Escape to {from} Sicily

‘Solo nel Sicilia’ is the phrase I would have to use to describe my four-day adventure on the ball to Italy’s boot. After hearing about the amazing beaches, beautiful mountain ranges and charming towns, I was sold when a few of my friends began planning a trip there. We had the idea to see both the West and the East in one jam-packed weekend, to experience as much of the island as we possibly could.

After landing in Comiso a bit early, we were ecstatic to read that our bus to Catania (about a 1.5 hr bus ride) was supposed to arrive in just twenty minutes. An hour later, the five of us began wondering if we had read the schedule wrong. An exploration back into the airport led us to the discovery that the bus had simply just not shown up. We were assured that another one would be coming….at 6pm. We settled in for the long haul, playing Heads Up with my phone and BS with cards my friend Manon had brought. I didn’t mind waiting. The weather was beautiful and I was with my friends.

Our evening in Catania started with a dinner set down a quaint side street bustling with locals. The food was okay, but the wine was even better. A small boy came up to our table and started chatting us up. He couldn’t have been more than eight years old. Sweet Manon gave him a few euros and he ran on to the next table. It saddened me that at such a young age he was already begging. After paying for our food we had the worst gelato any of us had ever tasted. I’m never one to waste a good ice cream cone, but I took about four licks of each flavor before depositing it in the trash. It wasn’t worth the extra calories. What was unique about Catania was the plethora of kiosks that dotted the sidewalks. We discovered one that was owned by Manon’s flatmate’s brother and enjoyed a Nutella smoothie along and a beer.

We retired to our hostel (my first one ever!) and woke up early the next day to go explore the Basilica and main square. After finishing our morning antics we headed to a car rental company to begin our cross-island drive. In the United States, it’s quite normal that there is road work on the major highways—95, 81. There are always a few hold-ups. But in Sicily, the highway is broken. Yes. Broken. Right in half. A trip that would ordinarily take about 2.5 hours takes about 5 hours, but the girls and I took it in stride.

We arrived in San Vito lo Capo and immediately headed to what I had been looking forward to most—the beach. We watched the sun set over the water and explored the tiny town. I was ecstatic to see that most of the people we were saying were locals, a promising sign for good cuisine….that is until we ended up at the most touristy restaurant imaginable in the tiny town. The food was still good and the next day we headed to the beach right at 9am.

Monday arrived and it was time to head towards our last stop—Palermo. We were all really excited to explore the city’s piers, parks and basilica. Things got a little bumpy however, when 200 meters (yes I’ve officially switched to the metric system!) from the parking garage, we bumped the car in front of us. I’ve never seen a fender bender cause essentially no damage to one car and nearly take off the other cars bumper. Our rental company was explicit that we needed a police report, so we called the police and settled in to wait. Five hours and four phone calls later, the police hadn’t arrived, the other driver had left so we packed the five of us back into the car and headed to Palermo airport.

Just when we thought we had escaped all of our bad luck for the weekend, we began to check in to our flight. It was scheduled to leave at 7:15pm and we were there safely at 4pm just in case. As we moved through the line it never occurred to us that anything else could possibly happen to delay us any further. To our surprise, they kept my friend Deanna behind, pointing to her ticket and telling her she had already missed her flight. When we looked at her ticket we realized it was true; she had accidentally purchased a flight that had left at 5:30pm. With just minutes left for the rest of us to board, Deanna was swept away from the Italian version of the TSA to see what they could do about the situation. She ended up having to spend the night in Palermo by herself and take the first flight out the following morning.

As the rest of us settled into the plane, I began talking to Manon about everything that had happened to us over the course of the weekend. As we began tallying up our sheer dumb luck, tears came to our eyes and laughter bubbled over into near hysteria. I’m sure the three rows of passengers between us did not appreciate it, but we couldn’t help but find the entire situation hilarious.

Overall, Sicilia was a beautiful island, filled with incredible scenery and amazing culture. I wouldn’t ever recommend trying to call the police or counting on the bus schedule but I would definitely go back. That is, once they fix that broken highway!!

