! So this past weekend, I went on a trip to Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri. The sights I saw were absolutely breathtaking! The trip began on a chilly Saturday morning when we departed for Pompeii by bus at 5:30 AM. The bus ride took five hours to get to Pompeii from Florence. As we drove further and further into the southern part of Italy, you could begin to see the changes in the terrain and a variety of beautiful landscapes. The city of Pompeii, located in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvio (the volcano which dominates the bay of Naples) is the considered to be one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. It is here where it is possible to appreciate and get in touch with the common life of the ancient Romans. Arriving in Pompeii, we were given some time to eat lunch (pizza made with the freshest mozzarella you can find anywhere in the world) and then we began our visit of the beautiful archaeological site with a professional guide. The tour lasted about 3 hours and was quite an experience. Closing my eyes, I tried to think back in time and imagine what it was like to be a Pompeiin, living during this time, and having experienced the tragedy that wiped out an entire city from existence. In the end, this site showed us how a Roman city in the first century BC was organized and how life existed during this period just before the eruption of Vesuvio's in 79 A.D. Never would I have thought that the city of Pompeii was so large, so advanced, and so beautiful. Walking around, it was difficult to imagine that such an amazing place and its people were lost within a matter of hours. We saw so much in such a little amount of time. Pompeii is the type of place you could explore for days and days and not even see a fraction of what it has to offer...there are just so many amazing things to see. There were statues, columns, bathhouses, brothels, art work you would never expect to find, and a style of architecture that baffled the mind. Even wild dogs ran around the city, one of which really took a liking to our group and for some reason decided to tag along and follow us throughout a good portion of our tour. The one thing that really amazed me but at the same time made me feel very numb was seeing the lost Pompeiin's that were trapped in lava. It was truly amazing to see but at the same time a feeling of loss and sadness came over me...a feeling that will always be difficult to describe but is my own and I will remember forever. At 2 PM, our tour of Pompeii finally came to an end. Before we departed, we were given an hour of free time to explore and get something to eat/drink. It was at this time that a few friends and I decided to get some slushies made from fresh oranges and a guy working the stand kept saying in a heavy Italian accent, "Come...come...we have BEST sendwiches in de WORRRLD!!! I give you stuuuudent priccce!" HAHA. This ended up being our new inside joke for the remainder of our weekend trip. Anything we would do or buy, it would be "De BESSST in de WORRRLD!!!" HAHA...WOW! At 3 PM, our time in Pompeii came to an end and we departed for Sorrento.
Located in the middle of the Sorrentina Peninsula, Sorrento is the best place to take a stunning look of the Bay of Naples, with views of Capri, the Ischia Islands, and the city of Naples with Mt. Vesuvio in the background. As the bus drove along the cliffs of the peninsula into Sorrento, all you could do was look with big, open eyes in absolute awe of the Mediterranean coast. It was here where movies such as Under the Tuscan Sun and the famous "Limoncello"(a kind of liquor made with lemons) were made. Arriving in our four-star hotel (bling bling, haha) for the night, we had a few hours of free time before our group dinner. As we walked along the streets of Sorrento, you could smell the fresh lemons growing from the trees on the sidewalks and the salty aroma coming from the sea. The streets were filled with people from all over with world and variety of shops and stores could be found for miles and miles. Absolutely stunning! Finally, at 8 PM, everyone met back at the hotel for dinner where we had the opportunity to taste a variety of special dishes from the Sorrentina Peninsula. The dinner consisted of a five course meal and was absolutely delicious...couldn't be happier! After dinner, we walked over and visited a local factory where we had the opportunity to taste the best "limoncello" in the world...quite an experience. Afterward, even though most of us were tired from our long day of traveling and walking around Pompeii, our group still decided to go out and have a few drinks at a local bar/club and sing some karaoke. Finally, we retired for the night feeling happy, excited, and looking forward to the last day of our amazing trip...the island of Capri!!!
Waking up at 7 AM, we ate a continental breakfast at our hotel and then departed to Capri from Sorrento by ferryboat. All together, it took about 35 minutes to get to the island, but once we arrived it felt as though time stood still! Positioned just a few miles away from Naples, the island of Capri is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world because of it's blue sea, the sunny sky, and the incredible vegetation. A long time ago, Capri was the place the Roman Emperors Tiberius and Augustus preferred to live and from that moment on, it has been considered one of the most exclusive places in the world. After arriving in Capri, we got off our ferry and took a boat trip to view the island and its beautiful caves by the sea. Unfortunately, we weren't able to enter the famous "Blue Cave" because the sea conditions were considered to be too rough (Bull Sh*T!!!) but in the end we still had a great time and got to see a vast amount of incredible sights, including huge yachts owned by the mega rich and some of the most exclusive hotels and resorts in the world. After the boat trip, the remainder of the day was given to us as free time to explore the island. We visited luscious gardens, climbed to one of the islands highest peaks to take pictures and see the view of the island, explored the miniature towns filled with the ritziest and most expensive shops and stores (Prada, Gucci, etc.), ate a delicious lunch and gelato made of the freshest ingredients I have probably ever tasted, and ended the day with a cable car ride down to the main port where we went to the beach and swam in some of the most beautiful, crystal clear water that I have ever seen in my entire life! Finally, at the end of the day, we all met up at the ferryboat and took an hour long boat ride to Naples where we got back on our bus, departed back to Florence, and our amazing weekend trip finally came to an end!!!
Other things that I have been doing:
- Gelato: Tried a place called "Grom" next to the Duomo. Some of the BEST ice cream/gelato I have ever had my life. Everything is all natural, made from the freshest ingredients everyday, and the flavors are seasonal (change every month depending on fruit harvests, etc.)
- Classes: Working hard on learning Italian and practicing by speaking with the locals. My drawing class is hard but I spent 6 hours working on my first project which was recreating the famous "Birth of Venus"...came out pretty good...I was very proud! Visited two churches in Florence with my Art History class: Basilica Di Santa Maria Novella and Basilica di San Lorenzo...both are absolutely breathtaking! Social Psychology is very interesting and I am currently working on my Cultural Interview Report. Wine Tasting: keeps getting better and better! Tried 5 new kinds of wine from different parts of Italy and we are having a dinner class this Thursday night to learn how to pair the perfect wine with the perfect meal...cant wait!
