Coming ‘Round the Abruzzo Mountains
All I’ve been wanting to do this week is sing “The Sound of Music” while frolicking along the grassy hills. I guess that’s what happens when you spend time in the mountains. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to travel in Abruzzo, one of Italy’s most mountainous regions. The study trip was organized by the JFRC and led by Professor Jim Schwarten.
Hiking, of course, was the main activity on the trip. I’ve never been hiking before so it was a great, new experience. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We hiked through the trees and even if it was rainy, we got a chance to see the longest waterfall on the Central Apennine mountains. The next day, we climbed atop Mount Viglio. We were so high up that we were in the clouds. It was awesome! Hiking gave me a new appreciation for beautiful nature. I wanted to spend a hours staring at the mountains in a dream-like state.
Another favorite part of the Abruzzo Trip was spending time in an Italian village. We got to visit Civita D’Antino, a small town located on a hill. Village life is obviously different from city life. Everyone knew each other and they were so friendly to us tourists. Musicians gave us a mini concert of classic Italian mandolin and guitar music. The group and I ate at the same local restaurant for dinner and they provided us with traditional (and delicious) Italian dishes. We even learned how to make gnocchi.
The vibe of the village was completely laid-back. It gave us a chance to slow down and enjoy that we were in Italy. The Abruzzo study trip also gave me more time with the other JFRC students. Who knew playing a card game of Scopa could bring a group of us together? I honestly never would have thought to have that experience on a weekend trip. If you plan to study at JFRC, sign up for their study trips. It’s worth the money.
I’m almost done with midterms week, so I’ve been spending the last few days at the IC and grabbing pizza for dinner. I can’t believe I only have two weeks left in Italy. Where did the time go? This weekend I’ll be visiting Assisi and other places. I’ll talk about it more next week!