tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85018323056915824772024-03-13T10:29:50.158-07:00Mediterranean Life's a BeachA Semester in SicilySaint Michael's Collegehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09946297941992855169noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-85659719444505782232012-04-04T04:54:00.001-07:002012-04-09T06:56:21.553-07:00A Vacation from the Sicilian Life<div class="MsoNormal">When you want to get away from it all (it all being Sicily), where do you go? Other cities in Italy, of course! This time, I went to Florence (for those of you who don’t know where/what Florence is, it is a Tuscan city about an hour away from Pisa). I went to Florence to explore a different culture than the Sicilian one and to visit my friends from SMC: Lizzie Murray, Liz Salois, and Courtney Dunne.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My adventure started Wednesday night when I realized my plane left at 13:00 instead of 3:00 pm (the 24-hour clock is confusing sometimes, especially if you aren’t braced for it). I had to plan around a class and get to the Catania airport in time (1.5 hours by public transportation). Thankfully, my photography professor was understanding and let me skip class. I printed off my boarding passes and was on the next bus to Catania! Through security without a hitch, my flight takes off, it lands, and I’m at the airport in Pisa! From Pisa, there is a connecting bus that runs every hour or so. I was lucky enough to catch the bus JUST as it was about to leave! My vacation was going without a hitch! I let Lizzie know I was en route. Florence, here I come!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I finally get to Florence an hour earlier than I anticipated only to sit on the steps of the bus station for about an hour. It turns out I had entered Lizzie’s number incorrectly on my phone, so she had no idea I was waiting for that long. It was from here where I turned off my “I have been living in Italy for the past two months” mode and switched into tourist mode. The next three days were filled with wandering the streets of Florence soaking in the architecture of the city. The Duomo was one of the most magnificent church’s I have ever seen! Unfortunately, we got there later in the afternoon and the line to climb it was too long. Maybe next time! My favorite scene was the sunset from Piazza Michelangelo. From the piazza, you can see all of Florence and you get to appreciate the true architectural brilliance of the Duomo. You also get a view of Ponte Vecchio.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOCWjmhT5pdkzCAYtjOB8Uiop4t_3kSqGG4vkRVFZdVBJfHWtL1m_RbxoJjoVkSFjt2fMj9Wb2ipsm0NErEAydOkCX6NYCPphPRw3u0EYhlovVy7LBUmSeJUmevTuxgpxHK4Ka-CodbU/s1600/IMG_0980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOCWjmhT5pdkzCAYtjOB8Uiop4t_3kSqGG4vkRVFZdVBJfHWtL1m_RbxoJjoVkSFjt2fMj9Wb2ipsm0NErEAydOkCX6NYCPphPRw3u0EYhlovVy7LBUmSeJUmevTuxgpxHK4Ka-CodbU/s320/IMG_0980.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Front of the Duomo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbwNcnEN1E2MUFLZBXy3-fhoDI0kpRjsFqqDHAdKo5cRGpVADC7ru404cmNtWvy9dwG9UhhODUMemKlhwabGITlJqxvHcECk7ZFbmJms824Zb_1p9kFJJp6-1OU6v4yUqrTPBcAIodro/s1600/IMG_0990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbwNcnEN1E2MUFLZBXy3-fhoDI0kpRjsFqqDHAdKo5cRGpVADC7ru404cmNtWvy9dwG9UhhODUMemKlhwabGITlJqxvHcECk7ZFbmJms824Zb_1p9kFJJp6-1OU6v4yUqrTPBcAIodro/s320/IMG_0990.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMClUub5DFpyxB4c35cn5JQI0A5X04J2cryEchNTknQ0i69_6_1AdWHVdM70WX2rqu9r-mfmdyTE0SDzx4Zp13nbQlgK27ck4eC87PavTq0oKEvght2lEWMRNl_0VxnhuSGBEzKxaD19E/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMClUub5DFpyxB4c35cn5JQI0A5X04J2cryEchNTknQ0i69_6_1AdWHVdM70WX2rqu9r-mfmdyTE0SDzx4Zp13nbQlgK27ck4eC87PavTq0oKEvght2lEWMRNl_0VxnhuSGBEzKxaD19E/s320/IMG_0997.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> ANOTHER ASTON MARTIN<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlrCRPYnq7005d7LBAV3_cl-L1fYq_h4_J6L7kUf0-MFGhqigwikfx9OeVDAsw0px5nfN7JFN-5GqhYpy6w1N7wM3UCndydqqwuc1l-pnOYu4cVFtlNrP7OYy5RjGaMOwUFH5C3tours/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlrCRPYnq7005d7LBAV3_cl-L1fYq_h4_J6L7kUf0-MFGhqigwikfx9OeVDAsw0px5nfN7JFN-5GqhYpy6w1N7wM3UCndydqqwuc1l-pnOYu4cVFtlNrP7OYy5RjGaMOwUFH5C3tours/s320/IMG_1002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pYdGeAxQtWXchR2hVQr_My4pDP8q1RFyxdslSqhDg0fkm9sgiIFYc_dcbNZH6nBNaivcred_Iv6WwGBAxAJ7T8FwXMzLqbBxPHk8gT1q4enhuJoZ8j1I7miuYKGB0kIJHIHr0y5m3bs/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pYdGeAxQtWXchR2hVQr_My4pDP8q1RFyxdslSqhDg0fkm9sgiIFYc_dcbNZH6nBNaivcred_Iv6WwGBAxAJ7T8FwXMzLqbBxPHk8gT1q4enhuJoZ8j1I7miuYKGB0kIJHIHr0y5m3bs/s320/IMG_1004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Sunset from Piazza Michelangelo<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWt6FaOkq-Nxmc9tJ7M5M5dCoVeazFvHaSScX7_SReBMJr0vcUBwYkJPCSQ4Z7xuz3EF8a9k0c9HUQvSRKdceUNHVVCBGrI9oiEAX8fB0YeSNXKUKAxknJ-JMf5nmQtKd8pVswEAAJJM/s1600/IMG_1017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWt6FaOkq-Nxmc9tJ7M5M5dCoVeazFvHaSScX7_SReBMJr0vcUBwYkJPCSQ4Z7xuz3EF8a9k0c9HUQvSRKdceUNHVVCBGrI9oiEAX8fB0YeSNXKUKAxknJ-JMf5nmQtKd8pVswEAAJJM/s320/IMG_1017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> Ponte Vecchio from Piazza Michelangelo</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Lizzie and I also went on a nighttime tour of Florence. It turns out once all of the tourists go away the city becomes more beautiful! There city is also much more impressive lit up. Our tour included the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, a stroll along the river, and a secret bakery. I don’t fully understand the secret bakery, but their pastries were cheap and delicious! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg-xyw_Xykunswp6wTcLFazmx-Ze5youL-ueexiLxlf3jI9-GEDiLI32tLhFdCJeftwX1kKgu56cJqDsY6sJPWvHs3E7DirCqFYnPx-iYFN-qxO3AQlOBFcNUIa4ib6H2EnYGn-7ytlA/s1600/IMG_1031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg-xyw_Xykunswp6wTcLFazmx-Ze5youL-ueexiLxlf3jI9-GEDiLI32tLhFdCJeftwX1kKgu56cJqDsY6sJPWvHs3E7DirCqFYnPx-iYFN-qxO3AQlOBFcNUIa4ib6H2EnYGn-7ytlA/s320/IMG_1031.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p>The day that I left Florence, Lizzie and I went to the Boboli Gardens. We just strolled around and enjoyed the scenery offered.</o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygerRrcBmM5Y0vwt-mQMRWE3XcE7YUPLSkpNRFwmLJvZZXYiXRkOJJTbV8oBnTWb6CvHW_WK6tRJn-c9g_QpB7Nk1YFqNF67EUhKSN3dyqr2yykveyutJ9gi_RBVkyDJ75uus_PdbLhk/s1600/IMG_1045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygerRrcBmM5Y0vwt-mQMRWE3XcE7YUPLSkpNRFwmLJvZZXYiXRkOJJTbV8oBnTWb6CvHW_WK6tRJn-c9g_QpB7Nk1YFqNF67EUhKSN3dyqr2yykveyutJ9gi_RBVkyDJ75uus_PdbLhk/s320/IMG_1045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-UqlvfEM_j9BVzLwi4K7Jaiq5AMrZTZQ1w8BdE5VyaffCbJCwRptBqUgmYPEpgTL2ift5RlxEvfQ4rldBMuZftrwHIIIe8oJIHTLJKtH6UhaUk6KyN9T5paXwVhbvm0qeWU-5wCBCGg/s1600/IMG_1051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-UqlvfEM_j9BVzLwi4K7Jaiq5AMrZTZQ1w8BdE5VyaffCbJCwRptBqUgmYPEpgTL2ift5RlxEvfQ4rldBMuZftrwHIIIe8oJIHTLJKtH6UhaUk6KyN9T5paXwVhbvm0qeWU-5wCBCGg/s320/IMG_1051.