Navigli, discos, and the lovely Como

September 19, 2011

Now for the amazing stuff that I referenced in my last post… the fun stuff, haha. My first few nights brought me down to an area of Milan known as the Navigli. To give you a setting to imagine, the Navigli lies along 2 long canals that are perpendicular to one another, forming an L of water in the middle of the very busy city. So this nice canal and the surrounding areas have a diversity like no other, as they create a street fair with things for sale during the day, but then transform into a local hangout and boardwalk-esque area at night for people of all ages to come and enjoy. The bars set out tents with tables and chairs next to the canal, so on a nice early autumn night, the Navigli are filled with Italians and foreigners alike all coming for the atmosphere, beautiful views, and most of all, for appertivo.

All Americans, listen up… we need appertivo back in the states right away. For around 6 or 7 euros (roughly 10 dollars) you receive a free drink of any kind from the bar, plus access to an all-you-can-eat buffet (and since I’m in Italy, clearly the food is awesome). So at any bar in all of Milan from the hours of 6pm to 10pm, you can sit, relax, and have a drink, eating as much or as little as you desire, for as long as you wish. Then afterwards, especially in the Navigli, you can get a gelato (I like Nociiola or Baccio, but they are all insanely good, even the fruit ones like Pina Colada or Wild Cherry) and walk around enjoying a nice night.

After getting more acquainted with the school and my fellow peers, I went to a couple of get-togethers for exchange students hosted by the University at various night clubs known here as discos (but no Saturday Night Fever). The parties were a great way to meet people in a less formal atmosphere and let me get to know some of my new friends on a more personal level. This is where I had my conversation with my friend from Barcelona that I mentioned in my previous post. The parties regularly go from 11pm til almost 4am, but I was home in bed or on a Skype date by 2am on most of those nights.

Finally, to cap off my week of stress and transition, came my journey to one of the most peaceful and relaxing places in all of Italy and probably the entire world: Lake Como. It is no wonder international celebrities like George Clooney and Richard Branson gladly drop 40 million for villas near the amazing lake. Just stepping off the train, you are greeted with views of a lifetime, surrounded by mountains all covered with houses extending as far as the eye can see. After a nice walk through a quaint and– dare I say without sounding too girly– cute city, you reach the crème de la crème, a lake that extends throughout these mountains, touching the Alps and covering the area with beauty. Just walking around the lake is a full and relaxing day for almost anyone, with the stunning views that, believe me, pictures cannot do justice.

But in order to truly make our trip momentous, my friends and I decided to be a little more adventurous. After climbing a hidden path we found halfway up the mountain, we noticed a small recreational beach for locals down by the lake. Very curious, as well as hot and sweaty, we decided it was most definitely worth exploring. So after speaking Italian to get our way in, we changed into bathing suits and made a dash for the lake. Our thirst for adventure and our heat exhaustion persuaded us to overlook the signs warning against swimming in the beautiful but polluted lake, with my friend justifying our decision by saying:

“I see fish in there. If they can survive it, so can we.”

In retrospect, that was not the wisest advice to take, but was advice that proved to be valuable nonetheless. After jumping into the perfectly refreshing water, we swam out to a nearby dock, climbed onto it, and saw Como from a view that normally only fish can see. In awe of my surroundings and this perfectly serene moment, I succumbed to the beauty of the world and became content with simply being a spectator of the world around me.

With open eyes and an open mind, this adventure, while only the first of many, will certainly be hard to top.

I can’t wait to go back there with my loving family and amazing girlfriend on November 12th… I’m counting the days.

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Plans, plans, plans.

September 14, 2011

I am about a week and a half away from the big day now. Everything is starting to be squared away. All the loose ends are being tied up. I could probably muster up a couple more cliches about preparedness, but I think those will do. In short, we are almost there, people.

This trip has been basically my sole topic of conversation over the last 4 or 5 months and in that time, I have made a number of plans… in my head. Knowing me, by writing them down, I will greatly increase the probability of me actually following through with them. There are so many wonderful things to do in Europe; I just want to make sure I don’t miss out on anything. On my iPod, I have created a list entitled “Places to Visit in Europe”. The list includes Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, London, and Paris. Paris may be a long shot for me, but hey, I can dream. Mostly, I plan to stay within the UK and Ireland (Northern Ireland is part of the UK). I want to avoid overextending myself by trying to see too much. I also really would like to get to know the city I will be living in – Londonderry. It is the oldest city in N. Ireland, so it is obviously highly concentrated with history.

