Chicago!

We have arrived home safely! It was a great and uneventful flight home. Students were busy doing homework on the plane, and sneaking in the occasional nap. Ms. Wickham and I tortured ourselves scrolling through the many pictures of our own babies on our phones, very eager to give them hugs and kisses. Thanks all for the smooth pick up at O'Hare.  See you at ETHS tomorrow:)

February 21st, 2017

The final day of our trip never felt like the end until now as we write this post. After being berated by Enriqua for our lack of energy (sleep) yesterday, we woke up with extra enthusiasm today, or did our best to make it seem that way. The notion that we have two weeks of homework to do has begun to set in and many of us have spent the last few nights burning the midnight oil to catch up. It sounds unpleasant but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the morning Costa and Faye led us to the ancient sites at Mycenae and Agamemnon’s tomb. However the wonders of ancient architecture were forgotten when we met a family of dogs at the ancient corinth. We affectionately referred to them as Biscotti, Lunchbox, and Juice Cleanse. Trying our best not to get fleas, we chased our furry friends around the ruins and occasionally took in the wonder of ruins nearly four thousand years old.

The return trip was a scenic bus ride that allowed us one of our last good views of the Mediterranean. As we approached the hotel our local guide, Faye, said goodbye and wished us all the best in the future. Seeing her go was another painful reminder that time was running out.

The stop at the hotel didn’t give us much time to collect ourselves. A brief bathroom break was had, and we hopped back on the bus to explore the shopping center under the Parthenon before dinner. Both of us, along with Mattias, Luke, and Marc, got a fish pedicure at Doctor Fish. Having tiny Tiawanese fish nibble at your feet for fifteen minutes is disconcerting at first, but the gentle vibration becomes relaxing and your feet come out smooth and fresh by the end.

After our spa treatment we explored the less commercial end of the street, taking in graffiti in a mixture of english and greek, displaying messages such as “eat the rich.”

Once we had explored the streets of Athens it was time for dinner. At eight we sat down to a lovely Greek meal and live music. Soon after we’d had our appetizers we took the stage and danced rather loudly, to the clear disdain of the elderly couple who had been in the restaurant since before we arrived. A show from professional Greek dancers followed, and interspersed between the dances we would take the stage and enjoy the music. Though the night went on for hours, the highlight had to be the shock and excitement in our faces when the band began to play Mama Mia. Since we arrived Greece felt even more foreign than Italy, and an English song we could all sing our hearts out along with made Athens feel a little more like home.

The idea of home right now is exciting and a little scary. Jumping back into life as normal will certainly be difficult, but I think we all miss it in some capacity.

We’re so grateful to the people who made this trip so great, Mrs. Green, Mrs. Wickham, Sabina, Katya, Linda, Enriqua, Faye, Costa, and the big man Pasquale Di’Angelo. Luke likened our regret at saying goodbye with the end of Star Wars episode six when we see the hologram of Anakin and get a little teary-eyed.

Our only regret is not petting the dogs.

Adam and Will

Grecian Coastline

 

Mycenae

 

Mycenae

 

Agamemnon's tomb

 

Corinth Canal

 

At ancient Corinth (with our canine guide!)

   

February 20th, 2017

February 20, 2017

After some confusion due to strikes in Greece, our lovely tour guide Faye arrived and we set out on several adventures. We had a slight change of plans and couldn’t follow the original itinerary, yet still had loads of fun.

After a substantial bus ride with views of the Greek countryside, we stopped at the archaeological site of Thorikos. It is the oldest existing stone theater in the world and dedicated to the wine god Dionysus. Although covered in wild flowers, the stone steps and seats have survived the test of time. The amphitheater, complete with a beautiful view of a harbour, was a picturesque venue for our band’s next album cover. Continuing to revel in the ancient atmosphere, we contemplated our homecoming.

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion was our next stop. We looked over cliffs facing deep Mediterranean waters, which proved to be another ideal photo opportunity. The temple itself looked like a mini-Parthenon. Because of the strikes, we were unable to see it up close, but enjoyed the view nonetheless.

