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Before leaving for this trip, I had a lot of questions. What should I pack? How much should I bring? Should I bring my laptop? How much money should I bring? I am going to explain what worked and did not work for me. Hopefully this post will help the next group!
1. Pack as light as you possibly can. I brought thee pairs of shoes (sneakers, black boots, and pair of toms). I LOVE shoes and usually over pack but I found three was plenty. While in Italy, you travel around a lot and are living out of a suitcase at times. It’s important to stay organized and packing only the necessities will help make everything easier. I was able to fit three weeks worth of clothes in my luggage (and was even one pound under the weight limit). I also packed a pair of fuzzy socks that were almost like slippers. I used these a lot in the B and B and would recommend brining something similar. 2. When packing, think about souvenirs. I checked one big luggage then carried my backpack on the plane. You get one carry on and one personal item on the plane. I bought a luggage in Rome on our last night for my souvenirs as my second carry on. This worked really well for me. 3. for the blogs, I brought my iPad. Although this was better for travel, I did wish I had my laptop at times. Planning lessons and writing the blogs would have been easier on my laptop than my IPad. Blogging got hard for me at the end so I would recommend doing as many as you can at the beginning when the schedule is less crazy. 4. I brought a little over three hundred euro with me. I used my credit card when possible but I found in Torremaggiore and many little souvenir shops, cash was required. I used almost all of my euro and did not have to take any money out of the atm while I was there. 5. Access to a washer and drier was very limited. I washed my jeans and leggings once while I was in Torremaggiore and I had to do it in the sink. I recommend bringing a small laundry detergent. 6. At the school, I wore dark jeans, black jeans, and dresses. It was more casual than the schools in the United States. I brought a few nicer outfits and a few casual outfits. My most important advice is to take in each and every second. Stay out late, explore the cities, take advantage of every opportunity. I can honestly say that I have zero regrets about this trip. I feel like I saw as much as I possibly could. This was a once in a lifetime experience and I am so honored I got to be a part of the 2020 IPDS Italy cohort.
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I fell in love with Torremaggiore. I usually enjoy big cities more than small towns but when it came time to say goodbye to the many people we met on our journey in Torremaggiore, it was extremely difficult. This journey would have been impossible without their hospitality. Everyone welcomed us with open arms. I will never forget them for as long as I live. The children had a parade for us on our last day at the school. Our class colored pictures and distributed them to each of us. It was emotional. Even though it was only for a few weeks, I really bonded with some of the children. It was hard to leave. One of the hardest goodbyes was our host. I will miss Signore Grassi’s amazing cooking and funny comments. Our last night in Torremaggiore we went to a party at a winery. The next morning we departed for the coast.
We left Torremaggiore on Sunday, January 19th. It was about three hours to Pompeii. The tour around Pompeii was not what I was expecting but still amazing. After Pompeii, we headed to Sorrento. I loved Sorrento. The Christmas decorations were still up and it was magical. There was a lot of good shops and amazing gelato. The next day was one of my favorites. We went to Capri. It was breathtaking. You have to take a boat there because it is an island. It was a twenty minute boat ride from Sorrento to Capri. When we got there, we took a long walk down to the water. There were many rocks and it reminded me of the little mermaid. In the summer it is packed but we were the only people there. It was a really special moment. I could have sat there all day. After the rocks, we walked back up the many stairs and went shopping. Capri lived up to my expectations. Our last full day was on Tuesday, January 21st. We left Sorrento and headed to Naples. Naples was not what I was expecting. We went on a long walking tour than had lunch. Although I enjoyed my time there and I’m happy we went, I do not feel the need to go back to Naples. We left Naples around 4 and made our way back to Rome. It was a two and a half hour ride. When we got closer to Rome, we found out that due to smog regulations, if we drove our van into the city it would be a five hundred dollar charge. So we had to switch into three separate vans at the end. After a VERY eventful and terrifying van ride, we arrived at Hotel Orlando, where the whole trip started. A few of us went out to eat (I finally got my gnocchi) and said goodbye to the Trevi fountain. It was a great ending to the trip. I am known in my family for my singing skills...not because they are good, but because I am terrible. Before departing for Italy, we learned the ciao, ciao song. Every time it was my turn to sing in class it sounded terrible and I would just start laughing. I would always say “I promise I am trying to sing but it just comes out like I am talking.” I remember I felt really nervous every tine we had to sing the song because I was self conscious. With that being said, I also know the importance of music and singing in the elementary classroom. On this trip, I was determined to overcome my stage fright.
