Nearing the end.

The final day of my (first) Italian experience has come upon me extemely rapidly. My picture of the day is only slightly different. I was not expecting to have so many errands to accomplish before being able to enjoy the day. The packing and repacking was expected, also expected was the party the school was throwing for its students. I did not know what to expect when it came to the time I would be spending with those individuals I had lived with since September 3rd. As it turns out, I will be spending some of the closest and most sacred moments of the trip with the other fifteen people I have met or gotten to know because of this trip. 

I fully expect to be asked the question; "What were the best parts of the trip?" And, one thing I am sure of is that no matter how well I explain what the truely best parts of the trip were - learning countless information about the people around me, experiencing and observing the change in relationships between the people who live with eachother and those who are consistantly around, those spontaneous trips to different regions of Italy, and the close relationships formed with professors which resulted in a friendship outside of the classroom but a teaching role within - it will be impossible for others to fully understand what has happened throughout the trip. It is much more than a four month vacation or break from school, I have learned more here that I can use practically in life than several semesters at Stony Brook would have taught me. 

Friends here often ask each other if we are excited to get back to the "real-world." In my opinion, it is just as much of the real-world here as it is back in University. There is no such thing as the "unreal-world" in my opinion. We have not have the opportunity to experience the unreal-world, at least not within our power of memory. Nothing in our life should be considered unreal, as every event can affect us for the remainder of our life and one can take something out of it. Therefore, everything should be looked at, not as unreal and an event that should not be taking place in the "real" life, but as a time to learn and change from the event.

Philosophical conversations have encompassed many of the past nights/mornings. It took me some time to find the right people to talk to about the topic. Although I knew who would be the ones to talk to, I was not in the place to talk to them about it beforehand. Since we have began there have been many good realizations that have been reached. During the conversations we tend not to ignore the tangets that come up throughout discussion and we typically end up on other important topics. We may not come up with conclussions on the original topics, but they are no less important because each individual gains the perspective of another person.

I must end this now. The next time I report will be from within the United States, unless I hold off until my next visit to Firenze. Maybe another blog will come from this. It has been fun but it is time to pack!

Ciao from Italia

Progression... if that

Throughout high school I believed that college for myself would consist of partying, making great friends, having great experiences, and working my ass of towards becoming a doctor. Looking back, I had a fairly accurate perception of what was to come... with the exception of becoming a doctor. 

I have still been on the fence about taking pre-med courses and have tried to decipher the reasons for doing so. I have asked, 'Am I doing it because I really want to become a doctor and help people?Is it because I want to make the salary of a doctor? Is it because of outside influence such as my father wanting me to be successful and make money, seeing the work other doctors have done, or maybe the book Mountains Beyond Mountains which tells the story of the doctor Paul Farmer, an infectious disease doctor who does work in Haiti. 

After giving it much thought, I have come to the conclusion that: If I was to become a doctor it would be an infectious disease doctor and I would most likely join Doctors Without Borders to do work in third world countries. I do not have enough passion or general interest to take the basic courses in my undergraduate career, as of now. I don't believe I am smart enough or creative enough in the subjects to become as successful in the field as I would need to be to consider it a success myself. I definitely don't believe in the medical school practice of having to be able to pull up cases verbatim, nor do I have the memory for it.

I have, on the other hand, decided that I need to work on the memory part. Which can only be done through studying. I have yet to full-heartedly throw myself into one field due to an undenying passion. 

Since my undergraduate experience has begun, I have gone from pre-med, biology major, to economics, followed by economics and anthropology, then wanted to join the military - most likely out of confusion, but also a belief that serving ones country is honorable and important. After being talked out of piloting, for now, I stuck with the economics and anthopology for some time. I don't believe I have the instincts for some of the cold-hearted economics that are done, although there are many other areas in economics I may be able to be successful in. 

During my time in Florence, giving credit to my Mass Media course, I have moved past economics onto journalism. Stemming from a comment my high school english teacher made - an assignment was to write a narrative essay. She said it was written more like a newspaper than a story - I have taken an interest in journalism. The principles behind mass media fascinate me and I enjoy writing. I plan on continuing my study in anthropology and hopefully putting it to use in whatever field I end up in. It may be useful for the practical purpose of understanding people rather than becoming an anthropologist. As a journalist I would be interested in; investigative journalism, editing, freelance, and/or governmental journalism. 

