Indulge in the deliciousness of Italy: From Gelato to Octopus Salad

Italy is highly associated with its amazing food dishes. Here are some foods that you won't want to miss trying on your trip!

When you think of Italy, what foods do you think of right away? Probably pasta and pizza right? Well as amazing as those are, and don't get me wrong, definitely eat as much of each as you can....Italy also has many other different kinds of foods you may not have thought of. First, I will start with the classics, like pizza and pasta (including squid ink pasta); then, we will explore the more distinctive foods such as octopus salad, cannolis, tiramisu, and others.

So, lets start with a basic staple that is a must if you are in Italy...pizza. Italian pizza is very different from the pizza we are used to in the United States. Italian pizza has many more toppings, and is usually cooked fresh, not frozen, before hand. The pizza's toppings can range in about anything that you can think of. The most popular topping is a multitude of cheeses. Along with the cheese, are things such as the many different meats (like pastrami), large tomatoes, basil, and seafood, to name only a few. The pizza is seriously one-of-a-kind, and each place you go has a little bit of a different and unique style to their pizza. The pizza also usually has a much thinner crust than a regular pizza in the United States. In the picture to your right, you can see a slice of one of the many kinds of pizzas we tried while on our trip.

Squid Ink Pasta

Another classic Italian staple is pasta. There are thousands of varieties of pasta in Italy, and each one has its own taste. Our group's favorite pasta we had was at a restaurant in Rome called Mama Angela's. The pasta was called Trofie alla Mama Angela. This pasta consisted of small curly trofie pasta noodles that were doused in a white sauce, had sausage pieces, gorgonzola cheese, and pecorino romano. This pasta was absolutely delicious! Another popular pasta is noodles with a red sauce mixed with many cheeses and meats. I cannot remember the exact name of this, but there are many variations throughout the country. And lets be honest...spaghetti is a given to try while in Italy.

A very unique pasta that someone in my group tried was called Squid Ink pasta. This included spaghetti-like noodles that were more hollow. The noodles were covered in a sauce that was mixed with the black ink from a squid. If you try a pasta like this, be sure to know that it does tint your teeth color for just a little bit while you eat it, but that only makes it all the more fun!

Another unique seafood dish I never thought I would try is octopus salad....sounds different right? On the pieces of the octopus you can even still see the tentacles! The octopus is mixed in with a variety of vegetables, including lettuce and celery to name a few, and had some sort of very clear dressing over it. Although it took me awhile to garner up the courage to try this dish, it wasn't bad and I am definitely glad I had the experience. The place that we tried both the squid ink pasta and octopus salad was in Trapani, Sicily. Almost everywhere you go near the coast, the seafood is caught early that morning and then cooked and served that same day! In one of the pictures, you can see an old world market in Palermo, where there is seafood for sale that was caught that day by the fisherman. Many locals come and buy there meat from these types of markets daily. I think that the fish hanging looks like a swordfish, but I don't know for sure, so don't quote me on that.

Piece of Octopus Salad

Octopus Salad

Fish caught that day at an old
world market in Palermo, Sicily,

The Kebab....might sound like the name of a dance or something huh? Well the Italian Kebab is a sandwich made usually with lamb meat; however, in some places you can get different kinds of meat like beef or chicken. The dish in itself kind of resembles eating a gyro, but in a sandwich form. This sandwich is filled with things such as lettuce, tomato, onion, other veggies, and topped with yogurt sauce. These sandwiches are popular in many places in Europe, and are very popular in Spain. The Kebab we had in Palermo was very delicious, and you can find variations of them in many places. They are pretty messy though, and you might end up wanting a fork to catch all of the extra food that falls out of the sandwich as you eat it. There seemed to be kebab stores all over, so make sure to stop into one and try this delicious sandwich during your trip!

Lamb kebab in Palermo, Sicily

NOW ONTO THE DESSERTS!!! YUM!!!

Many people have heard of tiramisu, and it is becoming an even more prominent dessert and flavor around the world. The name itself literally means "a pick me up." Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored dessert made of either spongecake or ladyfingers dipped/soaked in coffee (and sometimes liqueur). The dessert has layers of whipped eggs, mascarpone cheese, and sugar. It then is topped off with cocoa. Now if you are hesitant to try it because you don't like coffee, don't let that scare you off from eating this amazing dessert. I don't like coffee at all, not even the smell that much, but this dessert was one of my favorites! Make sure to add this to your list of foods to try.

