esserefortecredere http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com Most recent posts at esserefortecredere posterous.com Wed, 26 Dec 2012 08:07:00 -0800 There and Back Again http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/there-and-back-again http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/there-and-back-again

The following is my Experience Letter that I had to send to the Scholarship Committee that made this wonderful experience possible for me. I thought I'd share it with you all!

 

SAI Scholarship Experience Letter

Complete honesty would force me to say that travelling to Italy for a semester abroad was something that filled me with apprehension in the weeks before I left. However, now that I am back home in the United States, my complete gratitude forces me to say that this semester benefited me more than I could have ever imagined.

I have never been outside the United States on my own before, and the three and a half months away from my family and friends at first seemed daunting. I did indeed miss home as anyone would, but I feel such pride in myself for gradually adapting to my new environment in the city of Florence. The concept of change has always been a struggle for me, but this semester encouraged me to challenge myself in every way possible. I gained much more in Florence than the knowledge given by my classes, and I think that that is the true point of studying abroad.

Academically, I was thrilled to have classes in a place where we could actually feel and see the history all around us. As an Art major, being able to visit the famous galleries in Florence filled me with excitement and more learning potential than I could have ever gotten from a textbook. Taking classes that truly interested me also encouraged my drive for success that I have maintained throughout my academic years, and it was a wonderful opportunity to learn about art, history, and fashion in a place that holds these topics in such high esteem.

Studying in Florence with a friend from home helped me adjust to some of the changes that I faced during this semester, and making new friends was also a great help for the inevitable homesickness. Above all, though, the greatest aid to my experience was the confidence that I gained by becoming more independent. Being able to navigate a new city, meet new people, tackle a foreign language, set up a budget, and plan my day-to-day schedule all were the results of this newfound confidence that grew from my time away from home. By the end of the semester, I really felt like a resident of Florence who could truly stand on her own.

As I reflect back on my time on the other side of the world, it seems like it moved so fast. The experiences that I had will stay with me forever, though, and the beautiful country that I called home will never fade from my mind. I wanted to study abroad to help myself grow as a person, and I believe that this goal was definitely reached. I now possess strength that could only be attained through the challenge of change, and I couldn’t be more thankful for all who have supported me on this journey. Whether financially or through simple emotional support, so many people have contributed to my experience and my gratitude for this is truly immeasurable.

Studying abroad was one of the most wonderful opportunities I have ever been given in my life, and all that I have gained from this journey will certainly not go to waste. The friends I have made, the academic information that I have learned, and the confidence I now have will continue to be integral parts of my life as I carry on towards new goals and experiences. It feels good to be home, and the pride in myself for coming this far fills me with courage to take on whatever comes next in my life.

 

Sincerely,
Gretchen Radtke

 

Thank you to all who kept up with my blog, and know that my adventures in life are just beginning!

Ciao! =]

Sany0669

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Wed, 26 Dec 2012 08:06:00 -0800 My Last Italian Gelato http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/my-last-italian-gelato http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/my-last-italian-gelato

Fondente e Cioccolata, I will never forget you!

Sany1123

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Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:46:00 -0800 Farewell, Firenze! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/farewell-firenze http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/farewell-firenze

So this won't be my last post, for I will be writing up a nice reflective speech about how this journey really was a wonderful thing for me. Right now though, we are waiting for our shuttle to take us to the airport so I will continue this goodbye later! Wish me safe travels!

I will miss you, Florence...you gave me more than I ever thought I would need. For hopefully not the last time- Ciao! =]

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Fri, 07 Dec 2012 07:58:00 -0800 Germany and Austria! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/germany-and-austria http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/germany-and-austria

Last weekend Kim, Shannon, and I had the wonderful opportunity of going to Germany and Austria with the Educational Field Trips program, and it was so much fun! I was very excited, since Italy has been the only country in Europe I have been in and I thought it would be cool to go to Germany because my family is German, and to Austria just because Austria is sweet. I will now describe this adventure, and enjoy the pictures that follow!

We left at midnight on Thursday, the 29th, which was kind of unpleasant due to the 8 hour bus ride. I thought I would be able to sleep on the bus, but alas, that did not happen. However, when we got to Innsbruck and got out of the bus at a rest stop, I felt so much better because I saw the mountains!! It was so amazing to see those mountains, and it was actually snowing! That was the first snow I have seen since last winter, so it was pretty awesome. At the rest stop I had some apple strudel, which was delicious, and it made me think of Sound of Music when she sings about that being one of her favorite things!

In the city of Innsbruck, we met our tour guide, who joined us on our bus and gave us a tour as we drove around to see the major sites. We stopped at a few places, including some Baroque-style churches that were just like the ones I had just learned about in art history. Very beautiful! After the bus tour our guide led us around the "old city" of Innsbruck, pointing out other famous things in the region. It was very very very cold, but I couldn't really expect much else! After our tour, we had free time to explore the Innsbruck Christmas Markets, where Kim and I had authentic Austrian food that was so good! I felt so brave for trying the new foods! In addition to the potato type stuff I had for lunch, I also had a soft pretzel and a delicious cinnamon crepe. Crepes are one of my new favorite foods now! Anyway, the Christmas Markets were all really cool and I liked seeing all of the handmade ornaments and things like that. Lots of things had edelweiss on them, and I sang the song a lot, haha.

