A day in Viterbo's medieval town is always a good one. Where I wake up and tell time by the chime of the church bells. Where our bodies have naturally adjusted to the 7:30 or 8PM dinner hour. Where we now understand the love affair with gelati! I enjoy the weekend and evening social "scene," when Italians love to stroll, relax and enjoy the shops or the company of good friends.
As students, we are trying to find the balance between travel and schoolwork. My courses are all completely different from each other. All USAC students are required to take 7 hours of Italian per week. Our classes are taught in 2.15 hours blocks. Some of our professors are Italian, but all courses (except Italian!) are taught in English. Some classes allow English and Italians to take the classes together.
So yes, I am traveling alot...staying in some hostels and other times staying in small pensions. I am enjoying exploring parts of Italy that most Americans never get to discover. I am fascinated by the European culture that enjoys the moment, has plenty of relaxation time and doesn't work itself into the ground. It has been quite an adjustment for me to live on a continent as whole that has very few stores open on
Sundays, doesn't have a technology obsession, has a bus and train system which operates on limited or non-existent schedules on the weekends, thinks nothing of 2 -3 hour dinners, accepts primarily cash payments, and can identify me and my friends as Americans strictly by our body language.
I am learning alot. I am seeing alot. And I am having a great adventure.
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| Studying at Blitz Cafe - a favorite hangout |
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La Spagheteria
il ristorante piu meglio di Viterbo
300 piatti diverso! |
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| historic hallway at our university |
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| My friend Cariela gives tips about my blog |
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| The entrance to Universita degli studio della Tuscia |
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| street in Viterbo |
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| Caroline, Carmen, MK, Cariela, Caitlyn |
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| studying at Lake Bolsena |
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| Carmen helps MK with a project! |
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| MK in hostel in Padua |
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| balcony landscaping outside my apartment building |
USAC students on a class break
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| MK studies on the train |
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Ah-h-sleeping finally on an overnight train
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