After (well, more like during...)

The pick is a bit blurry, but, you get the idea...

Carne Cooking Class

The Menu

Pollo Arrosto

roasted chicken

Cinghiale

wild boar

Chianina Fiorentina

Fiorentina steak

Before

We saw these cute cattle during our trip to Vulci Archaeological Park. Marco, our student advisor, mentioned that these particular critters make a famous type of steak - The Fiorentina. Little did I know that I would get a chance to taste one of these cuts of meat in the next week!

Tarquinia Skyline

Last Friday we went to the Archeological Etruscan Museum in Tarquinia. This is the view from one of the top floors in this interesting museum full of pots, tombs, and jewelry from the Etruscan period.

Soletico ~ tickle

Signgiotso ~ hiccup

Instead of learning useful Italian vocab, I end up remembering random words like the ones above. Fun nonetheless.

Bella Tuscania

The Bar Scene

Terminology varies wherever you are -uptown, downtown; East coast, West coast; American, Europe.

One such difference has been rather difficult for me to get used to: In Italy, bars are not the center of nightlife, full of drinking and dancing. Bars are what Americans would call a cafe - a place to get coffee or a light meal, sit, and enjoy people's company.

Italians take the term bar literally - a long counter where beverages and food are served. The coffee culture isn't a sit down and chat while sipping a venti iced frappuccino kind of scene; it's a let me slurp down a cappuccino while I have a fifteen minute break from class while standing at the counter.

I always do a double take when a teacher says, "take a break, go to a bar. be back in fifteen..."

It's All In The Name

During a walking tour of Tuscania during orientation, we ended up walking down a slightly secluded alley running along the wall in order to get out of the historical center. The street was called Via Della Lupa - The Way of the Prostitute.

Lupa, the Italian word for prostitute, comes from "Lupo" or wolf. Prostitutes used to make a howling sound in order to signal their availability to interested clientele. They lurked in dark streets on the outskirts of town.

Current reference: Professor Lupin - the werewolf teacher in Harry Potter.

Tuscania

My second study abroad semester has begun. I arrived in Tuscania, Italy on January 30th. Tuscania is a small Etruscan village, located in the Lazio region, 90 miles Northwest of Rome.

I live in the historical center of town with an Italian couple (Loredana and Bruno). The school that I attend, Lorenzo de'Medici, is located just inside the medieval walls of the historical center. Six other students (from Boston; Circleville, Ohio; Chicago; Albany; Sun Valley; Monterey, Mexico) are here for Spring semester and three students are the first set of students participating in LdM's "Three-Cities" program which starts in Tuscania.

My classes revolve around Italian arts and culture. I'm taking:

• Masterpieces of Italian Literature
• Beginning Italian
• Digital Photography
• Foods of Italy
• Tuscania Sketchbook

With less than a week in Italy under my belt, I've already had a completely different experience than my previous semester in Oxford. This blog will be a culture diary, chronicling my immersion into a new and wonderful place.

Photo: View from a park in the historical center ~ Tuscania.