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Emma McLane - 3d Reflection

Emma McLane Reflection Letter 3 June 11 th 2017             Italy allowed me to live outside of my comfort zone and challenge my fears. While in the Dolomites, I contemplated staying on the ground and not taking the lift up the mountain due to my fear of heights. Since I knew I had the support of my friends and the group, I was able to challenge my fear of heights and take the lift up the mountain, and I am beyond happy that I did so. Although the altitude made me a little nervous the views were absolutely breath taking. It was amazing to be able to stand on top of a mountain and to be able to see Austria in the distant horizon.             Besides expanding my comfort zones, I was mesmerized by the history of ever city that we visited. For example, I was shocked to see how far the city of Verona has risen from when it was a roman city based off the the exposed roman road that they were excavating. The history was preserved no matter where you would look.             On m
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Brad Leftwich 3d Reflection

Brad Leftwich Third Reflection June 15, 2017   For the last reflection, I just wanted to look back and talk about some of the places we went and what my favorite places and parts of the trip were.      One aspect of history, ancient Italy and Rome especially, is the advanced forms of architecture present. It always leaves me perplexed as to how any of these things could be built.  My interest was sparked almost immediately on the trip when we visited the church in Grado on one of the first nights during the walking tour. However, in my mind the most magnificent and breathtaking part of of the trip, regarding architecture, was our visit to Venice and St. Marks cathedral. The whole day I could hardly process what I was seeing, from the fact that it is a large city where all transportation is by boat to the impressive architecture that surrounded me at every corner.     While Venice was amazing, my favorite part of the trip was hands down the day and a half we spent in the Do
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Trey Reflection 3

Vance Berry 6/14/17 Reflection 3 For my third reflection, I am going to write about our final nights in Grado. I honestly did not want to leave. Being in Grado for roughly a week helped create a very solid connection between me, the people, and the culture. Once that connection was established, it was hard to say goodbye and move on to the unknown with Tim and Ben. That being said, we tried to make the last nights in Grado the best of them all. We would always hang with the locals as much as possible at night either at Fifty or the Hamburgeria. One night Fifty had the best DJ they've hired during the whole trip and we became friends through our mutual interest in Motown and soul music. I went up to him first and he was astounded when I asked him to play Earth Wind and Fire and Four Tops. He was confused as to why a person my age was asking about these songs and I told him it was what my parents listened to during car trips. Later that night we met up with Michael
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Trey Reflection 2

Vance Berry 6/11/17 Reflection 2 I wrote my first reflection about things that happened a little later in the trip. For my second reflection, I will reflect on our excursions to Bellagio, Cortina, and Venice. Bellagio and Lake Como was unlike any lake I have ever seen in the States. Having the mountains right next to the beautiful and large lake was surreal to wake up to every morning. Also the breakfast at the hotel we stayed out was one of the best with the freshly squeezed orange juice to top it all off. I really enjoyed the difference between all the meals from the US to Italy, however the biggest difference of them all was for breakfast. At any hotel in the US, we would have staples like cereal, juices, eggs, bacon, and muffins. In Italy and in Bellagio especially (like Hotel Fonzari) there were spreads of meats and cheeses. Additionally the pastries that would be set out were all fresh and delicious. Sitting down for the meal in front of a huge, beautiful lake w
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Third Reflection - Tim Spichiger

Tim Spichiger Reflection 3 My time in Italy was very enlightening and I am very grateful for the experience. I commented in an earlier reflection that I really admired the people but, even more so, I really came to love the culture. There is a sense of calmness and love for many aspects of the culture, especially for my favorite part of the trip: the food. At dinner, for instance, can consist of a few courses that are well spaced out. You do not realize how fast time passes after you walk out of one of these meals that has lasted for three or four hours. It makes it very easy to enjoy a very large meal, especially when it is eight courses. In addition, an espresso, a croissant, a desert limoncello or glass of prosecco is not something you consume in a short period of time in Italian culture. These small staples of Italian cuisine are all treats that you enjoy slowly. I heard once that the average American eats a meal in about eight minutes while the average European averages a hal
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Third Reflection

Shirley Tandy June 13, 2017 My last reflection is bittersweet because I am sad to leave but excited to return home. This trip has been a lifelong experience and I plan on going abroad again. The Dolomite mountains were surreal and the views were beautiful. I am not an outdoors person but the hikes changed that. I enjoyed climbing the mountains and being outdoors. I am going to incorporate rock climbing and hiking into my exercise routine. Grado is a relaxing town where I would return but not live.  The slow-paced environment is nice for short periods but not suitable for extended living. I would get bored of the same routine each day.  I enjoyed Venice and Verona because of the pace and crowds. It made me miss the states because of all the movement. Those cities lacked Grado’s authenticity and calm feel.  I enjoyed the boat ride and the seafood dinner on our last day. I enjoyed looking at the renovated fishermen houses and water. The dinner tasted delicious and fresh. Every meal I h
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Third Reflection

Annie Stevenson Third Reflection June 12, 2017 A few days ago, I took a 2 hour walk around Grado by myself and it was very relaxing. I walked along the boardwalk all the way down and went on the rocks, admiring the sea view and sailboats. Then I walked around town and saw people sitting outside enjoying their day and people-watching. It was a beautiful day, with the smell of fresh cut grass in the air, and it was nice to explore the town on my own. People here bike a lot which I love and everyone has dogs. The shop owners would be outside fixing displays or sweeping the ground. It was interesting walking around throughout the trip because a lot of people would look at us when we walked by, probably because they knew we were tourists. Coming into the trip I thought I was going to get a lot more gelato than I did because I was planning on getting it almost everyday but only got it twice. I'm sad the trip has come to an end but it's been some of the best 2 weeks I've had i
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