Tuscania Ghosts

Our student advisor, Marco, plays basketball for a small local league in Viterbo. Compared to soccer (calcio - cal chi o), basketball is the black sheep of Italian sports. I found this out when a contingent of us went to one of his games. We had made signs to support the Ghosts and wore green and white. I felt very American yelling at the refs and doing the wave. The team got a big kick out of it however; and apparently we are good luck because they only win when we are there to cheer them on.

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.