That evening, we continued onto Munich and arrived at our hotel, which was pretty nice. We had free time again for dinner, and a few of Shannon's friends went with Kim and I to a restaurant called Zum Augustiner. I unfortunately did not eat too much, since what I ordered what not what I expected! They had good soft pretzels, though! It was a relief to rest that night after the long day.

The next morning we had a great breakfast at the hotel and then we had another tour guide join us on our bus to show us the sites of Munich. We even stopped at this palace, where there was more snow and swans and it was very pretty indeed. Our walking tour in Munich was once again very cold, but I bought some gloves later on which helped! After our tour we had lots of free time again, which was good because there was a lot to see! I ate lunch in the markets, and then Kim and I explored again, which was really fun. We enjoyed more foods such as chocolate covered apples and strawberries and more crepes! The market stalls were once again filled with wonderful trinkets and such, which were cool to look at but would be hard to transport if I bought any.

After getting lost for a while and getting directions, Kim and I made it back to the hotel and chilled there for a while until our whole group went to dinner at the Hofbrauhaus. I was very excited to go, since Grandma had suggested it to me! It was such a cool place, and we ate upstairs where it was this big hall with long tables and a stage in front. During our meal there were musicians playing German music and also dancers- it was really fun to watch. There were even these guys who all had whips and would crack them in time with the music- very amusing! Our dinner was great as well, and consisted of veal sausages (interesting but good), some potato salad that I didn't really care for, half a Bavarian-style chicken (sooooo good!) and the best apple strudel I have ever eaten! Kim and I also tried some of the famous beer, but didn't get a whole glass- they give you so much! Overall it was a very nice evening and a good rest followed it.

The next morning included the good hotel breakfast again, and then we travelled to the Dauchau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. Our tour guide did a great job in explaining the camp's history, and it was all very interesting. At the same time it was sad of course, but seeing the memorial statues that had been built was uplifting end to the tour.

The bus ride home was very long, but this time I actually was able to sleep for part of it. We stopped for lunch and dinner, but didn't get back to Florence too late. It was very good to relax after the long weekend, and I am so glad that I went on the trip. My favorite thing was probably seeing the mountains in Austria, and eating the wonderful food in Germany! It was all so fun, and I am glad that some of my friends got to go, as well.

Currently it is the weekend before finals, so I have some studying to do, but thankfully our exams aren't going to be as intense as I thought they would be. I pretty much have done everything I have wanted to do in Florence, so now only my exams stand between me and going home! Only 7 full days left and I couldn't be more excited!


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Wed, 05 Dec 2012 06:43:00 -0800 Caitlin's Visit! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/caitlins-visit http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/caitlins-visit

For Thanksgiving weekend, I had a wonderful time with my friend Caitlin. She is studying abroad in Amsterdam right now, so coming to Florence to see me wasn't that long of a trip for her! It's funny that since she goes to school in Massachusetts in the US, I don't see her that often and we have to both be halfway around the world to hang out! Haha but it was great to have her here, and I showed her the very best the city had to offer. In addition to simply exploring the city and telling her about the places I walk past every day, we also visited the following places in Florence:

The Uffizi Gallery
Palazzo Pitti
Piazzale Michelangelo
The Boboli Gardens

It was awesome to be able to tell her about the things I learned in class, especially when it came to art history! She enjoyed going to all these places very much, and said that I am a great tour guide! We even climbed all the way up to the top of the Duomo, which was quite the steep climb up narrow stairs. The view was beautiful, though, and so worth it! Another thing checked off my list!

On the Saturday when she was here, we also went to the Truffle Festival in San Miniato (meaning the underground truffles, not the chocolate kind). My school program organized the trip, and Caitlin and I had such a fun time trying all of the foods there! So many samples, or "samps" as we like to call them. I tried so many things, you wouldn't believe it! See, you guys, I am getting so much better with new foods!!! My favorite at the festival were all of the cheeses, and I even had some with truffles in it! Caitlin had truffle ravioli, which she said was amazing. A very fun day!

We also went out to eat the night before she left, and we actually went to the restaurant that I went to on my first night in Florence. The food was great! Also, we of course went to La Carraia, the best gelato place in my opinion, quite a few times. Yum!

I am so glad Caitlin was able to come and visit me here in Florence. Even though we didn't have any Thanksgiving feast, it was still a great time and I hope we get to hang out again soon.


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Wed, 05 Dec 2012 05:26:00 -0800 Herculaneum and Pompeii! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/herculaneum-and-pompeii http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/herculaneum-and-pompeii

Ciao! I am finally going to post about my recent adventures, so you are welcome! First adventure to discuss is the trip my "Daily Life in Pompeii" class took to (where else?) Herculaneum and Pompeii!

