tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88179066845413604642024-03-05T01:48:53.613-08:00Studying Abroad in a FlashHannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-27793849262089856002013-07-10T18:21:00.000-07:002013-07-10T18:21:17.863-07:00Flying Back Home, Jet Lag, and Reverse Culture Shock I've been home for over a month now, but I still wanted to recount my experience with jet lag and the very weird reverse culture shock. <div>
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My flight home was definitely not as good as my flight there...maybe a sign I should have stayed. I flew United home instead of Lufthansa (German airline). It is usually cheaper to fly with an American airline, but if you can I would suggest flying with an international one. The have better service and food. I don't remember what I ate on United now (probably because I didn't eat much). Also, at one point the bathrooms at the back of the plane were occupied and there was a food cart in the way so the man sitting next to me just told me to go to the front. I wasn't thinking about how first class is at the front so I just walk on up there. I see reclined chairs, tablecloths, and very comfortable people...oops. I still walk to the bathroom and one of the first class attendants confronts me. </div>
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"Where is your seat?" She asks me. </div>
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"Uh...21 D," I say. </div>
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"This bathroom isn't for you. It's for first class." </div>
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"Oh, my bad. There was a cart, I'm sorry," I apologize backing up.</div>
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"Fine. Use this one, but don't come back," she rudely tells me. </div>
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So I wait. Meanwhile, the attendant is serving the comfortable people dessert, which comprises of a cheese plate, fresh fruit, ice cream in glass dishes, and wine. And then this lady from first class gets in line behind me and the attendant stops what she is doing to say, "You let that lady go ahead of you, okay." </div>
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The lady offers for me to go first, but I insist she does. I feel so out of place and judged by the freaking flight attendant. </div>
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Also, my TV on the back of the seat was working this time so I spend most of the flight catching up on American movies instead of getting rest. My head feels like cotton in a wooden box. </div>
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I land in San Francisco. English! Everywhere! Wait, I don't have to try and speak Italian anymore...but I want to! Waa!</div>
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Omg! What in the world time is it?! I am beyond confused. My uncle and cousin pick me up. I complain loudly and then fall asleep in the car, but my cousin understands because she went through this a few weeks before me when she came back from her year in Italy. I get to their house and I have a really bad stomach ache and I eat some unsalted cashews, which reminds me of when I started buying unsalted cashews as Lidl because they were a euro cheaper than the salted ones. My first meal back in the states is a veggie burger and sweet potato fries. </div>
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The next day I leave for the airport again to go home home. I have to take my shoes off at security. Are you kidding me? They are just flip flops (I can where flip flops in public again)! To-go coffee...what?! I try and pay in euros, which I have too many of still. </div>
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The night of sleep at my cousin's house helped a lot with overcoming my jet lag. I had a good 12 hours of solid sleep. I'm still really confused about the time of day at any given moment though for like the next week. And I'm still tired, but I can function. </div>
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Here are some things I can't deal with: </div>
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I don't have to light my stove any more or turn off the gas. It's automatic. </div>
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The confusion with being able to plug my electronics straight into the outlet without an adapter (btw: my computer power cord died the other day, and the computer guy think it was from being plugged into 220 voltage for four months).</div>
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I can actually understand nutrition facts again...hmm I'd rather not.</div>
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It's like four dollars for a coffee! What happened to the 1.30 euro cappuccino? </div>
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Ice cream! What is that stuff? I just want gelato. </div>
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I did get sick of Italian food in the last month. But all I want now is some gnocchi! </div>
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I MISS ITALY! </div>
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So the little advice I have on these subjects:</div>
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1. Don't worry about sleeping on the plane, just get a good night rest the first night back.</div>
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2. Bring your own snacks on the plane.</div>
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3. Be aware that you will have reverse culture shock and it's okay.</div>
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4. Keep in touch with the friends you made. </div>
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5. Scrapbook.</div>
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6. Cook food that reminds you of where you were. (I made gelato the other day!)</div>
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7. Enjoy all the food that you missed so much while you were away. </div>
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8. It's okay to be sad that your home and happy that your home at the same time. </div>
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This will be my last post for a while until I develop the photos I took with film next semester. Thanks again for reading! And, travel away! </div>
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-71360745440855105722013-07-08T14:03:00.000-07:002013-07-08T14:03:23.457-07:00Bonjour, Paris!I make it no secret that Paris is my favorite city. I had the opportunity to fundraise with my high school three times for trips to Europe that included Paris in 8th grade, 10th grade, and after graduation. I didn't really fall in love with Paris until my last trip three years ago. Every since then I have been dying to go back. The food! The art! The architecture! The atmosphere! The gardens! The History! To me, the city is like a giant museum. My best friend, Rachael, began studying in Paris the semester before I came to Torino and my Parents were dying to go back, so we made Paris our last stop.<br />
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From Porta Suza in Torino, we took a very fast train to Paris, which took about four and half hours for only around 50 euros including our multiple pieces of luggage (which was the only annoying part). Our apartment was below the 18th arr. and between the 9th and 10th arr.<br />
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The first night we tried to eat at one of the top restaurants on trip advisor called 1000 & 1 Signes, which has Moroccan/Middle Eastern cuisine. Paris has a lot of good ethnic food options from the countries it historically colonized or had influence in. Unfortunately, since we didn't have a reservation, we couldn't get in. But I would still suggest this place (moderate pricing/really good reviews) or trying other ethnic restaurants like Vietnamese, while you're in Paris.<br />
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We attempted to go up the <b>Eiffel Tower</b>, but the lines were so long and with so much to see and so little time we decided to pass. We saw <b>Notre Dame</b>, which is worth going in, but we also passed because of the line. We did go inside <b>Sainte-Chapelle</b>, which I highly suggest. The upper chapel of the church is completely lined with stained glass. Go on a sunny day to see the beautiful colors and images of the glass really well. I met up with Rachael for falafel in the Jewish area and then we went to <b>Jardin du Luxembourg</b>, which is one of the prettiest parks in Paris. It started raining (of course), but the park was still gorgeous. The next day, we went<b> Musee d'Orsay</b>. The museum is inside an old train station and has a lovely collection of impressionism, post-impressionism, sculpture, Orientalism, photography, and furniture. We also went to <b>Musee de l'Orangerie</b>, which houses eight water lily murals by Monet and other impressionism paintings. It was very small compared to d'Orsay and especially compared to the <b>Louvre</b>.<br />
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The next day, I took my parents to one of my favorite places in Paris, the <b>Père Lachaise Cemetery</b>. You may think it is weird that this one of my favorite spots, but visit and then you'll see. This cemetery is one of the most peaceful, beautiful places I have ever been. It is known for the many famous people buried there, including Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and many French politicians, writers, composers, and artists. We then went to eat some macaroons, the best French pastry. We went to the popular <b>Pierre Herme</b> where we got flavors like olive oil, green tea, creme brulee, and chocolate and passion fruit. A must do. From there we walked over <b>Pont Alexander III</b>, which is a bridge lined with sculptures and has a view of the Grand Palais and of the Eiffel Tower. We met up with Rachael for Lunch and visited <b>Shakespeare & Company</b>, the very popular English bookstore, and the lock bridge behind Notre Dame.<br />
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My Parents returned to America the following day and I stayed with Rachael for another week. We went to <b>Centre Du Pompidou</b>, got gelato, went back a few times to Luxembourg, and saw the Eiffel Tower lit up at night. On the last day, Rachael had goodbyes to say, so I went off to <b>Jadin des Plantes</b>, had a delicious crepe dinner, saw the <b>Bastille</b>, and went back to Pont Alexander III to see the sunset. It was a great relaxing day for my last day in Paris and my last day in Europe and the end of my semester abroad.<br />
