Italian Adventures

Posted on February 19, 2019 by

We are starting our fourth week here in Ariccia. I really have no idea where the time has gone. I feel like I was just stepping off the plane in Rome with so much excitement and nervousness just yesterday. I remember feeling anxious to get a taste of the many adventures I would experience, and in the four short weeks I have been here, lots of adventures have already begun.

Our first adventure began in Rome the very first Friday we were in Italy. The morning started out with lots of excitement while we were rushing to the train. We made it, but it was questionable during our walk to Albano. I remember getting on the train wondering what in the world Rome was actually going to look like. It was everything I had imagined and more. Huge statues, monuments, and beautiful building that I had only seen in pictures were now right in front of me. From touring the Forum and Colosseum to watching one of us drop our phone in the Trevi Fountain, the whole day was filled with so much fun and amazement.

The next adventure was the Scavenger Hunt. We were all running around Rome in the pouring rain trying to find our way around and figure out what exactly we were looking at. It was something I did not appreciate while doing it, but now I am so grateful for that experience. I probably knocked so many people in the head with my umbrella so I am sure they were not too happy with me. However, it is something we already look back on and just laugh.

One more adventure was pizza making in Frascati. I have eaten a ton of pizza and pasta during my time here. I am sure I will eat a ton more, but the pizza I was able to make with my own hands has been the best pizza so far. The whole experience was just a blast. It was such a neat way to feel a part of the Italian culture and get to interact with a few Italian people. Everyone has been so generous, understanding, and helpful toward each of us in the program. I have already experienced many adventures so far and cannot wait for the many more to come.

Ciao for now,

Emma Claire Dunnam

Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone

Posted on February 18, 2019 by

American author, Neale Donald Walsch is quoted as saying, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” I couldn’t agree more.

I am just beginning week four of my twelve-week Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program, and the past three weeks have been a blur (and so much fun).

What I really hoped to get out of my study abroad experience was to be pushed out of my comfort zone, learn about different cultures, and experience new adventures. I have always loved to travel and experience new places, but living abroad is different. Not only did I leave the familiar and comfortable surroundings of home to move to a new country with an entirely different language, but I moved in with 20 other girls that I had never met before. There is nothing like living and traveling with new people to go from feeling like a bit of an outsider to making new best friends.

It has truly been a “Grand Tour.” Together, we have toured the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon and the Vatican, tossed a coin (and a cell phone, right Kaitlyn?) in the Trevi Fountain, walked the Spanish Steps, climbed Mt. Vesuvius, explored the Lost City of Pompeii and went to dozens of more sites on our scavenger hunt. We also took a weekend excursion to London where we rode The Tube to Buckingham Palace, flirted with the guards out front, ate yummy fish & chips, did some shopping, visited St. Paul’s Church, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and walked around Piccadilly Circus. The next weekend, we went to Milan and climbed to the rooftop of the Duomo di Milano for amazing views and checked out Italian nightlife at Alcatraz Discoteca!

I know that only when I stop letting fear and anxiety hold me back am I open to major breakthroughs in life. I will keep pushing myself to expand my comfort zone and look forward with excitement to whatever may come next. Ciao for now!

Lauren Binnig

A Visit to the Vatican

Posted on February 18, 2019 by

This past Tuesday, our group had the exciting opportunity to visit St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

We began our day by taking a very informational tour of the inside. We saw breathtaking works of art like Michelangelo’s Pietà and the Papal Alter by Bernini. Our tour guide was phenomenal and pointed out small details that without her, I surely would have missed. For example, the mosaic techniques on the walls are reproductions of frescos that originally covered the inside. I heard stories of early Christian leaders, Papal miracles, and even the location of St. Peter’s bones.

After our tour had ended, I decided to climb the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica with a few other girls. We were encouraged to do so because of the smaller crowd and great weather. I was excited to see the spectacular views of the city and massive dome up close. We first took the elevator up to the roof level, saving quite a few steps.

