Bus Strikes: The Italian Snow days (for students)

I think we can all remember the excitement of a snow day when we were little. The joys of sleeping late, being forced to stay inside your house, and watching TV or playing games with the family. Well, everyone once in awhile we get that day in Italy, except it is because of a bus strike!

For most people a bus strike is a major hassle. Not only are the buses not running, but also most of the time this includes the tram, metro, trains running out of Roma, and airplanes. The city transportation system literally shuts down and one can be stuck in Roma! Since I have been in Roma there have been three bus strikes. This is mind boggling to think that on a monthly basis the whole city is paralyzed because of a strike. It is not unusual, but rather a normal part of life as a Roman. Usually, on the day of the bus strike it is impossible to get a taxi. This week there was a scare that possibly the taxis might strike on the same day. The past two days taxi drivers have been striking (unannounced so it is illegal) about a potential increase of five hundred cabs at night. In return for adding five hundred new cabs, the fare would increase 18%. Taxi drivers were striking because they did not think passengers would pay the new suggested increase and did not want the new cabs. Although the increase would be steep, especially with the weak dollar, I would be in favor of adding new cabs. At night, it can be difficult to find a cab in Roma. It is not safe to take the night bus, so one could spend an hour just trying to get a cab. I think people would pay the fare because they are going to want a safe ride home, no matter what the cost. While I sympathize about the major inconvenience, every once in awhile it is comforting just to sleep in and enjoy the day around the house…and I get to have that tomorrow!

Bus strike Update:

I wrote that yesterday before the strike. Today, the tram and a few buses are running. There have been a lot of flights cancelled, but a few are still running. The city seems a little more quite today. I was by the Pantheon (buying AS Roma soccer ticket!) and I did not notice anything out of the ordinary. All and all it is a beautiful sunny day in Roma to have the day off!

Where are all the rain boots?

November is supposedly the rainiest month in Italy. Before I came to Roma, I decided that I should invest in proper rain attire to battle this unpleasant weather. I am not a fan of umbrellas, especially coming from a city where you spend more time protecting yourself from getting poked than actually staying dry. Why can’t ponchos be the norm and not considered tacky? Perhaps one day this will be become a trend. Until then, I surrendered and purchased a bright pink travel size umbrella. I also got a little “rain fever” at the store and bought a raincoat that can be compressed into a cosmetic size bag as well as pair of black and white butterfly rain boots.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for my rain gear. Time and time again, I have been saved from the dreaded rain and been able to enjoy myself while traveling. Unlike most of my friends who have been scrambling to find rain boots. Which leads me to my question: Why do Italians not wear rain boots?

Not only do Italians not wear rain boots, but also they are hard to find in stores. I cannot figure out why something so practical would not be available here. My only thought is because for the most part rain boots are not stylish. But why not make them stylish? Italy is the jewel of fashion world. Why not create a pair that is sleek, elegant, and practical? Until this mystery is resolved, I will continue to stay dry and accept the stares and glances that I get from Italian women than force myself to be cold and wet for fashion.

My Roman Holiday!

It's official I am spending the holidays in Roma!!! My sister is coming to visit me which is so exciting!! It will be fun to show her around and be her personal tour guide.

Now that I know I am staying I need some help! Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do over the holidays? Any particular events or places I should visit?

Let me know!

Next Stop: Southern Italia!

This weekend I went to Napoli, The Amalfi Coast, and Pompei. Each part of this trip was unique and beautiful in its own way. From the city to cliffs to an ancient town, I found myself in awe of the magnificent and breathtaking views. It was as if I was living in a postcard.

It is impossible to approach Napoli without preconceptions. It is known for its anarchic, polluted, dangerous, yet fun atmosphere with many of its majestic historical buildings dirty and crumbling. Visitors are warned repeatedly of gypsies and pick-pocketers whose favorite haunts are the train stations, tourist sights, and shopping areas. In addition, something I did not know before, Napoli is known for short-changing and moped bandits. With all this negative views about Napoli, I was not really looking forward to spending the day there. These preconceptions give the city a distinct edge and vibrancy that can only feel when you are there.

