Reflection #2 Bruce

Reflection #2
Since my first reflection a lot of my thoughts have stayed the same along with expanding even further as I learn more about the culture, as well as more about the different places we have seen. Expanding on my first reflection which I explained the respect they had for their culture and preservation of the past, I have been able to reflect on the way in which they are attempting to preserve their future. They charge for plastic bags at the super market which is a new phenomenon to me one that is much eco-friendlier than the united states. Also on our water taxi ride back we were able to see a sculpture that many of my fellow students had been discussing throughout our trip. This was a very powerful sculpture because of the very possible future of Venice having extreme problems with rising waters, which may even ruin the city completely.

            One thing I noticed in Verona but was increased in Venice was the large amount of tourist presence in these places. Not only the larger number of people that spoke English but also the constant fighting through crowds and large lines that we saw, even though we did not have to deal with those.  This did make me appreciate Grado and the nice safe nature the city holds. Personally one of my favorite moments on the trip so far was being able to go to Caffé Florian, having the chance to learn a lot about a certain place and the actually visit it was a very valuable experience. One of my favorite facts about it was that it was the first café in Italy to allow women to enter, which I value greatly, so stepping into a place where some of the first women experienced a café was exciting.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vogel #3

As our trip winds to a close, I'm not sure if I can fit everything I've learned in the past two weeks into one reflection. We have seen and done so many things that I never thought I'd be able to do in my lifetime. Being immersed in the culture in Grado has been a great experience. Visiting Venice (although it was amazing) helped me realize how special of a place Grado is. One of my biggest takeaways since I've written my last reflection is the difference in how Italians eat meals and drink. It might just be because we've seen mostly an older crowd, but it is very different from America. At home I eat much quicker than they do here. Although my family does often have family dinners where it's basically a social event, they typically never last more than 30 or 40 minutes before we're on to the next thing. The lifestyle here in Grado is much more relaxed. Many more people eat their meals outside and are at dinner for at least an hour or more. Another thing I...
Read more

Third Reflection

Katie Ferriss June 12, 2017         The past two weeks have given me only a brief insight into the art history, culture, language, and views of northern Italy. I have come to understand the culture here is more casual and calming rather than upbeat, fast paced America. The people are gentle and kind with warm hearts, and they reserve and respect their history and faith. I have come to love and care for the people and culture here in Grado and everyone I have met on this trip. Our last excursion made me feel the most immersed on this trip. We went to the Dolomites and took a tram up into the mountains. As we stood a top the mountain looking over endless lands and views, I felt all of Italy just absorbed within me. It was amazing seeing the amounts of people climbing all of the mountain ranges, going down different trails and pathways just to find more views and beautiful sights of Italy. Throughout the excursions I also have come to appreciate how much of Italy has...
Read more

Reflection #3 Wade

       As our trip comes to its conclusion, I’ve reflected a lot on how different societies can shape natural resources and land. While in the Dolomites, we saw extremely beautiful places and small towns nestled between large mountain ranges. As we hiked, I noticed how clean a lot of these beautiful natural sites were. The mountain tops were free of litter or heavy graffiti and the crystal clear lakes seemed to have barely any trash floating around, even though they were right next to docks and beaches where people were swimming, fishing and eating. I am not sure if littering is less common in these areas or if cleaning protocol is different, but it was great to see such beautiful spaces so well preserved.         I also admire the energy conservation here as well. The way the hotel rooms function on a key system to start up certain electrical appliances such as air conditioning and outlets seems to be a very smart system. In the United St...
Read more