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-82770634675028622202013-07-01T15:06:00.000-07:002013-07-01T15:06:24.831-07:00My Return to Venice and My Last Goodbye to Torino<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vFw1qu01LEg8Befz7kHa7SsoxCarkSetssNlEefl_nyJEbF9GZ9n2DzEgqPnOR2Mt-tD6epSCdtLQGTPCEvE6duBZVlnIHhFLx_DhPl8FfoNIT0_9vh8mUzsoUKaCgowzmA96WQBRNN5/s1600/DSC_0781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vFw1qu01LEg8Befz7kHa7SsoxCarkSetssNlEefl_nyJEbF9GZ9n2DzEgqPnOR2Mt-tD6epSCdtLQGTPCEvE6duBZVlnIHhFLx_DhPl8FfoNIT0_9vh8mUzsoUKaCgowzmA96WQBRNN5/s320/DSC_0781.jpg" width="211" /></a>Neither of my parents had visited Venice before on their respective trips to Italy, so they really wanted to add it to our trip. I went with USAC for a weekend in February, but I was more than excited to return to one of my favorite Italian cities in better weather. And the weather was much, much better. It was a little challenging dragging our suitcases from Piazzale Roma (the parking area) to our hotel. There are water taxies you can take around all the islands, but we weren't sure how many times we would want to take one and therefore thought the price wasn't worth it. For a one way trip any length is 7 euros per person, but you can buy passes if you will be taking taxis often. Besides walking other ways of getting around Venice is hiring a private water taxi, which I would imagine is expensive or a gondola ride, which depending on how many people take it could cost 14 to 40 euros per person. I don't remember if I mentioned this on my first post about Venice, but to me riding in the water wasn't on the top of my priorities. Maybe if I was visiting Venice on a romantic vacation, but I throughly enjoyed seeing the city by foot. I did end up taking a water taxi after our very tiring day back to our hotel and it was fun.<br />
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It was a little stressful finding a place to eat dinner the first night we arrived. As much as I love Venice there is no denying that the city is a huge tourist trap. Any main street or streets around popular areas like<b> San Marco</b> or <b>Ponte di Rialto</b> will have many restaurant options that look very similar: bright menus lining the street written in English, Italian, French, and German that include photos of the dishes (after a while you notice the same exact photos on multiple restaurants). The food may be decent, but don't expect anything amazing or to be siting next to any locals. We winged it with on of these such places. For some reason I ordered fried sardines with polenta. The boney texture was really interesting.<br />
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Our hotel was across a canal from the first Jewish ghetto in Europe. I wanted to visit the area last time I was in Venice, but didn't have the time. The synagogues are very discret and you can only enter a couple by going on a tour of the ghetto. We got some pastries at one of the kosher bakeries and we walked to the Rialto bridge where we enjoyed them. From the bridge we walked to Piazza San Marco, which I still believe is the most beautiful piazza I have seen in Italy. We saw the exhibit in Palazzo Duncale called <b>Manet. Return to Venice.</b> It was amazing. We went inside the basilica, I got to see the Four Tetrachs again, and we decided to go up (in an elevator) <b>St. Mark's Campanile</b>. In the 9th century it was a watch tower and in the 1902 it developed a crack, which quickly grew, collapsing the whole tower. Construction started again in 1912. From the top of the tower you could see all of Venice including the farther islands. I suggest asking your hotel (or any locals you meet) for a good, non-touristy restaurant serving typical Venetian food. We ended up at a pretty moderately prized, very small, and absolutely delicious place tucked away in an alley full of locals. Make reservations!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cuttlefish </span></td></tr>
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Returning back to Torino was tough. It was weird that I couldn't walk up to my apartment (which I noticed was now covered in scaffolding) and find my roommates or friends where we used to hang out. It made me realize that the program was really over. Friends were really gone. Luckily, two of my friends from Erasmus, Sarah and Nannie, and my Italian friends were still there. I met Sarah and Nannie at Parco Valentino for a bit of sun (unlike my "first" last day in Torino, the weather was beautiful). I went with my parents to buy gianduja, a speciality chocolate from Torino made with hazelnut paste, had gelato from one of my favorite spots, and said goodbye to Piazza San Carlo. For dinner, I ventured out to Sarah's apartment for a pasta dinner cooked by our Italian friends. It was a very needed last goodbye. Again, I couldn't have been happier for picking Torino and I am so grateful for the whole experience of studying and living there for a semester. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alps driving back to Torino</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza San Carlo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Sarah's apartment</td></tr>
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-87623515187332188032013-06-27T14:58:00.000-07:002013-06-27T14:58:00.224-07:00Emilia Romagna a.ka. the Region of Food<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9KQT0NJT5cp_AYnRWVIydcVsWHNk7d31SarZTCPcJbbobhTyYjsePj-qyqO32AXBMbjXAzNe_dJ4Q_HHuZ1xURPjHqGfvFWWwI0p70grCBsWBdKuBtkrXLjdbNBmVKtrre8X8Lim1l58/s1600/DSC_0417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9KQT0NJT5cp_AYnRWVIydcVsWHNk7d31SarZTCPcJbbobhTyYjsePj-qyqO32AXBMbjXAzNe_dJ4Q_HHuZ1xURPjHqGfvFWWwI0p70grCBsWBdKuBtkrXLjdbNBmVKtrre8X8Lim1l58/s320/DSC_0417.jpg" width="211" /></a>Bologna was one of my top places to visit within Italy and the top reason for that was the food. Bologna, among other things, is known for its cuisine. As I learned in my Italian cuisine class this semester, there is no such thing as Italian cuisine because each region has its own specific culinary traditions. Emilia Romagna is known for its parmigiano, proscuitto, tortellini, bolognese, and balsamic vinegar. Being the food lover I am, I could not live in Italy for a semester without visiting and tasting the capital city of such a region.<br />
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We arrived in the late evening exhausted. We asked our hotel for dinner suggestions and the restaurant they suggested turned out to be one specializing in Tuscan food. The food was great, but considering we came mostly for the Bolognese food...<br />
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There are many less sights to see in Bologna than Florence for example, but that just meant a more relaxed day in a nice town. We climbed the scaffolding of the Basilica (and went inside the church) for a panoramic view. You can also climb one of the famous towers, but we were two exhausted to be bothered. We visited the old Jewish ghetto and the Jewish museum because that was the only one open on a Monday. (To my great disappointment the Gelato museum right outside the city was not open.) We did some shopping and hunted down a very popular gelato shop. It was nice having a much more low-key day. It reminded me of the pace I would go in Torino.<br />
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For dinner we went to a typical Bologna restaurant and I had the tortellone in a butter and sage sauce. Perfection. And that was why I came to Bologna.<br />
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Now the second top reason, I wanted to drive through Emilia Romagna was to visit the city of Ravenna. Yet another place I learned about in Art History, Ravenna is known for its amazing mosaics. If you are interested in art or churches in the slightest I would suggest taking a trip here. My Dad was not really excited about making a stop here, but it turned out to be one of his favorite parts of the trip.<br />
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I think Emilia Romagna would have been a great region to spend a week, traveling around the country side, tasting the food, and exploring the culture. Just another place I have to go back to.<br />
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-81380206107554168832013-06-11T10:54:00.001-07:002013-06-11T10:54:37.525-07:00Under the Tuscan Sun (when it wasn't raining)When I would think about Italy before I came to study abroad in Torino, an image of Tuscany would appear. To me, the region of Tuscany was the epitome of Italy. Rolling green hills, amazing food, tall thin trees, small cities, and of course sun. I didn't get to experience the sun the whole time, but Tuscany definitely didn't disappoint.<br />
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My parents decided to rent a car in Torino for our trip so we could go on our own time and enjoy the scenery better. We learned by the end, that a road trip was probably not the best idea. It probably would have ended up costing less to take trains (the rental fee, GPS fee, gas, tolls!), and faster because we wouldn't have spent time getting lost. Of course, being able to leave the cities when ever we wanted was nice.<br />
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Anyway, the first stop was Pisa. And we basically just went to see the leaning tower, which looked exactly how it does in all the photos. It was pretty cool to see it, but if you don't have time, don't fret about missing it.<br />
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We headed to Florence and almost got a huge fine for illegally entering the city without a permit. We also got embarrassingly lost driving in circles. Here is the deal. GPSs do not work in Florence. Don't even try. And on top of that, you have to have a permit to drive in the city center. We ended up getting a cab to lead us to the hotel and then the hotel's parking arrangements made it so we didn't have to pay the city a fine.<br />
