Upon arrival the first day at the John Felice Rome Center last week I felt a bit unsure of my surroundings, I have to be honest. What many people forget to mention is that it is slightly hard the first night and next day realizing you are in a foreign country for the long haul. Coming straight off of a winter break with friends and family some slightly homesick feelings arose, and I felt a bit out of place. Although, all those thoughts I may have had of home the first night have completely diminished! I have not been as happy as I am right now in many years. Everyone tells you that going abroad is the best time of your life, and although this may sound like a cliche, it is absolutely correct.

“Che bella citta” How beautiful this city is. Everyone and anyone can appreciate the beauty and history that make up Roman culture. In an ancient city that once ruled the world you can truly feel the culture and the dignity people feel in being Roman. This week of orientation has been event filled with non stop socialization and every minute has been planned out. Although we have been exhausted at times, and are trying to recover from jet lag a lot of adrenaline pumps through your veins as you make new discoveries and make new friendships with a whole group of new people.

January 17, 2012

Do You Believe in Magic?

Ciao! It’s my sixth day here at the John Felice Rome Center and I’m still as captivated as I was on day one.  School trips

to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Tivoli, and Villa D’Este have been some of the most incredible experiences of my life.  Roaming the streets with new friends basking in the miracle of Roman architecture has been breathtaking to say the least.  I feel like I have walked in about a thousand art filled churches but each one still gives me chills.

On Monday we started something I had totally forgotten about until Sunday night…school.  The European vacation I had embarked on Wednesday was feeling a bit dampened if I am being honest.  As with most things, I couldn’t have been more mistaken.  Class in Rome is amazing!  Fashion, Italian, Catholicism, and history are not exactly a bore to learn about.  My professors are loud, funny, expressive and impressively interesting.  Hopefully I will come back better dressed, well versed, and friends with the Pope. (hey, you never know!)

Tours, day trips, and classes have been amazing but let’s face it I’m still a college kid…what would this blog be if it didn’t include Roman nightlife? Piazza Navona has witnessed some of my favorite dinners and “after dinners” of my life.

Meeting other American students, beautiful native Romans, and young people from all over the world has been enlightening and a total blast!  Rule of thumb: the cheapest wine is always the best choice.  Ok maybe I am just telling myself that but who can really tell the difference in Italy anyway?  One night after long conversation and a few or so bottles of cheap wine, my friends and I decided it was time to grab a taxi home.  We were casually wandering searching for a main street and the magic of Rome just hit us.  We literally BUMPED into the Pantheon!  One of the oldest most historic buildings in the world I accidentally beheld after a night on the town. Magic.

This weekend we are going to Caserta, Salerno, Paestum and Sorrento.  I’ll be sure to tell you all about it!

Ciao for now,

Christine

Hoy was my first day of escuela! Well, that is the first day of my month long intensive Spanish course. I had to wake up at 7am, the earliest time yet for the trip and is really early according to Chilean time and mi Padre walked me to the Metro stop that is about 15 minutes from our apartment. He works downtown anyway, so it wasn’t out of his way for him to go all the way downtown with me. I didn’t think I was nervous until I actually got off the Metro and saw the university, with all of the students signing up for classes and socializing; because in Chile the semester doesn’t actually start until March but in January is when they have admissions. So today through Wednesday is when students come and tour the university, apply to admitted for the semester and what not.

I was the first one there, and so I was able to talk with my coordinator, Isabel. She is really nice and speaks a bit of English that is helpful, but today she said was the last day she would speak English to us! We had our welcome breakfast in the university consisting of coffee, biscotti, croissant and avocado sandwiches, and lots of fruit- the usual of Chile. It was a great time to really get to know everyone! There are, I think only about 10 girls total with our program but they are from all over the USA and we spent the entire afternoon together-I love them all! We took a Spanish test to see where we place at, and it was hard as I expected but that just means I have room for improvement 🙂

