spotlight on honors: study abroad

honors students abroad

JIMMY - Italy

Junior, language studies major (latin)

My name is James (some people call me “Jimmy”), and I have been dreaming of visiting Italy since my freshman year of high school. I am a Language Studies Major with an emphasis in Latin, and my goal is to become a professor of Classics. I chose the Florence University of the Arts because I knew I wanted to study abroad in Italy, and the program in Florence was the most affordable. I'm taking four classes, all of which meet only one day a week for two and a half hours, except for my Italian class which is an intensive beginner course for 6 credits which meets Monday through Thursday for two and a half hours.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011: ARRIVAL AND FIRST FEW WEEKS OF CLASS

A picture's worth a thousand words, and I have more than a few, so I will try to keep this brief. Getting here took around 20 hours and for anyone who has been on a trans-Atlantic flight, no description is needed, whereas for those who have not, no description will do. That aside, though, I arrived on a Wednesday night, had orientation the next 3 days, then had Sunday off before starting classes. The first week or so was a bit rocky—dealing with homesickness and settling in—but that passed quickly enough, and now I'm so excited to be here. It's really been surprising to me just how quickly Florence has come to feel like home, especially when returning after traveling.

As for traveling, so far I've seen Rome and the Vatican, Assisi, Perugia, and have plans to see Pisa, Lucca, Venice, and Viareggio in the near future.

The good part about a three hour bus ride through the Italian country side. The only thing I can say about the location of this picture is that it was taken somewhere between Genova and Florence. The haze you can see over the mountains in the distance is likely the same fog that kept me from landing in Florence.

The Basilica di Santa Croce (left) and the statue of Dante Alighieri in front of it (right) that I pass almost every day on my way to class or to do errands.

Just a week ago there was a chocolate festival in the piazza in front of the church which I went to at least four times. For those who don't know, Italian hot chocolate is basically melted chocolate with just a little milk. You have to drink it quickly because it turns to syrup as it cools.

		My only successful attempt to get the entirety of the Duomo (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) in a single shot. This picture was taken from the Piazzole di Michelangelo, a large square that overlooks Florence. The Duomo's dome is the largest freestanding dome in the world and is amazing to look at. Like Santa Croce, I see it almost every day.
	This picture was taken in the small town of Fiesole which is just north of Florence and can be reached by a 15-20 minute bus ride. The city behind me is, of course, Florence. Fiesole offers an even better view than the Piazzole di Michelangelo because it includes a view of the countryside, which is gorgeous.
		The inside of the Duomo's dome with a fresco depicting the final judgment. All attempts so far to get the entire fresco in one shot have been unsuccessful.
	Emily and I at the top of the Duomo's dome. It's a long climb in some reasonably small spaces, but it is totally worth it. The view is amazing and it's so nice up there.
		Michelangelo's David in the Galleria dell'Accademia. No picture could ever do it justice (and you're actually not allowed to take pictures, but I took this before I knew and while no one was watching). I walked in a circle around it 2 or 3 times just wondering where one would even start in sculpting something so...magnificent.
	St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. When my group arrived, there was a choir singing in one of the buildings and the sound was ringing in the square. It was an impressive way to be introduced to the Vatican to say the least.
		The Roman Forum, once the epicenter of social interaction in Rome, now a field of ruined stone and marble. Our tour here was rather brief, but I have plans to return and spend a while more there to just take it all in.
	Me throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain so I'll return someday. It's surprising how small the square is around such a huge fountain. You almost just walk down the street and stumble onto it.
		Paul and I at the Colosseum. It was a beautiful day, very sunny, and this was the first thing we saw. No picture can really capture just how large the Colosseum is. Unfortunately, due to the stripping away of the marble covering which was a large part of the Colosseum's support, much of it is crumbled and otherwise fallen from its former glory. It's sad that so much effort went into the building of a place for so gruesome a purpose, but it is an architectural marvel none the less.
	Paul, Francesca (the field trip coordinator) and I in the Pantheon. Above us is the inside of the dome with the Oculus (hole in the ceiling) in full view. Thanks to the stripping of marble, the outside of the Pantheon is rather unimpressive, but the inside is absolutely breath-taking.
		Our entire group outside the Basilica of St. Francis. In the background is the town of Assisi, which is on a hilltop and offers an amazing view of the surrounding countryside.
	A float depicting Obama in a magician's outfit waving a magic wand while a member of the Taliban stands on his hat waving a rifle and a peace flag. The rest of the float shows several dictators in an animal cage along with doves holding peace signs and an eagle holding a nuclear bomb. I'm not sure if this is a positive or negative message about Obama, but it was impressive all the same. At the coastal city of Viareggio (where this picture was taken) they open Carnivale every year with a parade of floats, many of which are based on political satire (like this one).