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I loved Florence, but I am glad I didn't decide to study abroad there. So many Americans. The city was so beautiful though. We got the museum pass the city offers, which if you go to more than three museums or important religious buildings, it makes a lot of sense. The first day we hiked up the cathedral with a grand total of 463 steps. The views were stunning. We also went to the <b>Accademia di Belle Arti</b> to see Michelangelo's David and then to<b> Palazzo Della Signora</b> to see the fake David and many other statues. We also went to the <b>Uffizi Gallery</b>, which is full of famous works including the Birth of Venus by Botticelli.<br />
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The next day we went to <b>Palazzo Pitti</b>, which was definitely the highlight of Florence. We spent most of the time exploring the Boboli Gardens, which also offered an amazing view of the city. Of course we also saw <b>Ponte Vecchio</b> many times along with the famous good luck boar, il porcellino.<br />
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I ate duck, wild boar, pear and gorgonzola gnocchi, and passion fruit gelato.<br />
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Our last stop in Tuscany was Siena, which is where I highly considering studying abroad before I heard about Torino. Again, as much as I enjoyed the city, I am still happy with my choice of Torino. Sienna is known for its architecture, art, and the <b>Piazza Del Campo</b>. I walked up the 400 steps of <b>Torre del Mangia </b>to see another incredible view. I also was very excited to visit <b>Palazzo Pubblico</b> and see the frescos called the<i> Allegory and Effects of Good and Bad Government</i>, which I studied about in Art History. I ate ricotta and fig gelato.<br />
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Since I rubbed the head of il porcellino I will be coming back to Florence and therefore the rest of Tuscany, so I'm not very worried.<br />
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-6845609258722651302013-05-14T06:43:00.000-07:002013-05-14T06:43:39.250-07:00Farewell, Torino!How do I even begin to put my experience here into words? This semester has, without a doubt, been the most significant and life-altering experience I have ever had. I have met so many wonderful people and seen so many wonderful places in such a short time. It's amazing how just four short months can have such a lasting impact on a person. I've made memories here that I will never forget, and friendships that I will cherish forever. It's extremely bittersweet to be going home--of course I'm thrilled to be seeing my family and friends again, but it's so strange to me that this part of my life has come to an end. Torino truly felt like home for that past four months, and I will never forget the time I have spent here. I have really enjoyed contributing to this blog and hope that it has been helpful and informative. Thank you so much to everyone who has followed the blog! I would just like to say to anyone who is even considering studying abroad--regardless of the location--just do it! You will never regret going, but you will definitely regret not going. This has been one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life, and I hope Hannah and I have encouraged others to consider doing the same. Thank you to USAC for all of your guidance and support through this process. If you have any questions at all about ANYTHING, please don't hesitate to email me at elwenham@gmail.com.<br />
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Grazie e arrivederci!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16160527457824262833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-28003479432905658242013-05-12T08:02:00.003-07:002013-05-12T08:02:47.588-07:00Ciao, Torino! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Although, I don't leave Europe until the beginning of June, I have to say goodbye to the amazing city of Torino within the next few days. May 15th seemed so far away in January. Yet, somehow it creeped up way too fast, and I have to say goodbye to new friends, enjoy the city as much as possible, and pack. The cliché of your studying abroad experience being over before you know it is so true. Even though in someways I feel like the first day in Torino was forever ago, I also feel like the time has gone incredibly fast. Studying and living in Torino has been an unexplainably amazing experience that I will never forgot and I am so grateful I have had. </div>
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This is the third time I have tried to write this post because thinking about leaving, saying goodbye, returning to america and going home, and not coming back next semester is really overwhelming and brings up such a mix of emotions. If this post is disjointed, this is why. Of course, I am thrilled to be seeing my parents, friends, and home soon. I am excited to start work and have a break from school. I am excited to eat New Mexican food and all the other food I can't get here. But, it is so hard to fathom that this Wednesday, most of us are leaving or at least parting from one another. It seems strange that I will be going back to my college in the States next semester and not back to Torino. It's weird that I will never see my apartment again and don't know when I can meet up with my roommates or other amazing friends I have made here within USAC, Erasmus, and with Italians. Thankfully we can keep in touch with Facebook, but it will be an adjustment not to see them so often. The weather is also making it hard. I went to Parco Valentino yesterday with Katie and Roza and had a little picnic in the grass, surrounded by groups of friends, families, and couples. The weather was perfect and the energy was so captivating. I can only imagine what summer is like in Torino. </div>
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Packing is also hard. What should I throw out? What should I try to force into my suitcase? Will my luggage be overweight? Why am I leaving? What if I just stay here?</div>
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I think that I probably will experience reverse culture shock when I come back to America, although for the first few days I will be too jet lagged to notice much. I assume the amount of English I hear will be shocking, along with the amount of food options, the need to drive everywhere, big box stores, and the lack of gelato shops, bars, and pubs. I don't know if I'm ready to come home, or maybe it is that I don't know what "ready" means. I am a bit homesick. It just feels strange that I won't be coming back after summer. But I guess that shows how much of a home Torino has come to be for me. This makes me really happy because one of the reasons I wanted to study abroad was to become familiar enough with a foreign place that it starts to feel like home. </div>
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I will remember this experience as eye opening, culturally stimulating, full of personal growth and learning, and just unbelievably cool, crazy, and cheerful. </div>
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I should be blogging about my travels with my Parents to Florence, Bologna, and Paris. And also, once I go back to school in August, I will get to develop my 35mm black and white film, scan the images, and upload them here. </div>
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So, Ciao, Torino! Mi manchi già e non posso aspettare di tornare. Grazie mille per una l'esperienza di una vita!</div>
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I also want to thank all the readers of this blog, and I hope it was helpful. Feel free to ask any questions!</div>
<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-11626384021980152462013-05-09T10:23:00.002-07:002013-05-09T10:23:14.245-07:00Italians Love Their Soccer This past Sunday, Jueventus, one of Torino's two professional soccer teams won their 31st championship for the second year in a row. Torino celebrated like crazy. On my way to eating Mexican, I witnessed part of the celebration in Piazza Vittorio and saw the team's bus drive by.<br />
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-22101548307833452602013-05-06T08:29:00.001-07:002013-06-06T21:24:13.008-07:00Peanut Butter Costs How Much?! Dealing With Being Homesick AbroadAfter being abroad for almost four months, I am starting to really miss certain comforts that are much easier to find in America. I've been fine surviving without them, but there is nothing like waking up to a warm breakfast burrito or a to-go cup of chai . Whether you miss your family, dog, car, friends, or food, being homesick is completely normal and expected, and here is a guide to dealing with it.<br />
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<b>Family and Friends:</b><br />
Thank goodness of modern technology. No longer do we have to hope that the postcard we sent at the beginning of the semester might arrive home before we do. Video chat like Skype and Facetime, and apps like Viber, make communicating with your friends and family very easy. Granted, your internet might be temperamental/non-existent in your apartment, but there are plenty of cafes with WiFi (and the school has internet). Of course, sending postcards is still nice, too.<br />
Make new friends! My program has about 65 students and many of us are also friends with students in Erasmus (European study abroad), and then of course there are so many Italians you can meet and befriend. It may be daunting at first. I still remember how terrified I was the first day, not knowing anyone, but you just have to keep an open mind and be up to going out and getting to know others. <br />
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<b>Your Pet:</b><br />
Although you might not be able to cuddle with them, there are adorable and beautiful dogs everywhere in Torino and around Europe. Seriously, it is almost ridiculous. Be careful though...it can be really hard to resist not stealing one.<br />
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<b>Food:</b><br />
The two top foods I have heard people talk about missing are peanut butter and Mexican. There is peanut butter here! It does exist! But it is expensive. For me, Nutella is a perfect replacement.<br />
There are Mexican restaurants in Torino (in fact, I'm going to one tonight for Cinco de Mayo). The taste is not what we are used to in America, but it is still delicious non the less. I like the one in Piazza Vittorio.<br />
If there is a snack, you feel like you can not live without, bring some with you. I didn't want to waste the luggage space.<br />
Find new food! I've fallen in love with these hazelnut pirouette-like cookies from LIDL (a European grocery store), and I may or may not be stuffing my face with some now...they are very dangerous.<br />
