Day 2

I slept okay but I got cold last night. Tonight i pulled out the extra blanket. They had left some food for us in our apartments, the blood orange juice is yummy! I didn't have to be anywhere until noon, so I slept in a little. The morning Italian Cuisine class cook lunch and then when we got into the kitchen we started dinner for us and the morning class. In our class, we make ciabatta dough. We took the dough and divided it in to 3 big pieces and 2 smaller pieces. We made sage and rosemary ciabattas with the bigger pieces of dough. With one of the smaller pieces we enriched the dough with eggs and olive oil to make a savory tart. The other piece with folded in same random cheeses and prosciutto and made snails that we egg washed and topped with Parmesan cheese.
We also made a pork stew and Gnocchi with a zucchini sauce.

For dessert, we baked a short dough tart with chocolate pastry cream and cinnamon-sugar pears.

After class, we had our language class and then dinner.



Here is the down stairs of our apartment.

First Day in Italy

We landed at 8:46 am in Rome. We were all very tired. We walk to the rail to go to customs and baggage claim. Going through customs I thought they might ask question or at least look at me but they didn't. Once we all found our luggage we set off to find Chef Lorenzo and his staff. And then we had to find a bus that would and could take us to Orvieto. Fitting all of our luggage into this over-sized van or this mini bus (which ever you want to call it) was a definite challenge. While we were loading up I tried to put the handle of my big bag down and it wouldn't go, so I hit it and the plastic broke into about a hundred pieces. But anyway started our journey on the bus. The drivers are crazy!!! But we made it alive. A long the highway there was graffiti everywhere, something I didn't expect.

Along the highway we stop for some coffee(espresso) and cappuccinos. The shots of coffee are tiny, they don't even fill the espresso cups half way.

When we got to Orvieto I thought the bus was going to break down it smell a little after going only half way up the mesa to the packing lot. At the packing lot, we separated the girls and the boys luggage into a small van for it to be taken to our apartments. We took the over ground escalators to town and walked to our apartments. This is our street and our courtyard door.

After a little exploring in apartments, we head to lunch(which felt like dinner). Then unpacked and then dinner. It was a very full day.

Traveling- SAC to DC to Rome

AS Written during travel

I almost missed my flight from Sacramento because the airport was so busy. My flight was to leave at 7:35am and at 7:05 I was still in line at the ticket counter. A few moments later they started pull all of us going to DC from the line. And by 7:15 I was on the plane.

The flight from Sacramento was a little bumpy at the end. In DC the weather is cloudy with a few showers, which explains the bumps. The next flight leaves in 3 hours end is about 8 hours long.


Flight to Rome

As I write this we are flying over Zurich and headed For the Alps. The Alps look cold, beautiful. I think in the last 48 hours I have slept about 6 hours. And I'm pretty sure that I will sleep quite well tonight. But for now I need coffee!

Packing and Finals

Okay... breathe... so I'm stressed and thought I would take some time out and post and then send out my link to everyone.

Started packing two weeks ago but really haven't made much progress. Monday morning folding clothes and putting them neatly in the suitcase, just to find that I need another suitcase. I'm packing for three months with the weather going from warmish to cold and rain. I don't know what to pack and I need to do laundry before I can finish packing. How do you pack for the changing of the seasons?


Today's Weather In Orvieto
77°F
Current: Partly Cloudy
Wind: N at 2 mph
Humidity: 39%


I'm more stressed about finals and the actually leaving then the trip or preparing for the trip.
I can't wait for finals to be OVER!

~m

Getting Ready

I am currently preparing to began studying in Italy and I can't wait. I leave on 9/28, oh I just can't wait. My list of thing to do is growing and growing, I have even enrolled Steff in helping me get ready. Well, i really need to get things started for the day and get off to school. This blog will be one of my connections to home, and I can't wait to tell you all about the exciting event about to unfold.

~m