MythBusters!...Italian Style

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED! I need your help. 

I'm sure many of you have read the book, or seen the movie Eat. Pray. Love.  If you haven't .. you should. The first third of the movie takes place in Italy and is revolved around eating and the Italian culture.  When the Italian reviews of the movie came out they said that it was like one big stereotype put into about 40 minutes of film...which I guess is pretty much true.  However throughout my time here, it's been fun for me to discover which stereotypes we have of the Italian culture are more or less true and which ones are completely false.  ALLORA, for my next blog I would like to share my personal opinions on the subject! 

So please leave a comment of an Italian stereotype that you've heard of and ...if it's appropriate..I will share my thoughts on it! 

I'm counting on you all

Grazie!

O Dio! Dicembre!

Well by looking at everyone else's blogs I can tell i'm not the only one that's been having trouble keeping up but I am not one bit sorry HA :) December just flew by and it's starting to scare me how fast the weeks are going. So here's what's been going on this month...

1. ROMA: Oh goodness grazie..Rome is just as absolutely beautiful as everyone has always told me.  I can't describe the feeling of seeing and touching some amazing piece of history that you've seen so many millions of films and pictures of.  I spent 4 packed days, with my host mother, touring through every important site in Rome, I saw tons of ruins and Piazzas and I know I will go back other times in my life but I truly feel like I've seen everything that a person needs to see.  It was an amazing adventure..and my feet are still recovering from all of the walking. 

2.  Switched Host Families:  My year in Italy is divided pretty much into three equal parts with three different host families, so I kind of look at this experience in three different phases.  I would name my first phase: "Getting to Know ME".  Because of the people and location in my first host family, I spent more time alone in those first three months here that I probably have in my entire life.  Although it was really, really difficult at times I wouldn't trade it for anything. I grew up in those three months and learned so many things about myself. I learned the things that I like about myself, like how I can even make myself laugh, and the things that I definitely need to work on, like my patience with myself and with other people.  I was able to rely on myself for strength and comfort and I know that I am a better and more confident person because of that time.  I am also very thankful for my first host mom and host brother, they will always hold a special place in my heart...I'll never forget how hard Gabriele (host brother) and I would jam to Eminem in the car. :)  HOWEVER I have moved into the center of Cremona with the lovely Dal Bianco family and I am loving it there. They are so present in my life, and they're constantly teaching me new words and phrases in Italian.  It really feels like a completely new experience and I can't wait to see how the rest of it goes.

3.  Christmas:  Christmas time started out with some Rotary events which are always really fun because I love our little American family we've made here. Note our "family Chirstmas card picture".  I learned that not every country takes Christmas as seriously as we do in the good old US and A.  I missed the Christmas tree, music and movies.  It really didn't ever feel like Christmas to me, because it was missing all of the most important things..the people I love.  It was definitely a difficult  couple of days, but they're past me and it is a great feeling to know that the hardest times, I hope, are past me.






The day before Christmas Eve, which is the day that I usually have my traditional family Christmas celebration, I went out to a dinner with my class here.  I had such a great time chatting with them and we ended up staying at the restaurant until it closed singing songs all together, some in English and some in Italian it was a great night but it reminded me of the people I've met and all of the new experiences I've had here so far.  It was the best Christmas present I could've asked for.. I had the realization that I love it here.  I miss my family and my friends back home terribly but I don't count down the days until I go home anymore, and I'm really just starting to LIVE.

So buon natale and buon anno nuovo from Italy. Ci vediamo in 2011 :)

Baci **

4. Decembre. 2010 "For Future Exchange Students of Northfield!"

One Year Ago with Inbounds 2009-2010

It's crazy and a little scary for me to think that it was an entire year ago that we all had our Rotary interviews.  I remember my interviewers and the classroom we were in perfectly.  I remember the Brazilians capturing my mom..and me having to later remind her, to her dismay, that I was applying..not her. :)  I remember driving home afterwards with Maria Estenson, and us talking constantly about all of the possibilities of our future. We were so excited we couldn't seem to think about anything else!  Even though I am loving my experience here, I find myself a little jealous of you new student who are, and should be, brimming with this initial excitement.  My advice for the interviews, if it's not too late, is be yourself and go in with an open mind.  You never know which countries might end up interesting you. hint  hint italy hint. :P However I would say is take the time to enjoy the excitement because this is just the beginning of an amazing and life-changing process! So take it all in. I can't wait to hear where you all are headed!!