After class, we all ate lunch together in the school cafeteria that was nice, and we walked all over the city just exploring and being extremely obvious gringos (white people in Chile). It was fun though and we ended up getting delicious gelato, exploring market places and sitting a park talking for hours. It was definitely an exhausting day- really every day here is just because I have to be constantly concentrating on translating the language and speaking Spanish. But it is the best feeling every day knowing I’m improving! I already have learned so much in just 4 days, it’s amazing. After an exhausting day of touring the city and class I was able to come back home, just in time to cool off after the 95 degree weather and I swam in the pool for a while that is in our apartment complex. Then, to top off the perfect ending to a perfect day we had a family dinner together and talked all about Chile, Latin America’s history and the best beaches and dance clubs that my family recommends for this weekend!

Yesterday was really great too; Eva and I went downtown to meet up with my new Chilean friend Alejandro. He took us on a really authentic tour of Santiago; we hiked up two different volcanoes! After all  “Chile es un grande volcano” according to my dad! Its true though, everywhere you turn you see dormant volcanoes and mountains, and even a few active volcanoes too! It is definitely a roller coaster every day though, trying to adjust to the new culture and trying to fit in with the Chileans.

The other students and I are all fighting the same battle together now though now, and it seems that just as long as we stay busy then we aren’t quite as homesick. Tomorrow though is the first official day of Spanish! I am nervous to see how hard it will be; yet I am anxious to combine my every day conversational skills with some really good classroom learning time! It is just amazing how much I am learning on this trip. Literally everything I do is something new and different, from walking to school, to waking up to see that yes I’m actually in Santiago and this isn’t a dream, to taking showers.

“The true fruit of travel is perhaps the feeling of being nearly everywhere at home. ” -Freya Stark

Hello! I’m Kelsey! I’m here to tell you all about my adventures in Italy this semester. I am a junior at Loyola University Chicago (or the John Felice Rome Center at the moment). I am working toward a major in Communications (Advertising and Public Relations, as well as minors in Environmental Leadership and Action and International Film and Media Studies. I’m excited to share my life with you for the next semester! I hope you enjoy!

————-

The first week of Italy was insanity. I have never done anything that scary/wonderful/new/independent/terrifying/wonderful. Did I say wonderful twice? Because it was wonderful. On the plane ride alone I saw the ocean, the alps, Big Ben, English Parliament, and the London Eye, not to mention watching the sunrise over England and the sunset over Rome.

Day one and two were a blur of jet lag, the Italian language and workshops to make sure I am allowed to stay in the country. On Toward the end of the week, as a group, we went to dinner at a local restaurant. It was amazing! The food here isn’t like the food at home. Even the cafeteria (mensa) is way better – sorry, Aramark!

On Saturday, we took a bus to the Colosseo and the Forum. The bus dropped us off and our SLAs (Student Life Assistants) basically said “Have fun! Find your own way home!” I was a little bit petrified.  The general philosophy is that if you get lost, you only know the city that much better. They really push for independent exploration of Roma. Which terrified me. Stranded? In another country? Where the only words I know are “ciao” and “grazie”? Well, it actually wasn’t that bad. They gave us bus passes and maps and everything. Either way, everyone made it home. I was lucky enough to see Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and have some pizza and gelato on the way.

The pizza. Oh, the pizza. I like to consider myself a bit of a pizza conneseur. I even took a pizza tour in Chicago this summer. I eat it probably once (twice) a week at home. But nothing I have ever had tastes anywhere near as delectable as the pizza in Rome. Worth the cost of the plane ticket to get here.

Sunday, the group went to Tivoli, a little town tucked away on a hill. The beautiful Villa d’Estes opened its doors to us, giving us a wonderful tour of the gardens. The picturesque gardens host over 500 fountains and were a luscious green even in January (PS- the weather is great here, you barely need a coat!). This place belongs on a postcard – and the vendors nearby would be glad to sell one to you for half a Euro.

You can buy anything on the streets of Rome, from aprons to books to scarfs to embossed glass pieces featuring the sights of Italy. It’s fantastic just to walk around to see the pieces of art people sell. Everyone is really nice. You can barely walk from one stand to the next without hearing “Ciao! Buongiorno!” I think the glory of Rome is in its history, but the life of Rome is in its people.

