Mossimo and the Cultural Divide

Yesterday we arrived in Rome. On the ride there, Isabella told us that our bus driver, Mossimmo, who had been with us since day one, would be leaving us once we got to Rome. Even though none of us had ever ha da conversation with Mossimmo since he spoke no English, he had been pleasant and a good (if sometimes frightening) bus driver. So, as a token of our appreciation, we all pitched in about a Euro for a tip.

When we got to the hotel, however, Isabella informed us that we had under-tipped Mossimmo and that he’d had his feelings hurt, thinking maybe he hadn’t been kind enough or that he’d done something wrong. Apparently, it’s customary to tip one Europ per person, per day; we had only tipped about 30 cents per day.

We felt horrible for offending him and quickly rectified our discourtesy, but as many people commented, “Nobody told us it was customary to tip the bus driver so much. We just didn’t know.”

That’s one thing that makes this trip difficult–we just don’t know. We dont’t kno wwhat people are saying to us or about us when they speak Italian. We don’t know what the Italian customs are and how to follow them. We don’t know when our American habits become offensive to the Italians.

I do love Italy and Italians, and I would love to learn the language and familiarize myself more with Italian culture and customs, but right now I just feel lost. I know now what it feels like to be a foreigner.

On a lighter note, we have a spectacular hotel room in Rome! It has a small vestibule area with two bedrooms and a bathroom off to the side. The floor is pretty painted tile, and mine and Rebecca’s room has a balcony with an exquisite view! The only downside is that sometimes the doorknob gets stuck and we can’t get in, even with a key…

 
| View Show | Create Your Own

We All Live in a Yellow Submarine

Wednesday, March 5

9:32 p.m. Italian time
2:32 p.m. Mobile time

*Disclaimer: So, the day I left the country, my grammar left with it. I apologize for my grammatical errors in the past few blogs. I have been having trouble finding reliable internet and a computer. Most of the time I just have grabbed a few minutes on a friend’s laptop. Also, the past blog’s time was incorrect…it was in the p.m. AND, we didn’t go to Sicily for dinner… I was wrong! Thanks for reading and forgiving me for my mistakes!

I found myself doubling over in laughter and joy last night as an Italian man (with a nose similar to mine) led us in the chorus of Beatles’ songs
accompanied by a silly accordian player. The tenor was not our only ”dinner entertainment” at the restaurant. Isabella arranged for the waitors to bring out a platter of meat (I think it was a rack of beef, the ribs maybe? Not sure.) with roasted potatoes and flames coming from the center of the platter. I got some of the entertainment on video but I’m not sure if I can upload it to the internet cafe’s computer I’m writing from tonight. I’ll try. For dessert, we had something that was like a crust with lots of rich, wet chocolate on it. It reminded me of licking the spoon from mixing up brownie batter! Yum!

Today has actually been a long, tiring and rough day. Some of us got up early to go to the market in Florence for the last time. The mood for the
day was set with the falling of a constant, cold rain. It followed us to Rome, our last city of the trip. We’re all tired, some homesick, and ready
for a free, pretty day. I haven’t been able to talk to my parents since the Mobile airport, so I’m ready to talk to them!

Totally random: I finally had a meat other than beef and ham today! (salami! My favorite… from a little bakery where cardinals eat at.) Oh, I still haven’t had any spaghetti. Also, I’ve accidentally told three Italians ”thank you” in Spanish already… oops!

I’m going to sacrifice another 50 cent Euro and attempt to upload some pics for you! (I’m going to have to survive on 66 Euros for the rest of the trip! AH!)

Thanks for reading! Your comments really mean a lot to us, especially since we’re missing all of you!

| View Show | Create Your Own

New friends in old places

I thought my last night in Florence couldn’t get any better then I sat down to blog and catch up on my emails when a man named Lance joined me.  Daniel, Michael, Kelli, and I began talking to him because we were excited to be able to have a conversation with someone, be understood, and understand what they are saying as well.  Lance is a native of Hawaii but he and his wife currently live in New York as he goes to culinary school. We talked about our love of Italy and experiences thus far.  The genreal questions of where we are from adn where we have been were asked.  When I told him we are studnets at a Christian school that opened up a whole new conversation.

