Orientation Trip - Reggia di Caserta, Paestum, and the Amalfi Coast

This past weekend we took our biggest school trip, where we visited a palace of a thousand (give or take a few) rooms, the ruins of Paestum, and the Amalfi Coast (Salerna and Sorrento to be exact)...

We all had to be up and ready by 7am, which wasn't too much of a struggle for me since I'm always up and early anyways. Thankfully, I had packed my travel bag the night before so I had nothing to worry about. Nonetheless, even with my preparations I almost forgot my wallet in my room, which I fortunately realized before the buses had left campus.

The bus ride from Rome to Caserta was about three hours long. Throughout the bus ride, I had a Jesuit priest sit right beside me. It was kind of a tense situation for me in the beginning since I assumed that I had to alter my behavior to be a bit more formal and contrite than usual (which meant being quiet for most of the ride and only speaking when spoken to).I realized that the priest was pretty informal in behavior and quite friendly, actually. However, the realized was not enough for me to put my guard down. He was very talkative and always ready for a conversation, but the early morning along with the thought of the long bus ride ahead tempted me to silently doze off.

We made it to Reggia di Caserta around 10 to 11 in the morning. The entrance to the palace was at least 300 feet in distance, from one end to the other, and had ceilings that were about 30 feet high. The floor was cobblestone the color similar to that of the rainy and cloudy sky that loomed above us. The multitudes of pillars were marble of similar color to that of a thick London fog. The ceiling, however, was much brighter with colors of goldenrod and azure.

 The main staircase that led us to the upper floors were made of ivory white marble with beautiful carvings on the side. As I walked up the first flight of steps, I was faced with the sculptures of royalty that have come to pass, marble sculptures of grotesque lions on both sides, and grand frescoes up above me. By comparing the size of the heads of some of the people in the photo, one can try to imagine the scale of the frescoes. Throughout the whole palace (or from what I was able to see of it), every room's ceiling was adorned by a grand fresco. They were religious scenes, historical scenes, and portraits of the artists' patrons. It was interesting how the marble floors were scoffed, pockmarked, and scratched, yet the beautiful, vibrant frescoes above us had preserved their beauty and majesty.

Later, we found ourselves in the palace's chapel. The ceilings were beautifully gilded with gold, the whole room was surrounded by ivory colored marble that had a touch of a rosy hue. They say that during World War II the Allied Forces had occupied this palace and before the U.S. departed, they left a bomb. Unfortunately, this bomb had detonated in the chapel, which damaged a few of the columns on both sides. It may seem like not much damage was obtained, therefore one might assume that the bomb was not of great power. Perhaps, instead, one must think of the strength and quality of work of these marble columns and walls that were able to withstand the explosion of a bomb. Meanwhile, one must wonder, why did the U.S. leave a bomb in a chapel to detonate?

Like I said, Reggia di Caserta is a palace of more than a thousand rooms. There was even a room solely used for the previous residents to change out of their hunting clothes. Quite superfluous, I must say. After seeing at least 10 rooms, it started to get old and redundant for me. They were beautiful rooms with beautiful frescoes, certainly. However, they started to look the same or at least the same pattern. It's just ridiculous how each succeeding resident of this palace added more rooms to his/her liking instead of working with those already built. A few of my friends and I even joked that at one point, the previous residents probably just got tired and slept in whatever bedroom they came across instead of having to walk all the way to a specific bedroom. Once I became progressively bored and not paying attention to the guided tour, I just started taking pictures of myself on the antique mirrors. At first people were giving me weird looks and saying under their breath, "What the hell are you doing?" After a while, people started to follow suit and do the same thing! Hah!

It rained all day, which I wasn't prepared for, so I was somewhat drenched and my leather boots were ruined. Even so, the gardens and the view of the palace outside were beautiful. In my mind, I imagined that perhaps this would be a setting similar to where Jane Austen's Mansfield Park might have taken place. The gray, rainy clouds looming above, the beautiful greenery and forestry all around us that reached further than our eyes could see, and a palace of marble and frescoes in the middle of it... it's the perfect setting for most of the Victorian novels I have surrounded myself with. A friend and I walked through the palace grounds in hopes of seeing what's at the end of it. However, after 20 minutes of continuous walking we were unable to even make it to the middle of the greenery. Now, imagine how large the palace grounds were!