From there we drove along Greece’s rocky shores with Faye explaining some of Greece’s modern history. It was disheartening to see iron poles on abandoned houses barely poking the sky every few minutes. Due to the extravagantly high property taxes in Greece, many cannot afford to complete their buildings. Anyway, we then stopped for lunch at a very generous Greek restaurant. There, the generous waiters appreciated Luke almost as much as we do. They let him pick the music, and gave him free appetizers. So delicious!

After lunch we headed to a rocky beach. Several members of the Ragazzi swam with three Red Cross certified lifeguards on shore (shoutout to Emma Grenzebach, Neha Singh, and William McCrory). Other students sunbathed, collected stones, and played creative games.

Finally, it was time to head back to the hotel for a delicious and fancy meal. Everyone looked beautiful in their clean clothing.

Neha and Emma

Theater in Thorikos

On the acropolis and in the central agora

   

February 19th, 2017

This morning, Lia, Sophie, Allison woke up to five-star pillows. After spending the night on beds preferable to ours back home, and refreshed from our hotel rooms' rain showers, we headed downstairs for a breakfast of fried eggs, scrambled eggs, omelets, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, freshly strained Greek yogurt, feta cheese, tomatoes, croissants, baguettes, coffee cake, cinnamon biscuits, breadsticks, olive paste, deli meats, assorted cereals, various fruits, and fresh honey right off of a honeycomb.

After breakfast, we hopped on Costa's bus and met our very knowledgeable local guide, Faye. She led us on a bus tour around Athens and taught us things such as how Greek letters relate to our own alphabet. We made a quick stop at the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern olympic were held. Eventually, we reached the Acropolis, where we saw the Parthenon, the Nike temple, and other ruins.

Sophie appreciated how this is the location where democracy started and ended. The view from the Acropolis allowed us to take in the expanse of modern Greece -- each building nestled together, converging with the beauty of ancient Greece, reflected by the towering Ionic pillars of the Parthenon and intricate sculptures on Nike's Temple. The mix of ancient and modern day Greece mirrored our experience in Rome where we witnessed the historical layers of an ancient city.

Meanwhile, Lia appreciated how the trash cans at the site resembled columns. 

Allison appreciated the prime selfie lighting to capture her Greek flag inspired OOTD (i.e. Outfit Of The Day). 

And everyone else was quite occupied with photographing the many cute little baby kittens and doggies on site.

Then we got the chance to witness an authentic, spectacular, and unimaginably profound performance by professional Grecian dancers... a mediocre group of eight guys who were mildly entertaining...? Then to find lunch on the main street off of the Acropolis! We enjoyed spanakopita and feta cheese rolls. Sufficiently filled, we then went to the Acropolis museum, where we saw many statues from the Parthenon and a video explaining it's history, including how after being a temple of Athena, the Parthenon became a church and then a mosque.
We got time to shop around the streets and then met together just in time to join some fellow hokey-pokey enthusiasts in their natural dance. It was as ridiculous as you can imagine... we were using only the most technical hokey-pokey steps.
We finally got back to the hotel to for some R&R, but instead we were greeted will millions of screaming and costumed children in the lobby of our hotel. Since the architect of The Wyndham Grand Athens Hotel decided for a nice open concept arrangement of rooms, the noise from the lobby can be heard in just about any room of the entire building. Sophie and Lia may or may not have called the concierge desk with a noise complaint, only to be told that it was a children's birthday party which would end in "one hour" (the noise is still continuing as we are writing this, four hours later). We hope the children may get tired soon?
Finally, the day ended with our final round of emperor reports and we are going to bed early, on the advice/threat of Enrica. Goodnight!