While exploring this country, I want to visit a castle. Yes, a castle — authentic stone edifices that are paramount to so many fairy-tales. These great pieces of architecture just don’t exist in America. Which is probably part of the reason they are so appealing to me. Our whole country is significantly younger than these buildings. I will be living every little girl’s dream. And, from what I’ve read, there is no shortage of castles in Northern Ireland. Going along with this magical theme… one of the reasons I would like to visit Scotland, is to see Lake Loch Ness.  Spotting ol’ Nessy would make that trip worthwhile.

I hope that part of my adventures includes understanding the people of Northern Ireland. I know that many times, when students study overseas, they tend to be drawn to other international students (because they are living in similar circumstances). Sure, I would love to meet other people who are attempting to operate in a foreign environment, but I don’t want to spend time with them exclusively. I need to make it a goal of mine to have Irish friends as well. There is no better way to learn about a culture than to than to be educated by a friend who lives it. Which is essentially what I am doing with this blog — educating you about what studying abroad is like. Which is why I have decided to add a “fun fact” to the end of each blog, because, to my knowledge, American college kids don’t know much about Northern Ireland (no offense). So, here goes…

Fun Fact #1: The singer-songwriter/musician Van Morrison (wrote the song Brown Eyed Girl), actor Liam Neeson (of Schindler’s List and Taken), as well as this summer’s winner of The Glee Project Damian McGinty were all born and raised in Northern Ireland.

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Friday Night Surprise

September 7, 2011

This past Friday, I had one of those experiences that you never really expect to have when you go abroad to another country. I really hadn’t heard anything about it, and looking back, I wonder if things would have gone differently if I had. But either way, I walked right into it without ever seeing it coming.

One Friday, I came home to my house after a long day of classes. And at that point, as usual, I could only think about food. So, I crept upstairs to get a sneak peek at dinner before I sat down to solidify the plans I had made with some friends that night. When I walked in, my jaw dropped. What I saw in that kitchen, I had never seen the likes before. I knew that this would change everything, change the rules of laws I’d never questioned. And my plans, my plans would lie there in their impermanence, never to be solidified. Now, you’re probably really curious as to what’s going on. And the really clever ones probably think they even have it figured out. But let me assure you, there is no type of preparation for what I’m about to share.

So like I was saying, my jaw dropped. But that’s slightly inaccurate. My jaw dropped last. My nose registered everything first. I was hit with a wave of different aromas all at once. Sweet, spicy, tangy, bitter, good, great, amazing; I had no idea my nose could register so many different scents. Then my eyes noticed it. There, before me, was a feast. There were cheeses: chive, sweet chili, blue, white cheddar, others. There were crackers: salted. Smoked salmon lay sliced into thin strips in its preparation to lie perfectly on a cracker. There was garlic bread, Dim Sim (a Chinese inspired meat dumpling style food very popular in Australia) and capers. And these were just the appetizers. I could go on and on about the food, and needless to say, I quite enjoyed it. But that was just one of many surprises.

Today would be the day I remembered as my host mom’s birthday party. Later that night, the house was flooded with guests I had never seen before (about eight) and conversations about life, culture and “glory days” that I could not have prepared for. Yet surprisingly, I found I didn’t really have to. I really enjoyed it.  They seemed to be as interested in my life as I was in theirs. I mean, granted, they were lawyers and computer specialists. They were painters and musicians. They had jobs and careers. And yet, they found some interest in my college-level decision making ability and indecisiveness in life plans. Maybe there was something reassuring, some type of preserved innocence in being undecided about the future. We traded college stories and experiences as they encouraged me to take my time in deciding my future. We finished with a grand finale: a music piece played by Brian, a family friend and talented musician, joined not only by one of his friends, but also my housemate and friend from Richmond, Shohsei, who had been dying to play guitar and was finally able to find one to play in Australia. Our host family knew he played guitar, but was shocked to see how incredible he actually was. And as everyone sang happy birthday and applauded, I realized how glad I was that I stayed in that night.