More to come! Ciao!

Being in Rome for four days now, I have completely exhausted the word “beautiful.” I’ve used it so much that I need to find another adjective that can describe what I see and feel. All I have now are my experiences through my senses in order to explain how wonderful Rome has been for me so far.

First, let me say that I went on this trip trying not to have any high expectations. In doing so, I have allowed Rome to surprise me and invite me in. While walking downtown to find some great gelato, I enjoy the uneven cobblestone streets that knock me off balance and continuously make me aware of where I am walking. I feel grounded. I adore how the sun shined on me while I ate a sandwhich on some white marble steps one day, warming me during this winter season. I cannot tell you how excited I get when the cypress trees sway in the gusts of wind. Their scent lingers in my hair and I get to enjoy it over and over again as I walk back to the bus stop.

The multiple water fountains around the city refresh me as I walk miles. Every time I fill up my water bottle, I feel a renewal of some sort, and am excited to walk and keep discovering the city. I have so many more miles to walk and more to see.

And the food, oh the food! It’s brilliant. But the multiple dishes are not what they are without the entire presentation that makes a meal. Each dish takes its time making its way to the table. A meal could take up to three hours. Hospitality is the key to a successful dining experience, at least this is what I’ve come to believe. To top it all off, I enjoy a nice glass of wine, either bianco or rosso, and it is absolutely perfect to wash it all down. My senses are in a heaven, and I feel complete with each sip.  Stay tuned for more! Enjoy reading!

Dear Family and Friends!

My journey just started a mere 24 hours ago, but I already have so much to tell you all! My flight from the States went well, and I even made some new friends along the way, including graduates who are meeting up with their parents to go hiking for a few weeks, tourists and a handful of professional photographers  form Durango CO that are traveling the world together with their huge maps, cameras and safari gear. If that didn’t get me excited then I don’t what would have..Plus the view from the airplane the last hour of the flight was spectacular! The Andes mountains are more tremendous and breath taking then I ever imagined. Landing at the airport and going through customs was pure chaos. I was so thankful that I had a friend there, Eva from Loyola that I knew or else I would never have gotten out of there!

After many confused looks and misinterpreted spanish we finally ended up on outside waiting to see our family with a sign with our names on it. Sure enough, the cutest little boy came running to Eva shouting her name and pulling her towards her host family. I stood there a bit dazed and confused for a while until the little boy turned to me and said ” Oh tu estás Charlie?” I corrected him and said Shirley, but he just kept saying Charlie so I gave in and he grabbed my hand and brought to me the beautiful woman- My host madre! So it appears that my name is Charlie just because of the accents, but I actually like that name better than Shirley, so I’m not complaining.

After many hugs and kisses on the cheek and signing paper work we finally said Chau Chau and I followed my host mother ,Katty, to the car where we drove through the city and she talked to me about everything from My flight, Swimming and to Chilean soccer compared to Argentinean.  I am so lucky that she is so nice to me, she speaks slowly and repeats phrases when I give her blank stares (which is often) I already feel as if my spanish is improving already!

After we arrived at the apartment building where I’ll be living she asked me if I would like to shower, and I told her I would like to go see the Park first and go for a walk, so she simply replied ” Oh Sí!” and then she told me she was going to el supermarcado and gave me a key to the apt and left. So, I did my best to look like a local which so far I am succeeding I think! And walked around for about 20 minutes just taking in Santiago, it all seems like I’m in a really good dream and tomorrow I’m going to wake up and be back in cold Chicago.

When Katty returned from el Supermercado she told me to unpack and I gave her my gift of tea towels, she hugged me and kissed me and acted like a little girl on Christmas, she absolutely loved the gift! After a hot shower, Katty sat me down for my first traditional Chilean Almuerzo or lunch. She told me she made something very traditional that was passed down by the indigenous people in Chile! It was a hot corn bread type of dish wrapped up in the Corn husky with onion and spices..served with cold pineapple juice. It was a great first meal to the say the least.