View of the Acropolis from the hotel

  

February 18th, 2017

Today we woke up in out hotel in Rome with our bags packed awaiting our departure to Greece in the afternoon. Before this Enrica guided us through the hectic yet inviting streets of Rome to the Piazza del Popolo. Here we entered the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo. This quaint yet decorative inside proved that Roman churches are a true sight to be seen. Each and every corner held statues and representations of notable Roman figures. Also, the paintings as and marble work were exquisite and would catch the eye of anyone of inquisitive nature. After leaving the church the class headed back to our hotel, where we were allowed some extra free time to experience the vast city one last time. Many kids went out to shop while the responsible few worked on their school work. Next, we departed to the Rome airport to depart for Greece. This was the last ride with our skilled bus driver Pasquale. Pasquale is an extremely stylish and somewhat mysterious figure that became of class-trip favorite. It was extremely sad leaving a man I had never talked to, but it felt we were leaving a friend. Once entering the airport we did the usual security check-ins and procedures and waited for our plane. Many got snacks and drinks, while mainly relaxing.On the plane after take off, we decided to rest our eyes for a quick bit. Mid-flight we were treated to some scrumptious snickety snacks from our flight attendants. Marc and Will chose a nice cold coke as a drink meanwhile, luke chose water. As we descended into Athens with popping ears, we could see the vast and beautiful landscape of what would be our home for the next 4 nights. After landing in Athens we were greeted by our new bus driver, Costa, He's no Pasquale, but his turns were very smooth. Once we arrived at our 5-star hotel, The Wyndham Grand, Marc and luke frantically looked for the wifi password only to be told by Thomas right before dinner. At dinner, we enjoyed a nice buffet which furthered an assortment of different foods, including Baklava for dessert :). After dinner, we ascended the stairs to what seemed to be the top of mount Olympus but was actually the ninth floor. On the ninth floor, we could the acropolis which was lit up by the lights placed at the bottom. We then were entertained by both the exquisite and smooth Emperor presentations.Arrivederci Pasquale, Arrivederci Roma
Marc And Luke

We have arrived in Athens!

 

February 17th, 2017

Today, we woke up with the bright Rome sunlight streaming through the window and a song in our hearts. After a hearty breakfast of a croissant and jelly, we were ready for the adventures to come...and they came. We began the day by traveling through time, descending down stony steps into long-forgotten history. The church of Saint Clemente is built on existing structures dating back to Ancient Rome. We marveled at a renaissance fresco, gaped at a medieval mosaic, and walked down an alley dating back to Ancient Rome. After dancing with the unstoppable force of time, we found ourselves at the Trevi fountain, straight from a scene out of the Lizzie Maguire movie. We wandered through sun soaked avenues and darling boutiques. Then, we relaxed in a park with the taste of creamy gelato still on our tongues. After resting in the sun, we walked through Galleria Borghese full of beautiful paintings and statues. This was easily one of our favorite places we have visited so far. The Bernini statues depicted a nymph turning into a tree to flee Apollo, the movement of David, and many other rich stories. One of our classmates, William, even found a doppelgänger amount the paintings! After drinking in as much beauty as we could before the museum closed, we got more free time to walk around and explore the gardens. We then went to an amazing restaurant where vegans were not only accepted, but beloved. One of us had a vegan burger, another a beautiful pesto tofu, and even vegan desert. After an incredible day, we are excited to rest our eyes for the next adventure that awaits us.- Grace, Olivia, Maddie

Villa Borghese

  

Hadrian's Villa

Waiting to enter Hadrian's Villa

Looking at a model of the villa

Statues!

Statues!

Statues!

Statues!

Statues! 

Statues!

Memories!

February 16th, 2017

2/16/17

Emma Grenzebach and Clara Stein

This morning everybody had to be downstairs by 9:00 and wake up call was at 7:30. We got downstairs a little late because we woke up a little late, but everybody else had a nice breakfast of croissants and fruit and a variety of other breakfast foods.

Pasquale picked us up a little bit after 9:00 and we had a nice drive to Tivoli. A lot of people slept along the way. We arrived at Hadrian’s Villa and Catia (our local guide) paraded us around the Villa for about two hours. The Villa was very interesting and beautiful. We saw a lot of ancient ruins and baths, of course. Some of the tiles were well preserved, especially in the portion of the Villa that was meant for Hadrian’s guests.