Napoli is the third largest city in Italy. In some way it is similar to Roma with its chaotic traffic, winding streets that lead to quaint shops and restaurants. However, Napoli is definitely more grimy and darker than Roma. One distinct difference between the two cities is the pizza. In Napoli the crust is a lot thicker, I was having trouble eating it because I thought it was too doughy. This could be because I am accustomed to thin crust, but never the less it was still delicious. Napoli does have a few historical buildings one can visit like the Monastero Santa Chiara, Piazza del Plebisctio, but none of them impressed me as much as my visit to Pompei.

After our day in Napoli, we spent the day on the Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast is an Italian jewel. We drove through small picturesque villages and towns on rocky cliffs by the Mediterranean Sea. I have no idea how our bus survived on some of these windy turns. Sometimes I was afraid to look down because it was straight drop to the sea. However, it was truly incredible sight and I would highly recommend it in the warmer weather. It is still gorgeous this time of year, however, the town of Sorrento and Positano where empty and it definitely felt like it was off season. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the boat trip to emerald grotto because of the weather. Instead, I went to Amalfi to a paper making factory. At first, I was disheartened that we were not going to see the grotto, but the factory was lots of fun. The tour guide showed us how to make paper and then I got to try it!

The last day we went to Pompei. Ever since Latin class in eight grade I have wanted to go to Pompei. In the last chapter of my first Latin text book Mt. Vesuvius erupts and the characters that I came to love perished. Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD covering the town of Pompei with 27 feet of ash. The ruins provide a fascinating insight into the lives of Romans. I could not believe the bodies preserved so perfectly that I could see their last expression. One of my favorite ruins I visited was the amphitheater. My tour guide Vincenzo said that the Romans invented the wireless microphone. At first, I was thought he was kidding. However, the stage of the amphitheater is covered with marble and underneath are large jugs. If a person on the stage talks down toward the marble it makes there voice louder. I thought that was unbelievable invention for their time!

As the semester is winding down, I find myself more and more enchanted by the beautiful and unique places of Italy!

Good Morning!

Every morning I like to start my day with a cappuccino and cornetto from the local Tabacchi. A cornetto is a croissant that comes in a variety of forms. I usually get it with sugar on top, but you can get it with chocolate, sugar, cream, or jam (usually apricot or peach). At the tabacchi there is a certain etiquette to ordering food that should be followed. First, I go to the cashier and tell he/she what I desire. Unlike The States, I have to pay first and then go to the counter to order. Depending on the Tabacchi, I either tell him what I want while showing him the receipt or they will read the receipt, rip it in half, and prepare my order. Sometimes I put a ten or twenty cents coin on top of the receipt as a tip, but it is not necessary. Most of the time I eat standing at the counter and the whole process is about five minutes. Breakfast is not a lingering meal, but merely a quick energizer to start the day.

Below is an example of different drinks ordered at the Tabacchi:

Un Caffè	Espresso
Un Cappuccino	Cappuccino (Espresso with milk)
Un Caffè Lungo	American Coffee
Un Caffè Macchiato	A coffee with milk
Un Caffè Freddo	An ice coffee
Un tè al latte	Tea with milk
Un tè al limone	Tea with lemon
Un tè freddo	Ice tea

One other important rule: Never order a cappuccino in the afternoon. You can order a caffè, but it is not acceptable to order a cappuccino.

Additionally, I have noticed that soda is not as popular here as in The States. It is cheaper to buy a bottle of water in a Tabacchi than it is a can of soda. Some stores charge a 1.5 euro to buy a twelve ounce can and water is about .50 euro cents.

Va Bene, Va Bene

My knowledge of Italian is coming along! My Italian class is still fun and educational. Lately, I have been working on my pronunciation outside of class. This has been my personal goal, because I know it is easier to learn vocabulary and grammar in class. When I return to the States I wont have the opportunity to practice my pronunciation as often and therefore I want to solidify it while here as much as possible. To make the most of my experience I have to push myself to do this. In the beginning, I found myself being shy and afraid to speak Italian to a native speaker because I do not want them to judge me. However, Italians really like it when you try to speak Italian. Even if you mess up they will correct you and its not embarrassing, rather extremely helpful. For example, one of the first weeks I was ordering a cornetto for breakfast and I did not pronounce the r . The woman at the tabacchi said Cornnnnnnetto and would not give me one until I said it correctly. She also gave me a candy when I got it right! Even today when I was getting gelato (yes, it is still my obsession) the woman corrected my pronunciation of mela (apple). These corrections, might seem little, but they are the lessons I remember the most.