 We ended the day in Salerno, where we stayed two nights in a hotel right by the coast. It's the first time in a long while since I've been to a sea or ocean's shores, and it was definitely the very first time I had been to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was a beautiful sight as mountains surrounded us on one side and the waves of the Mediterranean embraced us on the other. The presence of rain, its clouds, and sunset resulted in a beautiful picturesque scene right above the Mediterranean.

A few new friends/classmates I met that day spent the night walking around the streets of Salerno. Apparently, there was a huge sale going on that was only lasting til that weekend. The streets were illuminated by street lamps, decorative lights, and the slick cobblestones reflected these lights as if they glowed themselves. I wasn't able to find anything of interest to me that was on sale (that's saldi in Italian). Instead, my new found friends and I bought ourselves a bottle of wine (each) and walked around whatever street seemed interesting and attractive to us. With every corner we turned on we found small shops offering cuts of meat, cheeses, and various types of alcohol. With a bottle of wine to call our own, we took as many sips from the bottles as every corner we turned.

The next day, we went on a day trip to Paestum to see the ruins of ancient temples. There, I learned that there were more Greek colonies in what we call modern day Italy than there were actual Roman cities. Of course, after some time, the Romans did take over these colonies, which were taken over by other civilizations after the Roman Empire's fall. In the photo, are my friends and I near the temple of Juno (that's Hera in Greek mythology). The temple was quite large, which we were about a hundred feet or so away from in this picture. It was quite interesting to see such a monument that predates the Greek Parthenon standing. It has apparently withstood earthquakes, weather, and time. For me, dear reader, seeing these ruins is like a memento mori, a reminder of death or human mortality. Sure, it may seem grim, but at the same time it shows me that even as the body fades, the works and feats of our minds last much longer.

After a visit to the ruins, we visited a farm where organic mozzarella di bufala was made. It was a beautiful farm surrounded by pastures and mountains dotted with greenery. The sky was clear, the sun was bright, and the air was fresh with the smell that made me think, "Yes, we're at a farm with animals. It kind of smells like it." The strong smell of the animals and excrement took us by surprise as we entered the buffaloes' living space. Apparently, the water buffaloes are kept from experiencing stress by giving them large expanses land for grazing, machines that provide massages, and they are never treated with any sort of antibiotics. When the animals do get sick, they are quickly sent to the butcher in order to prevent them from infecting the other buffaloes. After, the tour of the farm, we were able to sample fresh mozzarella di bufala. It was very delicious and much more flavorful compared to the ordinary supermarket kind. It had a slight sourness distinctive of cheese and a creaminess to it that signified its freshness. At that point, I knew that I had tasted something I probably won't be able to taste anywhere else unless I visited that particular area again.

We spent another night in the hotel by the coast in Salerna. I became acquainted with more schoolmates that night during dinner. My friendship with them further developed as we went out after dinner that night and had a few drinks. Before heading out to the bars, we went to a gelateria near the hotel. Mind you, this was around midnight or perhaps even an hour after, yet this little shop was bustling with customers from club goers to children as young as seven. It was our last night in Salerno and I think it we made the best of it.

The next day, we packed our stuff and made our way to Sorrento. Unfortunately, my camera had died the night before and I had forgotten to bring my battery charger with me. The trip up the hills and mountains of Sorrento was terrifying and entertaining at the same time. We road on large tour buses, four of them in total, that effortlessly squeezed themselves on these narrow roads that hugged the sides of mountains overlooking coastal towns by a few hundred feet. These roads that curved and turned countless times could barely fit one car was able to successfully offer us passage even with traffic going the other direction.

