On Sunday, October 11, 2021, Hannah and I had lunch with the sweetest Italian family. Our group was put into pairs and matched with different families. These lunches are very popular among the students and community members each year. Hannah and I met Gianfranco and his daughter, Maria Stella, at Porta Fiorentina (the main entrance to the city). Gianfranco then drove us to his house where we met his wife Lucia and son Giovanni. Lucia gave us a tour of their cozy home. Her parents live on the first floor and she and her family live on the second floor. Multi-generational homes are very common in Italy. Lucia prepared the most amazing traditional Tuscan lunch. We had crostini, which Hannah and I helped prepare, cheese, olives, & prosciutto breadsticks just as the appetizer. And lasagna and chicken as the main course, plus french fries and salad. The lasagna was D E L I C O U S ! Lucia’s mother hand-made the pasta. Sunday lunches are a big deal, so they tend to be large. And we couldn’t finish the meal without gelato cake.

Lucia did an exchange program when she was 16 years old and spent a couple of weeks in Texas. She didn’t know we were from Texas until we met, so she was tickled. She visited several popular Texas cities. She even visited Bryan/College Station! She proudly showed us her souvenir bluebonnet shot glass. And pulled out the scrapbook she made from her time in Texas filled with pictures and lots of journaling. It was so cool to see and I am so glad she shared it with us.

After lunch, Hannah and I played board games with Maria Stella & Giovanni (snakes & ladders, a marble racing game, & a translation game). Maria Stella is 8 years old and Giovanni is 10 and they are both learning English. The translation game was actually really fun. Maria Stella would translate from English to Italian and Hannah and I would translate from Italian to English. It was a fun way to practice. Gianfranco knows like 5 languages so he was very helpful. Lucia brought us coffee while we played games in the living room.

Dopo giocare (after playing), they drove us around and showed us parts of Castiglion Fiorentino we hadn’t seen before. They drove us to a couple of secluded churches out in the country. Including the beautifully hidden Chiesa di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice del Bagno, where Lucia would go after school with her friends to homework when she was younger. It was a chilly but beautiful day and we walked a little bit down Via Madonna del Bagno. It was so cool to see CF from a different perspective. We drove through a few small towns near CF until we got to Frassineto. We stopped at a private villa. I don’t think we were supposed to be there, but Lucia really wanted us to see it. Straight in front of it was Villa Fattoria di Frassineto. A factory where the “poor” would work on the lower level & the “rich” would work above. On the road perpendicular to the two ville there is a row of mulberry trees that was planted in order to produce silk (they are the only ones found in this region).

After our little tour, we returned to their house and Lucia made us hot chocolate. Hot chocolate in Italy isn’t like hot chocolate back home, but this was the closest to what we’re used to. It definitely hit the spot, especially since we had Getilini Osvego (Italian honey biscuit cookies) to dip into the hot chocolate.

Lucia pulled out an old calendar from her visit to Texas where she marked the exact dates of her trip. She hopes to take her family to visit soon. Gianfranco and Lucia were the sweetest hosts. It was so nice to have more insight into the Italian lifestyle. Lucia spoke to me in Italian 70-80% of the time and it was the best practice I could have asked for. We spent all afternoon with them and they invited us to have dinner with them sometime soon.

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Viareggio was our first overnight weekend trip on September 18-19 (not with the program). It was only a group of four of us: Mark, Hannah, Juliana, and me. The train from CF was at 8:19 am & luckily we were able to get a ride to the station. I bought everyone’s train tickets online a couple of days before. There was a 30-minute delay on our train from CF to Florence, which was going to make us miss our next train to Viareggio (our final destination). So we decided to hop on what would have been the next train to Florence, but we knew we weren’t going to have a lot of time to switch over to our next train. And sure enough, when we finally reached the correct platform at the train station in Florence, we watched our train pull away. We missed it by less than a minute. Our only option was to hop on to the next train. But this time we had to switch again in Pisa (where we missed yet another train) & go from Pisa to Viareggio (which was only a 17-minute ride). We were supposed to arrive around 11:30 am, but our trip which required 2 train rides turned into 3 and we got there around 12:30 (could have been worse).