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I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Get Back on the Bus

September 7, 2011

The Beatles had people in complete awe of them, wanting nothing more than to be near them. Now, I would not say I have John Lennon status here in Thailand, but at school in the village, the children certainly wanted to hold my hand.  In fact, all of us had 3-4 Thai kids ranging in age from 6 to 13 hanging off of us at any moment in time.  For our third day in the community, instead of Thai class, we had a “Thai Fun Activity”, consisting of us playing games with kids at school, and then us teaching them an activity.  Thank you, summer camps, because we all quickly agreed to teach them “Baby Shark”, and out second was “The Banana Song”.  If you are unfamiliar with these, I highly recommend learning them, because just as I thought they would never come in handy again—I was mistaken.  The joy that came from these kids was indescribable.  Later, at our homestays, we had kids doing the hand motions, asking us to sing it again.

My homestay could probably be best described by the final night.  Until the last night, it was a lot of observing and eating.  I didn’t really feel a strong connection to my family, and it was not the easiest three days of my life. It did, however, have a very happy ending when the entire village gathered at my neighbor’s house and we had what I would call a block party.  There was music, all the students ate a meal together prepared by many families, and we danced into the night (meaning like 8:00pm, because that is a normal bed time in villages.)

These past few days in Khon Kaen have given us a time to actually explore the city and get a hold of public transportation. Saung Taos, which are “buses” where you sit on benches on the flat of a pick-up truck with a roof, have been an exciting way of exploring.  For instance, last night as we tried to get to this Italian place for dinner, we were supposed to switch buses.  This, of course, we did not know, and ended up past the slums and far from the city.  As the Saung Tao slowed to a stop, the nine of us looked at each other, and got off hesitantly as we were kicked off by the driver.  The fear started to set in for sure, but luckily, there was one store with its light on, and the two women in the pharmacy spoke a little English.  We had them call a cab for us, because we had no clue where we were.  Seeing as cab drivers have numbers, but do not answer their phones, we were stuck.  At that moment, another Saung Tao drove up, and we had the women ask them to drive us to the hotel down the street from the restaurant.  At the price of 200 bhat, it was totally worth it.  So our personal taxi Saung Tao drove us back down the shady roads, and the night concluded with a delicious pizza.  (I absolutely love Thai food, but as a true American, I really missed pizza).  Another adventure, another night in Thailand.

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Lean on Me, Leech on Me

August 29, 2011

My departure from Bangkok was timely, as I was ready to experience something outside of the backpacking district of the capital. The drive to the “resort” where we stayed this past week was about 7 hours from Bangkok in Khon Kaen, Provence. We left our computers to be brought to Khon Kaen University, so the week was entirely wireless and open for bonding.  Through many group meetings and activities, we really started to work together as a group, finding our way each moment.  Whether we were transferring people through a web of string or discussing oppression, we leaned on each other through rougher moments and celebrated the positives together.  It seems like we are really forming a strong community, which is a main focus of the program both internally and within the villages we stay in.

On our way to the resort, we stopped about halfway through for a nature walk. By nature walk, of course I mean sludging through mud in gaters (which are cloth coverings for your legs and feet, because apparently there are leeches in the national park).  The scenery was absolutely gorgeous and followed by a delicious plate of kauw pad (fried rice).  As we went to get in the van, though, I noticed I was bleeding on my foot, so the med kit was grabbed so that I could bandage my apparent leech wound. It wasn’t until we were ten minutes on the road that I noticed I was bleeding on my thigh as well, and friends in the back of the van simultaneously found a huge leech on the ground. I suppose I, too, am delicious. All is fine, the leech was killed and cleaned up, and I was bandaged. Needless to say, mai pen rai (it’s all good / no problem—and a popular Thai phrase at that).