When we got to the lemon farm, my group had a man named Giovanni give us a tour. He was a very attractive man. He had these hazel eyes, this humble yet confident smile, a sun kissed complexion, along with lustrous and thick black hair. A few times we caught each others gaze for a few seconds too long and I took this as a sign of interest. I stood near him when we took a break from the tour and he said hello to me. I was quite nervous yet emboldened by my interest in him that I hurriedly introduced myself. We talked about his vespa and I commented that it was my dream to ride a vespa before leaving Italy (implying that perhaps he can give me a ride on his, of course). Throughout our time at the lemon farm I tried to stay close to him, which I'm sure he noticed. We spoke throughout the whole tour with light conversation when he wasn't busy talking to someone else. Perhaps I was trying too hard to maintain contact with him or maybe I wasn't assertive enough, but in the end, our interaction didn't proceed any further.

Maybe it was just  the way of the Italians, his suaveness and piercing gaze made me interpret a possible interest. I wasn't able to determine whether he was interested in men, women, or both; it's what drove me to pursue him even further. If he was just into women, fine. However, if there was a possibility of me having some sort of intimate encounter with this man, I wanted to take that opportunity. Unfortunately, near the end of our time at the lemon farm, he into deeper conversation with a few other people. I did not want to seem desperate (more than I already was) by intervening. I bought myself a bottle of limoncello as a memento of the whole trip. Surprisingly, I'm not too fond of limoncello; it's surprisingly strong and very sweet.

When we got back on the buses, he got in his car that was next to my window. Since I knew that I would never see him again and I really didn't care to pursue him any further, I just waved at him enthusiastically like a fool. Whatever, it was the end of a chance encounter and I wanted to entertain myself somehow by believing that he could have been a nice fling during my time in Italy.

Didn't Frances from Under the Tuscan Sun have a short fling with Marcello in the Amalfi Coast, specifically Positano? Perhaps I thought that I could have something similar to that. Oh well, I still have about three months here. Who knows what will happen in that time period?

A Journey of Being

This whole week, people have been trying to figure out what sort of trips they'd like to take during this semester. Some of those offered by the school included trips to Tuscany, Poland, Sicily, Tunisia, and many others. A lot of the people I know, if not most, have signed up for a trip or two with the school. Along with these trips, people are also planning independent weekend trips to France, Germany, Turkey, and many other places.

I, on the other hand, can't afford to do the trips with the school. I have to be a little more conscious and critical of the trips I can possibly take. A lot of the trips hosted by the school range from 200€ for a weekend trip to 800€ for the week-long Spring Break trip to Tunisia. Along with that, just airfare alone to other European countries such as Germany, Austria, England, and Spain cost around 200€-300€. I can't afford to spend that much for one trip. Especially, considering the fact that I want to experience a trip that is personal, raw, and unique, the trips offered didn't really fit the criteria. So instead of doing any study trips through the school, I intend to do all my traveling plans on my own. The major one I've decided and booked my flight for is Morocco.

Yes, I have booked a round-trip flight to Morocco and I will be staying there for ten days. Who will I be traveling with? Just myself. Yes, I will be traveling around a new, unfamiliar country on my own, which I know nothing about, for ten days. Sure, it's kind of scary thinking of how no one will know where I will be for those ten days other than myself and the people I come across. Anything can happen, which is the scariest and most exciting part about it.

Some people have been critical of my plans asking, "What can you do in Morocco for ten days? Why there?" Mind you, dear reader, Morocco is not merely a city but a country. I simply reply by saying that I want to travel to several Moroccan cities and not just stay in one. Perhaps that's what makes my trip seem even more adventurous, risky, and exciting at the same time. I don't plan on staying in one city. Instead, I plan on staying in a different city for about two days; Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Casablanca perhaps?  I don't know what I will find, but I'm quite certain that it will be an interesting journey.

A friend of mine worries that it will be pretty lonely traveling on my own for ten days. Especially considering the fact that I am a novice traveler. However, I think that's it's a much needed journey. By experiencing the new and the unknown, we come to find and/or develop a part of ourselves we can never fathom of being. To get lost in an unfamiliar city, whose courage and capabilities can I depend on other than my own? A lot of people can say that they went to Rome, Paris, London, or Berlin. On the contrary, how many people can say that they traveled around an exotic country such as Morocco by themselves for ten days? Especially a traveler who has never ventured out of their home country on their own?