- Friends: Everyday I meet someone new and make new friends...its absolutely wonderful! I met a 28 year old local here in Florence who owns his own businesses (3 leather product stores) and has really taken a liking to me. He is very friendly and helpful, has introduced me to a lot of his friends (bartenders, club owners/managers, business owners), and a few days ago he even called me when I was in the middle of class when I couldn't pick up, which totally sucks because he was waiting outside my apartment in a yellow Lamborghini and wanted to take me for a ride and out to some bars/clubs... I totally missed out but he said he'd give me a call the next time he'll be driving around in a Ferrari so that'll be siiiiiick!!! Cant wait! I've also been making friends with a lot of the local shopkeepers. Everyone here is just so warm and friendly...I love it!
- Bars/Clubs: The Red Garter - lots of Americans! They have a beer pong tournament every Tuesday where you can win free trips to Europe...pretty cool! Twice and 21 - Good mix of locals and Americans...great dance floors! Looking forward to a new bar opening up called "Mericana"...Little Scrappy (American rap) will be performing there in the next few weeks.
Chingy (another American rap/hip hop artist) performed at club "Space" last week. Too many bars/clubs/discotechas to list but they're all really fun. Some nights we prefer to just go out for a drink in one of the local pubs (Dublin Pub) or just sit on the steps of the Duomo or in a local piazza drinking wine and just talking all night. Most popular nights to go out still seem to be Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or any other night if there is something fun going on.
- Food/Wine: I'm in Italy, it's all AMAZING!!! I still haven't ate one thing that I haven't liked! I'll post all the good spots and things I taste whenever I can.
- * A lot of people have been asking me to post pictures of my experiences. I definitely will however I forgot to bring my digital camera charger and uploader to Italy with me and even though I had it shipped to me right away, I still haven't received it because it got held up in Customs and has been a nightmare to deal with. Hopefully I should have it all taken care of within the next few weeks and I'll be able to post all my pictures as soon as I can. Until then, keep reading and I'll keep you posted!
Things to Come:
- Wine Tasting Trip to the Chianti region in Tuscany this Friday.
- Planning on going to Venice on Saturday and Cinque Terre on Sunday.
- Trip to Switzerland and Lake Como the following weekend (Oct. 3-5th)
"As the sun rises over he horizon and you feel the warmth shine upon your face, close your eyes, take a breath, and live that day as if it were your last.
At the end of the day, when the sun paints a beautiful portrait in the sky, just watch and wait for the moon and the stars and you will know that, for everyone there's someone and despite what you may think, there's someone out there waiting for you and that you are not alone." -Paul Nowacki -
(To be continued...)
Miss you all!
Ciao,
Paul
Located in the middle of the Sorrentina Peninsula, Sorrento is the best place to take a stunning look of the Bay of Naples, with views of Capri, the Ischia Islands, and the city of Naples with Mt. Vesuvio in the background. As the bus drove along the cliffs of the peninsula into Sorrento, all you could do was look with big, open eyes in absolute awe of the Mediterranean coast. It was here where movies such as Under the Tuscan Sun and the famous "Limoncello"(a kind of liquor made with lemons) were made. Arriving in our four-star hotel (bling bling, haha) for the night, we had a few hours of free time before our group dinner. As we walked along the streets of Sorrento, you could smell the fresh lemons growing from the trees on the sidewalks and the salty aroma coming from the sea. The streets were filled with people from all over with world and variety of shops and stores could be found for miles and miles. Absolutely stunning! Finally, at 8 PM, everyone met back at the hotel for dinner where we had the opportunity to taste a variety of special dishes from the Sorrentina Peninsula. The dinner consisted of a five course meal and was absolutely delicious...couldn't be happier! After dinner, we walked over and visited a local factory where we had the opportunity to taste the best "limoncello" in the world...quite an experience. Afterward, even though most of us were tired from our long day of traveling and walking around Pompeii, our group still decided to go out and have a few drinks at a local bar/club and sing some karaoke. Finally, we retired for the night feeling happy, excited, and looking forward to the last day of our amazing trip...the island of Capri!!!
Waking up at 7 AM, we ate a continental breakfast at our hotel and then departed to Capri from Sorrento by ferryboat. All together, it took about 35 minutes to get to the island, but once we arrived it felt as though time stood still! Positioned just a few miles away from Naples, the island of Capri is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world because of it's blue sea, the sunny sky, and the incredible vegetation. A long time ago, Capri was the place the Roman Emperors Tiberius and Augustus preferred to live and from that moment on, it has been considered one of the most exclusive places in the world. After arriving in Capri, we got off our ferry and took a boat trip to view the island and its beautiful caves by the sea. Unfortunately, we weren't able to enter the famous "Blue Cave" because the sea conditions were considered to be too rough (Bull Sh*T!!!) but in the end we still had a great time and got to see a vast amount of incredible sights, including huge yachts owned by the mega rich and some of the most exclusive hotels and resorts in the world. After the boat trip, the remainder of the day was given to us as free time to explore the island. We visited luscious gardens, climbed to one of the islands highest peaks to take pictures and see the view of the island, explored the miniature towns filled with the ritziest and most expensive shops and stores (Prada, Gucci, etc.), ate a delicious lunch and gelato made of the freshest ingredients I have probably ever tasted, and ended the day with a cable car ride down to the main port where we went to the beach and swam in some of the most beautiful, crystal clear water that I have ever seen in my entire life! Finally, at the end of the day, we all met up at the ferryboat and took an hour long boat ride to Naples where we got back on our bus, departed back to Florence, and our amazing weekend trip finally came to an end!!!
Other things that I have been doing:
- Gelato: Tried a place called "Grom" next to the Duomo. Some of the BEST ice cream/gelato I have ever had my life. Everything is all natural, made from the freshest ingredients everyday, and the flavors are seasonal (change every month depending on fruit harvests, etc.)
- Classes: Working hard on learning Italian and practicing by speaking with the locals. My drawing class is hard but I spent 6 hours working on my first project which was recreating the famous "Birth of Venus"...came out pretty good...I was very proud! Visited two churches in Florence with my Art History class: Basilica Di Santa Maria Novella and Basilica di San Lorenzo...both are absolutely breathtaking! Social Psychology is very interesting and I am currently working on my Cultural Interview Report. Wine Tasting: keeps getting better and better! Tried 5 new kinds of wine from different parts of Italy and we are having a dinner class this Thursday night to learn how to pair the perfect wine with the perfect meal...cant wait!