Honestly, the height from inside the dome terrified me, so I quickly ran to the next steps. We then shimmied our way up the tiniest sets of spiral stairs I had ever seen. At times, I had to bend my body along with the sides of the dome just to make forward progress. But, the view at the top made it all worth it. I had a great view of St. Peter’s Square, and I felt like I could see all of Rome.

This experience and our Vatican tour was such a special event, and my favorite highlight of my journey so far.

Ciao!

Elizabeth Clardy

Rome, Sweet Rome

Posted on February 10, 2019 by

With two weeks in the program already done and only 10 left, this semester is already flying by! I’m past the first week, which was filled with orientation, jet lag, and adjusting to this new life in beautiful Ariccia, and now things are finally starting to feel real.

Slowly but surely, I’m beginning to settle into a bit of a routine during the week, from attending classes, to cooking for myself, to watching movies with my classmates in the common room after dinner.

As I become more and more at home in the palace and in our little town, I am also starting to realize that the rest of the program is going to go by in the blink of an eye. With that realization comes the pressure to check every dream travel destination off my bucket list as soon as possible.

But, despite that pressure, I am so glad that I chose to spend my first two weekends in Rome. It’s incredible to me that I’m only a train ride away from one of the most beautiful cities in the world, filled with so much life and culture, and so much to see and do. While I am so excited to travel all over the world, it is really important to me that I don’t forget about what is so close by! From the ancient architecture, to the fantastic food, to the places I wouldn’t have been able to see if I hadn’t got a little lost, I would definitely recommend spending as much time as possible in this gorgeous city.

Exploring Rome and walking the Spanish Steps

Ciao!

Katie Pope

Adjusting in Ariccia

Posted on February 10, 2019 by campus

Before coming to Ariccia and beginning our journey on the JSB program, I couldn’t wait to plan a dozen weekend trips to all sorts of countries that I dreamed of visiting. Countries like Germany, Spain, France, Greece, and the United Kingdom were on my must-see list. I did not realize at the time how beneficial (and just as fun) it would be to spend one of our free weekends in our new hometown: Ariccia.

The first week here felt like a whirlwind. Our schedule was jampacked with fieldtrips and lectures, all while attempting to adjust to the culture and learn my way around. While a few other girls planned trips to other countries for the next weekend, a couple friends and I decided, why not just take a second and stay in Ariccia?

There was a little bit of stress at the beginning of this semester abroad to take advantage of every weekend and see all of the places on my bucket list. I recommend putting Ariccia and Albano (the town right next to Ariccia) on your bucket list. After a weekend exploring my new home, I quickly realized how beautiful it was and how many fun things there are to do here. I discovered amazing shopping, a cute little bar with the best apple pie-flavored Moscow mule I have ever tasted, and some of the best “apertivos” (heavy bar snacks and light cocktails) I have had so far.

My little weekend at home made me feel much more comfortable with the area, and I feel like I actually am at home. If I had to recommend one thing, it would be to take the time to appreciate the area you are in. There is so much to be discovered!

Gabrielle Berman

Nutella crepes from the market right outside of the palace!

Dreams Really Do Come True!!

Posted on February 4, 2019 by campus

I signed up for the Joseph S. Bruno Auburn Abroad in Italy program when I was at Camp War Eagle before my freshman year. I studied abroad in high school for part of the summer, and since that day knew I had to study abroad for a whole semester! So, after four years of saving, two(ish) years of getting excited about studying abroad, and weeks of preparing the time has come. I said Arrivederci “goodbye” to America and Ciao “hello” to Italy.

Our first evening in the Chigi Palace we read letters from the students who attended the JSB program in the fall. The letters were filled with encouragement, advice, and fun places to visit. Seeing how much this semester has meant to those before us makes it easy to see it is true when people say this is an experience-of-a-lifetime.

