Of Planes, Trains, and Motorbikes

Remember that time that I went to Naples by myself? And was hanging out and walking along the coastline getting dinner and chilling? And then when I went back to the metro station to go home and it was void of people and trains? And the metro guard almost locked me inside the building? Yeah, that was only the beginning.

So after the previous happened, I looked for a bus which would take me close to my b&b safely. I stood for a moment at the bus stop until I realized that there were no buses running. At all. Weellll crap. I could walk back, of course, but it was an unfamiliar route (had taken the metro previously), and it was getting close to midnight. I knew I was safe from 'predators' as my b&b owner had told me that it's unheard of in Napoli and even those who rarely committed such acts of violation were beaten up or killed by other native Napoli-ans to defend the woman's honor so it's not such a great idea for anyone. That, and I have mace.

Across the street was a restaurant with some people milling around and enjoying the cool night air. There was also a parking tollbooth with a man inside. I went over and, to confirm sinking suspicions, asked 'when was linea 16?' Nooo english. I said I wanted to go to Montesanto station. nooo english. But thankfully he had a translation app that we used to communicate. After I told him what I wanted through the app, he said in italian (because I guess he figured I understood Italian though just didn't speak it... ?) that the metro was done for the day. The bus was done for the day. The taxis were done for the day. So he called a friend who came over from across the street and ended up suggesting "'bambini'... 'motobike'.... 'montesanto'... 'venti'". What did this mean? I assumed from those four words I understand of his communication that his 14-year old son would take me to the montesanto station for 20 Euros... on his scooter..

Options weighed and decision made, I experienced the thrills of the wind in my hair, helmet flopping around on my head, knuckles white and hands curled on the back of the scooter, near death run-ins with other motorbikes and cars, the struggle of 'motor vs. hill', and the overwhelming joy of scooter adventure. All the while telling myself to relax - (wisdom speaking) because I knew that a relaxed body falling from a bike was caused much less damage than a tense one. So relax I did. Then I smiled and laughed the entire way home and enjoyed the views of the city as we climbed up the hill.

I recognized the street we were on and stopped the kid when we reached the b&b, gave him the agreed upon amount, and thanked him profusely. He then sped away back down the hill. Oh boy. That was the best adventure of Italy so far.


If you are interested in hearing only the exciting stuff of my day, you may stop here and go about your merry way. Otherwise, please continue though it's a long blog today for some reason. Don't say I didn't warn you.

(written before the scooter fun) Today, I started my long weekend adventure in Naples! I got up waaay too early in order to make the trip to the airport (4:15) - which is about when after-parties will just begin in Milano. After my quick one hour flight, it took about 2 hours to find my b&b but eventually, and with the help of a different b&b, found my place. It's wonderful! The house is on one of the hills in Napoli and the owner speaks wonderful English and showed me on a map the various places to go and how to get there. Molto buono. Also told me what pizza, coffee, and gelato he thought were best in Napoli.

the walkway to my b&b (at the end)

Pizza making is a very honored activity here (and what Naples is famous for). The owner of the b&b has been cooking pizza for a long time and just started offering courses in how to make them yourself. He did this because of his passion for this art. This is actually the main reason I booked this specific b&b - it offered a chance to learn how to cook pizza from a native napolian (?) and when given that chance, you just say "yes". An interesting note: he uses yeast that is about 150 or so years old that has been passed down from pizza maker to pizza maker. Love that. More on pizza making later when I take the course.

Once I got settled into my room, I went exploring, ate something that I thought was going to be a bread roll but turned out to be a fried macaroni ball (not complaining), and continued to wander through the narrows and crowded streets in the historic district. There were many churches, and even more street vendors. So many shops too! Visited a modern art museum - the Madre and saw some interested artwork.

Some skulls looking into mirrors..

After going back home to take a 3 hour nap to recover, I woke at 6pm and decided not to waste away in my room. So I ventured forth to the coast. I should have done that from the beginning. The open air and beautiful views were so relaxing. I walked around, had a snack, was unsuccessful in finding a suggested dinner spot but found a good alternative. I asked the waiter (very nice guy who spoke a little english) to recommend a pizza and he came out with what you might call.. a seafood pizza extravaganza. No doubt about it. And it was amazing.

Shells and all!

I walked along a pier, admired some large yachts, managed to avoid some couples making out, and had a chance to see the city from a different view. The stars were hidden due to city haze but the lights from the islands in the distance made up for it. Tomorrow I will do the coastal thing again most likely. I'll also try to make it to a few castles, possibly find a beach, and then take the pizza making course.

Mmm. I love standing somewhere looking at a sight and 'enjoying' it. It's a hill, with buildings and many lights scattered on the landscape. Nothing too grand to speak of. And then it hits you. You realize that you are halfway around the world from your real home. You are seeing a sight / standing in a location that most people will never have the chance to see / stand. I'm so blessed and honored. I could never have these great adventures of my life without emotional (and more) support from my amazing parents and family. I love them so much.


