Let the Travels Begin

Jan is gonna get mad at me for not staying completely true to my weekly posting but I am doing my very best! Things are starting to settle and plans to travel are being made and I also do the occasional thing called school.

To begin, I've already ventured out of my little safe-zone of Verona. Last Sunday we (my friends Madison, Elizabeth, Madison, Mary Beth, Andrew and I) paid the hefty 5 euros to take a bus (about three hours) to Florence. With it being our first trip anywhere we were definitely winging it but we lucked out with smooth travels. Our bus was quite early in the morning but I had difficulty sleeping on it because we were strolling through the dang TUSCAN HILLS. It was stunning.

So we hopped off the bus and simply followed everyone else and landed at the train station. From there we continued to follow the (quite large) crowd and found ourselves at The Duomo. You really do sort of stumble upon it but let me tell you that thing is overwhelming. It truly is a bit difficult to wrap your mind around the construction and up keeping of a building like that.

Makes you feel just a little small.

After that we decided it was absolutely necessary for us to find sustenance considering we were all rocking just a minor hangover and three hours on a bus was not helping anyone. We caved and went to a place that offered scrambled eggs, bacon and American coffee (for those of you that don't know, this is not something you would normally find in Italy). Of course, the Italians have some different ideas about what "scrambled eggs" and "bacon" are but we were so hungry it was just fine with us.

So we wandered around without direction and found ourselves walking Ponte Vecchio (a beautiful bridge crossing the Arno river with lots of jewelry shops), enjoying some street performers in Piazza de Repubblica (one of the squares-pictures mostly show the beautiful carousel here) and enjoying gelato while strolling through Piazza Della Signoria. It is in this piazza that we saw the fake David statue. Wanting to cross at least one museum off our list, we decided to look on our maps to find where the real David was held and were disappointed to find it was almost 3.5 miles away which we swiftly turned down. Unfortunately, sources now tell us that we were indeed a few meters from the real David. Map skills...D-.

Our bus to return back to Verona was not until 8:50 PM and around six we started to feel tired and worn. We couldn't think of where else to go and were really starting to need food but knew the Italians wouldn't be eating for a few more hours. Just as the defeat was settling, a large swarm of birds gathered eerily overhead and for some reason chose me as their target. I was tired, there were an unbelievable amount of people around me, my head hurt, and I now had bird poop on me. We decided that this called for Burger King. Not the best ending to Florence but we will definitely return because it is so beautiful and there is so much to see. Next time we'll be sure to read our maps correctly.

I then only had to wait three days for my next adventure, a school field trip to Venice. Venice has been on my wish list for years and years so Thursday could not have come soon enough for me. We hopped on a train (first in my life!) and took the quick hour ride to this magic island. Venice is everything you could ever picture and want from Italy. Immediately out of the train station is water and some great guys selling selfie sticks to you (whom I gladly showed that I was already a master of the selfie with my own arm, but thanks). 

Selfie-stick business men not pictured.

If you've never been to Venice, I really cannot describe this surreal city to you. It's better than the pictures and it's better than your dreams. The streets are narrow and winding and you can get lost so unbelievably easily but it's fine because you'll be continuously crossing these adorable little bridges which will most likely feature people on a gondola who, if you are really feeling like being a little tourist brat, you can yell "kiss! kiss!" at.

Jokes aside, Venice absolutely stole my heart. We began with a quick walking tour to St. Mark's Basilica which is unreal. Again with the overwhelming thing, us Catholics really know how to make a dang building. Gold ceilings and elaborate arches, altars and imagery. It was absolutely stunning. We then did what I thought would be a cute little ferry ride to Murano Island. It was not. It was a boat taxi and it was so ridiculously crowded and smelled, I thought we were going down. 

