Verona la Bella

Aka Verona the Beautiful!

If you like shades of pink, orange, yellow, and red: go to Verona! So colorful, so gorgeous!

Although I had been to Verona for a day in 2012, I didn’t remember it being so beautiful. I seriously enjoyed this trip to Verona so much more than I did last time! It probably helped that it was 50 something degrees with sunshine and blue skies after spending yesterday in a cold and snowy place, but I honestly could not have asked for better weather to explore such a lovely city. (Thank you God for answering my prayer that it would be a sunny day!)

I started out by going to the place made famous by Shakespeare: Juliet’s balcony and home. (P.S. I didn’t find Romeo...) 

Then I made my way to Piazza delle Erbe, which was a picturesque square filled with cute shops, cafes with outdoor seating, and apartments with balconies with flower boxes on them. There were also many vendors set up in the middle of the area selling pasta, apparel, accessories, and souvenirs. So cute!

I was planning to go to the top of the Palazzo della Ragione (pictured above), but when I was there it wasn’t open for the day. So I decided to make my way up to Castel San Peitro for the view of the town instead. (Wow wow wow talk about a climb! So. Many. Stairs. Maybe next time I will rethink my shoe choice, but probably not..) But, the walk up was pretty and lined with colorful houses, and HOW STUNNING the views from the top were! I could have stayed up there all day.

I spent the rest of my day in Verona meandering around through the streets, window shopping, enjoying the weather, and admiring both the Ponte Pietra Bridge and the Arena di Verona! 

Xoxo,

Snowy Bologna

When I left Chivasso on Friday it was snowing, and I thought I was escaping the winter weather by going to Bologna... But it was snowy there also. 

Despite the weather, it was beautiful and I couldn’t help but enjoy the beautiful views of the streets as I walked around. I just felt happy (cold, yes, but happy too)!

 

First I walked along via dell’Indipendenza and went into some of the stores to browse. And when I passed a nice nail salon, I couldn’t resist stopping and getting my nails done. Since it was snowy weather, I didn’t feel guilty about this decision in the least (and it’s amazing and silly how much better I feel about myself when my nails are pink haha). 

I made my way to Piazza Maggiore and then to the leaning tower of Asinelle. I had all the intentions of climbing to the top, but since the weather was bad, the visibility would have been low and I didn’t think it would have been worth it.

Definitely my favorite parts of Bologna were the colorful buildings, cute side streets, and the fact that almost every sidewalk was covered by beautiful porticos (I probably would not have appreciated them as much if it wasn’t snowing, but they really are quite beautiful and came in handy.

There are many aspects of Bologna that I didn’t get to experience, such as the food, the gelato, and climbing the tower for the view. But if I go back, I’ll be sure to put those at the top of my list of things to do. 

Xoxom

School Week Uno

This was my first week of being in the school every day, and I lovvvved it! I am realizing so many differences between the Italian schools and America schools. Here’s a few so far! (And these are just my opinions and perceptions from what I’ve learned so far - in no way am I judging either method.)

Teachers teach the same class from grade 1 until grade 5, moving with the students as they enter a new grade each year. So not only do all the student stay with the same teacher, they also continue with the same classmates each year. The friendships of the students and the positive relationship between the student and the teachers that I have witnesses are so close! Everyone seems like a family, and I love it!

The teachers only teach specific subjects, meaning that each class technically has more than one teacher each year. Due to the fact that the teachers don’t teach every subject, they don’t work the entire school day, and the times that they work are different each day. In addition, each teacher has an assistant in the classroom at all times to help with tasks such as checking student work, monitoring the students, etc. 

Not specific to Italian school, but in regards to Italy in general: coffee is a big deal! There is a coffee vending machine at the school I am placed at, and during breaks, after lunch, or just whenever, the teachers always get coffee! (I loooove this!)

School is 8:30-4:30, Monday-Friday, there is a morning break and an afternoon break, and lunch is around 1:00. There isn’t one cafeteria, but 12 different rooms called/translated to canteens. There are two classes per canteen. Lunch is always some kind of pasta (shocker), a meat, and a vegetable. And students can have as much bread and fruit as they want. Also during the morning and afternoon breaks, the school provides fruits and “biscuits” aka cookies/crackers to the students. I enjoy the fact that fruit is so popular and freely given!

In the classrooms, there is not a lot of technology use, there aren’t overly stimulating activities and handouts from Teacher’s Pay Teachers (there aren’t many handouts at all), there isn’t flexible seating, and there isn’t much “fluff.” The teacher teaches, the students listen; the teacher writes on the chalkboard, the students copy it down into their notebooks (with beautiful handwriting); the teacher instructs, the students do what they are told. At least in the classrooms I have been in, the level of respect that the students have for the teacher is wonderful. These students are intelligent too, and many of them seem to really value their education.

I just really love the students and teachers I get to work with! Although my role is to teach English, I 110% wish I knew Italian so that I could interact more with everyone and have a better idea of what is going on around me. It’s so fun to talk to the kids and to listen to their English and see them work together to figure out how to say words they’re unsure of. And when all else fails, we just smile and laugh and go on! But language differences aside, God is so good and I am so glad that He put me at this school and with these people whom I look forward to seeing every day!

Xoxo,

One in a Milan

And one in (over) a million, because Milan is huge and there are so many people (and pigeons...)

I took a train to Milan for one day this past weekend and am positive that I didn't even begin to see a sliver of this large city. 

I walked a lot a lot, admired the duomo for far too long and even splurged on a mediocre lunch for a view of the beautiful cathedral, and *tried* to look fashionable walking in the fashion capital of the world!

I loved window shopping in the luxury shopping district of Quadrilaterale della Moda, but I did not even feel worthy of being so close to so many high end designer boutiques and shops.

I also loved the beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (the world's oldest shopping mall!) My other favorite shopping street was Via Torino, where I was so excited to find a Bath and Body Works and buy some of my favorites.

Xo,

Teaching in Italy

Hello from Chivasso, Italy!

I am really looking forward to the next three months, as I will be teaching English at a wonderful primary school full of great teachers and students (while of course traveling as much as possible)! So far I have been in the school two days, and it's been really great!

All the students seem so kind and sweet. They are so excited simply because I'm an American, and I do not feel worthy of all their adoration!  The school I am teaching in has 25 different classes, and yesterday my teacher introduced me to each class individually.  Now whenever I'm walking in the hallways, the students stare, smile, wave, and say hi/hello. They make me feel so famous. 

The most challenging part will be the language barrier. It has already proven to be difficult to communicate with and get to know the students in my classes, but we are all able to laugh about it and play charades to understand what we are trying to say. I anticipate that it will get easier as time goes on!

I am excited to not only teach these students, but to learn from them. I am thrilled for the opportunity to get to know these students and to be a positive leader and role model for them.  It is my ambition to show these students kindness, patience, respect, and love while learning and laughing together every day!

source

Xo,

Turin Turin

At first I was not dazzled by Turin. Of course I was SO excited to be in Italy, and there is a lot of history in Turin (as it was the first capital of Italy), but it did not come across as charming or beautiful to me. 

However, after spending a few days here (and eating pizza three times within three days), I started to appreciate different parts of this (giant) city.

pizza bigger than the table!!!

I loved the narrow and colorful streets with ornate cast iron balconies, sunny weather, pink flowers, and blue skies, spacious plazas surrounded by pretty buildings and full of people, and (of course) the abundance of shopping and cafes.

Where I'm living in Italy is only a 30 minute train ride away from Turin, which is nice because the array of shopping opportunities in such close proximity!

Xoxoxo,