Monday, July 4, 2016

PERSONAL EXCURSIONS

After finishing the study abroad program in Milan, Italy I stayed one more week in Italy. During the week after the study abroad program I got to visit Rome, Florence, and Capri.

ROME

I stayed in Rome three nights. While in Rome I visited Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, and the Colosseum.

Vatican City

In Vatican City I got to go inside the Basilica and museums. While in Vatican City I also got to see the pope twice. The first time I saw the pope was when he came out through a window and the second time was in the general audience event. I was really happy to see the pope even though it was from really far away.

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is a very large fountain. I was surprise to see how many tourists were at the Trevi Fountain and amount of coins in the fountain. The Trevi Fountain legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.

Colosseum

I only got to see the Colosseum from outside since I got there a few minutes after the last entrance.


FLORENCE
I stayed two nights in Florence. While in Florence I got to see the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore from outside. I did not get to see the cathedral from inside because there was a very long line and I did not want to wait in line. In Florence I also got to go to the San Lorenzo market. In the San Lorenzo market they sell various leather goods.

CAPRI


I stayed one night in Capri. While in Capri I got to explore Capri Island. Capri Island was lot different than the other places I visited. Compared to the other places I visited Capri Island had a more relaxed atmosphere. If I go back to Italy some day I will definitely visit Capri again.









Sunday, June 26, 2016

Locals 

I have just finished the last week of the study abroad program in Milan, Italy. During the time in Milan, Italy I was able to experience how the local people are in Milan. In Milan, Italy there are some very nice people as well as some not so nice people.

The IULM staff were really nice people especially Illaria. Illaria was always with us willing to help us whenever we needed help. For example, if we asked Illaria how to get to a certain location or where we could find certain things she would quickly find a way to get us to the right place.

The workers at Mama Cakes, the restaurant where we had breakfast every morning, were also very nice people. They would always receive us with a smile and happy to serve us.  

The first two weeks I felt really safe in the neighborhood where we were staying, but the last week of the study abroad program I didn’t feel too safe. I didn’t feel too safe the last week because a girl and a guy tried robbing me on my way from IULM to Zumbini. They just pulled my phone out of my pocket and when I told them to give me my phone back they just kept on telling me that they didn’t have it. It wasn’t until a girl that was with me started yelling that they gave me my phone back. While this was happing two other local people passed by and just acted as they didn’t see what was happing. It’s scary being in this kind of situations, but I’m just glad no one got hurt.


Even though I had a few bad events with some local people in Milan, Italy I’m glad I came and got to experience this great opportunity.


Saturday, June 18, 2016

Culture Differences

I have been in Italy for two weeks now and I have been able to experience more the Italian culture. I can say it’s quite different from what we are use to in the United States. The biggest differences that I have noticed between the two cultures are the food, transportation, and style.

Food

In the United States we are used to having big meals here in Italy almost every restaurant serves food in very small proportions. I say almost every restaurant because on June 15, 2016 our professor took as to Eataly and the meals were of reasonable size, but all the other restaurants I have gone to serve meals in very small proportions. My first day in Italy I went to a restaurant and order an aperitivo (buffet) I was really surprise; the aperitivo was not what I was expecting. The aperitivo was mostly small sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and salads, but what surprised me more was the size of the plates used for the aperitivo. The plates were very small.

Meal in Eataly


Transportation

In the Unites States especially in small towns people are used to driving everywhere and it’s very unlikely to see town people riding the bus or the metro. Here in Italy people usually walk, ride the bus, or the metro.

Style

Italians are very fashionable everywhere you turn you well see people well dressed. I’m sure that in big cities in the United States like New York City people are very fashionable, but not in small towns. Since I’m from a small town I was impressed by the Italians attire. I’m not used to seeing some many people well dressed; I’m more used to seeing people appear in their pajamas with boots or sandals at the grocery store.



I have really enjoyed these past two weeks in Italy!






Sunday, June 12, 2016

Field Trip

On Saturday June 11, 2016 I attended the field trip arranged by the study abroad program. During the field trip we visited the Teatro alla Scala, Sforza Castel, and the cathedral Mariae Nascenti. The cathedral Mariae Nascenti is very impressive.

Cathedral Mariae Nascent



The cathedral Mariae Nascenti or the Duomo as the Italians call it is literally at the center of Milan. It took almost six centuries to be finished. The construction began in the Middle Ages in 1386 and was finished in 1965. Due to the extended construction period different styles like Gothic and Flamboyant can be seen throughout the cathedral. It’s amazing to see how all the styles blend together making the architecture of the cathedral look surprisingly homogenous. When I entered the cathedral I wasn’t able to distinguish between the different styles until I took a closer look.


Outside in the front of the cathedral a sign with Mariae Nascenti is located because the cathedral was dedicated to St Mary of the Nativity.


The cathedral is illuminated with various stained glass windows, but even though the cathedral has various windows the interior seems dark. Many of the stained glass windows around the cathedral are scenes from the Old Testament.


The floor of the cathedral is made of white, black, and light brown marble.

I didn’t get to tour the cathedral’s roof, but visitors can pay a small fee to explore the cathedral’s roof.


The interior and the exterior of the cathedral are decorated with a great number of statues. The statue that really got caught my attention was the San Bartolomeo statue by Marco d’Agrate. San Bartolomeo was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus who was skinned alive. San Bartolomeo is represented in several works of arts. In this work of art San Bartolomeo’s skin is wrapped around him.

I really enjoyed touring the Duomo!