We thankfully made it to the island safe and sound and hopped off the boat to have lunch on our own time. Let me tell you about one of the best meals I've ever eaten. It's Venice so we went for the seafood vibes with mussels, pinot grigio and a shrimp pasta. Everything was absolutely delightful and the whole meal included a view of the quaint little river running through the center of the island. The island is where Venetian glass is made and we were lucky enough to attend a glass-blowing demonstration which was mind-blowing (ha, get it). 

We spent our remaining time in Venice wandering, eating and planning our trip to return for Mardi Gras which is celebrated elaborately there. I'm still trying to decide if only one more trip back there will be enough for me because I don't know if I will ever get enough of that place.

We had a relatively relaxing weekend in Verona except a few absolutely TENSE hours last night when we attended a Hellas Verona game. The Hellas are the Series B team here in Verona and play at a very cool stadium only a bus ride away.

Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

We're thinking that their Series B team must be better in their division than the Series A team is in theirs because people were going absolutely WILD last night. Remember in high school when the seniors would yell at the freshmen at football games for not cheering enough? Well holy cow they should all attend an Italian soccer game. The singing and chanting never ended for a second. Somehow everyone knew all of the songs but us. We were not sure what they were saying but my spidey-senses tell me many swear words were involved. At one point the opposing fan section held up a sign that said "Verona" and then set it on fire. I went with Madison, Elizabeth and Madison and we were utterly confused why there was a "women" discount until we were in the stadium and were part of approximately 3% there as women. Don't worry, mom, no one bothered us and we were safe! It also surely helped that the Hellas won 2-0.

I have a pretty normal week ahead until a trip to Brussels on Thursday. If you have any suggestions on places we can't miss, please let me know! We heard it was famous for waffles, chocolate and french fries so it was an obvious go-ahead.

I continue to be happier than I knew possible every single day. I miss all of you back home!

Feelin' the Magic is an Understatement

I've officially called Verona home for over a week now! I'm an emotional and easily excitable person but to say that this place has my heart is going to be one hell of an understatement.

I don't even know where to begin. As far as logistical stuff, even the boring classroom part of studying abroad is amazing. I'm taking Italian I, Intro to Marketing, Business Communications, and Food & Culture and have seriously loved every minute I've been in the classroom. My four teachers are from all over the world: my Italian teacher is Veronese, my Marketing teacher is Finnish, my Biz Comm teacher is an American who moved here after falling in love while playing softball here and my Food & Culture teacher is from Turkey. This makes every class not only a lesson in the noted subjects but yet another lesson about culture and the wide diversity in opinion and lifestyle across this planet. In light of recent events, it has really opened my mind to how different life can be all over the world. Values and traditions vary so much and it's so important to recognize and understand that our way of life is not THE way of life. There's so much more to see and know.

I have spent my nights sitting at an osteria for 2.5-3 hours drinking aperitivo (like a pre-game drink for dinner which is just such a genius idea) and eating the free mini appetizers with it. I've spent mornings drinking espresso on my balcony having only half a croissant and the coffee for breakfast.  I've hopped on a bus and stopped at the market where I bought some of the best wine I've ever had for three euros. I've ridden the bus, I've navigated town, I've walked by Juliet's house while eating gelato. I simply do not know how it gets better than this.

Today we journeyed to the post office to submit paper work for our permit to stay. Sorry mom, but it looks like they gave me the go-ahead to continue residing here for the next four months. After our bureaucratic work was done, our program director informed us that the lookout point to see the whole city was only a 5-minute walk from where we were and that today would be the perfect day to go, considering the sun was out and the sky was clear.

Even the journey to the stairs to lead us up was the most charming walk along the Adige river with bike riders and twinkling lights and balconies with vines hanging. But I was not even prepared for what I was going to see at the top. The sun was setting and the lookout provided the single most beautiful view I had ever seen. The Adige water rushed under the beautiful stone bride and the city spread for miles. I have never been more overwhelmed.

