Can We Please Go Back?

June 9th, 2018

I really miss Italy!! I miss everything about it from the narrow streets to the delicious food. It's been almost two weeks since we got back to the US and I really would like to go back to Italy now. When we arrived in Greensboro one of my best friends, Sophia, picked me up from the airport and surprised me with some of our other friends. I missed them all so much and it was amazing to see them but at the same time it was really weird. During the school year I see my friends almost every day but I had just spent three weeks not seeing them and experiencing incredible things without them. I was sitting with them talking and it felt very odd having just experienced something without them when normally almost all my experiences are with them. It also felt very weird not being with the people on the trip anymore. Before the trip I wasn’t super close with anyone who came on the trip but by the end I felt very close with all of them.

After hanging out with my friends for a few hours, Sophia and I drove them back to their own apartments and then we went back to hers. While we were dropping our friends off I began to notice how different the US is from Italy. The first thing I noticed was how bright everything is, even compared to Rome. The car lights seem brighter, the streetlights are brighter, almost every public building has their lights on and even closed stores have their lights on. The streetlights in Italy are much duller but are still just as effective and the fluorescent ones here. My eyes were not adjusted to the brightness of everything and it felt blinding. The next thing I noticed was how there is constant noise and the noise is louder. There is the continuous sound of cars, the humming of the AC, the sounds from random machines and more. As we were driving we had the music turned up very loud which is something I never would have considered doing in Italy.

Over the past week or so I have been noticing more and more things that are different about the two countries. One of the things I keep noticing is how big and spread out everything is here. In Italy we could walk anywhere we needed to go but here I would not be able to do that. I mean maybe I could but it would take a very long time and be dangerous and impractical. When driving down the road in Italy there were fields of wheat and mountains with the odd old farm house, gas station or ruins next to them. On most of the east coast of the US when you drive down the highway, there are houses, stores and giant billboards, with trees in-between. Even the roads themselves are bigger in the US. There are no four or five lane highways in Italy. I don’t know if this was just because of where we were in Italy, but there were never very many cars on the roads. The most cars I saw on the road was when we were close to Rome. In the evening in Bernalda the main street was fairly busy but it’s narrow so even a few cars made it seem busy.

There are small things I noticed that I do differently after being in Italy. I now turn the shower off to soap up because I started doing it in Italy after Anna mentioned it. There were some snacks I craved in Italy but now that I’m home I’ve found that I don’t really eat very many snacks. I also noticed that I feel weird walking around barefoot and I used to love to. I also hate being on my phone when I’m with other people because it feels rude. I’m sure there are other things that I do differently now that I just haven’t noticed. I would really love to go back to Italy and continue learning about the culture and myself.

They See Me Roman, They Hatin

May 28th, 2018

On Saturday we left Bernalda and headed towards Rome. It was very sad leaving Bernalda. This little town has been our home for the past three weeks. Whenever we went on day trips away from Bernalda, returning in the evening felt like I was coming back to our own little secret haven. Everyone treated us as if we had lived in Bernalda our who lives. When we didn't know how to say/do something or we tried to speak Italian, they were extremely helpful and kind. One of the women who worked in the restaurant where we ate breakfast every morning started learning English and would ask us for help and in return helped us with our Italian.

On our way to Rome we stopped in Pompeii. Pompeii was an ancient Roman city that was covered in ash when a nearby volcano (mount Vesuvius) erupted. It was a vacation spot for rich upperclass Romans and some of the first brothels have been found there. When the volcano erupted a pyroclastic flow (volcanic ash that contains poisonous gasses) covered the city and the people were killed almost instantly. The people that were above ground were basically vaporized because of how hot the ash was. The ones that were hiding underground or in their homes were frozen in motion and calcified. Since the city was covered in ash, it was not exposed to the natural elements and was preserved. The upperclass Romans who visited and lived in the city knew how to read and write so there are written records about Pompeii and ancient Rome. The people who were frozen in motion have helped us know what a typical day in the city was like and the written records have helped us understand what overall life was like.

