Wofford College - Study Abroad

Wildlife Aplenty on the West Coast

Greetings! We've been having exams, and thus far I have taken 3 of my 4 (the last one is tomorrow!) and so I did some travelling in the in between time of my exams.  For the past 8 days I have been in Western Australia- beginning in Perth and driving up the coast to Coral Bay, which is a small city right on the Indian Ocean just below Exmouth.  It is also the gateway to the southern portion of the Ningaloo Coral Reef, which is the largest fringing coral reef system in the world... oh and home to many of australia's whale sharks.. but we'll get to that later.

We arrived in Perth late last week, and spent the night in a hostel. We explored the city- there is a nice river that runs through perth and there are plenty of shops and cafes, but all in all I was unimmpressed with Perth as a city. I know its home to legends like Hugh Jackman and Heath Ledger, but from the parts I saw I was quite glad that I had not spent a semester there. We picked up our home on wheels, a campervan (who we fondly named Bertha), the next morning and began the week of driving (in total we drove over 3200 km this week..thats just over 32 hours of driving in a week). The first day we went to the small coast port of Fremantle, which is just below perth located right on the Indian Ocean. They have some world renowned markets in Fremantle, where we browsed and enjoyed the adorable town. It was full of character- lots of neat bars and tea rooms--very quaint. We then began our trek to the Pinnacles.

me pretending to be a pinnacle...haha

Pinnacles in Namburg Nat'l Park- there are soo many! look into the distance!

The Pinnacles are a natural wonder- no one is quite sure how they formed but it is believed to be remains of a fossilized forest that were buried in sand dunes over time. Anyway, they are these thousands of natural rock formations that spread for ages. They come in all shapes and sizes and colors, ranging from some knee high to some twice my height. They came in reds, yellows, and browns, and set against the blue sky and the yellow sand it made for a very pretty picture. It was awesome to walk through them and to see just how many there were! amazing! Also within Namburg Nat'l park we stopped at Hangover Bay and several scenic lookouts which offered us our first real taste of the Indian ocean beaches- the water is a stunning electric blue and the sand is beautiful powder white. We enjoyed seeing the coast set against the red rock of the australian soil-- such contrast was beautiful! It should also be noted that Perth is the only substantial sizable city on the west coast- with 2 billion people, and so the entirety of our trip after that first night was spent in small towns in the back of our van :) The stargazing was incredible though- so bright and clear away from the city lights. you can even see the milky way galaxy and plenty of meteorites every night.

The next day we drove up to Hamelin Pool, home of the stromatolites. Stromatolites are colonies of cyanobacteria that were responsible for giving our atmospherre the oxygen it has today. These have been studied by geologists and are estimated to be 3.5 BILLION years old, making them the oldest fossils in the world. Not to mention, being bacteria they are still alive so they are the oldest living fossils in the world. They only occur in Australia.  They aren't much to look at, just some rock formations in what appears to be tidal pools of the ocean, but the history and science of them is fascinating and soo cool to understanding the history of life on our planet. 

Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool

From there we drove to Dehanm, a coastal town on Shark Bay, Australia's world heritage listed marine park of the west coast. It is home to the largest sea grass meadows in the world and as a result is rampant in sharks, fish, and dugongs (australian version of a manatee). We also stopped at a famous beach known as Shell Beach, which consists of literally millions of small white cockle shells. Scientists do not know why there is such a plentiful amount of these shells at this one beach, but the shell layer is about 30 feet deep, and the white tinkling shells set against the blue of the Indian is a breathaking sight. Plus, it was unlike any beach I had ever been to.  Denham itself was an adorable town with plenty of beaches, and we enjoyed spending our afternoon watching the sunset there.

Shell Beach


Shells that covered the entire beach!

Continuing northward, we hit Monkey Mia... a small beach town on Shark Bay where a pod of dolphins routintely visits. Upon stopping in the morning, we were greeting by about 5 or 6 endo-pacific bottlenose dolphins. The dolphins have grown accustomed to humans, as the park rangers feed them occasionally. (they aren't fed to the point of gaining dependency on humans, however). The water is so clear we got some amazing views of these graceful creatures, and some of them had recently calved as well so we got to see baby porpoises as well :) I have always had a soft spot for dolphins. From monkey mia we drove many long hours up to Coral Bay, which is a small town right on the Ningaloo Reef.

Dolphins at Monkey Mia


We took a tour the following day which took us to snorkel on the Ningaloo Reef and to swim with Whale Sharks! the world's largest fish/shark.  The reef was beautiful, the coral not as diverse as the Great Barrier but still plenty of fish life, sea urchins, starfish, and other echinoderms. The water is so clear, and being a fringe reef the reef is much closer to shore. You could swim to parts of the reef from shore and reach the outer reef in a short 20 minute boat ride. I really enjoyed snorkelling, but I always do. Next they took us much further out to sea, about 10 km off or so and we waited to hear of a whale shark siting. The company uses planes to spot the whale sharks, they are such large animals you can spot them from the air. Whale sharks can reach up to 16 meters- which is well over 50 feet. They are HUGE beasties. The one we swam with was only about 8 meters, or 35 feet (which is still GINORMOUS!). It was such a cool experience, the shark is quite inquisitive and very gentle. You can just swim near it and marvel at its size. The sharks are also quite pretty- they are a brown color with white spots and they are filter feeders on plankton, so not dangerous at all to humans. It was without a doubt the most humbling and most amazing experience of the week, and quite possibly one of my favorite memories of Australia and all time. SO COOL! They don't mind the humans at all.

Ningaloo Reef- stunning water color and clarity

Whale Shark!

Also on the boat that day we were lucky enough to see sea snakes and a pod of humpback whales- again amazing creatures who are huge and also so intelligent and graceful in the water. It was my first experience seeing whales, so I was also quite excited about it from that perspective too.