Lance grew up Buddhist yet had the apethetic belief of “I dont care” until he met his wife.  she also did not believe in God but began going to church with a friend from work.  Lance’s wife suffered from great anxiety attacks and an eating disorder.  By going to church with her friend, Lance’s wife learned the power of prayer and was healed of her anxiety and disorder.  Lance could not understand what had happened but knew
there was something different about her.   Soon Lance met Christ as his Lord and Savior.  He  is now excited about what God has in store for him and his family.  You see, Lance and his wife found out on their trip to Italy that they are going to be parents for the first time!!  God has done a great miracle in their lives and is still working!

After hours of talking and sharing our hearts with each other we each drifted away one at a time.

UM family and friends who are reading these blogs, we ask you to pray for Lance as he continues his journey through Italy but more importantly that his wife have a healthy pregnancy; they lead their child with the love of God; and that Lance have the courage and boldness to tell his Buddhist family about the grace, forgivceness, and love he has found through the one and only Creator, Savior, and LORD!!

ROME…..here we come!

Roaming around Rome….

Today we arrived at our final destination the beautiful city of Rome, but not before we had a great night saying goodbye to Florence.  The whole group went to a restaurant in the countryside of Florence where we had a fantastic meal and sang along with the tenor singer and acordian player…my favorite was when we all sang the yellow submarine song!  After a good nights sleep (until the construction at the hotel kicked up) we boarded our bus to Rome.  The weather is somewhat dreary here but hopefully it will clear up and warm up!  We have spent the afternoon walking around and we can honestly say that we walked from Italy to a different country because we walked to St. Peters Basilica or Vatican City which is the smallest country in world!  Rome seems very promising and I am sure that it will be memorable, but I have to say that I miss home. Hopefully I will have some adventures to report tomorrow. Ciao for now! – Kristen

L-O-V-E

“L is for the way you look at me. O is for the only one I see…

V is very very…extra ordinary. E is even more than anyone that I adore.”

What a song, right? Imagine having that sung to you by an Italian dressed in a black pinstriped suite with an accordian behind him while eating real Italian food. Now imagine having that Italian come up to you and reaching out to you, stop singing, and have you finish the chorus. That was my evening. In the words of Kendall, “It was life changing”!!!

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY!!!!!!!!!

I wandered away from the group during our tour of the Academy so I could have my own personal look at the paintings and sculptures. Then when we got to David I had to take a look for myself. It was just as great as the first time I saw it. Why am I not an Art History major???

This is for Kelli’s mom….first of all, she is absolutely one of the GREATEST people I have ever met. Secondly, she got some FANTASTIC bargans today in the market. Thirdly, and most importantly, why doesn’t she let people know she can sing. While the Italian singer was singing New York New York to me Kelli chimed and serenaded us with him.

Our last night in Florence made it even more clear in my mind how much I am in love with this city!!!

| View Show | Create Your Own

Rested And Relaxed

At last! I got a full night’s rest last night! It’s a good thing, too, because we spent the entire morning and afternoon walking! This morning, we visited the Academie, where we saw the David, went inside the Duomo, had a walking tour of Florence, and then went our separate ways to go shop. Though I’ve enjoyed Florence, I must say that I much prefer Venice. I think I’ll be ready to move on to Rome tomorrow.

Emily

| View Show | Create Your Own

My Favorite Day – So Far!

Well I have to admit that today has been my favorite day yet…This morning we started out escaping our hotel room (that has a some what interesting smell) to take a walking tour of Florence. We saw the actual statue of David! It almost doesn’t hit you when you see the actual thing! We spent the rest of the day shopping in the market, where I have to say that I depleted my funds but it was worth it. We need places like this in the US where we can haggle. (that would be great because Kelli taught me how to!) Kelli is no longer the pretty lady now she is “the negotiator” as dubbed by the Italian vendors. I have to say that it is now registering that I am in a foreign country. As much as I love Italian food, me and the roomies had to find a McDonalds today. Tomorrow we go to Rome after a morning in Florence (where we may get in some more shopping! Once again it is about dinner time and I need to run!

Ciao!

Bargaining, Bidets, and Breakfast

Tuesday, March 4

4:23 a.m. Italian time

9:23 a.m. Mobile time

I’ve experienced some new and different events and ways of living while in Europe-some that I like, and some that I’m not sure I’ll ever adopt into my daily routine. One event I really like is bargaining and haggling for cheaper prices for leather goods and gifts. Ashley and I bargained at the leather market today in Florence and enjoyed the thrill of walking away and hearing a lower price from the seller. We also bought some adorable Italian leather high heels, but we couldn’t bargain for them at a store.