The second week at the school, I had the opportunity to teach music lessons with some of the music education majors on the trip. The first day we taught three, one hour lessons to first graders. It was amazing to see the excitement on the faces of the children during the songs. They learned a lot of new vocabulary and had a great time. The next day we were with babies. We taught many preschool classes. The children were between 3 and 5 years old. I think I had even more fun than the children. I have to say this experience was one of my favorite memories. At first, I was really nervous because it is way out of my comfort zone. I am beyond happy that I got to experience this. I learned so much from them. I now know many songs I can use in my classroom some day. I no longer feel intimidated by using music in the classroom. I am now confident this is something I can do. I grew so much on this trip. I feel more confident and independent. This is the longest I have ever been away from home and I thought I would get really homesick. By the end, I was getting nervous about going back to normal life because I knew I would miss the exploring, the adventures, and the new experiences. As I sit in the airport catching up on my blogs and reflecting on this trip, I am excited to get home. I am excited to take what I learned and use it in my everyday life. Not just what I learned as a teacher candidate but what I learned about life. There is so much out there and I want to see and experience it all. The past few days have been jam packed. The people of Torremaggiore have welcomed us with open arms. They are so passionate about their home and wish to share their history and culture with everyone. We have taken many tours of the town. On Sunday, we toured a famous cemetery. Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are buried there. They were wrongfully sentenced to the death penalty for a murder they did not commit. I remembered their story from school but never knew they came from this town. The people spoke passionately about their lasting legacy. After the cemetery, we toured many local churches.
Monday, January 13th was one of my favorite days in Torremaggiore. Our partners at the schools planned an amazing day for us. After teaching for a few hours, we visited many local businesses. First, we went to a buffalo mozzarella farm. Before touring, I didn’t know that mozzarella cheese could be made from buffalo milk. We learned all about the cheese making process. I LOVE cheese, so this was a life changing moment for me. After the cheese farm, we visited a winery, and two oil mills. At each stop, we were welcomed with open arms. They were so proud of their businesses. They treated us like royalty. We received samples, food, and even a free bottle of olive oil. We were out for eight hours but the time flew by. I loved every second of it. The next day, we did not have to teach. We visited San Severo. It was a twenty minute bus ride from Torremaggiore. We remained very quite on the bus to “blend in.” It is safe to say we have had a hard time doing so since we are a group of fifteen, English speaking students in a traditional Italian city. When we arrived, we headed over to the high school. Local teenagers escorted us around the school and even played some music for us. After our tour, we got to explore the city. It was stunning. There were a lot of good shops and the scenery was beautiful. Wednesday and Thursday were filled with more teaching. I helped teach music lessons which was a really cool experience (more on this in another post, stay tuned). Since we had such an amazing day at San Severo the day before, a group of us decided to head back Wednesday night. I did A LOT of shopping. The stores were reasonably priced and the clothes were unique (my two favorite things). Thursday night, we visited the local castle. The teachers and parents of the school threw a party for us. They prepared sooooo much food. The first week was low key in Torremaggiore. This week hit all of us full force. We had many public appearances. I liked learning about the history and visiting different places. I am already getting sad to leave! More to come soon!!!! This trip is going so fast! We have already been in Italy for over a week now— it’s hard to believe. I am starting to get into a routine. Every morning we have a family breakfast at the bed and breakfast. It usually consists of bread with butter and jam, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, and fruit. After breakfast, we teach at the schools until around one in the afternoon. When we finish teaching for the day, it is typically during siesta. Most things in town are closed so we head back to the bed and breakfast. A lot of people take this time to nap, plan lessons, and relax. I refuse to nap while I am here. My famous line on this trip has been I can sleep when I get home! During siesta, I have been going on runs with whoever I can convince to go with me, planning lessons for the school, and reading. At first, I was not a fan of siesta because I like to constantly be doing something. I have learned to enjoy the down time though.
Our cohort has dinner together between 7 and 8. Dinner is an event. It is never less than two hours. We are served multiple courses! I always leave uncomfortably full. It is amazing. Below are pictures of our meals so far. My favorite dish by far was the tortellini soup. Every night it is like a little surprise. We never know what we are going to be served! I get so excited for dinner. I am not a picky eater so I try everything. This was the first time I have had mussels. They were delicious! Next time my dad offers me one at home I won’t turn him down! I have not gone to bed before 1 in the morning the whole trip. I am taking advantage of every second. A week from today, we will be leaving Torremaggiore. I am really excited for our excursion to Naples, Capri, Sorrento, and Pompeii but it will be hard to say goodbye to Torremaggiore. I know, even if I get the opportunity to return to Italy, I probably will not find myself back in this town. And if I do, it certainly will not be with the same group of people. This is a once in a life time opportunity that I will never forget. There is something truly amazing about visiting somewhere that is not a tourist destination. It gives you the opportunity to truly connect with the people, the culture, and the history. Our first morning in Torremaggiore is something I will never forget. Let me start off by saying that I am not a very emotional person. It is not easy to bring a tear to my eye. But, when we walked up to the elementary school, San Giovanni Bosco, for the first time the tears were flowing. It was one of those moments that honestly takes your breath away. Music was playing, the children were waving American flags and cheering, and banners were made to greet us. They were genuinely so excited to see us. It was as close as I will ever get to feeling like a celebrity. I did not record it, I didn’t take any pictures, I took every second of it in. From that moment forward, I knew that this experience would change me forever. This parade certainty blew the lack luster epiphany parade at the Vatican out of the water.