Walking around the city was absolutely incredible. The ruins are still so intact it was easy for me to imagine what it looked like thousands of years ago. The city is so large that we were only able to walk through a small part of it. We saw houses with vineyards and beautiful frescos on the walls, temples to Apollo and other gods, stores where different foods where probably sold and much more. I was not expecting the frescos in the houses to be as intact as they were. Many of them were damaged to some degree but many also looked as though they had been painted recently.

After Pompeii we got back in Vernon and headed to Rome. When we got to Rome we had to return Vernon and all get to our hotel/apartment. We took taxis from the train station to our apartment/hotel and Fabio returned Vernon. Spencer, Lilly, Vanessa and I are in an apartment and Tina, Kayli, and Marimar are in a hotel with Fabio and Anna. Their hotel is right next to the Spanish Steps which is really cool. Our apartment is off a side street close to the Spanish Steps and has an absolutely beautiful view of the rooftops of Rome.

After seeing the Pope speak we ate lunch, did a little shopping and got back on the metro to go to a market we found online that looked cool. When we got to the market it cost money to get in so only Kayli, Lilly and I went in and the others left to go explore more of Rome. The market was not very big and I didn't find anything I wanted there. We didn't spend very long in the market before leaving and meeting up with the others. When we met up with them we discovered a market that had lots of flowy pants which was exactly what I was looking for. After buying flowy pants we got on the metro and headed back to the Spanish Steps for dinner. For dinner we went to a fairly touristy restaurant. I got a pizza but it just made me miss Bernalda pizza because it was not as good. After dinner we all went back to our respective living quarters and went to bed.

Today we woke up early so we could make our reservation for breakfast at the Vatican. We took the metro from the Spanish Steps to the Vatican. When we got to the Vatican it was already super crowded even though it was only 8am. Since we already had tickets we got to skip the super long line and go straight in. Once we got through the entrance we had to find where we were having breakfast. We finally found it and sat down for an "american" breakfast.

After breakfast, we started walking through the Vatican museums. We got audioguides and a map to help guide us through the museums. It was cool having the audioguide because we could learn about the different museums but move at our own pace through them. The first museum we walked through was filled with Egyptian artifacts. There were old Egyptian sarcophaguses that are beautifully decorated with hieroglyphs and other amazing Egyptian art, artifacts from different tombs, jars to hold a persons organs when they were mummified and more. I have learned about ancient Egypt many times throughout school and I've always found it very interesting. I really liked seeing all the different artifacts but I wish the audioguide would have given us more information about each artifact.

The artifacts and sarcophaguses were from someones grave but I didn't have the same conflicting feelings that I did in Pompeii. I think studying ancient Egypt so much in school made it seem very distant from me. It almost doesn't seem real. There was one moment I was looking at a sarcophagus with jars next to it that the organs were put in and I was thinking how this was taken from someones grave. I understand that there is so much knowledge to be gained from the Egyptian tombs but they are also where someone is buried. The more I think about it the more conflicted I become.

In one of the rooms there was someone restoring part of a wall. It was so interesting to watch. He had a super fine brush that he would paint with and then he would use something that looked like a small blowtorch but it blew air not fire. The part of the wall he was restoring was not super intricate but he still made very small and precise brush strokes. Each stroke had a purpose and there was thought behind it. I can't imagine restoring any part of the Vatican. All of it is so beautiful and has so much history. Being the one trying to preserve and restore that history and beauty would terrify me but also be so cool.

