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Saturday morning we were able to sleep in a little bit as we didn’t go to the elementary school. Instead we visited the middle school around 10:30. We weren’t teaching a lesson, but more just answering questions and speaking in clear English for the students to hear. For something to do I taught the classes I visited with English tongue twisters. Not only helping students to practice their speaking but also understanding some of our unusual grammar facts. Such as in the tongue twister “how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” I was able to explain that the words “wood” and “could” rhymed even though they weren’t spelled the same at all, or how a “woodchuck” is an animal but “chucking wood” is an action. I also had my classes play telephone with english sentences to emphasize pronunciation. After leaving middle school, I stopped at the grocery store before heading back to the B&B. When I got back I took a long but greatly needed nap. After waking up we went to the Castle where multiple local associations were presenting presentations they had been working on to give us a better understanding of their town and culture. Before entering both of my professors, a peer and myself were interviewed for RAI news, one of Italy’s national news stations. That experience was surreal. After we learned a great deal about some Italian, USA history, as well as got to experience a local band play for the town. It was truly an enriching experience. On Sunday we had the first half of the day off so I took that opportunity to catch up on rest, as well and do some laundry I would need for the rest of the trip. While it sounds uneventful, taking some time to relax and experience the local life was very enjoyable. Later in the evening we went back to the castle where we were giving an in depth tour about the history of the castle and what it was like in the days where it was being occupied. Followed by a performance in the main room. The music was beautiful and very culturally influenced. The weekend was a perfect combination of fun and education.
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After all the walking I’ve been doing around Torremaggiore I’ve become quite accustomed to the streets. Walking to school on Thursday I took an alternative route from the one we had walked the previous days. Having more sidewalk and less uphill walking, I was feeling pretty proud of myself. Not to mention it cut five minutes off the usual twenty. During the walk me and my partner had finalized some activities for the day. When we arrived we passed out paper, and instructed our students to draw their families. While they worked we translated key words, such as brother (fratello), sister (sorella), mom (madre), and dad (padre) and wrote them on the board. Once students began to finish their drawings we asked them to label their family members in both English and Italian, as well as give names and ages. When all the students had finished that we passed out another page and asked them to draw their favorite foods/ meals. After the drawings were completely finished we went around the room and had the students describe to us their families in english. It sounded something like “ This is my father _____, he is __ years old, this is my mother _____, she is ___ years old, this is my…” and so on, next they told us what their favorite food was in english. The kids enjoyed the activity because they all like to draw and we as instructors felt like they were really getting something out of it as they were all practicing their English during the presentations. When we left that classroom and went next door we repeated this activity, and yielded the same results. That afternoon we went directly on a tour of a local winery, followed by an oil factory. At the winery we learned the process of how their wine was made, as well as saw the olive trees they grow to distribute to the local oil refineries. After the tour we were fed and allowed to try their many different wines and oils. It was delicious and educational. At the oil factor we were taken through the steps of just how precise oil making is. I ended up buying wine and oil directly from the two places, as well as pasta. We went back to the B&B and had a meal waiting for us cooked by the one and only Sengiore Grassi. On friday me and my partner kicked off class by writing our state flowers on the board, having the students listen, read, and repeat. Followed by having them cut out and glue three of each flower using the visual model and construction paper we provided. Some students didn’t have scissors or glue but both classes were more than willing to share with each other. After class I returned to the school to play soccer with a different fifth grade class that were very interested in the sport. Unfortunately my time on the pitch was brief as we visited the local high school later that day. They had a very well prepared presentation for us encompassing all groups and interests in their school. After Alexa, Dr. Renzoni and I went up and talked a little about our experiences in high school and college in the states, allowing time for a Q&A at the end. When that ended we mingled with the students and teachers, got a full tour of the school from the perspective of the students and made a ton of new friends. Later on in the night we went to a local pizzeria with some of the students to give both us and them a chance to gain some more perspective about one another. All in all the week ended just like it started. With good people and good food.
Today was my second day teaching at the Emilio Ricci Elementary school. Yesterday was amazing and somehow today went even better. When me and my partner Jen arrived yesterday we began the day with a simple ice breaker activity. I wrote “sono”, meaning “I am”, on the board and then put my name running down as an acrostic poem. I then filled it with things about myself, such as Witty Italian Loving and Lucky. My partner did the same, and we translated as we went. Afterwards we directed the students to do so using Italian words that we translated to English for them. This not only helped us learn their names but taught us a little something about each student as well. After that Jen and I took turns reading our books with student volunteers to help read the Italian translations. In total, that took the full two hours we had with the first class. When we finished we took a ten minute coffee break as all the teachers tend to do at the school. When we returned, we had switched to the class next store and repeated our lesson. After school we were brought to a private residence for a lunch party, where a lot of the teachers and town’s association members gathered.We ate like crazy and danced even harder. Only to visit the castle later in the night for a lesson on traditional Torremaggiore dances. While tiring, it was potentially the most fun I’ve ever had while dancing. Certainly earning my nights rest. This morning when we arrived at the school, my first class had Gym for the two hours we were with them. I participated in warm up, helping one student with autism through the drills. After that we did a relay obstacle race, where I smoked the competition. We followed that up with a game of dodgeball and small sided soccer games. All together I had an extremely fun time and got to know the students even better. For our second class we were joined by Shania. We used a few of the activities she had done with a different class the day before, such as creating name tags. Next she read through her Florida book and played a review game afterward which involved a beach ball. The students enjoyed it very much. To finish class we did an activity from Jen’s Nevada book, where we had the students make cactus plants from foam balls and tooth pics. We have noticed that the italian schools really enjoy projects and this one was no exception. We had them pair up and share materials. Each group of two had two balls, six toothpicks, and one clear cup. Students did very well to work together and accomplish the task at hand, ultimately creating beautiful little cactus plants. When we left for the day we went to the Torremaggiore castle for a historic tour, hitting the two oldest of the four churches in town. The tour was incredibly interesting as we learned a lot about the early years in Torremaggiore. Finishing the night with a delicious Senior Grassi dinner, I am certainly ready for bed. Buonanotte !
