Gelato!

What would an afternoon in Italy be without gelato? (Our reward after trekking over ten miles before 6:00pm.)

Photos by Kelli

Our First Day in Rome--by Zach

Text by Zach, Photos by Kelli

At the Colosseum

Today started for me at midnight, as it did for many of us as we grappled with jet lag. My sleep schedule last night was one typically condemned in normal situations consisting of a long sleep followed by intermittent sleep when I could, but then again, taking a trip to Rome is not normal. Nevertheless, most of us managed to sleep well enough to propel us into the day, which was evident through our high energy at breakfast. As we walked to the metro stop to buy our tickets and use the Italian metro for the first time, we were abuzz about the packed itinerary for our day. 

Walking to the Forum to pick up our tickets

After managing to use the subway system albeit with a few close calls of barely fitting on in time, we exited the stop only to walk directly into the Colosseum: we had been dropped directly into the most history-rich section of Rome. 

The Colosseum

Our adventures began with a few photos while we waited to get into the Colosseum, followed by the Colosseum itself. The sheer magnitude of wonders of the world are never entirely captured by photos, and the Colosseum was no exception.

The Colosseum

Outside the Colosseum on our way to the Forum

After an hour of exploring the magnificent structure, which involved navigating for stairs that actually survived the ravages of time, we moved onto the Forum. 

The Forum

The Forum is perhaps the epicenter of ancient culture, and it showed through the multitude of buildings and their varying purposes. What was particularly striking was the gravity the different sites were treated with in modern day, but the nonchalance that they probably exuded in their prime. In other words, time alone has completely shifted how the populace interacts with the pieces.

The Forum with the Colosseum in the distance

The Palatine Hill overlooking the Forum

After taking pictures of the phenomenal view from the top of the Palatine hill, we headed to a nearby marketplace for lunch [Campo de' Fiori].  There we ate fantastic food, saw types of pasta that would never materialize in an American market, and saw many well behaved dogs that always left us cooing (although we heeded the warnings to not interact with animals). What I myself particularly found so refreshing about my meal, and roman food in general thus far, was that it did not attempt to appeal to the organic, artisan food marker that is all too familiar to those of us in Seattle. Instead, the food mostly kept to the basic, simple ingredients and did them well. This meant a sandwich with only a meat and a cheese, or a simple fruit cup. 

Artichoke season at the market

At the Campo de' Fiori

We ended our day with a visit to the Capitoline museum, which I admittedly was too tired to capitalize upon fully.

The Capitoline Museum

Remus and Romulus and the Capitoline Wolf 

The Capitoline Museum

 I did, however, enjoy the art I did see, and the day continued into the Trevi fountain, which naturally saw us all engage in the arguably trite tradition of throwing the coin over our shoulder into the fountain. 

Trevi Fountain

We then went to our final destination of the Spanish steps, which mostly turned into yearning after designer clothes we could only dream of buying, and being approached by a bevy of merchants looking to sell us their laser pointers (one man mistakenly assumed Telly's name to be Kevin, and referred to him as such no less than 6 times throughout the 2 occasions we encountered him). 

The Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps

We ended the day with a general Italian restaurant, and went back to our hotel rooms, eager yet again to sleep.

We made it to Rome!

Sea-Tac Airport ready to begin our journey

After 19 hours of travel (but who's counting?!) we made it to Rome.  Everything has gone very smoothly and we just checked in to Casa la Salle in good spirits--although very tired and hungry!  We will venture out for food and then return to our rooms for a long night of rest before we start our adventures in Rome early tomorrow morning!

We made it to our gate in Heathrow with plenty of time

Checking into Casa La Salle

So happy to be here...let the adventure begin!

New Worlds--by Trevor

A few months ago, I was a student abroad. Spending the summer in Guatemala on a Spanish immersion program was a natural continuation of the study abroad experiences of my master's program, undergrad, and high school. In the Fall, everything changed. With unbelievable speed, the tables turned: for the first time I was the teacher, not the student. At first, I felt unsure if I could continue to learn and grow, now that I was the one responsible for content and expertise.

 
My fears have proven totally unfounded. I am a teacher, but I am also still a student, and always learning. Although I had been to Italy 3 times before (including a 2.5 month stay in Rome), this trip was full of new experiences. I saw things I had never seen before, like a massive Roman cistern at Bacoli, the windswept caldera of Vesuvius, and Testaccio, the artificial mountain made of discarded ancient pottery. I am grateful to my predecessor Janet Rothfels for bequeathing me the idea to visit these sites and for her invaluable Italian personal contacts. I also returned to familiar places, but instead of learning about Roman building materials (like porphyry) and mythic landscapes, I was learning about how to articulate my interest in antiquity to others, how to set the right pace for a group while still moving at a speed that works for me, and how to connect with my students in new ways outside the classroom. I also revisited old lessons that needed refreshing: cooler heads prevail during moments of uncertainty, international travel can be an amazing crucible for new friendship, and that good Italian gelato possesses powerful restorative properties.

Thanks above all to my companions Kelli and Allisen: Dream Team. Thank you to my students, you guys carried yourselves with gusto and élan. Thank you to the parents, who put so much trust in us.  Thank you to Robin Wheeler for making the trains run on time.  I had a blast the last couple of weeks-see you in the classroom, around campus, and in future project weeks.

ci vediamo,

Trevor 

Update: We have boarded in London

We have boarded the plane in London and await take-off!

See you in Seattle...

On Our Way Home!

We left the Villa this morning at 5:00am in a bus headed to the airport in Rome a couple of hours away. Here's to smooth travels!

Naples>Rome>London>Home

The Island of Capri--by Julia

Story by Julia, photos and captions by Kelli

On our last day in Italy, we took a high speed ferry to visit the Island of Capri. I was so excited since I have been looking forward to going to the island for a long time. Known as a popular location for celebrities, it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. 

Riding the bus on the Mamma Mia road up the hills was an unique experience. I was impressed how skillfully the bus drivers drove along the curving road. One of the highlights for me was the chair lift to the highest point on the island. The slow ride up to and down from the smaller town of Anacapri allowed us to see the breathtaking views of the island.

Abby gets on the chair lift to ride to the top where we had our picnic lunch

View from the top

Samantha gets on the chair lift to go back down to Anacapri

View from chair lift 

Kelli enjoys floating above the island's terraced gardens 

I was amazed by the vibrancy and the liveliness of Capri. When we went shopping, I noticed that many people spoke english since the island is a high tourist attraction. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of variety of shops. However we ended up buying many lemon soaps that the island was known for. 

The island is famous for its countless lemon trees and huge lemons like the ones pictured above at this drink stand.  

It was great to spend our last day of Italy at the island of Capri. It was relaxing and unforgettable. I will definitely be returning to this place. 

When we returned back to Villa Vergiliana, we had another amazing dinner. However it was especially significant because it was our last and after dinner, we thanked Mina and her family for everything. Although I am excited to finally return home, I will not forget the food and the comfort of Villa Vergiliana. Ciao Italia!

The Villa made us a special chocolate star cake for our last meal with them.