First Weekend In Italy

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in seeing Arezzo and Sienna the first weekend in Italy? I believe the friday is the 12th.... I thought we could do a day trip on the friday (it's only a 20 min train ride!) and then maybe go to Sienna early on saturday, stay saturday night, then come back sunday (about a 2/12 hour train ride). Let me know what you think... unless you wanted to go those places during the week since they're closer and save the weekends for places farther away? Input please!

Well,
because I am not able to travel after the term I want to spend my weekends going to farther away places I think, and do the close-ish places during the week after classes. I think a couple other people are in the same boat as me, and this way we wont "waste" any of our weekends.

Plus, the art history class has a field trip to Siena on Feb.2nd, so if there are a bunch of us in this class then we can just stay there once we get our free ride in instead of paying to go back...does that make sense? I`m just trying to look at this from an economical standpoint

Anyhow, I guess we can just play it by ear once we get there though and just go with it... ...hehe

hmmm, I guess I woud rather try for it during the week since it is closer to home base.

But let me know if YOU plan going on the weekend-like I said, I'll go anywhere!

There shallbe NO waste on the trip, whatever we may do, but I am up for economical means of travel and money wise travelling. Barbara and I seem to always be in the same boat, we'll go anywhere!!

Let us not forgot the HUNDREDS of beautiful, charming and un-missable ( not really a word ) places the ITALY has to offer, I know we will be surrounded by countless countries we may never be able to visit again, but lets take advantage of our temporary home turf aswell, Italy is chock full of history, beauty, beaches, museums and gorgeous countryside, not to mention the Southern Islands, Elba etc. Let us explore all of that magic aswell, Italy at least will allow us to travel without paying all the big bucks all the time too!!

Just a thought friends!

Yeah, I feel the same. I would like to spend all the weekends travelling around Italy since I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Europe these next few years so I'll have a chance to see other countries at a different time. There's so much to see in Italy - it would take years to see it all! Is anyone else planning on spending most of their weekends in Italy?

You know Hailey I'm kinda planning on, well not planning. I don't want to make all these great plans in my head and if for some reason they don't happen I don't want to be dissapointed. I am staying in Europe for a bit after the term so I can go see other countries then if I decided to only travel around Italy while in Italy, I know I'll still have time to go to these other countries. That being said, if a wicked trip comes up that isn't in Italy I'd most likely go.

OH and by the way I so love this forum......it so helps in my proscratination, I've already cleaned my room, reorganized my desk and now am organizing my daytimer. Wow I sound like a loser.....I just really don't want to write this Soc 271 paper!

nana, did you say Soc 271 paper??? I think I am in your class. Do you have it tuesday thursday at 11am?

I do! Have you started the 10 pager yet?

Hailey,

I am not going to be in Europe for the next two years but I share the sentiment of wanting to explore the country we will be living in. People at home, work and school keep asking me " Are you going to travel at all after your trip??" I keep relplying "If I can afford it and only if I have buddies to travel with" Somehow this hesitation always disapoints these people but THEY Don't realise that I am going to be LIVING IN ITALY for close to three months and if somehow by odd chance that is all I get to do, my god people, that in itself is enough!!

So, in conclusion, as much as I WILL try and skip off to other bordering countries, I will also try and capitalize on the Beautiful country I Will be living in. Italy is the reason I am going on this trip in the first place, what a shmuck I Would be if I returned home after three months with little to no knowledge of the other Italian cities plotted around me??


So, I Will definately be trying to explore more and more of Italy, but as I beleive Nana said, I Will also take advantage of "must-do" trips as they materialize aswell. So, heres to procrastination, lack of planning and spontanaity!!

Nik

So, other than just delaying projects, is anyone else actually doing more poorly in school lately because you're too preoccupied with this trip? (Lower marks, etc) I know it's definitely affecting my performance.

Absolutely! Somehow this semester just seems strangely…unimportant. LOL

Oh Dave,

If only it were a joke!! I have chronologically watched my motivation and grades plummet with each passing day as we get closer and closer to departure. Right now, ( ha ha ) I am procrastinating. Whats on my plate you say ??

Well, A science-fiction research paper ( 12pgs.) for C LIT 342 due last thursday, ( this is a first..... ) a 2500 word research paper on Don Delillo's "Cosmopolis" due monday for C LIT464 ( Forms and Genres: The Contemporary Political Novel) An 18 minute research presentation on Orhan Pamuk's "Snow" plus a related abstract to accompany the presentation for the same C Lit 464 class monday morning, oh yes, a five page typed reading journal for a book in the science-fiction class I can't remember the name of nor have I even read it, and then this wednesday, I have a research creative project due that I Have not yet even started of thinking of thinking of doing for C Lit 352 ( awesome class though, Barbara Churchill is phenomenal..!) and oh yes, PLANNING FOR LEAVING THE COUNTRY FOR THREE MONTHS......

ok, I am confessing because somehow my brain thinks that if I spill my guts about my impending scholarly doom I will feel better, thus far it has only worked a little bit.....

