Day VIII: Art/Pizza and Discussion

Howdy! Today was a relatively relaxing day compared to the week we have ahead of us.  Once again we split off into groups going to pizza and art lessons.

The group that went to pizza learned words for baking pizza in Italian such as "farina" which means flour. The entire pizza lesson was taught in Italian.  We learned how to mix and knead our own dough.  After attempting to knead it into a flower shape, we sent it off to be baked and were given toppings to put on our pizzas.  We spread tomato sauce on the dough and topped it with sausage, prosciutto, pepperoni, and tuna. Giovanna and Romano took our topped pizzas and cooked them immediately. When they were done, we indulged in our delicious pizza we ate a chocolate cake with Nutella as well as iced water!

The group that went to art learned how to make a press.  After observing a very detailed demonstration that showcased th
e entire process, we were allowed to make our own.  We began by spreading ink over a plastic platter by using a roller and then pressed various objects into that ink to make a design.  When we were satisfied with the design on our platter, we laid some paper over the platter and used a rolling press to transfer the ink onto paper.  Of course, the most popular color we used was Aggie maroon.

When we returned to the center, we ate lunch and listened to a discussion about the benefits and requirements of being in the honors program as well as the ways students can get involved on campus within the first few weeks of class. We were told of the numerous clubs and Freshman Leadership Organizations (FLOs) on campus that would be trying to recruit us.  After our discussion we ate dinner and went out for our nightly gelato, where Luke dazzled the locals with magic tricks.

Alex and Adam N.

Manuela and Alli showing off their art.

We had ice!

Russell showing off his roll.

The beginnings of our pizza!

Day 7: Mass, Pool, and Lee Walker!

[Enter Connor and Cole, conversing]

Both: "Howdy!  This is Connor Knight and Cole Williams!"

Connor: "Today was Sunday, so of course we were offered the option to attend a traditional Italian mass.  Since it was only an option, not everybody went, but we had enough people to adequately fill a good number of pews.  The mass was in Italian but we had packets to follow along.  We were even able to meet up with an English speaking priest who answered a lot of questions for us.  By the time we got back to the center some of the other kids had woken up and we had free time."

Cole: "I was one of the other kids who woke up late and had some free time--"

Connor: "Well at least you didn't get up at 2:30 like Albert."

Cole: "It sounds like there should be a joke in there somewhere but this is a blog so we have to be serious."

Connor: "yeh"

Cole: "So while people woke up early to go to mass, a bunch of

people stayed back at the center and just slept in and did some laundry, etc. etc."

Connor: "That sounds like fun!"

Cole: "yeh"

Connor: "So after mass, a group of us went down to the pool for some fun in the sun.  The weird thing was that they required us to wear swim caps--"

Cole: [Aside] "That is weird!"

Connor: "After swimming we worked our way into town because most of us hadn't eaten yet.  This was around 1:00 so we were pretty hungry considering that we had just swam for an hour.  Since it was Sunday almost every shop in town was closed, but we were able to find a nice pizza joint and enjoyed burning our mouths with some amazing pizza!  We got back to the center at about 2:30 -- half an hour late for our session. (Worth it.)"

Cole: "And that's why everyone hates you guys! So then we talked a lot about being healthy and safey on campus. We also learned the merits of packing a good sack lunch to a buffet. Afterwards, we met Mr. Lee Walker, an A&M alumni who has done pretty much everything. He has headed companies and has inspired others and has gone on boat trips to Africa and has probably lived a fuller life than anyone reading this blog has."

Connor: "I mean, seriously.  He's co-founded 'Live Strong,' served as president of Dell in its early years, inspired a line of Nike Air force 1's, and now owns a castle in the hills of Italy.  After his talk with us he even stuck around for dinner and the daily gelato run!"

Cole: "So that's basically today in a nutshell."

Both: "Connor and Cole out."

[Exeunt]

Day 6: Chillin', Arezzo, or Cortona and Other Fun and Games

Howdy! Today was sort of a free day. We had the option of staying in Castiglion Fiorentino, going to Arezzo, or traveling to Cortona. The day was beautiful and much cooler than yesterday (due to the continuous drizzle of rain we experienced yesterday). The group that went to Cortona first walked through a market before heading to an Etruscan Museum. It was an amazing place with ruins from an Etruscan site making up parts of the museum walls. It was filled with vases, urns, miniatures, terracotta works, and so much more. After that, my group ate lunch before missing our bus due to a language barrier. Although we were at the correct location and time, we missed a phrase on the bus stop sign mentioning that this stop was closed (Sospeso = suspended/closed in Italian in case you were curious). All ended well though, and we ended up arriving only around thirty minutes late for the next event.
The group that headed to Arezzo enjoyed a day of shopping and visiting ruins of a Roman amphitheater. Our trains to and from Arezzo were delayed, but we had just enough time in the city and enough time to get to our next event back in Castiglion Fiorentino.
Back at the Center, we all participated in a discussion about academics and what to expect from Texas A&M. Unfortunately, we were rudely interrupted by a thunderstorm that decided to bring hail and drenched some of our rooms (the strong wind blew some windows open). Once the rain desisted, we continued on with a group discussion indoors. We finished the day with gelato as usual.