On Friday, we went to Rome on our first field trip out of the Ariccia area. We visited the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and so much more throughout Rome. It was such an experience to learn about the history of Rome. As part of a school assignment, each student was assigned something to either research and be an expert on,or to remind the class of something we have previously discussed. It was so fun to hear what my classmates found interesting at the sites we visited.

As my first week comes to end, I cannot help but feel blessed. Blessed to get to study abroad, blessed to make new friends, and blessed to get to see so much in Italy and all of Europe during my time here.

——Elizabeth Bundrick

Falling in Love with Italy

Posted on February 4, 2019 by

Buongiorno or Good Afternoon!

The first week of Italy has officially ended, and it was a whirlwind. The moment I stepped off the plane I was immersed in Italian culture, language, and sights. I met the staff and some other students before going on our first tour of the Chigi palace itself, which is full of art and history. The major moments of this week, however, were spent in Rome and Albano Laziale.

First off, Albano is the cutest town right across the bridge from Ariccia, full of shops and restaurants. Like I said, after the first week the exhaustion sets in a bit, so I spent my Saturday night shopping and eating in Albano, which was fun and close to home. As a student I knew little to nothing about the geography of Italy, like navigating Rome, or even where Ariccia was in relation to other cities. Luckily, in this first week we had lectures on not only the geography, but also travel basics which includes safety and buying train tickets. To make the lecture stand out even more, we toured as an entire group Ariccia, Albano, and Rome.

For a bigger city feel, obviously it’s Rome. Luckily the metro system there is easy to figure out, and a bonus is that more people in the city speak English. The best learning experience was the scavenger hunt of Rome, which includes finding famous landmarks on a map. This forced me to navigate Rome alone, and eventually I began to recognize certain areas. . Walking twelve miles was a full, tiring day, but seeing the landmark of the Trevi Fountain made it all worth it. The fountain, which has been used for countless movies and even fashions shows, is as every bit as beautiful as people have said. Taking my Euro coin, giving it a kiss, and tossing it into the fountain has already made this study abroad experience special, so I cannot wait for what else is in store. I’m easily and quickly falling in love with Italy

Kissing a coin and tossing it into the Trevi Fountain means that one day I will return to Rome.

~Katharine Pippen~

Memories Abroad Last a Lifetime

Posted on November 7, 2018 by

Eleven weeks down, four countries knocked off my bucket list and two weeks before we pack up our bags and head back into reality. Everyone told me how quickly it would go by, but I honestly did not believe them because twelve weeks sounded like such a long time. But oh boy, was I wrong! It has flown by, I look back on these past eleven weeks and am amazed at how many new relationships I have built and how much I have learned about myself.

My home (palace) in Ariccia, Italy for three months

My time in Italy, so far, has been unbelievable. I can truly say that I have already learned a lot. I’ve learned how to make a fresco, cook Italian dishes, speak some survival Italian, had genuine conversations with locals, experienced the nightlife, toured countless churches, attended the Papal Audience, and much more. I really have felt connected in the Italian culture, especially in the little town we call home, Ariccia.
Our time in Italy has come to a close, but my life experiences have been opened to a new world I love, and it all started in Ariccia, Italy. I can’t help but reflect on the experiences, and travel opportunities to Hungary, Germany, Prague, and Greece independently. Embracing their cultures and daily living, which has many differences to living in the U.S. But, at the same time the people were wonderful.
These past eleven weeks have been so helpful in shaping who I am and who I aspire to be. I’ve been interested in studying abroad since middle school, but honestly would have never pictured myself living in a totally different part of the world with eighteen strangers and it has taught me a lot about myself. It took a lot to move to a foreign country I was unfamiliar with for three months but I realized that immersing myself into the unknown is the best thing I could do for myself. To be adventurous, and fully appreciate my experience abroad. It is amazing how incredibly close all of us have become; and will have these priceless moments, and memories to last a lifetime. Returning home after learning a new way of life in a place I called home that will be missed until my next journey back to Ariccia, Italy!
Ciao Ciao
XO,
Kelsie Carn

Creating a road map to happiness through travel

Posted on October 29, 2018 by

We see the world, not as it is, but as we are. Perception is reality.