I could not help but get emotional at the sight of the city I overlooked. This trip was something I had been planning for over a year now. I started getting frightened about a week before I left about all of the possibilities and the homesickness and the loneliness. In the moment I was overlooking Verona, I think I was the happiest I have ever been in my life. I am finally here. I am figuring things out on my own and I am doing this for myself. My heart is so very full and I am so utterly happy.

If you ever find yourself in Verona, give yourself the gift of seeing the sunset at Castel San Pietro. I have never felt so small yet so powerful ever.

If this is the happiest I will ever be in my life than this is more than enough for me. 

Here Goes Nothing!

Goodbye, America!

Whew I finally have efficient wifi and things have finally settled down enough for me to grab my computer, change the web address and title of my blog (take note!), and get typing. Today was my first full day in Verona, Italy (is 7:30 pm here) and I am so in love.

Of all things about this semester abroad, for some reason, the journey to get there was the scariest to me. I've flown by myself once but international travel seemed like a task too difficult for me. I proved myself wrong. I'm hoping this happens quite often during my time in Europe.

Though I accomplished traveling abroad, I would not necessarily say I excelled at it. O'Hare was crowded but totally fine despite a man speaking German at me for about 20 minutes straight and being so clearly frustrated with the fact that I had no clue what he was saying. I thought he was telling me about his doctor so I was politely nodding and then he was showing me pictures of a teenage girl which I thought was weird until I understood the whole time he had been saying "daughter." Guess that's why we shouldn't make assumptions!

I also, for some reason, went through security twice at the Frankfurt airport alone? I had quite a long layover so I started wandering and trying to find a place to eat (and drink a beer because Germany, duh) but I must have wandered too much because I was all the sudden continuously going through security around every corner lol. But alas, I have made it along with all of my belongings, in one piece!

We enjoyed our first real Italian meal last night at this very modern pizzeria with very traditional food. The pizza was UNREAL let me tell you. It was so fresh and doughy and just so stinkin' good. Dessert was some sort of chocolate pudding covered cream puffs? Can't remember the name so for now we deemed them "Dream Balls."

Many students are from the Washington/Oregon/Idaho area which is very cool but we're definitely realizing that college students in America remain pretty consistent across the board (we all made the comment that the wine "didn't taste like Franzia"). I've already made friends and have been laughing my butt off. Everyone at the dinner table last night made the comment that I was the only person they had ever met from Iowa so I will be sure to try and give our state a good name:)

I live in an apartment with two other girls and we moved in today. It's actually pretty spacious and bigger than what I was expecting! I'll post some pictures once I am finished unpacking but for now it looks quite a bit frazzled. I'm just happy to be able to get all of my things out of bags and into drawers/closets.

The grocery store was BOGGLING. I had no idea what anything was at all. In order to purchase a piece of fruit, you have to use gloves to pick the one you want, weigh it yourself, and then mark it. This seemed like too much for me so I will not be eating fruit until I see someone who knows what they're doing demonstrate this for me. People also almost never use carts and only pick up 2 or 3 things when they go there. I'm sure our 8-10 things looked quite obnoxious to everyone.

I do not speak Italian at all. I thought that my Spanish would help me here but yeah no I was wrong. To me it just sounds like noises. Talking in Spanish  does actually help them to understand me though. Hopefully my Italian language classes will help but for now it just sounds like noises to me. And there are not very many English speakers here.

Classes will begin on Monday after a brief orientation at school. We are told that our Italian class will be with Italian students learning English so that will be quite interesting and also hopefully a good chance to make some Italian friends.

There's a lot of logistical orientation going on right now so not too many exciting stories to tell except that I am here and in love! I think I said "aww" or "oh my god" or "look how cute!" around almost every corner. It truly looks like a movie set or a Disney theme park because it is just the most beautiful Italian city. I'm going to add pictures on Facebook so look for those! I was planning on including them in this post but the upload process is going unbelievably slow so Facebook it is!

Ciao to my friends back home! I have a feeling these next months are going to be some of the best of my life.