Well, the end is here. It is still so hard to believe that as of 0700 tomorrow my time in Italia will officially be over!
These past eight months have been truly incredible and life changing for both Niraj and I. However, his time isn't quite over yet... he's lucky enough to have two weeks of finals ahead of him! We have met some amazing people, seen many incredible sights, ate kilos and kilos of delicious food, and truly have had a tremendous experience here in Bologna.
In memory of our months spent living abroad, here is a few of the many things that will be missed, but will be forever remembered:
- vino
- spritz con aperol
- gelato, gelato, gelato (bacio e stracciatella for me / fragola e fior di latte for Niraj)
- tortelloni con burro e salvia
- tagliatelli al ragu
- gnocchi
- Spacca Napoli pizzeria
- apperitivi
- prosciutto hanging in butcher windows
- Parmesan cheese
- Balsamic vinegar
- Mascarpone
- European style apartment keys and the 4 deadbolts on the apartment door
- constantly searching for buttons to exit buildings
- constantly searching for buttons to flush toilets
- the accordion and violin players on Strada Maggiore
- the woman down the street who is always painting her pottery
- the need to use a lighter to ignite the oven and the burners
- seeing a church around every corner
- the ability to walk EVERYWHERE
- the midnight bakery with the fresh pastries
- uneven sidewalks
- porticoes
- the SAIS Bologna Center and the rooftop terrace
- I Due Torri
- the outdoor market in Piazza 8 Agosto
- street markets and festivals
- Bolognese food (may have said that already...)
- "our" produce guys in Piazza Aldrovandi
- the antique shops that never seem to have customers
- Enotecas
- seeing University students with graduation wreaths all throughout the year
- Piazza Maggiore and Nettuno
- navigating through windy European streets
- the outdoor vendors behind Piazza Maggiore
- the ability to get anywhere via train
- Trattorias
- wooden window shutters on every building
- taking your time to eat a meal without being rushed or hurried
- hearing little children speak Italian
- hearing "allora," "si si!" and "va bene!" everywhere you turn
- oh... and don't forget the food!!
Allora, it is time to say goodbye. Thanks to everyone who has followed our journeys and adventures this year... we can't wait to see you Stateside!
Arrivederci Italia ... grazie per i ricordi ... siete sempre nei nostri cuori!!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Tex-Mex, Farewell Parties, and Lots of laughs
Keeping up with the mindset of cramming everything into our last few weeks in Bologna, Niraj and I have been very busy eating, socializing, job hunting, and studying.
Last week we decided to have a Tex-Mex night and in order to enjoy the Velveeta and Rotel that my parents so kindly brought back from the States. We invited 7 people over (including another fellow Texan!) for cheese queso, guacamole, salsa, tortilla chips, margaritas, and chicken fajitas. It was so delicious and we had many, many laughs and a terrific night. And as luck would have it, we unintentionally scheduled it on Cinco de Mayo! All in all a fabulous night with great friends.
The next night was also truly spectacular but completely different. One of the students in the program decided to host an extravagant cocktail party for all the students, faculty, and staff. He is living in one of the top 5-Star hotels in Bologna this year, and he rented out a floor and an outdoor patio in the hotel where he held a fabulous party. He personally greeted everybody as they arrived up the stairs, hired a band, provided catered snacks and an open bar, and hired a personal photographer and a magician to wander all night. The vast majority of students and faculty came out, and we all had a fantastic night! It was all so tasteful, elegant, and classy, and it was fun seeing everybody all dressed up and enjoying a relaxing night under the stars. Here are a couple of our favorite pictures:
The Girls
Niraj and Edmond, our gracious host
Niraj and I enjoying the evening
When we left the party we encountered one of the most random but most amusing things we have seen thus far in Bologna. Apparently there was some sort of car show going on, so on our way home from the cocktail party we were able to watch classic roadsters drive past us! The main streets were closed down, people were waving little flags from the sidewalks to cheer on the teams, and cars (each with a driver and passenger in matching coveralls and colored caps) drove by at a steady rate. Keep in mind, this was around 12:30AM! I'm not quite sure what was going on, but as car buffs Niraj and I both got a kick out of watching old Alfa Romero's and other Italian classics drive by.
As you can tell, these last few days are proving to be truly terrific. I am enjoying many lunch and dinner outings with friends I have made these past 9 months and stuffing myself with as much tortelloni, ragu, parmesan, prosciutto, vino, and gelato that I can manage before Thursday. It's fantastic, and still so hard to believe my countdown to departure is now less than 4 days! We are both, however, definitely getting excited to begin our next adventure and see where we end up after Bologna...
Last week we decided to have a Tex-Mex night and in order to enjoy the Velveeta and Rotel that my parents so kindly brought back from the States. We invited 7 people over (including another fellow Texan!) for cheese queso, guacamole, salsa, tortilla chips, margaritas, and chicken fajitas. It was so delicious and we had many, many laughs and a terrific night. And as luck would have it, we unintentionally scheduled it on Cinco de Mayo! All in all a fabulous night with great friends.
The next night was also truly spectacular but completely different. One of the students in the program decided to host an extravagant cocktail party for all the students, faculty, and staff. He is living in one of the top 5-Star hotels in Bologna this year, and he rented out a floor and an outdoor patio in the hotel where he held a fabulous party. He personally greeted everybody as they arrived up the stairs, hired a band, provided catered snacks and an open bar, and hired a personal photographer and a magician to wander all night. The vast majority of students and faculty came out, and we all had a fantastic night! It was all so tasteful, elegant, and classy, and it was fun seeing everybody all dressed up and enjoying a relaxing night under the stars. Here are a couple of our favorite pictures:
The Girls
Niraj and Edmond, our gracious host
Niraj and I enjoying the eveningWhen we left the party we encountered one of the most random but most amusing things we have seen thus far in Bologna. Apparently there was some sort of car show going on, so on our way home from the cocktail party we were able to watch classic roadsters drive past us! The main streets were closed down, people were waving little flags from the sidewalks to cheer on the teams, and cars (each with a driver and passenger in matching coveralls and colored caps) drove by at a steady rate. Keep in mind, this was around 12:30AM! I'm not quite sure what was going on, but as car buffs Niraj and I both got a kick out of watching old Alfa Romero's and other Italian classics drive by.
