Family Abroad: Helpful Tips For Students Who Have Family Visiting

For most of us, studying abroad is an opportunity to spread our wings and live in untouched territories.  However, it also gives those close to us the same idea.  Family and friends use our study abroad experience as an opportunity of their own – to visit us.  The idea of seeing loved ones for the first time in weeks is exciting, especially since you get to show them your new home.  However, it can also be overwhelming.  As a student, you are torn between classes/school work and spending time with them.  Studying in Verona, Italy, I was very lucky my family could visit and stay here with me.  However, the timing did prove to be difficult – they visited during my mid-terms.  My dad and mom came for two weeks (March 12 – 25) while my brother stayed with them for the first week.  Having my family here was one of the best experiences of my life.  Born, raised, and attending university in South Carolina, traveling to Europe was the furthest and longest amount of time I’ve been from home.  Reaching a mid-point in the semester, I was overjoyed to see some familiar faces.  Things I’d shared with them about my experiences in Europe, they finally got to witness in person.  Like me, I know many study abroad-ers plan on those back home visiting them.  In theory, it seems like a simple idea, yet in practice it can get a little more complicated.  Here are some tips I learned during my family’s stay in Italy:

1. Plan Ahead – Before my family arrived, I had in my mind certain places I wanted to share with them.  When they finally got here, we immediately sat down and decided on which days to do what things.  Since my brother was only here the first week, we made sure to focus more on what he wanted to do.  Looking at my school schedule, we worked around my classes and exams so I could spend as much time with them as possible.  On the days I had a heavy schedule, they would take trips to other towns such as Florence and Modena and we would meet back up later that evening.  Of course, we made sure to also explore my city – Verona.
2. Day Trips – Just because you have school, do not underestimate your ability to travel with your family as well.  Italy is a small country – most places you can travel to in a small amount of time, especially by train.  Besides Verona, one of my favorite places in Italy is Venice.  I knew I wanted to take my family there.  By train, you can get to the heart of Venice from Verona in about an hour at a relatively low price (8 euros).  The train runs continuously during the day so you can leave at any time.  My family and I left early Thursday morning and came back around 3, giving me plenty of time to attend my 5 pm class.  Even places that seem harder to accomplish can be done.  Traveling all the way to Italy, my parents knew they wanted to visit Rome.  I had not been, so of course I wanted to join.  The next week (sadly my brother already left) I did not have any class Thursday, so my parents and I planned to go then.  It may seem impossible to visit Rome in a day, but it was actually a perfect amount of time! We narrowed our trip to what we wanted to see the most – the Colosseum, Vatican City, and the Trevi Fountain.  Taking the fast train, we left Verona around 7, changed trains in Brescia, and arrived in Rome at 11.  Walking from the train station to the  Colosseum took about 20 minutes.  Rome is very spread out so from their we payed for a hop-on hop-off  bus in order to get everywhere in our time period.  After the Colosseum, we rode to Vatican City.  Since it was a week day and not yet tourist season, the crowd was light.  Usually an hours long wait, we were able to purchase tickets and zip right through the Vatican museum.  This included Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Afterwords, we headed to the iconic Trevi fountain and threw some coins in for good luck.  Our train departed at 6:45pm and took us directly to Verona where we arrived by 9:30pm.
3. Balancing school and fun – This was one of the hardest things to do, especially since my family came during mid-terms.  Not only did I have to study, I also had two papers I needed to write.  Of course, my family was completely understanding.  Whenever I had class, they would relax at their apartment or have a day trip planned.  It also consisted of me having a lot of late nights and early mornings.  I made sure to complete my assignments/study whenever I was not spending time with them.  During their day trip to Modena, I went to class and afterwards completed one of my papers.  I would study at their apartment while they had some down time.  It took a lot of restraint to not relax as well, but I knew accomplishing school work and spending time with my family was more important to me.  It made it worth it.
4. Weekends – One of the biggest things about studying abroad is traveling to other countries as well!  Europe is a relatively small continent so traveling to nearby countries is easy and affordable.  Planning trips on the weekends with friends is a crucial part of the experience.  Once I got settled in Italy, I realized just how little weekends I really had.  My family arrived and left on Saturdays, so the weekend in between was the only one we had together.  Before I came to Europe, my friend and I had decided on a trip to do that weekend.  However, upon learning it was when my family would be here I realized I needed to set aside that time to be with them.  During the first week they were here, my parents and I discussed what we should do the coming weekend.  We thought about Rome, but realized it would be too much hassle, especially since we had to get my brother to the airport Saturday morning.  After much talk, we decided on staying on Lido Island off of Venice.  After we sent off my brother that morning, we hopped on the train to Venice and from there took a ferry to the island.  We had such a fun time.  We mainly relaxed on Saturday and on Sunday we biked and explored the island.  On Monday morning, I left early in order to make it to my class in Verona.  My parents stayed in Lido until Wednesday and then spent the rest of the week in Verona with me.
5. Act like a local – Already being here for two months, the Italian lifestyle has become normal for me. However, remember your loved ones will arrive unprepared for the cultural differences. For my family, it was their first time in Italy, let alone Europe. Unlike me, they did not arrive with fellow peers and were not greeted by program directors who quickly taught them the in’s and out’s. That’s why I made sure to meet them at the airport and take a cab with them into town. After they settled in and rested, I took them around the city and taught them cultural norms such as common greetings, when dinner time began (7pm), what times the stores opened and closed, etc. I also showed them things unique to Verona such as the two main piazza’s, a beautiful look-out point of the city, Juliet’s balcony, etc. Throughout the week I helped them plan trips by showing them which buses to take where, where to get bus tickets, and how to get to the train station. Navigating a new country is difficult; it’s important to help your loved ones as much as possible to ensure that they and you have a great time!

