Day 16

Today was quite a full day, and boy am I tired! We started off on a tour of this beautiful city. We visited the duomo, the academy, and had a very informative tour guide that told us about some main attractions in the town. I found The Academy the most interesting place. We got to see paintings from the Rennesaince and up. It was so interesting to see how art has evolved over hundreds of years. We finally got to see the main attraction-the statue of David. Boy, was Michelangelo a piece of work. This statue is beyond amazing. To think someone chizzled a huge piece of marble into a masterpiece...it is unbelievable! 

The detail with his veins, muscles, and whole body is truly amazing. I appreciate being able to see something so magnificent. I noticed other pieces of women and children in another room. He children looked not so happy in these pieces. There was a piece of a sister holding what looked to be a dead little boy, and there were other statues that just had a gloom about them. It looked like the children had to be much more mature for their age back then. I don't know a whole lot about the time period, but it looked to be a bit rough back then. I'm glad some of the art work has been maintained for us to see today. 

Lastly, we went into the duomo to see the art, frescas, and the tomb of the amazing Michelangelo. It is amazing to see the beauty and craft that was put into the churches back then when they had limited needs for construction. He foundation is so incredible, and the architecture is beautiful. I love it all. 

Day 15

Today we arrived in Florence! We took a bus here and then headed straight to the fresh market to have a unique experience. I found black beans--yay!! They were 5 times more expensive..but worth it. Afterward, we did more bargaining in the street markets and I had myself a little rest outside of the market to observe this new town. I did not notice too many children, but the ones that I did see were with their families. There were children of all cultures out since this is a more touristy town. I noticed a lot of them enjoying cups of gelato with their families. Who could blame them?! I saw many mothers and other family members (I assume) pushing baby strollers around. There are also younger kids strapped to the backs of fathers. It was a nice and enjoyable Friday! Florence is my kind of town! 

Week 2 completed

Today was out last day in the schools. It was a slam packed day, but it was a success. We started with a group of 4th and 5th graders. We did our "Where's Walrus" lesson with them along with answering some questions about ourselves. These students were very curious about our country. 

When we split into our groups, I started in one by myself. It was most certainly a challenge because I felt pretty sick and secondly...the language barrier. These students understood minimum, but ice noticed there tends to be one student in each group that understands more English than the rest. I am always so happy when this happeneds, because I want the students to understand our fun lesson. Anyways, with our first group I noticed that the students really enjoyed the book, but it took them a while to start on the activity. They were very concerned with what their friends and peers were going to draw, and I think they were afraid to draw something "wrong" I suppose. Once Ray came over to show an example, the became a bit more comfortable. So, we had yet another successful lesson.

Next, we had a group of 2nd and 3rd graders. The energy was different--in a good way! They always seem so much more excited, and I love heir curiosity. When we got into our groups though...we had a more energetic group with one of those dominant students. They all enjoyed the book, but when it came to drawing...they all drew the same thing. It was so hard to communicate with them because they knew even less English than the first group. We made it work, though. We also observed some students who appeared to be more ahead and mature by looking at their drawings. Ray pointed out that observation and opened up that new perspective to us. He showed us how 2 students made their drawings overlap while others didn't make objects touch or overlap. Bravo to that! Overall, the kids had fun so our last lesson was a success. 

We ended the night with Cochi and his family. I truly am grateful for them and how genuine they are. Their family is so lucky to have such caring people like them in it, and I am so happy to have gotten to meet them. They have had a great impact on us whether they know it or not. 

Day 13

Today was very interesting at the school of Reggio Emelia. We visited this child centered place this morning, and we observed children from the ages of 3-5. There were sections for all three ages, and what we saw was quite impressive. Upon entering this building, we noticed the very creative student crafts that were in front of the school. These student models were decorated In a variety of asterisks of things found around the household. We were informed that parents are very involved with the children, and their assistance is needed often. This is all a part of the Reggio Erika approach. 

As we walked in, it was a very spacey, bright, and organized environment. We saw the area where there was an abundant amount of parent information on what their children were currently working on, we saw a school greenhouse type thing, and we had a peak into some of the rooms. 

