ITALY STUDY TOUR 2018

APRIL 28

Allora… ce l’abbiamo fatta! (We made it!)

Our unforgettable adventure has come to an end with a truly exceptional group of young women. Throughout our time in Italy, they embraced the Italian culture, lifestyle and language with enthusiasm, open-mindedness and resilience. We are truly proud of the way in which they have represented Santa Sabina College overseas. It was with great pleasure that we have been able to witness the growth in linguistic ability, confidence and willingness to make practical use of the language in daily interactions. From nervously ordering their first gelato on Day 1 in Rome, to engaging in conversation and forming friendships with the students at the Liceo Copernico in Verona on the final day of the tour.

We now encourage the students to remain inspired by what they have experienced and we hope that their love of the Italian language and culture continues to grow. Thank you to the families for entrusting their daughters into our care and we know that they will have treasured memories of this trip for years to come. We know that these young women are appreciative of this enriching and rewarding experience.

Ci vediamo a Sydney! (See you all in Sydney!)

Prof Ramundi, Prof Benti, Prof Guerrera and Madame Iskander

APRIL 27

Ciao a tutti!

Today on the last full day of the 2018 Italian Study Tour, we visited a Liceo Copernico (Copernicus High School) in Verona. We began our morning early as the walk to the school took 40 minute. We arrived at the school at 9am and found the students already in class as school started at 8am. Once we had met the school principal and some of the Professori (teachers), we were split into small groups and taken to our classes for the day. Although many of us were nervous to go into the classes, the students made us feel comfortable and tried to include us in every aspect of their day, including participating in the lessons. We were therefore able to experience a typical day in the life of an Italian student.

School in Italy is very different to school in Australia in many ways. We were very surprised to see that the students did not use laptops but instead wrote all their class notes with a pencil in a notebook and the students were surprised that we had no boys with us. The classrooms were still set up in traditional rows and the lessons were more like lectures with the professori at the front of the room talking to the students, rather than engaging in group work or even whole class discussions. The students and professori at the school were very welcoming and we look forward to maintaining the new friendships made today.

After school finished all’una (at 1 o’clock) the students from the liceo kindly prepared a picnic lunch for us and we ate together and chatted with our new friends. Once we had finished lunch, a small group of students and two of the teachers from the liceo accompanied us around the beautiful citta` di Verona. The students acted as our tour guides for the afternoon. They took us to many historical sites around Verona including La Casa di Giulietta (Juliet Capulet’s House), L’Arena di Verona (Verona’s Amphitheatre) and Il Teatro Romano (the Roman Theatre) and told us about the history of the city.

Overall we are saddened that this is our last day but we are grateful that we were given this opportunity that allowed us to develop our Italian language skills and immerse ourselves in the culture.

Arrivederci!

Tiana Pike and Sharelle Douaihy

APRIL 26

Ciao a tutti!!

Today we were privileged to experience the iconic Gondole, allowing us to enjoy this much-anticipated experience while further exploring the canals and seeing them through a changed perspective. Whilst we travelled the canals, we saw the beautiful architecture of Venezia which portrayed its originality in lifestyle and ambience.

Our gondoliere (gondola driver) guided us through the history of the ancient city that is comprised of 118 islands, 415 bridges, with Rialto bridge is the oldest and grandest. We all split up into groups of six and took plenty of photos! During the thirty minute rides, we were able to practise our language with our gondoliere, learning much about their unique lifestyle. The occupation of a gondoliere is far more complicated than what meets the eye – one group’s driver started his training at the age of three and since then has continued his family tradition.

Following this exquisite tour, we set off to find lunch amongst the streets of Venezia. Much of the group continued their exploration of the magical city, whilst others delved into meals at local cafés and restaurants. The cuisine in Italy never fails to please!

We all then gathered in the local square, immersing ourselves in the Venetian environment for the last time before collecting our bags to head to Verona! Lugging our bags to the vaporetto station was no easy task. Since all of the islands of Venezia are connected by bridges, to get to our final destination involved carrying 20kg bags up and down hundreds of stairs. For those of us who are not as athletically capable, this was not an easy feat! Overall, we had an incredible experience in Venezia and were so privileged to experience its remarkable culture!