We started the day with a light breakfast provided by the hosts of the B&B at around eight o’clock. One thing that I specifically love in Italy is the juice, or succo. It tastes fresh and full of flavor. This morning I had half a glass of tropical juice, a glass of orange juice with lemon, and a glass of grapefruit juice. It was delicious. After breakfast the cohort and I walked down to town hall where we were greeted by the Mayor of the town and the headmaster of the school we will be teaching in. We learned about the history of Buffalo’s relationship with Torremaggiore, and how this program came to be. It was incredibly interesting. When we were done there, next we made our way to the school. The teachers and students were secretly waiting for us in the gymnasium to surprise us with a large and warm welcome. Walking into it made me feel famous. From the music to our names being screamed it was unbelievable. Both of our national anthems were played, followed by “when the saints came marching in”. We were each given the mic and asked to address the school. After much screaming and singing I joined the students, answering their questions and signing autographs on their Italian and American flags. When the excitement was over and the students had gone back to their classroom, we were given the full tour of the school. One by one we saw each fifth grade classroom that we would be stationed in with our partners, but told we would be moving around quite a lot through the days. Seeing at least two different classrooms each time we go. When the tour ended me and three others went to the supermarket and then to lunch. I didn’t eat much as I wanted to save room for the Senior Grassi’s dinner. Tomorrow will be the first day we spend a full morning with the school and take them through our activities. After our experiences today I am incredibly thankful and excited to begin working with the students. Thanks for reading. Arrivederci
This morning we left Rome for Torremaggiore. I had packed both of my bags the night prior anticipating my lack of enthusiasm to wake up in the morning. That turned out to be a great decision as I slept through my first alarm. I threw on the clothes I had laid out, grabbed my things, and got out the door in under five minutes. On the bus ride down, we passed beautiful landscapes and towns that dressed the mountains. I was fighting to stay awake but it was more than worth it in the end. When we arrived in Torremaggiore we were greeted by our host, Senior Grassi, with a large smile and a great attitude. I was shown to my room and I immediately began to unpack my things. While in Rome I was living out of my duffle bag, scared to ruin its order. At this B&B, on the other hand, I moved in like I had just paid rent for the next six months. Around 6:50 I ventured out to familiarize myself with the area. On the walk I came across a park that was full of friends and families all getting out for their Saturday nights. There I found a fully enclosed soccer field. There was a 7v7 game happening so naturally I stayed to watch. It’s been too long since I’ve played so I was dying to get involved. However I had to make it back to the B&B before 7:30 for dinner so I didn’t get the chance. At dinner we had a four course meal prepared for us by our hosts. They served us tortellini and veil. I can honestly say it was the best food I have had all trip. I had seconds of the tortellini and I finished Cam’s veil, leaving myself stuffed but incredibly satisfied. After dinner, the cohort had a meeting to prepare for this coming Monday, where we discussed what to expect. I finished the night by adding this post to my blog. It was a great day, and it left me even more excited for the time we will spend here. Thanks for reading. Buonanotte
Yesterday we arrived at our hotel, in Rome, around 3:30 - 4 o’clock. The first thing we did after putting down our bags, and changing was hitting the Trevi Fountain. We spent a large portion of the night walking around there, as well as the Pantheon. Later we went to our dinner reservation at a local restaurant, very close to the hotel. We ate a lot, drank a little, and shared good conversation. After dinner we retired to the hotel, where we had a much needed restful night. This morning I veered from the group and got lost. Half on purpose, half accidentally. During this time I found an amazing little pizza and sandwich shop where I ate and read. I got a little cold after sitting for so long, so I found my way back to the hotel for my jacket. Next I headed to a cafe just outside of the Coliseum. There I drank a coffee and watched the people as they moved by. I had forgotten Dr. Renzoni’s warning, and grabbed a seat outside of the place after getting my beverage “to go”. So after about ten minutes I was back on my feet as requested by the worker. I could’ve stayed there all night if I was allowed, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy a second drink from the same cafe when there are so many to try. I checked back to the room before meeting up with the rest of the group at this unbelievable rooftop bar. When we left, I was able to get us back to the hotel with no map, as a result of all my walking this morning. Some of the group went back out for dinner, but I wasn’t hungry so I stayed behind to write this blog post while the day was still fresh in my mind.
This week leading up to the trip has been as exciting as it has been stressful. Earlier in the semester I felt as though the trip was years away and I had all the time in the world to prepare. That was not the case. Things I had to do, such as shopping and packing, took a back seat while I was still completing all my classes but I made it happen with the help of my family and friends. While I’m sure they weren’t thrilled about me talking about the trip every chance I got, they put up with it. Tomorrow morning is the flight and I can hardly sleep. Luckily I’ll have more than enough time to do so on the plane. Buonanotte !
Tomorrow is the day we leave for Italy. I have spent today doing my laundry and packing my bag. I am nervous yet excited more than anything. When I traveled to Italy in high school, I visited Rome and Florence before going to Greece. While in Italy I went on many tours. On this trip I am looking forward to experiencing the life of the locals. |
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