~Elizabeth

Bocconi rhymes with macaroni

I thought I should give homage to my exchange university while I'm here in Italy - Bocconi University - and also for historical sake notate what classes I'm taking and what I think of them so far since I have had 2 weeks worth so far.

Industrial Economics and Economics of Innovation - the classroom is chaotic with everyone talking to each other. Did I mean to type whisper? Why, no, I didn't. They talk. It's distracting but I have transitioned from my comfortable 4th row seat to the very front so I can actually hear and engage with the instructor. It has been much better. And academically, I am actually connecting all the implications of elasticity and demand and price more than I ever have. Could I teach the subject to someone else? No. But I'm getting there. I think I'm one of two exchange students in the class.

Workshop in Performing Arts - this class focuses on.. well.. performing arts! I have always been involved with the symphony type of performance art so this is already taking me out of my norm by introducing me to more. So far we have covered basics and languages of drama - the space used, the time portrayed, the characters, the use of the audience etc. Two other SMU MA/MBA's are in that class with me (Meghann and Joanna), as well as another friend that is in another class with me as well (Rana from Lebanon). We got to visit the Piccolo Teatro yesterday and I will definitely have to see a performance there. We will also take a field trip to Venice and visit a dance company there. (how great is it that our 'school field trips' are to Venice!?!??!)

Cultures, Media, and Consumption = marketing psychology. So far we have discussed what the signified objects signify and how they do that (my brain cannot visualize his lingo but it's interesting nonetheless). It's the culture behind the marketing that sells the object. So far, quite interesting. I have 3 other SMU MA/MBA's in that class (Meghann, Matt, Jillian) and the friend from Wkshp in Performing Arts, Rana.

Non-Profit Organizational Law - half of this class are foreign exchange students from U.S law schools. Interesting class as it deals with non-profits that are more social NPO's and not the arts - I think it's good for me to think of the arts as a sector of something larger (which they are but I'm not as aware of it), as a subset of all NPO's. Also good because we will not have the opportunity to take an Arts Law class back at SMU.

Social Movements and the Competitive Strategy of Firms - this was the class that was my first choice to take at Bocconi. I have never really participated in nor been interested in social movements in the past but a newfound interest in social psychology (thanks to Malcolm Gladwell) has lit a spark. So far, I learned about collective behavior, motivation, structure (or none thereof) and organizations of social movements. I also finally figured out what Occupy Wall Street was all about (I openly admit that I didn't follow that). But now I'm a well-informed citizen. :) We will eventually get to the strategies that firms use to utilize social movements. In this class, I have one friend (Kate from Germany) that is in Cultures, Media, and Consumption with me also.


My class choices are definitely all over the board and will keep me on my toes! It makes my brain happy. And although it hasn't been shown in my class, I like this clip: How to Start a Movement

In Italy, and I have yet to had macaroni.. it's on the 'pasta to cook' list.


~Elizabeth





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In the land of neutrality

This weekend, Meghann, Matt, Jillian and myself decided to take a day trip to Lugano, Switzerland. It was beautiful! I had never been to Switzerland before so that made the trip even more special. The lake was the main purpose of our trip and Jillian found a boat ride around the lake with lunch included.

So once we took our short 1 hour train from Milan, descended by sideways tram (no idea what's it's called..) we found our way to the lake pier and purchased tickets. Once on board, we enjoyed the weather (78 degrees and slightly cloudy = perfect), took pictures, and then ate a delicious lunch with some wine (of course). Two hours flew by and before we knew it, our boat time was over.

Lake of Lugano

Beautiful buildings on the hillsides

Our train back to Milan was later that night so we had alot of time to explore and do a little shopping. Soon enough, we found out that the area we were in was quite small and we managed to make differing loops but finding the same shops. We saw commotion in a square and what was it? In an explanation that included a mixture of English, German, French, and Italian we found out that it was, of course, a concert of alphorn-ists as would be typical in an Alpine Swiss city. Not sure why I was surprised..

Alphorns

- side note on the shops. When people say that Switzerland is expensive, they mean it. A McDonald's chicken sandwhich was about $15! Hmmm. I found a few less expensive trinkets for presents and called it a day from shopping.

We found a lovely little park on the side of the lake and enjoyed the various flowers and sculptures. There was a small beach which included many a man sporting speedos (I won't mention the one man without..) There were wooden piers that people had built stone towers on so of course we added to them also. Just having fun is fun! We also found a gelato stand which, of course, we partook of.

flower-lined lakeside park

Rock towers 

Dinner then it was time to go home. Short time in the neutral land but I'm not neutral about it - I'm for it!

Matt, me, Jillian, and Meghann

~Elizabeth

V2

Verona for a second day!