Next we saw the Sistine Chapel. When we walked in the first thing I noticed was how crowded it was. The whole place was crammed with people. There were security guards ushering us through the chapel and not allowing us to stop. We weren't able to stop and look at the chapel until we got towards the back. Once we were able to pause and look at the chapel I was amazed. I have studied the paintings Michelangelo did in the Sistine Chapel but seeing them in person was totally different. Above the alter in the chapel is where he painted the Last Judgement. The fresco shows Christ surrounded by saints and other holy beings. It is a depiction of the second coming of Christ and God's final judgement. Many years before painting the Last judgement, Michelangelo also painted the ceiling of the chapel. The ceiling is considered the epitome of high renaissance art. It depicts nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. I studied all the frescos in the Sistine Chapel but the ones I remembered the most were the Last Judgment and the Creation of Adam, which is one of the scenes painted on the ceiling. I remember learning Michelangelo had to build a scaffold to be able to reach the ceiling and because he was constantly looking up, he was in great physical discomfort. The walls of the chapel are also painted with beautiful frescos. On one wall is the Life of Moses and on the other is the Life of Christ. These were painted by several prominent painters of the time.

I really loved seeing the Sistine Chapel but I wish there hadn't been as many people. It took away from the beauty and magnificence of the chapel. I think if I could have spent more time looking at the paintings I could have more fully appreciated what I was experiencing. It didn't feel like I was really seeing it in person because I was only able to be in the chapel for a few minutes and the whole time people were trying to get past me. Even with all the people, the chapel was still beautiful and it was really cool to see something I've studied in person.

After the Sistine Chapel we left the Vatican and headed to metro so we could get to the Colosseum for our tour. When we stepped out of the metro station the Colosseum was right in front of us. I was not expecting this and didn't notice it for a few seconds. We had some time before our tour so we looked for a place to eat. Someone handing out fliers gave us a flier for a lasagna place so we went there. The food was touristy and not great but we all hungry so it was fine. We stayed there (using their wifi) until they asked us to leave so others could use our table so we left and went to where we were supposed to meet for our tour. When we got there we found out that they weren't letting anyone into the Colosseum right then so the tour had been moved to later. We had to option of getting a refund or waiting and going on the later tour. We chose to wait and go on the later tour so now we had more time to kill. We went to a few of the souvenir shops and then found a gelato place to sit and wait. All of our feet were tired so sitting was perfect.

When it was time for our tour we went back to the meeting place. We met up with the rest of the tour group and we got earpiece things so we could hear the tour guide. Our first stop on our tour was the Roman Forum. The Roman Forum was at the center of life in ancient Rome. Among the many buildings that made up the forum were temples that became basilicas, government meeting houses, shops and more. From the ruins that remain you can see how the forum changed over time and under different emperors. I really enjoyed seeing the forum because I love seeing and learning more about what all the buildings were used for. After the forum we went to the Colosseum. The Colosseum is such an impressive structure and it was cool to see it in person but it was not the most amazing thing I saw in Rome.

After the Colosseum we took the metro back to the Spanish Steps and met up with Anna and Fabio for dinner. We went to this delicious restaurant near the apartment I'm staying in. The restaurant was not very touristy and the food was amazing. Even though we were all exhausted and still had to pack, we decided to go to the Trevi Fountain. When we got to the fountain we turned a corner and there it was. The sculptures on the fountain are much bigger than I was expecting. We got gelato and ate gelato by the fountain and then took lots of pictures. Right before we left we each threw a coin in the fountain and made a wish. Then we walked back to where we were staying, packed and prepared for traveling the next day.

Saying Goodbye

May 24th, 2018

Today was our last day at the school. We prepared gifts for the teachers we worked with beforehand and knew they had something planned for us as well. First the principal thanked us for being in the school and the the mayor talked. After the mayor left we watched a recording of a play about Pythagorus some of the students had done in April. Then Antonio and some of the students preformed different traditional songs for us. Antonio played the guitar, the electric violin, the accordion and the zampogna (similar to bagpipes). The other students played guitar, accordion, tambourine, and some of them also sang. While the students were playing, us and the other students danced a few traditional wedding dances, including the Tarantella. I had such an amazing time working with the students these past three weeks and it was so much fun to dance and hangout with them on this last day. I am so grateful to the school for allowing us to be a part of their community and for welcoming us into their classrooms, even for this short amount of time. I hope I get the opportunity to return to Bernalda soon.