   

   Quick Bite in Verona

   

   Biking Lido Island

   

   Iconic Trevi Fountain – Rome

Favorite Spots in Verona

Known as the city of love, Verona brings in thousands of tourists every year to celebrate Shakespeare’s greatest play Romeo and Juliet.  This includes important spots such as Juliet’s balcony, her statue, house, and grave.  If you have seen the movie Letters to Juliet, the Letters to Juliet Club is a real thing in Verona.  Open to anyone in the mornings and afternoons Monday through Friday – pretend to be Juliet and give advice to those love struck around the world.  Come to Verona in February and celebrate all weekend until Valentines Day with the Verona in Love event.  This consists of different events around the city including vendors, contests, and concerts.  Of course, Verona has many other attractions and events that make it such a wonderful city.  At the end of February, celebrate Carnevale (similar to Mardi Gras in the US) with tasty treats and a parade celebrating Papa Gnoccho.  In April, the largest wine festival in Italy is held in Verona – Vinitaly.  Tickets to the formal event are on the pricer side, but affordable options are available for those who just want a taste.  One of the biggest attractions in Verona is the Arena located in Verona’s main square Piazza Bra’.  The Arena is a Roman Amphitheatre built in the 1st century.  It is still in use today for concerts and opera’s.  However, since being here a few months I have found many other spots in Verona that are great for locals and visitors.  Here are some of my favorite places:

1. The Sanctuary – One look out point in Verona is Ponte Pietra – a relatively short and popular spot for tourists.  However, there is another viewpoint that is truly stunning.  Located about two bridges down from Ponte Pietra, this church is located on the hill above the San Zeno area and is easily visible from the city.  There are two ways to get there – one is gradual and scenic while the other goes straight up.  At the top is a beautiful view overlooking the city.  The church is open for visitors and holds services and events.
2. Piazza Erbe – Known as the main marketplace, it is a favorite spot for locals and visitors.  Enjoy many of the restaurants, shops, and street performers it has to offer.  Every day, local merchants set up shop with different Verona relics for sale.  Much of Verona’s history is preserved with the statues, fountains, and old building that surround the square.  It is in a strategic location – get to other parts of the city easily by following paths that go through the square.  This includes the main shopping street that leads to Piazza Bra, a path towards Castelvecchio, and Dante’s Square located right behind Piazza Erbe.
3. Engi’s Bakery – Located on the outside of Verona, this is one of my favorite coffee spots in Porto Vescovo.  A ten minute walk from my apartment, Engi’s is an American themed bakery with treats most Italian caffe’s don’t have such as brownies, cupcakes, and sandwiches (like BLT’s and Clubs).  Most importantly, American styled breakfast such as eggs, bacon, pancakes, and toast. Of course, it still has traditional Italian options such as espresso’s and latte’s. I love living in Italy, but it’s nice having a place that has a touch of home.
   

