Free Day!

Ciao! We cannot believe how fast this week has gone by. We've already had our first week of class, and our first break from Bergamo...free day!

Many students went to Venice or Lake Como, but several also hung our here to get better acquainted with this great city.

Those leaving Bergamo had an early morning, with trains departing around 7am. Venice had great weather, perfect for a relaxing gondola ride. Here most students walked around and enjoyed the sights. Saint Marc's Square, the Grand Canal, and the Bridge of Sighs all were packed with people visiting the historical city. Of course, this was a great place to pick up souveniors, from Murano and Venecian Glass to authentic Masks and Lace. Everyone enjoyed authentic Italian meals, many complete with gelato and a glass of vino.

Lake Como also had great weather. Students visiting hear were greeted by pristine views of both the lack and the Alps, a really beautiful setting. Many chose to take boats from town to town, visiting the quaint streets and sampling delicious foods unique to this region. Of course, pointing out George Clooney's home was a highlight! Everyone who went to Lake Como had a great time, so we highly recommend it if you ever get up this way!

Of course, those staying in Bergamo also had a great afternoon. Catching up on sleep, exploring Cita Alta, or shopping in Porto Nouva were all popular options. The sun was shining and it was a great day.

This weekend students will be heading all over Europe, visiting Prague, Berlin, Cinque Terra, Rome, Florence, and everywhere in between. We are sure everyone will be coming back with tons of stories and pictures! Have a great weekend, we'll be back on Monday! Arrivederci!

Half way done with Week One!

Ciao!

Last night we were all able to go to a local discoteca with the Italians! Everyone seemed to have a great time and it was good for everyone to be able to mingle with their new Italians friends outside of the classroom. The discoteca played a lot of American music and there were strobe lights throughout the entire room. It was a good time!

Yesterday was the first day for a new Italian language class. About 10-15 students showed up and we were all able to learn a little more Italian! We learned common phrases as well as the numbers 0-20. Several students are very eager to learn more and this group will meet twice a week until the end of the trip. No credits are offered, just a great opportunity! Hopefully this will help us get around town easier!

Tomorrow is the first full free day for the students. Most seem to be going to Venice to see the beautiful city and ride the gondolas! A few students were considering Lake Como which is a wonderful day trip with unbelievable views! I know a few of the students are wishing and hoping to see George Clooney. Some of the students are going to wake up really early to be able to stay the entire day at there destination but others are considering sleeping in! Both seem to be good options.

We will keep you updated on all the day and weekend travels! Hope all is well :)

First Day of Class

Ciao tutti! Today is our first day of class...and a long day it will be. Students start at 8:30am in their American/Missouri led class, which lasts until 11:30. These courses are taught by the Missouri professors, and have a mix of American and Italian students. Next, we will have a two hour lunch break, to wander around the University area and grab a bite to eat (pizza, perhaps?)

From 1:30-4:30 classes taught by the Italian professors take place, again a mix of American and Italian students learning together. This is a great way for everyone to meet and make plans to hang out outside of school. Today everyone is a little tired, as many exlpored the upper city, Cita Alta last night after our orientation at the University.

So far everyone is in awe of how beautiful Bergamo is. The views are amazing from Cita Alta, so expect a lot of pictures to be posted soon. Jet-lag is starting to wear off, and energy is high. Tonight we have a party with our Italian friends at a new disco in Bergamo. Check back tomorrow for more!

Exploring the Town

Today we had a break before classes start tomorrow, so we took advantage of the great weather and explored Bergamo. Getting used to the public transportation system was our first obstacle, the bus schedules can be a little difficult to read, but easy once you get the hang of it. We took a bus to the University and then to Porto Nouva, a great little shopping square. Next we ventured up to Cita Alta, the "High City", a historical (and beautiful!) part of Bergamo. We took a break and had a great lunch overlooking the town square, and of course, a little more gelato!