One of my most vivid memories to this day, is the first time I ever traveled out of the country. When I was eight years old, I left the Carribean feeling exhilarated, yet at ease. My world was forever changed. I felt clarity because I knew that my purpose was to learn and study each culture around the world. Every year I would make it my goal to go to at least one country that I had not been to before (even if that meant traveling alone). However, I figured out that the more I travelled, the more I want to travel and I quickly finished my first thirty countries in the next ten years. With every new custom and culture I explored, the more I was changed and fascinated by the psychological effects of travel. During my time in Italy, I have been able to further discover how travel can improve our mental health.

It’s a great stress reliever. The stress of demands of everyday life can distract us from what we find meaningful and interesting. While traveling I am able to slow down and prioritize the things that truly interest me. I found that this also helps promote happiness.

It helps one reinvent themselves . Solo travel expert, Valerie Wilson, said “experiential travel has the ability to expand your mind in a way you never realized was possible.” Learning about different values helps me reevaluate my own principles and sometimes change them. Traveling also gives us a fresh start and a new found passion for life.

It boosts happiness and self–confidence . The new events and experiences help “rewire” the brain, which can help promote a better mood and more confidence. A Cornell study once found that the anticipation of a trip can increase happiness substantially, even more so than acquiring something tangible like a car.

It makes us mentally flexible or resilient. Living somewhere exciting, but intimidating has helped to toughen me up, mentally and emotionally. I never thought I would be a solo traveler, but once I gained confidence, I realized this is when I hit my peak of internal reflection. Furthermore, travel helps us handle adversity with grace.

It enhances creativity. Engaging in the local culture stimulates creativity. It also can improve productivity and problem solving skills.

Lastly, it has the potential to enhance everyday life because we can recreate those feelings back home by preparing dishes we found on our travels etc.

“A long stretch of road can teach you more about yourself than a hundred years of quiet” – Patrick Rothfuss

Ciao, Shelby Sires

Putting the Pieces Back Together

Posted on October 29, 2018 by

It’s funny how much I have learned about my own culture while living in another culture with 18 other people for 9 weeks. Taking off the blinders of my own social norms and seeing the world through someone else’s eyes is so beneficial and fascinating to me. It has made me consider why my values are what they are, why others have their specific beliefs, and has helped me make my mind up about who I want to be.
As our time in Italy is coming to an end, I can’t help but reflect on just how helpful these past 9 weeks have been in shaping who I am and who I aspire to be. I honestly didn’t think it would in the beginning but living in a totally different part of the world with 18 strangers has taught me a lot about myself. The various workshops in class were truly beneficial, but outside of the classroom with my Chigi family is where I grew the most. Moments such as realizing we have to literally tell the waiters to stop bringing appetizers or else they will continue bringing plates of food, the early morning train rides, or simply enjoying a cappuccino before class are moments that make this experience so memorable.
Being in Italy with so many unknowns, we as a class have to work out things together daily. This gives us a chance to really see how we work in groups when solving a problem, but without having to do it for a homework assignment or lab project. We get to live out real world situations that require us to figure out who we are in a group dynamic. Living and traveling with 18 people might sound challenging, but it has helped me work with all kinds of different viewpoints and has left me with some pretty amazing people I can now call friends.
One take-away after living in another culture with people from various upbringings is to jump into something that might shake up what I thought in my mind to be true. When I put it all back together and add in the new experiences and knowledge I have gained, I have been shaped into a truer version of myself. It might have felt a little unsettling or intimidating, but in the end I discovered things about myself that I didn’t know were there to begin with.

Ciao Ciao for now!

Blakely Heideman

Some of us on a weekend trip to Germany for Oktoberfest!