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmAr1ZOqKkAFVubjUkZ-R6P_aDMw1cPVlxALBtGV1ao9f7LZAq2bfgsfg9JqLlGPJI7yLY4fPclqz4zAEc3SiXSC35UNtKZNfjWe_5i8TzOauXm9ZdEdjETpdz_TMfF2h1LlU8gax8WM/s1600/IMG_1053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmAr1ZOqKkAFVubjUkZ-R6P_aDMw1cPVlxALBtGV1ao9f7LZAq2bfgsfg9JqLlGPJI7yLY4fPclqz4zAEc3SiXSC35UNtKZNfjWe_5i8TzOauXm9ZdEdjETpdz_TMfF2h1LlU8gax8WM/s320/IMG_1053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The Duomo from Boboli Garden<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHYKIsMrFWkJCRAnLqPhZsdUDGZOkhHA99wtIAn1hp3ISLX36J3-xo1aKjYB4S664JG61Vbnb-GccEDoJ6F1tszSBqML5ecs3T1xhGyGzStcqD_vcxLwlsGktXDnoxHqGj7f9dzdgnrc/s1600/IMG_1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHYKIsMrFWkJCRAnLqPhZsdUDGZOkhHA99wtIAn1hp3ISLX36J3-xo1aKjYB4S664JG61Vbnb-GccEDoJ6F1tszSBqML5ecs3T1xhGyGzStcqD_vcxLwlsGktXDnoxHqGj7f9dzdgnrc/s320/IMG_1057.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, I thoroughly enjoyed the food as well! Pear ravioli, gelati, pizza… EVERYTHING was delicious! The one thing I learned from my time in Florence, going once for a few days is definitely not enough.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuHNDr5epmvuJDlP3TgbsHDF1HuwedhNpGRT1xjL7rmmL5cfwF-Rog17N8ggO_O8GH4kUkciBIgIemBMHCnCbEdBq3729srUlXT0TkP5KatN70vtre6PorALU0g4pqsCZvavJ9_HrpNc/s1600/IMG_1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuHNDr5epmvuJDlP3TgbsHDF1HuwedhNpGRT1xjL7rmmL5cfwF-Rog17N8ggO_O8GH4kUkciBIgIemBMHCnCbEdBq3729srUlXT0TkP5KatN70vtre6PorALU0g4pqsCZvavJ9_HrpNc/s320/IMG_1025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> Pear Ravioli!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My weekend was so action packed yet short that I think I have covered everything that I did (I’m sure I accidentally left something out). That being said, I definitely consider Florence as a city I must return to before I die! I miss it already…</div>Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-4093016959514661912012-03-29T13:18:00.000-07:002012-03-29T13:18:13.448-07:00Just another Week in Paradise<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The week we got back from spring break, some students from Arcadia University were at MCAS for a study abroad preview. I guess Arcadia University allows freshmen and transfer students to travel to one of their abroad schools for spring break for roughly $600 (a steal considering airfare, hotel, and food is all included). About 24 decided to preview Sicily. Most of the week was devoted to making them comfortable/enjoy their trip. One evening we made “poor pasta” which is essentially flour and water. However poor it may be, it was rather delicious tasting! Another main event with the previewers was a wine tasting trip. During this trip, we also explored the southern most part of Europe. The real purpose of this trip, of course, was the wine tasting. We sampled four different flavors of wine: a white wine, a red wine (rosso), and two dark red wines (Nero d’Avola and Syrah).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3yHQK0ezYxfTYEoWEoQtJZiGG9-IoOFM67mVj2FwnaSzamG3Nb7iYunK4bvn9_sP-7EH8MW-CnCHeYgAbQXJIKE41MHYPeAgaNBoYUsKcaBV1gWvw6nHRWP3yQVDtiBhEnsMVbVtoM8/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3yHQK0ezYxfTYEoWEoQtJZiGG9-IoOFM67mVj2FwnaSzamG3Nb7iYunK4bvn9_sP-7EH8MW-CnCHeYgAbQXJIKE41MHYPeAgaNBoYUsKcaBV1gWvw6nHRWP3yQVDtiBhEnsMVbVtoM8/s320/IMG_0891.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Confiscated Boats Used by Illegal Tunisian Immigrants<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNEAZH6JU0C_UjoLPqiB-a_JSIT4u1jmzsPuasfm58Y2ACkRPTB5NKwfI-pz-NLQWaDEs0F01aW3L6J2XEgnc3BX1aTsxgnIwwE7i07vcMcgEO8EsCppUSWpYPYnBFluX9MAuT2IXwSk/s1600/IMG_0899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNEAZH6JU0C_UjoLPqiB-a_JSIT4u1jmzsPuasfm58Y2ACkRPTB5NKwfI-pz-NLQWaDEs0F01aW3L6J2XEgnc3BX1aTsxgnIwwE7i07vcMcgEO8EsCppUSWpYPYnBFluX9MAuT2IXwSk/s320/IMG_0899.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
The Vineyard<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37qc6jdkPFKoRG3j7McAIzzTxYfkgIiISoLpu4Nn7CI-ByYzpHLd4PMBZPpy2Ddr0BiCr7HhnGVV397vB4ICn6d-iFfeoV1eTUJJRw6YS74jFZjdtYIHO__unk0UoeDoraD8Qqz8Y1dA/s1600/IMG_0905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37qc6jdkPFKoRG3j7McAIzzTxYfkgIiISoLpu4Nn7CI-ByYzpHLd4PMBZPpy2Ddr0BiCr7HhnGVV397vB4ICn6d-iFfeoV1eTUJJRw6YS74jFZjdtYIHO__unk0UoeDoraD8Qqz8Y1dA/s320/IMG_0905.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The previewers left early Saturday morning. I used my free time to look for the crashed cargo ship off of Syracusa. Lo and behold, I found it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GrzZpd-ySaBvpHBgi8SW-z7ycmMxqv4GN7wPxbOD7UsTXgwjEGH73FOHtbEHVp8LSXAnpq8lZEtHQ9LIBzObEzwmaIBB-vXtQhKbCVa7Xou8Yq7FnUptGYgmjh81Su2SFByt7FMTRFA/s1600/IMG_0906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GrzZpd-ySaBvpHBgi8SW-z7ycmMxqv4GN7wPxbOD7UsTXgwjEGH73FOHtbEHVp8LSXAnpq8lZEtHQ9LIBzObEzwmaIBB-vXtQhKbCVa7Xou8Yq7FnUptGYgmjh81Su2SFByt7FMTRFA/s320/IMG_0906.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukAN3rtgIva5Ad3zMCWI9sEx_ubvAQdvYh2fecKvgcjyrUfTI7SUiXu5ybU6mYkVgD_vLLAmcBQY2-iWvY4CZB9pBv8RZ6wrybL2nL6EykiV7GIxHbOKB8Iz4RHr10gVUT_YnsuiA09s/s1600/IMG_0912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukAN3rtgIva5Ad3zMCWI9sEx_ubvAQdvYh2fecKvgcjyrUfTI7SUiXu5ybU6mYkVgD_vLLAmcBQY2-iWvY4CZB9pBv8RZ6wrybL2nL6EykiV7GIxHbOKB8Iz4RHr10gVUT_YnsuiA09s/s320/IMG_0912.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Oops!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAJfNML4rDh6mVon0NaDUMSeE1B3A_R-NrGP2Mu0ezDE1sg9wUanBbUEGTwSswhbhHsgD2fM0riuRQxX4IFCIFTeihtUaU6d0QYYGZsqf8b6Qttkz2wApvzragUBYEzD9t3h2psVB5UQ/s1600/IMG_0914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAJfNML4rDh6mVon0NaDUMSeE1B3A_R-NrGP2Mu0ezDE1sg9wUanBbUEGTwSswhbhHsgD2fM0riuRQxX4IFCIFTeihtUaU6d0QYYGZsqf8b6Qttkz2wApvzragUBYEzD9t3h2psVB5UQ/s320/IMG_0914.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On Sunday, a few of us (Nate, Evan, a local named Emaneule, and I) went to a few beaches in Noto. While driving to the beach, we were able to see an ash plume from Etna. We also went into the town and explored the area for a bit finding a pizzeria for lunch and enjoying the architecture of some churches. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujata40IvC-J9DJ7q9AH6_Iu4nsqyNJeSOqeG4q0Ybz9vdLGAORFhr3CCfKowggV9tv_Qec_Xl-TH0fN5Ob5c3c6JqFbfgPlZl5G86BS1my9ndvKF1ZJml881vE-8Gk6wYMXmtaD5vww/s1600/IMG_0922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujata40IvC-J9DJ7q9AH6_Iu4nsqyNJeSOqeG4q0Ybz9vdLGAORFhr3CCfKowggV9tv_Qec_Xl-TH0fN5Ob5c3c6JqFbfgPlZl5G86BS1my9ndvKF1ZJml881vE-8Gk6wYMXmtaD5vww/s320/IMG_0922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgmmOpScuzb1RRY-0ZGfMeRURcb5gNOTZwRAYjWqXOXvrNZwDBdnQWgOjea9v8FUtTELkCwJL-Pn1INwfGmKGsHJaJi-oMtfdIPaEJUoZ5Sl1i5YEwqcrNKYZzIaG8cK4U7x-BBjwen8/s1600/IMG_0934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgmmOpScuzb1RRY-0ZGfMeRURcb5gNOTZwRAYjWqXOXvrNZwDBdnQWgOjea9v8FUtTELkCwJL-Pn1INwfGmKGsHJaJi-oMtfdIPaEJUoZ5Sl1i5YEwqcrNKYZzIaG8cK4U7x-BBjwen8/s320/IMG_0934.