In bocca al lupo!  


(This phrase means good luck in italian..even though it's directly translated to in the mouth of the wolf.....oh italians :) ) 


Baci a tutti!

26.Novembre. 2010 - “Ringraziamento"

 The past two weeks have been pretty eventful. I've had a lot of fun times especially with the other Rotary Students in my district. They've been such a blessing to me during this time and I'm so thankful for them!

We went to our first Rotary dinner and I met A LOT of older men in sharp business suits. We had a classic "Cremonese" meal, listened to some long speeches and me the governor of our district who was quite a hoot as you can see to the left. :) This night was really fun for me because it was probably the first time that I really felt like an exchange student.






I got a chance to see the new Harry Potter came out...not at midnight but at least the first day! It was fun to go and see how much of it I could understand and what things I still needed to work on.  I also learned a lot of new, magical vocabulary words.







Sunday was the "Festa Del Torrone" Which was a festival that celebrated Torrone, a type of candy.  We congregated with the other students in District 2050 and we walked around Cremona in the rain and tasted the Torrone. It was fun to see the town set up in "festival mode" kind of similar to the festivals we have in Northfield



Us Americans made and shared a lovely Thanksgiving meal together on Thursday. It was all delicious and I felt just as sick as I normally do after eating so it seemed close to normal. :) I can tell that the holiday season is going to be very difficult with missing my family and my traditions but I'm very lucky to have such a great family here.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

11. Novembre. 2010 "Walking in an Italian Fog"

At this time of the year, in my region of Italy, the streets are consumed by a thick, mysterious and yet beautiful blanket of fog. It starts sweeping in at around five-thirty every night and lingers there patiently until eight in the morning. By the time I go for my nightly run (or walk..these days) the fog is so dense that you can only see things that are within a five meter radius. T he only clues that you're not about to walk off the face of the earth, are the faint glowing balls of hope in the distance; the lamps that line the street.

People that know me, know that I am a “planner”. I usually have, at least, one planner of my upcoming events, and it's very difficult for me to spontaneous. A lot of high school, especially senior year, was about planning for the future. What classes did you need to take..in order to get good grades..in order to get into a good college..in order to get a good job etc. However, here in Italy, I have nothing to plan. This year is about...this year. Of course, I will take back with me new friendships, languages and lessons learned, but I have a stable future, or the start of one, set out for me when I return. I'm walking through this experience like I am walking through an Italian Fog.

I have my own streetlamps that illuminate little parts of my future here: Rotary events, class trips or holidays. Most of my path though, besides what's going on right around me is unknown. It's forcing me to live in the moment, because really I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow or in a week or two. I have to find out when I get there and enjoy it at that moment before it's gone again lost in the fog behind me.

It can be scary walking down a path that sometimes seems like it has no end, but those little lights keep me curious and heading forward and I know that I'm going to discover so many memorable moments that come out of no where. And for now, I'm enjoying my walk through the unknown.