Lots of Lecce

May 21st, 2018

Today was really hot! We started our day by changing our plans a little. We decided to go to Gallipoli (a small seaside town) and then go to Lecce instead of just going to Lecce. When we got to Gallipoli the first thing I noticed was the beautiful aqua blue water. The water in Castro was blue but nothing compared to water in Gallipoli. The whole town used to be a fort. We walked around the outer wall of the city and the views were stunning. As we walked around the wall we saw a few churches and then we shopped for a little and ate lunch. I was able to buy more gifts for people which makes me really happy because I love giving gifts. After lunch Kayli and I went shoe shopping. I bought a pair of cute black strapy sandals. Then we went back to Vernon and drove to Lecce.

We saw the Roman amphitheater that, until recently (the 1930s) was undiscovered. The amphitheater had similar uses to that of the Colosseum. It was used for gladiator fights and other forms of Roman entertainment. After seeing the amphitheater we went back to Vernon and drove the rest of the way back to Bernalda.

Beach Break

After the sulfur springs we went back to the dock, walked back to Vernon, and went back to the hotel. At the hotel I showered and then went up to the bar in the lobby. Tina, Kayli and I asked Fabio to order us fruity drinks and they made us mimosas. We then went to dinner. The dinner tonight was much faster because we were the only ones in the restaurant. Tomorrow we're leaving Castro and heading to Lecce.

Awesome Alberobello

May 19th, 2018

Today we began our long weekend away from Bernalda. We started the day in the school and after school we drove to Alberobello. Alberobello is a town in the Apulia region of southern Italy. The town is made up of round, whitewashed buildings with cone shaped roofs made from flat stones. Fabio explained to us that the roofs are built the way they are because they are easy and fast to take down. When tax collectors came, they only taxed houses with roofs so if the house had no roof, the owners would not be taxed. Tax collectors would take anything and everything as payment so it was important for people to have a way to avoid being overtaxed. The roofs are also made from the flat stones because they are abundant in the area.

While in Alberobello we saw one of the churches and went shopping. The buildings where some of the shops are have symbols painted on the roofs of them. There are primitive symbols, Christian symbols, and zodiac symbols and each has it's own meaning and protects against something. After walking around Alberobello we got back in the van, now dubbed Vernon, and drove the rest of the way to Castro. Our first view of the Adriatic sea was beautiful. The sky and sea melded perfectly together. We drove past olive trees that are upwards of three hundred years old.

Our hotel in Castro looked like something out of a movie. The hotel has a beautiful pool, tennis courts, and the views of the Adriatic are breathtaking. The hotel restaurant opens at 8pm and so we arrived as soon as it opened. We didn't leave the restaurant until almost midnight. In previous blogs I have mentioned the lengthiness of Italian meals and usually I don't mind long meals because it gives me a chance to talk to the people I'm enjoying my meal with, but we were all so exhausted tonight that none of us had the energy for a more than three hour meal. Tomorrow we have a relaxing day and a boat tour of the caves scheduled.

On Top of the World

May 14th, 2018

Today we explored one of the oldest cities in the world, Matera. Matera is a city built into the rock and made up of a maze of caves and a city built on top. In Carlo Levi's book, he describes his sisters experience with Matera when she comes to visit him. She describes a city full of people starving and dying from malaria. The children in the street had big bellies from malnutrition and followed her begging for quinine (a medicine used to cure malaria). She described the caves to Levi as filthy and crowded. There were people wrapped in blankets shaking from fever and others so weak from hunger and disease that they didn't brush the flies off their eyes. When people read his book and found out people were still living in caves and in these conditions in 1945, they were shocked. In 1952 a law was passed to move everyone out of the caves. During the 50s and 60s everyone was moved out of the caves and into the city above. The descriptions of the south of Italy given by Levi caused the whole south of Italy to be called the shame of Italy, and this book still causes people to have a negative view of the area.

