Almost Two Weeks Already.....

Hard to believe I have been here two weeks now. I have learned so much in the time. I also have much more to learn. As I had told people back home I have tried to immerse myself. I have a few others on the trip that feel the same way. And due to this we have met many great people.


Chef Polegri, teaches us everything we want to know about Italian cuisine, and has really an amazing energy in the kitchen. John, who teaches us the finer points of the culture, and behavior that he has learned, as well as making sure the kitchen and the food are shown proper respect. Eris is the one who lets us know the proper way to do things, when we are out in public. Vito Paulo is a great teacher of all things having to do with Italy, although some have expressed concern about the “content” of our lessons. Veronica, is a local barista, who is hilarious with a wonderful laugh, that teaches us more of the dialectical way of speaking. This is just a handful of the people that help us out every day. They watch to see who is taking their lessons to heart then help those out a little more, while the others are left more to their own devices.

So this Sunday is my first open day. I have put some thought into it and have decided that I will be heading to Pisa. While there are many sights to see there, I think that since I will most likely be going alone, or with one other person. I should be able to see some of the sights I want to see. These of course include the Leaning Tower, Paizza del Duomo and well this is the birthplace of Galileo.

The rest of the group are heading to Rome Sunday, but I think I will go off the beaten path for my first day trip. And have turned in my travel form to inform our instructor that I will be heading there this Sunday.

I am still up in the air as for my other trips. Sicily is on the list for my first long weekend, and I will be making those arrangements today with a couple other people that want to go. But after that I am open. Sardinia, Florence, Venice and Greece are thoughts. If I go to Venice I can stop through Verona on the way home and visit the statue of Juliet, and well…..look it up yourself if you want to know. For Florence I have to go visit a pig and give him a good nose rubbing (thank you Melissa for telling me about that one). For anywhere that I can train to, I will most likely go and see what I can see in a day. Or make multiple day trips to. Florence and Rome are on that list. I am about an hour and a half from each by train and the tickets are around 7 euro each way.

It is now noon here, and it is getting time to clean up for lunch, and I have class afterwards.

Ciao and Vito Bella,

Tony