There is other food here, so don't worry about getting sick of Italian food. We have a lot sushi, middle eastern, and kebab places, and can anybody really ever get sick of gelato?<br />
When you first order a coffee, you may be surprised to find about a gulp's worth in an "espresso" cup. To-go cups are basically not existent and the biggest coffee you will probably find is a small cappuccino. But, in Torino we have a Starbucks look alike called <a href="http://www.busterscoffee.it/">Busters</a>, and they have to-go cups in varying sizes along with frappes and bagels!<br />
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<b>Your Car:</b><br />
Enjoy walking and the public transportation! Depending on where you live in the states, you probably don't get the opportunity often. As much as I miss blasting the radio and having the convenience of a car, I love how much I walk! I get that much more time to enjoy the city. I know a lot of students who prefer the metro to the bus, but I usually choose the bus of the metro because I can see more of the city riding it. Now, I'm just worried I might forget how to drive.<br />
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<b>Stores that Stay Open Late:</b><br />
There is nothing like a Target here. No late night grocery or convience stores. It is just about a matter of getting used to it. Make sure you do all you necessary shopping during the day. Most stores close at 7:30, grocery stores at 8. If your hungry at night, go for kebab or slice of pizza. Spend your night roaming the city and experiencing the night life.<br />
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<b>TV and Movies:</b><br />
There is a movie theater downtown that shows a movie in English once a week. But why not go see an Italian movie for fun! There are plenty of websites that allow you to watch american TV and movies, although a lot of those sites can be sketchy. Netflix and Hulu don't work. But why not read a book instead, or spend your time outside in the city especially if the weather is as beautiful as it has been. And honestly I haven't really had time to watch TV even if I wanted to. There is always either school work that has to be done, I'm traveling, or enjoying Torino and my friends here too much.<br />
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<b>And If You Just Feel Really Homesick and Don't Know What To Do:</b><br />
Cry. It's okay, most get homesick at some point for any number of reasons. Don't be afraid to let your feelings out. Your roommate or friend might be feeling the same way. So watch a sad movie, stay in bed all day, take a really long shower, and eat comfort food. It helps to take personal days even while abroad. You can't be expected to be always on the go and experiencing life even when you are living in an amazing city.<br />
Distract yourself. Go for a walk or run. Take a bus or a train to someplace new. Visit a museum. Get lost. Try new food. Spend time with friends. Draw. Write. Photograph. Dance. Cook. Read. Study.<br />
And there are always people to talk to, whether you skype family or friends back home to vent, reminisce with friends here about what you miss from home, or talk to someone in the program office.<br />
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Remember you are going to be home before you know it so try to enjoy the experience of living in a city abroad as much as possible. I already know I am going to miss Torino terribly.<br />
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-7427137969912360112013-05-03T16:43:00.000-07:002013-05-03T16:43:08.616-07:00Trip to Sacra di San Michele USAC took us on a field trip to Sacra di San Michele, Saint Michael's Abbey. It is a beautiful monastery built in the late 900s. It is at the very top of Mount Pirchiriano. In fact, there is an area of the church where you can see the actual mountain. The bus took us most of the way up the mountain, and the rest we walked while it was raining even though it was sunny out. The view were stunning and learning about the history of the abbey was really interesting.<br />
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-51011586421029003662013-05-02T11:31:00.000-07:002013-05-02T11:31:13.664-07:00May Day and Jazz FestivalYesterday was May Day, which is an international holiday on the first of May, also known as International Worker's Day. It is like our Labor Day. I had never seen as many people outside as I did yesterday. The weather was amazing and it happened to be the last day of the <a href="http://www.torinojazzfestival.it/">Torino Jazz Festival</a>. The Jazz Festival is six days long and has concerts at the jazz club and all over the city in major piazzas. Yesterday, besides an array of famous jazz performers at Piazza Castello, there was a flash mob. There were so many people that it was kind of hard to see the dancing clearly, but it was pretty cool for my first flash mob. I came back to the piazza at night and the performances and energy was so amazing. If you are here during the festival, go! <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piazza San Carlo (not a good representation of the amount of people)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jazz Festival at Piazza Castello</td></tr>
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-67541020070186706922013-04-29T14:32:00.001-07:002013-04-29T14:32:11.094-07:00Sun-tanning and Seafood Eating in SardiniaMy cousin, Rebecca, has been spending her junior year of high school in Viterbo, a small town about an hour and half from Rome. She came to visit me for a few days at the end of March and this weekend we met in Alghero, Sardinia! Sardinia is the other big island off the west coast of Italy above Sicily. I read that Sardinia had the most beautiful beaches in Italy. Unfortunately, april showers struck, and we only had one beach-going-weather day. Despite the bad weather, Alghero was beautiful and this weekend has made me want to come back and discover more of Sardinia.<br />
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We arrived Thursday evening (I flew, but it is possible to take a boat from someplace like Genova). It was cloudy, but still warm and plenty humid. Rebecca and I walked into the center of town along Via Lido which overlooks the beach. We ate dinner outside at a restaurant on one of the main shopping streets, Via Carlo Alberto. I had to try one of the most famous dishes of Sardinia: Spaghetti ai Ricci. The waiter looked at me funny when I ordered it and said, "You know ricci is Sea Urchin?" And I said, "Si!" So yes, I ate spaghetti with the red goo of a sea urchin. And it was pretty delicious. Of course we ate gelato for dessert and walked back to our hostel as it started to drizzle.<br />
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Friday was beautifully sunny and we wore shorts! Alghero is famous for Neptune's grotto, a stalactite cave. We took a boat which took 30 minutes and cost 15 euros. You can also get there by bus which is 4.50 round trip. The trick is that if you take the bus you have to walk up and down 600 plus stairs. Once we arrived, we kind of wished we had taken the stairs, but the boat ride was really nice. To get into the caves you have to pay 13 euros. So it was an expensive journey, but I'd say it was worth it, probably more adventurous and money better spent if you take the bus, too.<br />
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We had planned to rent bikes so we could visit a beach a bit farther from our hostel, but all the bike rental places closed around noon. So we brought our towels out to the beach right in front of our hostel. As soon as we laid down, the wind picked up and soon we were dusted in sand. After about an hour trying not to eat sand, we decided to rent beach chairs for 3 euros each. An hour after that the rain clouds came out. Still, the time we had was sunny and lovely.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-PGcIuzwH-ZIDCnWDQB7GR59gOTln-xxMl7xxdyyL8fmVCkcEUS7hcq8RWP9nFcaqsQ43JNMkSOs_CmAxB8llibL0BNOmZMj1-Sa06etp3ONvJVaSJoLQ_WGCGzm0PkW836nlXeYg-Ir/s1600/IMG_3254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-PGcIuzwH-ZIDCnWDQB7GR59gOTln-xxMl7xxdyyL8fmVCkcEUS7hcq8RWP9nFcaqsQ43JNMkSOs_CmAxB8llibL0BNOmZMj1-Sa06etp3ONvJVaSJoLQ_WGCGzm0PkW836nlXeYg-Ir/s200/IMG_3254.jpg" width="150" /></a>When we went back to our hostel, I found out that a 10 page research essay that I thought was due next week was actually due this Monday. So I freaked out for a bit and I freaked out about the rain that was coming, but I decided to forget it and go out to dinner in sandals and a summer dress to spite the weather. We found a delicious place to eat and I ordered pesto pasta with mussels, which is something I would never have done a month ago, but after eating mussels in cuisine class and realizing they weren't as disgusting as I remember them, I decided to give them a chance. The dish was really nice, and the meal was made even better with the tiramisu and friendly service. It was raining when we walked back, but I didn't even care.<br />
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Saturday began with drizzle, which disappeared into sun, and turned back into drizzle. We walked more of the old city center and visited the Coral Museum. It was very small but included interesting information about the biology and history of coral (Sardinia is known for its Coral production) and had many pretty rocks and gemstones on display. If you are deciding between spending time at the beach and visiting the coral museum, obviously pick the beach, but if its a rainy day, the museum is a nice option.<br />
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After a last lovely dinner of seafood, we watched the Goonies, one of my favorite movies of all time, and life was great.</div>
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-84460367574243501612013-04-25T02:06:00.001-07:002013-04-25T02:06:44.679-07:00Those Moments That Make it Hard to Believe I Actually Live Here<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvVUZxtT39ga9juMq-VUDhiErCgkqQOzmZFrwSAxEfBeg7WvSJB1fOVFuPyYEYngbk-yzund2mtRXuyMkzdZxyi5XSBFpXGF2Pdb347Aho9jTgnBGK0RU0xDvI1TKC8m5xcVLvaUu9MbC/s1600/IMG_3040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvVUZxtT39ga9juMq-VUDhiErCgkqQOzmZFrwSAxEfBeg7WvSJB1fOVFuPyYEYngbk-yzund2mtRXuyMkzdZxyi5XSBFpXGF2Pdb347Aho9jTgnBGK0RU0xDvI1TKC8m5xcVLvaUu9MbC/s640/IMG_3040.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Piazza Vittorio</td></tr>