   The Sanctuary

   

   Engi’s Bakery

   

   Piazza Erbe at night

The Truth of Traveling

A huge aspect of studying abroad is not only traveling the country you will live in the next few months, but visiting other countries as well.  Especially in Europe where traveling to other European countries is relatively easy and affordable.  I would say I travelled about every other weekend this semester, but I know people who did every weekend.  Planning trips with others in your program is also a great way to bond and develop friendships.  The best way to save money is to plan early in advance.  Plane and train tickets will be much less the further they are from the travel date.  A great, low cost airline is Ryanair.  I once bought a ticket to Brussels, Belgium for only 12 euros!  And I’ve heard of others spending even less.  Of course, that means it will not be as luxurious as other airlines, but in my opinion I prefer saving money.

Having the opportunity to visit so many places is amazing, but let’s not forget the wear and tear of traveling.  Relying only on public transportation means spending half of the journey waiting for buses, trains, and any other affordable means.  I learned this the hard way during my first trip to Brussels.  What seemed easy in theory actually took a lot of work.  My flight was from the Venice Treviso airport.  In order to get there, I had to take the train to the last stop outside of Venice.  From there I had to take an hour long bus ride to the airport.  And of course, you need to get to the airport at least an hour and a half early for check in/security.  Since it was much less expensive to fly to the airport outside of Brussels, I had to take another hour long shuttle into the city.  From there, I needed to meet my friend at our hostel.  Since it was getting dark, I paid for a taxi to drive me there safely.  I ended up spending about 50 or 60 euros just on transportation to and from the airport.  Of course, since it was my first trip I had no idea what to expect.  I have had much smoother traveling since then.

Of course, this does not mean traveling within your own host country isn’t just as difficult.  On a spontaneous trip to Venice for Carnevale, my friend and I ended up missing the last train to Verona.  We had to wait until 5 am the next morning for the earliest train back.  Another time, I had booked a flight from the Milan Bergamo airport to visit my friend in Alicante, Spain.  My flight was at 11:30 am so I booked a Flixbus to pick me up from Verona at 8 am and get me to the airport at 9:30.  Flixbuses are usually late, but after an hour of waiting at the stop I knew something was wrong.  I finally connected to some wifi and learned that the bus would be two and a half hours late!  It was now 9 am and I could still get to the airport by 10:30.  I rushed into the train station and asked the information desk the quickest way to get to the airport.  They told me to take the train to Brescia that was leaving in 20 minutes and from there take a 20 minute bus ride to the airport.  I arrived in Brescia at 10:07 am and when I got to the bus station I learned some shocking news.  The bus leaves every two hours – the last one just left at 10 and the next was not until 12. And it takes an hour (not 20 minutes) from Brescia to the airport.  In a panic, I jumped into a cab and paid way too much to be driven to the airport.  I will say that the driver did hit the gas pedal.  I got to the airport at 10:55 and rushed to check-in.  The woman handed me my boarding pass and called the ladies at the gate to tell them I was coming.  I rushed through security in about three minutes (everyone let me cut them) and ran to my gate.  I got there at 11:15 – they had just closed the gates.  I begged another Ryanair worker to let me through, but she said there was nothing she could do.  In total defeat, I watched my plane take off and then headed back home.