As a reward for our tiresome morning, we spent the next two hours resting on a bus headed for Verona, the backdrop of Shakespeare’s Romeo e Giulietta. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a particularly nice hotel and a few hours to relax in preparation for the day ahead.

Solange Shina, Julia Favotto and Alessandra Korompay

APRIL 25

Buongiorno da Murano e Burano!

Today in Venezia and we finished it off by travelling to the islands of Murano and Burano for a scenic change. We kicked off at 8:00 am, catching a vaporetto to Murano and attending a glass making session. Here students were able to grasp an insight into the glass making process and saw first hand the glass maker’s practices. The skillful workers crafted a few pieces whilst we learnt about the history of Murano’s glass and the scientific elements of glass making. We discovered that glass must be heated at 1055 degrees celsius to enable flexibility and to be molded. Additionally, glassmakers must learn to be fast, only having a short interval of 1.5 minutes before their glass solidifies. Once the base of the glasswork was molded, the crafter added additional colours to add a more unique and creative touch. Most Murano glass works are exported throughout the rest of world, allowing individuals in every country to enjoy the artistic works of the island. After the class, we ventured into the factory’s glass shop and browsed through the array of works. We then explored the rest of the island, finding unique shops which offered items such as cups, sculptures, jewellery and more. These made great gifts for our family and friends.

Next, we took a boat to Burano which is famous for its ‘case colorate’ (coloured houses). You might think that the people can choose to paint their houses whatever colour they would like, but they must get the colour approved from the council and they cannot paint their house the same exact colour as any other house on the island. When we arrived at Burano we were able to explore the surroundings, get some lunch and buy the stunning ‘merletto’ (lace products) that Burano is world famous for. After wandering around the island we had to say our goodbyes to the beautiful town and get onto another vaporetto and head back to the main island, Venezia.

Once the long ferry ride finally brought us back home from Burano we were given time to further explore the beautiful city of Venezia and it’s ‘calle’ (Venetian streets) while making our own way back to the hotel. Today was a busy day and kept all of us on our feet but every minute was more enjoyable then the last. Tomorrow we are off to Verona! A domani.  

Mia Fastiggi, Madeline Fazio and Siena Zadro

APRIL 24

Ciao! 

This morning we woke up, ate our hearty breakfasts and finished any last minute packing before we departed Firenze for magical Venezia. A wide range of emotions filled our heads. We all loved Firenze – we fell in love with it the moment we arrived! Firenze had a completely different atmosphere to Roma. It was very peaceful and quiet compared to Roma’s bustling streets with people everywhere. Firenze was incredibly picturesque. We especially loved Piazzale Michelangelo even though it was quite the walk to reach the top, it was worth every step. The view was absolutely breathtaking! It was sad to leave Firenze but we were excited for the next stage of our adventure – Venezia!

The trip to Venezia took about 3 hours and two minutes – 3 hours by bus and two minutes by ‘vaporetto’ (Venetian ferry). Whilst we were on the bus, we noticed that driving through the Italian countryside was quite different than in Australia, with castles, ruins and lush greenery scattered throughout. In comparison, to get to Venezia, we drove over a long bridge to the port where we left the bus and got onto a vaporetto. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we were immediately struck by the dark, blue green canals. What we didn’t realise, was that to get to the hotel, we had to cross over a number of ‘ponti’ (bridges) with stairs and our luggage – the struggle was real! You could all imagine the struggle with 37 suitcases (and Ailish’s hiking backpack) with the locals laughing at our misfortune. After 20 minutes of improving our upper body strength, we made it to the hotel.

After we stopped off at our hotel, we walked down to Piazza San Marco to meet our tour guide, the lovely Elisabetta, who would be showing us around the local area for the afternoon. We visited La Basilica di San Marco (St Mark’s Cathedral) and wandered through the ‘calle’ (Venetian streets) because Venezia is known to be ‘a city on foot’. We learnt lots of fun facts from our guide like the fact that within La Basilica di San Marco lies the body of St Mark. When the body was originally taken to the Basilica, it was hidden in a basket so that it could be transported and would easily get through customs. To our surprise we also learnt that Il Campanile (the bell tower) next to the Basilica was first created so ships could see while docking into Venezia at night time. With only 53,000 local inhabitants and 30 million visitors to Venezia each year, we added to the vibrant atmosphere of the city.