I also have an interest in public service, as I believe it another way of serving your nation outside of the military. Who knows, I may end up in the Peace Corps, military, or some completely unknown field.

Momma Meier has told me not to worry about it now, that people typically don't stay in the same field their whole career. Either way, I cannot completely guide my future, only aid in its progression or hold myself back from steps that are needed.

It is one of the first days in some time that there is sun in Florence and even after a late night of good company and good drinks, I plan on venturing out into this beautiful city. I'm planning on walking on the path I typically run and walk into the olive tree grove that I have been wanting to check out. If I end up there than it will be excellent, but I typically don't make plans for the reason they typically don't work out. I will end up where I end up, write, maybe read, possibly study, but will enjoy myself. 

Ciao for now and continue exploring...

I may have an idea for what could prove to be an excellent novel. I'm going to work on that now. Maybe something will actually come from an idea this time...

I should be doing editing for for Blending. Another unfulfilled promise? Haha, no, I'm having too much fun with that.

It has been some time since I have posted a blog. Much has gone on during this time since I have been in Florence as well as other parts of Europe. 

I finally made it to the place I have heard so much about since the days in Elementary School. I visited Tasos in his home country of Greece. We spent two days in Athens and then made the journey to his small village of Milinas. It is a small fishing village on the inner side of a peninsula. The sunset has been voted top three in Greece. Everyone I saw in the village commenced to tell me I have to return in the summer. If Greece is better in the summer then I have to return. The five day trip was worth the classes I missed on the Monday.

Playing catch up was not too hard even with a 6-10 page research paper extension. 

I decided against my planned trip to Frankfurt. I was supposed to leave on Thursday the 13th but I returned from Greece Wednesday. I decided it was better off to take a weekend off and stay in Florence. 

This weekend was spent in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. Amsterdam has perfected the blending of the old and the new. Right next to old buildings and old monuments can be new intriguing architecture. The city also has excellent public transportation and other cities such as NYC can take hints from the Dutch. 

Needless to say, much of my time was spent in museums and coffee shops. By coffee shops of course I mean places where the illegal has been legalized. I typically do not like it but made an exception since it was legal.

To keep it short, I am now back in Florence and beside some day trips I will remain here for the remainder of my trip. Whenever I am away I look forward to returning to the beautiful city of Florence. There is something that has attached me to this city and I will be reluctant to leave on December 20th.  

It will not be as long until the next time I write. 

Regardless of belief, an amazing Election Day

The 2008 Presidential Election was the first that I have been elligeble to vote in. To make matters more interesting, I am in a foreign country and had to recieve an absentee ballot. 

As well as having to vote differently than most Americans, I was also subject to more scarcely available resources with which to aid my decision. I did not have radio or television to listen to. I only had our oldest form of communication, the spoken word and one of the newest, the internet. The internet played a vital role in my decision. I did not choose based on popular opinion or my parents voting history. I wanted to be fully responsible for my decision; because as a citizen of the US, it is our obligation to make an informed decision.

At around 4am this morning Florence time, Wednesday November 5, 2008, the 44th president was chosen and for the first time America will have an African American President. Whether you supported Senator John McCain or Senator Barrack Obama throughout the race, the results should represent something special about the United States. I wish Mr. Obama the best throughout his presidency and am honored to say I helped choose the 44th president of the United States. 

Porcini mushroom recipe

After cooking this recipe in my cooking class I was determined to repeat the results at my apartment. My mom's trip provided the perfect timing for the dish.

The man at the market gave me a strange look when I asked for a kilogram of the expensive mushrooms. 

This dish can be used as either a main dish or a side dish. It does not take long to cook either and can be done amidst other dishes.

For the Funghi in Fricassea (Stewed Mushrooms)

You will need for 4 servings:

800gr Porcini or Ovoli mushrooms

100gr Butter

1 White onion

black pepper

2 egg yolks

1/2 lemon juice

Clean well the mushrooms to take off all the dirt (Many chefs believe you should not wash them because they soak up water too fast... this is true from experience). Dry them and slice them. Saute a small white onion, well chopped in butter. Add the mushrooms, salt, fresh ground black pepper and stir. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat. Take the pan off the heat. Beat up 2 egg yolks with the lemon juice and pour out the batter onto the mushrooms, stirring quickly to prevent the eggs from cooking, forming unpleasant chunks. Serve immediately.