- Friends: Everyday I meet someone new and make new friends...its absolutely wonderful! I met a 28 year old local here in Florence who owns his own businesses (3 leather product stores) and has really taken a liking to me. He is very friendly and helpful, has introduced me to a lot of his friends (bartenders, club owners/managers, business owners), and a few days ago he even called me when I was in the middle of class when I couldn't pick up, which totally sucks because he was waiting outside my apartment in a yellow Lamborghini and wanted to take me for a ride and out to some bars/clubs... I totally missed out but he said he'd give me a call the next time he'll be driving around in a Ferrari so that'll be siiiiiick!!! Cant wait! I've also been making friends with a lot of the local shopkeepers. Everyone here is just so warm and friendly...I love it!
- Bars/Clubs: The Red Garter - lots of Americans! They have a beer pong tournament every Tuesday where you can win free trips to Europe...pretty cool! Twice and 21 - Good mix of locals and Americans...great dance floors! Looking forward to a new bar opening up called "Mericana"...Little Scrappy (American rap) will be performing there in the next few weeks.
Chingy (another American rap/hip hop artist) performed at club "Space" last week. Too many bars/clubs/discotechas to list but they're all really fun. Some nights we prefer to just go out for a drink in one of the local pubs (Dublin Pub) or just sit on the steps of the Duomo or in a local piazza drinking wine and just talking all night. Most popular nights to go out still seem to be Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or any other night if there is something fun going on.
- Food/Wine: I'm in Italy, it's all AMAZING!!! I still haven't ate one thing that I haven't liked! I'll post all the good spots and things I taste whenever I can.
- * A lot of people have been asking me to post pictures of my experiences. I definitely will however I forgot to bring my digital camera charger and uploader to Italy with me and even though I had it shipped to me right away, I still haven't received it because it got held up in Customs and has been a nightmare to deal with. Hopefully I should have it all taken care of within the next few weeks and I'll be able to post all my pictures as soon as I can. Until then, keep reading and I'll keep you posted!
Things to Come:
- Wine Tasting Trip to the Chianti region in Tuscany this Friday.
- Planning on going to Venice on Saturday and Cinque Terre on Sunday.
- Trip to Switzerland and Lake Como the following weekend (Oct. 3-5th)
"As the sun rises over he horizon and you feel the warmth shine upon your face, close your eyes, take a breath, and live that day as if it were your last.
At the end of the day, when the sun paints a beautiful portrait in the sky, just watch and wait for the moon and the stars and you will know that, for everyone there's someone and despite what you may think, there's someone out there waiting for you and that you are not alone." -Paul Nowacki -
(To be continued...)
Miss you all!
Ciao,
Paul
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A Trip of a Lifetime!!! 9/10/08 - 9/16/08
So much has happened since the last time I had to the opportunity to write about what's new in my life here in Italy. This past weekend, I went on a hiking trip to the Alps with my program and let me just say that never in my life did I ever think I would do anything so incredible or see something so amazing that it practically took my breath away. Our trip started with bus ride to the Alps. We departed from Florence at 4:50-5 AM. All together there were about 35 of us including 3 of our professors from school, two of which I have teaching my classes. For 4 1/2 hours, the bus took us further and further into Northern Italy and finally up into the Alps. The views along the way were absolutely incredible. Mountains, forests, vineyards, streams, rivers, apple orchards, beautiful towns, etc. As we began our drive further and further into the Alps, it was hard not to be an absolute awe of everything around you. Finally we arrived at the base of huge mountain in the towns of Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo (two of the most famous resorts of the Alps in the region of Trentino). The towns are about 1500 meters above sea level and are located in a wonderful position from where it is possible to hike, climb, or take cableways and chair lifts to reach the peaks of the surrounding mountains. Having arrived and getting off the bus, immediately you could tell that you were in the Alps. The temperature was much cooler and in the low 50's. We had 15 minutes to change, get food/water for the hike, and go to the bathroom. We met two of our guides, one of which climbed Mt. Everest and before we knew it, we were on our way!
The start of the hike up the mountain was very basic. We walked together on a trail through the forest and it seemed pretty easy. After an hour, it began to rain and everyone began putting on their rain jackets. The guides led us further and further up the mountain and soon you could heart the raging waters of massive waterfall. As we turned the corner, there it was!!! One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen in my life! We stopped at the waterfall for a what was supposed to be a quick lunch and to take pictures. Within 20 minutes of being there, a huge mist began to roll down the mountains and it began to pour. The guides told us that we had to wait out the rain and when it was over we could continue our hike. For 2 hours, the rain kept coming and coming. Some of the people on our trip figured that we wouldnt continue so they decided to start drinking, haha. Big mistake! Finally, one our teachers said that our hike would have to be cancelled due to weather conditions and that we were going to have to head back in 15 minutes. Myself and many others were so bummed. We wanted to continue our hike, rain or shine! Finally, as if it were a gift from God, it stopped raining 5 minutes before were going to head back and the guides said that we were going to keep moving on. Hell yeeeeah!!! We spent a few more minutes at the waterfall and were even allowed to go behind it and take pictures...absolutely amazing!
As we continued our hike, the terrain became harder and harder to walk, especially because it was so wet. For the next three hours, we hiked through heavily wooded forests, up rock faces next to some of the most amazing waterfalls I have ever seen in my life and saw views of the mountains that very few get to see in there life. Close to the fourth hour, everyone was completely soaked from head to toe, tired, hungry, thirsty, and several of us even started to feel delirious. We came to a clearing with rocks and boulders all over the place and another huge mountain in front of us. The guides told us we were about 30 minutes from where we had started and that we would be back soon. What a load of crap! haha. We walked for an 1 hr 1/2 on the side of a mountain that was only 4-5 feet wide! If you had slipped and fallen to your left, you would have fallen down the mountain...it was insane! The craziest part was that our guides had walked way ahead of us and for over an hour we didnt see anyone or even know if we were going to the right way (or so we thought). It was at this time that my roommate, Garrett, said one of the funniest things I have ever heard..."This better not be like fu**ing Touristas and these guys are gonna lead us up into the mountains and fu**ing cut out our organs!" HAHA. We all honestly thought we were going to die of laughter! Finally, after a little while we caught up with one of our guides and he led us down the remainder of the moutain. Tired, cold, and wet...it didnt matter...we totally just climbed the Alps!!!After getting back on the bus, everyone fell asleep right away. After a 2 hour drive, we arrived in the town of Trentino where we spent the night in a very nice hotel. A dinner based on typical local dishes was served and afterward everyone called it a night.
