Blogs from Turin, Piedmont, Italy, Europe
Ciao Ragazzi! Hello Again - Jan-April 2012
Published: April 11th 2012Europe » Italy » Piedmont » Turin
April 11th 2012
Well it's been a while. I'll try to catch you all up. Sorry about that but we got tied up in visiting the good old USA over the Christmas holiday and I just let it all slip through the cracks. BTW we had a wonderful time back home visiting my Mom and brothers on Long Island as well as Debra's Mom and Dad in Orlando along with seeing all the family members we love in both places. We were with our two great sons, Jason and Joseph, most of the time so that was spectacular. And they were with us in NYC as well so that was just icing on the proverbial cake. We got back to Torino on the 9th of January. Deb started right back into work and doing a fair amount of travelling ... read more
January 29th 2012
This week started off with a BANG. The bang being food poisoning (Samantha insists that it was the bug that's been going around, but I'm convinced otherwise). I won't go into too much detail about how awful it was, but it left me pretty much out of commission for 2 days (one day of being sick and a second recovering), and has made me fear eating. How can I fear eating in Italy of all places? I curse my delicate stomach that freaks out at anything out of the ordinary. Hopefully I can train it to MAN UP in the next few months... Just a small bump in the road, I got over it pretty quickly and the rest of the week flew by. The days are starting to go by faster which must mean that ... read more
November 28th 2011
Trying to explain Thanksgiving to someone who has never celebrated it is a difficult task. For most Americans, the mere mention, smell, sight, or thought of anything that has anything to do with Thanksgiving will give immediate and satisfactory thoughts and memories about a holiday celebrated with family, food, and football (commonly referred to as life’s three greatest F’s). It is something that cannot be explained with words. It means too much. I have spent 21 Thanksgivings with my family. I have spent 3 Thanksgivings without my family. It may be harder than Christmas or any other holiday to spend away from family. But having spent the last three away from my family during Thanksgiving I have realized Thanksgiving not only can be celebrated without the most important F(amily) but it can be a huge success ... read more
November 22nd 2011
When I arrived in Korea I was put through an intense week of training (to be magically transformed into a teacher, while having no prior experience). Then I was put in a van, then a bus and sent to Cheongju, The City of Lights, my home for the following year and a half. I was put up in a love motel for a night and then Bethany and I were thrown into a closet that was supposed to be our apartment for a year. It was Renee’s apartment before us. Did you just read that? Renee’s… then ours. Emphasizing the fact that one person lived in the closet for a year and then my employer expected that two people would be happy there when one person barely was. They left us there. Before being dropped off ... read more
November 13th 2011
I recently visited Italy...AGAIN! But this time, as it is winter, I did not go to Sardinia and stay at our favourite B&B, La Rosa Dei Venti, which I talked about in one of my earlier entries, but to Turin, or Torino in Italian. A much more 'culturally intensive' vacation! Naturally coming from France the most logical is to take the Frejus tunnel which comes out in Bardonecchia, where the 2006 winter Olympics were held. I discovered that Turin is indeed an ancient city, which was Italy’s first capital, and is now a great industrial district. Each moment in history has left its mark on the city, creating a legacy of culture, architecture and monuments. As we all know the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, which were held primarily in Bardonecchia, Val di Susa, showed the ... read more
October 5th 2011
In 2006 (long time ago! so many great memories) I went on the school art trip to Italy. This was the most amazing experience for a 16 year old, and one that I will never forget. I spent 2 weeks living with a host family in Torino, Piedmont. Then we toured around Italy for the last 10 days. During the first 2 weeks in Turin, I stayed with a host family, the Tonarelli's who lived in the middle of the city. My host sister was Giulia, my host father was Adriano and my host mother was Paula. I still keep in contact with Giulia. They were like a true family to me in those 2 weeks. They are my Italian family! During these 2 weeks, I attended school with Giulia, which was very interesting, then the ... read more
October 3rd 2011
Ok, I still owe the blogosphere some info about our trip to Lyon last August but I just got lazy and haven't written it up. I will but it may take a while. Besides how much of the French countryside and pictures of food can you guys take? So, I will start posting stuff that's more culturally interesting and in synch with Italy and our stay here. So, on to the first of that type. We finally got our car in Italy!! Debra got her Carta d'Identita (Residency permission) in Torino which was the final piece of the puzzle required before the car could be registered, officially, in Italy. (my papers are just getting started - they waited for Deb's to finish first) We found this macchina (car/auto) on-line after a long and puzzling search that ... read more
August 5th 2011
Hey there - Debi and I will be heading out on our 2011 August vacation in a few hours. Heading to Milano to catch a flight to Madrid. The trip will last for about 3 weeks and besides Madrid we will be visiting Barcelona, Marseille & Lyon France as well as various side day trips to other locals. So, you can expect a good report when we return at the end of August. I'm bringing the laptop so I may be inclined to write a bit while on the road but I won't promise :) Anyway, stuff has been moving along. We are still in love with Italy and haven't started to pine for the good ole USA just yet. However, the tourist mentality and newness of Torino has left almost entirely. It has been replaced ... read more
July 18th 2011
Hello everyone, I have been very quiet and I am sorry for that but since we checked out of the Hotel on June 19th (almost a month ago) we have not had full internet here at the apartment. We just got our FASTWEB connection last Monday and so I hope to be blogging a bit more regularly. Where to begin? Still loving it here in Torino at our apartment which is pretty much finished as far as decorations and such. We have been funishing the place with IKEA for the most part. We know that stuff isn't really meant to last but it seems to go well in this apartment space and it's relatively inexpensive (nothing here is inexpensive, believe me). The last few things have been ordered and will be delivered in the 1st week ... read more
July 9th 2011
Ciao! Sorry for the absence. I have been trying to completely immerse myself in the Italian world that I am now apart of, which takes me some time because I am a little stand off-is at first. My apartment is great, way bigger than I expected with a kitchen and even sitting room. It is walking distance to the school, and near a great super market. There are 3 sections that students live in: downtown, midtown, and school area. The different locations have made it hard to form a great relationship with everyone in the program, but I have come to find out that it’s probably for the best. My roommate is amazing; she is from Santa Cruz and goes to Poly. Her name is Nikki and she is relaxed with quite and edge and has ... read more