Tonight we will head back to the University and have an orientation where we learn a little more about the program and meet the Italian and Erasmus students studying with us. We really look forward to meeting new friends. After a short buffet of finger foods and drinks we may head back to Cita Alta for a relaxing night. Keep checking back, we will have pictures up soon!

We're Here!

We have all safely arrived to our hostel in Bergamo, Italy. After a few delays and lost bags, we are all safe and sound. We were greeted at our hostel by Sergio and Simona, the hostel managers, with a great lunch and comfortable beds. After those long flights, we were very happy to see both. We spent most of the day unpacking and acclimating ourselves with your new 'home'.

In the evening we celebrated our arrival with a party at the hostel. The staff cooked a delicious spread of three different pastas, salad, and of course, our favorite...gelato! For many this was their first time eating the amazing ice cream, and everyone wanted more. With our day off on Monday, we will be exploring Bergamo and meeting our new Italian friends at the University. Stay posted for more!

Final Weekend Travel

On our final weekend of the program, we were all excited to get one last adventure in! We broke up into smaller groups to hit cities all over Europe. We had groups representing Mizzou in 7 different countries this weekend! We hit the major European cities of Rome, Prague, Munich, Amsterdam, Paris, London, Interlaken, and Mykonos to make our own final memories!

As everyone says, you haven’t been to Italy unless you have seen Rome! The group that traveled here had a great time taking tours of The Vatican City as well as the Coliseum and hanging out with locals and tourists on the Spanish Steps.

Despite the less than perfect weather, the group in Prague was excited to get out and explore the city. They hit the major points of the city such as the clock tower, Prague Castle, Prague Museum and St. Charles Bridge and embraced the Prague nightlife.

The city of Munich provided a range of activities and adventures. Here, the group toured Dachau Concentration Camp which was an eye opening and moving experience. They also hit the local Beer Gardens to embrace to German culture and big soft pretzels!

In the beautiful city of Amsterdam, the group toured the home of Anne Frank as well as the Van Gough museum. The “Heineken Experience” was a fun tour the group took of the Heineken Brewery that was named as a “must see” by students who previously visited the city!

One lucky student was able to celebrate her birthday in the wonderful city of Paris under the sparkling lights of the Eifel Tower! The group hit all of the points of interest in the city such as the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe which all added up to a wonderful time for everyone.

Finally, one very brave group spent the weekend in Interlaken, Switzerland… the extreme sport center of Europe! They took in the beautiful scenery of the Swiss Alps while falling 15,000 feet from airplanes!
We are all now sharing stories and pictures of our adventures with one another as we head into our last week in Bergamo.

Vino and a View

Ciao Tutti!

Thursday was a great day for the winery.  After the last class students piled (literally, all 60 of us) onto the local bus and headed outside of Bergamo for a day at a local vineyard and winery.  It was located in Sconza, just past the Bergamo border in the foothills of the Alps.  After quite a hike up the hill, we finally made it to the top, only to be greeted by breathtaking views of the city below.  We were at a local friend's home, where his family started the winery many years ago.  The company is called Biava and 

creates some of the best regional wine in the Lombardy area.  The owner was kind enough to give us a personal tour of the vineyards as well as the drying and fermentation rooms.  It was quite a different experience than Columbia's wineries! 

After the tour we learned the art of wine tasting.  We sampled four different wines, two were table wines that the company sold, the other were special types found no where else.  After swirling, sniffing, and sipping, students started to pick out their favorites.  Biava is known for their "Yellow Wine".  It is a true yellow color, with a sweet taste.  This wine is what they use for church services in Bergamo.  The next "special" wine was a red with a slight pepper taste--this is their most famous (and expensive, up to 80 euros!) bottle of win

e.  It was delicious, unlike anything we had every tasted.  To compliment the great wine we had a large spread of food, full of pizza, sandwiches, cheese, pasta, and chips, all the Italian favorites.  

We stayed at the winery well into the night, admiring the view and the great vino.  This was a great way to truly indulge in the culture we have come to love.  A number of Italian students joined us, as well as one of our American professors.  Everyone had a great time and it was a nice break in the middle of a busy week.