The next morning, we departed for Garda Lake. Garda Lake is the biggest Italian lake and one of the most renown summer resorsts of Europe. Here we visited Sirmione, the most beautiful town on the lake. In Sirmione, we enjoyed a wonderful lakeside walk, visited the Grotte di Catullo (ancient Roman ruins) and enjoyed a wonderful lunch on our own with friends. Here it was much warmer, the lake was an amazing acqua blue color and the view of the Alps in the background was unreal. At 2 PM, we got back on the bus and departed for Verona and arrived around 2:45 PM. Verona is one of the most famous cities in the world, the city of Romeo and Juliet, celebrated for its beautiful and elegant historical centre and amazing monuments. Here we took a bus tour of the area around the river Adige and afterward went on a walking tour of the centre and visited: The Arena (3rd largest colleseum like building in Europe), Piaza della Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, and the House of Juliet. The House of Juliet was a very pretty and we had the opportunity to take pictures from the so-called balcony where she and Romeo fell in love. Entering the house, the walls of the tunnel leading into the courtyard were COVERED in writing, love letters, and notes that people had left signfying there love for others. At 5:30 PM, we departed for Florence and our trip of a lifetime finally came to an end!
Other things that I have been doing:
- A bunch of us went and partied at place called "Space" nightclub/discotecha. This place is two floors and we had an awesome time dancing the night away. Fifteen minutes after we arrived, I had to go to the bathroom and totally ran into Mike Jones (Whoooo?! haha) as he was walking in with his posse. I went up to him, said "what up" and told him I had a good time at his concert. Suprisingly he was really nice, really cool and got really excited that I was from Chi-town!
- Went to place called the "Oil Shop". The make the best sandwiches!!!
- Finally went to the rest of my classes. I really like them all. I am literally the only guy in 3 out of 5 of them but that's alright, I guess...haha!
- Gelato: Ive had over 10 new flavors since I last wrote on my blog. Its sooooo good but I can only imagine how sick of ice cream Im going to get by the end of the 4 months Im here...or maybe not! haha
- Sushi: Tried the local sushi here in Florence...its actually really good!
- McDonalds: Twice if not three times as expensive as it is back in the U.S. The menu is different, food comes in huge portions, and they have curly fries...interesting!
- My trip to the doctor: Last night I went over to the girls' place from my program to hang out and I got bitten by a mosquito on my eyelid. This morning when I woke up, my entire right eye was swollen shut. I could barely open it and was blind in that eye. My roommates said I looked like Quasimotto...thanks guys! haha. Blind in one eye and looking like a carnival side show freak, I walked to a local student hospital/health clinic where they gave me a shot, and some medicine to get rid of the swelling. After a few hours...I was back to looking like my old self again. Thank God!!! The doctor said that a lot of times, foreigners get bit by the local mosquitos and have bad allergic reactions.
- Staying up late on night and talking to Charlie, one of my roomates, about girls, love and relationships. "To live life, you have to go through the pain. Sometimes the pain is too much to bear and it stays with you for what seems like forever and ever. As hard as it is, and no matter how much your heart aches, continue on your path knowing that one day you will look into her eyes and be loved again." - Paul Nowacki
Things to come:
- This weekend I will be traveling to Capri, Pompeii, and Sorrento!
(To be continued...)
Love and miss you all!
Ciao,
Paul
The start of the hike up the mountain was very basic. We walked together on a trail through the forest and it seemed pretty easy. After an hour, it began to rain and everyone began putting on their rain jackets. The guides led us further and further up the mountain and soon you could heart the raging waters of massive waterfall. As we turned the corner, there it was!!! One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen in my life! We stopped at the waterfall for a what was supposed to be a quick lunch and to take pictures. Within 20 minutes of being there, a huge mist began to roll down the mountains and it began to pour. The guides told us that we had to wait out the rain and when it was over we could continue our hike. For 2 hours, the rain kept coming and coming. Some of the people on our trip figured that we wouldnt continue so they decided to start drinking, haha. Big mistake! Finally, one our teachers said that our hike would have to be cancelled due to weather conditions and that we were going to have to head back in 15 minutes. Myself and many others were so bummed. We wanted to continue our hike, rain or shine! Finally, as if it were a gift from God, it stopped raining 5 minutes before were going to head back and the guides said that we were going to keep moving on. Hell yeeeeah!!! We spent a few more minutes at the waterfall and were even allowed to go behind it and take pictures...absolutely amazing!
As we continued our hike, the terrain became harder and harder to walk, especially because it was so wet. For the next three hours, we hiked through heavily wooded forests, up rock faces next to some of the most amazing waterfalls I have ever seen in my life and saw views of the mountains that very few get to see in there life. Close to the fourth hour, everyone was completely soaked from head to toe, tired, hungry, thirsty, and several of us even started to feel delirious. We came to a clearing with rocks and boulders all over the place and another huge mountain in front of us. The guides told us we were about 30 minutes from where we had started and that we would be back soon. What a load of crap! haha. We walked for an 1 hr 1/2 on the side of a mountain that was only 4-5 feet wide! If you had slipped and fallen to your left, you would have fallen down the mountain...it was insane! The craziest part was that our guides had walked way ahead of us and for over an hour we didnt see anyone or even know if we were going to the right way (or so we thought). It was at this time that my roommate, Garrett, said one of the funniest things I have ever heard..."This better not be like fu**ing Touristas and these guys are gonna lead us up into the mountains and fu**ing cut out our organs!" HAHA. We all honestly thought we were going to die of laughter! Finally, after a little while we caught up with one of our guides and he led us down the remainder of the moutain. Tired, cold, and wet...it didnt matter...we totally just climbed the Alps!!!After getting back on the bus, everyone fell asleep right away. After a 2 hour drive, we arrived in the town of Trentino where we spent the night in a very nice hotel. A dinner based on typical local dishes was served and afterward everyone called it a night.
The next morning, we departed for Garda Lake. Garda Lake is the biggest Italian lake and one of the most renown summer resorsts of Europe. Here we visited Sirmione, the most beautiful town on the lake. In Sirmione, we enjoyed a wonderful lakeside walk, visited the Grotte di Catullo (ancient Roman ruins) and enjoyed a wonderful lunch on our own with friends. Here it was much warmer, the lake was an amazing acqua blue color and the view of the Alps in the background was unreal. At 2 PM, we got back on the bus and departed for Verona and arrived around 2:45 PM. Verona is one of the most famous cities in the world, the city of Romeo and Juliet, celebrated for its beautiful and elegant historical centre and amazing monuments. Here we took a bus tour of the area around the river Adige and afterward went on a walking tour of the centre and visited: The Arena (3rd largest colleseum like building in Europe), Piaza della Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, and the House of Juliet. The House of Juliet was a very pretty and we had the opportunity to take pictures from the so-called balcony where she and Romeo fell in love. Entering the house, the walls of the tunnel leading into the courtyard were COVERED in writing, love letters, and notes that people had left signfying there love for others. At 5:30 PM, we departed for Florence and our trip of a lifetime finally came to an end!