On our last day we stopped in Kalbarri, another coastal town. We visited some of its famous beaches, notably Jacques Beach, and also visited a Parrot sanctuary where we were able to view many of australia's tropical and colorful avian life. Within Kalbarri national park there are also some increcible river gorges which we hiked to, amazing red striated rock formations set against the green river water was so picturesque. It reminded me a lot of the grand canyon.  Just driving around wildlife was rampant as well-- we saw so many emus, kangaroos, and parrots.. as well as some of the smaller australian marsupials.  All in all it was a busy but wonderful week.

Me at Jacques Beach in Kalbarri

 it is time for me to leave this wonderful place and return home to wonderful people. I get home around 11 pm on the evening of June 23-- so expect to hear from me soon!

Back in the USA

So, this is my last blog, but I thought it would be interesting to comment after being back in the US for a week or so.  Being back has been nice, but I do miss certain things about living in Italy.  Coming back has been weird, but I've adjusted fine.  I didn't have bad jet lag, and I didn't really feel any sort of culture shock.  I know it's been said that sometimes you don't feel it initially, and it comes later, so we'll see if that happens or not.  I did get a chance to go to Wofford graduation, which was certainly more shocking than being back in the States.  I saw so many people I knew, and it was weird to get back to something that I haven't been around in a semester.  All the little sundresses and people dressed with pearls or bow ties was certainly a change from European fashion.  It was kind of overwhelming to see so many people I knew all at the same time, but it was wonderful as well.  I think going abroad made me more appreciative of Wofford, and I was definitely glad to see all the people I missed.

Me and Stevie with Piera

Since I've been back though, I've been eating the foods I've missed and doing things that I've wanted to do.  I've driven a lot, as well as worked out a fair amount at the gym, which has been great.  I've eaten Mexican and Chinese, and I've gotten sushi and icees, two fun things I missed while being gone.  I've also tried to catch up with people that I didn't really get to talk to all semester, which has kept me busy, especially since people are hard to get hold of.  Overall, I'm just enjoying being back and taking things easy.

Beginner Italian Class at Farewell Dinner

I miss being able to hop on a train or plane and go somewhere with thousands of years of history.  I miss being able to travel to all these important and famous places that I've heard about all my life.  I also miss the people in my program.  We all got along so well because everyone's sense of humor was different, and everyone brought something unique to the table.  I miss sitting on the piazza eating a slice of pizza as big as my head or gelato with nutella and strawberries.  The Italian lifestyle was also something I got used to and miss now because it was laid back and less trying to do as much as possible as quickly as possible.  There is still an intensity about living and a passion for life, but they know how to enjoy things, seemingly more than Americans who approach life at a fast pace all the time and don't allow down time to enjoy the little things.

Homestays

Overall, it's good to be home, but I really hope that I get a chance to go back to Europe in general, and specifically Siena to revisit where I lived for 4 months.  Sometimes I feel like it was a dream, like it didn't really happen.  For the most part, I don't even feel like I lived in a foreign country for 4 months.  It's such an unreal experience I think, and while you're in the middle of it, you don't really see what you're learning, at least about yourself.  I've gotten a chance to reflect a little bit, but I think that it will take a while for me to fully disover what I've learned.  I know that my time has definitely made me more confident in myself, and I also feel more self sufficient.  My problem solving skills have improved, and I've learned how to better roll with the punches and figure out a new solution if something doesn't go my way.

More Farewewell Dinner

Italy was an incredible experience, and I would highly recommend the IES Siena program to anyone who was interested.  While you're there:

1. sit in the Campo and people watch...a lot
2. eat a lot of gelato and try as many flavors as you can
3. go to Nanninis - one of the best places for sweets and good coffee
4. get the pizza on the corner of the piazza
5. get lost in Siena by just wandering the streets
6. speak as much Italian as possible & make friends with store owners and all the everyday people you meet
7. if you don't speak a lot of Italian, living in an apartment or with a family might be best
8. pack light
9. get a hostel card - it will save you money
10. girls, bring your toilettries (shampoo/conditioner)
11. travel a lot but spend some weekends in the city where you live
12. enjoy every minute you're there!!

Staff

Ciao!

New Zealand

 I just returned from a whirlwind tour of the South Island of New Zealand.  I flew into Christchurch with my best friend from high school, Monica only to find that New Zealand is currently experiencing its earliest and coldest winter in about the last 10 years. We were expecting weather in the upper 40s and got weather in the lower 30's , with lows into the teens at night.  While we had some warm clothing, we dressed in layers and the same clothing practically all week.

After the 4 hour flight, It took forever to get through customs and border control, and to check out our rental car. We had a cute little rental car, a baby toyota hatchback in navy blue that saw a lot of miles.  Anyway, after we finally checked in we got to our hostel and then had an amazing italian dinner and some great red wine that night (including a white chocolate raspberry dessert pizza OMG so good).

Then next morning we woke up early and began the 6 hour drive to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Skydiving and bungee jumping are abundant there, but neither of us felt the desire to do that so instead we went hiking and horseback riding. Queenstown is also a site of where much of the filming of Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia took place. Along the way we stopped at 2 glacier lakes, Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki both of which are gorgeous. Blue turquoise clear cold water set against the dramatic southern alps-- so pretty. All the while when we were driving around New Zealand we felt as though we were driving right through Middle Earth in LOTR- rolling green hills, snow capped mountains, and plenty of sheep and alpacas as well ;)   We drove through Lindis Pass, a mountain range on the way to Queenstown, and had steady snowfall for at least 35 minutes, the entire countryside was filled with white powder. We got anxious and started thinking about putting our chains on our tires (which would have been funny considering we're both from SC and neither of us in our lives have used snow chains, but we got them and learned how to use them nonetheless).

Lake Tekapo in New Zealand

Anyway, we didn't need them b/c the snow passed and we arrived in Queenstown that Evening. Our hostel was located next to another Glacier Lake, Lake Watikapo, and was gorgeous. From our bedroom window we had a  great view of the snowy mountains and blue water (such a great sight to wake up to!) We did some horseback riding the next day, which took us to Glenorchy where we went into the New Zealand Beach forest (very mossy and green), and up the mountain to get a great view of the river system where many LOTR scenes and Narnia scenes were shot.  It was freezing, but so worth it!   The following day we toured some wineries, notably the Gibbston Valley winery, which won best wine of the year in the pinot noir category in 2000. It is the oldest vineyard in New Zealand, and it also had a cheesery attatched so needless to say we enjoyed ourselves. Queenstown is located in the Central Otega wine region, so there are many many wineries and they are all well known for their Pinot Noir. (apparently the weather conditions are ideal for that type of grape).


