Campo dei Fiori, Italy's cultural melting pot

Upon returning to Rome after our weekend on the Amalfi Coast, my entire group just wanted familiarity.  Returning to Rome was like returning home to Chicago after traveling. Magnificent.

I still remember a bunch of us going to dinner right after getting back to Residence Candia. It was Sunday, after 7, which meant almost nothing was open. Luckily, a little trattoria on Via Candia was, so we were able to eat!  After eating pizza and seafood all weekend, it felt so good to dig into a plate of pasta, along with bread and olive oil. Delicious.

During the week, we were determined to explore Italy during the day and at night. Our professor/tour guide for the initial Roman walking tour told us that Campo dei Fiori was the piazza where the American college students congregated at night - we were all craving a little bit of home at that point, so we decided to check it out.

Campo dei Fiori on the Fourth of July! 

One of my close friends who studied in Rome in fall 2011 told me about Scholars, an Irish pub near Campo dei Fiori - complete with karaoke and a student night.  Sloppy Sam's, an American bar/grill, complete with MTV, baseball, and American style food, is also located right in the center of the piazza. The perfect solution for homesick college students.

Scholars "Student Night" was just what we needed. T-shirts from universities across the U.S., Ireland, and the U.K. adorned the walls and songs such as "Livin on a Prayer" and "Sweet Caroline" blared from the speakers. We felt right at home.

This experience made me realize that the term "melting pot" does not just apply to the U.S.

Melting pots are everywhere, especially in Campo dei Fiori. It is where people, in this case students, from around the world come together to simultaneously enjoy Italy and embrace their native cultures.

To Rome With Love - Woody Allen's newest film

Rome is magnificent because there is so much going on at once.  From street markets to performances to film shoots.  Yes, film shoots - it was one of the best parts about studying film there. My classmates and I had the opportunity to visit Cinecitta, Rome's version of Universal Studios and visit the set of an on-production film, Il Rosso e Il Blu.  However, those were just the scheduled film-realted field trips we took.  One night, we ran into the set of Woody Allen's film, To Rome With Love!


Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Penelope Cruz, Woody Allen, and Ellen Paige, the film is a story about love and the Eternal City.  Check out the trailer below:

Experiential learning was one of my favorite parts of studying abroad.  It is so cool to think that I saw the cast and crew shoot a part of this film.  We were even able to get close to Woody Allen's tent! 

To Rome With Love on location at Largo Argentina - Roman ruins at which many believe Cesar was killed, now serves as a cat sancturay! 

Erica and Cody trying to get a glimpse of Woody Allen! 

The Bottom of the W Part 2: Sorrento Seafood Dinner

As previously mentioned, my study abroad friends and I experienced "the Bottom of the W" when we were in Sorrento, Pompeii, and Capri.

The Term "bottom of the W" is the way DePaul study abroad explains culture shock.  Due to my Italian American upbringing, I figured that the differences between Italy and America would not be too bad.  I was wrong, especially when visiting Sorrento.

In our Italian culture class, we were warned that there were cultural practices that differed between the two countries, especially in regards to food.  Our dinner in Sorrento was a prime example of this.  For starters, Italians get offended if you do not finish everything that is put in front of you - to them, it means that whoever prepared the food is not a good cook. 

Additionally, our courses all contained seafood.  Not many of us on the trip liked seafood.  I was a good sport and tried some of it - octopus for example.  Not a fan, but I tried it.

The main course is where some of us lucked out and some of us did not. We were told to choose between assorted seafood and steak. Some of us sat with our Italian culture professor and she ordered us fried calamari and shrimp.  The rest of our group mostly opted for the assorted seafood, and were served fish...with faces. 

In Italy, fish is served with the face still in tact because a fish's eyes determine its freshness (fun fact from one of my cousins!).  However, at the moment this was a horrifying experience.

This dinner, combined with our late night adventures documented in my previous post, brought all 16 of us to the "bottom of our Ws" at the same time.  Unusual for a study abroad group, but it bonded us together.

Sorrento opened my eyes to the differences between Italy and America.  As a second generation Italian American, I thought I knew so much about Italy.  My first full week there showed me that the two countries have many differences.  However, culture shock is completely normal, and only temporary!

Pizza, Mountains, and the Bottom of the W Part 1: Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri

The first weekend my study abroad group was together, we took our group excursion to Italy's Amalfi coast, visiting Pompeii and Capri while staying in Sorrento.  Our weekend away from the hustle and bustle (and tourists) of Rome was quite memorable, and really bonded the majority of us in the group.  

Pompeii - An Archaeological Wonder? 

I was so excited to see Pompeii - I remember visiting the Pompeii exhibit at the Chicago Field Museum during my freshman year of high school and was so excited to see such a cool sight firsthand.  While the tour of the ancient city was interesting, all of the "cool stuff" is not there - it is touring various museums around the world! 

Pompeii was exciting for 20 minutes - once you've seen the basics, you've seen it all.  

Pompeiian garden. 

Capri - Beautifully Deceiving

The day we went to Capri was fantastic. We hopped on a boat on a beautiful morning, and everyone got to take turns driving once we were far enough away from the coast! We had a delicious lunch, and jumped into the Tyrrhenian Sea for a swim.  The scenery was gorgeous and it was a great time to work on my tan.  

Then my friend Sandy got seasick.  We were on that boat for a few minutes too long.  