The adventure began on November 15th, and after a morning train ride to Naples we took another train to Ercolano. The first train was ok but the one to Ercolano was a commuter train that was crazy crowded and ah it was like people getting on the lifeboats on the Titanic...so intense, lol. We then had lunch in Ercolano where I had the region's famous mozzarella on a sandwich with prosciutto crudo (which I love now). After lunch we walked to the site of the ancient city of Herculaneum!

Buried in 79 AD by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, this city is better preserved than Pompeii due to the speed and heat of the ash that covered everything. Modern-day Ercolano was built on top of Herculaneum, and only this small part was excavated. The whole thing is pretty much in a pit with the wall of volcanic ash around it...we had to walk down a tunnel to get into the city. The walls of ash were amazing though- it was hard to imagine the whole city being dug out of there! It was also really cool that we could see Mt. Vesuvius from the city, but don't worry, it stayed quiet! Another interesting thing was that Herculaneum was a coastal city before the eruption, and the Mediterranean Sea used to right up against the buildings we saw. This seems very strange considering the sea is now about a quarter mile away!

Some cool things we saw in the city include a temple, some ancient stores, the carbonized wood that was preserved since the eruption (this wasn't present in Pompeii), the dents in the stone streets from wagon wheels, bath houses, beautiful mosaics, and other main buildings that were so interesting! Our stay in Herculaneum was shorter than the Pompeii tour, but it was still awesome and I loved it!

After we left Herculaneum, we took another train to Sorrento and once there we walked to the hostel we stayed at during the trip. The hostel was surprisingly fancy and very comfortable, which was great. My roommates were nice, and were from Kentucky and Nebraska. Everyone in my class was quite nice on the trip, and it was nice that there were only 10 of us, including our teacher. That night, our awesome teacher took us to a pizzeria in Sorrento, where I had delicious appetizers of more cheese and bread and the best prosciutto I have eaten in Italy! The actual pizza that we ate wasn't even my favorite part of the meal, haha.  The tomato sauce on the pizza here is sometimes too sweet for me, but the bread and cheese in it is always excellent!

The next morning, we had a great breakfast at the hotel and then took another train to Pompeii, where we began our tour! Luckily the weather was nice to begin with, even if it did rain later in the afternoon. I still had fun despite the rain! Pompeii is definitely on my list of my favorite things I did in Italy, because I was truly so happy to be there! I have been interested in the city since middle school and it was so cool to be there in real life and see all of the things from our textbook! There are so many details that I could share, but I'd suggest a book on Pompeii since I can't even begin to describe all the things we saw! Being in a town that looked pretty much the same as it was in Roman times was so surreal and I loved it!! Pompeii is quite large, too, so there was a lot to see. Things that really stood out for me were the Forum, the temples, the streets with the grooves from the wagon wheels like in Herculaneum, the frescos, plaster casts of the deceased Pompeiians, the theatres, the Villa of the Mysteries with its beautiful paintings, and most of all the amphitheater! I had to do a presentation on gladiators and being in the amphitheater, talking about the gladiatorial games that occurred there so long ago...ahh it was so cool!! I think my class could tell that I was very into my topic!

Pompeii was so amazing and going on the trip without knowing anyone else was a good thing for me. So many things here in Italy have improved my confidence and I couldn't be more thankful for that. Being in Pompeii was such a great experience and I had so much fun! Even though it rained at the end, it was still an awesome tour and I am so glad that I took that class.

That night, we went out to eat again with our teacher, this time to a lovely restaurant where I ate delicious cannelloni and veal escalope in white wine sauce. SO GOOD, and so fancy! A good end to our stay in Sorrento. The next day, we took yet another train back to Naples, where we visited the National Archeological Museum. Being in the Naples train station was kinda sketchy since the city is kinda rough, and I couldn't wear my jewelry for risk of theft, but nothing bad happened so all was fine. The Archeological Museum was great, though we were all pretty tired by that time! I loved seeing all the art that was found in Pompeii, especially the mosaics of guard dogs and statues of various animals. The museum itself was even awesome, with long, open hallways that are lit in a lovely way. I always enjoy going to museums, so it was delightful!

We had lunch in the train station that was rather sub-par, and after waiting for our train for a long while I was glad to rest on the trip back to Florence. All my Florence roommates were also travelling that weekend, so I had a relaxing evening before heading off to bed. Fun fact: I went on 10 trains in 3 days!! It was such a wonderful weekend and as I said, will be remembered as one of the best parts of my study abroad experience!

I took sooo many pictures, but here are some of the best ones. In my facebook album I describe each one a bit more, so if you are interested, check it out! =]


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Wed, 05 Dec 2012 05:06:00 -0800 More Pictures from Class http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/more-pictures-from-class http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/more-pictures-from-class

Here are some black and white photos of people in Piazza Santa Croce that I took during class one day. There was an art exhibition in the piazza with large rock things so it made for some cool pictures!

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Wed, 05 Dec 2012 04:40:00 -0800 Dog Photos! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/dog-photos http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/dog-photos

Hello everyone! To start off my posting for today, here are the photos that I took for my photography midterm and final project. I wanted to photograph dogs because I really like how dogs think the same way in every country and even though the Italian people don't speak my language, the dogs here are just the same as dogs at home. That fact is pretty comforting in a place that is completely new. Their language is universal, and I tried to capture that idea in my photos. Enjoy!

