I really didn’t want to write a whole Blog about my classes, but I think I’m going to have to… I’m taking 15 hours this semester, but I’m only enrolled in four classes on Mon, Tues, and Wed: Italian Language & Culture, Writing about Florence, Women in Religion, and Fashion in Film. The last three classes became options after my anthropology classes were canceled. Funny enough, those three classes have been the source of all my time-consuming homework. For example, I wrote a 12-pg research paper this past weekend on Fashion which I never thought was going to be possible. Oddly enough I really enjoyed the research until it became crunch time.
My writing class has probably been the most frustrating because I’ve had a new story due every week. I think it’s going to be the most emotionally drowning class for me….
My Women in Religion class took us on a one-day, intensive field trip to Rome. We saw only three places that I’ve already seen, everything else was new (which was a relief) but now I can say that I have fully toured everything you can see in Roma. My teacher for this class is also my teacher for the culture part of my ILC class and she’s my favorite!
My Italian Language and Culture class has been the most interesting for me. I always feel like the 2.5 hr class flies by. As part of the class work in our culture class, we spend more time outside of the classroom then inside—then we write a newspaper article about our experience for the school newspaper. Last week I wrote an article on the history of The Kaffeehaus at the Boboli Gardens-- here is an excerpt:
"To end the month of February, my roommates and I visited the Boboli Gardens. We entered the gate by Via Romana and walked through the beautiful paths and openings throughout the left side of the garden. It wasn’t until we reached the opposite side before my interest was caught. We happened upon a small half-circled house facing a spectacular view of Florence. We all thought it was a guest house until I researched and discovered we were wrong.
In the late 1700s, it became fashionable to take coffee in a place other than one’s residence. This small half-circled hall is named the Kaffehaus, for that exact reason. It was built in 1776 by the order of Peter Leopold. The house is covered by a pale green dome, with three levels below. The bottom floor is surrounded by a platform with double-staircases that lead to the cave below. Extended from the cave is a series of grassy levels called Prato dell’ Ucello. Historically, the Kaffehaus provided Leopold and the members of his court with a scenic cafe, but now, it gives tourists with a marvelous view of Florence."
Mom, you'd absolutely love the Boboli Gardens.... here is one of my favorite pictures from there.
My number one dissatisfaction about my classes is that I am only in my Italian Language class 2.5 hrs a week. I really wish I was in it every day.
But, thank you Mom and Dad for sending me over here to learn from this place. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience so far. I just hope I board that plane home in may :)
Love and miss you guys!
Elizabeth