Upon arrival, we walked about 13 minutes from the sketchy train station in Viareggio to our Air B&B (and it turned out to be the cutest place ever). We instantly changed into our swimsuits and headed straight to the beach (and to find food). As we got closer to the beach, we realized that about 10 blocks parallel to the beach were all blocked off because of the Carnivale. We had to walk all the way around to get to the beach.

We later found out that Viareggio’s Carnivale is about 150 years old and actually one of the most famous in Italy. It’s famous for its huge satirical floats that reference social issues from all over the world. We happened to be in town the first weekend of the Carnivale. We ate a late lunch right on the beach at a restaurant called Ngochi. I had some delicious spagetti al pesto. The waiter said he could tell I was Latina because of my eyes (the second time someone has said that to me on this trip). He spoke perfect Spanish and said he spent some time in Mexico doing research on Mayan and Aztec culture. After lunch, we walked straight onto the beach. It was such a beautiful day and the water was so refreshing. There was a slight overcast so luckily the sun wasn’t beating down on us. It was also Mark’s first time at the beach.

You know how people always say Europeans don’t always wear bras and they aren’t afraid to show their breasts at the beach? … well… it’s true. We were at the beach for several hours. We laid out, played in the waves, & sketched (we have to sketch every day as homework). Then we walked around town a bit. Hannah and I shared a Nutella-filled donut. And of course, we got gelato. We were all exhausted and ended the night with showers and a movie.

We woke up to a rainy morning and Mark mistakenly left his shoes out to dry the night before. I got a cappuccino and chocolate and custard pastry at a cute coffee shop once we left the B&B. We walked around town and on the beach one last time before we made our way back to the train station. We left Viareggio at 3:10 and arrived back in CF a little before 6:30 pm. Luckily, the train ride back to CF was a lot smoother. We made it back just in time for the group dinner we have every night.

There were a few bumps we had to get over, but overall it was a great trip. Mark always says, “it’ll buff out.” And he’s absolutely right; there is a solution for everything. Good experiences really depend on the people you’re with. When things don’t go as planned, it’s easy to get frustrated with one another. That often leads to negative experiences all around, but I’m glad we didn’t have to deal with that. Overall, the trip was a success and Viareggio was amazing.

–Ruth Noemi Zuniga <3.

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A group of 7 of us students decided to go to the lake our third weekend in Italy. Lake Trasimeno is in the province of Perugia and it is only a 25-minute train ride from Castiglion Fiorentino. It was 7 euros round trip. We arrived at the Passignano Sul Trasimeno train station a little before 10 am on September 12th. We really didn’t have any other plans besides going to the lake. As soon as we got off the train we walked in the direction of the water. A friendly dog greeted us as we made our way down the street. We were all feeling a little hungry so we stopped at a coffee kiosk near the lake. I got a cappuccino and a pistachio croissant or cornetto. After our Italian-style breakfast, we began to search for the free beach. During our search, we ran into the same dog. With no owner in sight, he confidently continued to stroll alongside our group. We didn’t really know where we were going and the dog sure seemed like he knew what he was doing. So what did we do? We followed him… obviously. He did have a collar, which is the only reason we knew his name was Balo. Balo led us all the way to the free beach! He would even look back at us to make sure we were still following. It seemed like everyone knew who he was. We’re guessing Balo loved the water and he led us there to play with him. Balo played in the water and even played catch (with sticks and rocks because we didn’t have a ball). He was the best tour guide. He even relaxed on the beach with us for a couple of hours. It was a beautiful and sunny day. We said our goodbyes to Balo, thanked him for his hospitality, and made our way to find lunch. I had pizza and zuppa inglese gelato. We also did some exploring around town before we had to head back to Castiglion Fiorentino. It’s days like this that I’ll never forget. I always thought these silly types of things only happened in movies.