Once we docked in Capri, we were all excited to sit on a gorgeous beach and explore our surroundings.  However, the following events took place:

• Using the bathroom costs 50 cents.
• The "public beach" is filled with pebbles. 
• Beach chairs cost 8 euros. 
• The tram to "Capri Alto," the city center/piazza, cost two euros. 
• Everything is expensive. 
• It was disgustingly hot.

We decided to get a beach chair for Sandy so she could rest.  Erica, Maura, Steph and I decided to walk up to Capri Alto to save 4 dollars (or 2 euros). Big mistake. Walking up to the piazza was like climbing a mountain.  It was one of the worst experiences of my life and a test of physical endurance. 

Boat tour of Capri.

After making it up to the piazza we celebrated by sitting at the main cafe for a very long time and making friends with our charming waiter who resembled Italian singer Patrizio Buanne.  It was magnificent.  

Until a pigeon flew into the gelato stand - it was terrifying (I hate pigeons).  I lost my desire for a gelato after that. 

Overall, Capri was a humorous experience.  

Sorrento - The Bottom of the W

Sorrento will always have a dear place in my heart. It is breathtakingly beautiful and one of those cities that is quintessentially "Italian." Our first evening in Sorrento was spent at a mountain villa at a pizza making lesson.  We ate the most delicious pizza (second to Nonnas!!) in the entire world.  There was even Nutella pizza for dessert.  Magnificent.  Beautiful. 

The view from the mountain villa!!

To put it nicely, our second dinner in the costal city was interesting.  Three words: fish with faces. Some of us had the good fortune of sitting with our Italian professor and her daughter, who came on the trip with us - she knew what we were in for, and ordered us fried calamari and shrimp.  However, since we were all worn out and exhausted from our day at Capri, this was the Bottom of the W for our whole group (more on that later!).  The locals were slightly offended.  At least the lemon cake was good. I wanted a second piece. 

Amalfi Coast. 

My advice to American girls visiting Sorrento - always stay in groups.  This is the city in which we learned how much we Americans are "adored" by the Italians.  There were a lot of unwanted whistles and stares.  Our group attempted to go to a "discoteca" named Old English both nights we were visiting.  First of all, they played the exact same music (American pop circa 2007) on Friday and Saturday nights.  On Saturday, a large group of creepy Italian men were also in attendance - luckily the group of us was a mix of girls and guys, we got out of there as soon as any of them started talking to us.  Note, do not enter the dance floor of a sketchy "discoteca." 

Although there is not much to do at night, Sorrento during the day has fantastic shopping and adorable cafes.  We even saw some famous Italians walking around!  It was not the perfect weekend by any means, but it was definitely entertaining! 

Italian Inspiration - My Italy Pinterest Board

When I miss Italy, which is almost every day, I love adding stuff to my Italy Pinterest board!

It brings back fantastic memories.

http://pinterest.com/colettemc21/italy-3/

Roman Basics - Neighborhoods and Transit

On the first day of class in Italy, one of our Italian professors told us that Rome was constructed to confuse people.  Make one wrong turn and you are lost for hours. The city was also not built to accommodate any large motor vehicles - walking in the middle of the street is acceptable, but also life threatening.

Luckily, with an accurate map of the city and guidance from experienced navigators, anyone (and I mean anyone) can navigate the Eternal City. 

Public transportation: the easiest way to get around the city.  Buy a transit pass and use it everywhere - but make sure it's validated!

•  The Metro: there are two lines, the A line and the B line.  They only intersect at Termini - one of the most    chaotic parts of the city, due to the large amount of tourists and residents that pass through to switch trains. 
• The Bus System:  the bus system is numerical, just like Chicago.  Each stop lists the route.  Make sure you ask the driver if the bus will take you to your desired destination - most Romans speak English, so it should not be a problem! 

Unfortunately, there are downsides to the Italian transit system.  The metro closes at 9, buses at 11 or midnight. Strikes take place frequently, as the case was on our last full day in the city, which means you are stuck walking or taking a cab (aka you are stuck walking).  The constant need to walk everywhere is why it is also important to know a few major streets and neighborhoods as well!

• Cipro: The neighborhood in which Vatican City & Castel Sant'Angelo are, off the Cipro stop on the A line. Somewhat more residential and not the Rome you see in the movies, but it has its redeeming qualities. 
• Trastevere: The least modernized area of Rome, also known as "Hipster Rome" by some of my favorite sorority sisters/study abroad companions. Home to film director Giuseppe Piccioni's bookstore and a plethora of fantastic restaurants and bars, it is definitely an area to wander around in - opposite from the city center on the Tiber River. 
• Spagna: The center of the city, the historical district. Rome of the movies. Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Colisseum, Roman Ruins, the Via Condotti, fantastic shopping, close to all of the piazzas. Spend most of your time in this area - it's easy to get to the rest of the city from this area.

On getting a cab: Hailing a cab is a foreign concept in Italy.  There is a number to call, or you can go to one of the cab pickup areas in the city. Only use official government cabs. Good luck. 

Navigating Rome may be a challenge, but some of my favorite memories were getting lost and wandering the city streets, finding new favorite places - it makes your experience unique! 

Lazio win Rome derby - Football - Al Jazeera English

Lazio win Rome derby - Football - Al Jazeera English

Just saw this calcio update! I wish the season had been over the summer!