Piece of tiramisu we had at
Mama Angela's restaurant.

The next dessert is called a cannoli. These originated in Sicily, and you can find them in many places there. We bought cannolis while in the medieval town of Erice, at a place called Antica Pasticceria. The cannolis are very sweet; I split one with another person and was full after eating it, due to the sweetness. The shell is made of fried pastry dough and then stuffed with the filling, which usually consists of a sweetened ricotta or mascarpone. They are very good, and an Italian specialty to try!

Cannoli in Erice, Sicily

Save the best for last right? You will surely encounter the last food that I want to talk about on your Italian adventure...GELATO!!! Gelato is seriously one of the best foods I have ever had. Gelato is the Italian form of ice cream, except that it is way better than any ice cream I have tasted. Plus, it is said to be much healthier than ice cream...what's not to love? There are hundreds of different gelato flavors, and you can taste test flavors at most of the shops. You can order gelato in either a cup or a dish, and in different sizes, much like in ice cream shops anywhere. The best gelato we had, in my opinion, was at Della Palma near the Pantheon in Rome. Gelato usually ran about 2-3 euros on average. I got gelato most days that I had the chance while in Italy, and highly recommend it! Make sure to try as many different flavors as you can! My favorite was the mint flavor mixed with one that kind of resembled a cookies and cream. You can see a picture of many flavors of gelato and baked goods in a store in the picture below.

"Gustare il modo per aggirare il mondo" (Taste your way around the world)

Please leave comments and let me know what you think, or about your experiences with food in Italy!

Midwest vs. Italy: How similar and different are we really?

Life in the Midwest vs. Life in Italy

Many people would say that the Midwestern states, such as Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, etc., are very different from Italy. In regards to this, yes there are many differences between the lifestyles; however, there are also many similarities that people may not be aware of.

Shopping area in Rome

In my opinion, a very cool thing that daily life in some parts of Italy includes is the idea of siestas. During the middle of the day businesses shut down for a few hours and the people that work in them go get lunch, take a nap, or go home to have a home-cooked meal with their families. Doesn't this contradict the idea of businesses making as much money as possible? Well in Italy, and many European countries, they tend to value time a lot more than many people in the States do. We are always moving at such a fast pace to bring in the next big sale and schedule the next meeting as soon as we can. In Italy, the idea is to take a break and go home to cook a nice, home-cooked meal that they can enjoy with family. Maybe this is an idea that some companies and stores in the Midwest can learn from. Now yes, the Midwest is known for strong family values; but, there is still more we could do to enjoy our time and put other things before profits. When traveling in Italy, be sure that you are aware of these siesta times...it is a huge bummer to go to a store only to have it be siesta and you didn't realize it beforehand! 

Another difference between Italy and the Midwest is the impact that the sea has on the economy and daily lives of the people. In places such as Southern Italy, everything from food to tourism revolves around the ocean and harbors. Many restaurants we went into had seafood that was caught early that same morning by the fisherman at sea, and then brought to the restaurant and served within the day. In case you didn't know...we don't have any oceans near us here in the heartland of the country. So, for any Midwesterner traveling to Italy, and especially the south and islands, the fresh seafood is a must to try!

Although there are thousands more differences between these two areas, the last one that I am going to talk about is the atmosphere walking through the streets. In the Midwest, we are used to passing people and smiling, saying a quick hello, or maybe stopping to briefly talk to them if you know the person...mostly we will not push ourselves into other peoples time or business. On the contrary, in Italy as you walk down the streets of the larger cities and shopping areas you have people shouting out prices, trying to pull you into their stands with the"deals," and hundreds of vendors with carts of every product you can think of. When shopping in these areas, you can even bargain the prices down. In the Midwest, we wouldn't imagine walking up to someone selling a product and offering half of what they are asking and expect them to accept. During your time in Italy, make sure you try to bargain with these vendors, as you can almost always get a much better price! Don't be worried about seeming too pushy tying to get a better deal then the initial price, they almost expect you to try.

Now that we have looked at a few differences between the two areas, there are also many similarities.