I don't know what to expect from my trip to Morocco other than a sense of growth. What will I learn? What will I see? Who will I meet? Frankly, I don't know. All I can really do is stay open to the possibilities. That is what learning and being worldly is about. Certainly, I can learn just as much by going on the study trips hosted by my school. However, my trip to Morocco will be a very personal venture that will definitely be priceless.

I'm Here. I'm Scared. I'm Excited.

Yep, I am now officially in Italy. It has been quite the voyage considering that I have barely slept for the last 24 hours or so (if at all). Let's start from the beginning shall we?

I got to the airport about three hours before my departure time. When I got there people were already in line to check in their bags. I made small chit chat with a few of the people in line and I think I even made a friend. I would consider her a new friend and not just an acquaintance as we've basically kept in contact throughout our whole flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany for a three hour layover and finally to Rome, Italy.

It was really exciting meeting all these new people. It felt similar to when I first moved into the dorms my freshman year of college. It was new, exciting, and I didn't know what to expect of my environment and especially of the people. The people I've met from the random encounter in line to the random seat neighbors I had for my primary and secondary flights, however not many of them have interest me... Or perhaps I have not interested them. In any case, I feel that I am quite alone on this trip except for the girl I had newly befriended and one or two people I am acquainted with before this Rome trip.

Yes, I admit, I do feel kind of homesick; more than I had expected to be. It feels weird that I am apart from my family not just by a few miles or even statewide. I am away from my friends and family for three and a half months. Along with not seeing them, I am afraid that I may run out of money before I complete this trip or see most of the things I want to see. It is only my first night here, yet I already feel lonely and isolated. At first, I thought that this would be the ideal situation. I thought that I would be all right with exploring Europe on my own. However, I'm not as confident as I had imagined. I am afraid to even say, "Ciao," to those that work in the school or the neighboring shops. I'm afraid of being spotted as the foreigner and the sorts of reactions it may encourage. I really am out of my comfort zone and it scares me a bit.

On the other hand, I should appreciate this. Now I know the threshold of my comfortability. I now know what I need to work on and how I can possibly use this as an opportunity to strengthen myself. It's scary and for the past day or so, I've felt as if my fear of the truly unknown is the end-all be-all. On the contrary, it's not. I have come to realize my unconscious borders. Now, I can work on broadening them. I really do want to see as much as I can and make this trip as worthwhile as it can be. All I can or should really do is keep an open mind, right? To accept things as they come and to act accordingly.

Well, I'm tired and it has been over twenty-four hours since I have slept. I will write again soon and post the photographs I have taken these past few days tomorrow. Until then, buona notte.

Ventuno Giorni

I am a mere three weeks away from departure. I'm finally done with the semester and it's great to have time to relax. With every day that is passing I feel so much more excited. It feels more and more real that I will be leaving for the Eternal City in less than a month, and living there for the following three and a half months.

For the past few weeks, I've just been trying to prepare for my trip. I talked to my communications adviser, my psychology adviser, and the psychology internship coordinator in order to tie any loose ends before my departure. With my communications and psychology advisers, I wanted to discuss with them my progress in each respective major. Considering that I'm double majoring, it can get somewhat confusing as to what requirements I've already fulfilled, what else needs to be fulfilled, and how much time I have left in order to fulfill every requirement asked of me for both majors. Since I will be entering my senior year the semester following my study abroad trip, it's very important for me to plan everything quite meticulously to ensure that I won't have to stay an extra semester or so after my senior year. Especially with the internships, it's necessary for me to plan things out even further ahead of time than everything else. This is due to the fact that it's required of me to apply for course approval and search for internship sites all on my own before the semester I plan on doing them. Along with that, I must also track down certain course professors to request recommendations from them. So much to do in so little time!

I also had to make sure I have prepared every necessary document I need. Two copies of my whole passport, two photocopies each of my passport's face page and visa page, two copies proving international insurance coverage and a set of four passport photos. I finally have all the necessary documents together along with a simple weekly budget of how much I'm should spend on a weekly basis while abroad. The next thing I should do is compile a priority list of countries/cities I want to visit while I'm there and determine what would fit into my budget. I definitely have a few things to keep me busy til the time comes for me to leave!

