calda Toscana e fredda Roma ( Warm Tuscany & Cold Rome)

I have gotten over a week behind in writing to you all and I apologizeeeeeee!!!! I have planned to several times but then something else has come up.  I first want to tell you about two weekends ago in Toscana, one of the 20 regions of Italy.  It is where Cortona is, a very small town in the countryside on a tall hill.  It is where Under the Tuscan Sun was based off of and we found the house where the lady from the movie actually still lives in to this day!

The town is absolutely beautiful and you can begin to understand the beauty of it from the pictures I posted.  It is really unexplainable in words.  The panoramic view took our breathe away.  We took the train going towards Firenze (Florence) and it only cost us 4 Euro.  Then we took a bus up a very steep hill to the center of the town.  We walked around in our t shirts because it was so warm...truly we were under the tuscan sun and we loveeeed it. I can see why people who by chance come to visit this little town end up moving here!  Everyone was very friendly and spoke hardly any English which was definitely a challenge when trying to find the Tuscan villa from the movie.  The name of the Villa is something like Barcesole which literally means craving sunlight.  As the sun set we could see how the villa got this name.  Because the terrain is so many hills and flat areas the hills block a lot of the sunlight.  I can't wait to go back to this spot in the spring to see all of the green hills and vineyards and sunflowers.


As for Roma! Oh my gosh so much to say.  We took a train there on Friday afternoon and it only took us 2.5 hours.  The train did have one stop and we missed the next train so it was a long day of traveling.  We found our hostel quite easily but the whole day it was rainy and traveling with 7 girls was stressful.  The hostel was really nice.  We stayed in two different rooms and only paid 15 Euro each.  We went out that night to this bar with other people from our program.  It was a very long night that ended in McDonalds haha...strangely enough.  It was so much fun though and we all took care to make sure we got back okay.  The metro system in Rome is pretty easy to get the hang of, though can end up being expensive, so we walked a long way home from our friends hostel to our hostel.  In the morning we didn't want to pay for towels so we used our sheets haha and went off sightseeing! 

We first went to the Vatican...with my student ID was only 5 Euro!...and I could not believe how enormous it was!  There was so much to see! So much history, sculptures, paintings, maps, religious icons...it was amazing.  I could go on and on about it but hopefully the pictures tell about themselves!







 And of course the Sistine Chapel was absolutely amazing. That was the one place we couldn't take pictures but my friend stole one!  In the picture you can see the famous painting of the hand of God giving life to Adam. (top left)







There is so much history, religion, and culture in this city!  The city itself is huge and noisy...it can be compared to NYC and it made me so happy that I am living in Perugia, but it was a fantastic weekend trip.  Here is a picture of one of the many cathedrals.  We did not have a tour or guide.  Us girls just did this all on our own but I still feel like I missed the important significance of a lot of it.  I know I will be visiting again soon though so I am not worried.  All of the cheapest flights fly out of Roma so we will be there a lot, which give me time to learn about these beautiful things.

  Next we went to the Basilica and St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.  It was so amazing even on a rainy gloomy day.  We had a lot of fun in our rainboots and umbrellas.  The Basilica was absolutely gorgeous inside.  The tallest ceilings I have ever seen and detail from the floors and from every corner.  Inside there were tombs where some of the past Popes were buried.  Even if you aren't religious you would have felt the spirituality of the place all around you.  There was no talking, unless it was prayers under your breath and people were kneeling or touching the feet of saints/statues of saints and past popes.  It looked like some kind of Catholic ritual. 

It was such an amazing experience being in there, and I thought it was pretty cool the Pope was there at that time!!!  

Afterward I met up with some friends from Stonehill and we went out to find the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.  Both of which we found!!! We bought a couple bottles of wine and took many pictures, especially at the fountain.  We all through in a coin so I best be coming back here at some point later in my life <3

That night we had another positive experience at a hostel... It was seven girls in one room though! haha but we had so much fun and it worked out fine of course.  3 Bunk beds and a single bed.  They were very comfortable and the place was brand new with a terrace!  We all felt very safe and had an enjoyable experience.  Also on a side note I had the best nutella crepe and the thickest hot chocolate the day!  It was heaven after a very long day sightseeing in the rain.



