This is Italy!

Ciao! I have less than a week until I head back to the states and even though I miss everyone so much..I really REALLY dread leaving Monte! This past week was so much fun and I am constantly trying to soak up every minute.  We visited Rome (again), a cute little town Orvieto, and went to Sorrento/Capri for the weekend.  Never in my life did I ever think I would say, “oh we just went to Capri for the weekend!”.

Monday July 18^th- While others had a test to take…my class took a hike to a beautiful church on the bottom outskirts of Montepulciano. We walked passed peach orchards, olive trees, and grape vineyards..it was so pretty.  I’ve become a professional hiking and stair climber thanks to this trip. 

Tuesday July 19^th- The field trip to Rome was the same ol’ thing just a different day.  You all know my feelings towards Rome.  But still I stared at the Coliseum and Trevi Fountain for at least 5 minutes straight because I knew that I wouldn’t see these monuments for a long time..if ever.  We did visit the Forum and went inside the Coliseum this time so that was really cool. 

Wednesday July 20^th- It really began to hit me today that we were leaving Montepulciano in a little less than a week and a half.  For my photography class Dr. Greer let us go off on our own and take pictures of anything we hadn’t already shot.  I walked up and down the corso trying to take good pictures but all I could think about is how much I was going to miss the streets, smells, people, and everything about this sweet city.  So I started snapping pictures of everything, because I never want to forget a single detail.  I ran into one of my friends Lauren who was also taking pictures and we just looked at each other and started to tear up.  We both felt the same way.  I’m sure Morgan and Allison felt the same way their last week in Monte but for everyone else I’m sure ya’ll just think I’m being dramatic haha.  The rest of the day was kinda gloomy for me because all I could think about was how much I DIDN’T want to leave and all the things I had to do before I left.  After my classes I was still depressed and had to force myself to embrace the time I had left.  So I went to a little store by my apartment and ordered some olives, cheese, and picked up a bottle of wine..talking in my newly learned Italian.  I felt like a local!



"ADPiZTAPhiMuADPiKappaZTA"
Top of the tower in Orvieto!



Captain Allessio



Thursday July 21^st- Field Trip day! We went to a little town near Monte called Orvieto.  It was a lot like Montepulciano but bigger.  We climbed yet another tower..visited one of my favorite churches, and did a little shopping.  Today was very relaxed and since only half the program came on the trip it was a much smaller group. We left from Orvieto to begin our journey to Sorrento where we were staying for the weekend.  Diaster. Our plans were to go from Orvieto>Napoli>Sorrento.  However, there was a train strike that started at 9pm, but it was still possible for us to get to Naples in time to catch a train to Sorrento..but of course this didn’t happen.  Our 4 hour train ride turned into about 7 and a half.  We got stuck in a tunnel..TUNNEL for about 45 minutes.  To make things worse this train had assigned seats in different cabins..so we were all separated accept for a couple who got to sit in the same cabin.  I ended up being at the end of the train car, by myself, with about 30 Albanians.  Shoot me.  After sitting patiently for about 30 minutes I got up to find the others.  The train was sooo crowded and it smelt like rotten trash.  We eventually got out of the tunnel only to be stuck on the tracks for TWO more hours!  At this point people got off the train and were just hanging out by the tracks.  We asked an Italian stallion what was going on and he replied, “This is Italy!” with a big grin on his face. We eventually made it to Naples, but after 9 so we couldn’t get a train to Sorrento.  About 2 and half hours later we get picked up by the hotel manager to take us to Sorrento…and arrived in Sorrento about 1 ½ hour later.  Passed out.  The next morning we woke with a hopeful attitude that our weekend getaway would turn out better than it began.  We eventually ended up in Capri..after missing a bus, getting off at the wrong stop, a ferry ride, and an overpriced lunch. Things definitely get better in Capri mostly thanks to Alessio.  Alessio was our “captain” for our private boat tour around the island.  Just me, Ariel, and Kacey and Alessio..tall, tan, twenty, and by far the hottest Italian man that I have seen thus far.  I love Capri.  The boat ride was on my top ten of most beautiful things I have seen in my life.  The grottos (caves), cliffs, water, YACHTS were all amazing.  We saw a yacht with a helicopter on it…a HELICOPTER.  The next time I go to Capri I’ll be on one of those yachts..with the Kardashians.

As always it felt good to get back home.  Monday we went to a wine tasting at a very modern winery in Montepulciano. I learned that the skin of the grapes are the most important thing to the wine making process.  Bet you didn’t know that. Monte is known for their wine..Vino Nobile is the best so I left the wine tasting a little tipsy with 2 bottles.  It was perfect.  We had another relaxed field trip in Sienna yesterday..I’m going to miss this place so much!

See ya’ll in less than a week! CiaoJ