–Ruth Noemi Zuniga <3

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1. When? September 8, 2021

2. What I wore? Long green wrap dress from Old Navy with my very reliable white chucks

3. The group left Castiglion Fiorentino on a bus @ 8:30am

4. Began our tour of the city at la Basilica Caterina di San Domenico with a friendly and passionate Sienese tour guide

5. Visited la Piazza Del Campo, where the Palio (the most important event in Siena) is held every year on July 2nd and August 16th

-The Palio is a horse race between each neighborhood in Siena (lots of passion, pride, and rivalry). It gets pretty intense and many times the winning horse will cross the finish line without a jockey.

6. Got towered over by la Torre del Mangia, which was a lot taller than I expected

7. Visited il Museo Civico di Siena (I instantly look up when I enter a new space and I’m always glad I do)

8. Ate lunch with my friend Hannah at Al Mangia Ristorante and had Strigoli di Siena alla “Mangia” (famous Sienese pasta)

9. Devoured tiramisu and Kinder Bueno gelato from Bar Gelateria Artigianale Il Camerlengo (I forgot to take a picture, but it was delicious)

10. Visited il Duomo di Siena (very overwhelming, but in a good way)

11. Lost track of time taking pictures of il Duomo and had to run all the way back to the bus with Hannah (locals definitely stared at us…real main character moment)

12. But of course I had to stop to buy a postcard before we left (tehe sorry Hannah)

Siena was wonderful and I wish we could have spent more time there. Hopefully I can go back to watch the famous Palio race someday.

-Ruth Noemi Zuniga <3

The post QUICK TRIP TO SIENA first appeared on Ruth Noemi.

1. When? September 2, 2021 (sorry… I’ve been busy)

2. I wore my friend Payton’s red dress and my white converse (we did a lot of walking and my chucks did the job)

3. Got a morning pick-me-up (caffè macchiato) at a coffee shop near the Castiglion Fiorentino train station

4. Train ride from CF to the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station (took a little over an hour)

5. Quick visit to the Firenze Mercato Centrale

6. Got to see some lovely street art

7. Met our tour guide, Giovanni, at la Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

8. Saw il Palazzo Medici Riccardi

9. Stopped by la Basilica di San Lorenzo

10. Peeked into il Museo Nazionale del Bargello

11. Visited Piazza della Signoria (saw lots of statues including Ercole e Caco and Perseo con la Testa di Medusa)

12. Got a pic of Italia’s UEFA Euro 2020 Championship trophy

13. Admired il Battistero di San Giovanni and la Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (it’s AMAZING!)

14. Tour of la Basilica di Santa Croce (which had a beautiful cloister)

15. Walked through the Uffizi Gallery

16. Saw the Armo River and walked across Ponte Vecchio

17. Had the loveliest lunch with the group at a restaurant called B-Roof (very fancy and an amazing view of the Duomo)

18. Lunch: Maccheroni al sugofinto, Saltibocca alla Romana, Caponata alla sicillana, and gelato alla vaniglia in salsa al cioccolato (molto delizioso!)

19. Drank a shot of espresso after the meal (not as bad as I thought and it’s supposedly good for your digestion)

20. Ate gelato di pistacchio from Grom (one of the best gelato places in town according to our tour guide) (yes, this was my second gelato of the day)

21. Bought a watercolor painting at la Piazza del Duomo

22. While vendors were trying to scam us at a street market, a man said he knew I was Hispanic because of my eyes (that was a first, and I believe I was wearing a face mask)

23. Paid 1 euro to go to the restroom at the train station (reminded me of Mexico)

Overall, I give Florence a 10/10 and I can’t wait to be back!

–Ruth Noemi Zuniga <3

The post 23 DETAILS ABOUT MY TRIP TO FIRENZE, ITALIA first appeared on Ruth Noemi.

Castiglion Fiorentino (or CF for short) is a walled city with a population of about 13,000 people. CF has been the home of ITALART (a study abroad program) for 30 years. About 12,000 students from several universities have gone through this program over the years and have walked the charming streets of CF. ITALART used to hold classes in the Santa Chiara Study Center. Because of the pandemic, this semester is the first time CF has seen a study abroad group back in town since the spring of 2020 (the semester students had to return to the U.S. less than halfway through the program).