Agriculture is a huge proponent of life in the Midwest. Many families who live here have an agricultural background, and many kids grow up learning the values that working on a farm can instill. Like the Midwest, Italy is also very agriculturally based. Italy's top agricultural product is wine grapes, with vineyards throughout the country. Although we do not have a large amount of vineyards in the Midwest, both of these areas also grow corn. The Midwest is the top provider of corn in the United States, and Italy also produces thousands of tons of this product every year. For any Midwesterner interested in agriculture, the Italian country side has much to offer...especially places such as Tuscany, which is known for its countryside.

Fields (vineyard) in Tuscany, Italy

Fields and farm in Iowa

 Another similarity that these two geographic areas, thousands of miles and an ocean apart, have in common is family being a big part of the lifestyle. In Italy, you see many family owned businesses that revolve around all of the family members working in them. Many of these are small shops and restaurants. One of the places we stayed while in Trapani was still owned by the same family that built the building by hand many years before! Like the family life in Italy, the Midwest also holds strong family values and has family owned businesses. In some families in the Midwest, there are farms that have been passed down through decades. These families may own century farms, which means that they have been owned by the same family for at least one-hundred years. Also, there is a large amount of family unity in both lifestyles. While in Italy, I saw many families out, and they always were looking out for one another and enjoying each others presence. Like mentioned earlier, the siestas are often used as a time for the family to be able to eat a nice meal together everyday. Here in the Midwest, we also largely revolve around a strong family presence.

RAGBRAI in Iowa

Playing street soccer

Lastly, similarities also exist in the activity level of the people in these areas. People in the Midwest tend to have a more active lifestyle, and there are many large events that incorporate this into our lives. Examples include the statewide bicycle ride in Iowa (RAGBRAI) across the entire state every summer, and the multiple races that come to theses states as some of their very first locations. In Italy, they also lead very active lifestyles. Walking is one of the biggest methods of transportation (refer to the prior transportation blog post). Italians often walk many miles everyday, and some that live in the cities do not even use a car daily. Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy, along with many others that are played, helping to increase the activity level. We would see kids out playing soccer in the alleys in many places throughout the country. Here in the Midwest, we also have high involvement in sports. When you are traveling in Italy, be sure to check out a soccer game if you can! Take in all the opportunities to walk around the beautiful cities, as it allows you a much more personal view and many more options to see the local treasures.

So....as much as anyone may try to assume that the Midwest and Italy are extremely different, we can now see that there are also similarities between the lifestyles in each region. People traveling from the Midwest to Italy, and vice-versa for that matter, can find a little bit of home in the similarities, while still indulging in the differences. 

Feel free to comment or leave any experiences you have had with the topic :)

"Valorizzare le differenze, ma anche scoprire le somiglianze..." - Steffi Biester

   (Value the differences, but also discover the similarities..)

Volcanoes Galore!: Hiking the Most Popular and Active Volcanoes in Italy!

If you had the chance to stand on the top of a volcano, less than one-hundred yards from lava shooting from the top, would you? 

I choose to answer yes to the question above, and it was one of the coolest decisions I have ever made. Italy is one of the most volcanic countries in the world. During your trip to Italy, you can discover the amazing beauty and life that these volcanoes hold. Naples actually contains the only active volcano on mainland Europe; however, their are other volcanoes in the country that erupt often...even daily! Here are three volcanoes that you can hike, and one you can watch erupt while standing at the top!

Mt. Vesuvius:

Mt. Vesuvius

Mt. Vesuvius is perhaps the most widely known volcano in the world. Located on the western side of the country, this volcano had one of the deadliest and most destructive volcanic eruptions in history. Many people have heard the story of Pompeii, a bustling town buried by the volcanic ash in only minutes. Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. The volcanic ash buried the town and the over 2,000 people who called the city home. The city was essentially preserved in time until the 1700's, when explorers rediscovered the site. The volcano has not erupted since 1944, but according to scientists it may be due for another eruption in the near future.

One of the plaster cast bodies
from being buried under the
ash.

The volcanic eruption in 79 A.D was a "Plinian" eruption, and produced a "mushroom cloud" appearance of flying ash and smoke. According to http://ancienthistory.about.com, the column of the cloud reached about 66,000 feet in height, and the ash continued to rain down for more than 18 hours.

Today, you can hike the volcano to the edge of the crater. The climb to the top of the crater does not take very long, however the change in air pressure can affect some people. You can even find all-inclusive day trips through sites such as Expedia. Going with a guide on the hike may be your best option, as they often have more information and know the best routes to take. The guides can help if any safety concerns were to arise, or if people on the hike have questions.