On Sunday morning we got woken up to the cleaning lady because none of us woke up to our alarms.  I quickly showered and used the sheets again as a towel.  We are getting very cheap...

We were excited to see the Colosseum & the Roman Ruins!  We took the metro over to them in the morning and we took a tour of it.  At this point I called my mom I was so excited...forgetting in my excitement it was 5 40 am....This was my favorite place that I saw in Rome.  Early Roman Civilizations and gladiators are sooo interesting to me. Anyhow, I couldn't believe how RUINED the ruins were though.  It is hard to imagine what this place was really like.  All of the floor is gone which was interesting because that enabled you to see the complex workings of the "underground" infrastructure where the lions and beats and slaves use to be caged and trained.  The ruins were so awesome too.  We walked on Palentines hill and saw the first "botanical gardens' in Europe.  It was just awesome knowing that at one point this was the center of Roman civilization.  So many generations and eras have changed the landscape and the architecture.  It went from pagan structures to Catholic cathedrals which is really interesting. 

Supermercado

Yesterday we went to il supermercado in the outskirts of Perugia.  We took the mini metro.  I bought a ticket for 10 Euros for 10 uses.  They system is like the T in Boston in the way that you get in and out of the station.  But anyways we went with our professor, ti chiame Gioliano, to learn about how to buy things and get good prices at the supermarket.  It was fun and we bought a lot of things there.  We had to buy special bags because they charge you for the flimsy plastic bags, probably for environmental reasons.  Five of us have become close already and we all split the costs so it ended up being cheap and we got enough food for several weeks.

My program is awesome and it is soooo easy to change classes, meet with professors, etc.  The umbra institute consists of one level of a building with a couple hallways.  It is very small and our program is small.  Probably between 60 - 70 people.  There are people from all over but I am trying to meet the locals and practice my Italian.  I am learning so much just living here.  The professors are awesome although the Italian class profs only know a little bit of English.  They are super helpful and fun.  We were drinking sangria with them yesterday because they set up this dinner at a restaurante for apperativo which is like the first course.  Wine & Prosciutto and Pizzzzzza for free.  The people that work at the Institute organize a lot of extracurricular activities and make it so much easier for us because it is really confusing at first the whole travel thing.  After apperativo we went to un caffe (bar) called "Merlins" where we met some of our Italian friends haha.  They give free shots to americanos.  We did Karaoke with them on tuesday night so funnn. We won't be able to go out every night when our real classes start next week but right now we are just trying to live it up every day.

This weekend we are going to Cortona in the regione di Tuscany.  It is a little town near a large lake and borders Umbria, the region where Perugia is.  It is also where Under the Tuscan Sun took place/was filmed I think.  Google it & think of me!  I hope to take a lot of pictures!!!

Sidenote: I cannot believe all the snow up in the Boston area.  I talked to Lindsay and Cency today and Ian and I cannot believe it!!!  Have a fun time in the snow for you all in the north!
 <3

Ciao Ciao!

This is the view we have!!! This shot is from the Mini Metro that we took to the supermercado "Coop".  Perugia center where we all live is on a high hill that overlooks the outskirts of the city.  On the left is Amy my roommate from UMASS Amherst! And on the right is Leigha who also goes to UMASS.  She lives two apartments down from us.

Intensive Italian

I haven't slept too well and still feel jet lag but that's the only downside so far!

I love the Italian language and I get so many opportunities to use it here with all of the locals.  It is so beautiful.  You see pictures of Europe but actually living in a city that people walked 10 to 20 CE before Christ that is something else.  Although the city is medieval looking there are many of the commodities that we have in America.  My roommates and I were able to get a hair straightener and notebooks and pens and such at a sort of convenient store.  I love the fashion here. Long coats for the ladies with high beautiful boots and big sunglasses and tight jeans and shiny puffy jackets for the men.