We toured all three sections. Every room had a main focus project and every room was totally equipped with so many resources. There was a home area, a light table where students built things with random materials, a construction area, writing/messaging table, easels inside and outside, and an area where they worked in their focus project. The students get to choose at the beginning of the day what they would like to do. A teacher will sit and take notes on the students during some of their "centers." It was so personal and so focused, it was unreal! The guide also informed us that they provide a lot of natural materials for the students so they are encouraged to use their creativity for playing and whatever else they do. 

Finally, we saw the art room. I have never seen an assortment of resources! It was amazing to see all of the options for these students to use and manipulate with. They had some awesome creations and resources that help to provide a rich and quality learning experience. These children are very privelaged to be able to have access to these things. This school does cost money, but it looks well spent. 

It was nice to see what opportunities the children have in this school. Like our schools, the children are given responsibilities, doing activities to help them learn, and are having fun. While I see a benefit, this approach does pose an argument in comparison to our schools--at least at the kindergarten level. I don't recall hearing about the children formally learning like math, reading, etc. Compared to my class level K, I had students who could solve math word problems, read at a level of high first grade, and critical think our solutions all In a different learning environment. Whether or not students at this school do this, to some it may seem as an advantage and some may think this required learning is a disadvantage because of taking childhood away. Personally, I like aspects of each! 

Day 12

Today was more of a free day for us, but we still got a taste of the culture her--literally! First, we went to the Parmesan factory where the most authentic cheese is made. We got to watch the process from start until the final product. It was so fascinating to see and learn about the Italian cultivation of this product. 

Afterward, we headed to the balsamic museum where true balsamic is made. We learned about the incredibly long process that is involved in making just a small bottle of that fine vinegar. It requires wood with aroma, dedication, and at least 8 years. If you want some incredible balsamic, you can bet it took about 25 years. What in the world?! Well, I definitely learned some new things today, and I am double interested when food is involved ;) 

Day 11

Today...MAGNIFICO. We started off meeting the mayor of this town. She was incredibly nice, and they were SO welcoming. They had our flag, welcome signs, snacks and all to make us so at home. We talked for a bit, then we got a tour of the middle school. We got introduced to a class, and they were so fascinated with us. It was like being a celebrity...it's so funny! Then, we went to the elementary school where we were once again so warmly welcomed but like never before! There were many classes of children out front and they serenaded us with a group song, played their little flutes, and one teacher played the guitar. It literally brought tears to our eyes. Children singing is just precious as is, but it was so incredibly welcoming---I can't get over it. We introduced ourselves to this large crowd, and it was like a red carpet event. It was quite dramatic in a good way! We went inside for a small tour and an introduction to a classroom. Soon enough....it was time for lunch! All I can say is WoooW. It was a three course meal, no lie! First, we were fed a large bowl of pasta, second, we got meats and cheeses, lastly, we got a fresh baked pie. It was so generous and so good. The hospitality was very much appreciated! 

Afterward, we finally got into the classrooms to do our lessons. It was more of a challenge this time because these children didn't speak as fluent English as the ones we met before. They would ask questions but I could not answer... Anyways, we did the Where's Walrus lesson with them and it was a success! We did this lesson with another class as well.

When it was time to say goodbye, the children made sure to get their goodbyes in. We would here "Americana's!" from every direction. It really is an experience to be a foreign person in another town/country...
We made it home for a rest then had dinner with Dr. M's friends. When I say I fell in love with this family...I mean I fell in love! First of all, they are the cutest and SWEETEST people ever. They are so generous, giving, and loving and they just met us! Anyways, I tell you we had the most natural and home cooked meal EVER. Cochi's wife provided us (get ready for this) fresh bread along with homemade balsamic vinegar, homemade pasta noodles and meat sauce, locally made wine and cheese, homemade chicken with gravy and roasted potatoes (to die for), salad, and for dessert...homemade cherry pie and a mint torta. Did I mention this was all homemade along with freshly grown herbs and spices?! Yeah...We were spoiled. This lady was so kind to do this for us, I could've cried tears of joy and thankfulness. We wined, dined, and chatted before going up to see Cochi's balsamic room. He thoroughly explained the long, time consuming process of how to make legit balsamic vinegar. I usually don't like this stuff, but I practically drank his.