More than three million people live in the area around Mt. Vesuvius, and it is monitored closely for any volcanic activity.

Check out the awesome video on the History Channel's website all about the historic event dealing with Mt. Vesuvius: http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/pompeii

Vulcano Volcano:

Arriving to the island by boat,
you see the volcano

Vulcano is a small island in the Aeolian Island chain. The sulfur smell is immensely strong on the island, due to the sulfuric gases coming from the volcano. This island has one of the World's rare black sand beaches, sulfur baths, and the volcano that you can hike. The ancient Romans attributed the volcano to being the chimney of the workshop of the fire god Vulcan. 1888-1890 was the last eruption of this volcano.

Looking into the crater
You can see the white sulfur gas

The hike does not cost anything to walk up by yourself. The volcano is beautiful when you come to the island by boat, and the hike begins by first walking through the town. The Vulcano hike is not overly far; however, it is a pretty steep trek up. Until the crater, the hike feels like you are walking upwards at a very steep angle most of the time, but the views of the crater are completely worth it. You can see the sulfur gas coming from the crater as you stand on the edge looking in...be careful not to get caught in one of the sulfur bubbles, as it can be extremely dangerous!

The view from the top of the volcano is amazing. You can look down onto the island and see both the regular beach and the black sand beach. The hike from the crater upwards is not nearly as steep as the beginning, and wraps around the outside of the crater itself. At the top of the volcano there is a pile of rocks started by the many people who have endured the journey. Make sure to take in all of the views if you make it to the top!

Panorama looking from the top of the volcano!

Stromboli:
Finally, the island of Stromboli features one of the most active volcanoes in the world! You can hike this volcano and watch it erupt while you stand probably about 100 yards away at the top! It is one of the most visited volcanoes in the world (active for the last 2,000 years), and according to geology.com, it is known as the "Lighthouse of the Mediterranean" because the eruptions of lava can be seen from such a distance at night.

The Stromboli volcano has been erupting almost continuously since 1932, and produces new eruptions on average every 20-30 minutes. Occasionally large eruptions do occur, and the town below must be evacuated...but don't worry, scientists watch it very closely. You must go on a guided hike up this volcano, as the hike is much longer, more dangerous, and hundreds of people climb the volcano every day. It was an experience to climb the volcano with people from all over the world, including Australia, Switzerland, and many European countries!

Our group at the 

Riding up to the island

                                                    

        

                                                                   

The hike is not too strenuous, although the entire trip does take roughly eight hours to hike and return to the town. We began at around 4 PM and returned to the guide station at about midnight! You are given a helmet, helmet light, and mask (all of which you rent) that you are required to wear at the top and for the way down in the dark. You can also rent hiking boots, although I wore tennis shoes and was fine....make sure you wear high socks though, as there is about a half hour on the way down that you are not allowed to stop at all and the sand quickly barrels into your shoes. The hike begins through the town, and then quickly moves into the treeline. Through the treeline, the hike can be kind of steep; however, once you make it past the treeline it becomes more of a steady climb.

Once you reach the top of the volcano, you are required to wear your helmet and move to different points to watch the eruptions. It was kind of cloudy the day we went, but we could still see and hear the eruptions very well. The volcano erupted three times while we were at the top...and you get to stand pretty close to where the lava is shooting out of!!!

One of the small eruptions while we were at the top

The way back down the volcano can be dangerous in the dark, so it is essential to stay with the guide. Most of the time you are in a single-file line and you walk through very deep sand where you are not allowed to stop at all for a certain period of time until you reach a safer area.

This hike is something that is a once in a lifetime experience, and I highly recommend it if you are traveling in Italy and the islands off of Sicily!

The raw power of the volcanoes is certainly extraordinary. The beauty and nature of the volcanoes is a sight to see, and something you will never forget! Check out this short video I took of Stromboli erupting! The actual eruption is longer and much more magnificent than the video shows, as you can see in a clip of it in the picture above.

Please leave any questions, comments, or your experiences and watch for the next post!
Follow me on twitter : @trekkintraveler

Esplorare il Mondo! (Explore the World!)

Travel Made Easy: The Many Ways of Transportation Around Italy!