Lake Watikapo and the Southern Alps in Glenorchy

Anyhow, after that we headed back to Christchurch (having to take a detour becuase of road closings due to snowfall!!) and had some more time to hang out in christchurch. We went out a little bit, and saw the Christchurch cathedral.  The following day we did a Lord of the Rings Tour, where they took us to Edoras to Mt. Sunday and Mt. Pots where the city of Rohan (from Two Towers and Return of the King) was built. They had some fun replicas of the movie weapons, and monica and I had a great time sword fighting... We also watched lots of interviews and commentaries and learned fun facts and myths about the movies and how they were made.  a very geeky, but entertaining day.
On our LOTR horesback tour, this river system they filmed scenes from the Fellowship of the Ring and Prince Caspian.

Where Amazing Happened

Keeping it real on one of my last days

 

I’ve been home for a little over a week and people have been constantly asking me how my semester abroad was and I keep responding with the same answer, “Amazing”. Whenever I give this response I feel like I am downplaying my semester. “Amazing” is a blasé, bland response, it feels like one of those corny NBA commercials with the slogan “The NBA: Where Amazing Happens”. Amazing did not happen to me while I was abroad, something that transcends amazing happened.

People who study abroad will tell you that it was a life-changing experience, that it was the best experience of their lives and they would trade anything to do it again; and they are right. They do not know how to properly explain it because studying abroad is a complicated experience where you lose yourself in the immersion of a new, foreign lifestyle.

Being in

Nantes

and being thrown into a foreign culture with a foreign language, I learned how to adapt in order to find comfort in the foreign. Studying abroad throws you into strange circumstances. You find yourself living in a completely foreign land, speaking a completely foreign language, and living with completely foreign people. In order to survive mentally it’s necessary to find comfort in your foreign surroundings and adapt to the surroundings. We all have our own comforts at home, and the key to studying abroad is to find your comforts through the alien and foreign surroundings that now control your life for the next five months.

Being able to adapt to a different lifestyle while abroad leads to the momentous change that occurs for most studying abroad participants: independence. Confidence. Self-awareness. Those of us lucky to have studied abroad come home and feel more self-assured and more confident. We feel like we can tackle any obstacle and remove any boundary. We are full of an optimism only found after successfully completing a trying task. But we also feel an undying urge to explore and test ourselves again. Through our newfound sense of independence we find a desire to live freely and explore life. We have seen the ignorance that one blanketed our comforted home lives striped away to reveal a newfound respect for humanity and a newfound desire to explore.

So to answer everyone’s question studying abroad was more than amazing, it transcended amazing into the extraordinary. It was eye-opening and life-changing. It was everything I imagined and more, and yes, it was amazing.

 

As promised from my last post I'm going to talk about my experiences and thoughts about Amsterdam... the effects that I believe its had on me so far.

I feel different and I know after this I wont be the same ever again- I can't be the same. And I think it will be a long time before I fully realize how much of an impact this has really had, but I can already see differences. For one thing I really do feel more independent and confident in my abilities. I have been here on my own, taking care of things myself for several months now and I have done quite well I think. The freedom we are given here is even more than that at Wofford. I live in an apartment with one other person because there is no dorm housing (not really a campus) in the city of Amsterdam! Class schedules are less demanding so I have more time and freedom of choice in deciding when and how I will do things. The Dutch education system in general strives to give students a lot of freedoms in studying and learning. IES makes sure that students have essentials, but after that we are left completely on our own to explore a new city and to build a life in it. I have done this. I live in Amsterdam. Funenpark is my home. I ride a bike everywhere- around canals, over bridges, past windmills, in a crazy city where some drugs are tolerated along with prostitution. The very way of life here is different. I am used to doing my own grocery shopping- frequently because I have to bike all that I buy home so I can never buy much at once, and cooking. I go for runs in Oosterpark, I sit at cafes in Niewemarkt to do homework, I ride around Prinsengracht where there are many beautiful canals just for the heck of it, I shop at Dappermarkt and go for walks around the city often. I have a routine and a way of life which is centered in Amsterdam. I am not completely changed but the things I've done and way that I've lived will definitely change the way i see the world...

Being here, and also traveling to some other cities and countries has given me a much broader view of humanity. I have met, spoken with, and observed many types of people from different religions, backgrounds, and cultures and this in itself is enriching. Learning about other cultures is so neat and rewarding! Its is difficult because culture s inevitably clash in some ways (the Dutch are sooo direct that at first i thought they were always being rude but then i realized that they simply arent as "frinedly" as south carolinians) because they can be very different but neither are right or wrong. Anywhere you go people are just people despite other differences. I must say that I will be excited to be in the US where I will finally be surrounded by a languae I know because everywhere I go in any country I find my self surrounded by foreign languages and people BUT I do not think it will take me long to miss it. Everything here is multicultural. My classes are with very few Dutch students (because they have class in Dutch) but there are tons of international studetns here from ALL over the world and I know students from Western Europe (like france, germany, Denmark) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia), Israel, South America, Canada, Australia... from all over the world. Also, Amsterdam is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. So many different types of people live here its just insane. Also, by traveling I have met even more people. In europe people tend to move between countries more often- especially since the EU makes moving easier. I am always facing cultural/language barriers. Its exciting though to be in the midst of a place where so many differnt kinds of people live together peacefully (mostly). I now think I understand what my deaf sister feels like- not being able to communicate well or udnerstand whats going on at times. I hope that this has made me more aware of others and their feelings and backgrounds.