Needless to say, today was beyond wonderful and I am thankful for this kind family and them showing us an incredible, authentic Italian meal. BON APETITE! :)

Day 10

We got to sleep in today WOOHOO! I really enjoyed the hotel breakfast, yes I did. They had these little wrapped cheeses---I have no idea what kind it was, I want to say swiss maybe but wow they were good. They had many pastries and all....ah yes, I love a good breakfast :) Then we met Dr. Marciano's friends from Modena and woah, were they the sweetest ever! They took us to an antique market where we browsed for a few hours. I had lunch with Greg and I ate an entire pizza by myself. I do have quite the appetite. Then, we went for a gelato and I had another slushy. That slushy wasn't as good as the one in Venice, but it was still very tasty. Afterward, we headed to the ferarri museum and a local festival where they celebrated a crepe like pastry with pork in it. I really enjoyed it and had some of Shakeala's. It was so generous of them to treat us to those things! Then we ventured into the streets full of people and booths. I literally bought 10 euros worth of candy (and stocked up on my pin wheels) and I bargained myself a cute dress! I am very happy with my purchases. I really would've loved to stay longer at this festival because the environment was so fun and filled with food and music (my favorite things). When we left....we tried our first McDonalds in Italy! I had a ceasar salad with....no dressing. They only had balsamic (of course) and olive oil. I unfortunately love my dressing, so I but BBQ sauce on it--haha. It was good thought! Kind of like a tasty tangy BBQ salad. I also got a burger for tomorrow :) Now for some sleep because we have a full day!!

Day 9

Today we traveled by bus to the town of Vignola, Italy! Here (or near) they make parmasean cheese, balsamic, and they grow cherries. This is the home of these items! Unfortunately it was very rainy, so we had to spend most time inside---but once again it does not stop us from venturing out! We first stopped at a little cafe. I didn't eat, but it was very nice and I would like to go back. Then, we went over to have a sweet treat by the nearest castle, and once it opened we toured it. My friend Jordan and I explored this huge place and climbed up to the bell tower. I tell ya, we sure do get a work out every day (thank goodness)! I had my siesta later and then we went out to dinner to the Castello (near the castle). They had real good food, and I had tortellini ragu! It was kind of like a really big raviloli though...Afterward, we looked at the shops and then stopped at a cafe that specialized in crepe's (like a really, really flat pancake type pastry that is filled with whatever you want). I had mine filled with nutella and O M G was it awesome. I am getting another before we leave! Lastly, Greg and I stopped by a little pub because it's Saturday!!! They closed at 10, so we didn't stay out late. I didn't want to continue exploring since it is a new town and it was dark so all that equals a very overly precautious me haha. We sped walked home then time for bed!

PS sorry for spelling errors...... spelling has never been my stronger area in school, and I cannot right click on my computer. I will fix them later =) CIAO for now !

Day 8

Today we went on a tour around Venice. We learned about the foundation, history, and islands of this region. It was awesome to see the leaning bell tower, churches, and the tower that has a bell that rings by statue clockwork. The history behind all of these features is just unreal!
Later, we had lunch at a little cafe where I thoroughly enjoyed some tortellini! Then, I had some gelato of course.
Following this we took a water bus to the island Murano where people create items that are hand blown from glass. I watched a man make a dolphin, and I ended up buying a beautiful sun necklace. He told me he made it, so that's special! We got to see more glass making...I could've watched all day! Just seeing the glass in such a liquid state and get molded into anything is so cool! I would've loved to get something personally made! Lastly, I bought a glass charm with my zodiac on it. (Leo) I am very happy with my purchases!
That night, we all went looking for a place to eat. We began to get in that hangry mode. I tell ya, I really do love Italian food, I do, but I have yet to find a plate of spaghetti here that I have just died over! I'm definitely tired of the margherita pizza, so at night we try to find a place with Italian and some Americanized things for me and Greg. We ended up splitting up since we wanted different things, so me and my friend Greg tried out the Venice Hard Rock. It was pricier than what we have had lately, but the splurge was well worth it! There was a live band, karaoke, and a to die for triple cheese burger. We both got the Big Cheeseburger and ate THE WHOLE THING each. It was nice to have a dose of America to kill some of the homesickness. So we sat, dined, and listened to the wonderful music and then headed on back to Hotel Salute. I picked up a souvineer from this Hard Rock to add to my collection. Tomorrow, we head to Modena! CIAO for now :) Hope this rain goes away!