Marie Evans and Miranda Freeman
Class of 2017!!!!!! 

Day 5: Vineyard and Cortona

Hello everyone!!! This is Emily and Madeline :)

Today was a really exciting and busy day! For breakfast we headed to some of the local cafes for breakfast, as usual, before starting off on our adventure! We were told before the trip that sometimes some girls like to dress up when we visit the vineyard....so we all wore dresses. :) It was about a forty minute walk to the vineyard but it was beautiful and the walk took us through some of the more rural areas. The views, as always around here, were gorgeous, and we took many pictures of the castle on the hill, the flowers, the olive trees, and each other. When we arrived we met Ricardo who runs the vineyard. Walking us around the countryside, Ricardo talked to us about the process of fertilizing the soil, how he protects his vines from fungi as naturally as possible, how they harvest olives and grapes, and of course, how wine and oil are made. After that we sat down to a wine sampling of a variety of wines as well as classic Italian pallet cleansers. We personally didn't care for the wines so we can't remember all of the specific names, but there was a Chardonnay and a Rosato. It was a unique cultural experience, and we were all very grateful towards the family that runs the business for sharing it with us. Some us thought that was lunch...but oh no! There was more! A full three course lunch was waiting for us after our uphill trek back. There was just enough time to catch a short nap if we chose before heading off to Cortona!

Our tour guide is the best tour guide ever! His name is Giovanni, the same tour guide who led us around in Arezzo a few days back. He keeps us laughing nonstop and shares all sorts of interesting and unique stories about the history and himself. We took a bus up to Cortona, a beautiful city on the summit of a hill overlooking the valley below. Though it was a bit rainy, the view was fantastic and we enjoyed every bit of it since it was a break from the heat. During our time in Cortona we visited several churches and the hermitage that Saint Francis of Assisi frequented during his lifetime. While walking we heard music from a distance...and we wondered, "What could that be?" We followed the sound to its source and discovered a choir from London, England on the steps of one of the buildings near the square. We really enjoyed ourselves listening, especially when they started singing songs from the Lion King! There was also a jazz group that was extremely fun to hear. After a dash through the rain to get back to the bus, we headed back to the center for dinner. Gelato of course is always a delicious part of our routine, and we ended the night very full and tired from a long day of walking.

We love Italy!!! It's so much fun, and every day is an unforgettable experience!!! We are SO excited for tomorrow!!! Thanks for making it through our conglomerated writing styles. :) We look forward to sharing more incredible experiences with everyone; getting to know our new friends has been a blast thus far :)

July 18th

Today we split into two groups to go to an art class and a cooking class. After sleeping in a little bit, most kids went to breakfast before heading off with our groups.

Group 1 left the center with Rossella, the Italian language teacher at the center. We walked down into the valley, about 4 kilometers to a little couple's house on a nice farm. It was a long, hot walk, and we were extremely grateful for water and delicious bread. Rossella gave us a cheat sheet with many Italian words and phrases that were useful to know, such as lavorare l'impasto (to knead). They gave us ingredients and we all sat outside and made our own bread into flower shapes. Then, we made pizza from scratch: one with sausage, pepperoni, and ham, one with olives and ham, and one with tuna fish and onions. We waited for a few minutes while it cooked, and once it was done it was absolutely delicious. After the meal, we got our bread and some olive oil as souvenirs. Some of us walked home and some took a taxi, and then we showered up and relaxed until group time with everyone.

 

Rachel Rosenberg

 

After breakfast this morning, group two left the study center for a small art studio in Castiglion Fiorentino. Luckily, our walk was not  four kilometers. The art studio is owned by a man who was born in Wyoming, so his instructions for ink printing were not complicated by a language barrier. Unfortunately for me, this means that I do not have any viable excuse for the paper that I contaminated today. Our art lesson was entertaining, even if competence was a struggle. The instructor, Rick, was quite good and it was interesting to see him mix his own oil paints in the studio. His studio also overlooks the city below - not a shabby place for an art studio. After our printing, group two had a nice short walk back to the studio for lunch. I intended to post pictures of the food, but I forgot to take pictures from today. After lunch, we had a group discussion about leadership and StrengthsQuest. With such an intelligent bunch of students, there are always some interesting examples that are used to explain topics of conversation. Physics analogies are generally not appreciated by those among us who are normal enough to not enjoy physics. Today was our first group discussion and it was very insightful. Our student, and adult, leaders truly are doing a fantastic job. There is an excellent balance of relaxed and serious personality, and I think I can speak for the group when I say I appreciate it. I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors.