Questions about the Dutch way of life have also gotten me thinking... for instance the policies which allow a little "bad" in to keep out a bigger evil- they confuse me. I see the benefit in allowing soemthing to happen which will inevitably occur even without regulation to prevent it from getting out of hand, yet I have always believed that one should stick to what they believe in for the principle of it- even if it seems easier to compromise. Im not quite sure what I've concluded about that yet. For instance though... I went to visit a multicultural class for my field experience project and was shocked by the teacher! She teaches the equivalent of 8th graders in the US and they are all of differnt backgrounds and have trouble adjusting to amsterdam- most from Surinam, Turkey, Morocco or places from the MIddle East like Pakistan. Many live in homes where parents act like they still live in teh home country and/or live in a community with only members of the same ethnic group so they struggle to fit in with teh native Dutch students. There are many terrible stereotypes about these foreigners and some even children get harassed... well to help them to see who they are, to get a grasp on their identity and to be strong enough to ignore stupid comments she actually plays on these stereotypes! She will call a student a "Cunt Moroccan" and go on and on about the stereotypes of Moroccans making it overly dramatic. Then, another student will sit there watching and she'll say... "Oh you lazy Surinamese dont chime in to help it would be too much effort" and then shell address a Turkish student who tries to protest "Dirty Turk you just keep your mouth shut!" And she does this to exaggerate the point and show them just how stupid and meaningless these names and stereotypes are. She says that by the end of it the studnets are all laughing and joining in. By doing things like this she breaks down barriers and says that most students see imporvement by the end of the semester! I was in awe... the Dutch have this tradition where they very inappropraitely poke fun at serious topics- they do this to make them lighter so they can be talked about critically. Offending and exaggerating is the means which many outrageous politicans take too. Apparently the professors do too! It is interesting that she says that the students do improve. She is actually a wonderful teacher. i could see that she was papssionate aobut teaching, cared for her students and they clearly respected her too. This is not out of character at all for a classroom. She tells the students- if i ever do offend you please tell me so I can apologize I never mean to hurt any of you. She also says that she'll have some homosexuals come to the class because many of these students are muslims and are homophobic. She'll tell the class "The gays are coming." They will freak out and someone will inevitably say, "why?" And she'll say "to f*** you." and the students will be alarmed and she'll play on the sterotype-saying yeah dont you know thats all they think about... and the students will protest and she'll go on with it until eventually the students ware standing up for the homosexual visitors, defending them. She says its human nature for people to defend someone whos being attacked. The students will insist that they are only coming to talk- and she'll say oh you're probably right! So she will get them to realize how silly they are being. So... with that said this is the environment I've been in for months. I see certain points of view yet always dont agree with means.

My faith has been tested as I am the only (practicing?) christian in my entire program (i think) and I am happy to say that my experiences here have only helped me to see how and why I beleive what I do. I am sure of the relationship that I have with Jesus Christ and even more than ever I see how essential and beautiful that relationship is...still, I do have some new questions and concerns the think about, pray about, and discuss with others- beleivers and non beleivers. There are things that I have seen and been around which I had not considered before. I believe that it can be good to question things and to seek to understand them better and I beleive that as I seek answers to difficult questions I will actually grow closer. It has mostly been difficult to have no christian friends or a church as an outlet to speak about spiritual things with, but I've found that God is here even if no one else wants Him here. He's blessed me greatly here.

I feel overwhelmed by the thought that this is almost over. I am full of mixed feelings- excited to see certain people and to do certain things again soon but also sad to be leaving my new life here. I've made friends who I will not soon forget and I will greatly miss this beautiful city. I have become more sure of myself and beliefs in some ways and have also adopted new ways and I am excited to see how this will affect my life in SC. I have only 3 weeks left and they will be very busy...

Read my next blog which is about the city I just returned from yesterday... Rome!!!

 

Sydney

One of my best friends from high school, Monica , arrived in Melbourne this past Friday. We traveled to sydney together this weekend. Sydney is such a lovely city! It is about the same size as Melbourne (5 million people) and is approx. a 1.5 hour plane ride away.

We arrived, after a few flight delays, and managed to figure out the public transport system to get to our hostel. We then went to Sydney Harbor to see the beautiful bridge and opera house!  We took a tour of the Sydney Opera House- which actually has 6 theatres- covering everything from opera (who'd think??haha) to ballet to concerts to drama to musicals, etc etc.  We got to walk through some of the 'behind the scenes' areas which was cool, as well as learning more about the construction of this iconic $120 million dollar, 10 year, "world heritage" building. That night we went to a performance of Amadeus, which was a compilation of Mozart's symphonies and Opera- it was a great show, and even better because we got rush student tickets, which meant we got $75 seats for $25.  good deal!  We explored around the city a little that night, the harbor is so beautiful all lit up!

Monica and I in front of the Sydney Harbor Bridge

Sydney Opera House

The next day, we awoke really early and took the ferry to Darling Harbor to see the Sydney Aquarium. I love aquariums- and Sydney's didn't disappoint. They had an incredible selection of sharks and turtles, freshwater fish of Australia, Crocodiles, and a HUGE great barrier reef display. I loved it! And it makes me even more excited for when I get to visit the Great Barrier in another week, once my mom arrives :)  After the aquarium, we hopped on the train and then took a bus to Bondi Beach.. which is a rather famous surfing beach outside of Sydney. The water is beautiful pacific blue, with white sand and plenty of fit males geared up to surf.    Along the beach from Bondi there is a BEAUTIFUL5 km coastal walk that takes you along the cliffside to allow you to walk to the neighboring beaches, which include Tarramana and Bronte Bay (both of which are also gorgeous!). It provides excellent views not only of the beach, but of the cliff front, vegetation, and the horizon.

Bondi Beach in Sydney- the litte dots in the waves are surfers

We finished our trip with another ferry ride to Manly Beach, another well known beach area of Sydney. The ferry ride is great there as well since it takes you through the Sydney Harbor, allowing you a great view of the Opera House and the Bridge. We had hoped to do the climb up the Sydney Harbor Bridge, but it proved to be really expensive and we just ran out of time. All in all, it was a great trip- and though tiring and very fast we saw a great deal in our 2 days.

