1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. italy

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION CREATED BY VISUAL JOURNALISM AND TRAVEL WRITING: ITALY STUDENTS | SPRING 2011
ROMANTIC
VENICE BY
GONDOLA
EXPLORING
MERCANTIA,
A MAGICAL FESTIVAL
EATING
GLUTENFREE IN
PASTA
COUNTRY
I AM IN
ITALY
MA NON
CAPISCO!
GUVANO, THE NUDE BEACH OF THE ITALIAN RIVIERA
WRITERS
HAZAR ALKHAWAJA
PAMELA BIRCHARD
CHRISTEN CALLOWAY
BROOKE CURRIER
ANNYE DEGRAND
KRYSTA HAMANN
CAREN SARGENT
EMILY WARNER
ANGEL WILLIAMSON
Piazza del Duomo in the center
of Florence. Gondolas in Venice.
Cappucino, a breakfast drink in Italy.
Summer fruits in the narrow streets
of the medieval city. A marble statue
in the Palazzo Pitti. Ricotta stuffed
ravioli. A typical afternoon break for
espresso coffee. Balsamic vinegar, used
in Italian cooking. Guvano beach, a
nude coastal destination.
DESIGN EDITORS
inside
SPRING 2011
4 I AM IN ITALY MA NON CAPISCO!
MAGGIE LASLEY
BLAIR MISHLEAU
JENNIFER PARTINSKY
TRACY PAWLIKOWSKI
CRUZ RESENDIZ
CANDELARIA ROSALES
Should you learn Italian before going, or attempt to learn as you go? Traveling abroad gave me some answers while making my way through Italy. Hazar Alkhawaja
6 BEATING THE FLORENTINE HEAT
One way to escape hot Florence is to spend the day at Piscina Le Pavoniere. Annye DeGrand and Krysta Hamann
8 GLUTEN WHAT?
RYAN ROXAS
ALEXANDRA SEQUENZ
JOANNA WESOLY
LUKASZ WILUSZ
Finding alternative foods in the land where pasta and pizza prevail. Caren Sargent
9 OH WATER, WHERE ART THOU?
Jogging in Florence when the temperature is in the upper 90’s.
Caren Sargent
FACULTY ADVISERS
10 THE ROOTS OF PINOCCHIO
NANCY DAY
ELIO LETURIA
TERESA PUENTE
Pinocchio doesn’t just live in the Land of Magic. Emily Varner
12 MAGICAL FESTIVAL DRAWS VISITORS
TO CERTALDO
In the hilltop village of Certaldo, an international cast of diverse performers converge. Christen Calloway
This publication has been
possible thanks to the
sponsorship and support of
the Journalism Department of
Columbia College Chicago
14 EAT. PRAY. COOK
In Florence, students at Apicius culinary school learn the art of turning simple ingredients into dynamic Italian dishes. Pamela Brichard
16 SQUISHED!
SPECIAL THANKS
Norma Green, professor,
Chris Richert, Journalism
Department General Manager
Konrad Biegaj, computer
specialist and
Chris Greiner, Director of
International Programs,
Columbia College Chicago
$VWXGHQW¶VH[SHULHQFHDW,O3DOLRGL6LHQD7KH3DOLRKRUVHUDFHUHGH¿QHV
the word “crowded.” Hazar Alkhawaja
18 HIKING TO THE ELUSIVE GUVANO BEACH
$VXUSULVLQJO\GLI¿FXOWWUHNWRRQHRI,WDO\¶VPRVWIDPRXVQXGHEHDFKHV Christen Calloway
20 BLACK BEAUTY
Finding ethnic hair style in Florence. Angel Williamson
22 SATURDAY NIGHT IN CINQUE TERRE
PLEASE RECYCLE
Wanderer is a studentproduced magazine. It does not
necessarily represent, in whole
or in part, the views of college
administrators, faculty, the
Journalism Department or the
student body as a whole.
A mix of people, tourists, locals, children, teens and even adults gather at Monterosso in Cinque Terre to dance at a weekly Saturday night disco. Krista Hamann
24 BENVENUTI A VENEZIA
Wanderer magazine is a collaborative project
produced by the Fall 2010 Visual Journalism
students, Department of Journalism of
Columbia College Chicago. Students edited,
designed and laid out each story as his or
her final class project. The articles and the
photography were produced by students who
took Travel Writing courses in the summers of
2009 and 2010, based in Florence, Italy.
For more stories and photos please visit
ottimotuscany.blogspot.com
Gondolas, carnival masks, Murano glass artifacts and other Venice experiences you can’t leave without seeing. Brooke Currier and Hazar Alkhawaja
26 AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
Over two summer Travel Writing courses, Columbia College students explore Italy. In Summer 2011, Assistant Professor Teresa Puente will be teaching
Introduction to Fashion Journalism, based in Florence, with trips to Milan,
Venice and Rome. It is open to all majors, with permission of the instructor.
Email [email protected] for more information.
PHOTOS by PAMELA BRICHARD, BROOKE CURRIER, CHRISTEN CALLOWAY, ELIO LETURIA
2 student wanderer
student wanderer
3
Traveling to a new country means being a stranger in a new world. This can be exciting, frightening and adventurous. Not understanding the native language, PDQRQFDSLVFR can be challenging, yet FDQSRVHDGLI¿FXOWTXHVWLRQ6KRXOG\RXOHDUQWKH
language before going, or attempt to learn as you go? Traveling abroad gave some answers to Hazar Alkhawaja, while making her way through Italy. I AM IN
MA NON CAPISCO!
BY HAZAR ALKHAWAJA
º>
KDWLVWKDW¿OOHG
ZLWK"´P\IULHQG
DVNHGSRLQWLQJ
DWVRPHGHOLJKW-­
IXOORRNLQJFRRN-­
LHODEHOHGµ%DFLGL
GDPD¶7KHPLGGOHDJHG,WDOLDQZRPDQ
KDLUSXOOHGEDFNDQGFRYHUHGZLWKDSLHFH
RIZKLWHIDEULFSHUKDSVDQDOWHUQDWLYHWRD
KDLUQHWJDYHXVDUDWKHUSX]]OHGORRN
0\IULHQGSRLQWHGDJDLQ³&KRFRODWH"´
7KHODG\WKHQH[FODLPHG³QRQRQRW
FKRFRODWHIUXLW«,GRQ¶WNQRZKRZWRVD\
LWLQ(QJOLVK´7KH¿OOLQJDSSHDUHGWREHD
VRUWRIMDPVRQDWXUDOO\,WKRXJKWLWZDV
W\SHRIEHUU\8SRQTXHVWLRQLQJKHUDJDLQ
VKHQRGGHGFKHHUIXOO\DQGLQIRUPHGXV
WKDW\HVLWZDVLQGHHGDEHUU\
7KLVZRPDQLQDQDURPDWLFEDNHU\RQ
9LDGHL1HULRQO\VSRNH,WDOLDQ,FRXOG
QRWKHOSEXWWRWKLQNDERXWODQJXDJHEDU-­
ULHUVLQDSODFHRIWRXULVPOLNH)ORUHQFH
7KHSUHVHQFHRIDQXQIDPLOLDUODQJXDJHDW
RQH¶VGHVWLQDWLRQLVXQGRXEWHGO\LQWLPL-­
GDWLQJ7RXULVWVPD\¿QGLWQHFHVVDU\WR
OHDUQVHYHUDOFRPPRQZRUGVWKDWPD\DO-­
ORZIRUDSOHDVDQWDQGXQSUREOHPDWLFVWD\
7KRXVDQGVRIWRXULVWVFRPHHDFK\HDU
WR)ORUHQFHDFLW\¿OOHGZLWKFXOWXUHDUW
DUFKLWHFWXUHDQGGHOHFWDEOHFXLVLQH6RPH
PD\NQRZ,WDOLDQRWKHUVEDUHO\DQGWKH
PDMRULW\SUREDEO\PDGHVXUHWRRUGHUD
FRS\RIµ,WDOLDQIRU'XPPLHV¶SULRUWRWKHLU
MRXUQH\
&DQDWRXULVWJHWE\LQWKHFLW\ZLWKRXW
NQRZLQJWKHODQJXDJH"
,DVNHGWKHZRPDQZKRVDWLV¿HGRXU
VZHHWWRRWKWKRVHFRRNLHVZHUHXQGHQL-­
DEO\GHOLFLRXV6KHIRXQGLWGLI¿FXOWWRXQ-­
GHUVWDQGPHEXWWRP\DVVLVWDQFHFDPH
DPDQIURP&DOLIRUQLDZKRVDWWKHUHZLWK
KLVKDOIHDWHQYHJHWDULDQSL]]D+HWUDQV-­
ODWHGP\TXHVWLRQWRZKLFKVKHUHSOLHG
WKDWLIDWRXULVWZDQWVWRUHFHLYHWKHULJKW
RUGHUZLWKRXWSRLQWLQJWKH\PXVWNQRZ
4 student wanderer
ITALY
JOANNA WESOLY
Learning basic Italian is part of Stefani Kladis’ to do list while planning a summer
trip to Italy.