Other things that I have been doing:
- A bunch of us went and partied at place called "Space" nightclub/discotecha. This place is two floors and we had an awesome time dancing the night away. Fifteen minutes after we arrived, I had to go to the bathroom and totally ran into Mike Jones (Whoooo?! haha) as he was walking in with his posse. I went up to him, said "what up" and told him I had a good time at his concert. Suprisingly he was really nice, really cool and got really excited that I was from Chi-town!
- Went to place called the "Oil Shop". The make the best sandwiches!!!
- Finally went to the rest of my classes. I really like them all. I am literally the only guy in 3 out of 5 of them but that's alright, I guess...haha!
- Gelato: Ive had over 10 new flavors since I last wrote on my blog. Its sooooo good but I can only imagine how sick of ice cream Im going to get by the end of the 4 months Im here...or maybe not! haha
- Sushi: Tried the local sushi here in Florence...its actually really good!
- McDonalds: Twice if not three times as expensive as it is back in the U.S. The menu is different, food comes in huge portions, and they have curly fries...interesting!
- My trip to the doctor: Last night I went over to the girls' place from my program to hang out and I got bitten by a mosquito on my eyelid. This morning when I woke up, my entire right eye was swollen shut. I could barely open it and was blind in that eye. My roommates said I looked like Quasimotto...thanks guys! haha. Blind in one eye and looking like a carnival side show freak, I walked to a local student hospital/health clinic where they gave me a shot, and some medicine to get rid of the swelling. After a few hours...I was back to looking like my old self again. Thank God!!! The doctor said that a lot of times, foreigners get bit by the local mosquitos and have bad allergic reactions.
- Staying up late on night and talking to Charlie, one of my roomates, about girls, love and relationships. "To live life, you have to go through the pain. Sometimes the pain is too much to bear and it stays with you for what seems like forever and ever. As hard as it is, and no matter how much your heart aches, continue on your path knowing that one day you will look into her eyes and be loved again." - Paul Nowacki
Things to come:
- This weekend I will be traveling to Capri, Pompeii, and Sorrento!
(To be continued...)
Love and miss you all!
Ciao,
Paul
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What next?! Who knows! But the fun just doesn’t ever seem to end! 9/04/08 - 9/09/08
Since arriving in Florence a week ago, these past few days have been truly amazing. After moving into my apartment, getting to know my roommates better, and taking a few days to explore the city, I can truly say that I am settled. Every morning we would wake up, meet up with friends, and go see so much that Florence has to offer. From walking through the Piaza Di San Giovanni where the famous “Golden Doors” are, the magnificent Del Duomo, walking along the river and on the Ponte Vecchio (famous bridge in Florence), the Mercato Centrale (market), Piaza Santa Croce, etc. There are just simply too many unbelievable places to name. The statues, the buildings, the fountains, the markets…taking it all in just makes you truly appreciate life. And at night?!!! All of these places, especially the Duomo and along the river by the Ponte Vecchio bridge, take on a whole new look and feeling. The streets are filled with culture and diversity from all around the world. Street vendors and foreigners from all across the globe doing whatever they can just to try to make a living. On a given day, I would say that I probably walk a least 5 miles just to explore the city. My feet hurt, my muscles are sore, but by the end of the day….its all worth it!!! Next morning…time to do it all over again!
The first few days I thought that our school only had around 30 students…I was wrong! At orientation, which was held in a church originally owned my the Nights Templars, I found out that there were over 200 students (probably more) from all over the U.S. studying at Lorenzo De Medici (school I go to). There are also over 100 students from all over the world, including Mexico, Japan, China, South America, and all over Europe. Its truly a mix of students from all over! Classes started yesterday and I have already been to my “Beginner Italian” and “Wine Tasting” class. Classes are small but its nice because you really get to know all the other kids in your class and the teacher can really help you if you need it. My wine tasting class was at night and it is one of the coolest classes I have ever signed up for. My teacher, Marco, is head of the food department and is a well respected chef here in Florence. He is very nice, very smart, and extremely passionate about food , wine, and Italian culture. At our first class, we already learned so much about wine, proper drinking etiquette, and had the chance to taste 5 glasses of different fine Italian wines (red, white, sparkling, etc). I couldn’t believe how much there is to wine and I cant wait for our next class! Other then that, all the kids I have met in all my classes and just in general here in Florence are truly amazing people. I have made more friends in a week then I have ever made in the entire 4 years of high school and 4 years of college! Its absolutely great.
The nightlife in Florence is something that I couldn’t even begin to describe. Bars, clubs, pubs, restaurants, discotecas….everything and anything you could ever want or need! My roommates and I spent the first five nights going out with friends from our program and a lot of really cool people that we have met along the way….nights I will never forget! From dancing our asses off in the club to just sitting around in one of the local piazzas enjoying a nice glass of wine, to watching locals performing amazing concerts, artwork, and shows in the street. The fun just never ends!!!
Everyday, around 5 or 6 PM, we all get together in our apartment after having just bought fresh ingredients from the market or stores and we cook up a nice “family style” dinner together. And everyone gets involved in the action. One person chops the tomatoes/onions/garlic, etc, one person cooks the meat and pasta, another person cuts the bread, someone sets the table, others light candles/turn on classical music, and finally someone opens the wine. I cant even begin to describe how amazing it is to have everyone pitch in and contribute to such a wonderful dinner every night. So far we have had amazing pasta, fresh mussels from the market, an assortment of meats, cheeses, etc….the list goes on and on.
Two days ago a few of us woke up a little late in the day from a night of crazy partying and decided, “ what the heck, lets just jump on the train and go to Piza to see the famous Leaning Tower!” I never knew how easy it is to travel in Europe. We simply packed up our backpacks, walked three blocks over to the train station, bought our tickets, and we were on our way. All together, there were six of us. Bill, one my roommates, invited two of his good girlfriends to come along and we all spent an amazing day together. The train ride was very scenic and enjoyable. We went through the Italian countryside and got to see vineyards, mountains and a lot of amazing little towns. The view of the mountains was absolutely gorgeous! After an 1 hr ½, we arrived in Piza!
