Introductions

What do you all think of a quick personal introduction thread to put some personalities behind the names? Nothing overly personal, just something like what program/year you're in, age, maybe what you're hoping for with this journey. Sound good?

I'll start it off. I'm working on my BA with a double major in Anthro (Archaeology specifically) and Classics. I'm doing this for all sorts of reasons but I suppose some big ones are just to expand my horizons, to see some of the people and places I study, and to have a great social experience with a group of like-minded people. Oh, and I'll be 28 in a couple weeks. (Does that make me one of the oldest people here?)

Dave

Good idea

My name is Ian McCarthy and I am from Halifax Nova Scotia. I go to Mount Allison University and am in my 3rd year. I am doing my BA with double major in Classics and History. I am so very excited to get to Italy! I have been there once before and loved it! I am a huge european soccer fan, and plan to take many trops to Milan to see my favorite team play, Inter Milan

Cya you all in Jan!

Ian

Excellent. Catching a game is high on my list of things to do. I don't know the teams at all but I'd love to go to one with somebody who knows something about it.

Hello I am Maria, I was born in Colombia and came to Calgary five years ago. I am taking a combined program of Archaeology and Art History and I am in my third year.
I am ecstatic about going to Italy it will be my first time, but literally a dream come true. btw I am fluent in Italian I could play translator if needed.
I look forward to meeting most of you next week!
Maria

Hi everyone. My name is Marissa Warshawski. I'm in my third year at U of A with a double major (seems like everyone is getting one!) in History and Art History. I was interested in the Cortona program because I did a similar one through Queens that was located in southern England. I learned more in that summer than I think I have the rest of my degree. I'm really looking forward to getting back to Europe! Oh and I'm 19 but turning 20 next week.

Hello everyone I’m Barbara Bogucki. I currently live in New Mexico but I am a Midwestern (Iowa, Illinois) girl at heart. This will be my first visit to Europe and I could not be more excited. I am going to try to get to Switzerland, London, Greece etc. as well if anyone’s interested.
I am in my 3rd year majoring in Art History, minors in History...possibly Museum Conservation and Anth as well but that’s another story
I will be 25 January 19…talk about a birthday present!

Hi Barbara,

Just wondering how you found out about the Cortona program? Doesn't seem like the U of A does a very good job of advertising it so I was suprised to hear that there were 3 non-U of A people coming.

Hi Marissa
My understanding is that the director of our Study abroad program happened to be at the University of Alberta last year and arranged to bring the program back to NMSU. The word he used was ‘piggy-back’ off your University!
But I actually heard about it from a history Prof. who has lived in Italy herself. I cant believe how blessed I am to have this opportunity. I actually feel like I will be in a foreign country twice-when I am not with Italians I will be with Canadians.
That’s a GOOD thing, I feel like I am getting twice the experience and enrichment for the price!
Barbara

Hey guys! I'm Candace. I've lived in and around Edmonton for most of my life. Unlike most of you I am not a History, Art history or a Classics major. I am a forth year U of A Campus Saint-Jean (woo!) Psychologie-Arts student. (yeah it's a mouth full) So after Cortona I will (should) be done my Degree! I will be 21 on the 21st. (Also I'm having my birthday in the basement of the black dog on whyte on the 17th, feel free to join me for a drink). This will be my 3rd trip to Europe and i'm super pumped!

Hey!

Well unlike all of you I'm a science student! I'm using the Cortona program as a way to fill up arts credits and travel at the same time. My major is Biological Sciences and minor is Arts Psychology. I'm a fourth year but it's going to take me five years to get my degree. This is my first trip to Europe so I'm very excited, and plan to see as much as humanly possible!

***plan to see as much as humanly possible!***

I second that !

Hey guys, so my name is Nana and I'm in my 4th year doing an arts degree majoring in econ and minoring in soc, although I'm not graduating this year, I have what I like to call a victory lap aka my 5th year. I can't wait to be in Italy, and I'm totally up for catching some soccor matches. Oh what else can I tell you guys, I'm 22 and like long walks on the beach. Haha kidding, well I don't mind them but that's not really important. Haha

Hey everyone,

I'm a third year student with a major in Political Science at the Faculté St. Jean (french faculty of the U of A) and a minor in Italian. So I guess you can all figure out that I am fluent in french. It was my first language. I am really excited about Italy! I've been to Europe before, but not to Italy.