Matera was first inhabited many thousands of years ago. It is the third oldest city in the world and will be the culture capital of Europe in 2019. Under the city is a network of cave dwellings. There were typically ten people living in a cave as well as their animals. There was usually an area towards the back of the cave for the animals. Fabio told us it was better to have your wife killed or kidnapped because you could get a new wife much easier than a new horse.

While in Matera we also got to see some of the first churches. Just like their homes, their churches were in caves. The churches had frescos from the 13th century of important Christian figures on the walls. The paintings were still fairly intact because of the way frescos are created. A plaster made of ash and sand is put on the wall and then, while it's still wet, it's painted on. The paint saturates the plaster which makes it very hard for the paint to fade and usually the only way the paintings are damages is when chunks of plaster fall off or are removed. I am not religious but it was still extraordinary and made me feel small thinking about all the people that had worshipped there for thousands of years. Much of the country is Roman Catholic and many of the values and customs of the people are based on Catholicism so we were standing in a church that is the literal foundation of the city and part of the figurative foundation of the country.

We had dinner in a very cool cave restaurant in a nearby city. We had a five course meal with some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten! I keep saying every meal we have is delicious but all the food we have is so good that I don't feel any other words do it justice. There is so much more flavor in the food here. I haven't had to use salt once here and in the States it's one of my staples. The wine we had was also super good (and I usually don't like wine). Dessert was my least favorite course and it was still so good. After dinner we were all exhausted. Fabio drove us the 45 minutes back to Bernalda, I showered and went to bed.

We're Soaring, Flying

May 13th, 2018

Today was so busy. Kayli, Lilly, Tina and I got up early to go to the market. We had Fabio and Anna come with us so we wouldn't be completely lost while trying to shop. The market happens once a month on the second Sunday of the month. We got to the market around 9am and some stalls were still being set up and there weren't that many people yet. The market is set up on the main street so we started at one end of the market and made our way towards the other end. We only made it about halfway down before we had to leave for the mountains. I bought two pairs of hippy flowy pants, a pair of shorts and a shirt. As we made our way through the market, the vendors became more insistent. They weren't too aggressive but I definitely noticed a difference as we got closer towards the center of the market.

Fabio then drove us up the windy mountain road to Castelmezzano. As we were driving to Castelmezzano we discussed how Carlo Levi described the region compared to what we were seeing. He described the mountains as dead, brown, rocky and harsh. I did not see the same harshness he saw. I saw hills covered in green and golden wheat sprinkled with red poppies, trees and wildflowers lined most of the road, and even as we got farther up into the mountains there continued to be lots of green. I am on a fun study abroad trip so I don't see the region through the same lens as Levi did. He was sent to Aliano (a town in the province of Matera) as a political prisoner so he saw the area as somewhere unescapable. If I was trapped here and unable to leave I would probably see the landscape as harsher and more confining than I do now.

When we arrived Castelmezzano we ate lunch and then everyone but Anna, Fabio, and Vanessa got in a van to go further up the mountain to jump off. The van dropped us off and then we had to hike up the rest of the mountain. The path was fairly steep, the air is much thiner (and I might be a little out of shape) so I was very out of breath. The views as we were walking up the mountain were beautiful though. When we finally reached the top Spencer rented a GoPro to attach to his helmet so we could have a video of us flying. He went first so he could video us on the other side. I went last which I did not like because I was nervous and had no one to hype me up. Zip-lining was absolutely incredible but made my eyes water like crazy. After the first zip-line, we got in another van and went to the second zip-line. We had to walk through part of a beautiful village with remarkable views of the surrounding mountains. The view while flying was incredible. Both views while zip-lining were incredible but the views from the second zip-line were better. When I first started flying, I was so scared but as by the time it was over I was really glad we had a second flight.