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-85045344615822970362013-04-22T15:11:00.002-07:002013-04-22T15:11:32.878-07:00Food!I feel like I have been in Torino long enough to offer up my favorite places to get food. Obviously, I don't have the time or money to try all that Torino has to offer, but below are places that are cheap, so good, and consistent.<br />
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First off my favorite gelaterias...because gelato is the most important food group and one place is certainly not enough:<br />
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<a href="http://www.piudiungelato.it/WebSite/home.aspx">Più Di Un Gelato</a> located by the library and off of Via Garibaldi.<br />
Get Pera della Nonna and Stracciatella con Caffè.<br />
2 euros for a small cone with two flavors.<br />
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<a href="http://www.albertomarchetti.it/">Alberto Marchetti</a> located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.<br />
Get Pistacchio and Zabaione (my favorite Gelato flavor!) and get it in a cone, because they have the very best cones (most places serve the carboard tasting cones/charge extra for the nice ones...not here!).<br />
2 euros for a small cone with two flavors.<br />
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Another commonly eaten food among students...Kebabs! My favorite place is:<br />
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<a href="http://www.elshishkebab.altervista.org/"><span style="color: #351c75;">El Shish Kebab</span></a> off of Via Madama Christina, near the Nizza metro stop.<br />
Everyone that I have taken here (especially Erin) love it!<br />
The owner and everyone working there are super friendly.<br />
They are expanding now!<br />
Get anything. And especially the hot tea, which comes free anyhow!<br />
3.50 for a Kebab, 5 for a Kebab, drink, and fries.<br />
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I have recently become obsessed with focaccia. For those who don't know, focaccia is a thickly baked delicious bread that can be just flavored with olive oil or meat or vegetables. The best focaccia comes from the Ligurian coast, but since that is two hours too far away, I happily settle for focaccia from:<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;">Focaccia Tipica Ligure </span>located near Piazza San Carlo, in Piazza Castello, and a few block down Via Po.<br />
If you like zucchini, get the focaccia with zucchini!<br />
2.50 for a piece with meat or veggies on it, only 1 for a plain piece.<br />
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Other yummy places I have eaten:<br />
<a href="http://www.eataly.it/"><span style="color: #351c75;">Eatly</span></a> (famous for the slow food movement) has very delicious margherita pizza.<br />
The persian restaurant on a side street right off of Via Garibaldi near Piazza Castello. I can't remember its name, but I had the best chicken of my life there and I'm not a huge chicken fan.<br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">Alla Lettera</span> on my street, Via Giuseppe Mazzini! Kyra and I ate in their outside seating in the piazza and it was super amazing! A bit pricey but really delicious and fresh Italian food.<br />
<span style="color: #351c75;">Dear Wendy Sweets </span>also on my street. Amazing Cupcakes! Enough said.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squid Ink Pasta with Calamari, Asparagus, and Tomatoes<br />from Alla Lettera</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zucchini Focaccia from Tipica Ligure</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lime cupcake from Dear Wendy Sweets</td></tr>
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I'm sure I am missing something or will find a place within the last week, but here are my suggestions for now!Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-57646918083100603962013-04-21T09:14:00.001-07:002013-04-21T09:14:46.129-07:00Let's Talk Food!Hannah and I both decided that we should share some of our favorite places to eat here in Torino. While there are so many places I still want to try, here are some of the best places (in my opinion)!<br />
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If you really want to get a feel for traditional Piedmontese cuisine (which you should!), definitely check out <span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">L'Osteria di Pierantonio</span>. It's located near to the school at Via Bizozzero 15, right off of the Spezia metro stop. The owner, Pier, is extremely friendly and speaks great English! It's a great place to try a full course Italian meal (that will without a doubt be absolutely delicious) and mingle with the locals.<br />
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Another of my favorites is <b style="color: red;">Taverna Rossa</b>, located at Via Valperga Caluso 22, close to the Nizza metro stop (and my apartment!). This is my go-to place for delicious and very affordable food. They have a large selection of brick oven pizzas. My favorite is the margherita, which believe it or not is only three euro! They also have a student special on weekdays; you can get their pasta of the day with a beverage for only five euro!<br />
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Now I'm going to let you in on a very exclusive secret. You CAN find good Mexican food in Torino! As a California girl, I'm used to having Mexican on a pretty regular basis; so the sudden burrito detox was kind of a shock to my system. Don't get me wrong, I do love Italian food. But sometimes all I can think about is a giant plate of nachos. If you ever find yourself in the same mindset, make your way over to <b><span style="color: red;">Mamasita Ristorante & Cantina</span></b>. This little slice of heaven is located near the Dante metro stop, at the corner of Corso Carlo and Nello Rosselli. The prices are a bit on the higher side, but you get free chips and salsa with your meal and could easily split one of their many large dishes. I recommend the chicken tacos and the nachos! Who would have thought?<br />
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Now onto what's really important....gelato! This is tough because there are so many amazing places (I mean, it is Italy after all). The best place I have found is <b style="color: red;">La Romana</b>. There are several locations, but the closest to me is on Via Madama Cristina (conveniently located right where the bus drops me off). It's the creamiest most delicious thing I've ever eaten, and they have a great selection of flavors. To top things off, they have crepes too! What more could a girl want?<br />
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I hope this has been helpful and possibly made you drool a little as well. There is a huge selection of restaurants in Torino; I just wish I had time to try them all!<br />
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Ciao for now!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16160527457824262833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-59966067053108921232013-04-16T11:56:00.000-07:002013-04-16T11:56:11.606-07:00Bloom!<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As you can probably tell, I am really excited about spring! I can't explain how incredible it is here. I am just hoping the rain that is predicted to fall this weekend changes its corse. Today on my way to cooking class, was really the first day that I noticed trees had leaves on them. And...Torino is in bloom, finally!</div>
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Today, was the last cooking class. Very upsetting, but it was one of the best meals! We made fresh pasta and made carbonara and pesto. Then we made quiche, fondue, and amazing semifreddo for dessert! I was full all day. It is going to be weird to eat at an American Italian restaurant when I'm back. </div>
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<br /><br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-63229523664364685322013-04-15T12:10:00.000-07:002013-04-15T12:10:36.483-07:00Gardens, Parks, Pizza, Oh my! This weekend was another perfectly relaxing one with the best weather Torino has seen yet since I have been here! <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9JderfbiDXnBgdMj8KcADFxZ5bNeeUi1i7cbf3zsDBm8lA3BFiXzxDKU9FfjaI_0fEeHIpyRx9emSya1irY-r-6IHTst7Aqq201IQ5WkbSTAOo8IcQXw_oUd64JSU7qvQcWsDViFI6FG/s1600/IMG_2956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9JderfbiDXnBgdMj8KcADFxZ5bNeeUi1i7cbf3zsDBm8lA3BFiXzxDKU9FfjaI_0fEeHIpyRx9emSya1irY-r-6IHTst7Aqq201IQ5WkbSTAOo8IcQXw_oUd64JSU7qvQcWsDViFI6FG/s200/IMG_2956.jpg" width="150" /></a>On Saturday, I went with some of my friends to La Reggia di Venaria, which is a royal house of the Savoy family. The palace is simple but gorgeous inside. The property also includes expansive gardens. They were beautiful this weekend so I can only imagine them in full bloom! I had to pay 15 euros because I thought I forgot my museum pass. It turns out that I had it with me the whole time! If you are interested in visiting palaces and multiple museums, I would highly suggest getting a museum pass for 30 euros.</div>
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It actually felt "hot" while we were exploring the Gardens. It was amazing!</div>
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It is really easy to get there. I took the 11 bus from Via Garibaldi/Piazza Castelllo straight for about half an hour. </div>
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Sunday was just as beautiful. I met up with Sarah and Jen at Parco Valentino. Parco Valentino is a park that lines the river from Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle to around the Nizza metro stop. There were so many families and couples enjoying the weather. We just put down blankets and did homework and relaxed. </div>
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The warm weather continued in to the night. My roommate Rosa and I ate pizza at the very close by <a href="http://www.laspaccanapoli.it/">La Spaccanapoli</a> and explored a new area behind behind Via Garibaldi and Piazza Castello with a lot of restaurants. Of course, we got gelato. </div>
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-69069806764000595122013-04-11T12:14:00.000-07:002013-04-12T03:59:26.395-07:00Sandeman ToursHi all! I just wanted to take a moment to say that I do still exist, despite the lack of posts on my end. The semester has definitely gotten a lot busier in the past few weeks, and I feel like I have been traveling and studying nonstop. Since my last post I have gone to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Munich, and Genoa. It has been an amazing two weeks but I'm completely exhausted from sight-seeing and ready for a relaxing weekend in Nice, France. After this weekend I plan to stay in Torino and spend some time enjoying the warmer weather!<br />
