Today is the day. I'm off to Italy! I still haven't finished packing. Thank god for the last minute! And I need a haircut, several things from the drug store, and the dogs need their flea and heartworm medicine. Plenty to do before I go.
I finally talked to the women I am staying with via email. She'll be waiting at home for me when I get there. I guess she speaks some English, but when she greeted me she said "Bye Robert". Ha, I'll probably make A LOT of dumb mistakes like that too.
Assuming she has Internet access, I'll post again Sunday night. If not then I'll post again Monday at the school.
Arrivederci!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
9 Days Away
In just 9 days I'll be on a plane to Venice. It's coming up quick! And I have no idea what I should be doing to prepare! I already have a passport, and it's too early to pack, so what should I be doing? You'd think that spending two weeks in a foreign country would require a little more preparation.
I have decided that I'm not taking my cell phone. I'm too worried about how much the calls will cost, or even worse, the data (shudder). But I am taking my laptop. I need that to blog the trip and to call my family on Skype. I also have a guidebook, but instead of planning my days, I'm just going to wing it. The school plans activities for the students anyway, like dinners out and tours of the city, so I won't suffer from a lack of planning.
Speaking of blogging, I know I haven't posted much here, but the trip hasn't begun! The plan all along was just to post a few items in the months leading up to the trip and then post daily while I am there. So as long as I can figure out how to get on the Internet, I'll be updating you every day or more. With photos.
And as for learning some Italian before I get there -- ha. I'm only on day 20 of Pimsleur Italian I, and I started it months ago. You're supposed to do it every day. I haven't touched it in a few weeks. Well, I do know how to say "I would like to drink some wine." What else do you need to know?
I have decided that I'm not taking my cell phone. I'm too worried about how much the calls will cost, or even worse, the data (shudder). But I am taking my laptop. I need that to blog the trip and to call my family on Skype. I also have a guidebook, but instead of planning my days, I'm just going to wing it. The school plans activities for the students anyway, like dinners out and tours of the city, so I won't suffer from a lack of planning.
Speaking of blogging, I know I haven't posted much here, but the trip hasn't begun! The plan all along was just to post a few items in the months leading up to the trip and then post daily while I am there. So as long as I can figure out how to get on the Internet, I'll be updating you every day or more. With photos.
And as for learning some Italian before I get there -- ha. I'm only on day 20 of Pimsleur Italian I, and I started it months ago. You're supposed to do it every day. I haven't touched it in a few weeks. Well, I do know how to say "I would like to drink some wine." What else do you need to know?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
5 Weeks Away!
In a little over 5 weeks I will be on a nonstop flight to Venice, Italy. It's really starting to sink in now. I'll be in a foreign country, by myself, with very little knowledge of the language. This is my first trip alone ever, and although I'm looking forward to the adventure, there's some nervousness too. Will I like being by myself? Eating alone, seeing the sites alone? I guess there will be other students at the school to hang out with, but you never know if you're going to get along with people.
I bought a travel guide: Rick Steeves' Venice 2010. At 400 pages, it's got a lot to say. And after looking through it once, I'm starting to wonder if two weeks is enough! There is so much to see in Venice, it really is like a living museum. There are 16 places/things that Rick recommends seeing and 7 more things "if you have time." Seeing one a day doesn't leave time for them all. I guess I'll have to pair down the list to the "must sees". Any suggestions?
I bought a travel guide: Rick Steeves' Venice 2010. At 400 pages, it's got a lot to say. And after looking through it once, I'm starting to wonder if two weeks is enough! There is so much to see in Venice, it really is like a living museum. There are 16 places/things that Rick recommends seeing and 7 more things "if you have time." Seeing one a day doesn't leave time for them all. I guess I'll have to pair down the list to the "must sees". Any suggestions?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Got my ticket
Yesterday I booked my plane ticket to Venice ... for a whopping $1,300!!! Can you believe it? It's really shocking how expensive tickets to Europe are. The main reason this one is so expensive is that I booked a nonstop flight. But even the flights with a stop were going for $900-$1,000. For most of those flights, the layover was in Paris, but only 1 hour ... and you had to change both planes and airlines. I was worried that I wouldn't have time to make it through customs, much less my bags arriving with me. So I'm coughing up the big bucks to get there. At least I am saving money on housing. The airfare costs more than the tuition plus room and board!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Confirmed!