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7qYT7hIFT4bqHqDkbhiujmObX4WR3LWBW6-Cj-HjlI7SNK38xAvD3qJQpzFAaSBbqvpD_1t-KFmivIeWMhm37se0XGmrp1ie9FnJrgrtcon0J7infyjV0KRXUxxJNQ-PF49TQNrLeHY/s1600/IMG_0942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7qYT7hIFT4bqHqDkbhiujmObX4WR3LWBW6-Cj-HjlI7SNK38xAvD3qJQpzFAaSBbqvpD_1t-KFmivIeWMhm37se0XGmrp1ie9FnJrgrtcon0J7infyjV0KRXUxxJNQ-PF49TQNrLeHY/s320/IMG_0942.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> Ash Plume from Etna</div><div class="MsoNormal">The rest of the week was devoted mainly to classes and getting ready for my weekend in Florence! On Monday, my Mediterranean Ecosystems course and Volcanology course had a field trip to Vendicari. Here, we walked along the nature reserve and talked about the landscape of the location. The funniest thing happened when 4 dogs followed us the whole way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhXzwyS44Cvz07eRLXTUEvSr8351p0FQWUdv9KqcNGAp6Qp76R2qfVYNCoOli1RGCpSznSM8degVUFSRGYG4PJX6yqH-jDEWV667KO4vD5oRpRR3VORT_fVIBGQdtsAdvidSJj1brR78/s1600/IMG_0946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhXzwyS44Cvz07eRLXTUEvSr8351p0FQWUdv9KqcNGAp6Qp76R2qfVYNCoOli1RGCpSznSM8degVUFSRGYG4PJX6yqH-jDEWV667KO4vD5oRpRR3VORT_fVIBGQdtsAdvidSJj1brR78/s320/IMG_0946.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-88584750730658232782012-03-27T06:21:00.000-07:002012-03-27T06:21:33.923-07:00Spring Break in the Netherlands<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">As the semester goes on, I find myself with less and less free time to write a blog post. Thankfully today I found some time! I can finally share my Spring Break experiences (Part 2).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For the second part of spring break, a few of us (Nate, Frankie, Katie, Nicole, and I) went to Amsterdam. Thankfully we were only there for a few days, because that city is a tourist trap! It was SO beautiful, but everything was really expensive. Our trip included stops at some very cool touristy things such as the Van Gogh museum, the Heineken experience, and a canal tour. It was amazing seeing the city from the canal and to understand how the canals work. The city had more landmass devoted to canals than to actual land it seemed! While Amsterdam was certainly a lot of fun, I particularly enjoyed the second half of our stay in the Netherlands. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Kyu92esPU8pWdFdPR3zQrxOIgGjELzwaUY1ewgeSTq3V_xdPmJJ5dPTFJVwRZIXWsBVTwNNxfbuTDNccTUnurHh_iG7wTYRhBOrL6lzb0_jHictsKTBe-fgYjtLa9uxVBi7b6q7UNno/s1600/IMG_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Kyu92esPU8pWdFdPR3zQrxOIgGjELzwaUY1ewgeSTq3V_xdPmJJ5dPTFJVwRZIXWsBVTwNNxfbuTDNccTUnurHh_iG7wTYRhBOrL6lzb0_jHictsKTBe-fgYjtLa9uxVBi7b6q7UNno/s320/IMG_0667.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCBKQCiybl-XgrC1EaOk__pvmjWQxJ4_lMMCEuwT9nUmoow8exPp1HhD4n2Ohxh0UTEALJOAEjfwgjRQ1lgtVY8pGVb4pcbsd3K1pZQVLBybKRLxhxc3arXnB-c-nCTSvTBP4pvsUvR4/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCBKQCiybl-XgrC1EaOk__pvmjWQxJ4_lMMCEuwT9nUmoow8exPp1HhD4n2Ohxh0UTEALJOAEjfwgjRQ1lgtVY8pGVb4pcbsd3K1pZQVLBybKRLxhxc3arXnB-c-nCTSvTBP4pvsUvR4/s320/IMG_0759.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGCsmhedakIztHKBDX_QA1z47SI36JPVqDjOLzKIDULqzGIRvKLmPoBqCs3AbSGREwluX4FTkjjnigSJNaoz2UQpxTcXkfgvyXtVdhqcti8C8HoM3dOFfJNhR-7JdyexK4kqMo7lVfW0/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGCsmhedakIztHKBDX_QA1z47SI36JPVqDjOLzKIDULqzGIRvKLmPoBqCs3AbSGREwluX4FTkjjnigSJNaoz2UQpxTcXkfgvyXtVdhqcti8C8HoM3dOFfJNhR-7JdyexK4kqMo7lVfW0/s320/IMG_0683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Between March 7-8, Nicole, Frankie, and Katie all left. For the rest of our time in the Netherlands, Nate and I decided to bike around the country and see some of the smaller cities that aren’t necessarily as famous as Amsterdam. Our tour planned on Den Haag, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. Our first day was a grueling 70-ish km bike from Amsterdam to Den Haag. Of course, we rented the cheapest bikes available in an attempt to conserve some money, but in hindsight, we should have splurged for the better bikes. When we finally got to Den Haag, after roughly 7 hours of biking, we were far too exhausted to do any exploring. It was also very dark, so sight seeing would have been rather difficult. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The second day was much more enjoyable. Den Haag to Rotterdam was only 30 km, so a much lighter trip. The bike path led us along a beautiful canal splitting Holland’s countryside. On our way, we got lost in the town of Delft, one of the most beautiful places I have seen. Here, we explored some beautiful Gothic churches. We finally got into Rotterdam early afternoon with enough time to explore the city. Rotterdam was very interesting because it was completely leveled in WW2, so it was completely rebuilt during the 1940s. Compared to the rest of Holland, it was a very modern city. However, it still clearly had its Dutch roots. Nate and I found a restaurant in the city center that had typical Dutch bar cuisine. We ate cheeseburgers with a fried egg on them (something that seemed to be the case with every Dutch hamburger). </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDys-N4ZqqZac_oNsNZcqmV45foXZS9OFf0gWZr2zHQR5KZVRKaMU0RKkIvREihB4NdKq8xFoVAKX5eMw_UpHoMm8FWYUdR9Zg6SivzpL41freQvvGFAcu0lup6LGSPV3WCy3yTti10Q/s1600/IMG_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDys-N4ZqqZac_oNsNZcqmV45foXZS9OFf0gWZr2zHQR5KZVRKaMU0RKkIvREihB4NdKq8xFoVAKX5eMw_UpHoMm8FWYUdR9Zg6SivzpL41freQvvGFAcu0lup6LGSPV3WCy3yTti10Q/s320/IMG_0778.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImyGLCM90g4072xUCpamis6Vlg_-3E9ZNullutXQohPWD-cT_acaTofBVAaK0g3sNYx9bGpqzuWuwsrnuEY9_yxefYgqTJxUJtL0rGHKrXiAmAXxmrPlinHEPStuCa-AQHurlMbaH9WM/s1600/IMG_0799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImyGLCM90g4072xUCpamis6Vlg_-3E9ZNullutXQohPWD-cT_acaTofBVAaK0g3sNYx9bGpqzuWuwsrnuEY9_yxefYgqTJxUJtL0rGHKrXiAmAXxmrPlinHEPStuCa-AQHurlMbaH9WM/s320/IMG_0799.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The City Center of Delft<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-85lC2AAgrBiSEEgcj5r4wbC3NLoi7u9Klf4rQ0WaJnn9nYh8N_iff0D5E7LS5k4iIJwd6ZUzgo2Q8D6fQzNUcrJbqdhW50jEGzQytnbN9xWPDkstZde9VwdJQDqXdJAR_ps7Y3Dr5RA/s1600/IMG_0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-85lC2AAgrBiSEEgcj5r4wbC3NLoi7u9Klf4rQ0WaJnn9nYh8N_iff0D5E7LS5k4iIJwd6ZUzgo2Q8D6fQzNUcrJbqdhW50jEGzQytnbN9xWPDkstZde9VwdJQDqXdJAR_ps7Y3Dr5RA/s320/IMG_0812.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our next stop was in Utrecht, but we stopped in Gouda on our way to get some famous Gouda cheese. It turns out that Gouda was also a very beautiful town that we never would have explored had we not gone on the biking adventure. For lunch, we bought a sausage stuffed with Gouda cheese. All I can say about this is DELICIOUS! Since we took the train to Utrecht (it was misting all day), we had plenty of time to explore. Utrecht is very popular for students, so it was a relatively cheap place to stay. Nate and I, along with an Australian named Jesse from our Hostel wandered throughout the streets and canals of the city and went into a museum with many exhibits. Our favorite was a punk-rock exhibit explaining the roots and rising of punk music in the 1970’s. Unfortunately, our trip had to end, but before it did, we had one last day in Enkhuizen, a city in northern Holland. Again, a beautiful landscape and beautiful architecture really attracted us to this location. Our final Dutch meal was, of course, pankokken (pancakes).