After getting off at the train station, we bought bus tickets and within 20 minutes we had arrived at the main square where you could see the famous Leaning Tower of Piza. What a site!!! I never knew that it leaned so much or even that it was located in a square surrounded by such beautiful and historic architecture. After taking the time to take some great pictures, including some that made us look like we were holding up the tower, haha, we headed over to small restaurant that overlooked the square and the tower for a nice little dinner together. The food was delicious and we finished just in time to watch the sunset together and take a few more pictures. Tired and full, our day in Piza finally came to an end and we hopped on the train heading back to Florence (Firenze!). After getting off the train, we walked back to our apartment but decided to stop at a local pizza place for a slice of pizza with french fries on top of it, haha….it was good! Arriving back at the apartment, we were all ready for bed when the guys living next door to us said, “lets go to the crazy festival going on 4 to 5 blocks from here!”…ummm, WOW, are you kidding me?!!! The fun just never ends I guess!
So these 7 guys living next door to us, are all studying abroad in Florence for a year to become COOKS…I know, right?!…took us over to a part of the city that we hadn’t even explored yet. As we arrived to the festival, all you see is a big “fortress-looking building” that has a street that horseshoes around it. As we got closer and closer, right away you could hear music, people laughing, singing, etc. Walking in, all I thought was HOOO-LY CRAP!!!! This was one of the craziest things I had ever seen! There were people everywhere!!! There were outdoor dance floors, techno parties with crazy bumping music, people dancing and drinking in the street…it was INSANE! And the Brazilian girls!!! Damn they can dance!!! I never knew people could move that way. After a long and crazy night of meeting people from around the world, dancing, singing songs with local Italian girls, etc, we all headed back to our place and called it a night. What next?! Who knows! But the fun just doesn’t ever seem to end!
(To be continued…)
Other things I didn’t really get a chance to talk about:
- Gelato: Tried it for the first time at a place called “Very Goo”…it used to be called “Very Good” but someone spray painted the “D” off. Tried “Tiramisu” and it was amazing!
- Mike Jones concert in Central Park Night Club - absolutely crazy! This is one of those stories I would rather tell in person then write about in my blog.
- Street performance by a local: My roommate Bill got chosen to be part of the act and the performer took off his shirt and made him stand half naked in front of 200 people. Hilarious and so much fun!
Things to come:
- I’m going hiking in the Alps and to Garda Lake this weekend!
* I just want to apologize if any of what I am writing doesn’t make sense or seems grammatically correct. I am trying to write as much as I can in the little time I have and sometimes my thoughts and memories of what I have done or experienced are all over the place so its hard to write about, especially if a few days have passed. I’m going to try to get internet in my apartment sometime this week so hopefully Ill be able to upload my blog everyday or every other day.
And a special THANKS to everyone who has been writing me, sending me emails/messages, etc. You don’t even know how much that means to me and it’s really been helping me from not getting too homesick. Miss you all! Ciao!!!
The first few days I thought that our school only had around 30 students…I was wrong! At orientation, which was held in a church originally owned my the Nights Templars, I found out that there were over 200 students (probably more) from all over the U.S. studying at Lorenzo De Medici (school I go to). There are also over 100 students from all over the world, including Mexico, Japan, China, South America, and all over Europe. Its truly a mix of students from all over! Classes started yesterday and I have already been to my “Beginner Italian” and “Wine Tasting” class. Classes are small but its nice because you really get to know all the other kids in your class and the teacher can really help you if you need it. My wine tasting class was at night and it is one of the coolest classes I have ever signed up for. My teacher, Marco, is head of the food department and is a well respected chef here in Florence. He is very nice, very smart, and extremely passionate about food , wine, and Italian culture. At our first class, we already learned so much about wine, proper drinking etiquette, and had the chance to taste 5 glasses of different fine Italian wines (red, white, sparkling, etc). I couldn’t believe how much there is to wine and I cant wait for our next class! Other then that, all the kids I have met in all my classes and just in general here in Florence are truly amazing people. I have made more friends in a week then I have ever made in the entire 4 years of high school and 4 years of college! Its absolutely great.
The nightlife in Florence is something that I couldn’t even begin to describe. Bars, clubs, pubs, restaurants, discotecas….everything and anything you could ever want or need! My roommates and I spent the first five nights going out with friends from our program and a lot of really cool people that we have met along the way….nights I will never forget! From dancing our asses off in the club to just sitting around in one of the local piazzas enjoying a nice glass of wine, to watching locals performing amazing concerts, artwork, and shows in the street. The fun just never ends!!!
Everyday, around 5 or 6 PM, we all get together in our apartment after having just bought fresh ingredients from the market or stores and we cook up a nice “family style” dinner together. And everyone gets involved in the action. One person chops the tomatoes/onions/garlic, etc, one person cooks the meat and pasta, another person cuts the bread, someone sets the table, others light candles/turn on classical music, and finally someone opens the wine. I cant even begin to describe how amazing it is to have everyone pitch in and contribute to such a wonderful dinner every night. So far we have had amazing pasta, fresh mussels from the market, an assortment of meats, cheeses, etc….the list goes on and on.
Two days ago a few of us woke up a little late in the day from a night of crazy partying and decided, “ what the heck, lets just jump on the train and go to Piza to see the famous Leaning Tower!” I never knew how easy it is to travel in Europe. We simply packed up our backpacks, walked three blocks over to the train station, bought our tickets, and we were on our way. All together, there were six of us. Bill, one my roommates, invited two of his good girlfriends to come along and we all spent an amazing day together. The train ride was very scenic and enjoyable. We went through the Italian countryside and got to see vineyards, mountains and a lot of amazing little towns. The view of the mountains was absolutely gorgeous! After an 1 hr ½, we arrived in Piza!
After getting off at the train station, we bought bus tickets and within 20 minutes we had arrived at the main square where you could see the famous Leaning Tower of Piza. What a site!!! I never knew that it leaned so much or even that it was located in a square surrounded by such beautiful and historic architecture. After taking the time to take some great pictures, including some that made us look like we were holding up the tower, haha, we headed over to small restaurant that overlooked the square and the tower for a nice little dinner together. The food was delicious and we finished just in time to watch the sunset together and take a few more pictures. Tired and full, our day in Piza finally came to an end and we hopped on the train heading back to Florence (Firenze!). After getting off the train, we walked back to our apartment but decided to stop at a local pizza place for a slice of pizza with french fries on top of it, haha….it was good! Arriving back at the apartment, we were all ready for bed when the guys living next door to us said, “lets go to the crazy festival going on 4 to 5 blocks from here!”…ummm, WOW, are you kidding me?!!! The fun just never ends I guess!