At the end of our second flight Anna, Fabio, and Vanessa were waiting for us. We took the van back into town and then went back to Bernalda, ate dinner, did homework, and went to sleep.

School Dayz

May 12th, 2018

Our only full day at the school was Thursday (the 10th). On Friday and Saturday we left early. The students here go to school for six days but have shorter days, they go from 8:15am-1:15pm. During our first three days we mostly talked with the students either in small groups or as a whole class. I also went to two gym classes and played volleyball with them. I am not great at volleyball but it was still fun to play. It was fun to be able to play a sport and even though we couldn't communicate verbally very well, still have a good time and understand each other to some extent.

When we talked with the students in their classrooms sometimes we talked about whatever they were learning and sometimes we just talked with them so they could practice their english. They have written and oral english exams soon, so it is important for them to practice and it is great that they get to practice with native english speakers. When we just talked with the students they all ask similar questions about us and about the United States. They want to know where we live, what we eat, what we watch on tv, what music we listen to, how our school system works, what schools in the states are like, and much more. I think part of the reason they ask some of these questions is they know how to ask them in english but most of the time they are just curious about life outside of southern Italy.

When talking with the students we also ask them questions. Sometimes the questions are the same ones they ask us but we are also new to Bernalda so we want to know what they think we should do while here. In one of the classes I was in I asked them where the best place to eat was but they rarely go out to eat so Anna told us to be more specific about the question so Lilly asked where to get the best lasagna and one student said my mom and then all of them said their mom as well. It was really sweet.

A lot of the students I've asked what they want to be have told me they want to be doctors, lawyers or engineers. None of the students I've asked want to stay in southern Italy. All of them either want to leave Italy or move up north. It is sad that they know they have to leave the place they've spent their whole lives if they want to get a job. I also think that no matter how much they try not to, the view the rest of Italy and the world has of the south impacts how they see where they live. A lot of the students wonder why we came to Bernalda and are surprised we're staying here so long.

Suns Out Bun(nies) Out

May 11th, 2018

Today was so much fun and we did so many things!! We started at the school in the morning as usual but left an hour early at 12:15pm. From the school we drove the 15ish minutes to the beach. We were on the Ionian Sea which is part of the Mediterranean Sea. The water is a beautiful blue and was warm enough to wade in but not we didn't have our swimsuits so we didn't go swimming. There were a few people bronzing (what Italians say instead of tanning) on the beach but not many. We saw two jellyfish washed up on the shore and more alive ones in the water. The jellyfish were much bigger than the ones I'm used to seeing at North Carolina's beaches.

We spent about 30mins at the beach and then headed to Fabio's family's farm. At the farm they have five dogs, chickens, two sheep, four bunnies, ducks, olive trees, artichokes, and much more. Fabio's sister-in-law made us a delicious lunch of traditional Italian foods. During lunch we talked with Fabio's family. They asked a few questions about America and Americans. We were asked similar questions at lunch as we are in the school. Some of the questions I have been asked the most are what American fast food is like, if we know any famous Italians, if we like Bernalda, what we usually eat, and why we're in Bernalda. For dessert we had gelato and strawberries which was super good!!

Once Fabio got back we drove to the ruins of the Tavole Palatine (Temple of Hera). Metaponto was an Ancient Greek city that was built over 2000 years ago and whose ruins are now scattered throughout the region. At the Temple of Hera three boys from the school told us a little about the Temple and the legends/history of it. It is said that Pythagorus is buried somewhere near the Temple but no proof of this has ever been found.

How Are We Still Functioning?