As you can tell, these last few days are proving to be truly terrific. I am enjoying many lunch and dinner outings with friends I have made these past 9 months and stuffing myself with as much tortelloni, ragu, parmesan, prosciutto, vino, and gelato that I can manage before Thursday. It's fantastic, and still so hard to believe my countdown to departure is now less than 4 days! We are both, however, definitely getting excited to begin our next adventure and see where we end up after Bologna...
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Gotta love those last minute excursions!
The countdown for my departure from the enchanting land of Italy continues... and it is now officially T - 8 days and counting. Still surreal! Niraj still has more time over here, even though his time is filled with papers and exams.
Keeping with the theme of getting in as much as possible before leaving, there are a few recent travel adventures to share.
Last week I found out that the company I am consulting for was doing some testing in a town outside of Zurich. So I was invited me to meet everyone out there and witness the happenings. Now, who would pass up a chance to go to Switzerland?! So, I took a train out to Basel and also spent a few hours wandering Zurich on my way back home.
First of all, the train ride from Milano to Basel was absolutely breathtaking! The entire way you are winding through the Alps, and I spent 4 hours gazing at lakes, mountains (some still with snowy peaks), farms, and random little villages under perfectly clear skies . It was definitely beautiful country.
Basel is a quaint town, and it is unique because it lies right where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet. We had some time to explore Old Town, ate some amazing fondue, and took in as much Swiss culture as we could. As I mentioned, I decided to stop over in Zurich as well on my way back to Bologna. Zurich was fantastic! Anyone who knows me well and has heard me talk about my travels over here knows that I love the German Brezels (pretzels). I lived off them during Oktoberfest and begged my parents to bring me some when they stopped over in Frankfurt airport, so needless to say I also lived off of those in Zurich! They were so delicious! Besides eating pretzels, I was able to walk across the river and get lost in the curvy, hilly streets of Zurich. Switzerland is definitely quite lovely, and here are pictures to prove it.
The other last minute trip we squeezed in was to Cinque Terre. This area is 5 little cliff side villages right on the Mediterranean Sea... Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Riomaggiore is the largest of the five, but Vernazza and Monterosso were our favorites. By the time you get out to those two you have lost many of the other tourists and get a real "feel" of the culture and lifestyle.
Each town is a little bit different, and there is a walking/hiking path right along the water connecting all five towns. That part of the country is stunning because you have rolling hills with vineyards on one side of you and the gorgeous blue waters of the Mediterranean on the other side. There were 10 other SAIS students going out that weekend, so we spent part of Saturday exploring with them as well. We walked in between all of the towns, sampled local wine, ate seafood (well, Niraj ate seafood), tried the local pesto (quite delicious), and even ventured into the water. Niraj and the others decided to go all in which was quite hilarious to watch! Here's proof of them all waving to the camera:
And here are the rest of our photos.
All in all, definitely more great adventures and good times to add to our yearly inventory!
Keeping with the theme of getting in as much as possible before leaving, there are a few recent travel adventures to share.
Last week I found out that the company I am consulting for was doing some testing in a town outside of Zurich. So I was invited me to meet everyone out there and witness the happenings. Now, who would pass up a chance to go to Switzerland?! So, I took a train out to Basel and also spent a few hours wandering Zurich on my way back home.
First of all, the train ride from Milano to Basel was absolutely breathtaking! The entire way you are winding through the Alps, and I spent 4 hours gazing at lakes, mountains (some still with snowy peaks), farms, and random little villages under perfectly clear skies . It was definitely beautiful country.
Basel is a quaint town, and it is unique because it lies right where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet. We had some time to explore Old Town, ate some amazing fondue, and took in as much Swiss culture as we could. As I mentioned, I decided to stop over in Zurich as well on my way back to Bologna. Zurich was fantastic! Anyone who knows me well and has heard me talk about my travels over here knows that I love the German Brezels (pretzels). I lived off them during Oktoberfest and begged my parents to bring me some when they stopped over in Frankfurt airport, so needless to say I also lived off of those in Zurich! They were so delicious! Besides eating pretzels, I was able to walk across the river and get lost in the curvy, hilly streets of Zurich. Switzerland is definitely quite lovely, and here are pictures to prove it.
The other last minute trip we squeezed in was to Cinque Terre. This area is 5 little cliff side villages right on the Mediterranean Sea... Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. Riomaggiore is the largest of the five, but Vernazza and Monterosso were our favorites. By the time you get out to those two you have lost many of the other tourists and get a real "feel" of the culture and lifestyle.
Each town is a little bit different, and there is a walking/hiking path right along the water connecting all five towns. That part of the country is stunning because you have rolling hills with vineyards on one side of you and the gorgeous blue waters of the Mediterranean on the other side. There were 10 other SAIS students going out that weekend, so we spent part of Saturday exploring with them as well. We walked in between all of the towns, sampled local wine, ate seafood (well, Niraj ate seafood), tried the local pesto (quite delicious), and even ventured into the water. Niraj and the others decided to go all in which was quite hilarious to watch! Here's proof of them all waving to the camera:
And here are the rest of our photos.
All in all, definitely more great adventures and good times to add to our yearly inventory!
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