So these 7 guys living next door to us, are all studying abroad in Florence for a year to become COOKS…I know, right?!…took us over to a part of the city that we hadn’t even explored yet. As we arrived to the festival, all you see is a big “fortress-looking building” that has a street that horseshoes around it. As we got closer and closer, right away you could hear music, people laughing, singing, etc. Walking in, all I thought was HOOO-LY CRAP!!!! This was one of the craziest things I had ever seen! There were people everywhere!!! There were outdoor dance floors, techno parties with crazy bumping music, people dancing and drinking in the street…it was INSANE! And the Brazilian girls!!! Damn they can dance!!! I never knew people could move that way. After a long and crazy night of meeting people from around the world, dancing, singing songs with local Italian girls, etc, we all headed back to our place and called it a night. What next?! Who knows! But the fun just doesn’t ever seem to end!
(To be continued…)
Other things I didn’t really get a chance to talk about:
- Gelato: Tried it for the first time at a place called “Very Goo”…it used to be called “Very Good” but someone spray painted the “D” off. Tried “Tiramisu” and it was amazing!
- Mike Jones concert in Central Park Night Club - absolutely crazy! This is one of those stories I would rather tell in person then write about in my blog.
- Street performance by a local: My roommate Bill got chosen to be part of the act and the performer took off his shirt and made him stand half naked in front of 200 people. Hilarious and so much fun!
Things to come:
- I’m going hiking in the Alps and to Garda Lake this weekend!
* I just want to apologize if any of what I am writing doesn’t make sense or seems grammatically correct. I am trying to write as much as I can in the little time I have and sometimes my thoughts and memories of what I have done or experienced are all over the place so its hard to write about, especially if a few days have passed. I’m going to try to get internet in my apartment sometime this week so hopefully Ill be able to upload my blog everyday or every other day.
And a special THANKS to everyone who has been writing me, sending me emails/messages, etc. You don’t even know how much that means to me and it’s really been helping me from not getting too homesick. Miss you all! Ciao!!!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
And It’s Only Just The Beginning! 9/02/08 to 9/03/08
It all started the night before I left for Italy. Nervous and excited, I stayed up till 4 AM packing up all of my stuff and thinking about the adventure I was about to embark on. Three hours later, at 7 AM, I woke up feeling a little apprehensive. Was I going to have another panic attack like I had suffered as a freshman going into Iowa and not be able to go study abroad like I had been dreaming of for so long? I told myself, “No! This trip is about you!!!” I had learned to face my fears… to turn life’s negative experiences into positives, and nothing was going to stop me from going on this trip.
Arriving at the airport, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I had to say goodbye to the people who loved me and would miss me most, my parents. It wasn’t easy but I had to bite my lip, tell them I loved them, gave my final hugs “goodbye”, turned around and started heading for my terminal. As soon as I walked through the gate, feelings of being alone, missing my family and friends, and the idea of moving to a whole new country for 4 months where I don’t know a single soul or even a word of Italian started to overwhelm me. I closed my eyes…took a deep breath…and reminded myself that these next 4 months were going to be the best time of my life!
Traveling to Europe has truly been an interesting experience. First, I flew from Chicago O’Hare to Munich, Germany on Lufthansa Airlines. The plane was brand new, state of the art, had two floors, and was very comfortable (even in Economy). Each seat was equipped with your own touch screen computer, which let you do anything and everything…check the status of the flight, watch brand new movies on demand, TV shows like PlanetEarth, listen to popular new CD albums that just came out , and even had “In Your Seat Yoga”…Yes, I said YOGA! And I’m not gonna lie, I did it…there, I said it! Haha. I also had the pleasure of sitting next to a young guy, Larry, in his late 30’s, who has been living his life against everything that is considered to be the norm. He had never been married or had kids, but instead chose to live his life according to his own plan and based on what he truly loves to do…mountain climbing. This guy has done it all! He’s climbed almost all the biggest mountains in the world and has amazing stories to tell about each one. This guy was one of the most “down to earth” people I had ever met and I truly feel lucky for having the opportunity to meet such an awesome and interesting person.
Meanwhile during the flight, a baby cried for the whole eight hours straight to Germany and when I say cry, I don’t mean a harmless little baby cry…this was a death shrill unlike any other I have ever heard. And on top of that, there was a man so obese sitting behind me that I wasn’t able to put my seat back the whole 8 ½ hour flight and each time he stood up to go to the bathroom, I truly thought that he was going to rip my head rest off or break my chair causing me go tumbling backwards. But other than then that…smooth sailing! So to Larry, I would just like to say “thank you” for telling me all those fun and exciting stories that lasted for hours and kept me from straight up killing someone on the plane…haha! No, but seriously!!!
Arriving in Munich after an interesting 8 ½ hour flight, I decided to walk around and take in all that Germany had to offer…big beers and high fashion. During the 4 hour layover, jet lag and the fact that I had only slept 3 hours in the past 18 hours started to take its toll on me. Frantically, I started pounding coffee and espressos (5 of ‘em total) like it was my job. It got to a point to where I was so physically and mentally exhausted that I stared to see black spots and thought the floor was melting…pretty bad! Finally, 11 AM rolled around and it was time for my final flight to Florence. Walking up to the plane, I knew it wasn’t going to be a pleasant flight. This plane was one of the smallest planes I had ever seen! It’s holding capacity was 40 passengers and the plane was powered by two huge propellers…and of course I was the lucky one of having the window seat right next to the “blades of death”. Or so that’s what I referred to them as I chatted and made jokes with the older Italian gentlemen sitting to my right. I don’t really think he understood me or I him but in the end we both had a good laugh. Fifteen minutes into the flight and as we were flying over the Swiss Alps, I must have blacked out hard for exhaustion because next thing I knew I was being shaken like a rag doll and the Italian stewardess said that we had arrived in Florence and it was time for me to get off the plane.
Having arrived in Florence, I didn’t really know what to expect. I got a cab, pointed to the address on a piece of paper and we were on our way. Initially, we drove through the outskirts of Florence and immediately I began to notice the crazy drivers, all the little SmartCars and scooters, the graffiti on the sides of buildings, and the intense aroma of cigarettes (especially as we drove past the trainstation). This is Florence?! What the hell!!! I thought it was supposed to be beautiful and romantic?! Soon enough, it was! It really was!!! The sights…the sounds…the smells…I couldn’t believe it! This is really where I am going to be living for the next 4 months? HOLY SH*T!!!