Natalie Clucher, Emily Henderson and Caitlin Gill

APRIL 23

Ciao a tutti!

Today, on our last full day in Firenze, the group embarked on a spiritual experience, close to our hearts. We began our day with a standard Italian breakfast bright and early, in order to begin our busy day. Once we had all finished our delicious breakfast, we walked outside and were greeted by a large coach, to transport the group to Siena. After two short hours on the bus, filled with singing, music and lots of sleeping, we arrived at the walls outside of Siena.  We weren’t allowed to drive pass the walls into Siena as it is protected, so only inhabitants can drive in. This guards the town and also provides assistance in preventing pollution.

Once we got into Siena, we walked for around ten minutes to arrive at ‘Basilica Cateriniana di San Domenico’ (Catherine’s church of Saint Dominic). This was an enlightening experience as it was amazing to see various relics of Saint Catherine such as her preserved thumb and head on display. This was also a great time to sit and contemplate our experiences throughout this tour and connect spiritually with Saint Catherine and Saint Dominic.

After we finished exploring the beauty and peacefulness of the Basilica, we continued to stroll through the streets of Siena, until we arrived at ‘La casa di Santa Caterina’ (The house of St Catherine). Here, we discovered various rooms dedicated as chapels and spaces of reflective prayer. These rooms were filled with intricate paintings and vivid colours, creating beautiful spaces. It was a powerful feeling, visiting such a special place as it allowed us to relate and make connections with our school and St Catherine.

Following a very peaceful and relaxing morning, we walked as a group to ‘Piazza Del Campo,’ the centre of Siena, which features ‘La Torre Del Mangia’, directly translated as ‘The tower of eating’ – an appropriate name given the amount of eating we have been doing! Approximately 20 students decided to climb the hundreds of steps of this tower with Prof Bentivoglio, in order to reach the top for a stunning view. This was quite tiring but the result was definitely worth it, as we were provided with a gorgeous 360 degree view of Siena.

Due to climbing the tower, we worked up a large appetite and earned a ‘pranzo delizioso’ (delicious lunch). Once we had all finished, we met back in the Piazza del Campo again so we could make our way to the bus via Il Duomo di Siena. Overall it was an extremely enjoyable day, which allowed us to reconnect with our Dominican roots on the other side of the world.

Jessica Guerrera and Katia Cipolla

APRIL 22

Buongiorno a tutti!

We started our day with an early breakfast to ensure we were prompt for our train to Pisa. The station was only a short walk from the hotel and we found it very different to our Australian train stations. La Stazione di Santa Maria Novella (SMN Station) looked more like an airport because of its shops and security checks and, on top of that, to enter the bathroom we all had to pay a Euro. The train was much faster than Australian trains and much less packed, unlike the Roman metro. This fast paced train meant that at times we found it hard to balance and Lucia even ended up on the floor when the train stopped. Che disastro!

When we arrived in Pisa we were surprised by how tilted La Torre Pendente (The Leaning  Tower) really was. It almost seemed impossible that it had managed to stay upright for so long. We took countless photos with La Torre as the backdrop, in an attempt to take the perfect tourist photo; leaning on the tower, holding it up with our hands and even our feet. We were then given time to climb La Torre Pendente. The climb was very disorientating, leaning left and right as we went up the tower. 257 exhausting stairs later we discovered a magnificent view. We could see all of Pisa! Una vista mozzafiato! (a breathtaking view). Walking around the top of the tower, we found ourselves losing our balance, as if we were going to fall off. Luckily, none of us did! You’d think the descent down the tower would have been easier, but it was quite the opposite – constantly feeling as if we were about to slip down. After the exhausting adventure,  we needed some food. Pizza was a popular choice followed by gelato. Buonissimo!

As if 257 stairs weren’t enough, after we returned to Firenze we walked along Ponte Vecchio – the only bridge in Florence that wasn’t bombed during WWII. As we strolled along the bridge, we were challenged to find the most expensive items for sale: the winner being a 9,009 Euro necklace. Che pazzesco! We also took many photos overlooking il Fiume Arno (The Arno River), it was quite a beautiful site.