A Touch of Home

There is no feeling that compares to seeing someone you love after months of text conversations and short phone calls. When my mother stepped off the Tiburtina train, an undeniable sense of relief flowed over me. In that moment I realized just how much I had missed her. This revelation was strange to me. University of South Carolina is thirteen hours driving distance from my hometown in New Jersey. It’s rare that I see my family more than once during a semester, outside of the holiday break. I couldn’t quite comprehend in that moment why I had the overwhelming urge to hug my mom and never let go.

It took me almost the entirety of our ten days together for me to figure that out. I don’t think I’ve ever spent ten days with just my mom and me together. When you’re one of five kids, it’s just not realistic to send just one child and one parent on a trip to Italy. An entire week and a half just mom and I was a Christmas that came months too early. All my posts keep saying that the experience I’m writing about is the best experience I’ve had thus far, and this one is no exception.

We travelled to Venice for a weekend, took a water taxi, toured the Murano glass factory and got lost exploring a tiny but beautiful landscape. We spent four days in Rome, touring the Coliseum, the Forum and eating at some of my favorite restaurants, as well as some new ones. We travelled to Lucca and Pisa to visit our Italian family, whom my mom hadn’t seen in about six years. In addition to the places we got to explore, my mother was able to meet some of the friends I’ve made here. At first, I was struck with worry that having my Jersey life collide with my Italy life would be weird. These worries were easily set aside as my mother charmed every single friend and made it seem incredibly natural that we were sharing an Italian experience neither of us would have ever dreamt possible.

In those 10 days, I got to reconnect with my mom by showing my mom how much I have grown since coming abroad. Months ago, I was probably the worst person to give directions, and didn’t know how to read a map to save my life. In the ten days, I realized how well I had grown accustomed to figuring my way around without a severe dependence on GPS. I got to show her my world in Italy, something I never would have imagined occurring if it weren’t for the generosity of some very important people in our lives.

When most students talk about study abroad, they oftentimes forget to mention how much they miss their friends and family. I’m incredibly grateful that my mom was able to come and share even a piece of this opportunity with me. The memories we made in those ten days will be cherished for years to come, and it makes me even more excited to finish this semester strong at one of the best business schools in the world. It gave me a little perspective on the reason why I’m here and how I intend to use these experience to benefit others beyond myself. A touch of home was just what I needed to help me push through the semester’s end and enjoy the last eight weeks I have here.

Sunshine and Italian Time: My Easter Break Adventure

4 cities. 3 days. 2 Americans. 1 Lithuanian. 1 Dutch. This loosely describes the details of my epic Easter-break adventure that included nearly missing our starting train, waiting over two hours for pizzas, paying $20 for a shuttle that was thirty minutes late, and wasting nearly an hour trying to rent scooters before failing the test drive and being forced to rent a car. It seems every place we went we were just a little too excited, getting our start bright and early at 8am each day. There was no rest for the weary as we walked over 25km during our trip, exploring restaurants, monuments and viewpoints throughout the South of Italy.

Napoli was the first stop on our tour. Armed with an Underarmour backpack and a cross-bag, I was prepared for a dirty and dangerous town. To my pleasant surprise, Naples was not only beautiful—it was safe. We wandered through small side streets and bright shops all the way to Castel dell’Ovo, where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the city. We dined at Sorbillo, taking the classic Margherita and all agreeing that a two and a half hour wait was worth it for the food we consumed.

Pompei was our next destination, and the one that I was personally most excited about. After having one Latin class in high school, I had really been fascinated by Pompei. We arrived at the archaeological giant with just under two hours to visit before it closed for the evening. In those two hours we were able to explore the various shops, homes, arenas, theaters and brothels the relic boasted. I was in awe. It made the 2km walk to our hostel for the evening seem like nothing as our first day came to a close.