More recently, my friend and I planned at spring break trip for two weeks in April.  We met in Greece and celebrated her 21st there for the weekend.  She came back to Italy with me.  We got back Sunday afternoon and stayed in Venice until Tuesday morning.  We had planned to stay in Verona Tuesday and Wednesday (I had class) and then head for Naples Thursday morning and spend the weekend at the Amalfi Coast.  However, when I woke up Wednesday morning my friend called me into her room.  She had a sharp pain in her abdomen and could hardly move.  We went to the emergency room and after hours of waiting learned that she had appendicitis.  A specialist came in to determine that she needed surgery.  She got the surgery Thursday morning and ended up staying in the hospital until Monday afternoon.  Thankfully, she is a part of the USAC program in Spain.  My program advisors were really helpful and it made contacting hers easier.

Of course, do not let my few blimps while traveling make it seem terrible and hard. Most of my trips went perfectly as planned. I have visited and seen some amazing places. And as I’ve adjusted more to my host city, the more it brings a sense of warmth and stability at the end of my trips. After a nomadic lifestyle for a few days, I always look forward to coming back to Verona. It has become a home to me. With the combination of school and friendships, I always love being here and the idea of leaving soon has yet to sink in.

Brussels, Belgium

Zurich, Switzerland

Venice, Italy

 

Education Outside the Classroom

Of course, studying abroad means attending and participating in classes throughout the school week.  However, with our program, USAC understands that its just as important to learn outside the classroom.  They arrange educational field trips that coincide with the courses we take.  One field trip we took for our Food and Culture, International Strategic Management, and International Marketing classes was to Redoro – an olive oil producer and manufacturer located outside Verona.  During the trip, we learned the process for cultivating the olives, producing the products, and their manufacturing process.  At the end, we learned how to correctly conduct an olive oil tasting and then got to partake in one!

Another educational field trip we took was for our Food and Culture course.  We visited Zeno, a local gelateria in Verona.  The chef of Zeno, Roberto, is a vegan who currently makes both vegan and traditional gelato, but is trying to gear his gelateria to be only vegan.  During our visit, he prepared 3 different gelato’s – one vegan, the other two traditional.  The traditional were both chocolate – one was a milk chocolate and the other was a bitter chocolate (non milk).  All three recipes consisted of few ingredients – five or six.  He tries to cut down on as many ingredients as possible for his recipes.  One unusual ingredient for his recipes – fiber of bamboo.  He also uses chicory, milk and dark chocolate (for the different recipes), and corn syrup (as a powder which he combines with brown sugar and rice milk).  The first step for all three gelato’s is to add the bamboo fiber to water and blend.  This traps the oil in the water.  This is the only fat that comes from the chocolate so it needs to be mixed well.  He then uses thickener and transforms the liquid to ice.  Gelato has a short shelf life, but can be lengthened if more ingredients are added.  For the vegan gelato, the corn syrup powder is added and kakow is put with the sugar/bamboo mixture.  Water in this recipe is about 75%.  Chocolate is added at the end and put in a machine and pasteurized at 85 degrees.  The chocolate will melt and bring everything to 50 degrees.

During this, Roberto begins the milk gelato.  The process starts the same, but naturally whole milk is added.  The dry ingredients are the same minus the fiber of bamboo (does not need the effect of stabilizing and swelling).  He must use eggs and milk defined by the laws of the region.  Water in this recipe is about 60%.  While he prepares the gelato, Roberto tells us about himself and his experiences with gelato. He started out selling music to restaurants before his business.  He learned to make gelato about 35 years ago while studying at cooking school.  You attend cooking school and then specialize in gelato.  He has been a vegan for three years as an ethical choice.  His fruit gelato flavors change with the season.  For example, from April to June he has gelato with strawberry, figs are used from June to August, and he makes a chocolate flower during Easter.  He recently collaborated with a chef from Brooklyn who crafts artisan beers.  Together they made a salted peanut and red beer gelato.  Roberto prefers his gelato without milk – it makes the cream too rich.  Some strange gelato flavors he has made include smoked pepper, polenta, celery, carrot and fennel.