The taxi finally pulled up to fairly decent sized building in the center of Florence that said, “Lorenzo de Medici”. I had finally arrived! Outside of the building, kids from all over the country stood with there bags anxiously awaiting there housing assignments. I got out of the cab, went inside, met my housing coordinator and finally got the keys to the new apartment I was anxiously waiting to see and move into. During the 10 minutes I had to wait for another cab, I had the chance to meet a lot of really cool people that were in my program. Turned out that the initial size of our program, about 10 students, had grown to nearly triple the amount that we had initially been told. Now there were kids from all over the U.S. for me to meet and share new experiences with.
As my taxi pulled up to my new apartment, I couldn’t believe it! Middle of Florence, two to three blocks away from my new school and next to all of the most scenic spots in Florence! As I walked through my new apartment and started to unpack, I was stunned and amazed by the accommodations our program has set up for us: 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a big living room, an up to date kitchen w/all appliances, fully furnished and to top it off, I had my own room with a huge balcony. And when I say huge balcony, I mean I could fit 20 people on it (literally!).
After unpacking all of my stuff, meeting all my new roommates (4 total) and getting over the shock that my apartment was so nice, we took off on the town and started to explore. For the things that I saw/tasted in only the first 1hr ½ of my experience walking around Florence…all I have to say is, Oooo Myyyy GOD!!! And it’s only just the beginning!
(To be continued…)
Arriving at the airport, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I had to say goodbye to the people who loved me and would miss me most, my parents. It wasn’t easy but I had to bite my lip, tell them I loved them, gave my final hugs “goodbye”, turned around and started heading for my terminal. As soon as I walked through the gate, feelings of being alone, missing my family and friends, and the idea of moving to a whole new country for 4 months where I don’t know a single soul or even a word of Italian started to overwhelm me. I closed my eyes…took a deep breath…and reminded myself that these next 4 months were going to be the best time of my life!
Traveling to Europe has truly been an interesting experience. First, I flew from Chicago O’Hare to Munich, Germany on Lufthansa Airlines. The plane was brand new, state of the art, had two floors, and was very comfortable (even in Economy). Each seat was equipped with your own touch screen computer, which let you do anything and everything…check the status of the flight, watch brand new movies on demand, TV shows like PlanetEarth, listen to popular new CD albums that just came out , and even had “In Your Seat Yoga”…Yes, I said YOGA! And I’m not gonna lie, I did it…there, I said it! Haha. I also had the pleasure of sitting next to a young guy, Larry, in his late 30’s, who has been living his life against everything that is considered to be the norm. He had never been married or had kids, but instead chose to live his life according to his own plan and based on what he truly loves to do…mountain climbing. This guy has done it all! He’s climbed almost all the biggest mountains in the world and has amazing stories to tell about each one. This guy was one of the most “down to earth” people I had ever met and I truly feel lucky for having the opportunity to meet such an awesome and interesting person.
Meanwhile during the flight, a baby cried for the whole eight hours straight to Germany and when I say cry, I don’t mean a harmless little baby cry…this was a death shrill unlike any other I have ever heard. And on top of that, there was a man so obese sitting behind me that I wasn’t able to put my seat back the whole 8 ½ hour flight and each time he stood up to go to the bathroom, I truly thought that he was going to rip my head rest off or break my chair causing me go tumbling backwards. But other than then that…smooth sailing! So to Larry, I would just like to say “thank you” for telling me all those fun and exciting stories that lasted for hours and kept me from straight up killing someone on the plane…haha! No, but seriously!!!
Arriving in Munich after an interesting 8 ½ hour flight, I decided to walk around and take in all that Germany had to offer…big beers and high fashion. During the 4 hour layover, jet lag and the fact that I had only slept 3 hours in the past 18 hours started to take its toll on me. Frantically, I started pounding coffee and espressos (5 of ‘em total) like it was my job. It got to a point to where I was so physically and mentally exhausted that I stared to see black spots and thought the floor was melting…pretty bad! Finally, 11 AM rolled around and it was time for my final flight to Florence. Walking up to the plane, I knew it wasn’t going to be a pleasant flight. This plane was one of the smallest planes I had ever seen! It’s holding capacity was 40 passengers and the plane was powered by two huge propellers…and of course I was the lucky one of having the window seat right next to the “blades of death”. Or so that’s what I referred to them as I chatted and made jokes with the older Italian gentlemen sitting to my right. I don’t really think he understood me or I him but in the end we both had a good laugh. Fifteen minutes into the flight and as we were flying over the Swiss Alps, I must have blacked out hard for exhaustion because next thing I knew I was being shaken like a rag doll and the Italian stewardess said that we had arrived in Florence and it was time for me to get off the plane.
Having arrived in Florence, I didn’t really know what to expect. I got a cab, pointed to the address on a piece of paper and we were on our way. Initially, we drove through the outskirts of Florence and immediately I began to notice the crazy drivers, all the little SmartCars and scooters, the graffiti on the sides of buildings, and the intense aroma of cigarettes (especially as we drove past the trainstation). This is Florence?! What the hell!!! I thought it was supposed to be beautiful and romantic?! Soon enough, it was! It really was!!! The sights…the sounds…the smells…I couldn’t believe it! This is really where I am going to be living for the next 4 months? HOLY SH*T!!!
The taxi finally pulled up to fairly decent sized building in the center of Florence that said, “Lorenzo de Medici”. I had finally arrived! Outside of the building, kids from all over the country stood with there bags anxiously awaiting there housing assignments. I got out of the cab, went inside, met my housing coordinator and finally got the keys to the new apartment I was anxiously waiting to see and move into. During the 10 minutes I had to wait for another cab, I had the chance to meet a lot of really cool people that were in my program. Turned out that the initial size of our program, about 10 students, had grown to nearly triple the amount that we had initially been told. Now there were kids from all over the U.S. for me to meet and share new experiences with.
As my taxi pulled up to my new apartment, I couldn’t believe it! Middle of Florence, two to three blocks away from my new school and next to all of the most scenic spots in Florence! As I walked through my new apartment and started to unpack, I was stunned and amazed by the accommodations our program has set up for us: 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a big living room, an up to date kitchen w/all appliances, fully furnished and to top it off, I had my own room with a huge balcony. And when I say huge balcony, I mean I could fit 20 people on it (literally!).
After unpacking all of my stuff, meeting all my new roommates (4 total) and getting over the shock that my apartment was so nice, we took off on the town and started to explore. For the things that I saw/tasted in only the first 1hr ½ of my experience walking around Florence…all I have to say is, Oooo Myyyy GOD!!! And it’s only just the beginning!
(To be continued…)
Friday, September 5, 2008
My Blog
Hey everyone! I'm having trouble uploading things and figuring out how my blog works so please check back in a few days and hopefully I'll have it all figured out. Miss you all!
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