Just got my letter of confirmation from Istituto Venezia. I'm booked from Sept. 13 to Sept. 24. They also gave me my homestay information. I will be staying with a woman named Marina. Here is the description:
"Nice apartment at 3° floor with a beautiful view over the lagoon. Sitting-room, kitchen, for our students 1 single room with TV and 1 twin room. Use of kitchen is not allowed after 8.30 pm. Marina is a smoker, she is a very friendly lady. She also offer internet access."
The apartment is a 25-minute walk to the school. It's on the north end of the city. Here's a map showing the apartment and the school:
And the rules:
THE PRICE INCLUDES
- The rent of the room, starting from the day before the beginning of the course (Sunday), until the day after the end of the course (Saturday). The landlady/landlord can accept or refuse the request of renting the room the Saturday before the beginning of the course or the request of leaving on Sunday. If the owner accepts, students are supposed to pay an extra fee of 50 euros per night.
- Expenses for: heating, electricity, water
- The cleaning of the room, bathroom and kitchen on the day before the students arrival
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
- Put posters, pictures or anything else on the walls
- Use the washing machine after 8.00 p.m.
- Leave the lights on when you’re not at home (people who waste electricity will pay an extra)
- Disturb your neighbour and the owner when you come back late in the evening
- Move the furniture
- Invite guests for lunch or dinner without the permission of the owner
- Use the owner’s food (such as oil, salt, coffee etc. washing powder, toothpaste, soap, shampoo etc) (Students are responsible to purchase their own food and can use the host family’s kitchen facilities).
- Use the owner’s telephone
- Smoke (in any room in the house, including your room)
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO
- Come back home any time
- Use sheets, towels, pots, plates, glasses etc. and the kitchen and bathroom facilities. Although students must use their own personal bathroom toiletries.
- Use the washing machine at designated time (9 am – 8 pm)
YOU MUST
- Pay the rent for your room to your landlady/landlord on arrival (by cash)
- Keep the bathroom and the kitchen clean after use
- Respect the owner’s terms and schedules of the use of the kitchen and bathroom
- Keep your room clean
- On the day of departure, leave your room in order
"Nice apartment at 3° floor with a beautiful view over the lagoon. Sitting-room, kitchen, for our students 1 single room with TV and 1 twin room. Use of kitchen is not allowed after 8.30 pm. Marina is a smoker, she is a very friendly lady. She also offer internet access."
The apartment is a 25-minute walk to the school. It's on the north end of the city. Here's a map showing the apartment and the school:
And the rules:
THE PRICE INCLUDES
- The rent of the room, starting from the day before the beginning of the course (Sunday), until the day after the end of the course (Saturday). The landlady/landlord can accept or refuse the request of renting the room the Saturday before the beginning of the course or the request of leaving on Sunday. If the owner accepts, students are supposed to pay an extra fee of 50 euros per night.
- Expenses for: heating, electricity, water
- The cleaning of the room, bathroom and kitchen on the day before the students arrival
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
- Put posters, pictures or anything else on the walls
- Use the washing machine after 8.00 p.m.
- Leave the lights on when you’re not at home (people who waste electricity will pay an extra)
- Disturb your neighbour and the owner when you come back late in the evening
- Move the furniture
- Invite guests for lunch or dinner without the permission of the owner
- Use the owner’s food (such as oil, salt, coffee etc. washing powder, toothpaste, soap, shampoo etc) (Students are responsible to purchase their own food and can use the host family’s kitchen facilities).