One way of living I probably will never get used to is using the bidet. I laughed when I saw my roommates’ faces when I told them what that weird looking toilet was in our bathroom. One of my roommates and I actually tried it out (not without laughing hysterically!). I asked our Italian tour guide, Isabella, about it and she told us all about how it is an important part of the bathing routine of Italians; they usually use it four times a day. She told us that an Italian family is not a true Italian family if they don’t have a bidet in their house. Well, I think I’m okay with not being a true Italian family!

Today, we saw Michelangelo’s “The David,” the Duormo cathedral, and the tomb of Dante’s wife, Beatrice. The Duormo was massive with its beautiful exterior of white, green and pink marble. The white marble symbolized faith, green symbolized hope and pink symbolized charity. It is the fourth largest church in the world. I’m including pictures with this blog!

Random things about today:

• I was asked if I was Italian after I said “hello.”
• Emily and Ashley (with their dark blonde hair and blue eyes) were a hit with the Italian men.
• We’re starting to smell like European air.
• I love Venice more than Florence.
• Continental breakfasts are so much better at our Italian hotels with foods including marmalade and chocolate filled pastries, cappuccinos and cheeses of all kinds.
• We’re going to a “surprise” dinner tonight close to Sicily.
• I really, really love my new high heels!
• Almost everything in Europe is more expensive than in the U.S.
• The traffic in Florence is insane!
• Nougut and hazelnut gellato mixed together tastes like Ferrero Rocher chocolates! Yum!

| View Show | Create Your Own

Venice

Someone told me there are internet cafes on every corner in Italy… They were wrong.

After many attempts to find a reliable internet connection, I finally found one in Florence! So, because I only have 40 minutes to catch you up… I
will spend it by telling you about the incredible city of Venice.

I had the privilege of sharing the plane ride to Venice with a friendly, older man from Genoa, Italy. He told me all about Italy’s politics and where
I should go while visiting Venice. It was refreshing to meet a kind Italian after our interesting experience with a shouting, Italian airport security
man.

Venice… I can describe this watery city in one sentence– Venice is something out of this world!

As soon as we put down our luggage in our hotel room in Venice on Saturday, we decided to go in search of little shopping and local flavor. Instead, what we got is a train ride to the center of Venice led by our informing tour guide, Isabella. As adrenaline sank in (we had been awake for almost 20 something hours), we were excited about seeing the sites and the beauty of the city. Of course, some of us had to stop several times to capture a facinating shot with our cameras. Tour guide Isabella kept us walking… and walking… and walking… until we were completely exhausted. (I fell asleep for a bit on the train!)

Back at the hotel, it was almost painful staying awake during our four-course meal in the restaurant. It was delicious! The chef took a liking to me and gave me an extra dessert! YAY! I wish I could go into more detail about the Italian cuisine, but I have to move on more about Venice!

Our second day in Venice was more fun for me because we were rested (not well-rested due to the rule about no AC in the hotel before May and a busy and noisy street below our room). We left early in the morning and traveled to San Marco Square by water taxi. It was foggy and hazy the entire day, but I still took hundreds of pictures! (Pictures will have to come later since I’m not sure I’ll be able to upload them here). We arrived to Doge’s Palace before any other tourists so we had the entire square to ourselves. To no one’s surprise, Rebekah decided to chase the pigeons and ended up falling! I’m sure the locals were muttering, ‘’stupid Americans” several times throughout the day.

It’s getting dark outside, so Emily, Ashley and I have to get back to hotel soon. So, I will quickly sum up the rest of Venice and hopefully send
pictures and blog more later.

Venice:
*gondola ride= wow, I loved it!
*shopping= I bought most of my gifts for everyone… and oops, now I’m low
on funds.
*gelatto= tiramasu gelatto is my favorite so far!

More to come… soon! I can’t wait to fill you in some more about our amazing trip!

| View Show | Create Your Own

Busing, blogging, bonding

We left Venice this morning on our Mercedes-Benz tour bus to find ourselves four hours away in what might be my favorite city of Florence!
What is so great is that when we got to Florence and got to our hotel I discovered that it is the same hotel we stayed in two years ago!! I don’t believe I have ever laughed so hard in my life than when we learned Italian on the bus and began to dance and sing to American hip hop! Oh and I greatly wish you could hear the bells in the cathedrals here! The class of 2007 has NOTHING on Italy with their Senior Gift of putting bells in Lyon Chapel!

| View Show | Create Your Own