,WDOLDQVLQFHWKDWLVWKHRQO\ODQJXDJHVKH
LVÀXHQWLQ
$VWXGHQWIURP0LVVRXULSXUVXLQJDPD-­
MRULQ,QWHUQDWLRQDO%XVLQHVVDQGDPLQRU
LQ,WDOLDQ6WXGLHV)HOLFLD'DQQHPDQQH[-­
SODLQHGWKDWVKHIRXQGLWSDLQOHVVDVPRVW
,WDOLDQVVKHHQFRXQWHUHGVSRNHDWOHDVWD
OLWWOH(QJOLVK
³7KHPDMRULW\RIELJFLWLHV>VXFKDV)ORU-­
HQFH@KDYHFRXQWOHVVYHQGRUVDQGZDLWHUV
WKDWVSHDNVRPH(QJOLVKDVZHOODVPDQ\
RILWVLQKDELWDQWV´'DQQHPDQQVDLG³,Q
VPDOOWRZQVKRZHYHUNQRZLQJVRPH,WDO-­
LDQFDQEHH[WUHPHO\KHOSIXO,Q1DSOHV
,WULHGWRRUGHUDSL]]DDQGZDVJLYHQWKH
ZURQJRQHDQGZKHQ,RUGHUHGDEHELWD
GULQNWKH\EURXJKWPHDELUUDEHHU´
0DULDQJHOD*XDULQRDQ,WDOLDQODQ-­
JXDJHWHDFKHUDWWKH6FKRRORI/RUHQ]RGH
0HGLFLH[SODLQHGWKHPHQXVXVXDOO\LQ-­
FOXGHWKHOLVWRIGLVKHVLQ(QJOLVKDQG
WKDWLQGLFDWHVWKHUHVWDXUDQWVWULYHVWRDS-­
SHDOWRYLVLWRUVLQWKHDUHDUDWKHUWKDQOR-­
FDO,WDOLDQV
³7KRXJKPDQ\,WDOLDQVGRQRWOLNHLWYHU\
PXFKUHVWDXUDQWVDQGVKRSVKDYHEHHQDG-­
MXVWLQJWRLQFRPLQJWRXULVWVWKH\HYHQRIIHU
FDSSXFFLQRVIRUOXQFK´VKHVDLG6KHUHF-­
RPPHQGHGVWXGHQWVDQGWRXULVWVWROHDUQ
,WDOLDQEHIRUHDQGGXULQJWKHLUVWD\³6WX-­
GHQWVQHHGWRUHDOL]HWKDWQRWHYHU\RQH
VSHDNV(QJOLVKRWKHUFRXQWULHVGRKDYH
WKHLURZQQDWLYHODQJXDJH´VKHDGGHG
,WDOLDQVRIWHQDSSHDUWRDSSUHFLDWHDIRU-­
HLJQHU¶VDWWHPSWDWWKHLUODQJXDJH'XULQJ
DWULSWR3LVDZLWKWZRIULHQGVRQDVFRUFK-­
LQJKRWDQGKXPLGGD\RQHIULHQGH[-­
FODLPHG³0XFFKLRFDOGR´HDJHUWRSUDF-­
WLFHWKHODQJXDJH
$QHDUE\,WDOLDQPDQFRUUHFWVKHUHQ-­
WKXVLDVWLFDOO\³0ROWR0ROWRFDOGR´YHU\
YHU\KRWDFNQRZOHGJLQJKHUDWWHPSW
,QPDQ\VLWXDWLRQVLWLVHDVLHUWRVLPSO\
NQRZWKHZRUG\RXQHHGWRXVH$WDFDIp
LQ/XFFD,RUGHUHGDQDSSHWL]LQJ1XWHO-­
ODVPRWKHUHGFUHSHIUHVKO\PDGHDQG
EURXJKWWRP\WDEOH&RQVFLRXVRIWKRVH
ZKRFKRVHQRWWRRUGHU,XUJHGWKHPWR
WDVWHLWRQO\WRWKHQUHDOL]H,ZDVPHUHO\
JLYHQRQHIRUN,DVNHGWKHPZKDWWKH,WDO-­
LDQZRUGIRUµIRUN¶ZDVIXUWKHULQVLVWLQJ
WKDWWKH\PXVWWU\WKHGHVVHUW³)RUFKHWWD´
WKH\UHVSRQGHG,KHVLWDQWO\DSSURDFKHG
WKHZDLWUHVV³)RUFKHWWD"´,VDLGTXHVWLRQ-­
LQJO\XQVXUHWRZKHWKHUVKHHYHQVOLJKWO\
XQGHUVWRRG6KHJULQQHGDQGQRGGHGWKHQ
WRP\VXUSULVHSUHVHQWHGPHWKHFRUUHFW
XWHQVLO
/HDUQLQJDQGXVLQJWKHZRUGZDVGH¿-­
QLWHO\HIIRUWOHVVDVRSSRVHGWRFDUU\LQJP\
IRUNWRKHURUPDNLQJDTXLFNDWWHPSWDW
PDVWHULQJWKHXVHRIKDQGJHVWXUHV2S-­
SRUWXQLWLHVRWKHUWKDQUHDGLQJPHQXVWR
OHDUQ,WDOLDQDUHSUHYDOHQWIRUWKRVHLQWHU-­
HVWHG$WWKHJURFHU\VWRUHIUXLWVDQGYHJ-­
The Italian Basics
Italian
Buon Giorno
Ciao
Buona Sera
Come Stai?
Scusi
Sono Di...
Parla Italiano?
Grazie
English
Hello/ Good Morning
Hi/Hello/Bye
Good Evening
How are you?
Excuse me
I am from..
Do you speak Italian?
Thanks
Courtesy ELIO LETURIA
Not knowing a language can be frustrating and can lead to receiving something
you did not order.
HWDEOHVFDQEHZHLJKHGDQGSULFHGZLWKWKH
SUHVVRIDEXWWRQ7KDWEXWWRQDOVRKDS-­
SHQVWRKDYHDSLFWXUHRIWKHLWHP«DQGWKH
,WDOLDQZRUGIRULW1RWLQJWKHODEHOVDW-­
WDFKHGWRHDFKIUXLWDQGYHJHWDEOHFDQDOVR
KHOS(YHQDFRXSRQFDQWHDFKRQHDIHZ
ZRUGVVXFKDVµEX\RQHJHWRQHIUHH¶REYL-­
RXVO\µIUHH¶LVµJUDWLV¶GXHWRWKHXVHRIUHG
DQGODUJHUW\SHVL]Hµ&LDR¶µEXRQJLRUQR¶
µJUD]LH¶DQGµEXRQDVHUD¶DUHDOPRVWLPPH-­
GLDWHO\UHPHPEHUHGWKDQNVWRVKRSNHHS-­
HUVDQGWKHLUGHVSHUDWHDWWHPSWWRGUDZ
\RXLQVLGH
³/HDUQLQJDWOHDVWDIHZEDVLFSKUDVHV
LQDWWHPSWWRFRQYHUVHLQWKHLUODQJXDJH
VKRZVUHVSHFWDQGHIIRUW´*XDULQRVDLG
³,WDOLDQVDUHWROHUDQWRIWRXULVWVWKH\UHF-­
RJQL]H\RXDUHVWLOOOHDUQLQJ,I\RXGRSODQ
WROLYHKHUHKRZHYHUWKH\H[SHFW\RXWR
NQRZ,WDOLDQ´
,WLVLQGLVSXWDEO\HDVLHUWROHDUQDQGXVH
WKHODQJXDJHZKHQYLVLWLQJ<RXFDQDOVR
QHYHUFRPSODLQDERXWNQRZLQJWRRPDQ\
ODQJXDJHV
6RSHUKDSV\RXVKRXOGOHDUQDOLWWOH,WDO-­
LDQWKRXJK\RXPD\EHDEOHWRJHWE\
WKHQ\RXPD\UHFHLYHWKHDFWXDOPHDO\RX
RUGHUHGHQGXSDWWKHULJKWSLD]]DRUPX-­
VHXPFRPSUHKHQGWKHSOHDVDQWROGPDQ
NHHQRQVKDULQJKLV\HDUVRINQRZOHGJH
SURSHUO\FRQYHUVHZLWKWKDWFXWH,WDO-­
LDQER\RUJLUOUDWKHUWKDQJD]HRUPRUH
LPSRUWDQWO\¿QGDPHHWLQJSRLQWRUWKH
EDWKURRPLQWLPH
)UDQFHVFD&DYLQLDMRXUQDOLVWDW/D1D-­
]LRQHQHZVSDSHUH[SODLQHGWKDWGHVSLWH
DQ\QHJDWLYHSHUFHSWLRQRIWRXULVWVDPRQJ
,WDOLDQVWKHODUJHQXPEHURIYLVLWRUVWR
)ORUHQFHLVJUHDWO\EHQH¿FLDOWRLWVHFRQ-­
RP\DQGJOREDODZDUHQHVV³,WLVEHDXWL-­
IXOWRVHHDOOWKHVHSHRSOHLQ)ORUHQFH:H
DUHH[SRVHGWRDOOWKHLUGLIIHUHQWFXOWXUHV´
VKHVDLG
—Design by Joanna Wesoly
student wanderer
5
BEATING THE FLORENTINE
HEAT
COURTESY OF BIMG IMAGES
Escaping the heat by spending the day at Piscina Le Pavoniere
PHOTO ILLUSTRATRION BY TRACY PAWLIKOWSKI
;
6 2 student wanderer
THERE ARE SOUNDS OF KIDS
laughing and playing, water
splashing, people talking, birds
chirping. The sun is beating
down from all sides. Hot beads
of sweat roll down the back of
legs. It is a hot July day, the hottest day of summer, and we’re
at Piscina Le Pavoniere, a public
swimming pool located in Florence’s Cascine Park.
It’s so hot
Escaping the summer heat is
almost impossible in Florence. Air conditioners are hard to come
by, and fans do not seem to whirl
around fast enough to provide
the relief you need after hiking
up flights of stairs and across
countless cobblestone pathways. BY ANNYE DEGRAND AND KRYSTA HAMANN
The throngs of people who have
gathered at the pool today have
found the perfect activity for an
afternoon under the Tuscan sun.
Felicia Dannemann, an American studying in Florence for two
months, comes to the public pool
in search of relief from the heat. La Pavoniere is located in the
heart of Cascine Park, Florence’s
largest public park. On an average day, locals can be spotted
jogging around the footpaths,
playing soccer in the fields,
dancing the night away at the
disco, or bargain hunting at the
weekly market. In the center of
all of this hustle and bustle, is
one of many public pools in the
city, yet the one said to have the
most character and charm.
those walls, enterafter year. “A lot
Piscina
ing the pool area is
of Florentines come
La Pavoniere
almost like entering
here and a lot of
Viale della Catena
a secret garden. As
American tourists
055 3215644
soon as you walk
come here, too,”
Hours
onto the deck, you
Barpani said.
10:00 am-2:00 am
are greeted with the
One
American
Cost
sounds of summer—
tourist, who has
7 Euros for the day,
teenaged boys palbeen visiting Italy
or 60 Euros for 10
ing around, young
for two weeks, has
visits
children splashing in
already been to the
the water while their
pool twice in his
parents lounge on the
short stay. Matt Gorsides of the pool soaking up the man, a student from Boston,
sun’s rays. said he keeps returning because
The concrete yard is sur- La Pavoniere is better than any
rounded with ornate gazebos of the pools he’s been to back
in the back corners of the pool. home. “People aren’t acting craTrees line three sides of the zy and splashing everyone; it’s
pool, protecting the sunbathers just nicer,” he said.
from outside eyes. According
to Gabriele Barpani, who has The perfect getaway
Entering the pool
worked at the pool four years,
La Pavionere is the perfect
Walking up to the entrance the surrounding park adds to getaway from the hustle and
building of La Pavoniere, the the ambiance of the pool.
bustle of Florence’s summer
outside facade is deceiving to
The pool has been open for days. The pool even features
new visitors. Although it looks more than 10 summers, and a snack bar with a full service
as if nothing special is behind visitors keep coming back year coffee bar, pastries, panini and
more. Bring the kids, or some
friends and kick back next to the
HOW TO GET HERE
pool for a day of fun in the sun. Take Bus 17A (2 Euro a ride) to Cascine Park. Walk through the
After all, spending the day pooltrees until you happen upon the large beige building that is considside never hurt anyone. ered the front door for the pool.
—Design by Tracy Pawlikowski
student wanderer
3
7
GLUTEN WH AT?
Oh water,
where art thou?
RJ ROXAS
BY CAREN SARGENT
T
For anyone
with Celiac
Disease,
pasta is a
big no-no.
BY CAREN SARGENT
Finding alternative foods in the land where pasta and pizza prevail
8 student wanderer
6
f all the countries I
could have chosen
to visit this summer,
I had to choose the
most carbohydrate
infatuated country of all — Italy. With Italy’s abundance of pastas and breads, being a victim of
a food allergy has made the trip
a bit rough, since I am gluten intolerant. It’s not too bad. At restaurants, I pass the bread to those
next to me. When my friends order beer, I order wine. When I go grocery shopping,
my purchases usually consist of
an abundance of fruits, vegetables and assorted nuts. My favorite thing to snack on here is
almonds and apples with peanut
butter. My favorite homemade
meal is chopped vegetables, basil, tuna, mozzarella and olive oil.
Toss in a little pesto and I’m set. RJ ROXAS
GLUTEN
INTOLERANCE:
WHAT IS IT?
Known as “Celiac Disease”,
Gluten Intolerance is passed
on genetically and results in
a person lacking an enzyme
to properly digest gluten. If
someone with Celiac Disease
tries to eat foods like bread
or pasta, his or her immune
system will respond by damaging the small intestine.
Gluten is not just found
in food, but some medicines, vitamins, and even
the glue on stamps and
envelopes.
Treatment for Celiac Disease is to have a Gluten-free
diet.
Source NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND
KIDNEY DISEASES
“The only problem
with eating no
real carbohydrates
while being in Italy
is that my energy
levels fluctuate
more than ever.” The only problem with eating no real carbohydrates while
being in Italy is that my energy
levels fluctuate more than ever,
most likely because of the heat
as well. Nonetheless, I have been
able to feel satisfied with food in
Italy, and not indulge in the fantastic smelling pizzas, drool-worthy pasta sauces and hunger-inducing freshly baked bread. Desserts on the other hand
have been a little more difficult.