Week 1 is a Wrap!

Today we headed to Venezia! We took a bus, a train, and a water taxi to reach our Venice destination. All of this took about 6 1/2 hours, so there isn't a whole lot to this day. We snacked SO MUCH on the train, slept, and gazed at our scenery. It was thrilling when we did finally get to Venice. It is such a unique place that consists of water routes and traveling by foot. It is so beautiful though! Unfortunately it has been rainy, but that doesn't stop us entirely. We all began to get HANGRY though... if ya know what I mean. As the Snickers bar says.. You're not you when you're hungry. No we most certainly are not! We become quiet individuals when we want our food. So, we got some food, drank some wine (those of age) and grabbed a yummy lemon slushy on the walk back home. I hope I'm burning all these carbs off with the amount of walking I have done! Whew, time for some rest---can't wait for our gondola ride tomorrow! What a slam packed week 1 we have had!

Day 6

On this day we spent out last hours in Cogne, Courmeyer, and Elena's boarding school. We started off in her classroom and did our same lesson with her students. This time we added another book into the mix. It was a humorous little book about a pigeon. The high schoolers loved this book! We also did our songs with them too. The second group of students were so funny! They were more engaged and asked questions. They also sang us a song at then end...it was so cute! Finally, it was lunch time. I actually really enjoyed their school lunch. I had myself pork roast and pasta. I r e a l l y loved that roast. We were also able to talk to Elena's older students. They had so many questions for us! It was very nice. Afterward, we went to a recreational park and saw a very old roman bridge over a river. We got to walk inside as well. Then we headed to Cogne and had the most magnificent views of the mountains. It was unreal. Lastly, we went to the Bellevue hotel in Courmeyer. It was beautiful as well and we got to enjoy some cookies and beverages. Ahh...it was so pleasant :) We were able to tour the whole hotel, the many rooms, .....and the cheese cellar. While I appreciate that very much, the smell was a bit much. Then.....we headed on back!

We rested in our hotel then had our last dinner with Elena at the Crazy Cow. I actually tried something new! I tried the local dish called pollenta. It was something I was not so much used to. Then there was the cheese.....more smelly cheese (haha). I had a couple of bites and realized that was enough. Poor Nancy kept tasting it all night (she had it as well). So, I had a new food experience and I have expanded in that area somewhat. We'll see if there's anything else new I can try on down the road :-) G'night for now!

Day 5

Today we got to sleep in--WOOHOO! and I just so happened to have the best sleep since we've been here. It was finally cool enough and it was raining...that is the perfect combination for great sleep. We then ventured out to find some lunch, so we went to the cafe that offers good student deals. The owner was so happy to see us again!
When lunch was over, we browsed the shops and then headed back to the hotel to meet up with everyone. It was to to go to the University of Valle d' Aosta! We met a lady there and she was so kind to us. she told us about their school, and we exchanged information about ours. It was nice to also speak about planning future programs with her! Maybe I'll get to come back to experience that.
Afterward, we headed back to the hotel for some SiEsTa~~ (rest). We found an English channel on the tv then headed out to our favorite cafe for a free sampling of local cheeses and wine. Unfortunately, we misunderstood the information so that didn't happen. We ended up eating dinner there and receiving a few free gifts from the owner! He was so kind and happy to have us back. We took some pictures and headed on back to the hotel for some rest before another busy day in schools tomorrow!
Ciao for now :-)

Day 4

Today we spent the entire day in Italian elementary classrooms. It was incredible to compare the schools here to the schools back home in the U.S. We first noticed that all of the students wore croc slippers....I did not find out the exact reason yet so I will be sure to find out! Then I noticed their respectable behavior when we entered. It was so awesome to see and hear how curious they were about us and the U.S. We got to read Where's Walrus to them and we had them draw their own pictures of walrus in a scenario in their town. The students got right to drawing and produced some amazing, detailed pictures. The used rulers, colors, shading, and all to produce their scene. They were only in 4th grade! When that was all done, we sang a few songs with the students and they sang a song to us in French. It was so precious! These students are currently studying 3 languages! It is truly amazing.
We then went to another school and had a different experience. We just talked to the students and spoke English with them to help practice. We sang songs with the children and answered some questions and headed back to the hotel!