The next morning we got up at the crack of dawn to grab a quick breakfast and climb up the Pompei Tower. It seems we didn’t quite understand Italian time, as the tower didn’t open until 9am and we were there at 8:30am. The tower was worth the wait, as it boasted a unique vantage point where you could look over the remains of ancient Pompei from one side and see the new city rebuilt on the other. After the tower we realized we were going to miss the bus to go hike up to Mt. Vesuvius….or so we thought. After waiting nearly an hour to figure out a shuttle, we then bussed up to Mt. Vesuvius so that we could begin our hike up. Allotted two hours to hike up the mountain, see the crater, and hike down, we took off at a mad pace, wanting to be sure we could make use of those two hours. Not even thirty minutes later, we had seen the entire crater and laughed at ourselves for even thinking that we had to rush.

You’d think we would have learned our lesson regarding Italian scheduling when we headed to Sorrento, but alas no. As we attempted to rent scooters to take to Positano, we thought we were perfectly on time by arriving at 9am sharp, when the store was scheduled to open. After waiting thirty minutes for the owner to arrive, we went through paperwork and copying of driver’s licenses. It was then that they told us that the two drivers (not us poor Americans, who weren’t equipped with international licenses) would have to pass a test drive. Our Dutch friend passed…barely, but as our Lithuanian friend took to the bike, it was evident that there was no way the owner was going to let us leave the premise. Realizing that it was nearly 11 and we had to catch the train back to Napoli at 3pm, I rushed down the street to start paperwork on a rental car.

The day in Positano was fantastic—we hiked down towards a semi-private beach where we laid out and tanned in the sun. After dining in a restaurant that overlooked the ocean, we realized we would need to hurry a bit if we wanted to make our train. The drive back to Sorrento was peaceful, but as we neared the time for our train’s departure, all four of us realized we were going to have to hurry. We had arranged to drop off the rental car at the actual train station since the rental agency would be closed at 3pm due to ‘risposo.’ I dashed out of the car to go buy our tickets while the other three girls went to find the parking lot. I was getting nervous as we closed in at five minutes to departure time when Airida, our Lithuanian friend, wandered out from one of the doors, carrying no bags or telephone, I immediately asked her where the others were. She had no idea, she had gotten out of the car to ask for directions. My heart sank. If we didn’t make this train to Naples, we would surely miss our connecting train back to Rome. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Halle (American) and Charlotte (Dutch) sprint up the stairs towards the platform. Loaded down with all four of our backpacks and purses, I hurriedly distributed tickets and began to move towards the train. I was hoping I could hold the door open to make sure we could all make it. Halle was yelling to hold the train and Airida was trying to get Halle through the electronic gate despite the three bags she was wearing.

At the last moment, the four of us collapsed into a railway car, jeans, shoes, and purses strewn across the floor as we burst into laughter. Every single attempt we had made at being early and sticking to a schedule had gone completely awry, as wait times, unexpected driver’s tests, and late transportation methods kept knocking us off schedule. BUT, looking back, we were able to do all four cities we had planned too, seeing all of the major things we had planned to see, and doing everything we had wanted to do. Every meal we ate tasted fantastic and the pictures we have to remember the adventure by will be treasured. In three days I got a taste of Italy that I had not had in my one and a half months here, but every moment was worth it. It was an Easter break that I will always remember, with friends that I will never forget.

Tucked Away in Tuscanny

As I step out of the train station in Pisa, my eyes find my Aunt Barbara. She is smiling and embraces me as if she’s known me my entire life, rather than via the e-mails we’ve sent over the past few months. My trip to Tuscanny was planned quickly. I had booked the train ride just two days prior to my scheduled departure. A need to go out and explore a different area of Italy had taken hold of me quickly, and I was anxious to meet my Italian relatives.

For the entire four hours I watched country side and sea go by, butterflies dancing around in my stomach. What if I couldn’t communicate with them? My speaking skills didn’t go far beyond ‘Where’s the bathroom’ and a few Roman slang words. To my complete relief, my worries melted away as my aunt drove out of Pisa and towards Lucca and Capannori. She had made us reservations at a traditional Tuscanny trattoria that her and my uncle Vittorio frequented.