Then we went to lunch in Tivoli, where we got pizza and a drink and it was pretty fantastic. We then went to the Villa d’Este. We saw a lot of art and a lot of the art depicted some very very sassy babies. There were also lots of fountains, it was incredible. We got to walk around the fountain area for a while exploring and taking pictures. We found another group of American students from North Carolina who were participating in an exchange with an Italian school in Rome. After about two hours in the Villa d’Este we shopped at some booths for 15 minutes and headed back to Rome.Once back in Rome Pasquale took us to the Ara Pacis museum which contains the Ara Pacis Augustae which is an altar dedicated to the Roman goddess Pax that was built to honor the return of Augustus to Rome. It was a beautiful altar covered with decorations and a figure of Augustus.We then walked to our restaurant for dinner where there was no bread. They gave us olive oil though? Dinner was still good. We ate pasta with red sauce and meat and vegetables and salad. We also had flan for dessert. It was mushy and interesting, but overall good. After dinner, some people got some gelato. We, however, did not, and immediately regretted the decision.

We then walked to the Spanish Steps and ran up them for fun. Clara beat Neha to the top of the steps two times, and Neha said that it wasn’t a real race, but that she would beat Clara in a “real” race. What does real mean? I think she might have been a sore loser. Too bad.

After the Spanish Steps Pasquale picked us up in the Car Bus and drove us to our hotel. At the hotel we listened to three more emperor presentations by Sophie, Caitlin, and Olivia. We then headed up to our rooms for free time. Our free time was spent writing this blog, while other people were doing homework and relaxing. All in all, it was a good day.

Roman Forum, Capitoline Museum, Pantheon

Waiting to enter the Forum 

The Roman Forum

Outside the Capitoline Museum

In the Pantheon 

The Pantheon

February 15th, 2017- Rome

Mattias-

Today was the busiest day of the trip so far. We made our way through the baths of Caracalla, the Roman Forum, and the Colosseum, all before lunch!

I was woken up as usual by the annoying sound of the hotel wake up call. After around 20 minutes of actually waking up we had to rush to get showered and downstairs for breakfast. Breakfast was it’s own ordeal as we didn’t actually know where the dining room was and a group of us had to search around the lobby for where we were supposed to get food.After a nice breakfast of eggs and some pastries we boarded the bus to head to the ruins of the baths of Emperor Caracalla. It was a short bus ride, and the whole day most of our traveling was on foot.

Once we arrived, I was amazed at the sheer amount of land that had been set aside for the construction of the baths. They were symmetrical with actual warm and cold baths in the middle, surrounded on both sides by areas for exercise.

After we walked through all the baths, we boarded the bus again for a short ride to the Roman Forum. Before we had even stopped the bus we had all caught sight of the Forum and Colosseum, which were much bigger than I had originally thought them to be.

We arrived at the Forum, and walked a short way to where we ended up right beneath a majestic arch which depicted an emperor returning from a triumph in battle. We were urged to use our imagination to envision beautiful colorful paint on the walls instead of the white and gray that was shown today after years of weather and rust.

After walking all around the Forum and seeing many wonderful statues and busts, we exited and began making our way to the Colosseum, which was just a short ways away. The Colosseum was one of the most impressive ruins I had seen so far on this trip. It was a massive structure with doors surrounding the entire thing.

Once we walked in, I could see why it was such a big hit with the ancient Romans. It had tons of space inside for all kinds of entertainment. It was great for panoramic photos as it had high, complex walls all around the building.

Looking down, you could see where the gladiators would have fought in the ancient times. After about a half hour of walking around the Colosseum, and checking out the awesome gift shop, we grouped back together and began to head out for lunch.

Will McCrory-

Today was a good day. We walked a lot. After walking so much we were really hungry but we were rushed because of today’s tight schedule. We went and found some lunch for ourselves near the forum. I went to a cafe thingy that was pretty much identical to everything around it. Every place around the area we ate was trying to charge 9,10, or 11 euros for a sandwich which is stupidly over priced. So I settled for a mediocre sandwich. After we ate in a little park I drank from one of Rome's many water fountains that flow perpetually as they did in ancient Rome. We walked to the Capitoline museum and saw tons of sculptures that were ancient or from medieval times. Marc, Luke and I played would you rather the whole time in a range of topics that left Luke in awe of what we could come up with. The statues we saw were amazing. We saw what was left of the temple of Jupiter and it was pitiful. All that remained of a once massive temple was a stupid little wall. It is annoying that most of what we have left of the roman structures is ruins.