When our long day was over, we all took an awesome nap. Then, we headed to an awesome Italian place to eat. The food was beyond amazing and was the best we have had yet! I can't wait to go back tomorrow =)

Day 3

Today we witnessed what some people call the 8th wonder of the world. We visited the highest mountain in Europe...Mont Blanc. It was a a couple of cable cars and 240 steps to reach the spectacular view. It absolutely took my breath away and was an experience one would never forgot. The mountains looked like a scene from a movie or a back drop. It was totally unreal and I am grateful for the experience!

When this was over (unfortunately) we went to a little village to have some gelato. Then, we headed back home and took a nice long nap before dinner! 

Day 2

Today we went to the street market to attempt at bargaining. With the help of Dr. Marciano, we were able to save a few dollars!

Afterward, we went to see another beautiful church, then the crew headed out to find some lunch (and we had a scavenger hunt along the way). We had to take selfies with certain landmarks. Needless to say... I look very egocentric in my phone gallery haha.

Following that, we did a bit more browsing before meeting Ms. Elena, who is a local educator that has been pen paling it up with Dr. M. She was so sweet and very informative!

She ended up taking us to Castello di Sarre. This was the previous home to Queen Margherita and Umberto. I learned that the pizza was named after this royal lady, and the pizza components resemble the Italian flag (tomato red sauce, white mozzarella cheese, and green basil). There is much more history to this castle, so feel free to look it up ;) Oh, and I snapped some amazing pics!

When we left, we were home about an hour and headed out to dinner. I finally had some pasta at a very good restaurant. We dined and chatted then made our way back home. Tonight's blog is fairly short because it has been such a long day... so ciao for now and until tomorrow!

Day 1 to Valle d'Aosta Italia

So, we left Thursday from Jacksonville around 7:30 AM to fly to Miami, FL! Our flight from Miami was at 2:20, and it was straight to Milan Malpensa! We arrived around 6 AM Italy time (midnight for Eastern). It was a 10 hour flight that was filled with food, increments of sleep, and crying babies! [haha] 

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It was all a blur really, because before I knew it--- we had reached the valley that was surrounded by huge, white capped mountains (around 9 or 10?) ! We settled in, then Greg, Nancy, and I set out on a search for food around 11 AM. We went into one restaurant that did not offer an English translation. Once we decided that we would just get spaghetti, we were informed that they didn't even open until 12.... So there that was. Next door there was a little market with a few recognizable snacks. We also looked at the meet counter where there was pizza sitting up top. I wanted to ask about it, but the man just slammed the top of the container open and grabbed the pizza with his bare hands and proceeded to show me that it was a pizza. I just kindly declined because he was rude and I don't want pizza with a side of his hand germs. Anyways, we ended up at a little cafe and had a Margherita Pizza! It was pizza sauce on a thicker flat bread, and it was great! When we finally got some food in our system, I took myself a much needed 3 hour snooze :) zZzZzzz.....

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Around 4 PM the whole group got together to take a walking tour. We grabbed some more pizza and traveled up through the streets and passes and old Roman Theatre. We got to take some amazing pictures of the incredibly awesome mountains, and we were able to go into a couple of beautiful churches. The churches are filled with so much art and history...it's truly amazing.

Once we got our walking tour in, we stopped by a wine cafe type thing and enjoyed some red&white wine with an assortment of different meats and cheese. While some of it tasted very strange, I enjoyed the salami and bread along with some sort of aged cheese. 

When this was done, we had to help ourselves to gelato--of course! I'd say our events and the nap have helped us get on track with the schedule here. It's 10 PM over in Italy, so I'd say we have beat the jet lag!