Sharing double dutch tricks in front of the Eiffel Tower! (sorry it's sideways...i can't figure out how to fix it)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
SPRING BREAK 2011: Adventures in the United Kingdom
Part One-- Dublin, Ireland (March 18th-21st)
Steph, Sophia, Lindsay, and I woke up at the crack of dawn (literally) to catch the 5:50AM train to Rome. Of course, ran a little behind, and had to jog the last couple blocks with suitcases to the train station. Sweaty and sore. Not the best way to start the trip. We arrived in Rome, and decided to take a taxi to the airport. Bonus: Drove through the city and saw some ancient ruins along the way. Caught our flight, and we were on the way to Dublin.
Dublin was....everything I had hoped for. The Irish are by-far the most friendly people I have ever met. On multiple occasions, people came up to us and asked us if we were lost. They also went out of their way to engage in conversation; asked where we were from, told us places to go in the city, and other useful advice. They found us interesting, not "annoying Americans," which is how I often feel I am perceived in Italy.
That night, we decided to go to a nearby town for dinner, Tallaght (pronounced Tale-ah), where Steph, Sophia, and I enjoyed burgers at Captain America's. The town was not nearly as charming or "cute" as we had hoped for, but we made the best of the night after an exhausting day of travel.
An interesting encounter in Tallaght: As we were waiting to catch the bus back to the hotel, an Irish man started conversation with us, asking where we were from. We answered California (which was commonly used as an easy response since we're all from different places), and he went on a rant about how there is nothing worthwhile in Ireland, or the entirety of Europe, and that we should go back to California as soon as possible. He kept referring to Ireland as a "kit," which I can assume meant a really undesirable place (or the more crude phrasing). The rant continued, until it randomly switched to saying that America is "raping and pillaging all of Europe," "shoving Macky D's down their throats," etc. It was pretty hilarious to say the least. Don't think he was very sane.
We spent Saturday in downtown Dublin, doing the tourist thing. Got a delicious lunch of fish & chips, did a little shopping around, and went to the Guinness Storehouse. For those that don't know, Guinness is a famous Irish brewery founded in Dublin. The "Storehouse" is seven floors dedicated to Guinness; its history, how its made, etc. There are also interactive games, for example, on one floor, you learn how to pour the "perfect pint." Also, with your admission to the Storehouse, each guest receives a free pint of Guinness in the Gravity Lounge on the 7th floor, which has a 360 degree view of the city. It was really cool, and the Guinness was actually really good. The Irish claim that once the beer leaves the borders of Ireland, it doesn't taste the same. We spent the rest of the night in the Temple Bar district in Dublin, where a lot of the famous pubs are. There was some good live music, but way too crowded.
Sunday was another day spent in downtown Dublin. We did some more touristy things, such as seeing the city's medieval castle, a beautiful garden, and went to the Dublinia, a medieval museum. Exhausted from doing all that kind of stuff, Sophia, Steph, and I found our way to the oldest pub in Dublin, the Brazen Head. At 4:00PM on a Sunday afternoon, the place was packed with people of all ages. And when I say all ages, I mean babies to 80-year-olds. I realized that in Ireland, pubs are a place to socialize with the community, not for getting drunk (although that often comes with it). The three of us went in with the intentions of resting over a beer, and ended up staying all night. We became acquainted with the various people in the pub and enjoyed the most beautiful authentic Irish music played by a group of locals. My favorite part of the whole trip.
Part Two-- Galway, Ireland (March 21st-22nd)
At this point, most of the roommates parted ways, and Steph and I finished out the week together. Just us two, we decided it would be fun to spend a night in a smaller town of Ireland. We ventured across the country on bus, to the adorable seaside town of Galway. It was a quaint Monday in the town, so we got a good dinner, walked around, then retired to our B&B with a view of the ocean. We were happy girls.
We spent the next morning wandering around town, before we had to catch our bus to the airport. Galway was both charming and cute, wish I could have spent more time there.
Part Three-- London, England (March 22nd-26th)
Love love love London. I am serious when I say I want to move there. So many beautiful parks, quirky shops, sexy accents....and it helped that the weather was absolutely gorgeous too.
Minor setback to start off the trip: our jail cell of a hostel.
But really it wasn't that bad, besides the shower/bathroom situation. Or maybe I'm just making the best out of it in hindsight. Anyways, settled ourselves in to our beautiful new home for the night, then went out wandering the city. We found ourselves a Starbucks (!) right off the bat to get a little taste of home. I have never been to NYC, but Steph decided that parts of London are pretty similar.