We started Thai class this week, and wow, is it a difficult language. Sure, they don’t have verb conjugations, but they have tones for each word. Use the wrong tone, and it’s a different word. So, although I will throw in some random Thai in these posts, it is not really helpful without audible dictation.

rice paddies in Thailand

The final stop before coming to Khon Kaen University, and our apartments, was a homestay in a weaving village. I was with one other girl, and together, we maybe understood 10%. Communication was not easy, and all our Meh (mom) wanted to do was feed us and have us take an abb naam (shower). However, in the course of 24 hours, we had a fresh coconut and grapefruit picked off a tree for us, ate fresh peanuts, and helped farm rice, pulling up the plants in the paddy. I also was attacked by my host mom with baby powder (which has the affect of Icy-Hot here). Before we left, some of us spent a few hours playing with the kids at school. My favorite game was their version of Duck Duck Goose, which involves a shirt instead of patting heads and a very catchy song. We were running around, slipping on the dirt, and finally “communicating” with Thais.

playing duck duck goose

It has been a long week, filled with surprises and adventure. I finally have met my roommate and moved in, and she is so cool. She is an English major, so communication is fairly simple. We were welcomed last night through a traditional Thai welcoming ceremony and we have a short weekend break before heading off to the Railroad community on Sunday.

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Milan or Milano

August 29, 2011

For those of you reading this before lunch or after dinner, no, I do not mean Milano cookies. I mean Milan, the fashion capital of the world (sorry Paris) located in Northern Italy and home to Universita Comerciale da Luigi Bocconi, the soon to be home of me.

Now, believe it or not, I did not just name my post so I could drop in a little comedic line about Milano cookies. (I thought about saying something about actress Alyssa Milano, but we can’t use up all of the good stuff on the first post.) Instead, it is supposed to be symbolic of the polarization between my life in America and the life I’m about to embark on in Italia. (Who says Richmond kids aren’t smart?) While the climates may be the same, the culture is not. The people, the language, the food (oh baby, the food!), activities, fashion… there will be a lot of adjusting for someone who steps outside of his comfort zone one foot at a time, with his finger on speed dial to call home to mommy. Okay, no, I’m not really that bad, but it’s going to take some getting used to, and my nervous excitement continues to grow into a ball of… we’ll call it uncertainty, best characterized by the word “duh.”

However, as my plans come together and the days get closer, everything is becoming real for me. Yes, I’m really going to Italy, yes, I’m going to be out of the country for 4 months, yes, I really need to pack. (Thanks Mom). However, I view the challenges with strength to overcome them, like the Marco Polo of my day, and I view the opportunities with something best described as jumping-off-the-walls excitement.

My head is spinning with questions like, when can I move into my dorm? Should I get an Italian phone? Do they deport Americans who forget important paperwork? But overall, I’m letting my excitement and optimism get the best of me. My friend who is somewhat of a study abroad guru, having spent a semester in both New Zealand and China and currently petitioning his University for a third semester in Spain, gave me some advice that I hold in high regard. It’s like getting home decorating advice from Martha Stewart (or maybe stock trading tips), golf lessons from Tiger Woods (well, I mean old Tiger… New Tiger is a different story), or hair care lessons from Mr. Clean (whether you like the clean shaven look or not, you have to admit the guy cleans up good… cheesy pun intended). Anyway, I digress. He said to be like Jim Carrey in Yes Man and embrace every opportunity, meet new people, explore as much as possible, and make sure to expand your horizons and blend into the culture and society where you are living. Finally, he said, take every action or opportunity like a new adventure to embark on, make a memory, good or bad, and learn about life and about yourself through new experiences. So consider me Dora the freaking Explorer. I plan on enjoying this once in a lifetime experience by being true to myself and accepting the changes and opportunities around me. So for those of you reading out there, I feel like this blog should be quite entertaining, and I can’t wait to share the next 4 months exploring the land of my ancestors with y’all. So goodbye for now, family, see ya later best friend & girlfriend, peace out friends from Richmond and New Jersey, ciao Uncle Sam, arrivederci hurricane Irene, and hasta luego Statue of Liberty (Ut oh… that last one was in Spanish… I’m in trouble.)