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Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:56:00 -0800 I am a fan! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/i-am-a-fan http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/i-am-a-fan

Now to compliment the list of things that aren't so good in Italy, here is a list of things that make me happy! I might have more than one of these lists if I can't think of everything I want to say right now.

1. The historical buildings. I love walking to class and seeing the massive Duomo looming over the city streets, looking so out of place in the crowded city but at the same time making the city so special. The cathedral in Piazza Santa Croce is also beautiful, and walking by it when the sun is rising or setting is lovely.

2. The sunsets. Speaking of the sun, it is so beautiful to see that Tuscan sun sink down in the distance, making the sky above the Arno River filled with color. In Orbetello on our cruise weekend, we also watched the sunset on a beach, which was gorgeous as well. It gives a peacefulness to an otherwise bustling city. My favorite sunset so far, though, was the one I saw from the top of the tower at Santa Cristina Castle. That was amazing!

3. Running along the Arno River. I love the river, and my favorite part of my run is when a reach a certain bridge and as I cross it, I look to the left and see all the other bridges connecting "our" side of the river to the rest of the city, and it always makes me smile.

4. The museums. I am so glad that my classes take us to the many museums in Florence, because there are truly so many famous works of art here. Just this past Tuesday I saw the David statue by Michelangelo and it was amazing to see the size and presence of the statue. The week before that, we went to the Uffizi Gallery, and there I saw the famous Botticelli paintings The Birth of Venus and Primavera. Seeing those giant paintings upclose was something I never thought I would do, and it was very inspiring to be around works of art that were so old and yet so well preserved.

5. Gelato. And I mean real gelato! I only get varieties of chocolate of course, but hey at least there are different kinds! My favorite gelato place is called La Carraia, which isn't that far from our apartment. I either get cioccolato (chocolate that tastes like Kiltie ice cream!), fondente (the richest and darkest chocolate you can imagine), bisccotino (a chocolate cookie flavor that has pieces of cookies in it), or a mixture of all of them! And since I actually like eating the cones now, it is a whole new and wonderful world for me.

6. The dogs. Italy has such a variety of dog breeds that people own, and I get so excited when I see a Greyhound, a Dalmatian, a Bernese Mountain Dog, or even a Basset Hound trotting down the street with their owner. And that is just a sample of all the ones I see- I love it! My midterm and final project for my photography class is to take pictures of the dogs I see, so it's great that I get to remember them in the pictures I take.

7. Helping tourists with directions. It is a good feeling to know how to direct someone to a place and feel confident that you are right! A lot of Italians, though, think I am actually Italian and come up to me to ask me something, to which I must reply "Mi dispiace, non parlo bene l'Italiano" (I'm sorry, I don't speak Italian well). But to the English speaking people, I love to help! I met a couple from Chicago the other day, and successfully told them where an ATM was, and how to get to the Uffizi Gallery. Having the sense of "being a local" is awesome, even if it's just for little things.

8. First-time experiences. Yes, I know this is a shocker coming from me, but it is nice to say to myself that I have achieved something new, sometimes. Achievement unlocked for: being in Europe, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, taking a cruise, riding on a train, taking a city bus, going to a wine tasting, going to a spa, riding a fancy Ireland horse, trying a bunch of new foods, making pasta from scratch, and many others! Sure I may be nervous about new stuff a lot, but I am indeed on the way to getting over my anxiety and trying things more often! 

9. Doing nothing. Sometimes, it just feels good to snuggle up on the couch, eating corn flakes and watching the Indian in the Cupboard movie, just because I can. Being relaxed is not the easiest for me, and when my homework is done, it is great to just have time for myself, doing essentially nothing but making everything better!

10. Being genuinely interested in my classes. I actually like learning about most of the stuff we talk about in class, and what better place to learn about art history, fashion, and Pompeii? I have to write a paper about gladiators for my Pompeii class, and I can easily say it will be one of my most interesting papers from my point of view. My fashion class is also awesome, since you can't really learn about that stuff in any other class. I'm not as into the fashion scene as other girls in my class, but I certainly appreciate it and find it to be fascinating!

I think that is all that I can think of right now, but if I think of more, I will definitely post them! Ciao!

 

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Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:40:00 -0800 heat update and spa trip! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/heat-update-and-spa-trip http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/heat-update-and-spa-trip

I'm pretty sure the heat works now! Yay! Our landlord Walter came by the other day and messed with something on the wall so it should work now apparently. Very pumped about that!

Also, our SAI people took us to a spa today! It was called Terme Antica Querciolaia, and it's basically a place for lounging by the pool and getting massages and such. Even though it's November, the warm pool allowed us to swim outside in the sulfur-enriched water. Very good for the skin! I also experienced going in a sauna for the first time, which was pretty cool. Probably won't do that too often, but it felt good to sweat out some "toxins" as they say. Here is what the pool looked like outside:

I didn't get any pictures myself, but it was still a fun and relaxing day. This was our last day trip with our SAI program, but I still have some adventures to come! Here is a look at the last 5 weeks I have here in Italy:

Next weekend: My class takes a trip to Pompeii! Very excited to go there!
Thanksgiving weekend: My friend Caitlin will be visiting me, since she is studying abroad in Amsterdam and wants to see Florence! (and me!)
Last weekend in November: Trip to Austria/Germany! Can't wait!
Weekend before finals: A LOT of studying!