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While I could go on and on about the traveling I've done the past few weeks, I wanted to take a minute to recommend an amazing tour company. My boyfriend and I went to Munich this past weekend, and really wanted to get the full experience from the city. A friend had recommended Sandeman's New Europe tours, and after the great experience we had with them I felt I should pass the word along. The company offers tours in 14 cities across Europe and Isreal, including major cities London, Paris, Barcelona, and Amsterdam.<br />
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For Munich, the Sandeman's offered five unique and interesting tours. We chose to do the free walking tour of the city, the Third Reich tour, and a tour of the famous beer halls of Munich. The best thing about this company is its tour guides. First of all, they are extremely knowledgeable about the city and its history. On top of that, they make the experience fun and interactive (even when it's freezing and raining). It's hard to have very high expectations when taking a free tour, but I was blown away by how good the experience was. The other two tours were not free, but also not expensive at all. The company also gives a discount to students. The tour of the beer halls was an absolute blast; we had the opportunity to meet other people from all over the world and learn about the history of the beer halls as well as German drinking traditions. I also greatly appreciated that the company offered two very convenient and easy to find meeting places for all of the tours.<br />
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The company also offers tours to Dachau concentration camp as well as Neuschwanstein Castle, both a short trip outside the city. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to do these, but from what I've heard they are both definitely worth the trip. It is hard to fit everything this beautiful city has to offer into two short days.<br />
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It's great to know that this company operates in so many places; they are a great resource to use if you really want to get the most out of your time in a given city. Traveling has so much more meaning when you also know the history and significance behind everything you see.<br />
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Here is the link to Sandeman's website, where you can find information about all of their locations and different tours:<br />
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http://www.neweuropetours.eu/<br />
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To top it off, here are a few photos from the trip! As always, let me know if you have questions!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16160527457824262833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-66449536143466730072013-04-11T08:16:00.001-07:002013-05-06T14:03:38.378-07:00To Travel or Not to Travel?March was absolutely exhausting! As much fun and rewarding traveling is, it can be stressful and tiring when it is done back to back. Not to mention, it drains you of money. I've had an amazing time on the trips I've taken so far and I feel so blessed that I had the chance to go on them, but I am so happy to be back to Torino for a while.<br />
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Europe is a fantastic location for studying abroad because it is so convenient to visit other places and experience new cultures. There are plenty of places you can fly or take a train or bus to in only a weekend. Many students in my program have decided to do just that, every weekend. With out a doubt I could find more than enough places I'd like to see while I am here, but I've come to the realization after my trip-packed March, that I want to spend the rest of the time I have in Europe in Torino. (This is not including a long weekend trip to Sardegna with my cousin that I am over the moon about, and the trips I will take with my parents when they visit me at the end of this program.)<br />
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Here is why:<br />
1) I am hopefully going to travel to Europe again. I will not, however, "live" again in Torino.<br />
2) There is so much to do here that I haven't done yet!<br />
3) Spring is coming and it is going to be amazing here!<br />
4) There is a lot of school work coming up.<br />
5) My favorite kebab shop is here.<br />
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So, for my first after March free weekend I caught up on sleep, walked up to Monte dei Cappucini, shopped, read, and enjoyed time with my roommates. I am looking forward to this coming weekend. There weather should be beautiful and I am planning to visit the Royal Gardens and hike up to Superga.<br />
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Monte dei Cappucini </td></tr>
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-4872218279774267132013-04-04T05:21:00.000-07:002013-04-04T05:21:58.007-07:00It's Spring!...sort of<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We've had two beautiful spring days here in Torino, and of course today it is raining and cold (but I guess that is how spring is throughout Europe). I'm so excited for the warmer weather!</div>
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Jen and Diana, who I had a lovely time with over spring break, are also writing blogs for their study abroad experiences. </div>
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Check them out!</div>
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Jen: <a href="http://jennsommerville.blogspot.it/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://jennsommerville.blogspot.it/</a></div>
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Diana: <a href="http://dianabrownstein.blogspot.it/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://dianabrownstein.blogspot.it/</a></div>
Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-91739067284361457332013-04-03T07:48:00.000-07:002013-04-03T07:48:51.298-07:00What to do When You Almost Miss Your Flight in the Wee Hours of the Morning and Other Fun From LondonI spent the four day easter weekend in London with my best friend who is currently studying in Paris.<br />
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It was so lovely and stress free, until I had to leave, but I'll start with all the highlights!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4VkKrswrZDs7Z-fvbBIH6WJ3nCf79dKyFC9qpend5AC-jeGYEidmnQRs8bc2uD2-EbHIzRsNYscKMhObg9_rqkWohbVS-JxlNXfW-xKS1hOXGDZpqhjJr5TJHRD5yxOeNY9G7NyiPLk5/s1600/IMG_2826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4VkKrswrZDs7Z-fvbBIH6WJ3nCf79dKyFC9qpend5AC-jeGYEidmnQRs8bc2uD2-EbHIzRsNYscKMhObg9_rqkWohbVS-JxlNXfW-xKS1hOXGDZpqhjJr5TJHRD5yxOeNY9G7NyiPLk5/s200/IMG_2826.jpg" width="150" /></a>Friday, we took the tube to Picadilly circus and walked from there, through Lester Square to Covent Garden. The tube is London's metro system and it is ridiculously expensive. It costs around 4 pounds for a single ticket. If you spending a short time in London and plan to see a lot of the city, get the day pass which costs 7 pounds and can be used as many times as you like.<br />
Covent Garden is an area with a lot of cute shops, restaurants, and street performers. We ate at <a href="http://www.candycakes.com/">Candy Cake</a>s, a cupcake shop I went to in 10th grade where I had the best cupcake in my life. I got the same blueberry one and it was just as amazing.<br />
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Saturday, we visited the <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/">Victoria Albert museum</a>, which houses everything from metal work, jewelry, and modern photography. Like most museums in London, admission is free except for special exhibits.<br />
Next, we attempted to go to the <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/">Natural History Museum</a>, which is right next door, but we didn't feel like waiting in a very cold line for an hour. Kyra, my roommate, who was also in London for the weekend, told me that every last friday of the month, the museum stays open past hours with open exhibits, music, food, and drinks. I wish I had known!<br />
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We then peeked our heads into <a href="http://www.harrods.com/">Harrods</a>, a luxury department store that is famous for its Egyptian escalator. We just smelled perfumes, rode up and down the escalator, and left for some more affordable shopping on Oxford street.<br />
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Sunday, we saw Buckingham Palace and went on a search for some stereotypical London guards.<br />
We went to the <a href="http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/">National Gallery</a>, which is at Trafalgar square. I wish I had spent more time there! It had a really impressive collection of art including Van Gough's Sunflowers! Trafalgar square is known for the huge lion statues flanking Nelson's column. We attempted to get pictures on a lion's back, but unlink all the agile kids, we didn't have parents to shove us up a lion's butt.<br />
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Close by the National Gallery is the <a href="http://www.npg.org.uk/">National Portrait Gallery</a>. It was also free, but Rachael and I spent 10 pounds to see the amazing Man Ray photography exhibit, which is staying until the end of May.<br />
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Last but not least, we stopped at King's Cross Station so I could see Platform 9 3/4. There was a huge line of people taking photos pretending they were going to Hogwarts. If only I had the time...<br />
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The food was great! I had fish and chips twice, Indian, Lebanese and French food, and bagels.<br />
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So, my hostel told me that I could call a cab to the easybus pickup two minutes before I had to leave. When I called, I was told it would be 20 minutes. I had the chance to take a later bus, so I said okay, but the cab was another 20 minutes late. I wasn't going to make another bus, and I didn't want to have to change my flight. I knew there wouldn't be another flight with Ryanair, which meant I would have to spend probably way to much money on another. I was panicking. I begged the cab driver to take me all the way to the airport. He said it would cost me 75 pounds! I offered 50. I ended up paying 65, but he speed there and I made my flight. Now, I know to research transportation beyond cab-bus-plane.<br />