Planes, Trains, and Hydro-boats!

You have probably heard the saying "planes, trains, and automobiles," or the movie that has this title; but, in Italy it is more like "planes, trains, automobiles, hydro-boats, cable cars......." Got the idea right? Italy has multiple ways to travel around the country, including very unique modes of transportation. The plane is a given, as it is the fastest way to travel long distances across the ocean, and from Rome down to Sicily.

No matter where you go in this beautiful country, Italy has different transportation methods for all people. Walking is a tremendous aspect of Italian life, and is one of the easiest ways to navigate around the cities (not to mention the healthiest). When I was in Italy, especially the time spent in Rome, we would walk upwards of probably five to eight miles a day. With all of the architecture and activities that are constantly bringing the vibrant cities to life, walking is the easiest way to enjoy the culture and see more aspects of the area.

People walking around a piazza in Rome
by the Pantheon!

Driving in Italy is something that I will probably never experience...I think I would have way to much anxiety! There are so many people in the larger cities that the roadways are constantly busy with buses, cars, taxis, etc. Due to this, when traveling Italy you will see many motorized scooters/mopeds. This is a fantastic way to travel, and is fairly cheap for anyone looking for a quick way to get around the cities or countryside. It seemed that literally everywhere we went in Italy there were mopeds that people were driving; therefore, these seemed to be one of the most convenient ways to manage the roadways. This is because, the roads in places such as Rome can become very narrow in the alleyways, and the cobblestone streets that add countless amounts of history to the city are easily navigated by the scooters. Many people had baskets hooked onto the scooters so that they could go shopping...very convenient. Not to mention, you can usually fit at least two people onto the mopeds and they can get awesome gas mileage...again an easy way to save more money and endure more experiences.

Mopeds/scooters in Rome to rent.

Trains are also a huge part of the Italian culture. Almost every place that we visited had a train station, and it is something to see for someone like me who had never rode on one before. The Roman train station was busy day and night. For people traveling in Italy, the train is a very economical way to get around, as you can find train lines that connect all over the country. They run from the north all the way down into the south, and have lines in Sicily. I highly suggest taking the train, as it offers the chance to make many more day trips to different parts of the country on a budget. You can buy train and subway tickets the day of right in the stations!

Subway ticket

Now that I have mentioned some of the usual forms of transportation that you see in Italy, and many places in Europe for that matter, lets talk about some of the unique forms of transportation that the country has to offer visitors and citizens alike.

Hydro-boats are used to travel between many of the islands off the coast of Sicily. These boats come into the port and look like any other boat; however, once they take off in the water they are a sight to see. Hydro-boats have blades attached to the bottom that are easiest to compare to water skis. These help bring the boat onto the surface of the water; it is as if you are just skimming the top of the surface. Hydro-boats are very timely, and leave different ports at many periods of the day. We took hydro-boats from Trapani (Sicily) to the islands of Favignana and Levanzo. The only downside to these is that if it is windy, or there are rough seas, they cannot always hydroplane on top of the water...we had an instance where they had to slow down at least three times because of the wind. We used Ustica Lines, and they did a fantastic job! You can check their schedule on their website: www.usticalines.it/en

Hydro-boat coming into the harbor

Another unique form of transportation in Italy are cable cars. When traveling to the medieval town of Erice, you have the option to take cable cars to the top of the mountain where the town is situated. These are very unique, but the drawback is that they too are weather permitting. The original day that we went, the cable cars were not being used due to the wind. Once we got to ride the cable car a few days later, it was a very cool experience. The cars have windows on all sides, allowing you to see the amazing scenery below...something Italy is famous for. Cable cars are something we now normally only see in movies, but in Italy they continue adding more uniqueness to the traveling experience.

Cable cars to the medieval city of Erice
on top of this mountain!

Range Rover on the island of Levanzo

Other modes of transportation that are available to use on your trips include range rovers, which we took to around the island of Levanzo to a trail head to hike down to a historic cave. Also, open-top boats are used to travel between islands. For instance, we used these boats when traveling from Lipari to places such as Vulcano and Stromboli. These boats have a closed-in area with seating on the bottom level, and an area of seating on the upper level that is completely open to the outdoors. It is an unforgettable experience to ride on the top of one of these boats. I will never forget coming back from hiking the volcano of Stromboli in one of these boats on the Mediterranean at midnight, and seeing the island coastline from the sea. I highly recommend traveling these if you are on the islands. The crews we encountered were all very nice, and the schedule was pretty convenient.