I have slightly forgotten what
bread and pasta actually tastes
like, but I crave sugar. When my friends order tiramisú, soufflé and chocolate
cake, my mouth waters, and I sit
back and chug my water. Gelato
has proven to be my tasty treat
on those warm summer nights
when I am hot, bothered, and
my blood sugar begs for something sweet. There is only one restaurant
here I have discovered that advertises gluten-free food. The only problem is the menu
prices add an additional three
Euros to the meal to make it gluten free. I have avoided spending a lot of money on food, so
possibly during my last week in
Italy, I will treat myself to an expensive, gluten-free pizza.
—Design by RJ Roxas he heat increases day to day over the summer in Florence. Every day my fellow students and I sweat off more calories than we eat. We walk everywhere, we climb staircases, and we dance in the evenings at clubs. Some of us, including my roommate Carmel and I, go running. Most days it’s in the mornings before class. Other times it’s in the evenings, when that cool breeze passes through (hopefully). One week, Carmel and I decided to run after class, around three o’clock in the afternoon. This has proven to be problematic; we can only run about 30 minutes, and then we feel a little queasy. Our bodies start to tingle, and our limbs begin to overheat. The feeling of cotton balls being shoved in our mouths seeps in, and we are literally dying for water. Now, seeing how we do not carry anything with us when we run besides our keys tied to our shoelaces, we have no way of getting water until we reach a bathroom sink at a nearby restaurant, or until we arrive back at our apartment. One week, the temperature was in the upper 90’s (F) and desperate measures were taken. One day, I felt as though I was going to fall over on the street, so I went up to a waiter standing outside a restaurant. “Do you have any water in a cup?” I asked.
He showed me a water bottle, and said one Euro. I looked at him, batted my eyes, and pointed to the fact that I didn’t have any money. He then handed me the bottle and gave it to me for free. AVERAGE SUMMER TEMPERATURES
Venice
Milan
72º F
73º F
Florence
75º F
Rome
Even though 75
degrees Farenheit
doesn’t seem to
be much, italy’s
temperatures
vary during the
day. Florence
is among the
hottest cities,
which is also
humid.
75º F
SARDINIA
79º F
N
Source HOLIDAY-WEATHER.COM
WORLD ATLAS
Palermo
SICILY
RJ ROXAS
“Oh my gosh, really?” I asked.
“Yes, yes. For you, no problem,” he said.
7KDWZDVWKH¿UVWGD\,UHFHLYHGDIUHHERWWOH
of water after a strenuous run. Carmel was impressed and I was more relieved. The days following, after running in the heat, Carmel dared me to try and get water again. And I did. Now, it is fun to see how many times I can get free water. I am quite convincing as an ‘actress’. I played the part because if I didn’t get water, I would keel over. —Design by RJ Roxas student wanderer
9
THE ROOTS OF
PINOCCHIO
He doesn’t just live in the Land of Magic
BY EMILY VARNER
Recreation
of the
original
Pinocchio
created
by Carlos
Collodi in
1883.
2 student
10 studentwanderer
wanderer
ILLUSTRATION BY ANA-ALICIA CUEVAS
I QHYHUNQHZ3LQRFFKLRZDV,WDOLDQ
I mean, I guess I never really even thought about it. But if you ever get the chance to visit Italy, they will never let you forget it. The minute you arrive, it is absolutely impossible to escape the thousands of wooden puppets for sale. +HFRPHVLQHYHU\YDULHW\RIVL]H
shape color and form—including, but not limited to yo-­yos, pencil toppers, bottle-­
openers, magnets, rulers, jars, cups, ERWWOHVWRSSHUVRUQDPHQWVNH\FKDLQV
FKDONERDUGVSHSSHUPLOOVDQGRIFRXUVH
SXSSHWV+HLVDQ\ZKHUHDQGHYHU\ZKHUH
donning the Italian colors—hanging from every corner, in every store window. I RQO\ZDQWHGWRNQRZ³:KDW¶VWKHGHDO
ZLWKWKLVJX\"´+HVHHPHGWRKDYHVR
much charm, but why is all of Florence obsessed with a liar?
Well, people were more than willing to WDONDERXWWKHLUUHJLRQDOPDVFRW0DVVLPR
Lombardi, a vendor in Florence who sells DODUJHDQWLTXHORRNLQJPDULRQHWWHVW\OH
version of the character, explained that Pinocchio hails from Collodi (a town sharing the same last name as the original author of the Pinocchio tale), which is only a few hours away from central )ORUHQFHE\WUDLQ+HWROGPHWKDW,WDOLDQV
have a sense of pride for creating such DORYHDEOHFKDUDFWHUDQG³DZRQGHUIXO
WUDGLWLRQIRUFKLOGUHQ´+HVDLG3LQRFFKLR
is one of his most regular, consistent sellers—however since some other vendors have gotten the yo-­yos those have been the most popular, especially with NLGV0DVVLPRLQWHQGVWRJHWVRPHRIWKH
\R\RVIRUKLVRZQVWDQG³7KH\¶UHDJUHDW
VRXYHQLU´KHVDLG
For some people it’s a
sense of “campanismo,”
or town pride, for others
it’s a souvenir or a sale,
for some it’s about
Italian charm
$QRWKHUUHVRXUFH,IRXQGLQWKHTXHVW
for Pinocchio’s secret charm was a PHUFKDQWZRUNLQJDWWKHORFDOWR\VWRUH
Dreoni Giocattoli—this store even has Pinocchio featured on their bags. Giulia &RVWDZKRKDVEHHQZRUNLQJWKHUHIRU
almost two years now, told me Pinocchio is a great seller. Dreoni has a giant collection of Pinocchios featured in its IURQWZLQGRZ7KHODUJHVW¿JXUHVWDQGV
about four feet tall.
³3HRSOHDOZD\VDVNKRZPXFKWKHELJ
RQHLV´VKHWROGPH%XWVRPHRQHKDV\HW
WREX\LW³%XW,WKLQNQRRQHZDQWVWRVKLS
LWKRPH´VKHVSHFXODWHG
So far I have lots of information about how well he sells, and a little bit about his RULJLQ,¶YHUHDGWKHERRNZKLFKLVVROG
1940’s
original
Pinocchio
Walt
Disney’s
version.
HOW DID PINOCCHIO MAKE IT
FROM ITALY TO WALT DISNEY
WORLD?
It all began as a series of tales written
by Carlos Collodi to express the poverty
and the way of life in Tuscan Italy in the
early 1880’s.
It was in 1884 that Collodi’s editors
asked him to make it more appealing
to children. Here is where the fairy was
introduced.
In 1892 Collodi’s story was translated
to the English language. However, it
wasn’t until 1911 that the English version
really came to light.
In 1939 Walt Disney got hold of the
story and tweaked it to make it become
a fairy tale.
On Feb 7, 1940, it was officially
released as a Walt Disney production.
Fun Fact: Pinocchio was the second
fairy tale movie to be released. It came
after the production of Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs.
everywhere) and seen the movie (many versions including the Disney classic are available here in both English and Italian), but someone has yet to clue me in about why he is so popular. I mean, why is he at the same level of stardom as pesto and olive oil? Finally, I decided to head for the source IRUVRPHFODUL¿FDWLRQ,KDGWRDVNDNLG
I encountered one 9-­year-­old Italian girl named Carola, near the Ponte 9HFFKLR6KHKDSSHQHGWRVSHDNDOLWWOH
(QJOLVKDQG,KDSSHQWRVSHDNDOLWWOH
\HDUROG6RZHJRWDORQJMXVW¿QHZKHQ
,DVNHGKHU³'R\RXOLNH3LQRFFKLR"´+HU
PRWKHUZDVFORVHE\DQGVWDUWHGWRZDON
over when she noticed her daughter being DGGUHVVHGE\D³IRUZDUG$PHULFDQ´
When I explained that I was simply curious about the origins and story of Pinocchio, they both seemed more than ZLOOLQJWRFKDW³+HLVIURP&ROORGL´
&DUROD¶VPRWKHUH[SODLQHG³$QG,KDYH
RQH,SXWKLPRQP\&KULVWPDVWUHH´
&DURODZDVTXLFNWRRIIHUKHULQSXW,
DVNHGKHULIVKHKDGD3LQRFFKLRERRNDQG
VKHUHSOLHGZLWKDVPLOH³<HV,KDYHRQH
with both English and Italian words. My DXQWJDYHLWWRPH´
:KHQ,DVNHGKHUZKDWKHUIDYRULWH
SDUWRIWKHVWRU\ZDV&DURODGLGQ¶WVNLSD
EHDW³,OLNHWKHIDLU\WKHEHVW´
I suppose, ultimately, that Pinocchio has something to offer everyone. For VRPHSHRSOHLW¶VDVHQVHRI³FDPSDQLVPR´
or town pride, for some it’s about Italian FKDUPDQGWUDGLWLRQDQGRWKHUVMXVWOLNH
the fairy.
—Design by Candelaria Rosales
student
studentwanderer
wanderer
11
3
LEFT Dancers on stilts
6PDUUZKRHDUQHGKHUGRFWRUDWHLQFRP-­
³,SHUIRUPZLWKRWKHUSHRSOHZKHQ,¶P
SDUDWLYHOLWHUDWXUHDW3ULQFHWRQ8QLYHUVLW\
QRWDWMercantiaDQGZHXVHDXGLHQFH
WDXJKWIRU\HDUVDWWKH8QLYHUVLW\RI
PHPEHUVLQRXUDFWV´KHH[SODLQVLQDQ
,OOLQRLV&KLFDJREHIRUHPRYLQJWR8&6',Q
LQWHUYLHZEHWZHHQSHUIRUPDQFHV+HLV
6DQ'LHJRVKHWHDFKHVVHPLQDUVRQ³,WDOLDQ
VFKHGXOHGWRSHUIRUPHYHU\QLJKWRIWKH
FRPHG\PDGQHVVLQ5HQDLVVDQFHFXOWXUH
IHVWLYDO:HGQHVGD\WKURXJK6XQGD\
DQGGUDPDDQGZRPHQLQ(XURSHDQWKHDWHU
,QWKHDXGLHQFH9DOHQWLQD0DWWROLQLRI
EHIRUH´6KHKDVDOVRZULWWHQDERXW
0RQWRSROLGL9DOG¶$UQR3LVDZDWFKHVWKH
WKHWKFHQWXU\ZULWHU
VKRZZLWKIULHQGV6KH
CERTALDO, BY CAR OR TRAIN
%RFFDFFLRDQDWLYHRI
DWWHQGVWKHGD\IHVWL-­
&HUWDOGRDQGWKHWRZQ¶V Renting a 5- person manual transmission
YDOHYHU\\HDU
car for one day is 50 Euro. GPS, automatic
PDLQFODLPWRIDPH
³7KLV\HDULVEHWWHU
transmission, and insurance cost extra. You
EHIRUHWKHMercantia WKDQDOOWKHRWKHUV
can take a train to Certaldo from Florence
IHVWLYDOEHJDQLQ
WKHUHDUHOHVVSHUIRUP-­
for under 10 Euro, but there are no trains
0RGHUQGD\IHVWL-­
HUVWKHTXDOLW\LVEHW-­
back to Florence until 7 a.m.