Shortly after arriving to CF, I realized how big of an impact the study abroad program has had on the community. We’re basically local celebrities! Locals will approach us on the street and ask if we’re “the Americans,” or simply say “Texas?” A local cafe near our classroom/studio has several Texas A&M flags hung up with signatures from students that have been here before (we plan on leaving one, of course). The young owners have even made their way to College Station to visit the friends they made in years past.

Twenty years ago there were students just like us who heard and watched the horrible news of 9/11 here in CF. Although I was only a couple of months old when 9/11 happened, I have always known the impact this heartbreaking event left on the U.S. The community of CF mourned with the American students. Earlier this week George Terrill (one of my classmates) and I were interviewed shortly about our thoughts on being the first group back and how it feels to finally be here. We learned that CF had a monument made in honor of 9/11 and has a remembrance ceremony every year. It wasn’t until then that I realized how impactful 9/11 was to the world, not just the U.S. We were invited to participate in the ceremony this weekend. The community is also hosting a soccer tournament and we were asked if we could do the Aggie War Hymn at one of the games.

On our second day in CF, my classmates and I met the mayor, Mario Agnelli (he has gone to an Aggie football game, which is why he knew about the War Hymn). He welcomed us and expressed how excited everyone is to have American students back in town. Pre-COVID, multiple groups from different universities would come each semester, but a lot of schools have held back on studying abroad for obvious reasons. Only 11 students, 1 TA, and 1 professor came this semester (all from A&M). And from what we’ve heard, things are a bit different compared to previous years. 

Overall, I feel so lucky and blessed to call Castiglion Fiorentino our home for the semester. Being in a smaller town is allowing us to have a better understanding of day-to-day Italian life and culture. I can not imagine being anywhere else.

–Ruth Noemi Zuniga <3

P.S. Check out the link below for a quick Italian read.

https://turismo.comune.castiglionfiorentino.ar.it/notizie/511687/arrivati-studenti-americani-texas-m-university

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My freshman year of college, someone asked me if I was a First Generation Aggie (the first person in your family to go to Texas A&M). “I’m actually a first-generation college student,” I said. They were surprised and congratulated me. I didn’t think much of it then, but these past two years I have learned to appreciate what it means to be a first-gen.

It’s easy to feel alone in college, especially being a first-gen. Sometimes being a first-gen means figuring things out on your own. It means having to grow up a little faster than your classmates. It means getting overwhelmed over the little things. It means having a harder time relating to other college students. But most importantly, it means learning to be grateful for the littlest of things and not taking things for granted.

School has always been fun to me (I’m the nerd in my family) and I always knew I wanted to go to college. I couldn’t picture myself doing anything else after graduating from high school. And for as long as I can remember, my parents have expressed the importance of getting a college education. My parents weren’t able to get a college education. When they were about my age, they left their home country hoping to create a better life for themselves. They left behind everything they had ever known. 

The day I left for Italy, I was feeling very anxious. When it was time to say goodbye to my mom, I finally understood how hard it was for my parents to make all the sacrifices they had made throughout their lives (I also cried because I’m a crybaby and I was feeling so overwhelmed). I realized that I was about to experience a little bit of what they went through 25+ years ago. I was about to leave for a different country… with a language barrier… away from my family… not knowing anyone… Although I was nervous, I knew if my parents were able to do it (and much more), then I would be perfectly fine being away for a semester and learning to adapt.

Going to school in Italy wouldn’t have even been an option if my parents wouldn’t have made certain life choices. Life is full of choices. Everything we do on a day-to-day basis is a choice. You choose when to get out of bed, what to wear, what to eat, where to go, what to say, how to react, and the list goes on and on. College can be hard, stressful, and draining. But every day I choose to stay positive and kept my eyes on my long-term goal. Freshman year, I had 8 am classes every day (every college student’s worst nightmare). I would hear my classmates complain about having to wake up early (I would also complain sometimes), but I would remind myself of what a blessing it is to be able to wake up every morning and have the opportunity to learn and grow. Not everyone gets that opportunity. There are people exactly like me that wish they could go to college. I will never take what I have for granted.

Being a first-generation college student is challenging, but it is encouraging to know that so many people before me have been able to do it (including my older siblings). And I hope that someday I can be an encouragement to other first-gens too.

— Ruth Noemi Zuniga <3

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