5. Novembre. 2010 "Mese Numero Due"

I cannot believe that I arrived in Italy two months ago today. Before leaving for Italy, the longest time I'd ever been away from home had been two weeks and now I haven't slept in my own bed in over 60 days. I know I talk about the concept of time so much but I just can't get over the fact that these two months seemed like they went by so quickly but then how it also feels like I've been here forever. I was just reading my first blog after my first week of being here. I said it felt like I'd been there forever and now weeks go by so quickly. So after two months most of my problems seem to be getting better but I've had a pretty difficult last couple of weeks. Dealing with loneliness has been my biggest problem these days. Because of the location of where I live and the fact that my host mom works until very late most nights, after school I have to take the train home and then usually most days I'm at my home alone until 8 at night. I've tried to get involved with some after school activities but all of them are in Cremona and at night and I have no way of getting into town so that makes it very difficult. There are also not really many kids in my little village or a place where they go to hang out where I could meet the few inhabitants. The kids in my class are very sweet and I like them a lot but otherwise I don't have very many friends here and that's extremely difficult for me because I'm such an extrovert. However, I'm very very fortunate to have such lovely other exchange students here. I know that everyone tells us to be careful of spending too much time with the other exchange students, but I'm so thankful I have some people to talk to and laugh with during school and on the weekends. I know that when I change houses and move into Cremona I'll be able to get together with people after school and participate in my after school activities. These days have been extremely difficult for me but I know that these moments will pass and time will continue to move faster and faster. I'm fortunate, though, to have such an amazing support system back home. I realize that it wasn't they're choice to have me leave for an entire 10 months and I realize that it's difficult for them too, but they're strength and support for me has made all the difference. It's times like these that I know will make me stronger, and I know that things are looking up. I always appreciate thoughts and prayers and feel free to contact me at anytime.  Grazie a tutti :) 

Stina 

2.Novembre.2010 - “Time to Be a Tourist”

I believe that one of the main objectives of a Rotary Exchange Student is to live life like a regular Italian teenager, boring moments and all. However, I have ten months in this beautiful country and I'm determined to see as much of it as I can. So last weekend I took matters into my own hands and had some really fun adventures!

Adventure #1: Castell'Arquato

Castell'Arquato is a small Italian town that has maintained the same medieval appearance as it was in the early 10^th century! You have to walk uphill through windy, tiny, cobblestone streets to get to the main piazza at the top of this huge hill. I got to go there with my host brother and some of his friends and they took me there at night. You would never think to go site seeing at night, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It was kind of rainy and the lights and the smell of wood-burning stoves made it a magical experience. I could hardly take it in as I walked through the streets. I felt like I was walking through the set of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it was amazing. This picture is a picture of the center area at the top of the hill. (the modern cars make it seem a little less magical :) )

Adventure #2: Venenzia (Venice)

Unfortunately, us exchange students here haven't had any oppertunities to travel with Rotary (besides one trip to a lake for a couple hours) since we've gotten here two months ago. So, the four of us American girls in my town decided to take matters into our own hands and with the help of our host parents and siblings we were able to plan a trip to Venice! If you were judging the trip on how things went as planned, the trip would receive an F. However, I believe that things happen for a reason, and even though we missed our train four times, we were only able to stay in Venice for about an hour and it was raining the whole time, I know that I will always look back on that day as one of the most fun days of my life. We talked, laughed, bonded and laughed a lot more. We also got to witness some pretty cool things. We ran into a man that lived in the same small town as one of the other girls on the top of the Scalzi Bridge in Venice. We also were on a train ride where me met a Greek student studying dentistry and man from Canada that happened to have grown up in Greece! I love finding out how small this wonderful world is! The day was full of fun and surprises and I will never forget it!

Us on the Scalzi Bridge in Venice. Picutred: Liz, Lindsi, Me & Katherine (Photo thanks to Katherine)

Adventure #3: Turin (Torino)

this wasn't really so much of an adventure as a class field trip. It turned out to be a 14 hour trip in all so it was very exhausting. It wasn't as exciting as our other trips but Turin is yet another beautiful city in Italy. My favorite part about the city is that you're able to catch glimpses of the Swiss Alps in the distance as you look down each city street. The drive to Turin was almost better just because we got to watch the Alps get closer and more magnificent! Just another beautiful view from a piazza.

I feel like after some of these travels I'm finally starting to get to know Italy a little better. I hope to as many of these famous and beautiful cities as possible! If any of you get a chance to come to Italy..take it! It's just as breathtaking as everyone says it is. :)