Anyhow, the answer is yes. This trip ( in all its amazing glory ) has put a damper on my school work unlike any other.

Oh well, I can get over this fact in Italy!! Whats a few F's on a transcript anyway.....!!??

nana,
yes I have about 7 pages down on the 10pager. This might seem impressive but it still has a bit of cleaning up to do after I actually sit down and write it. That is neat that we are in the same class. Hey if you are going to class tuesday we should meet up. I usually sit right at the front on the right side (section farthest away from the front door).

As too everyone else about the failing motivation for this semester. I sort of agree. I mean indeed it is hard to get motivated and stay focused when soon you will be in italy. I am also kind of worried to be away from home for that long as well so both emotions seem to be comman. The result is actually not failing grades although it is indeed hard to concentrate. I am sure all of you with the decreasing motivation/grades will definitely pull up your socks. You can all do it I have faith.

By no means does this mean I am a perfect student though. Ok well hope i didn't put anyone to sleep

ciao for now my friends

yes like Nikki and Dave and Barbara, this semester was pretty much over when I started to preoccupy myself with the trip rather with keeping up with my work.
I really don't want to think about my two research papers, the inevitably closer finals, writing articles for the paper, grading oral compositions and planning a survival strategy for Europe.

The weekend is over... which means, less time to do work.
Wow, so depressive.

I, too, plan on being in Europe/other countries quite a bit in the next few years through more exchanges (Theres a really fun sounding one to Germany during spring session that I hope to do next year!) so if I only end up traveling around Italy on weekends then that is just fine by me. Call me crazy but if I never get to see Paris in my lifetime then I won`t be dissapointed, and when I do travel to other countries I feel like I will need more than a weekend to be fulfilled. Anyhow, this is another place I have been told that I must go to....
http://homepage.sunrise.ch/homepage/avong/cinque_terre/
http://www.parcocinqueterre.com/

Hey Stephy!!

My friend Laura went on the Cortona Project January '05 and she actually went to Parco Cinque Terre. She brought back fabulous pictures and the one thing she repeated often was how nice it was to travel around ITALY during the two months becuase it was not tourist season, she said that no matter where they went, the group felt as if they had Italy to themselves, a rare thing to feel indeed, ( lets take advantage of that yes!) so I am FOR SURE up for Parco Cinque Terre and also other parts of Italy. I too initially felt the same sentiment for France but I Would still like to see Paris, even for a weekend.

Parco Cinque Terre was definatley one of Laura's highlights, I would love to plan an outing there. I have come to realise that my weekends will probably be half and half, ( half Italy, half other..) Gabriella and I are more than likely spending most if not all of the two weeks we have after the program in Italy so a couple of weekends out would be nice so as to see Paris, switzerland, GREECE!! and anywhere else a group of people want to go. Those are my thoughts on the matter......for now anyway!!

Gabriella,

Hey so I thought i had replied to your post about meeting tomorrow.... I am so going and I actually sit on the left side, ha closest to the door. So i'll try to get out of my lab a bit early to find you or you find me! I'll have a green jacket on. Wow I feel like I'm going on a blind date, maybe I should bring a red rose for my lapel hahaha

ha ha ha......


what's with this one??

thats me before braces! This is me with braces and this (hopefuly) is me after braces!

Wow. i havn't been on this forum FOREVER!!!!! (I guess because like everyone else, i have half a billion papers due, so i refuse to get too excited until they are all done )

Anyway, in response to the very first comment in this line, I would absolutly go to Siena on the first weekend! Siena is my favorite place in all of Italy!!!!!It is so vibrant and cheerful, and for anybody that is interested, it has some of the best shoe stores in the country (I was told this before i went the first time and didn't really think anything of it , because i wasn't planning to buy shoes.....that was before i saw the gorgeos pair of baby blue suede stillettos.....)

anyway, I am up for it if anybody wants to go!

Hey Christina,

I'm still working out my exact plans for the weekends, but for now I would still like to go there the first weekend, though I'm not entirely sure where else I'll also be going. I'll let you know as soon as I do! There's so much to see in Italy it's a little overwhelming planning a trip there..... the hardest part is gonna be deciding what not to see!