View from the coastal walk of McKenzie Bay

3 Days...

I feel like the past four months of my life have been a blur.  So many things have changed since the day I got here, and while I’ve learned a lot, this experience has been much different than I anticipated.  We had a re-entry session the other day at school, and it got me thinking about all the things I have to face when I get back.  All of my friends and people I love have been changing and growing in their lives too.  I have to go back to see where I fit into their new lives and all the things I’ve missed.  I hadn’t really thought about it, but several occurrences in the past week have really begun to put things into perspective.  I don’t want to go back to reality.  I don’t want to go back to grad school choices, seriously intense classes, and all the people I have to learn how to deal with again and become a part of their lives again.

 

            I guess being abroad has almost been like a dream; I don’t even know how to describe it, and sometimes I can’t remember it all.  Where do I begin with the stories and things I learned?  How do I know in what ways I’ve changed?  There are so many questions floating around in my head because I know things will be different when I get back.  I won’t see everything the way I used to, and even if I try to explain the past 4 months to someone, they aren’t going to understand.  How can I tell people about University of Sena students dressed in capes taking off their medieval hats and making me wear them in the middle of the piazza?  How can I describe the little boys as high as my waist in the streets persistently drumming in preparation for the Palio?  What can I say about the Sienese to capture the weight of their contradas and the passion with which they pursue the cloth that is ultimately the only prize of the Palio?  How can I show someone what I still don’t even fully understand?

            Everything holds so much meaning, and in trying to convey this to people in the States, I know there will be a disconnection.  I am in a sense coming back as an outsider to my own country.  Yes, I will be able to speak in English and understand everything said to me, but how do you just leave behind something that has been a part of your life, not even a part, but your life for 4 months?  I guess there is just so much to reflect on in so many ways.  I know my relationships with people at home have changed, but my relationship with Italy has also changed.  I have come to view Italy in such a different way than what I initially thought I would.  I romanticized Italy, seeing only the countryside, food, romance, and beauty; when in actuality, there is so much more.

            Yes, their food is amazing, but the hole in the wall restaurants are 10 times better than any super fancy spot, and while there are many beautiful structures around you, the most beautiful thing is the people.  Watching a little girl fascinated by a couple kissing, or a little boy throwing his confetti at his sister makes me wish I was 5 again.  The little boy who waddles up to another little boy, a complete stranger, taking his hand to chase the pigeons together is as beautiful as looking at any work of art.  Wandering the streets to see cute old couples holding hands or the good Samaritan who gives up his seat on the bus for an old woman who is having trouble with the curves and abrupt stops makes for an experience all in itself.  Even watching the way all the storekeepers interact with their customers, knowing many of them by name and serving up their meats, cheeses, produce, or wine with pride and appreciation for what they do gives the city and Italy character.  Romance is definitely present in Italy, whether you like it or not.  While sometimes a bit much, you can see the passion with which the Italians love and live their lives.

            Sure, the buses are often late, and Italians are dressed in the latest styles and fashions, but overall, there is something beautiful and different just in the little things.  The bus driver who chuckles and waits patiently as you sprint down the hill trying not to miss your bus, the man who lets you in front of him in Conad because you have 1 item and he has 10, the man at the tobacchi who knows what you want without even having to ask, the travel agent who applauds you after you struggle through ordering your tickets in Italian, and the little old lady that talks to you in Italian, even though you have no idea what she is saying are all a part of this culture.  They make up the culture and the city; without them, Siena wouldn’t be Siena.  Of course there are the rude people and the people who treat you like an annoying American tourist, but you shrug it off and keep trying.  It’s intimidating sometimes, but it always ends up being worth it.

            It hasn’t hit me that I won’t be walking these streets anymore.  I won’t be buying the euro slice of pizza in Piazza Gramsci or the delicious foccacia sandwiches anymore.  The bus will not be my only way to get around, and taking a train will be much more expensive.  I won’t pass the man dressed in gold pretending to be a statue anymore, and I won’t get to people watch in the piazza with friends sharing a baguette and cheese.  Everything I’ve been doing seems so unreal.  Where has the time gone?  I feel like I turned my head, and it’s over.  What am I going to do with myself when I get home?  I can’t hop a train and go to some exotic place like Venice or Prague anymore.  I can’t wander the streets, coming upon extremely old churches or monuments to saints that take my breath away.  I can’t buy the corner pizza on the piazza that everyone says is the best, and I can’t get the gelato with warm nutella and strawberries anymore.  Some of these things just become a part of your routine, and it’s so weird to think I won’t be able to do them anymore.

            On the other hand, there are things I’m excited about coming back to.  The variety of food in America, I’ve discovered, is amazing.  I can’t wait to eat HUGE salads with grilled chicken, every vegetable known to man, and RANCH dressing.  I can’t wait for sushi and Thai food, for a big bowl of salsa or cheese dip, for a quesadilla.  Eating Chinese/Japanese or Indian food sounds SO good right now.  I can’t wait to drive my car where I want to go, when I want to go there.  To be able to go to places like Target and WalMart will be fantastic because they are cheap, and I only have to make one stop for all the things I need.  I can’t wait to see my family and friends and just be in my hometown.  I want to be able to speak my own language and be understood as well as understand what is being said to me, even if it’s about the size of shoes I want to try on.  I can’t wait for icees and Sonic limeades because their ice is fantastic.  I can’t wait to just to get back to college life either: late night runs to Waffle House or playing capture the flag on the lawn of Old Main.  I’m excited about living in the apartments and getting back to my home church, HopePoint. 

            So, as you can see, I’m split.  While I’m ready to go home, leaving behind this experience will be hard as well.  A main chunk of my experience too has been the people in my program.  Initially I wondered how we would get along, but they have been wonderful.  We hit it off, and yet they are so so different from me.  Many programs I’ve heard about have had cliques and problems within their group, but ours has been perfect.  I’m going to miss watching Hannah dance to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” or talking to Alex about his obsession with Duomos.  I’ll miss Emma’s sarcasm and Bianca’s crazy stories.  Each person in our program brings something entirely different to the table, and I have really enjoyed getting to know them.  Our farewell dinner tomorrow will be sad, but we’re all planning on hanging out all night tomorrow, which I can’t wait for!!