As the gelato churns, the 12 kilobyte engine freezes it.  We must wait until it reaches -12 to -14 degrees.  However, his shop is opening back up, so we must wait outside the restaurant to not take up space.  About 10 minutes later, Roberto greets us outside with trays holding the three different gelato’s.  As a take my first bite, the flavor instantly consumes my mouth.  It is so light and creamy, yet rich in flavor.  I savor every bite.  Due to my preferences, I will tell you that my favorite was the milk chocolate gelato.  However, the dark chocolate and vegan brought stiff competition!  This field trip was such a great opportunity to learn more about business, the cooking culture of Italy, and of course, have some delicious gelato!

Fun with Field Trips: USAC Provides Excursions For Students

One of my favorite things about the USAC program is the opportunities that come along with it.  One of those being the field trips they plan for us.  One of the biggest aspects of studying abroad (especially in Europe) is traveling to other places while you are there.  However, traveling is no picnic.  It takes planning, time, and money.  That is why the USAC field trips are so great – they are day trips (minus one weekend trip to Austria) to interesting areas near your host city that are planned for you and included in the tuition (so you don’t have to feel the pain of swiping your credit card!).  They are usually planned for a week day – so that means no classes that day.  Overall, we had five field trips this semester – Venice, Mantova, Austria, Padova, and Lake Garda.  Out of all of these, my favorite was our trip to Venice!

It was a first field trip of the semester and everyone was still getting to know each other in the program.  The field trips are optional, but the majority of our program goes so it was a good way to bond with each other.  We went towards the end of January on a Wednesday – not yet tourist season and a weekday which meant no crowds.  The train ride from Verona to Venice takes about an hour.  This being my first time to Venice, I had in my mind what to expect from the city surrounded by water.  My expectations were met the instant I got off the train.  The station exit greets you with a panoramic view – the  Grand Canal flows in front of you with charming buildings placed behind it and a bridge crossing it located to the left.  We began our journey with a walk through the city.  Since there are no cars, the roads are winding streets and narrow alleys only accessible by foot.  Almost like a maze, I highly suggest buying a map if you plan on visiting without being accompanied by a person knowledgable of the city.  After about half an hour of walking, we reached the other end of the island where the Piazza San Marco is located.  In it is the Basilica Di San Marco, which is free to the public.  As we walked inside this majestic, golden-covered, temple, you feel as if you are in a different time period.  The idea that Venice is sinking is supported just by walking through the Basilica.  The tile covered floor is uneven and actually is sinking into the ground.  After the touring the Basilica, we wove through more maze-like alleys and somehow ended up at a port.  From there, we hopped onto a ferry that took us across the sea and to an island off Venice.  Murano island is known for its glass making, so after grabbing lunch we watched a glass making workshop.  Concluding our time on the island, we did some shopping and I bought a beautiful, silver ring with a dark, blue glass made gem in the middle.  As we arrived back in Venice, USAC took us on one last stop to the famous Rialto Bridge, which offers a beautiful viewpoint of the Grand Canal.  From there, we had the option to head back to Verona with USAC or stay in Venice a while longer and catch the train back on our own.  My friends and I decided to venture Venice on our own.  Naturally, we grabbed some gelato and found a scenic place to enjoy the city.  Afterwards, we walked around some more and made our way back to the train station, where we caught the 8 pm train back to Verona.

Of course, I enjoyed our field trips to the other places as well.  In Mantova, we explored the city and toured its beautiful frescos.  On our weekend trip, we visited Trento, Merano, Bolzano, Innsbruck, Austria, and the northern end of Lake Garda.  All of these towns were located in the mountainous region of Italy (and Austria) and had strong German influence.  Our hotel was in Bolzano and included a world class spa. Unfortunately, I did not attend the Padova trip due to my family visiting, but others in my program said it was a great experience.  The town has the largest city center in Italy and they visited the university Galileo taught at.  Our final trip was to the southern end of Lake Garda.  We visited a small town on the lake, Desenzano, which was a 20 minute train ride from Verona.  From there, we took a ferry and visited the beautiful island of Sirmione.  As we’ve continued with our program throughout the semester, field trips have provided a good opportunity for the entire program to spend time together as we explore and learn about new cities.

Innsbruck, Austria

Glass Making Show – Murano Island

Fresco in Mantova

Lake Garda