Then it will be finals week, and I come home the 15th! I have 2 papers to write and a couple big projects to do, but it won't be too terrible. More to come soon! =] 

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Mon, 05 Nov 2012 05:29:00 -0800 Notes http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/notes http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/notes

First of all, for some reason, it seems that all the pictures I have posted on here are not working- at least, they aren't on my computer. I apologize for this issue, and I will try and figure it out eventually. If you actually still see the photos, however, please carry on as normal.

Secondly, for those unaware of this information, I am receiving a scholarship from Study Abroad Italy for the semester, and for this scholarship I have to send them a summary of each month and some photos that they can post on the website. Here is the link to that site, and my September summary is indeed on there if anyone is interested (just look for my name...the October one should be on there soon):

http://www.saiprograms.com/news

Also, I got hit by a bike today. I knew it would happen eventually...oh well. I'm not hurt or anything, so don't worry!

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Sun, 04 Nov 2012 03:21:00 -0800 Not a fan. http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/not-a-fan http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/not-a-fan

Here is a list of things that either annoy me a lot here in Italy, or that are just bothersome:

1. Mosquitos. And I'm not talking about regular old mosquitos in the US that fly around and land on you and stay there for a while sucking your blood until you see them and then smack them. No, these punks are called Tiger Mosquitos, and they never land on you. They just fly around and bite you multiple times so you can't tell, and the next day you have painful, itchy bites all over. And what's worse, they fly in your ears at night (my ears and not my roommate, I don't know why) and they are so loud and I hate them and I just get SO MAD about them!! The sound of bugs near my ears is one of the things I hate most, and ugh it's just terrible.

2. The lack of a dryer. It takes literally days to dry clothes, and if they don't dry fast enough, they smell weird from being damp for so long. We have one drying rack and a clothes line outside, but when it rains, they only option is to keep them inside on the rack and hope for the best. And drying them with a hairdryer is a silly idea to anyone who has seen the hairdryer we have.

3. The water in the shower/ the cheap shampoo I had to buy. Either the water here is hard water and it doesn't wash out the soap in my hair well, or the watery cheap shampoo I got for 1 euro doesn't clean my hair properly. In any case, my hair is never fully clean and it feels horrible. I can't use the good shampoo I brought, since the water can't wash it out of my thick hair.

4. Tourists. They are everywhere, stopping in front of you when walking or looking up to take pictures instead of looking where they are going. Especially when I go running this is a problem, or even when I'm walking home with groceries. Please move, people! I move out of the way for you!

5. The price of food. The only thing I really plan to buy for the rest of my time here is groceries, and it's annoying how expensive everything is. And everything comes in such small packages- ugh I miss shopping at home.

6. Smoking. Italians smoke a lot, and when you are walking down the street behind someone blowing giant clouds of vomit smoke into the air, it's not very pleasant. It sticks to your clothes and gets in your nose and just isn't fun.

7. The cold. Yes they turned our heat on Oct. 31st, but since then it has not worked. It is supposed to be automatic and we aren't supposed to touch it, but I really don't know when it actually going to provide us with heat again.

8. The fact that we only have a few cheap dishtowels that never dry out. Doing dishes every day is not fun when the chinsy fabric of the dishtowels is soaked and smells like dirty rag. I don't mind doing dishes (mainly since the warm water heats my freezing hands), but it just feels gross to use a dirty wet cloth to "dry" clean dishes.

9. The water. It tastes gross, and is as dirty as city water usually is.

10. "Lesson plans" of disorganized teachers. I can't handle a class that won't teach you anything and expect you to get everything they ask correct. Some of my classes are fine and follow a schedule, but others are terrible and it's a guessing game to know what we have to do.

11. The washing machine that ruins my clothes. I have already ruined about 5 shirts, and nothing is the same color it was when I came here. Things shrink, too, and it's really frustrating to have clothes get ruined and then know that everything here is too expensive to replace it.

12. Being constantly reminded of things I miss from home. Pretty self explanatory.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/2213417/SANY0322_-_Copy.JPG http://posterous.com/users/n7AgH1pIKjWLU Gretchen's Adventure! esserefortecredere Gretchen's Adventure!
Fri, 26 Oct 2012 03:58:00 -0700 The Foods That I Eat! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/foods-i-eat http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/foods-i-eat

Here are some lovely images of the foods that I eat most often here in Italy:

1. The best type of cookies that the grocery store sells...but actually the regular grocery store doesn't sell them and I have to buy them (overpriced) at a little food place near our apartment...but SO WORTH IT. And I actually eat cookies with milk now so it's quite exciting.

2. My most common dinner meal- noodles with powder cheese and ketchup. It may not look very appetizing to most, but to me it is delicious! My favorite noodles are called tortiglioni, but I like shells, too. I am SO glad they have ketchup here! I am already on my 5th bottle I think....