Nonetheless, I am quite excited for what the expected future holds. I can't wait to experience everything that Europe will have to offer me in the following four months. I'm excited to return from my trip and live back in the city as a 21 year old with company I enjoy. I love my family and appreciate the support they give me, however I think that it is time to exercise my independence even further. A lot of positive, amazing things lie ahead of me and I want to get a full grasp of them. I feel that I've become more inspired and motivated to live my life to the fullest in recent months.

If you, dear reader, had met me a year ago or perhaps even no more than six months ago, I couldn't tell you what drove me to live or move forward. Now, I can say that I want to experience as much of the world as I can. I want to see things I only know from movies. I want to experience just as much as the next traveler. I want to fill my life with experiences and stories that I can pass on to friends, family, lovers, and strangers. I want to further and strengthen my curiosity. I want to learn more about myself through learning about my surroundings and the places that reach further than what I currently know!

As you can tell, dear reader, I am impassioned by the future. I like this feeling. I want to hold onto it as long as I can.

Until next time,
KC

The World is Quite Big

Buongiorno ...

It is with regret that we notify you that you have not been selected by the JFRC Scholarship Committee for an award for the Spring 2012 semester.

Unfortunately, we had only extremely limited funds from which to distribute awards for Spring 2012 compared to the generous amount which had been available for scholarships for the Fall 2011 semester. As a consequence, many worthy candidates did not receive any grant.

Despite this news, we trust that you will find your Spring semester in Rome an exhilarating and inspiring one, and that you will reap a fruitful experience from your time abroad.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                        JFRC Staff     
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Unfortunately, I was not selected to receive any of the scholarships I had applied for in late October (see blog post: Scholarships - Part II). I kind of expected this outcome. Considering my usual informal writing and comparing it to my scholarship essay, the latter comes off quite contrived. The ideas I wanted to express through the essay seemed to lack a sense of naturalism, passion, and uniqueness. It lacked what my usual, natural writing had: an identity. I guess I was more nervous and uncertain about writing the essay than I had realized. I lost myself in the midst of cliché phrases and common words in hopes of producing something agreeable to all. I produced something generic and uninteresting. What I wrote did not work in my favor.

Of course I'm disappointed in not having received a scholarship. Nonetheless, I still consider myself to be very fortunate. I'm lucky enough to still have the opportunity to study abroad and see more of the world than what some can only imagine. Sure, it would have been great to have received a monetary scholarship that would have enabled further travel opportunities. However, I want to see this situation in a more positive light.

In a sense, life has proposed a challenge for me: to experience another part of the world's culture without (or barely) depending on money. I think it's possible. I think this would be a great challenge to pursue. Why? It would allow me to have a closer experience with a culture, its people, and what hospitality means throughout the world. What I'm referring to is the sort of basic humanity we hope to find in strangers when we're lost or find ourselves in need of help. I think that by befriending the locals and sharing a common ground I can find myself welcomed into their homes.

I think that such a scenario would afford me experiences comparable (if not more valuable) to what any supplementary monetary amount could afford me. I could find myself eating with an Italian family that includes many cousins and neighbors with the vibrancy of the Italian lifestyle on a normal week night... Or perhaps I'll find myself helping catch that day's lunch or dinner off the coasts of Valencia, Spain or perhaps Marseilles, France. What I really want to do is have a picnice, something as simple as bread, wine, and cheese on the side of a ride beside a lavender field in the Provençal region of France. Whatever the case may be, I will definitely make the best out of what I can during my time in Europe in the following months to come. The world is huge and the variety of possibilities it can afford me is just as grand, therefore I shouldn't lose hope. Everything I want to see is still in my grasp. I just have to work a little harder.

Tomorrow's the Day

Tomorrow I find out as to whether I got any of the study abroad scholarships I applied for or not. I must say that I'm pretty nervous I'm more nervous than I thought I would be a few weeks ago when I turned in my application. Perhaps it's due to the fact that as my departure date approaches even closer, the reality has hit me harder: I'm leaving in just over a month and I've nowhere near saved up my goal amount! Sure, I might have a few hundred dollars saved up, but that won't be enough to see all that I want to see in Europe.