 

Benjamin Jack

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3: Fun Times in Fabulous Florence

Today, we started the day by waking up early to catch our morning train to Florence! The Center was sweet enough to provide small pastries and juice boxes for breakfast, but many of us stopped to grab a bite on the way to the train station. After a beautiful train ride through the Tuscan countryside, we arrived in Firenze S.M.N. train station. We were met by our knowledgeable tour guide, Laura, who provided us with a wealth of knowledge about all of history surrounding us, starting with Santa Maria Novela, and working our way to San Lorenzo and Santa Croce. Most of our tour was spent in Santa Croce, where we were able to appreciate tombs and mausoleums of several famous Italians, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. Afterwards, we were allowed to visit the leather crafting school located in the Santa Croce monastery, where we could observe artisans creating and detailing exquisite leather goods. Next, we made our way to a quaint little restaurant for lunch. We ate a three course meal, consisting of bread and pasta, chicken with cream sauce, and finally ice cream! After lunch, the group divided into smaller independent clusters and we each got to choose our next destination. The majority of us climbed to the top of the Duomo, where we could gaze upon the beauties of Florence. Other points of interest included the Science Museum, the Santa Maria Novela Church, and the outdoor markets. After we had been thoroughly exhausted,. we made our way back to the train station to catch our train back to the Center. We had about an hour to relax before we enjoyed a dinner of even more pasta, perfectly seasoned pork, and biscotti. And of course, we made our daily gelato run after having some time to digest.

Ciao for now!!

Maddy Bailey and Adam Lapucha

Day 2: Arezzo

This morning, we were welcomed by Sharon, who runs the center. We learned some of the history of Santa Chiara and some tips for getting around town and fully embracing the Italian lifestyle. Some students went to local cafes this morning for breakfast and enjoyed Italy's finest pastries and cappuccinos, which we later learned are an example of the ever prevalent influence of the Catholic Church. The white top and black coffee bottom led to the drink being named after the friars' white cappucco, or hood, and the brown robes he wears. Following the orientation, we received a brief Italian lesson from Rossella and tried out our best Italian accents, complete with hand gestures and all. How to order food and navigate the town were some of the things we learned. We also learned the Italian pleasantries so as to ease the reputation of rude Americans everywhere - changing the world one please and thank-you at a time.
After our Italian lesson, we enjoyed what the women at the center had prepared for lunch: risotto with fresh vegetables and olives, tomatoes and mozzarella, hard-boiled eggs, prosciutto, and a garbanzo bean and chick pea salad. For dessert we had fresh fruit. With our bellies full, we headed down the hills to the train station where we took the train to Arezzo, a town about 15 minutes from Castiglion Fiorentino. There we met our tour guide Giovanni, a native of Cortona and an expert in the history of Tuscany. In Arezzo, we toured two different churches and saw the frescoes of Francesco, one of the first artists of the Renaissance. We were able to see the most well-preserved face of Mary Magdalene. The experience was truly enriching. The sheer history of the buildings was reason enough to truly feel how young eighteen years is in the span of the history of the world. Giovanni was quick to point out how the Italians built parts of the cities across centuries: stone would be from Roman times, door frames from the 1300s, handles from the 1500s, and renovations anywhere from the 1800s to the 1970s. Giovanni kept us laughing up the thousands of hills we had to walk! When we did finally reach the top of the city,  one of the most beautiful parks in Tuscany awaited us, with the most incredible view of the Tuscan countryside. Learning the layout of these Italian towns was like looking at the rings on a tree trunk, every new generation built upon the foundation already laid. Within the city, we walked through ancient Roman arches, but departed through a train station dating to Fascism. We also got to see the plaza where part of the film "Life is Beautiful" was filmed.  Departing Arezzo, we arrived back at the center for a delicious dinner of pesto bow-tie pasta, beef slices, cooked zucchini, carrots, and potatoes. For dessert, we had fresh watermelon. Following dinner, we received a formal introduction to Castiglion Fiorentino from the former mayor and a current city council member. During this formal introduction, we were rained on but were told it was a sign of good luck. We were then briefed for our day in Florence tomorrow and followed that with our nightly walk to the Coco Palm for some delicious gelato. Some of us even used our newly acquired Italian skills to order. un cono di gelato. Everyone is tired from our long day of walking and ready to visit Florence tomorrow!

Ciao for now!
Hope Miller and Arianne Couch

View from the right of the center at 7:15 this morning.
 



#bonding #champefitzhugh2k13 #takingItaly



View from the garden wall near the entrance to the historic part of Castiglion Fiorentino.