Italian Adventures

Farewell Italy

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:03:37 +0000

Our 3 weeks have come to a bittersweet close. It’s 11 pm on our last night and I’m sad. Yes, I miss my family and ranch dressing, but I’ve made a lot of great friends while in Italy–people who I may have never met otherwise. We saw a lot of neat sights, and even got off the beaten path every once in a while for ultimate frisbee and spontaneous adventures. Having Zac as our graduate assistant was a big help. We probably wouldn’t have gone to the beach or gotten to play soccer in the park without him. Spending this much time outside of school with the professors was an experience. I might have done a few things differently, but all in all this was a great vacation/workshop. Ciao Italy.

Distorted Perceptions

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:23:47 +0000

Before the trip, Professor LeTourneau warned us about how we will stand out, and Italians can tell who is American and who isn’t. Boy is that true. And I don’t think many of us on this trip dress in an outstanding way…it’s got to be something else. Part of Italians’ perception of Americans is that we are loud, overweight, and like to drink way more than we need to. We are loud, that’s for sure. Also, according to LeTourneau, Italian men think American women are “loose”. Well, isn’t that fantastic.

Coming to Italy, I expected the Italian men to be very aggressive and grabby. I haven’t had too many experiences since I’ve been here to uphold that assumption. I was also warned about pick-pocketing. I haven’t run into any of that either, thank goodness.

So assumptions and stereotypes can be misconceptions. I’d say, in my case, I don’t completely fit the Italian perception of American women, and many of the Italians I’ve met don’t fit my misconception of Italians.

Amusing Subtleties

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:12:49 +0000

Today is our last day in Italy, and after 3 weeks with this bunch, we’ve come up with some pretty funny terms and quirks. The term ‘re-wear(ing/er)’ gets thrown around like crazy here. When I went to Mexico in January of 2008, we were advised to pack lightly because we’d be able to do laundry. I figured the same thing would be true for this trip, so I packed as lightly as possible. I wish I would have packed two outfits for each day. I have been one of a few so called ‘re-wears’ on this trip. I hate it. I cannot wait to get home and wear other clothes!

Odd tan lines are also a common thing among the students of SJB Italy. Boys have farmers’ tans for sure. And Melanie and I have very random tan lines from sports bras when running, spaghetti strapped shirts, tank tops and wife beaters.

A few phrases that frequent conversations between ‘the girls’ and ‘the boys’ (Melanie and I and Rico and Barrett) are “So what you’re saying is…” and “Oh realllllly?” And, of course, the popular “That’s what she said.”

There are a few nicknames for the professors as well. LeTourneau has been deemed ‘Tourney’ by Melanie. And as for Mac, I prefer to refer to him as Macaroni.

If I Could Come Back

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:08:28 +0000

If I ever am lucky enough to get back to Italy, there are a few things I’d like to do. First, I would really like to stay in Sorrento for a few nights. During our crazy excursion at Pompeii, I had little time to explore the island, but what I did see was beautiful. Also, I would like to spend a night or two in Venice. I hear the Gondola rides are expensive, but I feel like it’d be worth it! Milan would be a cool city to visit as well. It would probably be pretty pricey, but one night there, or even a day trip would be fun. Florence is in the Tuscany region, and after being there for a day, and having seen ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ with Diane Lane, Tuscany would be the place I’d like to spend a week or two. Anyone want to donate money to Lindsay’s Italian Travels Fund?

Get On the Bus

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:07:05 +0000

I strongly discourage anyone who follows the directions of the title of this blog. In Italy, residents and tourists alike use public transportation to get from point A to point B. Examples would be buses, trams, and trains. There is no limit to the amount of people riding, so basically, it’s as many people as can squeeze on.

Yesterday a few of us went to a beach pretty close by, but it took us a while to figure out how to get there. We hopped on a bus down the street from our hotel, then took a train to where we thought was the beach. The plans to follow the crowd quickly dissipated when we opted not to take another bus, and instead walk toward the water.

Bad choice. These beaches were not public, and we would have had to pay to put our toes in the sand. So, after walking around in the hot sun for at least 20 minutes, we headed back toward the train station to get on the bus everyone else had taken. We were hesitant because we figured the bus would be packed, but got on anyway and I actually had a little breathing room.

The beach was very similar to those in the states. The sand wasn’t as white as the sand in Destin, but it was still sand. And the water was greenish blue, but not totally clear. We picked a spot on the crowded beach in between two umbrellas. The water felt great, and people watching was the best pass time. Women were topless, in thongs, and sometimes both, while the many of the men were in Speedos. We’re not in Kentucky anymore.

After a short time of laying out, we headed back toward the dreaded bus. This is where it gets interesting. The bus pulls up. It’s packed like a can of sardines. I force my way on at one door, Melanie does the same at another door, but Rico won’t fit. He offers to hang back and catch the next one. The doors attempt to close and I am smushed against the glass behind me and the half naked sandy man in front of me (who is carrying a LARGE duffle bag. Fantastic.). The bus starts moving and I grab for something to hang on to. I am successful on the third try after grabbing several peoples’ hands in the process.