A story of six students who traveled for 24hrs and were awake for 36hrs

As we were driving to Bernalda I noticed that Italians don't have the same rules of the road as Americans do. When the road was four lanes Fabio, and other drivers, would drive on the dotted line rather than in a lane. Along the road they have signs posted warning drivers when a speed check is coming so most drivers have the time to slow down before they get a ticket and speed the rest of the time. I also noticed, and Anna pointed out, that once we got into Basilicata the quality of the roads got pretty bad. We kept having to cross to the wrong side of the road because the road was being worked on. Some of the roads have been like this for over twenty years which shows how little money and investment the Italian government puts into southern Italy.

We got to Bernalda around 5pm. Spencer, Marimar, and Vanessa are in an apartment on the main street and Tina, Lilly, Kayli and I are staying with Anna and Fabio in Fabio's mom's apartment. I have noticed that most of the apartments in Italy have balconies on each floor and many have plants on their balcony as well. I absolutely love nature and being surrounded by nature even while in a city makes me feel at home even in a foreign place.

Even though we were all really tired, we still went and got gelato after dinner. One of the teachers took us to the best gelato place in Bernalda. She said it was the only place that makes homemade gelato. Later when we asked the students where the best gelato was, they also recommended this place. I got fragolo cantongo (strawberry) gelato and it was so delicious!!! After we got gelato we went back to the apartment, showered and went to bed. I had been up for more than 36hrs so falling asleep was no problem. While at dinner the teacher suggested we only come to the school for a few hours the next day so we could sleep in. We took her up on this and I slept in till around 10:30am. We went to breakfast and then went to the school.

At the school we went to one of the classes and were introduced to the students and shown around the school a little. After going to the school we went back to Fabio's mothers apartment and ate lunch. Fabio made us amazing pasta with tomato sauce and real parmesan. At lunch we talked about how food in Italy is viewed differently than in the US. There are more rules and regulations in Italy to keep the quality of the food high, and meals are much more important. Things like parmesan and extra virgin olive oil have standards they have to meet to have those labels. Parmesan has to be aged for at least a year and made in certain areas of Italy to be sold as parmesan. Extra virgin olive oil has to stay below a certain temperature and not have anything extra added to it for it to be sold extra virgin olive oil. In the US most food doesn't have the same kinds of regulations surrounding it. I think that shows the different values food has in Italy compared to the US.

After lunch we had an hour of rest. I can't nap so I watched Dear White People. After resting we had our first class. We discussed our first impressions of Bernalda, and Italy in general, and talked about the times we noticed or felt like a cultural outsider. Anna said something about this that I think describes the feeling of being immersed in a new culture perfectly. She said "I've never felt more American until I left America." I definitely feel this is true. I have never thought of myself as a very stereotypical American but even being in Italy for this short period of time, I have never felt more American. Things I do out of habit and don't often think about are things I'm now thinking about and are making me feel out of place.

After class we went to dinner at the bar where we had had breakfast. We tried a variety of their sandwiches as well as prosecco. We shouldn't drink the tap water so Lilly, Tina, Kayli and I went to a small store to try and buy water. We walked into the store but no one was there and we saw no water. The owner walked out of the back but we didn't know how to ask for water so we walked out of the shop. Trying to do something like this in the US or in a country where I speak the language would give me anxiety but trying to do it when I didn't speak the language was terrifying. I also had people with me who I know and speak the same language as me so we can use each other as resources. Kayli used google translate to see how to ask if they sold water (vendi acqua?) but right as we were about to walk back in, the owner left the shop. Then a cat walked out of a bush so we pet it and then went back to the apartment to do homework because we didn't know where else they sold water.

Around 10:30pm, as a homework break, Kayli, Tina, Marimar, Spencer and I went back to the same gelato place as last night. I got vanilla this time. Kayli wanted to get strawberry but accidentally ordered chocolate chip because in Italian chocolate chip is stracciatella which looks similar to strawberry. As we were walking back to the apartment we saw a few of the students we had met earlier that day. I'm excited to continue exploring Bernalda, learning more about Italian culture, and learning about myself in the process.