MARCH: MIDTERMS, SPRING BREAK, AND THE FIRST DAYS OF SPRING

Since my last update, I've managed to see Venice during Carnivale, Parma, Modena, Pisa, Verona, and some parts of Sicily, as well as doing a little more exploring here in Florence. Italy is really something that has to be seen to be understood, so like last time I'll move on to the pictures.

		The picture to the left is me wearing the mask I bought upon arriving by boat to St. Mark's square and the picture to the right is one taken of the Grand Canal at sunset from the Rialto Bridge.
	Venice during the opening weekend of Carnivale (a celebration all throughout Italy in the weeks before the beginning of Lent—a sort of last hurrah) was absolutely amazing. Far from the crazy partying one might find elsewhere, Venice is transformed into a living fairytale with elaborate costumes and, of course, masks.
		I was lucky enough to take a tour of a Parmigiano-Reggiano (we know it as Parmesan) cheese factory. The picture on the left shows the warehouse where they leave the cheese to age. Each wheel starts out at around 50 kilograms and by the time of maturation weighs around 37 kilograms. There are strict requirements for the production and approval of the cheese for it to bear the revered title of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
	I finally had a free weekend and made it to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower, Baptistery, and Cathedral. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and overcast all day and I somehow got lost on my way back to the train station. All that aside, though, the monuments in Pisa's Field of Miracles are amazing to see, and I got my picture with the Tower.
		For Spring Break, one of my roommates and I went down to Sicily to enjoy six days of sun, sea, delicious food, and friendly people. There were some bumps along the way, but for the most part things went smoothly and it was definitely a vacation I won't soon forget. To the left is a view of the bay of Taormina (the first city we saw) taken from the nearby mountain-top town of Castelmola.
	My roommate Paul and I climbing some rocks near the Greek Theatre in the Archaeological Park at Syracuse, our second stop in Sicily.
		Paul and I with a couple we met while walking down the coast of Ortigia, the island portion of Syracuse. Here as everywhere we went in Sicily, the people are very friendly and are impressed if you speak a little Italian rather than just being another tourist.
	Perhaps my favorite beach of the trip, a tiny beach on Ortigia in Syracuse. The sun was warm, the sand felt good, and the water was ice cold. We took off our socks and shoes, rolled up our pants, and spent a solid half an hour just walking back and forth, enjoying the view and the weather.
		Paul and I with the staff of a wonderful restaurant called Il Cenacolo on Ortigia in Syracuse. We went there for dinner on our last night and liked it so much that we went back for lunch the next day. I had spada alla Syracusana (swordfish made in the Syracusan way), which was absolutely delicious and may have been my favorite meal of the trip.
	Paul and I in front of the Temple of Concord in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. This temple is considered the most intact Greek temple in the world and was incredible beyond words. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we both came away with more than a little sun on our faces.
		In Florence, my home-base for exploring Italy, I've done some more exploring, including a trip to the Piazzale Michelangelo at sunset.

PLACES YET TO SEE

With the semester more than halfway over, I can feel my time here nearing its end and yet have many places yet to see. Ravenna, San Marino, Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Bologna, and a return trip to Rome are all on the list, with trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum, Sorento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, and Cinque Terre already planned through the school. No doubt, the last weeks of the semester will go by quickly and will be a blur of traveling and exploring this wonderful country in which one could never spend long enough to see it all.

For more information about studying abroad, please visit ISU's Study Abroad website or contact Janis Halpern, Study Abroad Program Director, at (812) 237-3427 or Janis.Halpern@indstate.edu.

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