The bus stops again, and a good sized crowd is waiting outside to get on. Yeah right. At least that’s what I was thinking, but some chick decides she will find a spot on this bus, even if it means pushing my face into the duffle bag man and my back into a pole. The doors attempt to shut again. This time I am pushed even farther into the pole that is now in front of me. I am praying at this point that the driver will realize we have reached capacity and not stop again until we reach the train station.

Did I mention these buses don’t have air conditioning? Well, they don’t. And it’s hot here. Very hot. And everyone is sandy and dirty from the beach. No one speaks English, so I’m cussing under my breath while that girl who forced her way on laughs behind me.

It doesn’t end here. The driver man clearly is blind because he stops again. Thank goodness a few people got off, so I made my way up into the main part of the bus, rather than the exit lane. I thought I had finally found a good spot to breathe more freely when a group of 4 decide it’s their turn to squeeze on to the bus. Once again, I am squished, squashed, and pushed into a spot smaller than I should be able to fit into. My feet are side by side, one of my arms is up, the other is down. You literally have to manipulate your body to successfully stand. One of the four in the forceful group is standing with her back to me directly in front of me. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun. She’s talking to her friends and every 30 seconds starts throwing her head back laughing, placing her hair directly in the region of my mouth. I am ticked. Actually, livid might be the term at this point.

I stand on my tip toes to try to grab a breath of the less B.O. infested air above me. The ride is finally over, and I jump off. I find Melanie and tell her we have to wait because Rico couldn’t fit on this bus. We walk toward the train station, but less than 2 minutes later, we are face to face with Rico. First thing out of his mouth: “I got a seat.”

Basically, had we all waited for the next bus, we would have had breathing room, seats (there are only about 12 on a bus, mostly just poles and bars to hang on to while you stand, so you’re lucky if you get a seat), and probably not be as sweaty.

On the train ride home, we’re packed again. On my left, a girl has literally passed out due to the heat. On my right, a couple is pretty much fornicating. Loudly.

Oh how I miss my little Saturn.

St. Peter’s Basillica

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:50:43 +0000

During our day in Vatican City, we ended our tour at the largest Christian church in the world–St. Peter’s Basillica. I didn’t get a chance to do much looking around, but it was neat to be there!

Then, during our day in Florence, we stopped by the 3rd largest church in the world. It was beautiful, but once again, I didn’t go inside. We were shooting a package that day and lugging around a lot of heavy equipment.

CNN Rome

lcpeters — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:35:14 +0000

Earlier last week, the group made a trip to see the CNN Bureau in Rome. In a nutshell, it’s 3 people, 2 rooms, and some camera equipment. Their set is inside a room the size of a closet, and they shoot live shots on the roof. It was really cool, though, to see the workings of a bureau. Since the main CNN hub is in Atlanta, the Rome one only has to do stories that are requested by other bureaus or cover major events going on in the region, like the recent elections. According to the news director/assignment editor/producer/reporter (she is one person), the bureau turns out one to two packages a week…which is a large contrast to television stations in the states. In the states, each reporter will turn at least one package a day, as well as probably a few VOs and VO/SOTs. As implied in the previous sentence, the lack of employees requires everyone to do every job. The main lady does everything, then there is an intern who basically is a reporter/producer/does research, and then the guy who does all of the shooting and editing. It was interesting to see the workings of a bureau abroad, but I don’t think it’s a place I’d like to work.

What I’ll miss about Italy…

lcpeters — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:35:46 +0000

When I get back to the states, here are a few things I’ll miss about this country:

Faro Beach

Pizza by the pound

Walking everywhere

My fellow study abroaders

Wine that’s readily available constantly, and affordable

Natural water fountains on every corner

When I Get Home

lcpeters — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:34:10 +0000

Here’s a list of what I’m looking forward to when I get home:

Hugging my mom

Getting a manicure and pedicure

Eating Panera Broccolli Cheddar soup in a bread bowl

Tango

Different clothes than the ones I’ve been wearing for 3 weeks

Outlets that don’t need converters

The beach

Peanutbutter

Ranch Dressing

Hair cut

New Rainbows

The Pope Mobile??

lcpeters — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:31:48 +0000

Yes. The Pope’s ride is referred to as the “Pope Mobile”. That sounds pretty improper to me. According to Newsweek, Pope John Paul II agreed with me. He argued the name was “undignified”. But, the reason the term is politically correct currently is because the vehicle has no proper name. It’s a Mercedes…and intended for use for public appearances. Wednesday, during our time at the Vatican, we got to attend the Pope’s blessing. All of us were no more than 10 feet from him at one point. Pretty surreal. Look for pictures later.