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06udQQMYz3iIDLO0lTvLM0EFc3pckX2tNzS144MotNXI8X20kIr68zxHPsWlA4JY6C2nzzcG-5ta1nWL3WVJ3TdPVcZ5uO1_gK0CXrPqoVg2pq1WLpfBM-GVVe1Q59pPSSNR9EGuYpSw/s1600/IMG_0825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06udQQMYz3iIDLO0lTvLM0EFc3pckX2tNzS144MotNXI8X20kIr68zxHPsWlA4JY6C2nzzcG-5ta1nWL3WVJ3TdPVcZ5uO1_gK0CXrPqoVg2pq1WLpfBM-GVVe1Q59pPSSNR9EGuYpSw/s320/IMG_0825.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQ5gDgUpVG2fd6PqHuERZnS8rEFm5YvFMAzbJKtgQhywTXUe0AUcf2SN3AfdiJMskBr4AFj9cH2ObddDZnm1NZ3WVmW_MYSCwOahAtor6lSvyWsfd6x0A7sMfFCAjvxvrj-K6POCixxg/s1600/IMG_0833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQ5gDgUpVG2fd6PqHuERZnS8rEFm5YvFMAzbJKtgQhywTXUe0AUcf2SN3AfdiJMskBr4AFj9cH2ObddDZnm1NZ3WVmW_MYSCwOahAtor6lSvyWsfd6x0A7sMfFCAjvxvrj-K6POCixxg/s320/IMG_0833.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> Utrecht's Tower<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKTx1OZbM-8X9QPZCfrlCIJQypgu5euRHpjwUerogjqxhPkftwy2yLqCHSDlRKS-lJXcChPtfWkolDS9zbBBBDCkjp3NjvlAafiHUJJW0XJzs4Xy9QY9kkzgUN33gju_UUG2mzPu3fXA/s1600/IMG_0847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUKTx1OZbM-8X9QPZCfrlCIJQypgu5euRHpjwUerogjqxhPkftwy2yLqCHSDlRKS-lJXcChPtfWkolDS9zbBBBDCkjp3NjvlAafiHUJJW0XJzs4Xy9QY9kkzgUN33gju_UUG2mzPu3fXA/s320/IMG_0847.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I really enjoyed my stay in the Netherlands, and my spring break as a whole. Although it was crazy at some points, dare I say even stressful, it was a nice change of pace from the Sicilian life. I really look forward to the rest of the semester as spring break signifies the time when I start traveling more!</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-27763158607464087572012-03-18T14:59:00.000-07:002012-03-18T14:59:57.203-07:00A Trip to Tunisia<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Since spring break was divided into two locations, I have decided to write two separate blog posts on the week and a half we had off. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">From March 1 to March 5, we were in Tunisia. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I had an amazing time there! The first few days were spent in Tunis. Here, we spent most of our time enjoying mosaics in museums. The first night, during dinner, we had a cultural show in which Ramzi played some Arabic folk music with his band. Although I could not understand what was being said (except Nate who speaks Arabic), I really enjoyed the music. Sure this was a great cultural experience, but I was most moved by walking on the streets of the revolution. It was amazing to believe that a little more than a year ago, the streets were crowded with people in protest. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRuSSETDbDV5HtmNZYK508tIto1KEITUXGNFqLTpiKX4Wstq0_Miz47Bh70xNKDHCuIrztVLzA8FZQR-XcUAtzChd6XaYYjGoFRjSVakbhKiNAS0CJwHnvGKQu-ppeAnszARrr0zf3UA/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRuSSETDbDV5HtmNZYK508tIto1KEITUXGNFqLTpiKX4Wstq0_Miz47Bh70xNKDHCuIrztVLzA8FZQR-XcUAtzChd6XaYYjGoFRjSVakbhKiNAS0CJwHnvGKQu-ppeAnszARrr0zf3UA/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The aftermath of the riots: barbed wire<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5Q_H3KFVuHgX_9xb0a4CyrUTLeGPsXryqjVov6Y5YK1lmzBDRZVdudRUSYTk-G0I8qxlJItQ41fuXuMAAcp3Gm7ibpKq_TdcL3nt58QEq5ImgNPEw4mebzz9DNi1tAL1WG4pfWYXczA/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5Q_H3KFVuHgX_9xb0a4CyrUTLeGPsXryqjVov6Y5YK1lmzBDRZVdudRUSYTk-G0I8qxlJItQ41fuXuMAAcp3Gm7ibpKq_TdcL3nt58QEq5ImgNPEw4mebzz9DNi1tAL1WG4pfWYXczA/s320/IMG_0517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">After our short stay in Tunis, we went to Sousse for a few days. This part of Tunisia was much more touristy. Here, we visited Arab markets. These were wild! Everywhere, a Tunisian vendor would shout “American, come into my store!” Some would even grab you by the shoulder and “guide” you into their store despite desperate pleas trying to express your lack of interest. The next day, we went to a Tunisian coliseum very similar to the Roman one. Here, we got to ride camels for to and from the bus! Later that evening, we went to a small village as a change of pace from the lively Tunisia we had grown to love. Sidi Khalif was one of the most gorgeous sceneries I have witnessed in my life, and the people living there were so welcoming and excited to have visitors. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2Vn9DH_YJo5e02BYARMyDOTMFk0r-i9sgtla2vF2ZVl63-luJBJvave06PZ8aI2-GMAjCBbFoAU4x0L_yR2DPSJn9NGKs-jXaNF9clPd-ygqHzjAwnpsPErYLV22e_VHOzRiLDyDhHc/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI2Vn9DH_YJo5e02BYARMyDOTMFk0r-i9sgtla2vF2ZVl63-luJBJvave06PZ8aI2-GMAjCBbFoAU4x0L_yR2DPSJn9NGKs-jXaNF9clPd-ygqHzjAwnpsPErYLV22e_VHOzRiLDyDhHc/s320/IMG_0524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, Tunisia seemed like a very welcoming country. After the Arab uprising, Tunisia has been hard-pressed for tourism, a very important market. I really enjoyed my time in the country and hope I have the opportunity to return some day.</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-39645413531876765852012-02-29T09:55:00.000-08:002012-02-29T09:55:30.426-08:00Midterms/Spring Break<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">‘Tis the week of midterms already! Thankfully, all of them are completed and went very well (or so I think). That means that it is time for Spring Break! Before spring break, however, the MCAS program has a four-day stay in Tunisia. This trip has many interesting events planned for us to experience the Arabian culture of Tunisia. I am EXTREMELY excited to experience one of the major influences on the Sicilian culture. If I’m not mistaken, we get to take a camelback ride! After this brief stay in Tunisia, a few students (Nate, Frankie, Katie, and Nicole) and I are going to Amsterdam! During the second half of the week, Frankie, Katie, and Nicole are going different places while Nate and I are renting bikes and taking a tour of the Netherlands. Our destinations include Den Haag, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. In my next post, I promise to have MANY many pictures of my experiences and travels!