The teachers at the schools welcomed us with open arms. They are just as inspired by this collaboration as we are. When we entered the school, a group of young children were shouting hello to us. Every time we past by a classroom, the class shouted and waved out the doors. It was a good feeling knowing they were just as excited as all of us. After we visited the schools, we explored the city. The streets of Torremaggiore remind me of the set of a Hallmark Christmas movie. They are charming...except when you are trying to find a place to eat lunch during siesta. Siesta usually occurs from about 1-4 in the afternoon. Literally, the whole town shuts down. The children leave school, businesses close, and families typically spend time together. It sounds great in theory, unless you are starving. After walking up and down the main street about five times, we finally found a cafe that was open. I had my very first authentic cappuccino (which I regretted at 2 in the morning when I couldn’t sleep) and Nutella pancakes. So far I really like Torremaggiore. It has such a small town feel to it. I am not kidding when I say everybody knows everybody. We walked into the supermarket, a cafe, and a pharmacy today and each time were ask if we were the Americans from Buffalo. One kid even shouted let’s go Buffalo down the street at a group of us. Everyone is really fascinated by our presence. Although I prefer a big city atmosphere (like Rome) I am loving Torremaggiore! P.S. Thanks to my amazing friends, I have some amazing pictures from our welcome parade. When we left the bed and breakfast this morning, it felt like we were heading off to our first day of school. I was nervous but even more excited. None of us really knew what to expect, but with the theme of the trip being flexibility, I was prepared for anything. First, we dropped off half of our group at San Giovanni Bosco then headed over to Emilio Ricci (the school I will be teaching at).
Before leaving for Italy, we all wrote books. Lauren, Nick, Sydney L, and I wrote a book about the seasons in Buffalo. Lauren and I were prepared to teach in one room while Nick and Sydney would be in a different classroom. We were so happy when we found out the four of us could work together in one classroom for the day. When we entered the room we were thrown into teaching immediately. We were placed in a fifth grade class. This was overwhelming at first. We were in a classroom with a teacher that spoke minimal English and the students are learning to speak English. About a minute in, all the worries went away. Nick sang the hello song and the smiles on their faces were contagious. After the song, we introduced ourselves. We presented our About Me posters. In typical fashion, I forgot mine at home in Buffalo. Luckily, I was able to re-create it last night. Next, the students created their very own about me books. We were able to learn a lot about them. I was worried about communicating with the children during this process because I do not know any Italian. The teacher eased my worries when she told me she wanted us to speak English as much as possible. The students are required to take an exam at the end of the year on their listening and speaking skills in English. She said it is great practice for them. Some students knew more English than others therefore we all helped each other. As the students completed their books, they read them to us as we circulated around the room. They were beyond excited to share their stories. At the end of the lesson, we said goodbye to that class and headed over to another fifth grade room with the same teacher. My heart was so full when one of the students said “no, no”while yanking on my backpack. He took the bag out of my hand, put it over his shoulder, and with the biggest smile on his face, escorted me over to the next classroom. I was blown away by the respect and gratitude the children showed us. . Although there were similarities to the United States, I spotted many differences in the classroom. The rooms looked a lot older. The walls weren’t cluttered with decorations. There were a few educational posters but that was about it. Also, one room I was in had only a chalk board while the other room had a smart board along with a chalk board. It appears students are not exposed to a lot of technology (certainly not nearly as much as they are in the United States). One of the most interesting things I noticed was the classroom management methods the teacher used. She had total control at all times, yet she was not strict. She would simply raise her hand to gain the students attention and they would follow. It took not even five seconds for every student to put their hand up. I told the teacher her class was so well behaved and she told me she has a great relationship with them. She explained the importance of knowing your students and their families. She said that is essential to have empathy, that’s why her teaching methods work so well. Although I have only spent one day in the classroom, I know I will be a better teacher because of this experience. I will take the lessons I learn here and use them for the rest of my career. Going into this, I knew teaching abroad would be beneficial but I did not expect it to be life changing. So far, everything has exceeded my expectations. I will never be the same educator I was before coming to Italy. I did not want to waste one second in Rome. I woke up bright and early yesterday. Alex, Tanner, and I headed to the Roman Forum, the day before, it closed at three and we did not get a chance to see it. We knew we couldn’t come back to Buffalo without seeing this historic landmark. When we got there (and Alex finally got through security after his fourth attempt) we bought tickets in the colosseum. Although we didn’t get to take a tour inside the colosseum, we got a taste of it from the ticket counter. Our ticket included both the colosseum and the Roman Forum for only sixteen euro. Typically, if you were to do both tours, you would have to start at the colosseum with this particular ticket. Unfortunately, we only had time for one and chose to do the Roman Forum.The workers were very disappointed we did not choose to see the colosseum.