Tonight we are going to el Barrio del BellaVista, which is the artsy, musical, fashion district of Santiago because Katty who is a musician is going to be singing at a bar! I am so excited to go out tonight with them and also to meet my host father who is at work right now and the other family! There is also a boy from the United States who is staying here for just a week, who I have yet to meet..I have been sleeping because the lack of sleep finally caught up to me. So, here I am sitting in my tank tops and shorts with palm trees, green grass and hot sun beating down on me. It is so hot here, I forgot what it was like to actually be warm without ten pairs of socks on. I love it!

I have the whole weekend to relax and “be calm” as my host madre calls it, school doesn’t start until early Monday morning but I am already anxious to meet everyone and get started with Spanish!

I miss you all and wish you could be here right now on this amazing journey that is slowly unfolding. Expect lots of pictures to be coming soon! 🙂

~”We live in a wonderful world full of beauty , charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. ”

January 12, 2012

ROME if You Want to, Roam around the World

Buongiorno!  It’s Thursday January 12 and the first day I woke up in Roma!  The John Felice Rome Center is the most beautiful campus I have ever seen.  Fruit trees and olive groves adorn the entrance and each bedroom has a view of natural scenery of the neighborhood.  I have probably walked about 10 miles just since I arrived, much of that being aimless strolling due to my poor sense of direction and extremely hidden street signs.  Regardless, somewhere along those 10 miles I realized there is nothing better than being lost.  I am lost in another culture.  Lost in another language.  Lost in the romance of this incredible city.  I am captivated.

This morning I woke up with my mind set on searching for the perfect cappuccino.  After walking around for about an hour, I found a perfect spot among endless perfect spots.  I bellied up to the bar, faked some Italian and consumed the strongest espresso drink that has ever entered my body.(I’m still buzzing…seriously)  The server told me I was not drinking fast enough, and when I looked around he was right.  I have come to realize there are many things Italians savor with time; caffeinated beverages are not among them.  Chugging espresso and savoring food and wine…I can get into that.

More to come…

xo

Espresso Lover

Whoo hoo! Fifty degrees in Wisconsin in January?!!? Feels like good traveling weather. And what a day it is. I’m leaving for Rome!

Alright, so I’ve got a few hours before the fam and I leave for Chicago. How would I describe the morning so far? HECTIC! What a surprise. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Actually, I’m pretty positive that I’m not. Hectic includes finishing the FAFSA with my dad, going to Half Price Books to see if I can buy some novels for my “Society and Literature” class, making sure I have all of my prescription medicines, and syncing my Ipod.

But it’s also LOVING. I woke up this morning to find my Facebook wall loaded with messages of love and support. This is a big adventure. The last time I was out of the country was in 2009 when I went and stayed with family in Germany for two weeks. This is not a two week vacation! Where is my Harper Collins Survival Guide:Italy?

Anyway, time is ticking away and I am so excited. I have run out of words and am eager to experience life abroad. I’m just ready to get to O’Hare and be amongst the travelers who have, what I call, the “Traveler Fever”. It’s that oober anxious, nervous, sometimes impatient, and eager feeling for one to go to their destination that permeates through the air is contagious to anyone that steps within the airport. The Traveler Fever even makes those not flying yearn for a little bit of travel. Ooooh, bring it on.

Oh boy, I have to get moving.  It’s time to get the luggage in the trunk, passport in the backpack,  granola bar in the pocket, and get some water to the brain. Here I come O’Hare. Next stop, Heathrow Airport! Can you say, “Love Actually?” Ha ha yes. Enjoy reading!

I am homeward bound tomorrow. It is nearly impossible to wrap my head around the fact that I will not be in Europe in less than 24 hours. It is definitely bittersweet.  I cannot wait to be home for the holidays. I have this great picture in my head (similiar to the ending scene of Love Actually) when I arrive in the airport to the open arms of my family. Needless to say,  it will be the perfect holiday reunion.