Piazzale Michelangelo gave us another stunning view to remember – We thought we would never make it to the top looking at the steep and daunting hill and countless stairs we needed to climb in order to reach it. We couldn’t believe it when we got there without stopping, we felt accomplished and realised it was worth the trek. At Piazzale Michelangelo we took gorgeous photos of Firenze and invested in some top quality granita (Italian ice drink) to cool us down.

All in all, “e` stata una giornata bellissima”, filled with learning, history, art and lots of good food!

Miriam Maher, India Rush and Lucia Sarkis

APRIL 21

Today was our seventh day in Italia and our first day in Firenze (Florence)! We started off our day by taking a short walk to L’Accademia Delle Belle Arti where we saw the famous statue of Davide. L’Accademia is where the original statue of Davide has been kept since 1873. It was an amazing experience seeing Michelangelo’s 5 metre marble masterpiece in real life!

After this we had a guided tour of Firenze’s most famous sights such Il Duomo di Firenze, Florence’s majestic cathedral and the Ponte Vecchio which is Florence’s most recognisable bridge, known for housing for over 40 jewellery shops. For lunch, we had the opportunity to eat at one of the many trattorie and of course have a gelato for dessert. Deliziosissimo!!!!

Once lunch was over we made our way to Gli Uffizzi Art Gallery. We couldn’t believe that we were standing in front of masterpieces such as “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli, “I tre Magi” by Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo’s “La Sacra Famiglia”.

The highlight of our day was when we attended evening mass in Italian in the magnificent Duomo di Firenze and felt so proud of ourselves that we were able to participate in the mass in Italian, saying the “Padre Nostro” (Our Father) and offering each other “Pace” (Peace). We all appreciated having a moment to take time out of our busy itinerary to pause, reflect and give thanks for this incredible opportunity, in this breathtaking cathedral, accompanied by the organ.

Saskia Ayoub, Madeleine Sorbara and Lauren Mitrovits


 

APRIL 20

Today was our last day in Rome and it started off with an early rise to finish our final school day. In class we continued our study on articulated prepositions alongside an array of engaging activities and games which furthered our learning through the application of our new and improved skills. These included listening to the classic Italian song Volare (to fly) and our discovered favourite Scarabeo (Italian scrabble) where we all became exceedingly competitive whilst expanding our Italian vocabulary.

Soon after school, where we departed from our much loved Italian teacher Barbara who has promised to visit our orange mountain (Uluru), the staff at our Italian school had a farewell lunch for us with more one metre long pizzas than we could count! We then left Rome bound for Perugia to visit the exquisite Baci factory where we tasted the world class Baci kisses accompanied by a variety of limited edition chocolates ranging from dark to white chocolate. Afterwards, we wandered through the factory to observe the production processes.

After a long day of driving we were met by the beauty which is the city of Florence. We explored the historical streets as the sun went down and then enjoyed an authentic Italian three course meal – pasta al pesto, maiale arrosto (roast pork) e tiramisu, before regrouping in our new rooms in the Albergo  Cimabue (Cimabue hotel). We’re excited to explore the area and see the renowned Statue of David which is one aspect of tomorrow’s adventure to come.

Ailish McDonagh, Pamela Pang and Lara Zeppieri



 

APRIL 19

Salve da Roma!!

Our fifth day in Roma was another eventful one. We commenced our day once again enhancing our knowledge of the Italian language at school. Our class learnt about the school system and culture in Italy and the differences between education in Italy and Australia. 

We then had the privilege of visiting La Basilica di Santa Sabina. As we entered, we immediately felt a sense of connection, knowing that we are part of the global Dominican community. It allowed us to feel at home, seeing symbols including the Dominican Crest which are very familiar to us. Knowing that Santa Sabina and St Dominic, the patron Saint of our school, are buried in the ground beneath us, was astonishing and we took the time to reflect and pray in front of an amazing painting of St Dominic himself in one of the chapels.