            I guess readjusting is all part of it, and in retrospect, I am so incredibly glad that I came abroad.  Even while Italian was hard to learn and speak, I’m also glad I chose somewhere non English speaking.  I’ve learned a lot about myself and where my focus needs to be, and I’ve gained an appreciation about a culture that I found I didn’t really know.  I’ve learned more about my Christian faith and how much I need the Lord everyday of my life, and I’ve learned just how important my morals and values are to me and how much more strongly I feel about them after seeing what I’ve seen.  I got a chance to do something that a lot of people don’t get to do: I spent an entire semester in another country, traveling where I wanted and getting to see history and beauty that is unparalleled.  It has been a rollercoaster full of good days and bad, days where I wanted to go home and days where I wanted to stay in Europe for the rest of my life.  It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, but it gives you a deeper understanding of so many things, namely yourself.  You take this journey and for some people, they find who they are.  For me, I was able to discover more about myself that I didn’t know was there.  It has been an incredible experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Venezia & Roma!!

            The past couple of weeks have been really busy, but fun all the same.  My mom was here for a week, which was definitely one of my favorite times of my semester.  I have missed her and the rest of my family, but I don’t think I full realized how much until she was here.  It was wonderful having her here for numerous reasons.  Firstly, I think that sometimes I have become complacent with living in Siena, and its beauty and history are sometimes overlooked.  It was great to have some fresh eyes and perceptions because it renewed my enthusiasm and appreciation for the city that I have begun to call home.

            When she arrived, I took her to her hotel, and we went and got gelato with strawberries and warm nutella.  It was funny because my mom had never experienced nutella, and she LOVED it.  After getting some food, we headed on a walk around Siena to the Duomo, the park, and just around some of the beautiful areas that surround the city.  Overall I think she really enjoyed Siena and thought it was beautiful.  I was really glad that she got to spend some time here, since we also traveled a lot when she came. She arrived in Siena on a Saturday, and we left for Venice on Sunday.  

 

Off the Rialto Bridge

           

Venice was absolutely wonderful.  The city is so unique – I’ve never been anywhere like it.  I really loved the canals, and the entire city is just beautiful in a different sort of way.  After making it to our cute and centrally located hotel, we put our things away and went to St. Mark’s Square, which was absolutely beautiful.  With the Dodge Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica on it, it’s simply stunning, even in the rain. J  We explored that area for a while before going to a nice dinner and the opera, which was amazing.  Instead of seeing it in the big Fenice Theater, we went to a palace, where the performers were in the same room as we were.  In this sense, I mean that we were in the room of a palace; while it was big, it was nowhere close to the size of a theater, and the performers were right in front of us….I could have touched them. 

St. Mark's Square

 

Dungeons

 

Dodge Palace

            It was a completely different experience from anything I’ve ever done, and the voices were absolutely beautiful.  The name of the opera was La Traviata, and it was wonderful.  With each act, we got to move to a different room of the palace, which also made it more interesting, even though it was somewhat hard to understand because it was in Italian.  I did get bits and pieces though, which made it fun for me because I felt accomplished. J  There were only three performers, but it was fabulous, and the palace was gorgeous.  There were old paintings lining the walls, and all of the ceilings were fairly elaborate, which was really cool and added to the atmosphere.

Making of a Glass Horse

Murano

Island with the Cathedral

            The next day we spent time in the Dodge Palace – buy the tickets in the Corre Museum, and you get to skip the line.  The Palace was really interesting, and I got to learn about the Dodges plus all the various purposes for the rooms like meetings of the important decision makers and such.  It was fun, and I learned a lot as well.  Later in the day, we went on a boat tour to three of the islands surrounding Venice.  One island was Murano, which is known for blown glass, and while I don’t remember the names of the other two, one was famous for lace making, and the other had an extremely old cathedral and church on it.  Even though it rained, the boat tour was really cool, and I enjoyed the glass demonstration.  Well, that is with the exception of the man who worked there.  He kept following me around and telling me I had beautiful eyes, and he was persistent about where I got them until he saw my mom and figured it out. J  It was pretty funny, but the glass was absolutely beautiful.  They have everything imaginable in every size you could think of.

 

Lace Island

            After our boat tour, we were supposed to go on a sailboat tour of Venice with a guide, but it was too nasty outside to do that.  It was fairly cold, rainy, and very windy.  Instead, we settled to wander around and get lost in the city, which we did very effectively.  We ended up coming upon a restaurant that looked good, and we split some pasta and lobster, which turned out to be pretty tasty.  I was laughing at my mom because she ordered a tomato salad, thinking that it was going to be like an actual salad.  Her face when they brought only tomatoes in a bowl was hilarious.  She also asked for dressing, but Italians only have oil and vinegar usually, so the guy gave her a confused expression, which was quite funny. After dinner, we explored Venice at night, which was breathtaking.  All of the lights along the water are really pretty to look at, and we went up on the Rialto Bridge to look out for a while.  We also took the vaporetto (main boat line) back to our hotel, so we got to be on the water looking out at the lights, which was fun.

 

Fresh Seafood

            Overall, Venice was one of my favorite places I’ve been because it’s just so different.  There are no cars, only boats, and if you get up early in the morning, you can watch everyone wake up.  We went to the market fairly early both mornings and watched the shopkeepers open, and the fruit/vegetable vendors set out their produce.  We saw the fresh fish get put out, and there were arrays of octopus, clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, etc. all along the streets.  It was really neat to see those of the actual city aside from the tourists.  Also, we got to see the trash guys picking up the trash in their contraptions with wheels, which was fun as opposed to a garbage truck.  Venice was really neat, and I loved having my mom there because she got to see the changes from when she went thirty years ago.

 

            After Venice, we went to Florence for the day, exploring the city, crossing the Ponte Vecchio and shopping a lot at the market, which was fun.  Other than that we ate lunch at a cute little place and went into the Duomo for a bit.  Florence was fun, but we only spent a small amount of time there because I had papers due the next day, and we were leaving for Rome on Thursday.  While my mom was here, she really only spent two to three days in Siena, which was a good amount, but I think she could’ve spent longer.  After another day and a half in Siena, my mom met Piera, which was funny.  Neither of them really knew what to say, but I tried to roughly translate, which, well, you can imagine how that went.:)  It wasn’t bad though.  My mom thanked her for taking care of me, and Piera packed us a dinner for us to take with us to Rome, which was sweet.