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-13090231250257720652013-03-26T05:21:00.001-07:002013-03-26T05:21:37.064-07:00Rome and PompeiiThe top two places I wanted to visit while in Italy were Rome and Pompei. This weekend I got to visit both! Pompeii is a little out of the way from Rome (about 3 and half hours), but this was my only chance to visit a city I have wanted to see since sixth grade. I took a flight from Torino to Rome. You can also take a train, and if it is between a flight from Milan to Rome and a train, a train is probably a better option.<br />
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Neither Rome or Pompeii were how I was expecting them to be, but I really liked them all the same. From watching movies like <i>The Lizzie Mcguire Movie</i> and <i>To Rome with Love</i>, I imagined Italian pop singers wisking me away on vespas and getting lost on adorable tiny colorful streets. Instead I did a lot of running from one sightseeing place to the next among the thousands of tourists. But this wasn't necessarily bad. I got to visit all the famous and amazing monuments. I just wish I also could have had more time to walk around the other parts of the city and experience the city for what it is besides the major sightseeing places.<br />
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Colosseum/Roman Forum: For twelve euros you can visit the forum and colosseum. There are walking and audio tour options, but I enjoyed just taking my time and experiencing the space peacefully. I went on a Sunday, which is their busiest day, and the lines weren't that bad. Unless you are short for time and really want a guided tour, I would just do either the regular ticket or the five euro addition of the audio tour. The forum was one of my favorite places I visited in the city. Definitely worth it.<br />
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Trevi Fountain: I went first at night and then again during the day. It was more stunning at night, but go when ever you have time.<br />
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Spanish steps: Tourists! I wish I could see them with out mobs of people sitting on them, but I guess that's part of experience of the widest staircase in Europe.<br />
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Vatican City: I actually went here twice. First I went to visit Saint Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The Basilica, which is the largest in the world is absolutely breathtaking. It is free to get in. I almost fell for a guy advertising tours with the promise of skipping the lines. Don't do it. The line moved pretty quickly and during the wait we got to see the beautiful square. The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican museums which are very extensive. Because of time constraints, Katie and I were just really there to see the chapel, but we had to zig zag through rooms of the museum to make it to the chapel. It cost 8 euros for students (bring your id!) and 16 regularly. Be careful, because the sistine chapel is closed on some days like the last sunday of each month.<br />
On Sunday (Palm Sunday), the new Pope Francis gave his first mass, and we got to attend. It is free for any mass, but for this one 250,000 people filled Saint Peter's square. We didn't have tickets, yet we still managed to get seats. It was a really really cool experience despite the fact I'm not catholic, had to get up at 5:30 in the morning, and battle through crowds of people.<br />
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Pantheon: The only time I wish it had been raining while I visit a place, was when I stepped inside the Pantheon.<br />
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On to the best, Pompeii! We had to take train to Naples and then one of Pompeii. We decided to stop for lunch in Naples because why not and we got pizza because that's what you eat in Naples. On the way back we also stopped in Naples and attempted to find the beach but the metro system was so slow, we got two stops in and had to turn back.<br />
Anyway...I didn't fully realize how awesome the ruins of Pompeii were until I left. Go, go, go! It cost 11 euros to get inside (and I paid 5 euros for a useless audio guide). Katie and I listened in to some of the group tours to pick up facts. For example, old recipe books were found and reviled the heavy use of garlic in their cooking.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark chocolate with wine, raspberry and sage, <br />pear and caramel gelato at Gelateria del Teatro</td></tr>
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-87574607775327556512013-03-21T08:14:00.000-07:002013-03-21T08:14:01.100-07:00Spring Break in Italia!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ciao a tutti! I still can't believe how lucky I was to be able to spend Spring break in Italy. I was fortunate enough to have my parents come as well, and got to show them a little bit of Torino. Over break we traveled to Florence, Pisa, Rome, and Pompeii. Pisa and Pompeii were both day trips, so most of our time was spent in Florence and Rome.</div>
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First, I have to say that I was a little worried about going to so few places over break. Everyone that I talked to had elaborate plans to visit as many countries as possible during our time off. My parents had planned everything on their own, and I was pretty much along for the ride. Looking back, I'm so thankful that we stuck to just a few places in Italy. Not only did I get to experience more of the country I live in, I got to actually take enough time to fully appreciate each place. </div>
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We spent about three days in Florence. Had the weather been more friendly, I would probably have much more to tell. I saw most of the city from underneath an umbrella, but it was stunning regardless. We were lucky enough to have the sun come out just long enough to climb to the top of the Duomo and experience the break-taking panoramic view. Going to the top is an absolute must-do if you're in Florence. Even someone who is deathly afraid of heights (like me) will be so glad to have done it. The sheer size of the building is incredible, and to be at the top is definitely surreal. </div>
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Another must-do in Florence is the Galleria dell'Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's statue of David as well as many other significant works of art. We have likely all seen countless photos of the David, but nothing compares to seeing it in person. I was amazed at how large and detailed the statue actually is. I can truly appreciate all of the work that went into this masterpiece after experiencing it first-hand. </div>
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Another of my Favorites from Florence was the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge over the Amo River. It is known for the shops that run along each side of it, which are mainly jewelry stores. I thought it was absolutely beautiful and so unique from anything I had ever seen. </div>
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My best advice for Florence is to simply walk everywhere. Most of the attractions are within walking distance of one another, and it's the best way to really appreciate the beautiful scenery. </div>
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Our next stop was in Pisa on our way to Rome. The train ride took less than an hour and we got to see a little more of Tuscany on the way. You really don't need more than a couple of hours to see the leaning tower, the cathedral, and the baptistry, which all happen to be right next to each other! We decided to climb to the top of the tower, thinking that we would regret it if we didn't. It was a little pricy (18 € per person), but definitely worth it, plus it felt like a piece of cake after climbing the Duomo in Florence! Regardless of the rumors that Pisa doesn't have much to offer, I thought the city itself was charming, colorful, and very serene.<br />
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Next we were off to Rome, which for me was the highlight of the whole trip. We started our time in Rome with a day tour to Naples and Pompeii. My parents booked the trip through Vastours (http://www.vastours.it/) before coming. The tour took all day and stopped briefly in Naples for a quick walking tour, then went on to Pompeii. For me, 30 minutes in Naples was plenty. But I'm sure that depends on personal preference. I was much more excited to get to Pompeii. I have wanted to visit the ancient city since learning about it in middle school. </div>
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To sum it up, Pompeii was unbelievable. I had very high expectations and it lived up to them in every way. We also had a fantastic tour guide, provided by Vastours, who made the experience all the more interesting. He was so funny and interactive that we almost forgot that it was windy and freezing. Almost. </div>
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It is hard to even put into words how amazing the experience was. But I will say this: GO! It was unbelievable that everything is so well preserved. Nowhere else will you be able to see anything like it. </div>
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Back to Rome! Where do I even begin. Rome was incredible and I would go back in a heartbeat. Absolutely everything was beautiful and had its own rich history. It turned out that we got to Rome the day after the Pope Francis was elected. We thought the city would be teeming with tourists, but it really wasn't bad at all. We actually went to the Vatican on the Saturday after the election and I was shocked at how small the crowds were. Unfortunately for us, the Sistine Chapel was still closed from the conclave. However, the Vatican museum was still incredible in its size and collections. We chose reserve our tickets online before going (http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html), which allowed us to skip the long lines. </div>