The meal we had set the tone for the entire weekend. My aunt spared no time in ordering prosciutto and meatballs and cheese and bread and red wine to wash it all down with. Part of me sank when I realized I forgot to tell her that I hadn’t eaten pig or cow meat in nearly four years..BUT carpe diem rushed through me and I tried everything that was brought to the table. I’m abroad for new experiences, not to safely hide behind the culinary preferences I’ve endured throughout my college career.

The weekend was filled with love, family and food, making it one of the best three day periods I’ve spent thus far in Italy. I had the pleasure of visiting La Scuola di MADE, a culinary business management school tucked away in the little village of San Gennaro. There, my cousin Eduardo and his culinary teammates, Arianna and Francesca, spend the duration of their program competing with other teams while learning about marketing, cooking, and many other practical skills necessary in the field.

Apart from the school having delicious food, the building was absolutely stunning. The view from my cousin’s dorm room window overlooks all of Tuscanny. By night, you could see scattered lights of towns and villages in the valley, while by day you could follow the winding roads with your eyes and see the reddish roofs far below.

Gone were the towering buildings I had climbed in Rome. No more sirens of constant car disputes and ambulances could be heard. Instead, Tuscanny replaced the eternal city with a relaxing atmosphere that can only be described as homey. Everything about it was different: the food, the scenery, the dialect. And it was absolutely amazing. I’m already making plans to do a second and third trip back to Tuscanny.

When I applied for the schools that are part of the IB program, Italy filled my top two choices. The promise of exploration and education far exceeded my worries about the language or culture barrier. This weekend opened my eyes to a whole subculture of Italy that begs to be explored further. For those of you just starting the application process for your schools, I encourage you to not simply pick a school based on its regional location or class offerings. Think about why you are studying abroad and what you hope to achieve and accomplish during that time. For me, part of it had to do with getting to know my family’s history, something I could not have done anywhere else in the world. For you, it could be something that is completely different, but let it motivate and lead your school selection. It will be the most amazing experience you’ve encountered yet at USC.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask me any questions you might have in the comments section below. I love sharing my stories and experiences with you all! 

Learning Lessons from Fast Friendships

A Dutch girl. An Italian man. A German girl. A Finnish girl. A Swedish boy. And me. That’s just the breakdown of the people living in my apartment, let alone the many different nationalities of the people I’ve met within my Erasmus Student Network, affectionately known here at LUISS as ESN.

I never knew how popular studying abroad (in Europe called, going on exchange) is! Many of the students I’ve met from Lithuania and Holland are on their second, sometimes third exchange in their college careers. It’s amazing to me how they are able to simply leave everything behind from one school to another in the name of experiencing new cultures, classes and people wherever they go. Can you imagine missing Gamecock football or baseball three out of your four years at USC? I couldn’t.

It took me so long to figure out how these friends I’ve made can be so seemingly adventurous as they conquer one country after another. For one thing, the United States is almost two and a half times bigger than Europe itself. So for comparison’s sake, a Lithuanian student studying in Holland but going on an exchange in Italy is essentially equivalent to say, a student from New Jersey studying at the University of South Carolina and doing a semester in Washington, D.C.

So what’s the difference between being a New Jersey girl studying down in South Carolina and a European studying in another European country? Can you imagine travelling to North Carolina and having to change language, customs and sometimes currency? Imagine going to Florida for Spring Break and going through two entirely different cultures to get there. While I love the United States with all my heart, it seems sad that many of the students at USC won’t get to experience the culture change I’ve been able to here in Europe. The people I’ve met here have challenged my way of thinking, of my future plans and goals even.

Being one of the youngest students in ESN (most are here studying for a Master’s degree) it’s been so exciting to pick each person’s brain about their undergraduate studies and what they did after their first four years at university (uni). Some of these students have mastered between three and five languages, have already finished one Master’s degree and have seen more of the world than I’ve even dreamt about.