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This past week was rather low-key. Much of my free time was devoted to relaxing, enjoying the sun, and trying to get over the cold that has been going around the program. Of course, my free time was limited due to my black and white photography project due after Spring Break. Many hours were devoted to making prints of some of the better images I had taken (again, I will have those for the next post. I promise!) On Sunday, our Spanish friends, Paloma and Gonzo went for a walk with us (Frankie, Nate, and me) along the cliffs of Syracuse (not quite as stunning as the cliffs of Dover). These provided stunning views of Syracuse/Ortigia, on a sunny day, Etna, and, of course, the Mediterranean. Here are some pictures:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkXQjJrRWHWcNadegDcq0bbXIH6YvAaqdQBZU4nvEPNE8b5KGS-Xugqk7JUab3bRqmkSs80qvQHnMH1jgkxFHYazMd2wV2TWW5viKlTyAzpACoVEe4efisv75IbSp9YGI_bSKoRqGARY/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkXQjJrRWHWcNadegDcq0bbXIH6YvAaqdQBZU4nvEPNE8b5KGS-Xugqk7JUab3bRqmkSs80qvQHnMH1jgkxFHYazMd2wV2TWW5viKlTyAzpACoVEe4efisv75IbSp9YGI_bSKoRqGARY/s320/IMG_0384.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Anti-Berlusconi Graffiti<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF80FIMJGT7Hrb4aX-sRKUzoHX7Nj5md8ngnapL26f_0ixsNvG5sRRDb1ETx4I8Kcnbi8h1Rz9oXE-uf9z3iHPE88F7T7_RkfGjDLoKnPEioTubyyndP8AHZupwwZKEoYx-qT9D0GftA0/s1600/IMG_0386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF80FIMJGT7Hrb4aX-sRKUzoHX7Nj5md8ngnapL26f_0ixsNvG5sRRDb1ETx4I8Kcnbi8h1Rz9oXE-uf9z3iHPE88F7T7_RkfGjDLoKnPEioTubyyndP8AHZupwwZKEoYx-qT9D0GftA0/s320/IMG_0386.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, I need to start packing for my Tunisian endeavors! Until after spring break!</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-30039021256081449172012-02-21T04:04:00.000-08:002012-02-21T04:04:42.307-08:00Another Week Past!<div class="MsoNormal">Oy vey! It’s been a long time since my last post. I’ve been busy busy busy! For a change, the weather was actually enjoyable for the week! It was sunny and warm-ish (by warm, I mean 50s). However, today the rain picked up again and looks to continue throughout the week. We were lucky with the weather because of all the traveling we did.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On Tuesday, a few classes had field trips open to all students, so of course I went! A World War II history museum and a film history museum (both in Catania) were part of the trip as well as a bread maker in Lentini. This bread maker was such an artist and made sure to get all of us students in on the action. It was quite remarkable to see him work. The rest of the week was devoted to school work and such.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeKmxvqfXRgmz-jjTeTTeHWufp_8XONOGUV9F5oSvhqP0KfjSvDu52T41GvYOctKk2ERMAhmMCeROXPgHSIo2xpXBLvECebWz5FXlh6g3LxRh5BMdVaw6eXKSWrAdVL1U3qj_px4P_d4/s1600/IMG_0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeKmxvqfXRgmz-jjTeTTeHWufp_8XONOGUV9F5oSvhqP0KfjSvDu52T41GvYOctKk2ERMAhmMCeROXPgHSIo2xpXBLvECebWz5FXlh6g3LxRh5BMdVaw6eXKSWrAdVL1U3qj_px4P_d4/s320/IMG_0259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> A Valentine Sunrise<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MAByFnXBGVn4cIWvfSxe3FF77C0aoVXAPGcpHRyMcYJGOEAiAb5DT4jSq2mNQzQHn0o3afpmB2njmEwSIz73CI_L38THlm99Kigli1H-VKLMt5qNmdARVexNLfkYLUAAvZ2AFRfcXa8/s1600/IMG_0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MAByFnXBGVn4cIWvfSxe3FF77C0aoVXAPGcpHRyMcYJGOEAiAb5DT4jSq2mNQzQHn0o3afpmB2njmEwSIz73CI_L38THlm99Kigli1H-VKLMt5qNmdARVexNLfkYLUAAvZ2AFRfcXa8/s320/IMG_0261.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkQCY4pFyhHsynvjJ3wK29WxnGw8nx8TsKWIVZV0cGM14XEr_krC6Ejq-78MOtZCNLDcprg9m8ymwxSs-F0rpneoD-CZ0PmyKweyJeww1g13bMSxZ01Sptt4zrNtKdAfqPrEz056pS94/s1600/IMG_0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkQCY4pFyhHsynvjJ3wK29WxnGw8nx8TsKWIVZV0cGM14XEr_krC6Ejq-78MOtZCNLDcprg9m8ymwxSs-F0rpneoD-CZ0PmyKweyJeww1g13bMSxZ01Sptt4zrNtKdAfqPrEz056pS94/s320/IMG_0271.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOFDEkYSyD4sId8gq9Ne22-RGDiLBEPreq8JEuAr10w-p2Q9DD207wiZAbdOntG_jqmtpdIzZeeUER6016IsaARyAjG4EakOkXc5_iNpTAOHt6dC12rguxzxl_Oib_6g8GovhalumPSM/s1600/IMG_0277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOFDEkYSyD4sId8gq9Ne22-RGDiLBEPreq8JEuAr10w-p2Q9DD207wiZAbdOntG_jqmtpdIzZeeUER6016IsaARyAjG4EakOkXc5_iNpTAOHt6dC12rguxzxl_Oib_6g8GovhalumPSM/s320/IMG_0277.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> The Breadmaster at Work</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br />
</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Saturday, a few of us went to Ragusa just to explore the city. It turned out to be a great adventure! We really enjoyed the architecture of the churches and the beautiful scenery of more inland Sicily. Other than the scenery and architecture, there was not a whole lot to do here. Regardless, it was a wonderful experience to share with some of my new friends. Sunday evening, the students in my program went to Palazzolo to celebrate Carnivale with the locals. This turned out to be one of the most exciting experiences I have had! There were so many people crammed into a tiny area to see the procession. The floats in the parade were all works of art and… words are hard to describe how fantastic they were. Most (if not all) were mechanical and moved around to music being played. As if that wasn’t enough, they were all made from paper mache from newspapers throughout the year.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQQsi4Awb3_6Tu1-JyOa7DGaGNYr6PAqwZa5RaqLgCtIt4fn8V2ZigKMxFDCafDBYZ-Amc4fRLlgFygtyJ373eocYnxgFD5ThdTweG1lQk7Fq6MLq6yTBj1CgNA3qPCaCJ5Y1rIZnpik/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQQsi4Awb3_6Tu1-JyOa7DGaGNYr6PAqwZa5RaqLgCtIt4fn8V2ZigKMxFDCafDBYZ-Amc4fRLlgFygtyJ373eocYnxgFD5ThdTweG1lQk7Fq6MLq6yTBj1CgNA3qPCaCJ5Y1rIZnpik/s320/IMG_0296.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Beautiful Ragusa<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXE1IvR84F3bWyjzIGwuAw89xw9E6pMIFFORZ6atHM07nUFrrbDWKmXolgaa7RCIkiL8lm-IU09JGJimpV4G8fdEFgbcth_IMwUZX6tCgHDFc1L1ZB7eYuQYkkmgAUpsxO9d98XWiY2M/s1600/IMG_0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXE1IvR84F3bWyjzIGwuAw89xw9E6pMIFFORZ6atHM07nUFrrbDWKmXolgaa7RCIkiL8lm-IU09JGJimpV4G8fdEFgbcth_IMwUZX6tCgHDFc1L1ZB7eYuQYkkmgAUpsxO9d98XWiY2M/s320/IMG_0304.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hGB5FfricOk_vPddTIblkqKQUt94tzIzHe5RuzCYZrnZlSPcrREoNCtYrA1EBr4SHueDacXZlzsCIbkdAX9Qh0Z9VqYBHenJCIA8fbjyEIDAMhyV1Xo-r8U6Y_OzY2eK4gbKYwcXH7Q/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hGB5FfricOk_vPddTIblkqKQUt94tzIzHe5RuzCYZrnZlSPcrREoNCtYrA1EBr4SHueDacXZlzsCIbkdAX9Qh0Z9VqYBHenJCIA8fbjyEIDAMhyV1Xo-r8U6Y_OzY2eK4gbKYwcXH7Q/s320/IMG_0311.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKsBQKPxpgPzNtuY9yinPatP2zogdqG7RHWx4l7MStpXUCeougxTF-CbDYUdlL6G5AQuvJtHUHjl_4AKwqh1hPuA88ivWIWwoMCslw8T7MYXNO-L16qOKwzVzwCqQBknEdoktFxpE2Wg/s1600/IMG_0327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKsBQKPxpgPzNtuY9yinPatP2zogdqG7RHWx4l7MStpXUCeougxTF-CbDYUdlL6G5AQuvJtHUHjl_4AKwqh1hPuA88ivWIWwoMCslw8T7MYXNO-L16qOKwzVzwCqQBknEdoktFxpE2Wg/s320/IMG_0327.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> People crowding the stairs of a church for Carnivale<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgj20AbGJl4WGGS9AV5ImgGlU4zSuAEC8al51d4DU_fmLh9dEFoLdp2sBGpySE_eDYy8uNm2h84K1JY3A2fMTyHM3raqJCc4KfArejmlTg_T8xgCz5Ojmm72x8-PmPtRJJw_rJKdDxWw/s1600/IMG_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrgj20AbGJl4WGGS9AV5ImgGlU4zSuAEC8al51d4DU_fmLh9dEFoLdp2sBGpySE_eDYy8uNm2h84K1JY3A2fMTyHM3raqJCc4KfArejmlTg_T8xgCz5Ojmm72x8-PmPtRJJw_rJKdDxWw/s320/IMG_0336.