Steph and I literally walked the whole city of London, making our way to the city's various famous sites. We brought bagels and cream cheese to St. James Park, then made our way to Buckingham Palace to see the queen. Contrary to popular belief, the famous palace guards stand behind the gate, so we were not able to mess with them and try to make them break their stern faces. Next, we saw Big Ben (the famous clock tower) and the London Eye (see below).
Sorry for the extremely long post...and still so much to talk about! So many memories and so many stories, I wish I could share them all in person. So blessed and so thankful for this experience. I'll add more soon!
Part One-- Dublin, Ireland (March 18th-21st)
Steph, Sophia, Lindsay, and I woke up at the crack of dawn (literally) to catch the 5:50AM train to Rome. Of course, ran a little behind, and had to jog the last couple blocks with suitcases to the train station. Sweaty and sore. Not the best way to start the trip. We arrived in Rome, and decided to take a taxi to the airport. Bonus: Drove through the city and saw some ancient ruins along the way. Caught our flight, and we were on the way to Dublin.
Napping on train (Sophia, me)
Dublin was....everything I had hoped for. The Irish are by-far the most friendly people I have ever met. On multiple occasions, people came up to us and asked us if we were lost. They also went out of their way to engage in conversation; asked where we were from, told us places to go in the city, and other useful advice. They found us interesting, not "annoying Americans," which is how I often feel I am perceived in Italy.
Dublin in a nutshell
That night, we decided to go to a nearby town for dinner, Tallaght (pronounced Tale-ah), where Steph, Sophia, and I enjoyed burgers at Captain America's. The town was not nearly as charming or "cute" as we had hoped for, but we made the best of the night after an exhausting day of travel.
An interesting encounter in Tallaght: As we were waiting to catch the bus back to the hotel, an Irish man started conversation with us, asking where we were from. We answered California (which was commonly used as an easy response since we're all from different places), and he went on a rant about how there is nothing worthwhile in Ireland, or the entirety of Europe, and that we should go back to California as soon as possible. He kept referring to Ireland as a "kit," which I can assume meant a really undesirable place (or the more crude phrasing). The rant continued, until it randomly switched to saying that America is "raping and pillaging all of Europe," "shoving Macky D's down their throats," etc. It was pretty hilarious to say the least. Don't think he was very sane.
We spent Saturday in downtown Dublin, doing the tourist thing. Got a delicious lunch of fish & chips, did a little shopping around, and went to the Guinness Storehouse. For those that don't know, Guinness is a famous Irish brewery founded in Dublin. The "Storehouse" is seven floors dedicated to Guinness; its history, how its made, etc. There are also interactive games, for example, on one floor, you learn how to pour the "perfect pint." Also, with your admission to the Storehouse, each guest receives a free pint of Guinness in the Gravity Lounge on the 7th floor, which has a 360 degree view of the city. It was really cool, and the Guinness was actually really good. The Irish claim that once the beer leaves the borders of Ireland, it doesn't taste the same. We spent the rest of the night in the Temple Bar district in Dublin, where a lot of the famous pubs are. There was some good live music, but way too crowded.
Guinness in the Gravity Lounge (Sophia, me, Stephanie)
Sunday was another day spent in downtown Dublin. We did some more touristy things, such as seeing the city's medieval castle, a beautiful garden, and went to the Dublinia, a medieval museum. Exhausted from doing all that kind of stuff, Sophia, Steph, and I found our way to the oldest pub in Dublin, the Brazen Head. At 4:00PM on a Sunday afternoon, the place was packed with people of all ages. And when I say all ages, I mean babies to 80-year-olds. I realized that in Ireland, pubs are a place to socialize with the community, not for getting drunk (although that often comes with it). The three of us went in with the intentions of resting over a beer, and ended up staying all night. We became acquainted with the various people in the pub and enjoyed the most beautiful authentic Irish music played by a group of locals. My favorite part of the whole trip.
Christ Church Cathedral
Me being a viking warrior at Dublinia
Part Two-- Galway, Ireland (March 21st-22nd)
At this point, most of the roommates parted ways, and Steph and I finished out the week together. Just us two, we decided it would be fun to spend a night in a smaller town of Ireland. We ventured across the country on bus, to the adorable seaside town of Galway. It was a quaint Monday in the town, so we got a good dinner, walked around, then retired to our B&B with a view of the ocean. We were happy girls.