One of the highlights of visiting the Basilica for us was the opportunity to see the highly renowned orange grove; the origins of our own orange trees in our school grounds. It overlooked the beautiful city of Roma including il Vaticano and il Tevere (The Tiber River); “una vista mozzafiata” (a breathtaking view)! After we finished taking our photos and absorbing the view, we walked up to “Il Buco della Serratura di Roma”, which is a tiny keyhole through which we had the perfect view of La Basilica di San Pietro in the distance.

We intended to visit “La Bocca della Verità” (the Mouth of Truth), however it was closed due to the filming of an eight-part series of Umberto Eco’s novel, “The Name of the Rose”. We were disappointed that we couldn’t take the iconic picture with our hands in the mouth of the marble mask, however, we were still able to catch a glimpse and take a few photos through the gates.

Last but definitely not least, we ventured through the streets of Rome in search of the iconic Gelateria Giolitti, which was opened in the 1900s – the oldest gelateria in Roma! There were a variety of “gusti” (flavours) such as Bacio, Nocciola, Limone, Menta, Cioccolato Fondente e Caffè. Deliziosi!

Alessia Cincotta, Alana Hassarati and Lauren Ghosen



APRIL 18

Ciao a tutti!

After tiring ourselves out exploring ‘i Musei Vaticani’ yesterday, at school today we started off with role plays based on the pros and cons of traditional and alternative medicines. We ended our lesson with a quick game to practise our prepositions – allowing us to refine our language skills.

After school, we made our way to the famous, ‘Fontana di Trevi’ an iconic monument that we recognised from movies such as: ‘The Lizzie Mcguire Movie’, ‘Roman Holiday’ and ‘Three Coins in a Fountain.’ We all participated in the famous tradition of tossing a coin across your right shoulder with your left hand while making a wish – capturing those perfect touristy shots for Instagram! The sight was more amazing than we expected; a surreal experience which allowed us to come face-to-face with a monument we had all always dreamt of visiting, and participate in this world renowned tradition!

We then walked to the Pantheon which was originally a pagan temple built in 31 AD to honour the gods. The Pantheon is considered to be a sacred space; being turned into a church in 609 AD. Walking into the church, we took notice of a strangely large hole in the ceiling! It was learnt today that the purpose of the hole was to act as a sundial. And due to the amazing architectural structure, not much water tends to fall through the roof even when it rains heavily outside, thanks to the dome-like shape of the roof. It was a place of reflection and reverency where we also got to see the resting place of Vittorio Emanuele II and Raphael.

After visiting the Pantheon, we walked to “Piazza di Spagna,” which was conveniently close to “Via Condotti” with it’s designer labels that we could only admire from afar. We took amazing photos of The Spanish Steps – lavished in beautiful spring flowers and hundreds of tourists. We then had the opportunity to wander the streets of Rome; purchasing our own lunch and putting our Italian skills into practice.

After dinner, we travelled back to “La Fontana di Trevi” so we could have the opportunity to see the beautiful monument lit up at night; the water seemed as if it was glowing. We accompanied our second visit to the fountain with another round of gelato before heading home after a long day of walking and immersing ourselves in the Italian culture and traditions!

Kristen Hassarati and Patricia Schwarzkopf

APRIL 17

Buongiorno da Roma!

We started off our day at school, focusing on i racconti (telling stories). It was a very amusing lesson, listening to many of the true stories of our fellow classmates, and representing these through picture cards. We learnt a whole new range of vocabulary from hearing these stories as we discussed new ways to express our ideas. We then grabbed our panini (bread rolls), and headed straight to il Vaticano, ready to use our new italian language.

Il Vaticano…wow! What an incredible experience! It was great to see the historical value of the buildings and the intricate artworks in the Musei Vaticani (Vatican museums). It would have been excellent to have time to see all the artworks but unfortunately we couldn’t as the Vatican is so big! As we learnt today, if someone were to spend 30 seconds looking at each artwork, it would take 3 and a half months to look at every artwork in the Vatican. One of the groups’ favourite areas within the Vatican was the famous Sistine chapel. Apart from the constant reminders; ‘No photo, No video and SILENZIO!’, we were absorbed staring at the ceiling at Michelangelo’s incredible works of art.