I want to be able to travel to Ireland and experience the emerald, rolling hills. To stand in front of it, to breathe it in, to feel its winds embrace me. It would be quite pleasant to realize that I'm so far from the familiar, but right at home in the world.

I want to see the countryside of England and surround myself in the setting of Jane Austen's work. Perhaps to even find love.

I want to spend my night in Paris on Valentine's Day. To hear the words of the native speakers whose language I've spent seven years learning. To see Le Tour d'Eiffel and take the silly picture of me leaning on it and/or touching its highest point.

It would be so lovely to see Spain and find someone who shares the same Spanish last name as I do (considering that I'm Asian, it would be really interesting).

I want to go to Austria and run through the hills with my arms wide open like Flaurein Maria in The Sound of Music.

And of course, I want to see as much of Italy as I can while I am there. I want to see every ruin, artwork, and ancient building that precedes my lifetime. I want to be face to face with my own mortality, whilst rest assured that life will go on. To imagine my experiences as not being on its own, but an experience shared by many, by millions, and by many more to come.

If I were to even receive their smallest amount, I would be happy. It would allow me to see and experience at least half of the things on my list. I'm definitely nervous and scared. However, I'm also excited. I'm certainly excited about all the things I will see, learn, eat, and experience during my time in Europe. However big and small my adventures may be, I can't wait!

Visto per Studenti (Student Visa)

Yesterday afternoon, my school's Office for International Programs notified me that they had finally received my U.S. passport from the Italian consulate. I must admit that I was pretty excited to finally take a gander at the Italian student visa posted on one of its many pages. At first, I thought that it would be a simple stamp. However, it looked far more intricate than I had thought. It looked pretty actually. It included a picture of me, my full name, its dates of validity, and an awesome metallic stamp. Again, it was far more than what I had expected. What made it even more exciting is the fact that it's the first visa to ever be posted in my passport.

Il mio visto per studenti

I actually think that this signifies the start of something profound for me. It's like the initial event that will cause a chain of significant events. Now that I have one visa from a foreign country, I will want to attain more. It will be like a scrapbook of my adventures. In a way, each and every stamp or visa I get in my passport would symbolize my growth as a person of the world.

Certainly, there are those that perceive the act of collecting foreign stamps in one's passport as a traveler's cliché. However, I connect it to a deeper, more personal meaning. For every stamp I receive, it would be a manifestation of all my experiences in a particular country. Other than the pictures I will take, each stamp will precede all that as a symbol of each adventure's beginning. It will symbolize a conceptual gateway to what I have and will come across. I find this to be quite profound and amazing!

In any case, I'm quite glad that I finally have my passport back in my possession. I have been waiting for its arrival since early October. It wasn't too long of a wait, actually. At most, it took four to five weeks for me to get approved for my student visa.

Now, the next step will be to get the permesso di sogiorno at the local post office once I'm in Italy and show them my passport (with the student visa), proof of international student health insurance, and lettera d'iscrizione (notarized letter informing of my duration of stay, place of stay, and the accepting study abroad program). Basically, the permesso di soggiorno is a stay permit issued to those staying in Italy for longer than 90 days. Those staying less than 90 days are considered "tourists" (therefore not needing a stay permit), whereas individuals staying for more than 90 days are considered "residents". Since I will be in Italy from January 11, 2012 to April 28, 2012 (totaling 99 days), I will be considered a resident (needing a stay permit).

Once I arrive in Italy, I will also have to go to the local police station (questura) and fill out a form called Dichiarazione di Presenza (Declaration of Presence) and get my fingerprints taken within eight days of my arrival. Basically, it's just to inform the authorities that I am legally in the country. If I fail to do so, I will face legal consequences that would include being deported out of the country. Since I'm studying abroad through a school program, I'm sure my school won't allow that to happen, nor would I personally be so negligent.

Along with filling out the Dichiarazione di Presenza and getting fingerprinted, I also have to make a photocopy of my passport from cover to cover along with the pages in between. I've already made two copies (one for my own records) and also made sure to keep a PDF copy on my computer just in case anything were to happen.