Elise

Woohoo, I finally figured out how to work this forum thing, I feel so accomplished! Hehe. I`m Stephanie, I`m 20 yrs old and was born in England, moved here when I was two, and have since then lived all over Canada (I lived in Dartmouth (beside Halifax), Nova Scotia for a long time too!). I`ve only ever traveled around the U.S.A./Canada, and in England visiting family so this is definatly going to be my first big adventure and I`m not gonna lie, I`m totally scared! I`m in my second year at the UofA and I`m an English Major, Anthro minor; however, I tend to go off on tangents and decide that my life`s calling is to be a Marine Biologist or something else way out in left field, so who knows what degree I`ll end up with! I hope to do other transfers abroad in the next few years as well, and I figured the Cortona one would be a good one to start with as it seems very well structured, and like we`ll be well taken care of
Stephy

Hey Guys,
Im Merin, i'm a 3rd (and a half technically) year anthro major and history minor (wow it seems like theres a lot of us in anthro of some kind, maybe i'll recognize some of you!) at the uofa. I've never been to Europe before so i'm super excited to see it up close. I love travelling and meeting new and exciting people so im pretty stoked. Also, i love rock climbing so if any of you are also into that let me know and we can hopefully organize some kind of trip! I'm getting super excited from all the talk about Italy and look forward to meeting you all. Also, if any of you can tell me how to add a picture that'd be sweet.

Hi Merin,
Just go to profile at the tope of the page and then click avatar.
It gives you a couple of choices.
Good luck!

Hi guys.
My name is Jessica, 22, and I am an Anthro major, Pols minor who is starting my fifth year this January. I am Thai-Canadian and have been travelling since I was two months old. I love to travel and experience culture and the Cortona program just seemed to be another avenue to see and experience the world. When else after university will you be able to take 3 months off to run around and tour Italy / Europe?
The forum and e-mails are getting me so psyched and I can't wait until my plane touches down in Rome. See you all of Friday.

Hey guys, So I'm Olivia, I'm in my 2nd year at the U of A my major is Drama and I'm considering doing a double majoror minor with English. I'm from Comox Valley Vancouver Island. And I am so stoked to go to Italy, I've been to Europe 2 times but never to Italy. So it should be an awesome experience! And I just turned 19 a couple of weeks ago.

So excited to meet you all!
-Olivia

Hey guys, So I'm Olivia, I'm in my 2nd year at the U of A my major is Drama and I'm considering doing a double majoror minor with English. I'm from Comox Valley Vancouver Island. And I am so stoked to go to Italy, I've been to Europe 2 times but never to Italy. So it should be an awesome experience! And I just turned 19 a couple of weeks ago.

So excited to meet you all!
-Olivia

hey guys so I just got this thing working so I am out of the loop a bit. I am Gabriella Petrone and have lived in St.Albert, Alberta all of my life. I am taking my BA degree and majoring in Italian. My family is all italian and this weekend I have 22 italians coming over for dinner. It'll be awesome. I am in my third year and love Art History and so thought that this program would be an awesome adventure. Everyone seems really cool. I think it was Ian who was the soccer fan and just wanted to say that soccer is my life as well. I love Roma and Totti is a God. If anyone else wants to go to a soccer game then let me know since I will be going to at least two games if I can while I am there. Take care everyone and I will see most everyone on the 17th!!!!!

hey Gabriella,
i see you support AS Roma..well..they won today vs AC milan..which suck..i plan to go see Inter vs Roma and Inter vs Milan so we def will have to go

forza nerazurri..totti..is..not god hahaha

cya guys in jan!

Ian

hey Ian,

I am glad that Roma won with two beautiful goals from God himself. Sorry that Milan lost too though. Well see you in jan.

Hi all,

My name is David Burke and have lived in Edmonton all my life. I'm 19 and finishing my 2nd year of English and Film Studies this semester. This will be my 2nd trip to Italy and 3rd trip to Europe, but I'm looking forward to this trip even moreso than the others. I heard about the Cortona program 3 or 4 years ago and have kept it in mind ever since--now I can hardly wait for it to begin.

I'm a soccer fan too, (I went to a bunch of World Cup matches this past summer, though at the expense of missing the Oilers' cup run!!!), and I'd like to catch a couple games during our stay. I love travelling and since I'll have 4 day weekends every week I'll be doing a lot of it.

Hi! My name is Christina O'Dell, and I am in my second year at the U of A. I am in Arts, but aside from that my program is rather broad at the moment. You see, I went to a Performing Arts school for grades 7 though 12, and it was a bit of a shock when I graduated and discovered that indeed, in the real world, other things exist aside from stages, songs and tap shoes! Needless to say, I am in a phase of academic exploration at the moment! I too have known about this program for ages and am so excited to be finally participating! This will be my second trip to Italy, and third to Europe.

Hey everybody. My name is Mike Bird, I'm a fourth year UofA student doing a double major in Anthropology and Classics. I've excavated at the Cortona archaeological field school the last two summers, Im also planning on going this summer as well. It was a great expereience and I learned alot, I couldn't pass up the oppurtunity to come back and study for a term in Cortona. Really looking forward to getting to know everyone in January,
Mike