We left the museum and went to see a Jesuit church that was breathtaking. The the painted ceilings, sculpted granite, and ornate fixtures mesmerized me and everybody else on the tour. We left there and headed to the the pantheon. The pantheon used to be a Roman temple but has since become a church. It is a large circular dome and has a huge hole in the ceiling. It is cool to see such a large structure that was made so long ago and is still around.

Colosseum

   

February 14, 2017 part 2:)

After lunch, we went to see an extinct volcano. A scientist was there, studying the volcano, I think. It smelled like sulfur, but the earth moved beneath our feet when we jumped. We formed the word 'EHEU!' with our bodies and took a picture. 

After we saw the volcanoes, we started the bus drive back to Rome. It took a few hours, and I alternated between sleeping, reading, and looking out the window. 

We finally reached Rome, and we saw the New Appian Way. Someone asked, "Is this where they fell in the ditch?" (In our textbook, the characters fall into a ditch on their way to Rome.) It was not where they fell, but it was still pretty funny. I remembered when I found out that the characters were only stuck at the ditch for about a day when it took us about a week to get through that story. 

We drove through Rome on the way to our hotel, and the architecture there is amazing. I felt like I was in another world, a world without harshness. 

We passed by the building with the Mouth of Truth inside. Ms. Green and Ms. Wickham remembered my love of Roman Holiday and pointed it out to me. I love that Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck spent time here, walked these streets, saw these churches, admired these statues. I feel that somehow we have a connection, something in common. I fancy I feel the ghosts of them, wandering through Rome. Every time I see a scooter, I think of them. 

The city is a city full of beauty. I wondered if the people who live here ever get used to it, start to take that beauty for granted. I'm sure they do; I know I take the beauties of Chicago for granted all the time. The idea saddened me, though I know it's human nature. 

When we passed by the famous fountains and churches, I thought of all of the books I had read about Italy. Most of them took place in the 19th or 20th century. (To be honest, I considered bringing a Victorian dress with me, but I eventually admitted to myself that it wasn't practical.) Though Daisy Miller actually took place in Rome, what really struck me was the adventure of Lucy Honeychurch in A Room With a View. I suppose Italy is the best place to really experience life, to understand it. Though Lucy met George Emerson in Florence, not Rome, I like to think that she felt the same thing I felt. I like to think that she saw the beauty as potential for a better world, a world "free from all the superstition and ignorance that lead men to hate each other in the name of God." I thought of how some things really can stay, they really can define humanity at a moment in history, though we are an unpredictable and volatile species. 

We had a wonderful dinner across the street from our hotel. Afterwards, we took a walk and we saw a fountain at the center of the city with an obelisk in the center. I could see the stars overhead, and I thought of how rare it was, being able to see such beauty perfectly mold with the different beauty of nature. I thought of how rare it was to see stars in a city. I thought of how the magic of Italy comes from how it retained the expressive sort of beauty that nearly all of the world had a few centuries ago. 

February 14, 2017

The morning still had that hazy glow when we woke up, 15 minutes earlier than expected, woken up by a call that never failed to make me jump out of my skin. The street lamps were still illuminated as I watched a stray train rumble past. I was going to miss that train even with all the annoyance it granted. 

Some of us rose directly after the wake up call to shower and pack. Others however needed a little more encouragement. 

We quickly packed what remained of our luggage and headed down to breakfast. Where we had more of the amazing coffee and croissants they serve everyday. 

We finishing gathering our belongings and moved down to the lobby to wait. By 7:45 there were only a few people in there, even though we were all supposed to meet at that time. Enrica had us go on ahead to the bus where we waited for everyone else. 

After some confusion about the location of the bus we all managed to get there and head off the Vesuvius. 

The empty shells of once occupied buildings populated the road to the top. The sharp twists and turns of the road twisted and turned our stomachs to the point where looking out the window was difficult.

Vesuvius was beautiful though, the rolling cliffs of the mountains carved out by years of weather and lava flows. The trees were packed tightly together, breaking only for the occasional farmer and their field. 

It was much colder than every other day once we got out of the bus. The height was slightly sickening but the view was too amazing to pass up.  After gathering our stuff and getting some water, we started our steep hike toward the top. 