We spent the next morning wandering around town, before we had to catch our bus to the airport. Galway was both charming and cute, wish I could have spent more time there.
Street in Galway
Part Three-- London, England (March 22nd-26th)
Love love love London. I am serious when I say I want to move there. So many beautiful parks, quirky shops, sexy accents....and it helped that the weather was absolutely gorgeous too.
Minor setback to start off the trip: our jail cell of a hostel.
Steph and I literally walked the whole city of London, making our way to the city's various famous sites. We brought bagels and cream cheese to St. James Park, then made our way to Buckingham Palace to see the queen. Contrary to popular belief, the famous palace guards stand behind the gate, so we were not able to mess with them and try to make them break their stern faces. Next, we saw Big Ben (the famous clock tower) and the London Eye (see below).
The London Eye (ferris wheel)
We also went to Madame Tussaud's, the famous wax museum. A mix between creepy and cool, I got pictures with various "celebrities." The wax figures look so real that I kept forgetting they weren't the real people...needless to say I did many double takes to realize that I wasn't actually standing across the room from George Clooney or Lady Gaga.
Hanging out with Robin...Steven Spielberg in the background.
London also introduced me to my new favorite place in the world: Regent's Park. The park is famous for its rose gardens, with 400 different varieties and about 30,000 roses. It is also the meeting place of the couple in Disney's 101 Dalmatians, one of my favorites as a kid. Wish I had the words to explain the beauty of this place...but here's a picture.
Regent's Park
Sorry for the extremely long post...and still so much to talk about! So many memories and so many stories, I wish I could share them all in person. So blessed and so thankful for this experience. I'll add more soon!
Nearing 6 o'clock in the evening, I sit in the kitchen with the sun shining in through the open windows, emitting a refreshing breeze. I can hear the noise of the streets, which are packed with tourists viewing the historical landmark that lies in my front yard: Il Duomo di Firenze, a gothic style cathedral built in 1296.
For months I complained about the freezing cold. For months I had to wear layer upon layer of clothing to stay warm. However, in the ten days spent away from my casa di Italia, the place has completely transformed. But more on that later.
For months I complained about the freezing cold. For months I had to wear layer upon layer of clothing to stay warm. However, in the ten days spent away from my casa di Italia, the place has completely transformed. But more on that later.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
I really need to learn how to cook.
Came home from class tonight hungry, as always, and I went to the pantry to find something to eat. Not much to choose from. I pulled some eggs out of the back of the cupboard, thinking that I could conjure up some delicious breakfast-like meal, since I haven't had a hearty breakfast since I've been here. Butter to pan, eggs in pan...and I get a little side-tracked. I remember about the eggs about five minutes later, and they're a little stuck to the pan. I proceed to scrape eggs off pan, add salt and pepper, and take a bite. Not so good. I squirt a little ketchup on the side, do a little dipsies into the ketchup to hopefully add some flavor, and....still not so good. I gave it a few more bites just not to be wasteful, but now I sit here with a stomach ache.
It's so strange to me that breakfast, my favorite meal of the day, basically does not exist in Italy. The Italian interpretation of "breakfast" is biscotti and a cappuccino. Not sufficient in the slightest. I'm not sure if it's just an American marketing scam, but I recall being told over and over again how important it is to eat a good breakfast. Guess that's not the case in Italy? (Another cultural difference to add to the list.)
On a side note, I have discovered that an "American-style" breakfast consists of eggs and bacon. Huh. Things you learn while abroad.
Plan B: PB & J, and it tastes as delicious as always.
Well....on that note, I guess I need to point out the fact that peanut butter is foreign in this country. Nutella is the spread of choice, and peanut butter is very expensive and hard to come by. Pure ridiculousness. I must admit that I have become a little too addicted to Nutella lately, but it could never qualify as a substitute for peanut butter, in my mind at least.
Came home from class tonight hungry, as always, and I went to the pantry to find something to eat. Not much to choose from. I pulled some eggs out of the back of the cupboard, thinking that I could conjure up some delicious breakfast-like meal, since I haven't had a hearty breakfast since I've been here. Butter to pan, eggs in pan...and I get a little side-tracked. I remember about the eggs about five minutes later, and they're a little stuck to the pan. I proceed to scrape eggs off pan, add salt and pepper, and take a bite. Not so good. I squirt a little ketchup on the side, do a little dipsies into the ketchup to hopefully add some flavor, and....still not so good. I gave it a few more bites just not to be wasteful, but now I sit here with a stomach ache.