After this wonderful experience, a few girls decided to climb up to the top of la Basilica di San Pietro. We climbed 551 steps and it was one of the most memorable experiences. The view was stunning as we could see the whole city! Despite the huffing and puffing, we took many photos as evidence of our accomplishment of this challenging task! While wandering around the majestic Basilica, some of the girls were fortunate enough to attend mass in latin. This was a wonderful opportunity and a truly moving experience that we will remember for years to come. We ended the day with a traditional and delicious risotto followed by panna cotta topped with cioccolato. Delizioso!


APRIL 16

Today we woke up after a good night’s rest and had our breakfast at the hotel buffet to give us energy for an exciting day! There was a variety of hot meals, fruit and drinks. Surprisingly, for many girls it was similar to an Australian buffet breakfast, but it was great to have our first Italian coffee. We did a last minute trip to the supermarket and stocked up on food for morning tea. We learnt to buy fruit the italian way, which meant weighing the fruit on the scales, selecting the corresponding number and attaching the sticker to the bag ready to be purchased. We were also surprised at the many language options on the self serve and saw that Italy is more environmentally progressive than Australia and we had to buy a paper bag for 10c.

At the Dante Alighieri Scuola Linguistica (language school) we were separated into classes according to our levels at school. Our class focused on ‘Le domande indiscrete‘ (personal questions) and enjoyed an entire three hours of speaking only in Italian. Our teacher even spoke in Italian to explain new Italian words to us. For lunch we visited the pizzeria where customers are able to choose not only their pizza topping, but how much they want; and the workers would cut and weigh it for us.

We then caught the Metro to the Colosseo and were amazed at its grandeur. The Metro was much more efficient than Sydney trains but went without the luxury of a guaranteed seat. The crowded hectic atmosphere was well summarised by Isabella when she said “It’s okay, because if I faint now, I’ll still be held up by the crowds.”

After successfully avoiding the persistent sales people, we enjoyed a tour of the Colosseo and its rich history. Our first impressions of the site were that it seemed like it didn’t belong; this monument that we had seen in so many photos was now almost tangible. This was the sign we needed to confirm that we were really here, in Italy! We learnt many interesting (and horrifying) facts about the history of the Colosseo, such as how at the end of the battles the human remains were fed to the animals and the animal remains were given to the spectators  to take home for dinner to take home for dinner. We also learnt that the gladiators put two fingers in the air if they wanted to surrender. 

We then visited I Fori Romani (Roman forum) and explored the stunning gardens and the resting place of Julius Caesar, constantly adding more photos to our already huge collection. It was surreal to be in the place that was once the centre of ancient Rome! One of the arches had angels that symbolise protection of ‘Nike’ the goddess of victory. Our tour guide told us that her name is the origin of the brand Nike and the renowned tick resembles the angels’ wings. We then had our first gelati, which were highly anticipated – and they definitely lived up to our immense expectations! We were all surprised to discover that whipped cream on gelato is very popular in Rome! 

After a short break exploring our local area of Piazza Bologna, we went out for dinner and enjoyed another 3 course meal. We are beginning to get to know our way around the city and are becoming more confident speaking the language.

 Isabella Pavan and Alex Witting

 

APRIL 14/15

Ciao a tutti! All 34 girls have arrived in Rome after a long and very tiring 20 hours of travelling! On Saturday we said goodbye to our parents and there were many tears shed. But they were tears of excitement and joy for what was to come. From Sydney to Dubai we endured a long and difficult 14 hour flight where the movie marathons and the constant napping began.

After that, we flew from Dubai to Rome but despite our exhaustion, we were excited to begin exploring the city! Once arriving in Rome, we took a coach to the hotel where we sang Italian songs and shared our musical interests with our tour guide, Antonella. It felt surreal to finally be in Rome after all the travelling that we had done!

We went out for dinner and everyone could not wait to try the authentic Italian dishes. Our first meal in Italy was of course pasta and it was delicious! We all thought that was the end of our dinner until they brought our main course; polpette e fagioli (meatballs with beans) and our dessert; torta alle mele (apple pie). We were all needing this after eating plane food all day!

We were exhausted after dinner so we all had an early night sleep so that we were ready to start our first day of school the next morning!

Simone Chu and Alyssa Younan