It’s absolutely inspiring to see the way these European students live. As an IB student, I never would have expected to learn just as much (if not more) from my fellow students than my professors. Some have worked directly for their country’s parliament (and no I don’t mean being a page at the State building). Some have been published in major economics and business magazines, held internships with major international business companies, all in the name of continuous learning. I only hope that in my few short months here I will be able to acquire some of their knowledge and bring back my experiences to USC.

Being abroad isn’t just about learning inside the classroom. It’s the people you meet and the places you visit and the challenges you encounter that have made this study abroad possibly the best semester I’ve ever had. I’ve been instilled with a sense of passion and wanderlust, to learn from not just my international professors, but my international friends. I can’t possibly put into words just how much I’ve learned about cultural awareness, the similarities and differences between Europe and America, but I can’t wait to discover even more.

The Pizza is Square.

The pizza is square. This was my first thought as I chowed down on my first meal in Italy. After just over a week in this wine-induced and pasta-inspired land, I’ve learned so much more than I ever thought possible. In just one short week I’ve had to make adult decisions regarding apartments, phone plans, groceries, bills…the list goes on I promise. Each of these decisions has really allowed me to mature and become a confident American study abroad student.

The architecture here in Rome is unbelievablely beautiful. I haven’t even had a chance to see the Colisseum or the Vatican City yet, but I’ve found pictures to take and sights to read about every time I step out of my front door. The most wonderful times I’ve had here in Rome so far have simply occurred from wandering the city, finding parks and museums and hidden cafes that I never would have found just simply riding the metro into the City Center.

For never being out of the United States, I think I’m fitting in here quite well. Italians walk absolutely everywhere. The university I’m attending is a 40 minute walk (which at first I gasped about) but I’m finding gets easier to make each and every day. There is no shortage of outdoor markets and shops to peruse through on your way to anywhere. Everyone here is just a bit more relaxed I’ve found, even the Italian dogs! Many owners let their pets run free off the leash, and I’ve only seen one incident at a Carnevale celebration in which it became a problem.

I’ve seen so little of this amazing city, and I can’t wait to keep exploring and discovering. Before I sign off, I wanted to give a huge congratulations to the newest members of the IB department. I’m sure you guys are just as excited as I was to begin researching all of the different schools. LUISS in Roma is an amazing one, and I hope you’ll keep on reading my posts to find out why!

Alorra, I have to go to my last class of the day! Tonight, we have our last event for Welcome Week, where we get free admission to one of the best clubs in Rome (reserved JUST for the exchange students at this school!). Until next time, ciao!

It Happened to Us

Studying abroad is one of the single most amazing opportunities that being a college student grants you. You are able to fly to a far-off land you've dreamed of at a decent expense, exploring nooks and crannies of the world outside the hours of required classroom time. What study abroad also does is allow you to appreciate the University of South Carolina that much more since you don't get to see your gamecock family for [in my case] 8 months.

Just last week, our school was devastated as a murder-suicide took place on our campus. For those of us studying abroad, we received text messages and e-mails from Carolina Alert and follow-ups from the IB department and the Study Abroad Office. But for that hour, the hundred or so of us that are abroad were frozen solid, battling time differences and data costs to get in contact with our family and friends. No matter where we were at the moment, exploring the Louvre, wandering through the Sahara, packing our bags; we were all connected. We were far, far away from home, with our Carolina family praying that no one was injured or worse. The aftermath of the event is something we have to burden from afar, without a Horseshoe full of friends.

Being an International Business major means so much more than simply going to another university for a semester. It's about the university we're leaving behind. It's about how we are going to positively contribute what we've learned at Carolina to our new homes, and also what we're going to bring back to USC. The shooting paralyzed us all for a moment, an hour, a day. But the IB students are still going to grow, still going to learn, and still going to succeed in our time abroad. We have to. We don't get to see our home for 8 months, so it's our job to bring our home to someplace new. That's what I plan to do.

Arrivederci America. Italia, here I come!