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOc163RjIuy2iVK5mmuKqs8rYWbOcMdNGjKMGMBa5KO8_xwCyKDupi8dhvr9nn7WQBByPDj2DqcY_YXDNzWqylpOfoSToVTetZUjFj2FinuKnAwjg2pNE9Gh06J0s1vE-BzsBdbJnztIw/s1600/IMG_0367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOc163RjIuy2iVK5mmuKqs8rYWbOcMdNGjKMGMBa5KO8_xwCyKDupi8dhvr9nn7WQBByPDj2DqcY_YXDNzWqylpOfoSToVTetZUjFj2FinuKnAwjg2pNE9Gh06J0s1vE-BzsBdbJnztIw/s320/IMG_0367.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">This week, I couldn’t be as adventurous with food because my card has yet to arrive. I’m hoping (nay praying) it comes in today or tomorrow. I did have a really good cannolo! I think that’s all this time around. Mid terms are next week, so I have quite a bit of studying ahead of me. Ciao!</div>Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-6079528844548921232012-02-10T05:53:00.000-08:002012-02-10T05:53:51.991-08:00The Joys of Running Out of Money... Already!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">So three weeks have gone by since my arrival to Sicily, and I’m already down to my last 50 Euro. I know what you’re probably thinking… ‘How could someone blow through so much money so quickly!?!’ Well, the answer to that is simple: my bank cancelled my debit card due to a fraud warning. This is understandable seeing as I live in America, am in Italy, and my latest purchase would be from Italy. Therefore, they would think some person in Italy is using my card. However, before I left, I made sure to call the company to inform them I was going abroad! This person in Italy using my card is, well, ME! So I have money in the bank, but no means to access it. Hopefully the new card I requested will come soon, but with the notorious Italian postal system, lord knows when that will be here. So note to future study abroaders: MAKE SURE YOUR DEBIT/CREDIT CARD COMPANY KNOWS YOU ARE GOING ABROAD!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In other news, another mostly uninteresting week. Most of my time out of class was devoted to either homework or internship essays. At least the weather is getting better. And now that I’m finished with these applications, I should be free to do whatever I want almost whenever I want! In black and white photography, we developed our first roll of film and made our first prints. I printed a picture of the sea during the storm last week. The waves were violently crashing against the rocks. I’m really excited to see what else will come of that class!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Italian class on Wednesday, we went to the Syracuse open-air market for a challenge. Which team could stretch the value of 5 Euros, and which team could find the most bizarre thing at the market. While the practical use to stretch 5 Euros would be to get a whole lot of tiny, knick-knacks and such, our team purchased 5 Euros worth of potatoes… nearly 22 pounds (thanks Evan and Nate). Because of the surplus of potatoes, the 13 of us got together last night and had a hodge-podge of potatoes: chips, mashed, home fries, hash brown, etc. To finish, here are some pictures of non-potato things I have seen around:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx23LdFtep5nyLSzBJrfSrrd119zhHUfUwprbOXYzd5zZmd6hz0i2lIFdtMyXOBt1BkIYT3iUhYTE4-R9hg-xoQVi4tLsPsrytViMl5-eiPqbESGXY6a1XlpsCz6kH997YfJ49hbSxopk/s1600/IMG_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx23LdFtep5nyLSzBJrfSrrd119zhHUfUwprbOXYzd5zZmd6hz0i2lIFdtMyXOBt1BkIYT3iUhYTE4-R9hg-xoQVi4tLsPsrytViMl5-eiPqbESGXY6a1XlpsCz6kH997YfJ49hbSxopk/s320/IMG_0210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Another gorgeous sunset over Ortigia<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFLabTz5jlsitGxYwrkiKEbWQ8gfFw0cQCM-HHppNS7VSj0MV0PCOr7TfBCGU0_nfS0P_1_qfmd6fOYU2Ukv-U-E47THq-JwShdtqWJ3WONKn8goqniI241KsxHoz04faZhJOw8TSejg/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFLabTz5jlsitGxYwrkiKEbWQ8gfFw0cQCM-HHppNS7VSj0MV0PCOr7TfBCGU0_nfS0P_1_qfmd6fOYU2Ukv-U-E47THq-JwShdtqWJ3WONKn8goqniI241KsxHoz04faZhJOw8TSejg/s320/IMG_0211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZmEmd5XBOKfUG8se7eSow2aih8e1EDjD91_W-7gCyn1HW3r7AwUs2LJAA-rfnjngBvQfwOgXnr7Hku_i40N9QiPAFY158vuVMJnRIqjQUEQEVtpZUFXVRW0lxYW1ZDn8FUJtrhy8WEw/s1600/IMG_0213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZmEmd5XBOKfUG8se7eSow2aih8e1EDjD91_W-7gCyn1HW3r7AwUs2LJAA-rfnjngBvQfwOgXnr7Hku_i40N9QiPAFY158vuVMJnRIqjQUEQEVtpZUFXVRW0lxYW1ZDn8FUJtrhy8WEw/s320/IMG_0213.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> Moon over the Mediterranean<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheU_9ZR4pqvEb-OFTLEEztdl7LyOxGd7MiLHG6Nu6W9l8v8x3DJBs93SHfT-EwR39nZ33i1ZO0UplYJaoQV-5QYBghR0-3o5FrrKufuVf-O8A1iJIZUi9Tc4odFoiXQS2m8Vu96K2kTkg/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheU_9ZR4pqvEb-OFTLEEztdl7LyOxGd7MiLHG6Nu6W9l8v8x3DJBs93SHfT-EwR39nZ33i1ZO0UplYJaoQV-5QYBghR0-3o5FrrKufuVf-O8A1iJIZUi9Tc4odFoiXQS2m8Vu96K2kTkg/s320/IMG_0238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> My crab friend!</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-45479443198804765122012-02-07T03:45:00.000-08:002012-02-07T03:45:38.137-08:00A Rainy Week<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The second week here was characterized by rain. Thankfully it was only rain. Upper Italy, from what I hear, got snow! “The Cave” feels like it could snow in here… Not a whole lot happened due to the rain. There was a huge storm on Monday and Tuesday that caused the sea to act violently:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtsE9dtL3updpzz9xD5QdqVMhWaSkCdDQjQDeQC2uYdQDUkCPZtYp9Qk31V5I5PXZFzPZ0YWg8jHythDH4RPtyngfAw7LCtq4JCpHaZDNZCPCZZLmw9M0eJUwlWc266A1EFf8tt0grVsM/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtsE9dtL3updpzz9xD5QdqVMhWaSkCdDQjQDeQC2uYdQDUkCPZtYp9Qk31V5I5PXZFzPZ0YWg8jHythDH4RPtyngfAw7LCtq4JCpHaZDNZCPCZZLmw9M0eJUwlWc266A1EFf8tt0grVsM/s320/IMG_0167.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp5XXmHYYqa5wSSO-tY2GkPw4vZYhJm0qMlrHUUM7akO7evHAxRlXJym_F44iihrUo13xlJyCkf6M91WheP_KV606UcgOuzQOZY5t_KTTCrs_N6L2jnuxvqk1BHA00EI6fKDCL3-bGkM/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp5XXmHYYqa5wSSO-tY2GkPw4vZYhJm0qMlrHUUM7akO7evHAxRlXJym_F44iihrUo13xlJyCkf6M91WheP_KV606UcgOuzQOZY5t_KTTCrs_N6L2jnuxvqk1BHA00EI6fKDCL3-bGkM/s320/IMG_0170.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Friday, we took a trip to Agrigento to see the ancient ruins there. It was a marvelous experience. Born and raised in a small town in New Hampshire and never traveling very far in my life, it was amazing to experience such things that I would only be able to Google Image in the past. It goes tot show that Sicily is a melting pot of culture with Norman influences, Roman influences, and Arab influences. I feel privileged to be able to study abroad and expose myself to such different cultures and history. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0Iyx67baFgICekHMdf3OVtt2jo2obrHi_Kd72vUlxJlu48BDjyWVjim6cDk-qrXmKCf_z_8_rRhK_eR1zqRO_qctk-OIigx2_U7PQda_5Oh40weSC6WOvR4HMbW4-70uKCzn93836E4/s1600/IMG_0189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0Iyx67baFgICekHMdf3OVtt2jo2obrHi_Kd72vUlxJlu48BDjyWVjim6cDk-qrXmKCf_z_8_rRhK_eR1zqRO_qctk-OIigx2_U7PQda_5Oh40weSC6WOvR4HMbW4-70uKCzn93836E4/s320/IMG_0189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kLX6gyuSUrLcbn6gd21O6b1YDmDJ-UN5mdvjzCutkD6WAAX2nLLyJ2iGkWjHTLx7K_1Q7cnbIVzlSQ3wPQ7QI08ZK6qanRfarXVqe5lbYkaQhOfiJ6wpBphyhqTzOLhiTkphUBhx6F0/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kLX6gyuSUrLcbn6gd21O6b1YDmDJ-UN5mdvjzCutkD6WAAX2nLLyJ2iGkWjHTLx7K_1Q7cnbIVzlSQ3wPQ7QI08ZK6qanRfarXVqe5lbYkaQhOfiJ6wpBphyhqTzOLhiTkphUBhx6F0/s320/IMG_0199.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70o39OkugsMMZLf4KtFNUAN_J2-pQLuXger4BOY4C-crnXS8OSdAytKXUcKNTqFXLJ9N_JAhueZyXOAfOfoKfsVU3k9jmnF4b_HLMjUWbCBvjz9W9MiwO0IFc8yshd_cD_xegJ9wN48s/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70o39OkugsMMZLf4KtFNUAN_J2-pQLuXger4BOY4C-crnXS8OSdAytKXUcKNTqFXLJ9N_JAhueZyXOAfOfoKfsVU3k9jmnF4b_HLMjUWbCBvjz9W9MiwO0IFc8yshd_cD_xegJ9wN48s/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Us in front of the temple of Concordia</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Because I can’t think of anything else that really happened, I will share some of the challenges faced so far. First and foremost is the language barrier. Sure some people speak English, but the majority of people only speak Italian or their English is spotty at best. Therefore, I’ve had to study extra hard to even try to communicate with the local people here. As mentioned in the previous post, I am trying to do some volunteer work with the locals, but it will be extremely hard if I cannot speak with them. It just encourages me to try harder! Secondly, there are foods here I would never have tried. Carne di cavallo (horsemeat, again mentioned in my previous post), squid and octopus, and I guess in Palermo, spleen is a delicacy. I’m really starting to miss good ol’ Vermont cheddar cheese. Finally, the housing, again mentioned in a previous post, is difficult to adapt to. The shower is barely big enough to stand in, the kitchen as well. I just have to jump right in and make it normal or else come mid-April, I’ll still be frustrated about my inability to speak Italian or having to substitute horse for beef.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hopefully there is more sun in the near future so I can share more experiences and pictures instead of complaining. Ciao!</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-32289736129296303212012-01-29T08:54:00.000-08:002012-01-29T08:54:20.483-08:00<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">It has been (a little more than) a week in Sicily, and it is still just as great as the first day. In that short period of time, I can say I have already changed quite a bit! My diet has seen the biggest impact. More on this later…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My class schedule is very favorable: Italian, Mediterranean Ecosystems, Volcanolgy, Black and White Photography, and the Sicilian Core class. I really enjoy all of my classes and am excited for what the future brings in each one. One of my goals for this experience is to be able to speak Italian semi-well (well enough to sustain a conversation). There is an older lady living upstairs that Nate, Frankie, and I have agreed to help, but it is very difficult to offer assistance without being able to communicate. I’m also the “president” of the food delivery volunteering, so it would be nice to be able to communicate with the locals when I help them. The language barrier is by far the most difficult object to overcome. It is going to take a lot of time and effort, but I’m up for the challenge!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The rest of the week was mainly devoted to familiarizing myself with the area. Ortigia is very small, but it is still foreign and therefore hard to know the names of places. At least I know how to get back to my apartment from anywhere!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now to the changes in my diet. First off, Italians tend to only have two meals. For “breakfast” they just snack and have sweets. Lunch is usually around 1 in the afternoon, and dinner is around 7/8 at night. This took some getting used to, but I’ve come around to it and regained my appetite. There are also a few foods that aren’t common in the states. Horse meat is rather popular, so I had to try it. Lo and behold, it’s delicious! I have also taken a liking to Arancini (rice balls) and blood oranges. There are more culinary adventures I have yet to take on like octopus and prickly pears. All in good time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yesterday (January 27), we visited the city of Catania. Unfortunately, it was too foggy to see Etna, but I know it awaits me! Catania’s architecture was gorgeous! In general, everything was made of basalt, a volcanic rock.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, that’s all I can think of to write now, so enjoy some pictures! Ciao!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho87sZCb2GlAlbwdav4tJoR-hSYch2__AJTBTm8vrzqUTHDoLbpwQbgW1uNaJYjYQ7iJpAhpPwiiD6bckEiVkHVD-QqF1hISMM638mTjPZjRG1AHBzjVTYtbucbBnKmLweKYTR4xIPnhk/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho87sZCb2GlAlbwdav4tJoR-hSYch2__AJTBTm8vrzqUTHDoLbpwQbgW1uNaJYjYQ7iJpAhpPwiiD6bckEiVkHVD-QqF1hISMM638mTjPZjRG1AHBzjVTYtbucbBnKmLweKYTR4xIPnhk/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Chocolate Pudding with Pistachio Crumble. Perfetto!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrWv1zim7GBP3swL9scxBwIVAvVNq3lt7KxcpHWJSgfYVBlJyzoPgK5Yd4LkUkaUdYCo4bE5HaywGnky4pTDBbA0f80Q2AQ0nAaNAsUpCctbO4D-DGZr6pS7Z1W4bDLLqPZF1kWpj2yU/s1600/IMG_0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrWv1zim7GBP3swL9scxBwIVAvVNq3lt7KxcpHWJSgfYVBlJyzoPgK5Yd4LkUkaUdYCo4bE5HaywGnky4pTDBbA0f80Q2AQ0nAaNAsUpCctbO4D-DGZr6pS7Z1W4bDLLqPZF1kWpj2yU/s320/IMG_0104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Sunset over the bay.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxBDMIY3GcEmsTA1DlB98jXI52xxa-p9NSIIwttIbDUM8cMZygP-uz4yQPI0WCQr9u2LQ0dG6kPDn8Wd5WeELkWSNbpqIl9kM02sMw2i_iL3WljqSHMJSvwYkNoOaT7_AprhkVyug080/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxBDMIY3GcEmsTA1DlB98jXI52xxa-p9NSIIwttIbDUM8cMZygP-uz4yQPI0WCQr9u2LQ0dG6kPDn8Wd5WeELkWSNbpqIl9kM02sMw2i_iL3WljqSHMJSvwYkNoOaT7_AprhkVyug080/s320/IMG_0108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The sunset over Syracusa<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1NVlWlLGqh2oAkPhC3K8L_1nPFfOIsFrzsc_CPvrjKEtyXP9_-9hQUHoxRdlkbF64-k13vahz_9xfXkCFzIRadHMe-KwU3fugOnlkm8pV4prlyqbq1X0uLH6J0R-AO6ovloXtJhBxmU/s1600/IMG_0089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1NVlWlLGqh2oAkPhC3K8L_1nPFfOIsFrzsc_CPvrjKEtyXP9_-9hQUHoxRdlkbF64-k13vahz_9xfXkCFzIRadHMe-KwU3fugOnlkm8pV4prlyqbq1X0uLH6J0R-AO6ovloXtJhBxmU/s320/IMG_0089.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> Statue of St. Sebastian during the St. Sebastian festival.