At the moment, I'm pretty much on top of every task I need to complete for my trip. Now, I'm just waiting to be notified of my dorm appointment, future roommate, and scholarship acceptance (or rejection). I must also start saving up my money instead of spending it all while I'm still in the U.S. Recently, I've been starting to perceive each expense transaction as "money that could have been spent in Italy". A classmate of mine who was in the same study abroad program last semester said that she spent close to three thousand dollars during her trip. Hopefully, I can save up one to two thousand dollars before my expected departure in about and a half months. I still find it quite surreal that it is only a mere one and a half months away...

In any case, until next time, buonanotte!
KC

I Miei Corsi (My Classes)

Last week, I enrolled for my classes for my Spring 2012 semester. Fortunately, I was able to enroll into all my first choice classes. The John Felice Rome Center doesn't schedule classes from Friday to Sunday, so I will have a three-day weekend every week. I'm sure they structured the academic week in this way in order to give students the chance to actually enjoy what Italy, or the entirety of Europe for that matter, has to offer. So this is how my academic schedule will be for the Spring 2012 semester:

Mondays 
2:00 PM - 2:55 PM -- Italian 2 
Tuesdays
 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM --Masterpieces in Translation
2:00 PM - 2:55 PM -- Italian 2 
3:40 PM - 4:55 PM -- World of Late Antiquity
5:30 PM - 6:45 PM -- Modern Western Civilization
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM -- Art in Rome
Thursdays
2:00 PM - 2:55 PM -- Italian 2 
3:40 PM - 4:55 PM -- World of Late Antiquity 

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM -- Modern Western Civilization
Friday/Saturday/Sunday
No school 

Basically, I won't have school starting from Friday up to Monday afternoon of the following week. I can fly back in from a weekend excursion in a different European country and still make it to class the same day. On Tuesdays I start the day at 9:30 AM and won't be finished until 6:45 PM. However, I will have a few hours or so in between classes. I can have un caffè or un gelato as I people watch. It would be a nice break in between classes. On Wednesdays, I only have one class which will be about three hours long. What's really special about this class (Art in Rome) is the fact that it will take place on-site. This means that for lectures pertaining to the Sistine Chapel and the Roman Coliseum, I will actually be standing right in front of these works of art. I will be done around noon, which will give me time to further experience the places we visit for lectures, even for just a few hours more. Thursdays aren't bad either since I won't even start until two in the afternoon.


At the moment, the thought of actually being in Italy and experiencing such an adventure still seems so surreal. However, it seems more concrete than ever before. My enrollment for my Spring 2012 courses in Italy feels like reassurance that I am not dreaming. I find myself making a mental note for my future self to acknowledge that no, it's not a dream. It's close. Not to lose hope. And to fall in love with this dream and let my heart be led by these desires.

Scholarships: Part II

Earlier this afternoon, I turned in my scholarship application. I'm quite thankful to have friends and blog readers that provided an alternative pair of eyes to help edit my essay. Yes, it was ~45 words over the 250 word limit, but I hope that it won't be a deal breaker. In early December I'll know whether or not I have won a scholarship. Until then, wish me luck! Right below is the final version of the essay that I turned in with my application. Right below is the final version of the essay that I turned in with my application.

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At some point in our lives we come to realize that each and every one of us possess a unique story worth telling. I want my story to be as colorful and diverse as the food, fashion, history, and languages I will come across during my studies at the John Felice Rome Center. Throughout my studies, I hope to learn from the new ideologies and challenges I will encounter. A desire consumes me to learn from a world larger than myself and to provide myself as a tool from which others can learn.

Being a non-native English speaker, I am certain to provide a unique perspective to the benefit of my peers. As someone born in a different country and having made the United States my home for almost two decades, my unique cultural identity would be a great addition to the JFRC community. Ultimately, I look forward to embracing the cultural disparities I encounter and hold myself accountable to a world different, but united through a human commonality. I hope to learn, befriend, and share with those I meet regardless of physical and political borders.

During my studies at the JFRC for the Spring 2012 semester, my expenses will be afforded by money I will have earned through working a part-time job prior to my expected departure, a private student loan, and a monetary amount my mother will contribute. This scholarship would provide me the opportunity to see more of the world, in which I wish to be more of an active participant by being open to new ideas, lifestyles, and beliefs. By earning this scholarship, it would prove to me that there are people who share and support the same philosophy as I do in improving society through education and social interaction.