We were shocked when we arrived at the forum; there were not a lot of people there at all. As we were exploring, we past probably three groups max. It was amazing because everything else we have seen in Rome has been with a crowd of people. I would highly recommend going when it first opens. On our way back, we went to the train station and got some breakfast on the second floor then headed back to our hotel. We hopped on the van at one in the afternoon and started our journey to Torremaggiore. It was certainly a journey. First the bus driver knocked his mirror on the side of a different bus. He ran off the bus to retrieve the mirror then proceeded to stop down the road at a gas station to tap it back on. Along the way, we stopped for gas MANY times. Many of us we confused and even found it quite funny. Come to find out, it wasn’t funny at all, that particular region was experiencing a gas shortage, therefore finding some became a challenge. A three and a half hour ride turned into a six hour ride but we finally arrived in Torremaggiore around seven at night. We were all excited about the food we would have for dinner. I don’t even have words to describe our meal. It was some of the best food I have ever eaten. A four course meal including bruschetta, chicken tortellini soup, sausage and potatoes, and fruit for dessert. I was so full! It was exactly what we needed after a long day of traveling. Our group has the entire bread and breakfast to ourselves. I never had the college dorm experience because I commute to school. I imagine this would be kind of what it would be like! Everyone usually ends up in one of the rooms to play card, talk, or simply hangout. We have all become so close. I already know it will be hard to leave. The food in Rome deserves its own post. I am part Italian so I have grown up eating a lot of Italian food. I knew it would be even more amazing in Rome. Also, if you know me, you know I LOVE ice cream. So gelato was definitely on my Rome food bucket list.
The gelato did not disappoint! It was so creamy and flavorful. I had hazelnut. Everyone was right when they said the gelato here is different. I anticipate having quite a few before I leave. I have also tried pizza and a lot of different pasta dishes. The first night in Rome, I had a traditional Roman dish called cacio e pepe. It is spaghetti, pepper, and cheese. I loved it. I also had homemade tortellini in the Jewish Ghetto. At home, I never order tortellini but I am so happy I tried it in Rome. Some of my other favorite meals were the lasagna and bucatini. I still hope to have gnocchi (my absolute favorite, although I’m sure it won’t be better than my parents homemade gnocchi) and ravioli while I am in Italy. I already hope to return to Rome some day. The restaurants I have been to have been so delicious I don’t want to forget about them! I have been keeping a list of names for recommendations and future trips. I have also been taking pictures of my food, mostly per my sisters request, but also so I can remember what I ate. I can not wait to have the food in Torremaggiore and the Amalfi Coast. I know I won’t be disappointed. Rome has been absolutely amazing. I had pretty high expectations but they definitely have been exceeded. We still have one more day but we have already seen and done so much. Yesterday we walked 25,000 steps (very successful day if you ask me).
The first day, after we checked into the hotel, we headed over to the colosseum to take a picture with a bills flag. I will remember this moment for as long as I live. I was in awe after the first second we stepped out of the hotel. Rome reminds me of a European New York City. We have seen almost all of the landmark sites. So far, my favorite places have been the Jewish Ghetto and the colosseum. It was amazing to be somewhere I have dreamt about going my entire life. It honestly did not even feel real. I am really looking forward to epiphany today. Everyone says this holiday is bigger than Christmas in Rome! We will be heading to The Vatican for a parade and hopefully we will get to hear Pope Francis speak! I am beyond grateful that I was chosen to come on this trip. I have loved every second of it. I can not wait to explore and experience more in the days and weeks to come. Ciao for now! |
AuthorCiao! My name is Lindsey and I am a senior in the childhood education program at Buffalo State College. I am beyond excited to explore Italy and teach in Torremaggiore. ArchivesCategories |