 

Florence

 

Ponte Vecchio

            In Rome, we stayed in a beautiful hotel about 30 minutes out of the city because we wanted to be able to come back and relax.  The hotel was great because we got spoiled with mints on our pillows, slippers, and a really nice bathroom, which was great because I’m used to hostels.  We also had a wonderful view of the entire city of Rome because the hotel, which was basically a villa, looked off over everything.  It was gorgeous.  Anyway, we got into our hotel and pretty much fell right asleep after dinner because we had a busy day planned for Friday. 

 

Views from the Hotel

            We got up early the next morning and headed in on the train, deciding to do all the touristy things, starting with the Colosseum.  We ended up hooking on to this really good tour that consisted of two parts.  It was really cheap, and we got a tour of the Colosseum, as well as free time before moving on to Palatine Hill and the Forum.  The tour was cheap too, and I really felt like I got a lot out of it.  In the Colosseum though, our guide was telling us about a battle between like 100 lions and 20 elephants or something like that, which is INSANE.  I can’t imagine the bloodshed and crazy noises and sights that people got from that.  I don’t know if I’d be capable of watching it either.  Apparently, the Colosseum is not as gruesome as everyone thinks, but it was very interesting to learn about and see ruins.  It was really cool.  After the Colosseum, we went to Palatine Hill where we learned about the majestic palaces that once stood on the hill where the emperors made their residence, and we got to see the Forum from an “on top” view, which was good for our guide pointing out everything.

Colosseum

 

            We saw Augustus’s house in addition to that of his wife, as well as the Circus Maximus where they used to have chariot races.  We explored Palatine Hill for a little longer before actually descending into the Forum and seeing where Caesar was cremated, the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, the Senate House, and all the other important and once impressive buildings in the center of the old Roman world.  It was incredible to imagine what the Forum must have looked like with its towering marble structures and people everywhere.  I couldn’t believe that I was walking where past emperors, the people considered the most powerful on Earth at that time, walked.  It was so cool to actually see what I’ve always read and been taught about.

Free Picture with the Roman Guards

 

Forum

            After the Forum, we went to the Pantheon, which was cool, and we made a brief run by the Spanish Steps before heading back to our hotel in order to eat a nice dinner.  My mom tried boar, and I had trout stuffed pasta.  It wasn’t the best dinner we’ve ever had, but I had a main course of goose leg, and my mom tried the lamb.  After dinner, we went to bed completely stuffed from all the food we ate in order to get up for the next morning. 

Circus Maximus

Pantheon

            On Saturday we did the hop on, hop off bus tour, which was great because we got to see everything without making our feet tired.  After the bus tour, we did a guided tour of the Vatican, which was really interesting.  The Sistine Chapel was stunningly beautiful, and the museum had all kinds of incredibly old and interesting things.  Nero’s bathtub was in there, and it was made out of one of the most precious types of marble, one that is extinct today.  The bathtub is the largest item of that marble remaining, which is cool.  We saw all kinds of stuff like that in addition to the Raphael rooms, painted by none other than Raphael.  Those were all extremely interesting to view, and St. Peter’s was gorgeous as well.  There aren’t really words to describe it; you have to see it for yourself because it is so massive and impressive, especially when the sun’s rays are penetrating the glass on the windows, illuminating the altar.  It was beautiful.  The rest of the day was spent viewing the big piazzas like Piazza Navona and several others, eventually eating dinner at a Hosteria, surrounded by tap dancers, mimes, and all other types of entertainment.  After dinner, we stopped by the Trevi Fountain, which is gorgeous at night and a wonderful gelato place for death by chocolate, a supposed specialty. J  It was a good end to the day before taking a walk across Rome at night to see more of its beauty.

Bus Tour

Nero's Bathtub

Raphael Rooms

            I really enjoyed Rome a lot, but the tourists and amount of people there, made me glad that I was only there for a bit.  On Sunday, we went to a nicer area of Rome to a really cool flea market that had all kinds of stuff for really good prices.  It was fun wandering around as the men and women yelled out sales pitches every few seconds, trying to persuade you to look at their stand.  I wish I had had more time in Rome simply to be able to soak it in more, but I was exhausted at the end.  I was glad my mom was fresh and had the energy to drag us along.  All in all, I LOVED the time my mom was here, and the two cities were interesting, rich with beauty, history, and art, making them fascinating places to see.  I’m so glad I got to see these wonderful places and experience them with my mom. 

St. Peter's

Australian Sport: Footy!

So, ever since I arrived in Oz I have heard so much about Australian Rules Football. It is a favorite topic of all Australians, and is especially popular here in Melbourne. (As several teams play out of Melbourne, and there are 2 stadiums the matches are held in). Everyone has their team, and is die hard faithful to them. However, AFL (Aussie Rules Football) is not at all like American Football, or soccer for that matter. It is kind of a cross between soccer, football, and lacrosse.  For a start, there are lots of attractive muscular Australian men running around in short shorts and sleeveless tops. The game is similar enough, there are goalposts that you are aiming to kick the ball through. But the football is dribbled, passed and kicked, and there is tackling. Full tackling. I mean it gets aggressive, and there are no pads or helmets involved.

However, everyone gets all decked out in their team colors and paraphenalia.. scarves, hats, shirts, jerseys, signs, giant pom poms... you name it. I felt like I was at a Quidditch match. The stadium was huge, 70,000 people attended, and EVERYONE was into the game. The game I went to was the Hawthorn Hawks (Of Tasmania) and the Carlton Blues (of North Melbourne). We were going for the Hawks, and luckily they won...after a very exciting and close game. 

Some friends and I at the game. Go Hawthorn!

Footy players- and the ridiculously large pom poms in the background.