- Use the owner’s telephone
- Smoke (in any room in the house, including your room)
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO
- Come back home any time
- Use sheets, towels, pots, plates, glasses etc. and the kitchen and bathroom facilities. Although students must use their own personal bathroom toiletries.
- Use the washing machine at designated time (9 am – 8 pm)
YOU MUST
- Pay the rent for your room to your landlady/landlord on arrival (by cash)
- Keep the bathroom and the kitchen clean after use
- Respect the owner’s terms and schedules of the use of the kitchen and bathroom
- Keep your room clean
- On the day of departure, leave your room in order
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Taking the Plunge
So far I talked about going to Venice, but I never actually made a commitment to the trip ... until today. I filled out the online enrollment form for the school and paid the deposit of 220 euros. It's official! I'll be in Venice for two weeks in September.
By the way, due to Greece's economic meltdown, the Euro is at an 18 month low against the dollar. If I were to pay for the enrollment and accommodations today, it would be a mere $863. Thanks, Greece!
By the way, due to Greece's economic meltdown, the Euro is at an 18 month low against the dollar. If I were to pay for the enrollment and accommodations today, it would be a mere $863. Thanks, Greece!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
It's Half the Fun
If you were going to Italy, how would you get there?
It's not a trick question. You would probably just do the most convenient thing: Fly from wherever you are to Rome.
In 1988, when I was 18 years old, I got to go to Italy for the first time. In fact, it was my first time traveling outside of the U.S. But I didn't just fly from here to there. No, that would have been too easy. My trip went like this:
1. Fly from Atlanta to New York.
2. Change planes.
3. Fly from New York to Paris.
4. Change planes.
5. Fly from Paris to Nice.
6. Take a bus to the train station.
7. Buy a ticket from Nice to Milan.
8. Take train to Milan.
And I had to do all of this without speaking any French or Italian!
I have no idea why my mother and step-father arranged it this way. Were there no direct flights? Were they saving money? Was this the norm 22 years ago?
What I do know is, getting there was actually an adventure. I chatted about Paris with the Air France flight attendants, and one even offered to be a tour guide if I was staying in Paris (I wasn't). I met a woman from Las Vegas outside the airport in Nice. She didn't speak French either, and the two of us together tried to figure out which bus to take to the train station. In the train station, I found a nice French woman who showed me how to stamp my ticket. And I got to see the French Riviera and Monaco by train.
And I remember thinking that if I can do all of this by myself at age 18, speaking only English, I can do anything.
This time, though, I plan on learning some Italian before I get there. And even though getting there WAS half the fun, this time I think I'll just fly straight to Venice.
It's not a trick question. You would probably just do the most convenient thing: Fly from wherever you are to Rome.
In 1988, when I was 18 years old, I got to go to Italy for the first time. In fact, it was my first time traveling outside of the U.S. But I didn't just fly from here to there. No, that would have been too easy. My trip went like this:
1. Fly from Atlanta to New York.
2. Change planes.
3. Fly from New York to Paris.
4. Change planes.
5. Fly from Paris to Nice.
6. Take a bus to the train station.
7. Buy a ticket from Nice to Milan.
8. Take train to Milan.
And I had to do all of this without speaking any French or Italian!
I have no idea why my mother and step-father arranged it this way. Were there no direct flights? Were they saving money? Was this the norm 22 years ago?
What I do know is, getting there was actually an adventure. I chatted about Paris with the Air France flight attendants, and one even offered to be a tour guide if I was staying in Paris (I wasn't). I met a woman from Las Vegas outside the airport in Nice. She didn't speak French either, and the two of us together tried to figure out which bus to take to the train station. In the train station, I found a nice French woman who showed me how to stamp my ticket. And I got to see the French Riviera and Monaco by train.
And I remember thinking that if I can do all of this by myself at age 18, speaking only English, I can do anything.
This time, though, I plan on learning some Italian before I get there. And even though getting there WAS half the fun, this time I think I'll just fly straight to Venice.
Me and Pippo, Elba Island, 1988. I am rocking the unibrow.
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