3. Here are other things that I eat a lot, and also our microwave! In this picture is a package of mortadella (really good lunch meat that I've never seen at home), my favorite type of noodles (called tortiglioni), the two types of cheesy rice that I know how to make now (sooood difficult, haha), and the two main meats of my dinners: fish sticks and chicken/spinach patties (both are so good, but I've never had the chicken with spinach and it is so good!). Spinach is one of the only vegetables that I will eat, and it is in a lot of foods here. I also make these noodles with spinach and cheese already inside them, which are really good. I of course eat these with ketchup.

4.More common foods that I always keep around: my breakfast every day (fake Coco Puffs with a lion on it), the milk I drink every day (there are green and blue containers, but I can't tell the difference and green is healthier so I buy the green), the bread I eat every day for my lunch sandwich (such tiny slices compared to back home!), and my 'emergency fruit'-canned pears. I usually eat 2 apples every day, one for lunch and one for dinner, but on days I run out and the fruit market I go to is closed, I have a solid backup!

5.My favorite snack to munch on- Special Flakes. Sadly, though, I can only buy them at a store near my school, and for a while they have not had them in stock. So, I've had to make do with corn flakes. Not the same! I want my Special Flakes back!!

6. And of course, pizza is a popular feature in my diet, but not as common as pasta in my meals. My favorite is margarita (cheese) =]

 

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Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:50:00 -0700 Interesting things... http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/interesting-things http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/interesting-things

- I almost got pooped on by a pigeon.

-I have broken 3 things in our apartment so far.

-An Italian man called me Shakira.

-I have technically broken the law twice already.

-I have successfully made a phone call in only Italian.

-I bought baby food to eat because they had no applesauce at the store.

-Italians have never heard of the name "Gretchen."

-I have ridden a train, a city bus, and a cruise ship for the first time while in Italy.

-The sidewalks here are not made for wearing heels, yet I do it anyway.

-One day when it was pouring, I heard a man whistling "Singing in the Rain" while riding his bike.

-The variety of dog breeds that I see in Florence make me SO happy!

-Unlike almost everyone else in this country, I still do not have a taste for tomato sauce, wine, or Nutella.

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/2213417/SANY0322_-_Copy.JPG http://posterous.com/users/n7AgH1pIKjWLU Gretchen's Adventure! esserefortecredere Gretchen's Adventure!
Sun, 21 Oct 2012 07:19:00 -0700 Half-way to home! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/half-way-to-home http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/half-way-to-home

Hello everyone who reads this!

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything, but hopefully I will make up for some lost time with the things I will post today. The week after our trip to Pisa was rather uneventful, and October began with a Midterm Celebration with our SAI program coordinators. We all met at a pizza place called The Clubhouse and ate some margarita pizza (means cheese...I can't wait to accidentally say 'margarita' instead of 'cheese' when I go home). That weekend, we went on our next excursion to an Organic Farm, which I will describe in its own post. We also went to 2 gardens in Florence that Saturday.

The next week, due to various circumstances, I really made the effort to put aside my homesickness and start enjoying myself more. It had been quite hard for a long time to adjust to all the changes here, but I finally am becoming more comfortable with everything. Going on some fun trips also helped this, because they keep me busy and give me things to look forward to. Being able to walk to places in Florence now without a map also gives me more confidence and has made me feel better about everything.

Amy and I went to a pasta making workshop that week as well, which was fun because I had never made pasta from scratch before! I was also surprised that I liked what we made! I am still not such a big fan of tomato sauce, but I will always try it. =] At the workshop we made Gnocchi di Patate con Salsa di Pomodoro (potato gnocchi with tomato sauce) and  Lasagne al Pesto (lasagna with pesto). Like I said, I liked both, but the lasagna was made with a white sauce that I thought was delicious!! The green color of the pesto almost made me not try it, but being brave certainly paid off. I didn't get any pictures at the event, but here is what they looked like:

 

 

It was fun to hang out with Amy, and even if I don't really remember how to make these foods, I have the recipes still! Cooking really has never been my thing, but it was cool to try it out.

The next day (the 12th), we went on a trip with our SAI program to Siena, which I also will have another post about. The day after that, Amy and I went on my favorite trip of Italy so far, which was to Santa Cristina Castle. That weekend also included some major studying for my Art History midterm exam with my friend Tara. Luckily, all of our studying was worth it and I think the test went quite well! Remembering dates is hard for me, but I think I did a pretty good job.

My other midterm exams went well, also, though it wasn't so fun to have 3 of them in one day! Tuesdays will forever be my most exhausting day of the week with 4 classes totaling 10 hours. For my photography class, I presented my set of photos entitled "A Universal Language That We Can Never Speak." It had to do with the fact that dogs all around the world have no language barrier, while humans struggle if they go to a different country where they don't speak the language. I took photos of dogs that I saw in Florence, and presented this concept to my class along with a short test for the midterm. My teacher, who I am not particularly fond of, actually seemed to like it so I was happy. My midterm for History of Fashion Design was rather easy, especially because I remember most of what she teaches due to how interesting it is. I didn't have too much knowledge of the fashion world beforehand, but I enjoy learning about it a lot! Like I said, my Art History midterm was ok as well, and that concluded my busy Tuesday.