YDOVLQFOXGLQJWKHRQH
WHUPRUHVHOHFWLYH´
AUSTRIA
SWITZERLAND
LQ&HUWDOGRKDYHVHY-­
VKHVD\V³7KLV\HDU
HUNGARY
SLOVENIA
HUDOSXUSRVHV6PDUU
LVPRUHEHDXWLIXODQG
CROATIA
Venice
VDLG³RQHLVDVDOZD\V
VSHFWDFXODU´
Milan
FRPPHUFLDO²WRGUDZ
&DVWRWDNHVDJUHHQ
BOSNIA &
HERZEGOVINA
Florence
DFURZGWR&HUWDOGR
JODVVERWWOHDQGFDUH-­
Certaldo
Ligurian RQHLVSROLWLFDO²FRQ-­
IXOO\VKDWWHUVLWZLWKD
Sea
Ad
Florence to Certaldo:
ria
QHFWHGZLWKWKH&RP-­
GDJJHUPDNLQJVXUHWR
50
km.
aprox
t
CORSICA
ic Se
a
PXQLVW3DUW\DQG/DERU
NHHSDOOWKHIUDJPHQWV
Rome
VWUHHWPDQLIHVWDWLRQVD
RQKLVUXJ+HDGGV
Tyrrhenian Sea
SARDINIA
µSHRSOH¶V¶WKHDWUHZLWK
PRUHVKDUGVRIJUHHQ
FKHDSHQWHUWDLQPHQW
JODVVWRWKHSLOHVWDQGV
DQGVRPHSROLWLFDOPHV-­
XSFORVHVKLVH\HVDQG
VDJHVDQGRQHLVDUWLV-­
VWHSVRQWRWKHVKDUGV
Ionian Sea
Palermo
WLF²JHWWLQJSHUIRUP-­
ZLWKEDUHIHHW&DVWR
Mediterranean N
SICILY
Sea
LQJJURXSVWRJHWKHUWR
SXOOVD\HDUROG*HU-­
Source WORLD ATLAS
JOE POCS
VHHZKDWHDFKRWKHULV
PDQ\RXWKQDPHG)D-­
GRLQJ´
ELDQIURPWKHDXGLHQFH
6XUURXQGHGE\DFURZGDWODVW-XO\¶V
WRVWDQGRQKLVFKHVWZKLOHKHLVEHWZHHQ
IHVWLYDO/XFD$QGUHD&DVWRRI6LFLO\LV
WKHVKDWWHUHGJODVVDQGDEHGRIVKDUSSLQV
LQDODUJHRSHQVSDFHRQDQRULHQWDOUXJ
&DVWROLHVGRZQZLWKKLVEDFNRQWRSRIWKH
GUHVVHGLQDUHGWXUEDQDQGDJROGEHMHZ-­
JODVVDQGSXWVWKHEHGRISLQVWRZDUGVKLV
HOHGYHVWRYHUKLVEDUHFKHVW+HPHGLWDWHV
FKHVWZLWKWKHÀDWERDUGIDFLQJWKHVN\
RQKLVNQHHVEHIRUHKHZDYHVVWLFNVRI¿UH
+HH[SODLQVZKDWKHZDQWV)DELDQWRGR
LQJUDQGJHVWXUHVXQWLOH[WLQJXLVKLQJWKHP
6RRQDIWHUWKHER\LVVWDQGLQJRQWKHERDUG
LQKLVPRXWK
FRQQHFWHGWRWKHVKDUSSLQVSRLQWLQJLQWR
&DVWR¶VFKHVW
³,GLGQ¶WNQRZLI,ZRXOGKXUWKLPEXW,
OLNHKLVVKRZ´)DELDQVD\V)DELDQ¶VIDPLO\
FDPHWRMercantiaWKHSUHYLRXV\HDUDQG
HQMR\HGWKHIHVWLYDOVRPXFKWKH\FDPH
DJDLQ
7KHIHVWLYDOLVIDPLO\IULHQGO\XQWLO
SPZLWKPDQ\FKLOGUHQ¶VVKRZVVXFKDV
PDJLFDFWVDQGSXSSHWVKRZV.LGVRIDOO
DJHVFRPHWRMercantiaLQVFKRROJURXSVRU
ZLWKWKHLUIDPLOLHV
7KHIHVWLYDOEHJLQVDWSPDQGODVWV
XQWLODPZLWKGLIIHUHQWSHUIRUPDQFHV
RQWKHVWDJHVLQWKHVWUHHWVDQGRQWRSRI
EXLOGLQJVWKHHQWLUHQLJKW2QWKHSURJUDP
WKHUHLVDOLVWRIYHQXHVIRUWKHVWUHHW
DUWLVWVEXWWKHUHDUHDOVRRQHPDQVKRZV
WKDWZDQGHUWKURXJKRXWWKHWRZQDOOQLJKW
PDNLQJWKHYLHZLQJSRVVLELOLWLHVHQGOHVV
$WKUHHSHUVRQEDQGFDOOLQJWKHPVHOYHV
FROOHFWLYHO\³0U3DOPLJLDQRHL*LJROR´
Mercantia’s diverse performances and
ZHDU]RRWVXLWV7KHVLQJHUFURRQVLQWRDQ
international cast add to the unique
ROGIDVKLRQHGPLFURSKRQHRQ9LD%RFFDF-­
experience of the festival.
FLRWKHPDLQURDGRIWKHPHGLHYDOWRZQ$
ÀDSSHUDGGVWRWKH¶VDWPRVSKHUHDV
KHUIULQJHERXQFHVZKLOHVKHGDQFHVWRWKH
SLDQLVW¶VMD]]VROR7KHFURZGLVGDQFLQJ
DQGVLQJLQJDORQJLQ,WDOLDQ
/RKHQJULQ'L3RQLRWKHJXLWDULVWVD\V
WKHEDQGZDVERUQODVWZLQWHUEXWWKDWKH
KDVSOD\HGDWMercantiaIRUWKHSDVWWKUHH
\HDUV
³<RXKDYHWREHLQYLWHGWRSHUIRUPEXW
\RXFDQVHQGDSURSRVDOWRWKHRUJDQL]HUV
DQGWKH\HYHQWXDOO\FDOOWKHSURSRVDOVWKH\
DUHLQWHUHVWHGLQ´KHVD\V
7KHEDQGGLGDVPDOOVXPPHUWRXURI
SERBIA
FRANCE
perform in the street
as part of the ongoing
festivities throughout
the town. BELOW Luca
Andrea Casto of Sicily
breathes fire while
the crowd watches in
a small square.
(FRANCE)
4HNPJHS
MLZ[P]HS
KYH^Z]PZP[VYZ[V*LY[HSKV
E [SHFWWR¿QGKRUGHVRISLOJULPV
PDNLQJWKHLUZD\XSWKHVWHHSKLOO
WRZDUGWKHVRXQGRIGUXPEHDWVLQ
WKLVPHGLHYDOYLOODJHZKHUHWKHDQQXDO
MercantiaIHVWLYDOWDNHVSODFHHDFK-XO\
&LUFXVSHUIRUPHUVGDQJOHIURPURSHV\RXQJ
ZRPHQFRQWRUWLQWRNQRWVMXJJOHUVWZLUO¿UH
FRVWXPHGGDQFHUVEDODQFHRQVWLOWVDQGD
ERLVWHURXV%DONDQEDQGEHOWVWXQHVLQDSUR-­
FHVVLRQWRZDUGWKHFDVWOHRQWKHKLOO
7KHLUWLWOHLQ,WDOLDQLVArtisti di Strada
3URIHVVLRQDODUWLVWVRIWKHURDGIURPDURXQG
WKHZRUOGFRPHWRSHUIRUPRQWKHVWDJHRIWKH
VWUHHWDWMercantiaHDFK\HDUGUDZLQJSHRSOH
RIDOODJHVDQGQDWLRQDOLWLHV6WUHHWSHUIRUP-­
HUVDUHDQLQWHJUDOSDUWRI,WDOLDQFXOWXUHZLWK
URRWVGDWLQJEDFNWRWKHDQFLHQW5RPDQV
12 student wanderer
0U[OLOPSS[VW]PSSHNLVM*LY[HSKVHUPU[LYUH[PVUHS
JHZ[VMKP]LYZLWLYMVYTLYZJVU]LYNL
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRISTEN CALLOWAY
'U-DQHW6PDUUKHDGRIWKHGRFWRUDO
SURJUDPRIWKH7KHDWUH'HSDUWPHQWDWWKH
8QLYHUVLW\RI&DOLIRUQLD6DQ'LHJRWUDFHG
WKHRULJLQVRI,WDOLDQVWUHHWSHUIRUPDQFH
³,WJRHVEDFNWRWKHDQFLHQW5RPDQV
ZKRSXWRQµ$WWHODQIDUFH¶²XVXDOO\WZR
VHUYDQWVVPDUWDQGGXPEMRNLQJDURXQG
DQGUHIHUULQJVDWLULFDOO\WRFXUUHQWSHRSOH
DQGHYHQWV´VKHH[SODLQHGLQDQHPDLO
LQWHUYLHZ³,QWKH&KULVWLDQHUDWKHUHZDV
DWUDGLWLRQRI\RXQJPHQIURPZHOOWRGR
IDPLOLHVSXWWLQJRQVWUHHWSHUIRUPDQFHVIRU
&DUQLYDO²EXWWKDWLVXSSHUFUXVWIDPLOLHV
HQWHUWDLQLQJWKHSXEOLF0RUHERWWRP
XSZHUHWKHSHUIRUPDQFHVRIVDOHVPHQ
saltimbanchi, ciarlatani VDOWLPEDQNV
FKDUODWDQVRIWHQWZRPHQRUWZRPHQDQG
DZRPDQSOD\LQJOLWWOHVNLWVVLQJLQJDQG
SOD\LQJDQLQVWUXPHQWGRLQJGDQFHVDQG
DFUREDWLFVDQ\WKLQJWRDWWUDFWDFURZGWR
ZKRPWKH\FRXOGVHOOWKHLUZDUHVRUWKHLU
PHGLFDOVHUYLFHV´
Luca Andrea Casto continues his
performance by coaxing a member of
the crowd to walk onto a bed of spikes.
DERXWFRQFHUWVLQ,WDO\LQEXW'L
3RQLRVD\V³:LWKVXPPHUSHUIRUPDQFHV
ZHMXVWFRYHUWKHFRVWVDQGDOLWWOHPRUH´
³'XULQJWKHZLQWHUZHSOD\LQOLWWOH
FOXEVSXEVDQGLQGRRUSODFHV:HDUHDOO
SURIHVVLRQDOPXVLFLDQVEXWLQ,WDO\LWLVQRW
HQRXJK,WHDFKPXVLFGXULQJWKHZLQWHU´
'L3RQLRH[SODLQV³,W¶VDKDUGOLIHKRZHYHU
,DPVDWLV¿HGEHFDXVHPXVLFLVDQDFWLYLW\
WKDW,ORYH´
7LFNHWVDUHDYDLODEOHLQDGYDQFHRQWKH
IHVWLYDO¶VZHEVLWHRUPD\EHERXJKWDWWKH
HQWUDQFH$OOVLQJOHGD\WLFNHWVDUHXQGHU
(XUR7KHUHDUHWUDLQVWR&HUWDOGRXQWLO
SPDQGLWLVSRVVLEOHWRGULYHWR&HUWDOGR
DERXWDQKRXUIURP)ORUHQFH7KHUHDUH¿YH
SDUNLQJORWVIRUWKHIHVWLYDOZLWKVKXWWOHVWR
WDNH\RXIURPWKHSDUNLQJORWWRMercantia
—Design by Joe Pocs
student wanderer
13
EAT.
PRAY.
COOK.
Pier Luigi Campi, executive
chef at Ganzo, describes the atmosphere of the restaurant as
a gym for students. He explains
that only advanced and master
chefs can work at Ganzo and it
is important to get that “real
world” experience outside of the
One of Apicius
specialties: Ricotta
stuffed ravioli
with brown butter
and sage.
“Italians think of
food as a way of
life rather than a
necessity.”
