 |
| Hiking around in Sëlva
(South Tyrol, Italy), my friend snapped this pic of me after we climbed a 20 foot boulder in this huge valley. |
This semester has and continues to be one of the greatest of my academic career. I’m currently a little over halfway done and that’s kind of crazy. While I’ve had plenty of time to adjust to the city and make some good friends, I feel like I’ve only been here for a couple weeks. Time really has flown by. Italy is everything I hoped it would be, and so much more. I knew the food was going to be good, but I didn’t know I could get a pizza anywhere in town for less than €10 ($11).
In addition, the grocery stores are much cheaper here! I budgeted $400 per month on food, and I probably spend half that. Fortunate considering I grossly underestimated the amount I would travel. I realized something funny the other day; by the time I go back to the United States, I will be more well-traveled in Europe than I am in the US. Pretty amazing. That’s perhaps one reason the semester has been flying by. In the 10 weeks since I arrived, I’ve visited 10 cities outside of Torino. Some of them only for a day- like a hiking trip only an hour away via train. Some for several days, like my Easter break trip to Amsterdam and Brussels. It is simply amazing the interconnectedness of this continent. Coincidentally, as I’m writing this, I’m waiting on my bus to Munich for Frühlingsfest.
Besides travelling to other places, Torino is so charming. The locals are very nice and talkative, and the students are a wonderful blend of all the Italian cultures. We live in a dorm-style apartment building, with a communal kitchen. This is really the best case scenario for living. You get your private space for those times when you need to be alone or are simply studying. But when you come out for lunch, the kitchen is bustling with activity and aromas. A lot of the people in the building are from southern Italy. This is wonderful for us Americans because (just like in the southern United States) there’s a culture of hospitality and treating guests with overwhelming kindness. The first couple of weeks I never even had to cook for myself. Everything from Polenta to Lasagna was prepared for me. Of course that meant I had to show them how we cook burgers and steak back home.
One thing I didn’t expect was the huge international culture that exists here. I assumed it would mostly be Americans and Italians. There is actually students from all over the world here. Politecnico and Torino in general is a multicultural hub. I have made just as many friends from everywhere in Europe as I have Italian friends. It’s really cool to be able to point to a random spot on a map and have met someone from that area. Most of the pictures below include people from all around Europe, and even all around the world.
I’ll continue to update
occasionally, even though it’s difficult to find the time. Until then, I say,
Ciao, a presto!
Ciao, a presto!
 |
Again in the South Tyrol
area, this picture is of my friends and I in a town called Santa Magdalena.
Truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever laid my eyes on. If you come
to Northern Italy it’s a must see!
|
 |
This is a picture of Lago
Garda- the largest lake in Italy. The town is called Malcesine in Veneto. This
picture barely captures the beauty of this place, the castle and the
surrounding fog made it one of the most charming towns I’ve visited.
|
 |
Of course our location in
Italy is famous for its ski resorts. We made it out about five or six times
before the end of the season. This photo is from a resort called Sauze d’Oulx, about 40
minutes east of the France border, and only an hour away from Torino!
|
 |
| The beautiful Cinque Terre. My friends and I hiked around this coast of Italy all day the within the first month we arrived in Italy. The pictures don’t really do it justice (they never do I suppose). This is a place I will visit again in summer just to hop in that beautiful blue water. |
 |
| Lastly, a picture of my favorite city of the semester. None other than Torino itself. This photo is taken from a view just across the River Po. You can see the Mole on the right, as well as the surrounding alps. |
--
Find out more about the University of Politecnico Exchange with the College of Engineering at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/pdt