My program officially ended on December 13th so I have spent the last 9 days on a solo trip in the UK and Ireland. As much as I love traveling with friends, there is nothing more thrilling or exhilarating than solo travel.  It is a true test of your independence, travel smarts, and ability to make friends with strangers.  I definitely reccomend it if you are comfortable and confident with your travel abilities.  There is nothing more freeing and satisfying than knowing you traveled somewhere all on your own. In total, I traveled to Croatia, Montenegro, England, Scotland, and Ireland solo. If you are worried about being lonely, trust me you are not. I made instant friends with so many people in my hostels and I was constantly surrounded with other fellow backpackers.

Because I was watching my budget ( I mean I spent it all on Christmas presents) I took a bus from Prague to London mostly to avoid the outrageous fees for my luggage, which of course has doubled since my arrival.I quietly shed a tear as I watched the beautiful Praha (Czech for Prague) fade away in the distance.  I know it is my time to go for now because I dearly miss my family and want to return home. However, I know that I will not be able to return  to Prague for at least 2 years and that saddens me. How do you leave something that has literally embedded in your soul and become a part of you? Praha has forever left its mark. I left a piece of myself that day. I’m not quite sure how to go back to my life before I went to Prague.

I fell in love in love with London. It is as fast paced as New York,  has the quirkiness and good nature of Chicago; it is filled with amazing history that I only dreamed about in books, and those accents are to die for.  Let me tell you: chivalry is still  alive in the land of tea and crumpets.  Being a bit of a theatre nerd I spent most nights in London’s West End seeing  various performances. Over my stay I saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace; toured the Tower of London; went to Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross; went to mass at Westminster Abbey; saw Big Ben, Parliament and the London Eye; visited the Tate Modern Museum,the National Gallery, and the British Museum and much more. It  was an amazing trip and I will make London one of my first stops when I return to Europe.

Next I ventured up to Edinburgh in Scotland. It is said to be one of the most haunted cities in Europe because of its bloody history. I went on a ghost tour and loved hearing about all the Scottish folklore and myths. Edinburgh was gorgeous with its castle sitting a top a giant hill overlooking the rest of the city, and the winding streets lined with stores, pubs, museums, and amazing medieval architecture. Plus, the Harry Potter nerd in me came out as J.K. Rowling used many aspects of Edinburgh for inspiration; the Elephant House Cafe even claims that it is the birthplace of Harry Potter. Although, when she actually started writing it in Porto, Portugal (a little fun fact I discovered while visiting there earlier.)    I also took a trip into the Scottish highlands and Loch Ness. The Highlands were simply breathtaking. Covered in snow, the mountains were striking and the lochs that lay nestled in between were majestic.  I survived a battle with Nessie and I have to say we are quite good friends now. I highly suggest leaving the city for a trip into the Scottish Highlands, they are amazing.

Lastly, I ended in Dublin, Ireland which is where I am writing this entry from. I felt completely at home with my fellow Irish and redheads. I have been to Dublin before but it is always nice to come back. I had a lovely time touring the city, spending time at Temple Bar, O’Connell Street, Trinity College, St Stephen’s Green, and the River Liffey.  Overall, it was time well spent with the spirited and most welcoming people.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the last 4 months. I thought I would make a small list to put in perspective all that I have done and  the different methods of transportations to the destinations.

Planes: 22

Trains: 7

Buses: 12

Currencies: 7

Countries: 18

Cities: 27

When I tell people that I have met in the various cities that I have traveled to 18 countries, their jaw usually drops and they are shocked. In all honesty, I cannot believe it myself. I cherish my time with the people I have met, the places I have been, and the life changing moments that I have experienced. I am forever changed by time abroad and I cannot wait to share my stories, experiences, and adventures with all my friends and family.

Luckily for me, only half of my adventure is over as next semester I will be in Australia. I am so sad to leave my precious Europe, but over the moon to live down under. They always say: when one door closes another one opens.  Bring it on Aussies!!

If I have one piece of advice being on the other side of studying abroad, all I can say is GO! You will never regret it and it will be the best experience of your life.

Happy reading and Happy Holidays!!