-­PAUL SALMERI, Ganzo Cultural and Gastronomic Association
In Florence, students at Apicius culinary school learn the art of turning simple ingredients into the dynamic dishes Italy is known for.
S T O RY AND P H O T O S BY PA M E L A B I R C H A R D
5
o country
prides itself
on its food
more than
Italy. People
come from
all over the
world to learn the secrets of
traditional Italian cooking. Cooking courses for every level, from
beginner to master chef, offer
hands-on experience and insight
into the culture of traditional
dishes.
This international interest in
tastes, smells and landscapes is
blooming. Eat, Pray, Love, the film
version of Elisabeth Gilbert’s memoir, premiered summer 2010 and
the demand is expected to grow.
At Apicius, the only international hospitality school that
14 student wanderer
focuses solely on Italian cuisine,
beginners delve into their passion
and dedicated students transform
this passion into a career. Study
abroad and internship programs
encourage students to learn the
true meaning of Italy’s important
culinary culture.
According to the International
Institute of Education, U.S. students studying abroad have
increased 150 percent in the last
decade.
Out of 241,000 in the last academic year, 13.2 percent studied
fine arts. In 2007, 27,831 students
studied in Italy. The demand for
a dive into Italian culture doesn’t
stop there.
In August 2008, Paul Salmeri,
27, packed his bags and left Australia to immerse himself into
the culture at Apicius in Florence.
After serving in the military and
working in the mining industry,
he needed something new, something he really loved. It always
came back to Italy and food.
He learned how much of their
lives revolve around when and
what they will eat.
“When cooking, you’re always
thinking about the next meal,”
he said, about why he loves this
country and decided to become
a dual citizen. After two years in
Sicily and then Tuscany, he decided to stay.
Salmeri began working at
Ganzo Cultural and Gastronomic
Association, an affiliate of Apicius, in January 2010, four months
before he received his advanced
certificate. Its stated mission explains that Ganzo prides itself on
the Florentine ideology of art,
culture, food, and wine. They
want to share their ideas and
lifestyle with international visi-
Gnocchi with marinara and
mozarella.
tors who want to understand the
city’s significance beneath the
tourism surface.
Salmeri contributes to the
menu, which changes every two
weeks and includes four or five
dishes for each course. Offerings
include homemade pasta with
eggplant carbonara, tuna carpaccio, and panna cotta.
Students at Apicius
get hands-on
experience in a fast
paced environment.
classroom. With an
“different than the
To learn more
open kitchen and a
stereotype in the U.S.
small working space,
with Alfredo sauce,
about Apicius
students showcase
Culinary School visit: and spaghetti and
their skills and speed
meatballs, which
www.apicius.it
to the trendy and
do not exist here,”
or call
modern public.
Trapini stated.
39.055.265.81.35
Salmeri developed
In order to adspeed, organization
vance, students must
and design. “It’s not
pass a “final tasting to
just about what you can cook,
analyze the dish, the display, the
but learning how to utilize your
temperature, the smell, the techsenses,” Salmeri said. This experinical characteristics of the dish,”
ence would not be possible if it
Trapini said.
weren’t for the beginning and
Out of the 20 regions in Italy,
intermediate classroom lessons
each one has its own characterthat allow for practice with meats istics. Up until the last 40 years,
and pastas.
each region used what was avail“Here you have to go, go, go,”
able to them, dependent upon
Campi said. “If you re good, you
climate and landscape.
Since then, a revolution and
globalization of regional cuisine
has helped expand pasta to the
north and pizza to the south.
Students learn the origins and
outside influences of these dishes.
The key is in the communication
and technology revolutions, as
well as better transportation, so
Italians can learn and access other
regional cuisines.
According to Trapini, 90 percent
of students who receive the master certificate will work in the field
afterwards. “I think it’s important
to know who believes in this job,
studies and is prepared, [they] will
The school teaches students
always work,” Trapini said.
the use of basic ingredients
Graduates of the program
like olive oil and balsamic
work at top restaurants includvinegar.
ing French Laundry in California.
These placements help increase
can stay on the line.” The kitchen knowledge of Italy’s authentic
must be prepared at noon everycuisine internationally. Apicius
day for lunch, followed by aperialso offers programs in Wine
tivo, a snack, and dinner services.
Studies and Hospitality ManageStudents at Apicius can master
ment.
up to five levels of Italian cuisine,
An insight into the simple, yet
ranging from one three-hour
dynamic, regional and cultural
class, a semester or a four-year
taste of Italy, Trapini said, gives
program. An entry test is required international students “an idea of
to place students at the appropriwhat is needed to be a successful
ate levels, all specializing in prodchef in our time.” Whether the
ucts, creativity and direction.
goal is a skillful expertise or an
The school builds its classes on
introduction into the food and its
the basic Italian ingredients of
origins, Italy provides the setting
olive oil, balsamic vinegar and
and traditions any cooking conparmigiano, said Andrea Trapini,
noisseur could need.
executive chef at the school.
“I want to learn as much about
They start by teaching classes
the business and cuisine as possiof no more than 18 students
ble,” Salmeri said. “Italians think
flavor combinations, methods
of food as a way of life rather
of cooking, the seasonality, the
than a necessity.”
gastronomy, and the tradition,
—Design by Maggie Lasley
student wanderer
15
0
BY HAZAR ALKHAWAJA
t was exceedingly warm and
dozens of birds squawked
irritatingly overhead. Yellow,
maroon, green, orange and
terracotta-colored tapestries
hung from windows. People
occupied seats, high balconies,
and roofs, as those less fortunate
(like us) were on the cobblestones
of the bowl-shaped Piazza del Campo.
I was listening to some 90s music,
oblivious to my live surroundings, restlessly
hoping the race would begin. Only when I
became aware of the legs awfully close to
me did I decide it was perhaps a great idea
to temporarily disregard the music and take
a glimpse at what might be happening.
A wise decision it was, since I realized the
immediate urgency to stand.
The previously empty space was swarming
with people. I did not understand where
they had come from. Before I knew it, I was
unable to even move my arms. One could
not stretch, or shift positions. I no longer
could see my own feet. People were too
close to allow for personal comfort. So
close, I can tell you the woman in front of
me wore a white tank top revealing a small
“I must admit, I enjoyed
the sudden rush of
excitement and the sight
of hundreds of people
congregating to witness
the town’s tradition.”
mole on her left shoulder, a tank top with
a twelve-point type label for “International
Kingston Style.”
Or I could tell you the number of grays
the curly-haired man had to my right. I could
note every wrinkle, every split-end, every
stray hair, or even every particle of dust on a
person’s clothing.
One may think they are swaying and then
understand they are doing so unwillingly
— simply a result of the crowd of people
moving. Another lady next to me was so
loud…so close…I was fooled to think her
words were my own thoughts, though quite
strangely, in Italian. I even thought her
sweat was my own, as she frantically seized
my shoulders to get a better view of the
riders. I had never been so uncomfortable.
I wished it would rain. I was informed
that the event would be cancelled if that
were to happen. We thus would have
departed while partially pleased with the
experience. I thought of a cold shower, airconditioning, and clean feet.
The clock tower. That is where I wanted
to be. Far from the crowd. Far from being
The flags represent ten of the 17 Contrade, or city wards of Siena.
poked, stroked, breathed on and stepped
on. Better yet, at Starbucks on a comfortable
sofa chatting away about worthless things.
At least I had delicious tomato pesto gnocchi
for lunch, I had thought. I began to wonder
why a bridge was not built to allow those
that were movement deprived, toilet
deprived and breathing deprived, to exit the
area. It would possibly lead one to a roof of
a building, where they can gratefully walk
down a considerable number of steps.
False alarms gave me false hope. Hope
that it started and was soon to be over.
It was even more frustrating considering
“The race itself barely
lasted a minute. A minute
of being pushed and
shoved after hours of
waiting.”
PHOTOS BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
we could not see the parade or the race
from where we stood. I realized how much
I loathed smoking as the three Italians
around me lit a cigarette simultaneously.
The race itself barely lasted a minute. A
minute of being pushed and shoved after
hours of waiting. A hundred camera flashes,
yells in incomprehensible Italian (except
“Bastardo!” which was easily understood),
Crowds gather in cramped space to watch Italy’s Il Palio di Siena, or the Palio Horse Race in Siena’s
Piazza del Campo.
:8<0:/,+
16 student wanderer
IL PALIO DI SIENA
The race takes place twice a year and
dates back to 1656. Jockeys ride bareback
around the Piazza del Campo, with the
race only lasting about 90 seconds.
The contrada (city ward) who wins
the race is presented with the “palio,” a
rectangular piece of silk hand painted by
an artist for the occasion.
and quick glimpses at the rider’s heads, then
it was over. Now how do we get out?
So, my fellow readers, you may ask if
it was worth it to attend Il Palio di Siena.
I intended to simply say that you merely
missed a stiff neck, the smell of smoke and
body sweat, irritated eyes, a cool breeze
that comes and goes, the invasion of
personal space and the eagerness to stretch
(Never have I been so eager to stretch). But
I must admit, I enjoyed the sudden rush of
excitement and the sight of hundreds of
people congregating to witness the town’s
tradition. It was great to have been in Siena
during such an important event, taking
place only biannually.
Of course if you would rather avoid the
engaging chaos, a number of pictures and
videos may suffice, or perhaps invest in some
seat tickets. The Palio di Siena definitely redefined the word ‘crowded’.
—Design by Cruz Resendiz A student’s experience at Il Palio
di Siena, The Palio Horse Race
A man is forced into the arena due to
the large crowds.
student wanderer
17
The surprisingly
difficult trek
to one of Italy’s
most famous
nude beaches.
painted scenes of nude figures on a beach
and assume this must be it. In the pitch-black
tunnel there is an intercom with the words
“Push here for lights,” so we push. And we
push. And nothing happens.
“Guvano Beach one kilometer this way”
says one sign and our group of four young
women begin to have second thoughts
about the black abyss before us. Tech-savvy
students, we pull out cell phones, no good.
Cameras, better but not enough. Finally,
someone suggests lighting a fallen stick and
with a little courage, we head towards the
unknown.
One of my companions wants to turn
back, but I offer to lead the way with the LCD
screen on the back of my camera. I drop the
now-useless stick and we stay to the left and
We heard a loud noise
coming towards us, like a
train or a truck, and I had
the sudden urge to bolt.
HIKING TO THE ELUSIVE
GUVANO BEACH
STORY AND PHOTOS
BY CHRISTEN CALLOWAY
‘
Manarola only has rocks, but it
is very popular for sunbathing,”
explains Ricardo Vernazzari, who
works at the green hostel, Ostello
Cinque Terre, perched on a hillside
in Manarola. “The only sandy beach is in
Monterosso.”
That simply won’t work and I am determined to find the magical cove I read about
in guidebooks. When I specifically asked Vernazzari about the hidden Guvano Beach, he
was more forthcoming: “Take the path toward Corniglia. You will need a ticket.”
We round the corner to
find a tunnel with painted
scenes of nude figures on
a beach and assume this
must be it.
Guvano Beach is the only “clothing optional” beach in Cinque Terre and when I found
photos of Guvano on Google, I was captivated by peacefulness of the jagged cliffs jutting
out of the turquoise Mediterranean.
Cinque Terre means “five lands.” The villages that make up the lands are, from south
to north, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia,
18 student wanderer
Vernazza and Monterosso and are all connected by two hiking paths: the red high
path and the blue coastal path. We opt for
the less-challenging coastal path.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cinque
Terre has been restored and preserved in
large part because of fees hikers pay to walk
the often steep and rugged pathways that
connect the five villages.
Although not entirely car-free, the villages
are remarkably clean and unspoiled. Visitors
can buy hiking passes for both the red high
path and blue coastal path at stores attached
to the railroad stations, and can take a train
back if winded by a one-way hike.