Woke up and enjoyed breakfast with an Irish / Czech couple at our B&B. Then, it was tourist time! We purchased a handy Verona tourist card and proceeded to do a walking tour. We started with the arena that we watched Rigoletto the night before. It was fun to see it in the daylight and scramble around all the old Roman steps. I'm amazed that shorter humans walked in that area easily.  Next we went to 'Juliet's' house and balcony. I've never really been a Shakespeare fan but it was a fun experience anyway :)

no words but 'wow'

wherefore art my Romeo!?

Then we walked to a bell tower - Torre dei Lamberti (lots and lots of steps. lots) but we arrived right in time for the noon bell ringing which was loud but fun. There were a few Brits at the top so we had a pleasant conversation while waiting for the bells.  On to a few tombs of the Scaglieri family, the sculpture of Dante, and then the Basilica of St. Anastasia. Apparently they never finished the facade of the building but the interior was beautiful.

loud bells!

basilica of st. anastasia

 We were on the northern part of the center city so we decided to cross the river and go to castle and ancient Roman ruins. The castle ended up being closed but the view was fantastic. We stopped for a fruit juice and water break at a restaurant at the top of the hill (yes, we definitely got a good quad workout with all the steps we climbed today). After climbing back down and seeing that the ruins weren't much to look at (seriously, not even for ruins), we walked back over the bridge to the Duomo of Verona. It was beautiful as expected. It was fun because there was an organist and violinist practicing and the music combined with the surroundings was quite... majestic. The last sight was another castle and this one housed an art museum. It was not my style but still fun to see and appreciate. We enjoyed just meandering around and seeing some views from yes, even more stairs.

City view from the Castel San Pietro

Duomo of Verona 

Castel Vecchio

2 Hour train and we were back to Milan. We were so tired that we both fell asleep and the ride was quiet quick. Not a bad weekend at all.

~Elizabeth


As always, facebook will have more photos..

V is for Verona

Verona is AMAZING. Before Meghann and I got off the train we were smiling. We felt relaxed. And able to enjoy we're we were. It's old. Looks like Italy. And beautiful. Ahhhhhhh. 

I told her that I might have to get out of Milan every weekend. She agreed. Milan is... Nice. The duomo and some of the center city is pretty. The castle too. But the rest is... Meh. I'm not a fashion lover so all the fashion stores kinda aren't as interesting as is might be to someone/anyone else. 

Verona - though only been seen for dinner and the opera- is my kind of Italian town. We found our b&b - and conversed all in Italian thanks to meghann - and then walked to dinner at a pizzaria. This place was not some dinky pizza joint. no. This was a courtyard with candles in glass jars in the grass, lovely buildings, and delicious food. It was marvelous. 

We then headed to the opera - rigoletto - which was performed in the 3rd largest coliseum in Italy. Arena di Verona. Roman of course. And amazing. And more amazing to see an opera being performed in that venue. No microphones. Just human voices (and a full orchestra). Simply wonderful. Perfect 75 degree weather with a light breeze. Waiters continuously asking if anyone wanted "fanta, coca, berra, vino!" I had played in this opera's orchestra before and seeing for the first time in verona, Italy made my week. 

Tomorrow, we sight see Verona then 2 hour train back to Milan. 

-Elizabeth 

Settembre a Milano

On the first of September...

Meghann and I decided to be tourists. So we went on a walking tour starting with the Castello Sforzesco. This was pretty memorable to me since my dad and I had been there years ago during a long layover. Kinda fun to be there again!

We continued walking and ended up at the cathedral of Milan, the Duomo di Milano. It's the largest gothic cathedral in the world and the largest cathedral in Italy. Construction began in 1386 and the last finishing touches were done in 1965. Loooooong time.

The next location on our route was on a mystery path but we eventually found it, and lunch. The house we sought after was one built in the Renaissance and the oldest house in Milan. And.. we found it. it looked.. like a house. We took a picture and left. I cooked some pasta with home made sauce and steamed zucchini.

On the second of September...

We checked in at Bocconi - which meant that we took a number (common in Italy) and sat down to wait for our numbers to be called. And we waited. (luckily I have a Kindle and an interesting book). Soon enough (30 min later) a lady came out and asked how many exchange students were waiting to check in. There were at least 7 of us out of the 10 in the hallway. She apologized and said that if we went to another building, we could be helped with no wait at all. We went, and sure enough, took less than 5 minutes.

Did a few other housekeeping things like paying for a tour of Milan.. found lunch and we parted ways - Meghann to purchase an Italian phone and me to an Italian crash course. This proved to be yet another example of Italian inefficiency. I went to where an instructional email had told me, the volunteers there didn't know where I needed to be, sent me to another desk who said the same thing, and I went back to the general help desk (where they had sent me to location #1 which correlated to my email) and a different volunteer told me what room to be in... in that exact building. Sigh. So then after 30 min of not having an instructor and being in the wrong room, I found where I needed to be. Except I had gotten placed in a higher level than I needed to be in and will have to fix it tomorrow. Whew! Long day.


Buona Notte!

~Elizabeth