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwfkLJ2j0IcCaSG2TsyfsT1bycVcCoW498vIiIp7lJVyF0DABbIy90MSubj4jE7lA8NGcRPkhPegOxNtBz_188vZd-r1ltjVnYpMeHPOWR71hndfkKzuYQzK5pV8v4QU4xzSAY9A4i50/s1600/IMG_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwfkLJ2j0IcCaSG2TsyfsT1bycVcCoW498vIiIp7lJVyF0DABbIy90MSubj4jE7lA8NGcRPkhPegOxNtBz_188vZd-r1ltjVnYpMeHPOWR71hndfkKzuYQzK5pV8v4QU4xzSAY9A4i50/s320/IMG_0117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Etna looming large in the distance. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gr-BUQ4ic_30dDenbzBNAVx6abkXVxTn31wAmybMNV_4ZZsCo5kHEcPupGIfAj4A3lUYcUYmy_hF1l2Jf8yKmufyoIne73JRry9qblR7vtZqy_Kbn1jsRz_kn0Cr9AWxVjEkzwPkwxA/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gr-BUQ4ic_30dDenbzBNAVx6abkXVxTn31wAmybMNV_4ZZsCo5kHEcPupGIfAj4A3lUYcUYmy_hF1l2Jf8yKmufyoIne73JRry9qblR7vtZqy_Kbn1jsRz_kn0Cr9AWxVjEkzwPkwxA/s320/IMG_0144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> An Aston Martin DB9 (my dream car) in Catania. "Someone important's"...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp2VF65jG1PvNSL5W68NQ7dyfHshEialu-1EHdbtsMU_CHjpoUtDxRs29cISkuH2fh7EIVZm5s-1gmDwA6zXqOFBPtuMg0VQ9tNV5e3qwDjJffOSZ-djxrZl_2PtjX-7XBOpnXEpaG8c/s1600/IMG_0154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp2VF65jG1PvNSL5W68NQ7dyfHshEialu-1EHdbtsMU_CHjpoUtDxRs29cISkuH2fh7EIVZm5s-1gmDwA6zXqOFBPtuMg0VQ9tNV5e3qwDjJffOSZ-djxrZl_2PtjX-7XBOpnXEpaG8c/s320/IMG_0154.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> Horse Burger!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SSlEtxZ5x-8rkFHDmDbCLu-_30qs4aYa8Yu7a5tj6as6ahScAjTBBdcnApwMH3c2UWgb7yMfCdBd70Adtlw8e-c0jocDOoMBFThSI6VEsU_8p6lflJIRxb7QxLVOnIZkM3wCfK1mBhA/s1600/IMG_0121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SSlEtxZ5x-8rkFHDmDbCLu-_30qs4aYa8Yu7a5tj6as6ahScAjTBBdcnApwMH3c2UWgb7yMfCdBd70Adtlw8e-c0jocDOoMBFThSI6VEsU_8p6lflJIRxb7QxLVOnIZkM3wCfK1mBhA/s320/IMG_0121.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> St. Agatha's Cathedral in Catania. Beautiful architecture and fascinating history.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz06GuhpC39EMj19j8n4QYMJYVbEzYfGLhG78eoY9CuF4ut30QtxsnwsdJTYv_fttcX4tkm82-PQLm2sYAYEYNxfvFW3Yl9uIEzAO4hLA5qmIO5b5k75A94T9dNJrDWvJEIuR2QMTONgQ/s1600/IMG_0139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz06GuhpC39EMj19j8n4QYMJYVbEzYfGLhG78eoY9CuF4ut30QtxsnwsdJTYv_fttcX4tkm82-PQLm2sYAYEYNxfvFW3Yl9uIEzAO4hLA5qmIO5b5k75A94T9dNJrDWvJEIuR2QMTONgQ/s320/IMG_0139.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> Catania: the city of stray cats.</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-21829464538326795682012-01-22T06:26:00.000-08:002012-01-22T06:27:13.840-08:00Finally Time to Explore!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACqYytQuN09c6_Dg238hKTfph81RmtqNXQo203tJ2XyNPFfqcWFN6L-K1TOQXIpDXqkb-gv6dH3eYn8KC2FbgHYB3qOhtp_IprJLtLJEHIEssir6asemnBFV6Qof6JaYlQAvLITe4ip4/s1600/IMG_0063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACqYytQuN09c6_Dg238hKTfph81RmtqNXQo203tJ2XyNPFfqcWFN6L-K1TOQXIpDXqkb-gv6dH3eYn8KC2FbgHYB3qOhtp_IprJLtLJEHIEssir6asemnBFV6Qof6JaYlQAvLITe4ip4/s320/IMG_0063.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><div>It's the first Sunday of the semester, the Sunday before classes start... (more importantly) the Sunday the Patriots take on the Ravens in the AFC Championship game (GO PATS!). It's also the first day that we have to explore the island of Ortigia and do whatever we so please. Orientation all but culminated last night with wine tasting at a local wine store, where we shared a few bottles of an anti-Mafia red wine. The orientation process included the general rules and regulations of the program and housing, a tour led by Ramzi, the MCAS student services coordinator, showing local markets, the best restaurants around, cheap barber shops, and historically significant buildings around Ortigia.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ramzi has set up many trips for the semester including a 5-day trip to Tunisia at the start of March. Granada, Spain and other cities around Sicily are future destinations for the MCAS group. There are also 9 weeks for us to travel, explore, whatever by ourselves. Initial plans show a possible Easter Sunday mass with the Pope..? It will be exciting to see what destinations await!</div><div><br />
</div><div>The apartment I share with the other guys in the program (Nate and Frankie) is arguably the least favorable of them all. The kitchen is so small we can barely even walk in it, the shower literally spits water at you with no constant flow and with no force, and it always seems freezing. Yet, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be right now! The dubbed "Cave" already feels like a home away from home.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Everyone else in the program (all 13) are the only students at MCAS. We all really get along well, granted we've but just met each other. Classes should be interesting seeing as I may have one or two others in a few of them. I am REALLY excited for all of the courses I have registered for.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Well, that is all I can think of that I have to share at this moment... I'm excited to get to explore Ortigia in more depth and without a schedule (so I can take more pictures!)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ciao!</div>Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8501832305691582477.post-28777123257184457542012-01-19T23:18:00.000-08:002012-01-19T23:18:09.597-08:00First Full DaySo today is my first full day in Sicily! I arrived yesterday at about 4pm local time to my apartment and got settled in, met a few people in the program, and realized I know just about nothing in Italian... Since nothing much exciting really happened, I figured I would at least share my decision to come to Sicily through the program offered by Arcadia University:<br />
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There were a few main factors in my decision to study here. First off was the professionalism the Arcadia University study abroad coordinators showed in my quest to come here. At all of the study abroad fairs Saint Michael's offered, I felt the Arcadia representative explained everything the best. Of course, the courses offered also seemed quite interesting to me. Being a biology major, there were only a few countries/locations I could have gone to to take biology courses. The Arcadia program through MCAS (Mediterranean Center for Arts and Sciences) offered some interesting once-in-a-lifetime biology courses (Volcanology and Mediterranean Ecosystems). Finally, the location is beautiful! I have yet to fully explore everything offered by Syracusa and the rest of the island, but I am sure there are many more beautiful surprises than those one can find on <a href="http://www.google.it/search?tbm=isch&hl=it&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=589&q=Syracusa&gbv=2&oq=Syracusa&aq=f&aqi=g1g-S3g-sS1g-S2g-sS1g-S2&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=37309l38886l0l40301l8l8l0l1l1l0l219l1278l0.5.2l7l0" target="_blank">Google Images</a>.Patrick Bousquethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09353742224359688537noreply@blogger.com0