Hiking routes have huts with a paid employee to check passes, if you have none you
can buy them there.
With the sun glaring, we walk the flat
path toward Corniglia for 45 minutes, and
stumble upon hand-carved maps showing us
stairs and the tunnel to Guvano, plus areas
under construction.
We pound up the stairs past where the
path is closed and continue north to the foot
of the steps to Corniglia, a dead end. Confused as to where the path continues, we
find stairs leading to a small house and a gate
leading to beaches below.
A woman and her daughter appear with
a key to the gate and I yell “Mi Scusi!” be-
fore they disappear down the cliff. In broken
Italian I ask where Guvano Beach is and she
smiles and says “Oh! Guvano!” and gestures
to go around the corner of the house and
I interpret her next movements as button
pushing, and she says “Light? Bzzz Bzzz.”
We round the corner to find a tunnel with
AN OMINOUS ENTRANCE
The entrance to the Guvano beach is dark
and slightly foreboding for tourists who
don’t know to bring flashlights.
walk slowly on the sidewalk of the cavernous
tunnel.
Every step, incline, and slippery spot we
shout “STEP!” to warn the girl behind us so
she doesn’t trip.
The tunnel takes a curve and we are suddenly in a darkness I had never experienced.
The tunnel feels endless and we can’t walk
fast enough. We imagine what kinds of creatures lurk in the blackness.
I block the terrifying thoughts of bats and
focus on the ground before me. It is cool and
wet, and the girls wearing flip-flops call it
muddy and slimy.
FREE AT LAST
After much anxiety, the light at the end of
the tunnel is found, literally, as hikers are
welcomed by the beauty of the beach.
We hear a loud noise coming towards us,
like a train or a truck, and I have the sudden urge to bolt. We stop and stare into the
abyss like soon-to-be roadkill and the train in
the tunnel next to us passes and we timidly
trudge on.
We come around a bend and see a tiny
light, our pace quickens, and the light at the
end gets closer and closer, then we hear footsteps behind us. I’m terrified that someone is
coming to mug us, but it is two other beach
goers who came prepared with flashlights.
The tunnel opens up to an oasis of trees
and a clearly marked gravel path. We pass
three men at a table under an umbrella, half
expecting to pay them a fee to use the beach,
but no one stops us and the beach is free.
A couple from Atlanta asks how we managed the tunnel with only our cameras and
we ask about their flashlights. One of the
men asks how we found out about this nude
beach.
After I tell him about the guidebooks I
read, a stark naked man with no shoes walks
leisurely past, smoking a cigarette. We giggle
for a moment about the man’s nudity and
get it out of our system.
We look down the rockslide below, “Is that
the only way down?” my friends ask. I try to
calm their nerves and tell them I have done
this before and give tips on how to make it
down the scary slope.
As we begin our descent, one of the gentlemen from Atlanta offers to help us down;
I say I can handle it and ask him to help my
companions.
I nearly fall all the way down the steep
slope when a rock underfoot gives way and
sends me sliding on my butt for about a meter before I come to a stop. I gain my composure and finally make it down to the elusive
Guvano Beach.
I pause and gawk at the paradise before
me. Once all of us are on solid ground we
strip down to our swimsuits and sprint into
the turquoise sea after working up a sweat
on our hike. It is perfect, the water is refreshing but not cold.
The large pebble beach lay out before us
with only four pairs of people lounging in the
sun; it is our near-private oasis. We swim out
to where the salty sea turns royal blue and
yell, “You can see straight to the bottom!”
We high-five and congratulate each other
on making it through the adventure. We
float in the ocean and stare at the green terraced vineyards above and the black cliffs
that surrounded us.
—Design by Blair Mishleau
GET MORE:
See video of the breathtaking Guvano beach,
check out more photos and learn more about
other beaches (nude and clothed) around Italy
on our website, vj.blairblur.com.
GET NAKED IN ITALY!
Italy has quite a few more nude beaches
than one would think. Check out some of the
most popular below.
3.
Milan
Venice
1.
5.
Florence
Ligurian Sea
Adriatic Sea
4.
Rome
2.
SARDINIA
Tyrrhenian Sea
Ionian Sea
N
Palermo
Mediterranean Sea
Source WORLD ATLAS
SICILY
BLAIR MISHLEAU
1.) Bassona Beach, Emilia-Romagna
– This beach is Italy’s largest nude beach at
1km long, and is one part of the 3km-long
Lido di Dante south of Ravenna. Nudism has
been practiced here for ages, and has been
legal (at least according to local officials)
since 2002. Free admission.
2.) Capocotta Beach, Lazio – This
beach isn’t far from Rome, and there’s a
dedicated nude beach section that’s about
250 meters long. The whole beach is part of
an official nature reserve, and nudists have
been baring everything on this beach for
more than 30 years. It wasn’t until 2000 that
local officials set aside the special section
for naturists, however. Free admission,
chairs & umbrellas available, showers, bar/
restaurant, public toilets.
3.) Lido di Venezia, Veneto – This
stretch of beautiful sand sits on an island
not far from Venice’s romantic canals. Free
admission.
4.) Portonovo, Le Marche – One
section of the beach in the town of
Portonovo is designated as a nude beach.
It’s a secluded part that’s hidden behind a
19th-century brick tower. Free admission.
5.) Bibbona Beach, Tuscany – The
south side of the Marina di Bibbona in
Livorno is a dedicated naturist beach, which
you’ll find if you just get to the beach and
start walking south. Free admission.
student wanderer
19
Black
By Angel Williamson
Finding ethnic hair style in Florence
W
hen I stumbled upon Black Beauty, :KHQ , DUULYHG LQ ,WDO\ KRZHYHU , QR-­
DW¿UVWJODQFH,WKRXJKWLWZDVDQRWK-­ WLFHGEODFNZRPHQZLWKZHDYHVEUDLGVDQG
HUJLIWVKRSRUVSHFLDOW\VKRSRIVRPHNLQG ZUDSV , EHJDQ WR ZRQGHU ZKHUH WKH\ EX\
7KH ZLQGRZ KDG ELJ RUDQJH DQG HOHFWULF WKHLUKDLUDQGKDLUSURGXFWV$QGZKHUHGLG
JUHHQ$IURZLJVGLVSOD\HG7KHUHZHUHZLJV WKH\ JHW LW GRQH" :KLOH , VDZ DW OHDVW IRXU
DQGKDLUH[WHQVLRQVRIDOOGLIIHUHQWEURZQV EHDXW\ VKRSV ZKLOH ZDQGHULQJ DERXW WKH
EODFNV DQG EORQGV RI DOO GLIIHUHQW OHQJWKV FLW\,GLGQ¶WVHHRQHWKDWVHUYHGZRPHQRI
, ¿JXUHG WKDW WKH\ ZHUH IRU VDOH PD\EH FRORURUZLWKKDLUWKHVDPHWH[WXUHDVPLQH
HYHQ DV FRVWXPHV 7KHQ
2QFHLQVLGHRI%ODFN
, VSRWWHG D IDPLOLDU “I needed hair products %HDXW\ , QRWLFHG WKHUH
EUDQG Dark & Lovely
D EURDG YDULHW\ RI
and couldn’t find what ZDV
7KDW LV WKH VDPH EUDQG
HWKQLF KDLU SURGXFWV
RIER[UHOD[HUP\JUDQG-­ I need here. No one
UDQJLQJ IURP UHOD[HU
PRWKHU VWLOO XVHV 6R RI sold African products,
DQG FRORU WUHDWPHQWV
FRXUVH,ZHQWLQVLGH
WR KDLU RLOV , ZDV LQ
so why not me?”
$V D ZRPDQ RI FRORU
KDLU KHDYHQ ULJKW LQ
P\KDLULVDOZD\VDKXJH —7+(5(6( owner of Black Beauty
WKHPLGGOHRI)ORUHQFH
FRQFHUQ ZKHQ , WUDYHO
,WDO\
%HIRUH,OHDYHKRPH,XVXDOO\KDYHP\VW\O-­
7KHUHZHUHWZRVW\OLVWFKDLUVDQGDKXJH
LVWGRP\KDLUVRWKDWLWODVWVIRUWKHGXUD-­ ZDOOPLUURU,WZDVMXVWOLNHWKHVHWXSLQP\
WLRQRIP\WULS2U\RXFDQGREUDLGVNLQN\ EHDXW\VKRSEDFNKRPHLQ&KLFDJR
WZLVWDZHDYHVHZLQRUDZHDYHFDS
7KHUHZHUHWZRVW\OLVWVRQHZDVWKHRZQ-­
0RVWZRPHQ,NQRZGRWKHVDPHWKLQJ HU7KHUHVH7KHUHZHUHIRXUFOLHQWVDPDQ
HVSHFLDOO\ ZKHQ OHDYLQJ WKH FRXQWU\ 7R DQG D ZRPDQ QDPHG /DHWLWD ZKR EURXJKW
VLPSO\ZDVKDQGZHDU\RXUKDLUZKHQLWLV KHU WZR ER\V²DJHV VL[ DQG QLQH²WR JHW
DFHUWDLQWH[WXUHLVLPSRVVLEOH,QP\FRP-­ WKHLUKDLUEUDLGHG
PXQLW\JHWWLQJ\RXUKDLUGRQHLVDQDOOGD\
,WZDVREYLRXVWKDWWKH\RXQJHUER\KDW-­
SURFHVV7KLVLVQRWDP\WK
HGJHWWLQJKLVKDLUGRQH7KHVW\OLVW$PHOO
KDG WR OLWHUDOO\ IROORZ KLP DURXQG WKH
VKRS ,W ZDV DV LI KHU KDQGV ZHUH JOXHG WR
KLVKHDGDVKHFULHGDQGVFUHDPHGDQGUDQ
DZD\7KHROGHUER\MXVWFDOPO\DQGIDPLO-­
