The entire group on top of Rocca di Papa.
After months of anticipation, the summer 2013 term in Ariccia has begun. This semester, the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program has 24 participants- all female students. Unlike any semester before, we have our first transit student from the University of Alabama. It is a joy to share this amazing program with other universities, and we hope to have more in the future.
Upon arrival in Ariccia on Tuesday May 7th, we were welcomed at the airport by program facilitator Cinzia Bracalente. At Chigi Palace, we arrived to Linda Cain Ruth and Roberta Londi and were given our rooming assignments. After having orientation at the palace, we had our first taste of Italy- a porchetta sandwich, which was delicious. All 24 students plus the professors and program advisors ate at L’Osteria del Gusto, and were able to meet one another and get a feel for what the next three months were going to be like. It was in true Italian fashion, with the antipasti, two exquisite pasta dishes, and dessert.
On the second day we had orientation and “Survival Italian” class with Lanie Dakin. Lanie Dakin was a former Auburn University student who studied abroad with the program in 2003, and moved back to Italy in 2006. She is now married and expecting her first child. After lunch, Francesco Petrucci, the Curator of the Chigi Palace and Museum gave us a tour of the Chigi Park. Maurizio Antonini provided us a history of the program and gave a more in depth introduction to Ariccia.
On day three, we toured the Castelli Romani. The Castelli Romani is a region outside of Rome that consists of small Italian towns around Lake Nemi and Lake Albano.
The tour began with a hike on an ancient Roman Road that reaches from the top of the Montecavo to Rome. Once we walked down the mountain, we arrived in Rocca di Papa, where we were able to look out over the Castelli Romani. We then visited Castel Gandolfo, which is where the Pope has his summer home. Following that, we toured the Abbey in Grottoferrata and had lunch in Frascati, who is known for their white wine. The next town in the Castelli Romani we visited was Nemi, which is renowned for the strawberries. The last stop on the tour was Genzano.
On Friday Roberta Londi and Linda Cain Ruth went over our potential practicum placements, which are going to be incredible. Getting to see how our majors in Human Science differ and parallel with careers in Italy will be interesting and quite the honor. Francesco Petrucci gave a tour of the Chigi Palace “Le Stanze del Cardinale”- the Cardinal’s rooms. One of the major aspects of this program is diving into the culture and becoming a part of the community. That is why our last outing of the day was to Albano, in order to learn the transportation system, under the direction of Cinzia Bracalente.
So far this program has exceeded any of our expectations. We keep pinching ourselves that we are in Italy, and this is not a dream. I can only imagine it to get more spectacular from here on out.
By: Avery Myrick