It's so strange to me that breakfast, my favorite meal of the day, basically does not exist in Italy. The Italian interpretation of "breakfast" is biscotti and a cappuccino. Not sufficient in the slightest. I'm not sure if it's just an American marketing scam, but I recall being told over and over again how important it is to eat a good breakfast. Guess that's not the case in Italy? (Another cultural difference to add to the list.)
On a side note, I have discovered that an "American-style" breakfast consists of eggs and bacon. Huh. Things you learn while abroad.
Plan B: PB & J, and it tastes as delicious as always.
Well....on that note, I guess I need to point out the fact that peanut butter is foreign in this country. Nutella is the spread of choice, and peanut butter is very expensive and hard to come by. Pure ridiculousness. I must admit that I have become a little too addicted to Nutella lately, but it could never qualify as a substitute for peanut butter, in my mind at least.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
I'm taking a class called Body Language & Communication Techniques, which is listed as a communications course, but is more directed toward performance & theater, if anything. It's way different than anything I have studied before, and putting me way out of my comfort zone (which is turning out to be a common theme in this study abroad experience). Gotta love new challenges though.
The overall goal of the class is to strip our bodies of its bad habits, in regard to posture, ticks, etc., and form good habits in order to improve our ability to communicate. This "stripping" involves ridiculous and embarrassing performances, and I am constantly making a fool out of myself. Today's class revolved around the "neutral mask." (see below)
First, we warmed up with some yoga exercises and stretching (my favorite part of class), practiced walking "like there is a string pulling us from the top of our head," worked on posture, then eventually moved on to neutral mask. Our first exercise was to walk in front of the class in "neutral" character, which is a lot harder than you would think. It is so strange to see how much personality can be communicated simply by the way someone walks and carries themself. Before this class began, I didn't think I had much swagger, but today I learned otherwise. According to my professor, I have a "cat-like" walk, in that I sway my hips, pop my knees forward, have good coordination/reflexes, and dainty little footsteps. I'm glad to know that my feline ways have been confirmed by a professional. I guess I should look into a modeling career....catwalk....get it? (I have lame jokes.)
Also in neutral character, we had to act out the "Waking Up" exercise. This involved putting on the mask, lying on the floor, and "waking up" with absolutely no knowledge of our bodies or the world around us. Basically, we had to pretend we were little newborn baby deer seeing the world and walking for the first time. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me, but fun at the same time of course.
Every week in this class brings exciting and challenging activities, and, despite the embarrassment, it is usually one of the highlights of my week. I can already tell a difference in my posture, feel more confident in my "voice", and have grown to be very good at laughing at myself. I LOVE classes in Italy.
The overall goal of the class is to strip our bodies of its bad habits, in regard to posture, ticks, etc., and form good habits in order to improve our ability to communicate. This "stripping" involves ridiculous and embarrassing performances, and I am constantly making a fool out of myself. Today's class revolved around the "neutral mask." (see below)
First, we warmed up with some yoga exercises and stretching (my favorite part of class), practiced walking "like there is a string pulling us from the top of our head," worked on posture, then eventually moved on to neutral mask. Our first exercise was to walk in front of the class in "neutral" character, which is a lot harder than you would think. It is so strange to see how much personality can be communicated simply by the way someone walks and carries themself. Before this class began, I didn't think I had much swagger, but today I learned otherwise. According to my professor, I have a "cat-like" walk, in that I sway my hips, pop my knees forward, have good coordination/reflexes, and dainty little footsteps. I'm glad to know that my feline ways have been confirmed by a professional. I guess I should look into a modeling career....catwalk....get it? (I have lame jokes.)
Also in neutral character, we had to act out the "Waking Up" exercise. This involved putting on the mask, lying on the floor, and "waking up" with absolutely no knowledge of our bodies or the world around us. Basically, we had to pretend we were little newborn baby deer seeing the world and walking for the first time. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me, but fun at the same time of course.
Every week in this class brings exciting and challenging activities, and, despite the embarrassment, it is usually one of the highlights of my week. I can already tell a difference in my posture, feel more confident in my "voice", and have grown to be very good at laughing at myself. I LOVE classes in Italy.
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