Wednesday I had my Italian midterm, which wasn't too bad. I'm trying not to mix up Spanish and Italian too much, since I will have to take Spanish right away in January. I think it will be ok, though. We don't get through that much material each week due to the fact that the class is only 45 minutes per day.

Thursday I had my last midterm, which was for my Pompeii history class. I really like that class because I have always been interested in Pompeii, and we get to learn about the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, which have also always interested me. I am super eager to answer questions in that class, and I don't even care that my fellow classmates (there are only like 7 of us) think I am rather odd for doing so. I like the teacher as well, who says "Brava!" to me all the time. Thursday was also Casey and I's 3 year anniversary, so I decided that it was the best day to place a padlock on Ponte alle Grazie (a bridge over the Arno River that I walk on every day). Lots of other locks are there too, and although it is technically illegal, I am a rebel and and a romantic. I will take a picture of it to put on here soon. For those of you who don't know about what I am talking about, these "love padlocks" can be found all over Europe to symbolize everlasting love, a tradition that in Rome was made popular by a book. I love things like that, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

And now here we are on this weekend, which has been rather chill due to the fact that I have come down with a quite unpleasant cold. It has gone through 2 of my roommates already, so I suppose it is my turn! Amy and Shannon left for Ireland on Thursday (lucky!!) and Kim's mom and sister arrived yesterday to explore Italy with her during the break. I, on the other hand, will not be travelling, but instead will be enjoying the tranquility of being alone for a while. It is so nice to wake up and know that I have absolutely nothing to do that day, and I can just take my time to do the things I want. That's definitely a good way to spend the semester break, in my opinion.

So now please read on (or go backwards) to learn about the trips I have listed above, and until next time, Ciao! =]

 

 

 

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http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/2213417/SANY0322_-_Copy.JPG http://posterous.com/users/n7AgH1pIKjWLU Gretchen's Adventure! esserefortecredere Gretchen's Adventure!
Sun, 21 Oct 2012 06:45:00 -0700 Tour of Siena! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/tour-of-siena http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/tour-of-siena

On October 12th, SAI took us on a trip to Siena, and it was quite the day! We started our journey at a the Basilica of San Domenico, where Tara and I prepared for our Art History midterm by pointing out all of the architectural features of the building. This church even had the real finger of St. Catherine as a relic for worshippers. After that, we went to the famous Piazza del Campo, a courtyard where they have the horse race called Il Palio every summer. This Piazza was huge, and apparently they cover it with sand for the horse race. Each district of Siena is represented by a horse, and it is quite the big deal in Siena.

Next we went to the gigantic cathedral of Siena, the Duomo di Siena, which was so beautiful both on the outside and inside. It was cool to see a building that is actually in my Art History book! The outside facade is incredible, and so much detail is in every bit of it. Pictures hardly do it justice! There were also mosaics covering almost all of the floor, and it was such a beautiful place to see.

We had free time to walk around and get food after that, and then it was back on the bus. We soon arrived at Villa Dievole, a famous vineyard in the Chianti region of Tuscany. There I experienced my first wine-tasting, and since I still have yet to acquire a taste for wine (especially red wine), I had more fun holding the wine glass and being fancy than actually drinking it! We also got to sample some excellent pecorino cheese and see the big barrels where they keep the wine. Overall it was really cool to see the beautiful vineyard and everything, but I still do not like wine- not at all! I always try a sip though, just in case my taste buds decide to change their mind one day.

It was a great day in Siena, and so culturally- enriching! =]

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Sun, 21 Oct 2012 06:29:00 -0700 Castello di Santa Cristina! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/castello-di-santa-cristina http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/castello-di-santa-cristina

My favorite trip in Italy so far was definitely the weekend Amy and I had at the Santa Cristina Castle in Grotte di Castro. We left on Saturday, October 13th, and took a train to the city of Orvieto. I have been on 2 trains now, and I will admit that they are not as bad as I thought they would be. Still hate planes, though!

Once we arrived at the train station, there was a lady named Francesca who was holding up a sign with my name on it, just like in the movies! Haha that made me happy. She then drove us in a fancy Mercedes Benz to the castle, but unfortunately, we hit a deer on the way there! Don't worry- we were all ok, since deer in Italy are rather small. The curvy road was not the best place to hit one, but luckily Francesca is a good driver and didn't swerve or anything. The car was fine, and it was even kind of funny because after asking if we were ok, she exclaimed "Was a Bambi, a BIG Bambi!" It was quite the start to our trip!!

At the castle grounds, Francesca drove off and left us quite alone in this absolutely gorgeous place. A man showed us where our room was (in a beautiful building covered in vines and furnished with antique-looking awesomeness) and then he disappeared, too, leaving us to wander around the castle grounds and take pictures. It was all so beautiful and it felt like we were in England instead of Italy. It felt like that even more when we finally met the lady who was going to take us on the ride the next day- her name was Ms. Vicki and she was British. She was super nice and had an adorable dog named Molly.

