Vance Berry
6/6/17
Reflection 1

I thought I knew what tranquility was before I came over seas to Grado. But since then, I realized I had no idea. Everyone and everything is slowed down. The pace the people stroll down the street, time spent sitting at cafés, the elegance and fluidity of the language all showed me first hand that this is true tranquility. 

I went abroad with the mindset that I will fully emerge myself in the culture of the town, I just didn't know exactly what that culture would turn out to be. I do this by making friends with everyone I can at the bar, setting up plans during the day with the locals, or stopping by to say hi to a friend while they're at work. What these people have taught me was the art of enjoying everything that is before you. For example, on our free day, Michael invited my friends and I on his boat. We met him on the dock in Grado where he dropped a pin. After getting some gas from the station, we set off along the coast to Barbana. On the water, Michael introduced us to his Italian summer music selection. His tunes were very good and had the same vibe of American house/ tropical house but we obviously didn't know what the singers were saying. Once we got to the island, the tranquility I felt that day was very strong. People were lounging with friends and family outside on picnic tables- eating gelato or casually drinking. Our crew went into the church on the holy island and we walked right in mid-service. We hung around in the back and listened- it was the most beautiful church we had been in to me. After the church and Italian sermon, we go to the bar to get a bottle of prosecco, grappa, and gelato. We brought the tray out to a nice shady spot by the water, sat down, and talked about anything and everything for hours. This was the most leisurely and relaxed sit-down I have had experienced on this trip so far. I found common interests in TV shows and music with Michael and it was interesting to see how someone from across the globe has had similar influences on me.  Later that day when we got back to Grado, we wanted to continue the emersion into the culture by playing “beach volley” with Michaels’ friends. One of them spoke English and I talked to him about the IT jobs market in Italy and talked about his job in insurance. 

Back home, I wouldn't really do this with my friends. Whenever we do get together, we feel like we have to plan ahead to have something to do. Italy has taught me to slow down, enjoy every moment, and just roll with things as they come up. Theres something beautiful in that. One important thing that comes from slowing down is the ability to appreciate. So far, I can tell I have changed by slowing down my meals, drink, and speech. Since then, I have been able to more fully enjoy the culture that Italy has to offer.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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

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

Sarah Roth June 11, 2017 Thanks for everything, I had the time of my life. Over the past two weeks I have had the opportunity to experience a culture that is nothing like my own.  Having spent a majority of our time in the small town of Grado, I was able to better understand and immerse myself fully into their culture.  One of the hardest adjustments was the difference in timeliness.  In the States, going out to lunch typically takes me 20 minutes but even a simple one-course meal in Grado usually took over an hour.  This has taught me to appreciate the small things in life; having more quality time with those around me and being able have the time to just enjoy the beauty of my surroundings.  I know when I go home it will be a huge shock having to be timely and rush through life, but this trip has taught me the importance of taking time for myself.  As soon as I get home I will be moving to a new city for 7 months and because of this trip, I hope ...
Read more