Other fun activities of late have included going birdwatching with my Australian Wildlife Biology class, exploring lots of new cafes, gelatterias,tea shops, and bars. I went on a pub crawl with the University and we went to many exciting venues, including a Science Themed bar, where you could have drinks out of test tubes. It was awesome!  We also went to several really neat local places, kind of the 'hidden laneways.' 

School is on the downward trend, I still have 3 more weeks of class, and then a few weeks of exams..returning home in Late June. A good friend from home is coming to visit this week, and we'll be going to Sydney and New Zealand so more to come soon :)

Unforgettable Moments

I realized that I have done so many neat things since I have been here that there is just no way I will remember everything... but there are certain priceless moments which will stick with me long after I have left Amsterdam. I'd like to describe a few experiences I've had here recently.

(NOTE: If you read my last blog already I just added pictures of the windmills etc tonight so go back and check them out!)

Muiden

A few weeks ago I went to Muiden with other IES students to see Muiderslot- a very old castle! It was so neat! Castles just aren't so common in the United States. The castle wasn't very big- like the country itself- but it has lots of history. Unfortunately our tour guide did not speak very good English so I cannot recount much of the history to you, but long ago each city/province was separated with local ruler who owned the land and many had castles and fortifications as protective forces against attack. We could not take pictures inside the castle so my only pictures are of the outside. I enjoyed seeing something entirely different, and sharing the day with other IES students that I don't get to see too often. After visiting the castle we explored the town for a bit which was incredibly cute. We found a place to get ice cream and sat outside in the sun, chatting.

Volendam and Marken

Last saturday I went on a 42 mile bike ride! Don't be too amazed... the Netherlands is incredibly flat so it really wasn't difficult, just long! On another IES excursion our guide Annabel took us on a ride to a town called Volendam. The bike ride was pleasant. We rode along the Dutch countryside which is beautiful and so peaceful. It's very green with lots of cows (how do you think all that cheese is made!), tons of lambs, and cute homes and windmills. The ride was nice because it was a breezy day, but the sun was out and it was enjoyable to talk to other students while biking through the country! We made a stop at a place where cheese, clogs, and souvenirs are made and had a wine and cheese sampling. We also stopped at a windmill along the way which was very cool- but looks like all the other Dutch windmills I've seen by now. They are actually quite interesting- Dutch windmills are all shaped the same way and they are made of a fuzzy-looking material which makes them look like a hut made by a native tribesman. Maybe you can tell in the picture below? Anyways, our ride to Volendam was mostly a success- with only one flat tire, 3 missed turns, and one incident where several students went the wrong way! This town was very neat and very Dutch- but it was also very touristy. After a long bike ride we were starving so we ate lunch in this town and wandered around. Eventually, we got on a ferry with our bikes which took us to another touristy Dutch town called Marken. It was also very cute. Both towns are located right on the water with access to boats. This has been an important part of Holland's history and Dutch life. The Dutch are expert fishers and are adept at getting around by boat for necessity or recreation. In Marken, we wandered again- taking in the town. The part of this that I abolutely hated was biking to the beach where the lighthouse was because we rode on the bike path on the dike which was FULL of bugs. There were bugs hitting me on the face and all over and I was freaking out! It was terrible. Otherwise, the trip was enjoyable.

I began to get cold though, so I left with Kate and Rachel a bit earlier than the rest of the group, eager to begin the bike back which I knew would make me warmer. It was nice to ride back with just two others because we could go at a faster pace, stop as we wanted to take pictures, and could talk easier. This was a moment I will remember and cherish. The trip back from Marken to Amsterdam was beautiful. For most of it we rode along another dike which towered over the street on one side and the water on the other. It was magnificent riding my bike with just two good friends through the Dutch countryside to my home in Amsterdam! The moment I will remember most though, is looking in front of me as the sun was beginning to set. I was at the front of the line so I felt like I was alone for a moment... it was just me riding towards the Amsterdam skyline while the sun glistened on the water so brightly it was almost blinding! It was beautiful and I felt a wave of peace. And I will also remember what happned right after this moment. A huge bug flew into my eye!!! I had to pull over so Kate could get it out of my contact and get me to calm down. She made me put on my sunglasses even though it was no longer too sunny as a shield against further bug attacks. 42 miles later I arrived back at Funenpark, ready to shower and collapse into my bed.

Concert Gebouw

Tonight I went to see a symphony orchestra at the concert hall Concert Gebouw. This venue was nice and the music was amazing! As a former viola player, I have a great appreciation for this type of music and the orchestra did not disappoint. First, IES actually treated us to a dinner at an Indonesian restaurant. I have been wanting to try Indonesian food while in Amsterdam so this was perfect. The food was wonderful and it was served buffet style to each table. There were at least 17 different options of foods so basically we each just tasted some of everything. We left 2 1/2 hours later completely stuffed! IES even had wine served with our meal. Afterward, we walked to the concert hall which was close to musemplein. We were excited to find that we had front row seats, until we entered the building and realized they were terrible seats because the stage was really really high and we were way too close. I couldn't see very much at all, but the sound was great. First, Lang Lang (a well-known pianist) played with the orchestra, and after the intermission they played another piece which I actually liked even better. At intermission (at apparently all types of art and music shows in the Netherlands)everyone gets a free drink to create a gezellig atmosphere.

An especially funny scene occured... after each movement there would be a few moments of silence before the next began and each time suddenly an eruption of coughs would break out (but no applause because between movements of piece the audience doesn't clap- they should wait until the end of the entire set). I am not sure why all of the coughing was happening... I guess the audience was mostly made up of old folks, but my friend Joel looked at me and Rachel and exclaimed "So- we don't clap, we cough if we think it was good?" And he was serious. He thought the audience was coughin on purpose. So after this, each time there was a pause he would fake-cough with the elderly. It was quite funny... maybe you had to be there. Regardless, I enjoyed the show. This was definitely something I would not have made the effort to do alone, but since IES offered it I decided to go and I am glad that I did.

IN CONCLUSION... I'd just like to say that this has been one of the most significnat experiences of my life- just being in the Netherlands. I have been given a lot to think about. Seeing the world from a different perspective is challenging and eye-opening. I'd like to elaborate on my thoughts about this... in my next blog! Check in later.