View from the open seating of the
open-top boats!

Italy boasts numerous landscapes for all kinds of adventures! The transportation methods that you choose to use can make a tremendous difference in your experiences. Long days of traveling can be mundane, but choosing different ways to travel the country can add a lot of unique and unforgettable aspects to your travel! Why not enjoy the journey to your destination just as much as the adventure itself?

Please leave any comments or suggestions below! :)

Arrivederci! (See you later!)

Tips for Learning the Language Before You Go: Parlando Italiano (Speaking Italian)

What do you do when you can't understand anything around you?

Imagine being completely immersed in another culture; you don't speak the language at all, and have no idea what the people around you are saying. This is a reality for many people, including yourself if you are planning on traveling abroad to Italy and are not bilingual. Italian is an amazing language, and definitely one worth learning for your trip! Knowing the language will help you tremendously, even when just walking around the beautiful cities.

Panorama Picture Walking Around Rome.

When I planned to go on my trip to Italy, I had absolutely no experience in reading or speaking Italian. The most knowledge I had were a few years of Spanish, but I did not think that would help me much in Europe. As it turns out, being able to speak Spanish will help you when you are traveling around Italy; although, a few people seemed to be annoyed with us speaking Spanish instead of Italian...but can you blame them when you are going to their country? Knowing at least the basics of the country's language you are in will make your trip all the more worthwhile, as you will be able to interact more with the people and become more involved in the culture.

I have found a few ways to help overcome this predicament, and hope they can help you on your trip.

Duolingo is a free app that you can download from the app store on your phone or computer, and it has a ton of languages within the software. The best thing about this app is that it does not just give you words and tell you to memorize them; instead, it uses a multitude of ways to help you actually remember the words and be able to use them in an appropriate context.

Duolingo App Icon

Duolingo allows you to read the sentences  in Italian, and  in addition, listen to a prerecorded voice read them to you. This gives you the visual and audio of the word, which is a tremendous help when you are in another country trying to read different signs....seriously not everywhere has little people on the bathroom signs if you aren't able to read the writing, so knowing the basics can definitely save you from some awkward situations. In addition to reading and hearing the voice say sentences, it pairs pictures with words. For example, it may show you the word "la mela" and explain it to you. It then might bring up three pictures of items and ask you to pick which one is "la mela" (it is an apple by the way).

Also, this app uses the speaker on your phone and asks you to repeat the words or phrases back to the app so that you can make sure the pronunciation is correct. Lastly, it gives you sentences in English, of which you translate back into Italian in writing.

All of the different aspects of this app allow you to become more involved with the language itself, as opposed to carrying around a dictionary with you everywhere you go....which would be an easy way to point yourself out as a tourist to everyone and become an easier target for pickpockets, etc.

This is a sign I found that was mistranslated in a bathroom on one of the islands.
French and English tourists "helped the out" with some
comments and translations themselves.

Another thing you can do is to find the basic words you will need and keep a short list of them in your pocket or purse. This is not as obvious as having your nose stuck into your phone half of the time you are out and about; instead, you can reference it quick and enjoy more of your time.

I have never personally used Rosetta Stone, but I have heard from other people I know that it really does help you learn a language. Being a college student, I cannot afford it right now, but would love to use this program in the future to learn more Spanish and Italian for future travels!

The Island of Levanzo!
You can kind of see us swimming
down at the beach.

The most important thing is to be involved in the culture. The Italian language is absolutely beautiful, and the more you interact with people, the more words and phrases you will quickly pick up. I remember being on the island of Levanzo with a small group of people from my trip after hiking to a famous cave, when a girl in our group who spoke Spanish was able to have a long conversation with a friendly native who had an amazing life story. From being in the country for awhile and learning some basic words before I went, I was able to pick up on some of what he said and hear all about his life.

Now I am not claiming to be fluent, or even a good Italian speaker or anything; actually, I only know some of the basics. However, I learned so much while I was there that it made the trip even more enjoyable! I will always remember some of the phrases I learned, and can't wait to discover more before I go back someday!

Please leave your comments and let me know what you think, or any suggestions you have on how to make the language transition easier! :)

Fino alla prossima volta! (Until next time!)