Where in Italy is Courtney White?

Hi Everyone,
I am so sorry it has been so long since I have last updated you, but things have been quite busy over here. It has been one month since I arrived in Italy and it has flown, yet I feel like I have done so much at the same time; not to mention that it feels like ages since I have seen everyone. I hope that my pictures made up for my not writing a lot here. It is easier to put pictures up sometimes than to sit and write about everything. I am still having the most amazing time. Everyday I look around and I am amazed that I am living in Italy. I am very grateful to have this experience and I am trying to make the absolute most of it all and bring back as much as I can for you all.
As I said the past few weeks have been crazy. We finished our three week intensive Italian course…My teacher moved me to the advanced beginners class because she feels that I understand it well enough and that I am a fast learner. So far it has not been terrible; I will be doing a lot of studying though so that I can speak the language better. We also started all of our regular classes. They are in Italian but it is not as bad as I thought it would be. Everyday I have Italian for two hours. Then on Thursday I have all of my other classes, History of Italian Cuisine, Reflective Writing, and Studio Art. I am taking an Independent Study for Literature so that should be…interesting. I believe I am going to be studying a contemporary Italian author and his works…in Italian.
After our three week intensive course the program took us on a nice little vacation. We spent five days on the Amalfi Coast. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The pictures I have really do not do it justice. The views were spectacular. The whole coast is little towns built into the side of cliffs along the coast of the Mediterranean Ocean. We stayed in Sorrento, at Hotel Cavour…it was, an experience. The outside did not seem terrible; Aside from the fake grass deck and twinkling Christmas lights. The inside left much to be desired. Our room had a set of bunk beds and 3 singles and over looked a lovely waterfall and river…with old clothes in it and we aren’t really sure where the water was coming from…due to the lack of rain and snow in the region; and our bathroom flooded. But we made it a fun time. We sang karaoke and explored the city of Sorrento at night. Saturday we did a tour of the coast. I went swimming in the Mediterranean in Positano and had a really cute lunch with ICED COFFEE! Both Positano and Amalfi were beautiful. Amalfi is known for its lemon groves and more importantly its lemoncello. I did not have any but I did have some lemon gelato and it was delish! On Sunday some of us went to the Island of Capri. It was one of the best days I have had to date in Italy. A small group of us rented a boat and had someone drive us around the island. It was so beautiful and relaxing tanning and swimming. We got to jump off the boat and swim in grottos. After we did some shopping and hunting for sea glass. The sand there isn’t like ours at home it is all rocky so it hurt our feet but was perfect for making sea glass and therefore we found a lot!! We all went to dinner each of the nights. The first night we ate at the hotel….it was the WORST meal I have had here to date. We were served chicken patties and french-fries and red wine that came out of a hi-c container…At first we thought it was an insult because we are young Americans, but apparently it is a famous southern cuisine…I think ill stick with food from the north thank you very much. The second night was a HUGE improvement we ate at a pizza place and had samples of different type of pizza; and being that pizza originated in Naples it was DELICIOUS! The second night we ate at a seafood restaurant on the water. It was really beautiful and the food was delicious.
The south was very different from the north of Italy. I have always heard about cultural differences but it is really true. It was like a different country. The north where we are is very medieval and the south was more like South America, very Miami/Cuba/ Casablanca esc. (Not that I have been to those places, but what I have seen on TV and in movies)
On the way back to Siena we stopped in Pompeii. It was absolutely insane! Walking the streets that have remained unaltered since the eruption was crazy. It was a completely mind blowing experience that I am so happy I got to have. I saw the famous Mt. Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii and it is something I will always remember. This country is so old and has so much history to it. We drove through a valley where the allies fought and won against the Nazis in world war two. It was the sight of a famous and important battle for the side of the allies.
Tuesday classes started but the week flew! A group of us decided to go to Florence for the weekend. We just up and went!! It was so much fun. We stayed in a hostel, which for me was an experience in itself. It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Actually it was nicer than the hotel we stayed at in Amalfi! We got 3 private rooms so it was only our group staying in them, and it was clean over all. Florence was a fun city. It reminded me of an old and European version of New York. It is definitely a great place to go shopping and go out and see museums but I am happy that I am living in Siena. For the most part in Firenze (as the Italians call it) people speak English or are very rude about you attempting to speak Italian. We did a lot of walking and shopping, I bought my self a very nice Italian European leather bag that I love! I am planning on going back for a day and seeing the museums and going to the top of the Duomo.
This past week went to Assisi and a chocolate factory in Perugia and the Opera. It was quite the busy weekend. Friday we went to Assisi and Perugia. We also went to a small town in Umbria to the Museo Del’Emigratione. It was a cute town and interesting to see the story of the people the emigrated out of Italy to other countries. There are so many stories behind everyone and seeing people’s real documents was fascinating. Unfortunately we only spent an hour in Assisi, but it was BEAUTIFUL. I think it is one of my favorite cities, looks wise, that we have been to so far. The basilica of Saint Francis and Saint Claire are there. They are both the patron saints of Siena College and happen to be my middle and confirmation names! So that was kind of cool to see. The chocolate factory was delicious. We were able to see them make and package chocolates for Christmas and they are starting Easter as well. It is the factory where they make Baci chocolates. We got lots of free samples and bought some to bring home too! Obviously everyone had a stomach ache at the end of the trip.
On Sunday we went to the Opera in Florence to see Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata. The opera house was not very pretty. In my opinion Lincoln center and most of the theaters in New York are much nicer. This one was too modern to have an opera in. I enjoyed the experience of the Opera and the story of La Traviata, but I do not particularly like the sound of opera singer’s voices. I would have enjoyed it more if the music was to a ballet or to a play. But it was nice to get all dressed up and go to the opera for the day.
Time is absolutely flying here! The weather is starting to get cool, so we are finally having a fall. This coming Friday we are going to a winery and in a few weeks I will be on my mid semester break and headed over to Ireland for 10 days with my friend Mary! I cannot even believe it half the semester almost gone. I am still loving every moment I am here and cannot wait to keep doing all the different things I get to do.
I love and miss you all tons and ton<3
All my love back to the States!

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