Pre-session Summer 2018
(May 16-May 30) 
...
Author: meganthomas
There was absolutely no better way to spend my final day in Italy than at the breathtaking and beautiful Lake Como. While many tourists may simply visit Lake Como just to see George Clooney’s house, I was instead preoccupid with the incredible views these towns had to offer. We started the day with a train ride from Milan to Varenna. Figuring out how to find our train was confusing–it was a regional train station, whereas we had been accustomed to traveling the larger train stations–we found our way and began our journey. As soon as we stepped off the train, we were all taken aback by the gorgeous view of the Lake. Of course, the warm and sunnny weather only made it more beautiful and enjoyable. We explored Varenna a bit and then took a brief boat ride to the adjacent town of Bellagio. This town not onlyl contained the same amazing views but also had great shopping, where my friends and I found some fun last-minute souvenirs to take home. We had some delicious pizza for lunch and then boarded the ferry for the last stop of our outing, the town of Como. We spenda few hours just absorbing the beauty of this little town until it was time to take the train back to Milan. This was definitely the most relaxing day of our trip so far, and I learned that there is certainly something to be said about just sitting back and observing the world amidst all its chaos. While we had been running around for the past two weeks trying to see as much of Italy as we could, it was refreshing and therapeutic to just stop and take in Lake Como while also reflecting on everything we learned on the trip so far and how it has changed usloo. Overall this was my favorite part of the trip and one of the most memorable.
...
I honestly was not sure what to expect when our group ventured to the small town of Poppi. As it turns out, visiting smaller, less tourist-y cities makes the Italian experience all the better, as you truly get the chance to quietly absorb the culture and sights around. On our first day, we visited an incredible castle called Castello di Romaina, which was home to some of the rich history of poet Dante Alighieri. It was amazing to see firsthand what Dante witnessed after his exhile from Florence which influenced his writing in the Divine Comedy. We also had our first Italian lesson, which was very beneficial and a lot of fun. We learned how to introduce ourselves and describe our physical features. We then played a game in which we described someone in the group and everyone else had to guess who we were talking about. Although my Italian is far from perfect, I felt that even in those short sessions with the Italian instructors I made a lot of strides in learning the basics of this new language. Our second day we toured the Castell di Poppi, another beautiful castle in the heart of the city which overlooked a field at which Dante battled during the conflict between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines. Once again, seeing this incredible monument in person allowed me to better imagine the influence these events had on Dante and his writing, enriching my experience studying his work. We also had class in the castle, which was definitely a very cool experience! We analyzed some passages from Dante’s Inferno and Purgatorio, which helped heighten my understanding of the work. It was really helpful to hear our instructor read the excerpts in Italian–it was so musical! Overall, I was surprised with all the deep history and culture I discovered in Poppi and hope to visit again sometime in the future.
...
On our one free day off from classes, I traveled with my peers by train to Venice. It was definitely my favorite part of the trip, as I was mesmerized by the beautiful sights this city had to offer. While I knew in advance that the city was surrounded by and built atop water, I was absolutely stunned by seeing this in person. I loved the bridges and cobblestone pathways which lined the river. Our day started by getting off the train and checking into our hotel. It was not ready for us when we initially arrived, so we walked around the city and began doing some shopping. I picked up fresh pasta to take home to my family, which I am very excited to prepare along with side dishes after having the cooking class with Chef Marcello yesterday. After shopping, we later went together on a gondola ride around the city. This gave us the best, most incredible view of the city from the water. It was perfect because we went in the early evening just as the sun was slowly beginning to set, making for some pretty incredible pictures. Finally, we got dinner and gelato! The restaurant at which we ate provided outdoor seating right next to the river, a divine view after enjoying the gondola ride. I ate the most delicious ravioli, and after dinner and gelato we made our way to the Rialto Bridge. By this point, it was nearly 9:30pm, and so the city and shops were all lit up and shined so brightly. This too made for amazing pictures. Overall, Venezia was definitely my favorite part of the trip so far. I wish I could have stayed for more than one day, as I’m sure that, like Rome and Florence, there is so much history and culture this city has to offer. I hope to return to Venice someday!