The walk up was tough. The dusty path was steep and the altitude weighed down on our chests. The wind chilled our cheeks and stole our breath. The path was just as curvy as the road but made of brown rocky sand. Every step hurt my calves and it was hard to keep balanced. It felt like it took forever. 

But it was all worth it. Once we reached the top the view was breathtaking. On one side was the most amazing view of the city and sea below. All the building were dwarfed into small white dots and we could see everywhere all around. 

On the other side there was the crater, it was surrounded by high walls of rock with sulfuric steam leaking from the slightest cracks in the rock. I was expecting it to be a deep hole, extending out of sight. But instead we saw a pit sealed with a layer of rock and gravel, the bottom clearly within the line of sight. There were a few gift shops scattered across the top one at each end of the path and the other in the middle. 

Walking down the path with only the sound of the crushing of the rocks under my feet and the wind I felt like I was on a different planet. I walked the perimeter of the crater, each view of it drastically different than the last. The grey gravel and stones gave the appearance of the moon and color leaked in deep in the crater. 

Our time up there was too short, and we had the head back down the way we came. We let gravity do most of the work for us and struggled to keep from slipping. We were down in no time. We jumped onto the bus and prepared our stomachs for the sickening ride down. 

We sat outside at a restaurant half way down the mountain, warmed by the sun at our back, we were all ready for a nap. 

Our food took slightly longer than it did at many of the other restaurants that we'd been to, which only intensified my feeling of coming sleep. 

We started off with salad, which I are eagerly. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I started eating. The tomatoes in the salad were amazing, and I could've eaten many more than I was given. 

We were then given the option of pizza or ravioli. I got the pizza and it was just as amazing as the last pizza. These were slightly smaller and much more manageable to eat the whole thing. I shared with my table mates and waited until the gelato came. 

I wasn't quiet sure of the flavor of gelato but it was yummy and some time of berry I think. I preferred the other type we've had, but, like everything we've eaten on this trip, it was still amazing. 

Solfataras

  

Vesuvius

  

February 13th, 2017- Amalfi Coast

Day Five

Hey! Maeve here.

Today we awoke to the 7:30AM alarm, quickly got ready, and headed down to breakfast. Amongst the array of breakfast decisions I myself decided on a croissant and an apple, while Emma settled with some refreshing coffee, a piece of toast and a fresh side of fruit.

After eating breakfast we felt ready to take on the day as we headed to the lobby and then loaded on to the bus. We were on a smaller bus today, one with red cushioned seats that reclined. Chatter filled the bus until one by one we each fell out of conversation, too drawn by our blaring headphones, the incredible view outside our windows, or the consuming mix of both. Our first stop was a beautiful rest area with a perfect view of the landscapes and the water meetings in perfect harmony. We got an opportunity to take pictures and take in the view. Two local stray dogs followed us around, keeping their distance. We felt bad as they looked so hungry and desperate for love (we’re pet people with an extra soft spot! L) but we knew better. If you’re reading this, cuddling your pups at home, give them a kiss and tell them you love them.

Soon we were back on the bus, off to the next stop, Amalfi Coast. We had a chance to walk around, shop, and get lunch. We decided on a cute sandwich shop, I got a tomato sandwich and Emma got ham and cheese. I think we both can agree they were delicious. We then had an hour to roam around the beach. Emma and I took this time to go on a deep search for sea glass. We were very successful!

Hey, Emma here!

Next we visited a Villa in Ravello with beautiful gardens, fountains, ocean views, and flowers. After enjoying the scenery and unwinding after a long day we headed back to the bus for a long yet relaxing drive back to Sorrento. Once we were at the hotel Maeve and I took naps, made some playlists, and tried out our new Italian makeup we got. Finally, dinner time came around and I was lucky enough to share a meal with Maeve, Olivia, Grace, Neha, Matthias and Will during “mix it up day” in which we mixed it upJ  I told them about my love of the word slime and we made lot of slime puns. WE LOVE SLIME. After dinner since it was our last night at the hotel Maeve, Olivia, Grace, Maddie, and I hung out in the hotel room to chill, jam out, and pack.

-(Emma Clary & Maeve Mallers)