The GoGlobal Blog

Author: Kyle Rall

I am a junior studying Public Relations at Loyola University Chicago, but I hail from the middle of America-Kansas City. I am a huge soccer fan, and going to Europe is a fulfillment of that lifelong passion. Where some people will be posting their incredible pictures of the countryside, or historic sites, I'm looking to explore European cultures through their relationship with the global game. I'm looking forward to seeing as much of Europe as possible, and becoming as knowledgeable as I can become about Italy. Stay tuned.
3 Reasons to go to Venice for Carnivale

3 Reasons to go to Venice for Carnivale

Two weekends ago, my friends and I journeyed to Venice for the last weekend of Carnivale. We braved overnight trains, the convoluted streets of that ancient water-logged city, and what we thought would be massive flooding. Here are some things I took away from that weekend.

Venice at 6 in the morning from the Rialto Bridge.
Venice at 6 in the morning from the Rialto Bridge.

1. The city is an experience unlike anything you’ve ever experience (unless you literally live on an island). Walking through thestreets, seeing people driving by in water taxis, looking at the way the city works, in its damp glory, is singularly unique in Italy, Europe, and the world.

A group of three costumed people tries to find the most elegant backdrop to  compliment their outfits.
A group of three costumed people tries to find the most elegant backdrop to compliment their outfits.

2. People at Carnivale go to lengths to get in on the experience. Due to poor logistical planning, my friends and I arrived at 5:30 a.m. while the city was still sleeping. Except, it wasn’t. We made our way to Piazza San Marco, cold and expecting to be bored for the next few hours, but what we saw threw those thoughts on their head. People were fully dressed up in their extravagant outfits at six in the morning. On top of that, there were innumerable photographers, tourists, and just general people milling around trying to get in on that spectacle.

The lady of the water
The lady of the water

3. Gondola rides. While this may be possibly the most cliche thing to do in Venice, they are worth it. However, what makes them so unique is not the fact that they are a fun boat ride by a man in a striped sweater who (if you pay him enough) might warble out some Italian tunes. What makes the ride so profound is the fact that there are no cars in the city – the gondolas and water taxis are the equivalent of our mechanical horses. We saw what it was like to “drive” through the watery streets of the city from the water. Yes, tourists and other people gawked at us from every bridge and vantage point, and yes, the ride was overpriced for its brevity, but what it meant was well worth the twenty Euro.

Go to Venice if you get a chance – but dress up, wear a mask, and be prepared to fight crowds every day.

Generic First Post: Studying Abroad is Cool

Generic First Post: Studying Abroad is Cool

What everyone will tell you about studying abroad boils down to one big fact: it’s super cool. As boring, as generic, and as monotonous as that sounds, it’s completely true.

In the first five days since I’ve been in Italy, I’ve seen things that I can’t even talk about without shivering. The Vatican at 3 a.m.; the villas in Tuscia; all the piazzas in Rome; the Colosseum, the Forum; and this is just day five. Day Five.

The Vatican at night
The Vatican at night

The other thing that no one will tell you, (or maybe I didn’t talk to the right people), is that the whole experience is surreal.

Seeing sights that I’ve learned about from staid textbooks and lectures where I was half-awake has been almost too much, almost unbelievable. Taking a step back, putting away my Iphone, not taking pictures, and taking a deep breath has been the only way to truly internalize what I’ve been seeing.

Where do I go from here? Well, in the next couple of weeks, I’m heading to Venice for Carnivale, Barcelona (if I book the flight), Munich for a Bayern game, Florence for a week, and the Balkan countries for my spring break.

Hopefully I’ll catch some soccer in the interim, and truly understand why AS Roma fans are such fanatics about their sport.

 

Generic ending statement: Ciao for now?

That works.