Author Archives: Brian

Ciao i miei amici! This adventure is nearly over and it has been utterly amazing.  In two days, the trip home begins.  A final couple of images to remember Verona by.  The first is a typical day in class.  Notice … Continue reading →

Ciao i miei amici! 45° 32.493’N 11° 32.464’E First the Ancient Greeks and then later the Romans used a distinctive style with specific methods and rules for the architecture of their temples and public buildings.  Later in Great Britain and … Continue reading →

Ciao i miei amici! This trip is winding down.  But we’ve found the experience to be so wonderful that we’re planning our next one. The city:  Florence (Firenze) The school:  ABC The dates:  16 April to 11 May, 2018 Why … Continue reading →

Ciao i miei amici! When traveling to Italy, do like the locals do:  either bring a refillable water bottle or buy one when you arrive.  In all of the major towns and even many of the smaller ones, there are … Continue reading →

Ciao i miei amici! Today, 1 November, is a national holiday.  As I write this, I haven’t yet ventured out.  There is no telling what will be open.  I think the trains are running, though.  There will be no Thanksgiving … Continue reading →

Ciao i miei amici! Let’s talk culture shock.  I’ve experienced it.  Cindy has experienced it.  It’s a very real thing. What is culture shock?  I’m sure there’s a vast amount of research from sociologists and behavioral scientists that can answer … Continue reading →

Ciao i miei amici! It’s time change weekend here in Italy.  Tonight, the Italians get an extra hour of sleep. Not only that, but the seasons are definitely in a state of transition.  Gone are the greens of late summer.  … Continue reading →

Ciao, i miei amici! It’s hard to believe that we are into our fourth week of intensive Italian studies.  Long behind us are those first few days when we walked into class and all we heard was gibberish with a … Continue reading →

Ciaoi, i miei amici! Italian is an incredibly beautiful language.  It sounds beautiful and it reads beautifully (ie. Like Spanish, what you see written is easily decoded to the spoken).  Not only that, Italians have many beautiful ways to express … Continue reading →

Ciao, i miei amici! 44° 29.625’N 11° 20.589’E Drop into Piazza Maggiore using Google’s Street View and take a look around.  There are a lot of important historical structures to see here but I especially want you to notice the church bordering the southern … Continue reading →