So far in my Italian class, I have learned to say "Io Sono Americano e dov'e di Marion in Massachusetts" (I think)! And some other basic things.  Having six years of Spanish, two years of Latin, and knowing the phonetic alphabet has given me a huge head start.  The pronunciation is hard especially remembering that ci or ce makes the "ch" sound not the "s" sound.  Everything just rolls together...they don't take many breaks in their speech.  I like my professor though.  I am in intensive Italian which is four times a week for an hour and a twenty music, so I hope to learn a lot!  It is necessary for survival here.  My other classes seem really fun as well.  One psychology class, a food and wine class, a perugia culture class where we travel to Sienna, and an academic internship and seminar where I will be in an Italian high school.  I am so excited.  We are trying to get back into the school mode again.

We are off to make dinner at our friends apartment.  She has a lot of room and chairs so we can have up to 20 people come which is fun.  For breakfast this morning I had a ciolatte crossante? (Trying to use what I know about the spelling and sounds) and the best orange ever.  I am scared of their expressos but I will have to try one soon!

Ciao!

My new home

Ciao!!!

I am learning so much italian already!!! There is so much to say about Perugia already.  I have quickly fallen in love with the city.  It is up on a large hill and overlooks the rest of the city.  The students live in Perugia center on top of the hill which is more of a mini mountain.  The city is surrounded with walls so you can't really get out haha.  It is so beautiful and historic.  I posted the pictures on facebook if you guys want to see what the architecture is like...definitely medieval.

My apartment is 30 seconds from the Umbra Institute.  It is literally two doors down.  I love it.  It is smaller than a lot of the other ones that I have seen so far but it is very cute.  My roommates are awesome.  I have four.  My actual roommate is from UMASS Amherst and we get along really well.  We all went out last night and had a lot of fun at a local cafe (bar).  So far no culture shock and I don't think I will have one.  I already feel like this is home it is just big enough for me and I am so happy I chose to study here.  There are hardly any tourists so we have been immediately immersed in italian language and culture.  I am getting used to the Euros.  Right now I am working on my permit to stay which will end up being very expensive...about 160 American dollars.

I have talked to a lot of Italians already...or at least tried to converse.  They are so helpful and friendly and not as creepy as I thought they would be, but don't get me wrong I wouldn't ever walk alone.  Perugia doesn't have a lot of crime like more touristy places like Florence and Rome, but we are always conscientious of our surroundings.

I have discovered many things about Italians right away:
1.  They love women.  LOVEEE them.  They are very touchy and get all up in your business really fast but they are usually harmless.  They are used to Italian ladies which ignore them so we just ignore them as well, well usually.
2.  They hate the American government but they like Obama...(came to the conclusion about this after two Italian men said this to me at the bar last night).  Although some have dreamed of coming to America it is not a very well liked country at all BUT they are very open to us trying to learn their culture and language.  Since we have been trying to use their language they have been very helpful and nice to us but they can tell right away we are americanos.
3.  They can close their stores whenever they want.  It is absurd, but I wish this was so in America. We never know when we should eat.

Perugia center is a college town.  It is made up of mostly students living there either to study italian, etc.  The locals love us and cater towards us.  It is a lot bigger city than I thought it would be, but I have much to see.  I am looking forward to riding the mini metro, a transportation system in the sky, that was just finished 2 years ago.  It is amazing that all of these places are built into an old medieval city.  It looks old and ancient but it is charming and updated in it's doors.  The Christmas lights are still up as well and white lights hang throughout it.  There is also a random ferris wheel and merry-go-round left over from the Winter festival I suppose.

You will be glad to know that I feel very safe in my apartment and that in certain places we have internet off and on.  I bought an Italian phone to talk to friends in Italy and for emergencies but skype and aim and facebook have been free and easy to access.  Whenever I am on (sarej135) skype me and I will most likely answer because I am in range of internet and can chat with you!

We made our first dinner last night.  Pasta and this really good sauce and off course wine.  Red and white.  It really can be cheaper than water.  Fortunately we can drink the water here so I have been trying to not waste money on that.  It is more expensive here but mostly because we are in a city.  We are going to check out the equivalent of a target like store when we take the train this week.

Buona notte or Buona cerra! I have intense Italian this week and next week my other electives start. Love you all!!!!

Leaving for Italy!!!

Hi all!

     I am leaving for Italy on Thursday and thought I should start a blog.  I can post pics and give you updates and tell you how much I miss you!