LDUO\ZDONHGDURXQGORRNLQJDWWKLVDQGWKDW
ZKLOHKHZDLWHGKLVWXUQ
7KHUHVHWKHVKRSRZQHUORRNHG\RXQJHU
WKDQKHU\HDUVZHDULQJMHDQVDQGD¿WWHG7
VKLUW6KHGLGQ¶WVSHDNPXFK(QJOLVKDQG,
VSRNHQR)UHQFKRU,WDOLDQVR,KXUULHGRXW
WR ¿QG VRPHRQH WR WUDQVODWH :KHQ , JRW
EDFN VKH ZDV UHDG\ WR WDON 6KH WROG PH
VKH ZDV IURP WKH ,YRU\ &RDVW RQ WKH ZHVW
FRDVWRI$IULFD+HUVKRSKDGEHHQRSHQLQ
)ORUHQFH IRU \HDUV QRZ )UHQFK LV
KHUQDWLYHODQJXDJH6KHKDGWULHGWR
RSHQDVKRSVLPLODUWRWKLVRQHLQ
)UDQFH\HDUVDJR7KHUHZDVWRR
PXFK FRPSHWLWLRQ WKHUH VR LW
GLGQ¶W ODVW ORQJ $IWHU PRY-­
LQJ WR ,WDO\ ZLWK KHU KXV-­
EDQGVKHGHFLGHGWRJLYHLW DQRWKHUWU\
³,QHHGHGKDLUSURGXFWV
DQG FRXOGQ¶W ¿QG ZKDW ,
QHHG KHUH´ VKH WROG PH
WKURXJK WKH LQWHUSUHWHU
³1R RQH VROG $IULFDQ
TO
FILE PHO
Beauty
SURGXFWVVRZK\QRWPH"
,WZDVKDUGWROHDUQ,WDOLDQ
ODQJXDJH´
%XWVKHGLG6KHWROGPH
Via dei Ginori 44,
WKDWLQWKHEHJLQQLQJEXVL-­
Florence, Italy
QHVV ZDV ERRPLQJ 6KH
Hours Mon.-Sat.,
KDG SOHQW\ RI FOLHQWV DV D
10 am-7:30 pm
VW\OLVW DV ZHOO DV D VWRUH
Specialties Hair
RZQHU2QFHWKHHFRQRP\
weaves, wigs, twists,
VWDUWHG WR GZLQGOH KRZ-­
color treatments
HYHU VR GLG KHU FOLHQWHOH
³7KH\VWLOOFRPHWREX\SURGXFWVEXWQRWVR
PXFKWRJHWWKHLUKDLUGRQH´VKHVDLGDGG-­
LQJWKDWVKHRQO\KDGEHWZHHQWRFOL-­
HQWVDZHHN0RVWRIWKHPDUHUHJXODUV
7KH VW\OLVW $PHOO LV DOVR IURP WKH :HVW
FRDVWRI$IULFDIURPWKHFRXQWU\RI&DPHU-­
RRQ 6KH KDV RQO\ EHHQ ZRUNLQJ WKHUH IRU
WKUHHPRQWKVDQGKDVEHHQLQ,WDO\MXVWDV
ORQJ6KHORYHVKHUMREWKHUHDVZHOODVKHU
ERVV6KHHYHQORYHGFKDVLQJWKHOLWWOHER\
DURXQG WR EUDLG KLV KDLU 'RLQJ KDLU KDV
DOZD\V EHHQ KHU WDOHQW DQG GUHDP 7KLV LV
RIWHQ WUXH IRU PDQ\ $IULFDQ DQG $IULFDQ
$PHULFDQZRPHQDVZHOO
1H[W,VSRNHZLWK/DHWLWDZKRKDVEHHQ
EULQJLQJ KHU NLGV KHUH IRU VL[ \HDUV 6KH
ZDVDZKLWHZRPDQZLWK¿QHKDLUEXWKHU
FKLOGUHQ¶VKDLUZDVGLIIHUHQW³(WKQLF´VKH
FDOOHG LW 6KH VDLG WKDW¶V ZK\ VKH EURXJKW
WKHPWR%ODFN%HDXW\
³7KHSULFHVDUHJRRGIRU,WDO\´VKHVDLG
³0D\EHQRWLQRWKHUDUHDVEXWIRUKHUHWKH\
DUHUHDVRQDEOH´
6KH VSRNH (QJOLVK ZHOO 6KH KDV WKUHH
FKLOGUHQLQDOODQGWKH\DUHDOOFOLHQWV6KH
ORYHG7KHUHVHDQGVKHVDLG%ODFN%HDXW\
ZDVKHUIDYRULWHVKRS
7KH\ VDW DQG FKDWWHG LQ
)UHQFKDQG,WDOLDQOLNHROG
JLUOIULHQGV ZLWK DQ DO-­
PRVWGHFDGHROGUHOD-­
WLRQVKLS
, WROG 7KHUHVH
VKH ZRXOG GH¿-­
QLWHO\ VHH PH
DJDLQ ³,¶OO EH
LQ ,WDO\ IRU D
PRQWK DQG ,¶OO
GH¿QLWHO\ QHHG
DQHGJHXS´
—Design by Luke Wilusz
BLACK BEAUTY
HAIR SALON
STYLE NEVER STOPS
Black Beauty stylist Amell follows Laetita’s son
around the salon, working on his hair as he
wanders and fidgets. The child’s movement is
no match for the stylist’s deft hands.
Photos taken from video courtesy OF ANGEL WILLIAMSON
20 student wanderer
student wanderer
21
SATURDAY NIGHT IN
CINQUE TERRE
In a place far, far away the illumina-­
tion of lights mes-­
merizes and the beats pound hard making muscles irresistible to move to the rhythm. A mix of people, tourists, locals, children, teens and even adults gather at Cinque Terre to get their dance on at the weekly Sat-­
urday night disco. Some just move, some observe and VRPH¿QGORYH
22 2 student
studentwanderer
wanderer
BY KRYSTA HAMANN
9
MILAN
esting just off Italy’s northern tip
Cinque Terre
the Cinque Terre
is a peaceful getLa Spezia
away.
Composed Monterosso
FLORENCE
Vernazza
of five cities, the beautiful terriCorniglia
Manarola
tory is a local tourist attraction.
Riomaggiore
With endless places to eat, beautiful beaches to soak up the sun
ROME
and miles of hiking trails, there
is something to do for everyone. But it is not just the mainSARDINIA
stream attractions that bring in
the tourists. The terrific seafood,
well noted wines and famous artichokes also add to the beautiful destination.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Daytime activities such as boat
Q Take the Cinque Terre regional
rides, soccer games, bacci ball
train line all the way to Monterosso.
and bike rides also seem to be
Q Walk through the tunnel to Old
tourist favorites, or perhaps just a
Town and go by the water.
SICILY
lovely day relaxing on the beach.
Q The free disco is only on Saturday
After the sun sets and nightnights and starts at dusk.
time rolls around, the nightlife in
Monterosso starts to pick up. The
energy level switches to a higher tains. The sidewalk that was ear- Lots of music that is popular in
gear as people are ready to start lier used for transportation for Italy and all over the world,” he
their evening.
hikers turns into a smooth dance said.
Several bars have happy hour floor. With the backdrop of the
The loud music can be heard
with drink specials and the moonlit sea and a scenic view on either side of the walking
streets are full of people scram- of the mountains, the disc jock- tunnel that connects New Town
bling to find something to eat eys strobe and lasers light up the to Old Town. Music ranges from
or any type of entertainment for area drawing in all those curious the “Grease” soundtrack, Amerithe evening. But off the beaten tourists into the after dark dance ca’s Top 40 hits, the Spanish chapath, (below the walking tunnel party.
cha slide, to a wide variety of
and right along the bay in Old
A local resident of La Spezia, Italian music. It really does not
Town,) there is an outside disco 17-year-old Luca Icardi, stays in matter where you are from as
every Saturday night. It attracts Monterosso during the summers. long as you just dance.
what seems to be hundreds of Icardi thinks that the music is
The dancers don’t seem to
people. The three local disc jock- what draws in the crowd. “Peo- mind either. Looking around,
eys set up their turntables right ple of every age come because nothing but grooving, smiling
in front of the sculptured moun- there is a lot of music played. faces move to the beat. They all
“People of every age come because there
is a lot of music played. Lots of music that
is popular in Italy and all over the world.”
—LUCA ICARDI, local resident of La Spezia
have one thing in common —
music.
Even if you’re not dancing,
you may find yourself on the
outskirts of the dance floor sitting on a bench watching these
characters as the rhythmic beats
take over their souls. The image of young children running
in circles around their parents
raise their hands in the air, with
a smile from ear to ear.
Kelly Peddycord, a 31-yearold tourist from Canada, says
that dancing isn’t her thing, but
she loves the entertainment.
“Watching all these people
dance to the same music is very
funny,” she said. “I could sit here
all night and just people watch
and listen to the good selection
of music.”
The outside disco attracts all
different types of people. From
families with young children,
teenagers hanging out on a Saturday night, to elderly couples
on a weekend getaway. Regardless of his or her age, race, ethnicity or reason to be there, this free
event brings together everyone.
A friend of Icardi, 22-year-old
Luca Badteni, says that he
loves coming to the disco.
“I come here to find girls. I
like to dance and want to find
a girlfriend that likes to dance
too,” he said. So whether
it’s to partake in the jitterbug, watch from afar, or
perhaps even find love,
Monterosso’s free Saturday night disco has
something to offer
for everyone.
—Design by Alexandra Sequenz
student
studentwanderer
wanderer
23
3
Carnival masks and
Murano glass artifacts
are only some of the
beautiful artwork that
Venetians produce.
BROOKE CURRIER
Gondolas ready for a passenger trip through the canal
BROOKE CURRIER
Venice sights you can’t leave without seeing
BY BROOKE CURRIER AND HAZAR ALKHAWAJA
VENICE
Ad
FLORENCE
Ligurian Sea
I
Murano Island
is just a short
water taxi ride
through Venice
MILAN
ri
at
ic
S
ea
ROME
Tyrrhenian Sea
SARDINIA
Ionian Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Source WORLD ATLAS
JENNIFER PARTYNSKI
PALERMO
SICILY
WDO\ LV JHQHUDOO\ IDPRXV IRU
LWV SL]]D SDVWD DQG OHDWKHU
1RW D PHQX LQ WKH FRXQWU\
ZLOOIDLOWRKDYHDZLGHVHOHFWLRQ
RISL]]DVDQGSDVWDVDQGQRUZLOO