Additionally, having studied French before has been an invaluable help in learning Italian. Particularly, this week when I learned the past tense. I knew to expect that there were going to be irregular past participles and a lot of them are similar to French. Also in Italian, the passato prossimo is formed with the present indicative of essere or avere and in French I use etre or avoir. I remember having trouble with this concept when learning French, however, having already studied it I tweaked my understanding to follow the Italian rules. These similarities have been a huge help in me obtaining a better grip on the grammar and vocabulary. I am so glad that I studied French because it has made learning Italian a lot easier!

Czech it Out

I had no idea what to expect when going to Prague. My friends and I decided to go there because it was out of the European Union (aka no Euro!) and it is a part of the world we had never explored. Particularly, I was interested to go to a country that was once under Communist rule after taking courses about Communism. Even though, it is no longer under Communist leadership I was expecting Prague to be a gloomy city. I could not have been more wrong. The city was active, the people were friendly, and it had the most stunning and beautiful architecture. It was not as crowded or as lively Roma, but it still had so much to offer. Visiting Praha, made me want to explore further into Eastern Europe.

The first day we decided to go to Prague Castle. The Castle is a complex of different buildings, one of them is St. Vitus Cathedral. One thing you must do if you go is climb the three hundred stairs to the top. The view is breathtaking. I have to warn you this climb in my opinion was harder than the Duomo in Florence even though it had fewer stairs. The Cathedral has only one cramped spiral staircase to go up and down. There are many traffic jams and I spent most of the time trying not to get my feet stepped on. After our tour of the Praha Castle my friends and I decided to go see one of the many orchestra performances. We saw in the Lichenstein Palace a performace of works by Mozart and Vivaldi. It was perfect and relaxing plus something I would not have done unless I was in Praha. Later that evening we went to a restaurant near our hotel called U Medvidku. This is my favorite restaurant in Praha. It is not only a restaurant, but the smallest brewery in Praha. They brew there own beer called Oldsgott. Additionally, they have delicious Czech food. I had the garlic potato soup and goulash with white bread dumplings. Goulash is a traditional Bohemian dish that consist of beef in a thick gravy sauce on the side are white bread dumplings which are like taking the inside of white bread and making it into a more airy and spongy texture. They are plain by themselves, but taste delicious when mixed with the goulash gravy.

The next day we went to lunch at a place called Bohemian bagels right off the Old Charles Bridge. I had a bagel with cream cheese and lox, it was no H and H, but it hit the spot! The Charles Bridge is a beautiful pedestrian bridge, but with some creepy statues. I have to say while Old Town is beautiful, at times I was a little disappointed in how touristy it felt. At moments, it was like Florence with its endless touristy souvenir shops.

One of the most beautiful synagogues I have ever seen was in Praha. It is called the Spanish Synagogue. I would highly recommend spending a day in the Jewish quarter.

The most unforgettable day from the trip was our day trip to Terezin (Theresienstadt) Terezin was a former 18^th century military fotress that during WWII was converted by the Nazis into a concentration camp. Approximately, 33,000 people died here and another 87,000 were deported to other camps. As soon as I walked off the bus, I could sense this stillness and suffering in the air. It was as if the ground itself was mourning. It is a feeling to this day I will never forget and had never experienced before. This creepy and disturbing atmosphere was around me for whole portion of the tour. Our tour started in the Small fortress that was the Gestapo Police Prison. We were shown the barracks for prisoners where hundreds off people were crammed into a tiny room of wooden bunk beds. After the tour we went to the Main Fortress which was the Ghetto. This town is extremely eerie. There are about 2000 people who live there, however there are long empty streets and uninhabited buildings as if it were a ghost town. It was an extremely uncomfortable town. Our tour guide stressed the importance of never forgetting the atrocities and my visit to Terezin is something I could never forget.