...The last few days in Florence have been absolutely magical, and this is definitely my favorite city in Italy so far. From the beautiful views, the delicious gelato and the incredible history, visiting Florence has been a very enriching and life-changing experience. On Sunday we took a train from Rome to Florence; it was about an hour and a half. We then made our way to our apartment near the Pitti Palace, which was absolutely beautiful. It had a vintage feel to it and was very comfortable. It also had an incredible view of the Duomo in the distance, which we were able to enjoy from our apartment’s balcony. On our first full day in Florence, we made a visit to the Tuscan countryside, where we enjoyed wine tasting. We also had class where we began learning about the rich history of Dante Alighieri in Florence, particularly as it pertained to his composing of the Divine Comedy and, specifically, the Inferno. On Tuesday, we got to see some of the most influential pieces of art at the Uffizi and Accademia museums; at the first we saw the works of Brunelleschi and Botticelli. Most moving of these was Botticelli’s painting, The Birth of Venus. We then made our way to the Accademia, where I was absolutely speechless and blown away at the sight of Michelangelo’s sculpture of David. Before this, I had of course seen images online of the sculpture, but I had no knowledge of the story behind the art (David and Goliath) nor did I fully understand the magnitude of this piece–it stood an astonishing 17 feet tall and was the centerpiece of the Accademia. The intense detail Michelangelo clearly put into this piece was mind-boggling and nearly moved me to tears. Finally, on Wednesday, we had the incredible opportunity to welcome Chef Marcello from Bologna to teach us about the art of Italian cuisine. I learned so much about food from region to region in Italy, and was happy to have the chance to help prepare fresh, homemade tortellini. Overall, my experience in Florence so far has been incredible beyond belief, and I am very excited to see what else Florence has to offer in my last few days here.
...
Visiting Rome these past two days has absolutely exceeded all my expectations. I was completely blown away by the incredible sights this city has to offer. It was especially interesting to see so much of ancient Rome still so well preserved in a modern-day world. The last two days, we visited some of the most important sights throughout the city, including the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish steps. My favorites of these, however, were definitely the Coliseum, Vatican/Sistine Chapel, and Pantheon for their rich history and beautiful designs. The Coliseum was one of our first stops, and it took my breath away when I walked off the metro train to see the Coliseum. Of course, I knew what the Coliseum was prior to this trip, but I was not prepared to see such an incredible ancient monument amidst the bustling city. It was surreal. While we unfortunately had to wait roughly an hour to get inside, it was well worth the wait. Although much of the original architecture had been decayed over the hundreds of years of its existence, it was stunning to see how much of it truly had been preserved and maintained over so much time. Our tour guide told us it takes three whole years to just clean the Coliseum—that is clearly some dedication from the city of Rome to preserve its history! Next, we visited the Roman Forum. This was where many of the ancient Romans would meet for various business, religious, or even social matters. There was an incredible view from the hill upon which the forum sat which overlooked much of the beautiful landscape of Rome. On Saturday, our first stop was to the Vatican museums. Like our first two stops on Friday, the Vatican was filled with enriching history and stunning architecture. I honestly do not know what I was expecting to see at the Vatican, but I was absolutely stunned by the intricate work by Michelangelo and all the tireless work he put into creating it. I was moved to tears by some of his most powerful pieces, including the Creation of Adam and the Last Judgment. Saturday concluded with one of my favorite sites, the Pantheon. I loved hearing about the symbolism utilized in its design, most prominently the contrast between circles and squares to represent the need for balance between the heavens and earth. Meanwhile, I also thought it was fascinating to learn that the Romans were able to tell time from the circle of light which radiated from the oculus at the top of the dome to the wall. Before we left the Pantheon, I was so delighted to have the chance to hear a choir sing a beautiful hymn. Overall, Rome left me feeling overwhelmed with such strong joy.
...