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Posted by johninitaly

Cowabungaustralia

August 23, 2011

My toes were tingling. My feet were numb. The further outwards I drifted, the colder it got. But I couldn’t stop now. I laid my body flat along the board, stomach and toes pointing down, and swam forward as the grumble behind me got louder and louder. Instantly I was thrown forwards. I no longer swam at this point, now I was fighting to just stay afloat. I cupped the sides of the board and positioned myself to do a push-up, and threw my legs forward to kneel on one knee. The board rocked under the shifting of my weight and my speed hadn’t decreased at all. Still, I made the unexpected decision not to panic. That was, of course, step one and I had done it much better than I expected. As I warred and clashed against the unrelenting crystal sea and the mountain of frothy white foam that led its attack, I retaliated with my board as my weapon, and balance as my gambit. It was time. I slowly rose from my kneeling position to a very low squat. I rose, slowly. I could feel the stress on my quadriceps, calves, hamstrings and the tiny fibers they were made of. I clenched and tightened them with the movement of the waves; the sea had not given up yet. Now was not the time to panic. I rose, slower still, from my low crouch. Suddenly, my lead foot slid forward from under me. This was not part of the plan, nor conducive to my gambit of balance. My pulse quickened. I had erred and there was little time to fix it. I quickly edged my lead foot back, but I could already see the ocean water climbing to the surface of my board. The nose of the board had dipped under and cracked the glistening, seemingly crystal surface of the sea. With a single, final, assailment of anger at my mistake the sea thrust both me and my board through the crack of the ocean surface, instantly submerging us. We were railroaded by a combination of undersea currents and breaking waves on the surface. As I was tossed and flung about by the ocean currents and waves, salty ocean water seeped into my mouth through my pursed lips. Water rushed through my nose. My closed eyes were wrenched open. Suddenly, the assault stopped. I found footing on the bed of sand beneath me. I stood up slowly. The ocean waves had recessed in victory. I could see my surfboard floating as far away as the rope bound to my foot would let it go. I looked up and smiled. Then I laughed. That was my first wave. I swam out to do it all over again. This past weekend I went on a surf trip with some other students from university. It was an event hosted by a club for international and exchange students. Needless to say, it was an incredible adventure. I wish I had pictures to post but, of course, I opted to not get the waterproof camera. Instead I’ll put up a few pictures of other events that I forgot to visually represent…sporadically throughout the week because my laptop is currently out of commission due to an exhausted cooling fan that has decided to go on strike.

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How do you say hakuna matata in Thai?

August 1, 2011

Well, I’ve never blogged before but what better time to start than two weeks before I leave for my semester abroad. My name is Julie and I am a junior at the University of Richmond studying Leadership and Political Science.  I am from New Jersey so the adjustment from suburbia to rice paddies will surely be interesting.

As I gear up to go to Thailand, “no worries” is the most prevalent thought in my mind.  As far as my language capabilities, they are limited to a restaurant take-out menu and I am pretty sure that English is not as prevalent there.  The dress code is very different from what I am used to (no gym shorts!) And did I mention it’s near the equator? Hello eight month summer. I have a feeling I will be returning with many mosquito bites. What is an adventure without a challenge though right? (and yes, I am freaking out—but just a little..)

The country itself has been politically unstable for the last six years.  It is amazing that I will be there just after an election (they just elected their first female prime minister!), especially as a political science major-as long as more riots don’t break out.  The local communities and rural areas have become more politically active over these past years and technology is finding its way out onto the rice paddies.  As a student of political science, this is truly awesome.  I am about to embark on an adventure where I get to witness grassroots government and its founding.  The program is focused on development and globalization, so I am given the opportunity to participate in NGO workings and grassroots community development.  Having worked in my Congressman’s office this past summer, I have seen government and democracy first hand, in fact I have contributed to it.  I am both excited and a little scared to see the juxtaposition Thailand is sure to pose.

So, how does one prepare to go to such a place?  Well I am meditating more—both to calm the nerves and to experience a taste of Thai culture before I leave (or maybe its just cause my mother keeps telling me to).  I am also attempting to eliminate all expectations that I have.  I recently learned that Denmark is the happiest country in the world, and it is because they do not have expectations.  I know I am a control freak, so this is not the easiest task I have taken on, but I am going to live abroad with a no expectation and YES attitude.  A good friend who just got back from abroad told me to accept every invitation, and I fully intend to take her up on that challenge.

So for now, I am packing, finishing out my internship, and learning as much about my future home as possible.  So hakuna matata in Thai—still no worries.  I plan to live every day, study hard, but explore more.   This is my greatest adventure so far, and I invite you to follow along on my journey as I truly live and let Thailand happen to me.  So all aboard, next stop Thailand.

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