Written by Italy & Greece Overseas Educator, Ariana
The Italy and Greece program is off to a great start! We landed in Rome and after a day of planes, trains, and automobiles we made it to Sora. Since arriving we’ve explored the countryside, done yoga, made pasta and gnocchi, and started our orientation activities. Our host Antonello has been amazing and the crew of volunteers here has warmly welcomed us with delicious food. We’re getting to know one another and can’t wait for this adventure of a semester.
Our Top Three Highlights of the Week:
🍝 Gnocchi & pasta making class – Our group learned how to make pasta this week, starting with nothing but flour and water. Since then we’ve made gnocchi and even learned how to make cheese from a local shepherd.
📣 Italian exchange – This week our students have taken several Italian classes and had the opportunity to put their new found skills to the test during a school exchange. We visited a linguistics focused high school and shared a morning exploring Sora with local Italian students. They shared their favorite pizza place with us along with a history of the town!
🥐 Italian Pastries – After a group hike we visited a favorite local pastry shop and tried treats like cannoli and sfogliattele. Did you know cannolo is actually the singular version of cannoli?
But transformation always comes with opportunities for growth: What were our main challenges this week?
This week the group has pushed themselves to try new physical activities! We tried yoga classes at the yoga chalet and also fit in a few hikes in the rolling Italian hills.
As a group, we discussed how we’re most grateful for a safe arrival in Italy and a warm welcome from everyone at the Italy farm stay!
Until next time! ❤️ Spring 2023 Italy & Greece Semester