The meal is exceptional when made with a fresh pasta with an eggplant and tomatoe sauce. Of course a good bottle of Vino Rosso is a great accompaniment.

FUA Newsletter

Ciao,

I took part in the newsletter of my college in Italy recently by writing two articles and doing the editing for the edition. Since this is my first "published" work I figured it would be good to get some more feedback...

The link to the newsletter is:

http://www.apicius.it/newsletter/newsletter15/newsletter15.htm

If that does not work, here are my articles:

The Oltrarno

After you cross the bridge, flooded with tourists fulfilling their jewelry fix, you begin to enter a Florence of years past. You have just transversed the Ponte Vecchio to the southern side of the River Arno.

If you awake before the mopeds, mini-cars, and other motorists hit the streets, you experience the small town feel of Florence. At the newsstand there are several people talking politics over a morning cigarette. Furniture makers are lying out the plans for their days work in their shops. Storefronts are being swept to welcome in the neighborhood customers.

On the Oltrarno you go into specialty shops and are forced to speak Italian. The older woman behind the counter knows no English. Because of the small town atmosphere, you don't have to go far to find the things you need. On Borgo S. Frediano there are many shops, all catering to different needs. You can find bakeries, cheese shops, wine stores, delis, small produce markets and other stores which sustain the lives of the Florentines who live here. On the southside, contrary to the north, the stores are not catered towards tourists, but towards locals.

Staying on the south but heading upriver, you can find yourself on the famous overlook of Piazzale Michelangelo. From there, drift along Viale Galileo Galilei to Piazzale Galileo for exceptional views of Florence, with rolling hills filled of olive trees and grand villas in the foreground. Continue from Galileo on the meandering Viale Niccolò Machiavelli you settle at Piazzale di Porta Romana. You can enter the Boboli Gardens through Palazzo Pitti on Via Romana. The Garden is preserved to resemble the antiquity of centuries past, when it was owned by the Medici family.

If you find yourself in Florence for a weekend, venture to the south side of the Arno and explore. It will be a retreat from the crowded city center.

Vice Presidential Match-up

For many of us, this is going to be our first time taking part in a presidential election. This will be the most important election of our life thus far given the state of the world’s economy and popularity of the current administration. As part of our responsibility as United States voters we should be finding out as much as possible in regards to the election.

While the two candidates should be the primary focus in our decision-making, there should be some knowledge of their Vice Presidential running mates.

As we know, John McCain's running mate will be Sarah Palin. She began her political career as a member of the Wasilla City Council in 1992 and in late 2006 she took over as the Governor of Alaska.

Jesse Oney, a student of FUA who lives in Anchorage, AK described Alaskan politics as being, “very different from other states and national politics.”

Joe Biden, Barack Obama's vice presidential running mate, has an expansive career in politics. He began in 1970 as a County Councilman and was elected a Delaware Senator in 1972. He has been a chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and of Foreign Relations as well as the International Narcotics Control Caucus.

One of the two, Sarah Palin or Joe Biden, will be the next vice-president of the United States. Have you given them enough consideration in your choice in the election?

To learn more about the two candidates and their vice presidential running mates, I suggest checking out the popular D.C. based political blog, Politico. You can find it at; www.Politico.com

Ciao,

I have finished my midterms and officially on vacation, although I have been on vacation since September 3rd. 

Momma Meier and her friend Anne will be arriving in Florence tomorrow morning. Hopefully they will not have too much of a jet lag. I am planning on taking them out to show them the beautiful Italian city. After seeing the typical sites, in the city center, we will spend most of the time exploring the Oltrarno where there is a better feel for the culture. 

I just got a phone call... I'm going to an Italian Opera!!!!

FOR FREE

This past week my schedule changed slightly. I will no longer be taking classes on Tuesdays. I will only be taking classes Monday and Wednesday. I was enrolled in a non-credit cooking course Tuesday evenings but had to cancel. The course fees amounted to 75$ a class and although the food was excellent, the teacher was knowledgeable, and the wine was good, it seemed a bit much for the course. 