Scholarships

I've never applied for a scholarship before. If I did, I probably would have saved a lot of money on my student loans... Anyways, I decided to apply for a few scholarships sponsored by the study abroad program I'm going to Italy with. All I really had to do was fill out a one-page application and write a 250-word essay with the following criteria:

• How I would benefit from the study abroad program?
• What impact would the scholarship have on my study abroad plans?
• How my presence in the program would enhance the program environment?
• How I plan to finance the trip?

Of course, the essay was the hardest part. Basically, I had to write an essay acknowledging each of the four criteria they gave me, within 250 words, expressing my need and desire for funding while staying eloquent and dignified.  The following is what I came up with after 2-3 days of working on it.
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There comes a time in our lives when we realize our responsibility for the world we live in. We come to acknowledge the potential we have to improve society for ourselves and our posterity. From this, a desire is born to learn from a world larger than ourselves and have an proactive influence upon it. From my studies, I hope to learn from the new ideologies, people, and challenges I will encounter. Being a non-native English speaker, I hope to provide a unique perspective that my peers can benefit from. Ultimately, I look forward to embracing the cultural disparities I encounter and hold myself accountable to a world different, but united through a human commonality. I hope to learn, share, and befriend those I come across regardless of physical and political borders.
    During my stay at JFRC for the 2012 Spring semester, my expenses (i.e., tuition, room and board, fees, etc.) will be afforded by money I will have raised working a part-time job during the semester preceding my expected departure, a private student loan, and a monetary amount my mother (my only income-earning parent) can contribute. This scholarship would provide me the opportunity to see more of the world (and greater community), in which I wish to be more of an active participant. This scholarship would prove to me that there are people who share and support the same philosophy as I do in improving society through knowledge and its dissemination through education and social interaction. 

Andiamo! (Let's Go!)

Just bought a travel guide a friend of mine suggested. He said that it’s the right guide for me during my travels through Italy as it keeps the college student on a budget in mind.

Posso Entrare nel Vostro Paese?

This past week I had to turn in a few (actually all) of the documents I needed for my trip.

• A medical history self-evaluation
• Proof of international student health insurance (which I had to buy)
• Housing/Roommate contract
• Photocopy of my passport
• Photocopy of my flight itinerary
• Long term (90+ days) Italian visa application
• etc.

I definitely did a lot of running around this whole week to get all these documents taken care of. Having to buy my round trip ticket(s) and international health insurance, making photocopies of several documents, signing countless forms, trying to interpret vague questions and having to insert my answers to said questions in the small space/box(es) they provide… Tedious work, but I just try to focus on the fact that in just a little over three months I will be surrounded by beautiful people, beautiful architecture, immersed in a beautiful language, and living a portion of my life in a place I never thought I could ever reach.

Everything was pretty standard procedure, but in the back of my mind, there’s that pessimistic part of me that thinks something may still go wrong. For example, having my visa application denied. There’s no reason for it to be, but as humans we always think of the good, but there is that portion of us that tries to stay skeptical/pessimistic in order to expect even the unexpected. So the title of this post was Posso entrare nel vostro paese? meaning “Can I enter your country?”

I’m sure things will run smoothly. I just can’t wait to get my passport back in a few weeks with the Italian visa posted in it. It will be like a tangible promise to a romantic, beautiful future filled with great food, wine, scenery, and a moment that will placidly change my life.

Lo Straniero

Hi! I’m Kenneth and this will be the place where I’ll be putting my thoughts, ideas, and photos of my study abroad experience(s) in Italy. I know that I won’t be leaving for another three months and four days, but preparing for my trip is definitely worth writing about (along with the whole trip itself). This is/will be an exciting journey for me as I have never been to Europe before, and I hope to find an eternal piece of myself during my travels.
The title of this post is Lo Straniero meaning “The Stranger” in Italian. What I hope to accomplish with this blog is to successfully record my whole experience to the fullest that I possibly can, share those experiences with you, and hopefully change our relational status from “strangers” to gli amici or “the friends”.
So, dear stranger, would you be willing to share this journey with me?
KC