there be a cobblestone street-­
FRUQHUWKDWLVOHDWKHUVWRUHGH¿-­
FLHQW7RXULVWVH[SHFWWRVWXPEOH
upon a beautiful leather purse IULHQGVZLOOHQY\RUHDWWKDWODVD-­
gna later to be described as the ¿QHVW DQG PRVW PRXWKZDWHULQJ
ODVDJQDWKH\KDYHHYHUWDVWHG
7KRXJK WKRVH DUH FRPPRQO\
DWWULEXWHG WR ,WDO\ DV D ZKROH
9HQLFH FRPSOHWHO\ SRVVHVVHV
VSHFLDOWLHVRILWVRZQ,WLVXQLTXH
LQZKDWLWKDVWRRIIHUDQGZKDW
KDV WR RIIHU EHFRPHV TXLWH HYL-­
GHQWZLWKDPHUHYLVLW
,QLWLDOO\ RQH LV VZHSW ZLWK
excitement at the sight of gondo-­
ODV7RXULVWVUHFDOOSKRWRJUDSKV
SDLQWLQJVDQGPRYLHVZKLFK¿UVW
IDPLOLDUL]HG WKHP ZLWK WKH WUD-­
GLWLRQDO 9HQHWLDQ URZLQJ ERDW
2QHFDQQRWFRPHWR9HQLFHDQG
QRW ULGH D JRQGROD :H WKRXJKW
WKHVDPHXSRQDUULYDO7KHEODFN
VOHHNJRQGRODVÀRDWHGWUDQTXLOO\
WKURXJKWKHFDQDOVRIWKHFLW\,W
appeared to be an escape from WKH FURZGHG ZDONLQJ SDWKV RI
9HQLFH
:H ZHUH LQIRUPHG WKDW WKH
price ranged from 80 to 200 hun-­
GUHG(XURVEXWZHZHUHKRSLQJ
WREHFKDUJHGWKHORZHVWDPRXQW
So $20 bills prepared, four of us approached a gondolier attempt-­
LQJ WR ¿QG YLVLWRUV LQ UHTXHVW RI
KLVVHUYLFH³7ZHQW\HDFK´KHLQ-­
IRUPHGXVDVKHFRXQWHGKHDGV
:HFRQWHQWHGO\DJUHHGDQGWRRN
his hand as he eased us into his UHPDUNDEOHURZERDW
:H VDW RQ UHG \HOORZ IULQJH
lined seats that remind one of UR\DOW\ 'XULQJ RXU MRXUQH\
along the canals on glistening JUHHQ ZDWHU 5REHUWR %LDQFKL
RXU JRQGROLHU JDYH XV DQ LQIRU-­
PDWLYHWRXU+HSRLQWHGRXWWKH
ROG SULVRQ WKH FLW\ OLEUDU\ DQG
WKHKRXVHDQGEDOFRQ\RIWKHLQ-­
IDPRXV &DVDQRYD :H DGPLUHG
KLV EDODQFH DQG DVNHG KRZ KH
KDGEHFRPHVRSUR¿FLHQW³3UDF-­
WLFH , KDYH EHHQ GRLQJ WKLV IRU
\HDUV DQG , KDYH RQO\ IDOOHQ
LQWKHZDWHURQFH´%LDQFKLWHOOV
XV :H ZHUH IRUWXQDWH WR KDYH
IRXQG D KXPRURXV JRQGROLHU $
IULHQG DVNHG ZKHWKHU KLV DUPV
KXUW DIWHU KRXUV RI URZLQJ WR
ZKLFK KH UHSOLHV ³:KDW" <RX
ZDQWWRIHHOP\PXVFOHV"´,WZDV
a little unexpected considering ZH ZHUH ZDUQHG WKDW 9HQHWLDQV
DUH QRW WRR ZHOFRPLQJ WR WRXU-­
LVWV7KHJRQGRODZDVEHDXWLIXOO\
IDVKLRQHG 5LGLQJ IRU D VKRUW
ZKLOHZHEHJDQWRZRQGHUDERXW
WKH FRVW RI LW ³$SSUR[LPDWHO\
(XURV´ %LDQFKL UHSOLHG
³$VPXFKDVDQLFHFDU´:HVDW
LQ DZH DQG JODQFHG DW WKH ERDW
DJDLQ ³,W WDNHV HLJKW \HDUV WR
PDNH´KHFRQWLQXHG,QWHUHVWHG
in seeing the gondolas in pro-­
GXFWLRQ ZH ZHUH GLVDSSRLQWHG
WRKHDUWKDWWKH\ZHUHRQO\PDGH
on the island of Guidecca, not a SODFHZHZRXOGKDYHEHHQDEOHWR
YLVLWZLWKRXUWLPHFRQVWUDLQW
:KHQWKHULGHHQGHGZHZHUH
OXFN\ HQRXJK WR JHW D SLFWXUH
ZLWK5REHUWRWKDQNHGKLPDQG
PDGHRXUZD\EDFNWRWKHFURZG-­
HGVKRSOLQHGVWUHHWV
$QRWKHU VSHFLDOW\ RI WKH LV-­
ODQG²PDVNV <RX FDQ VHH WKHP
outside shop doors and orga-­
QL]HGLQZLQGRZV:HHQWHUHGD
VWRUHQDPHG%DE\¶VLQZKLFKZH
PHWDGHOLJKWIXOPDQZKRLGHQ-­
WL¿HG KLPVHOI DV 5HQDWR /H]]D
:HVWDUHGDWWKHPDVNV¿OOLQJWKH
VKRS 7KH ZRUN ZDV LQFUHGLEOH
³7KHVHDUHDOOKDQGPDGHE\P\
GDXJKWHU´ /H]]D VDLG SURXGO\
DVKHSRLQWHGDWKHUVWDWLRQZLWK
SDLQWQHZO\PDGHSDSLHUPkFKp
PDVNVDQGWKLQJVXVHGIRUGHFR-­
UDWLRQ+HLQIRUPHGXVWKDWVKH
VWXGLHGDQGOHDUQHGKRZWRPDNH
WKHPDWDORFDODUWXQLYHUVLW\:H
DVNHG/H]]DZKDWWKHPDVNVIRU
XVHGIRUKRSLQJKHZRXOGJLYHXV
D UHDVRQ JRRG HQRXJK WR MXVWLI\
EX\LQJRQH³0DVNVDUHERUQIRU
use, not so much for decoration HYHQWKRXJKVRPHXVHLWIRUWKDW
UHDVRQ´ /H]]D H[SODLQHG ³7KH\
DUHXVHGIRU&DUQLYDOHLQ)HEUX-­
DU\DQGIRUSDUWLHV´
7KH PDVNV ZHUH SULFHG DW D
ORZRI(XURVDQGUHDFKHGLQWR
WKHKXQGUHGV³,WLVEHFDXVHWKH\
DUHSDSLHUPkFKp7KHVHDUHHQ-­
WLUHO\ KDQGPDGH´ KH VDLG HQ-­
OLJKWHQLQJXVDVKHWRRNDPDVN
IURPDVKHOI/H]]DVKRZHGXVWKH
LQVLGH RI WKH PDVN ZKLFK ZDV
EVERYSTOCKPHOTO.COM
WDQQLVKEURZQ LQ FRORU PXFK
OLNHFUDIWSDSHU
³6HHKHUHWKLVLVKRZ\RXFDQ
WHOO LI LW LV UHDO RU QRW 7KH RQHV
sold in the street are replicas brought from China and made IURPZKLWHSODVWLF´KHVDLGXUJ-­
ing us to feel the difference be-­
WZHHQ WKH WZR ³7KHVH DUH UHDO
IHDWKHUV $QG ORRN DW WKLV JHQX-­
LQHJROGDQGVLOYHUOHDI´KHFRQ-­
WLQXHG /H]]D PRYHG RQ WR QRWH
WKH GLIIHUHQW PDWHULDOV XVHG E\
KLVGDXJKWHU%DUEUD+HVKRZHG
XV PDVNV PDGH RI GHQLP UHDO
IHDWKHUV 6ZDURYVNL FU\VWDOV DQG
RWKHUVFRYHUHGZLWKJROGRUVLOYHU
OHDI:HODXJKHGDVZHQRWLFHGD
PDVNLQWULEXWHWR0LFKDHO-DFN-­
VRQZLWKWKHZRUGVµ.LQJRI3RS¶
³6KHPDGHWKDWDIHZGD\VDJR´
/H]]DVDLG
6OLJKWO\ PRUH NQRZQ WKRXJK
PDQ\ PD\ QRW EH IDPLOLDU ZLWK
LWV RULJLQV LV WKH DUW RI 0XUDQR
JODVV :H KDG VHHQ DQG EHHQ
ZDUQHGDERXWWKH0XUDQRJODVV
LQ)ORUHQFHDQGDVZHSXOOHGXS
WR WKH GRFN RI RQH RI WKH PDQ\
JODVV IDFWRULHV LQ 0XUDQR RXU
professor Stefano Gidari ex-­
SODLQHG WKH GLIIHUHQFH EHWZHHQ
UHDO DQG WKRVH FRXQWHUIHLW ³7KH
LPLWDWLRQJODVVLVPDGHLQPDQ\
SLHFHVDQGLVVWXFNWRJHWKHUWKH
UHDO0XUDQRJODVVLVQRWDQGZLOO
GH¿QLWHO\ ODVW PXFK ORQJHU´ KH
VDLG$VVRPHRIXVZKRERXJKW
JODVV LQ )ORUHQFH ZRQGHUHG
DERXWLWVDXWKHQWLFLW\KHFRQWLQ-­
XHG ³7KHUH DUH LQGLFDWLRQV RQ
the item that help determine if it LVUHDOVXFKDVDVWDPSRUFHUWL¿-­
FDWH´KHVDLG
:H¿OHGRXWRIRXUERDWZKHQ
RQ WKH ,VODQG RI 0XUDQR KHDG-­
LQJLQWRWKHIDFWRU\WRVHHKRZLW
LVPDQXIDFWXUHG7KHFRROEUHH]H
FDPHWKURXJKWKHZLQGRZRIIHU-­
LQJVRPHUHOLHIIURPWKHYHU\KRW
ZRRGEXUQLQJ RYHQV LQVLGH :H
ZDWFKHG DV WKH ³PDHVWUR´ WRRN
D SROH ZLWK WKH JORZLQJ RUDQJH
JODVVIURPWKHRYHQWKHQH[WUDRU-­
GLQDULO\FUHDWHGDFRORUVSHFNOHG
YDVHZLWKKDQGOHVIROORZHGE\D
JODVVKRUVH:HZHUHHYHQPRUH
DZHVWUXFN DV ZH ZDONHG LQWR
WKH IDFWRU\ VKRS /LWWOH DQLPDOV
YDVHV ERZOV MHZHOU\ OLJKWV DQG
FXSV VWRRG XSRQ JODVV VKHOYLQJ
We could not begin to compre-­
KHQGKRZWKH\ZHUHDOOPDGH
7KH VKRZ URRP ZDV FRYHUHG
LQ 0XUDQR JODVV SLHFHV IURP
ÀRRU WR FHLOLQJ OLW ZLWK JODVV
FKDQGHOLHUVWKDWWKH\PDNHDWWKH
YHU\VDPHIDFWRU\$ODUJHJURXS
RIVWXGHQWV¿OOHGWKHVWRUHSLFN-­
LQJXSDVPDQ\RULJLQDOSLHFHVDV
WKH\FRXOGSRVVLEO\FDUU\ZLWKRXW
EUHDNLQJ
:H WRR VWRFNHG XS ZLWK DOO
WKH JRRGV RI 9HQLFH WDNLQJ DG-­
YDQWDJHRIULGLQJDJRQGRODEX\-­
LQJ JODVV MHZHOU\ DQG DW OHDVW
RQH PDVN $ORQJ ZLWK DOO RXU
VRXYHQLUVZHWRRNWKHPHPRULHV
RI D PDJLFDO FLW\ PHPRULHV RI
WKH UHÀHFWLRQV LQ WKH ZDWHU DQG
WKH¿UHZRUNVRIWKH5HQGHQWRUH
RYHUKHDG*UDVSLQJRXUEDJVZH
VWHSSHGRQWRWKHERDWWDNLQJLQ
RXUODVWEUHDWKRIWKHVDOW\$GUL-­
DWLF DLU 6OLSSLQJ LQWR RXU VHDWV
LW ZDV KDUG QRW WR EHFRPH WLUHG
IURP WKH URFN DQG VZD\ RI WKH
YHVVHO:HGULIWHGRIIGUHDPLQJ
RI WKH FLW\ WKDW ZDV XQOLNH DQ\-­
ZKHUHHOVHLQ,WDO\
—Design by Jennifer Partynski
),5=,5<;0(=,5,A0(
24 student wanderer
student wanderer
25
Christen, Kim,
Ashley and Pam
enjoy swimming
and sunning. Expect
hot weather in
Florence, but you’ll
need to cover
yourselves when
visiting churches.
Not so much at the
beach!
Annye
next to
Tower
of Pisa
Hazar and Brooke in a
cooking class making pizza
Caren, Jovana, Angel, Brooke, Teresa,
Hazar, Emily, Krysta and Annye in Florence
The Grand Canal in Venice,
photographed on a weekend
trip sponsored by Istituto
Lorenzo de’ Medici
Students stay
in furnished
apartments
on historic
streets in the
center of Florence, close
to churches,
markets, museums, restaurants and
shopping
La Nazione
reporter Francesca Kallye
gives story
advice to
2010 Travel
Writing students, from
the left, Ashley McHale,
Christen Calloway, Kim
Manning
and Pamela
Birchard
ABOVE Annye and Krysta
peeling basil leaves.
RIGHT Brooke with flag
at Palio in Sienna
;YH]LS>YP[PUNPU-SVYLUJL
HUL_WLYPLUJLVMHSPML[PTL
Columbia College Chicago partners with Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici each July to offer courses in Italy. The
Journalism Department conducted Travel Writing: Florence, taught by Teresa Puente in 2009 and by Nancy Day
in 2010. The Wanderer magazine shows you a sample of their students’ work. This summer, Puente returns to
teach Introduction to Fashion Journalism, based in Florence, with side trips to Milan, Venice and Rome.
26 student wanderer
TOP The Scuola del Cuoio, started by Franciscan monks to teach
fine Florentine leather making, is behind the Santa Croce Church.
LEFT Pam, Ashley, Christen and Kim study oenology at the Tuscan
Wine School in Sienna
For more stories an photos visit ottimotuscany.blogspot.com
student wanderer
27
Explore the world
with us.
For more information, contact the Journalism department,
33 E. Congress, Chicago, Illinois 60605 or call 312.369.8900