My Italian has been coming along recently. It is easier to understand those I talk to, but I still find it difficult to hold a conversation. Speaking the language is much harder than understanding it. 

In Tuscany and Its Wines this week we tasted three different wines. Two of which were Tuscan and the third from the region of Piedmont, Italy's northern most wine producing area. We tasted first the Rosso di Montalcino, the little brother of the second wine, Brunello di Montalcino. The two wines are made from 100 percent Sangiovese grapes although the Brunello is made from only the best grapes of the vines. The Brunello must be aged longer and is a much more complex wine than the younger, both figuratively and literally, Rosso. The third wine was a Barolo and, according to my professor, Massimo, the most elegant wine. Personally, I enjoyed the Brunello the most, it was a wine that does not need food for accompaniment, just good conversation.

There is finally a heavy bag in the palestra, besides that, there is not much in the way of equipment. I usually get my exercise from runs, there are four main routes in which I run. The cobblestones are taking a toll on my legs though and there aren't many areas where its avoidable. 

This weekend I look forward to preparing for my midterms. It will be the first weekend in a while where I will stay in Firenze. 

It's time for a run so ciao for now and quench the thirst for knowledge.

History of Siena's Duomo

As requested, a brief history of Siena's Duomo. The current structure was erected during the 13th century. The Sienese used black and white marble, symbolic of black and white horses of the legendary city's founders, Senius and Aschius. Under the choir of the church, an ancient narthex was found from an earlier church which contains late 13th century frescoes depicting the Old Testament and Christ's life. Inside the Duomo there are many sculptures by famous artists of the time, such as; Donatello, Bernini, and the young Michelangelo. Michelangelo's Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Gregory, and Saint Pius all stand on the altarpiece of the church. Many of the original sculptures, paintings, and stained glass windows have been moved to the nearby Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The Baptistry, unlike other duomos of its time, is located underneath the main part of the church and its walls are adorn with beautiful Fresco paintings.

Ciao for now, and live well

Just one picture from Venezia. This is the typical thought of Venezia, the gondola rides.

I was finally able to upload pictures from Venezia, the trip I went on last weekend. I should have time to email them in the next few days. 

Today I went to Siena, a city south-south/west of Firenze. I was not on camera duty today since my battery was dead but will try and have those pictures uploaded soon. Siena was an interesting city. It was the first city in which I went into several of the historic, tourist attractions. 

The friends I was with and myself purchased a pass to enter into Siena's Duomo, Gallery of the Museo dell'Opera, the Crypt, and the Baptistery. The intricate detail and effort that was put into every aspect of the sites is incredible. The Duomo Nuovo was the most impressive because of all the history enclosed within. The Baptistery was built and sculpted by some of the most famous sculptors of the time including Donatello (my favorite teenage mutant ninja tutle).

While waiting for some friends to arrive Nick, Alessandro and I went to Piazza Del Campo where the famous horse race is held. 

There is an interesting exhibit in one of the churches that we visited in Siena. St. Cathrine's head is preserved and open for viewing. It goes to show the power of religion if a woman's head is preserved and open for public viewing. It is quite amazing really. 

It is a quiet night in Firenze, much of the frequent company is off to the Amalfi Coast with the school for the weekend. 

Tomorrow will be filled with textbooks, internet articles, and hopefully a run. If it is nice out, maybe some studying on the dam in the Arno will be in store... I must work on the olive oil skin tone the locals enjoy so much.

So, Ciao for now and live freely

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Taking Florence for granted

After being in Florence for over a month it is surprising that I have not found time to visit the main many museums available in the city. Soon I must make time to visit the Ufizzi Gallery and the Accadamia. It is easy to pass by several famous sites throughout a day in the city. I regularly pass over the Ponte Vecchio, walk through the ancient city walls, walk by the Duomo, and enter a few of the grand Piazzas. 

I do enjoy the privilege to go to many of the famous spots in the city such as the market on the central park on Tuesdays and famous views such as; Piazza Michelangelo and Fiesole. 

School has been keeping me busy. Because a 3 credit class only meets one day a week for a 2.5hour block, there is a lot of out of classroom work that must be done if the course is to be taken seriously.

For now, the fun has arrived and there is still work to be done. 

Ciao for now and continue to live well