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St. Peter's Square was also a surreal experience. I've seen it on TV so many times that it was hard to believe that I was actually there. We spent about four days in Rome, which I really felt was the perfect amount of time. We spent a lot of time just walking around and taking it all in (and eating gelato). During our time there we also visited the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Roman Forum, and the Colosseum. </div>
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The Roman Forum and the Colosseum were definitely a highlight as well. The Roman Forum is the remains of the ancient government buildings at the center of Rome. You can buy one ticket at the entrance to the Forum for 12 € that allows you entrance into the Forum, the Palatine Hill (Former home of the emperor Augustus and one of the most ancient parts of Rome), and the Colosseum. We easily spent about four hours here, and I easily could have spent even longer if it hadn't started raining. Seeing the Colosseum was the absolute best way to end my time there. It's something I've wanted to see my whole life.</div>
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I would say Spring break was a complete success. This weekend I'm off to Paris with my parents, so more on that to come! As always, if you have any questions about the trip feel free to ask!</div>
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Ciao for now!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16160527457824262833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-8447837831241074192013-03-20T19:31:00.000-07:002013-03-26T05:24:34.168-07:00Spring Break: Madrid and Lisbon!I spent the 10 days of spring break with my friend Sarah traveling from Madrid, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal. Our flight to Madrid was out of Milan, so we decided to spend the day before in Milan and visit the city. Bad idea. It rained nonstop. We visited the Duomo and pretty much gave up after that. Instead, we napped and rested up for the rest of break at our hostel. I think we would have had a better opinion of the city if the weather was nicer, but most of the other students I have talked to, also disliked Milan. It was also supposed to rain in both Madrid and Lisbon, but thankfully we were safe most of the time.<br />
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I'm going to start off by saying I absolutely loved Madrid. The architecture, the people, the museums, the atmosphere, the food! The first afternoon we visited the world famous <a href="http://www.museodelprado.es/en">Prado museum</a>. They have free hours from 6 to 8 pm, but beware that the museum is huge and it may take more than a couple hours. Also, the gift shop closes early. (I spend an unhealthy amount of time in museum gift shops.)<br />
For dinner, we met up with Jen and Diana, also from USAC, and looked for a tapas place in touristy Puerta del Sol area. 1st mistake. I ordered some very interesting tapas (duck kebab in yogurt sauce and strawberry crab gazpacho) that was very very small and equally as expensive. I had to get a 2 euro slice of pizza to compensate. The next night, we went to El Tigre, a very popular tapas place with three locations all in close proximity of each other. I went with four others. We each ordered a huge drink for 6 euros and received more than enough typical spanish tapas.<br />
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I also visited the botanical gardens in light rain (it smelled really nice), the <a href="http://www.museothyssen.org/en/thyssen/home">Thyssen-Bornemisza museum</a>, and the <a href="http://www.museoreinasofia.es/index_en.html">Renia Sofia museum</a>. I had to pay 8 euros for the Thyssen, but I think I would of had to pay double that without my student ID, so always carry that with you. The Renia Sofia was free after 2:30, which was nice because I zoomed though the museum just so I could see Piacaso's famous Guernica. I spent a good 20 minutes looking at the painting. (Piacaso is my favorite painter, so this was a big deal for me/maybe one of the top reasons I wanted to visit Madrid in the first place).<br />
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In both Madrid and Lisbon, we did two free walking tours organized by our hostels. Great way to see things and learn things you might not by exploring on your own.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaza Mayor (don't eat in the beautiful tourist trap)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parco del Retiro </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Puerta del Sol, the center of Madrid, the center of Spain</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Churros from Chocolateria San Gines, <br />
which is open 24/7 except for New Years. Go!<br />
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Lisbon was a lot different from Madrid. It is built on seven hills (very hilly) and is along a huge river. Our hostel was a couple blocks from the river and on the main shopping streets. Jen and Diana were staying at a hostel one street close to the river from us, and Sarah and I ended up hanging out there more often than ours. It was the coolest hostel I have seen, called <a href="http://www.yeshostels.com/en/site/lisbon">Yes Hostel</a>, and is amazing. There is also one in Porto, Portugal. The people working there treated us like guests, they had a great dinner option, a bar, free walking tours, and organized a pub crawl.<br />
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There is a huge castle on the top of one hill in Lisbon. Go up near there for the views, but don't spend the money to go inside. There is also a elevator in the middle of the city for another great view, but if you walk up a couple hills, you can get the same views for free. There are a lot of day trips/half day trips around Lisbon. Each place cost only 2.50 euros to get to and back from. We visited Sintra, which is a town with castles, beaches, and a forest. The two hilltop castles, which we skipped, are about 6 to 12 euros to explore but they offer amazing views. Instead we went to <a href="http://www.regaleira.pt/">Quinta da Regaleria</a>, the property of a King's summer residence that includes towers and underground caves and grottos. Cascais, the closest beach town, was so beautiful. You can rent bikes for free and ride along the coast. Belèm is still in Lisbon, a 20 minute tram ride from the city center. We saw the huge monastary, the tower of Belèm, and ate where the best and original <a href="http://www.pasteisdebelem.pt/">Natas</a> are made (portuguese custard pastries).<br />
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Barrio Alto is a relatively small neighborhood in Lisbon where there are about 300 bars. Its a great place to experience the night life of Lisbon. There are also a lot of less touristy restaurants with authentic Portuguese food.<br />
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The last day was rainy, so I visited the aquarium of Lisbon, which is one of the biggest in Europe. It cost 14 euros to see the temporary turtle exhibit and the main building. If you enjoy aquariums and have extra time in Lisbon, this is a great option. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cascais</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The River</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the old city, Alfama</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinta da Regaleira</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower of Belèm</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nata heaven</td></tr>
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<br />Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817906684541360464.post-74538671926419239232013-03-05T12:00:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:00:26.872-08:00The "Study" in Study AbroadMy home university, Goucher College, is the only college in America where studying abroad is required. This played a huge part in me picking Goucher. So, the going to school aspect of studying abroad was really important to me. Yet, only one of the classes I am taking counts for my minor, and I don't really feel like I'm <i>in </i>school still...which can be good and bad. Still, I am really enjoying this experience. I am used to studying at a very small and condensed campus. But in Torino, I travel 30 minutes to school once or twice a day. I feel like I am learning just as much from being in a big historic city as I am in my classes.<br />
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I go to school at the business school of the University of Torino. Most students in my program are either business or marketing majors, but there are also quite a few design students. I am a history major and art history minor, yet I still found classes that are related to what I am studying back home.<br />
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Everyone in my program is required to take at least a six week intensive Italian course. I am also taking intermediate 2 because I want to complete my school's language requirement while abroad. Learning Italian was really important to me, but so far it has been a slow process. I took two semesters at Goucher and I have learned a lot more since being here, but taking what I am learning in the classroom and using it in conversation with Italians is a lot harder than I expected. </div>
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Next, I am taking Italian culture, which is sort of just for fun. The same professor who teaches that class is also my professor for International Affairs. I am also taking History of Modern Design, which is the class that counts for my minor. </div>
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My favorite class is cuisine. We go to an Italian woman's house, where we spend the first two hours cooking and learning about the history and culture of Italian cooking. Then, we get to enjoy our efforts with a multiple course meal. </div>
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All study abroad programs are different. Some are less focused on studying and are more about having a crazy fun time abroad. I think my program has a good balance of academics and fun. It is also what you make it. I feel like there is plenty of time to study, explore the city, go out, and travel to different places. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade Jam Tart </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiramisu </td></tr>
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Hannah Spiegelman http://www.blogger.com/profile/05154897436077461732noreply@blogger.com0