Eventually we were given a tour by the reception man, and then after playing badminton and having a wonderful chat outside, we ate dinner in the restaurant on the first floor of the building our room was in. We were not even sure what the meal would be, but it was very good and since we were the only ones there, we got wonderful service and it was just delightful. That night we watched movies until we went to bed.

The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast on the first floor of the castle, which we had not yet been in. Later we would get a tour of the castle, but for breakfast we just ate in a little restaurant area they had. Then we met Vicki by the riding arena, where she introduced us to our horses for the day. Her horse’s name was Moo-ka (since she is patterned like a cow!), Amy’s horse was a dark bay named Pabo, and my horse was a chestnut Irish Hunter (actually from Ireland!) named Frederico, or Fred for short. All of the horses were gorgeous, and so well behaved!

To start, we rode for a bit in the arena just so Vicki could see where our riding level was at. Then we set off on our ride, and to say the least it was incredible! The landscape of the beautiful forests and farmland were so cool to see, especially from the back of a horse. It felt like we had gone back in time on these old trails through the woods, and it was wonderful to have such nicely-trained horses that actually enjoyed the trip as much as we did. Vicki’s dog Molly even came with us, and she would run ahead and wait for us to catch up, being as perfect as any dog could be! We even saw some sheep at a nearby farm, and I just love all the lambs. It wasn’t at all like a pony- ride, which is a lot of what tourist horse-back riding opportunities in Italy are like. We got to trot (quite fast!) and traversed hills and everything. I LOVED IT!!! I couldn’t stop smiling when we were trotting in the sunshine along the green fields…every moment was so wonderful. I could tell that Amy was having a great time too, and I am so glad she went with me. She used to ride and have horses, as well, and is a great friend to hang out with.

Our ride was about 3 hours or so, and then Vicki drove us to a restaurant by Lake Bolsena for lunch. There we met some of her friends, who were also British, and a man named Peter, who was from Australia. Everyone was so nice, and the food was great! Peter even joined us for our afternoon ride, which was just as wonderful as the first one! Before we left, I even got to canter Frederico in the arena, making me feel pretty special. We rode English, which I am not used to, but to my credit I did quite well and remembered most of my equitation from my lessons. During the afternoon ride, Vicki also took pictures with Peter’s camera, and later he shared those photos with us.

Following the ride, we groomed the horses and got ready to leave. However, right before we left, the man who owns the whole place gave us a tour of the castle, which had been passed down in his family since the 1700s. Everything inside was in perfect condition, and once again it was like we had gone back in time! I absolutely LOVE castles and old stuff like that, so I was freaking out!! It was so amazing to be there and see everything as it was in the 1700s when the original Caterini family owned it. He even took us up to the tower, where we watched the sun set. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day, and I was so extremely happy that I had planned the whole thing for Amy and I. It was so great to get out of the city with a good friend and to do something that I love. Planning the whole trip myself also gave me more confidence about everything, and hanging out with Amy brought us closer, too. I will remember this trip forever, and I hope that I will go to other places in Italy that fill me with the happiness that I felt at Santa Cristina Castle.

 

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Sun, 21 Oct 2012 05:50:00 -0700 Garden Day- Bardini & Boboli! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/garden-day-bardini-boboli http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/garden-day-bardini-boboli

On October 6th, Kim and I went to the Bardini Gardens and also the Boboli Gardens with a few people from our SAI program. It was a beautiful day so it was very lovely to be in the gardens!

The Bardini Gardens are smaller than the Boboli, located in the Oltrarno area where we live. It has a big staircase which can be seem from very far away, and also has a great view of the city since it is up so high!

The Boboli Gardens are MUCH larger, and you can almost get lost walking around in them! To get to them, you have to go through Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace), which I will be going back to many times I hope! There were so many cool statues and fountains, which I love, and of course lots of plants that were a welcome change from city streets.

Here are some pictures from the Bardini Gardens....

And these are from the Boboli Gardens:

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Sun, 21 Oct 2012 05:29:00 -0700 Organic Farm- Il Forteto! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/organic-farm-il-forteto http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/organic-farm-il-forteto

Organic_farm

On October 5th, our SAI group traveled to an organic farm here in Tuscany, called Il Forteto. We got to go into the building where they store all of the cheeses that they make, and it was cool to see all of the different kinds! The people there were very nice and served us an AMAZING lunch after the tour of the farm. We got to the the Chianina cattle, which are huge! They were awesome to see up close. They also had Maremmano horses, which are used for races sometimes. As for the lunch, I tried so many types of cheeses and oh it was so delicious!!! They also had sausage and other things that they made at the farm, and it was definitely one of my favorite meals of Italy so far. Yay me for trying new foods! The picture attached is just a small sample of all the cheeses they had. Also you can see the cattle  and the group of us that went on the trip. I am on the left!

 

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Fri, 28 Sep 2012 05:25:00 -0700 Pisa! http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/pisa http://esserefortecredere.posterous.com/pisa

Pisa

Here are some pictures from the lovely Pisa, including the cathedral from the outside and inside, me being a typical tourist, and some other people doing just the same! =]

 

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