Snow globes and Tifosi (Football Fans):
15th Sept 2011
Even before landing on Italian soil, Ellie and I had two encounters with over emotional italians. The first was a poor Italian woman going through security who couldn’t understand why the security staff were taking her souvenir snow globes from her hand luggage. Obviously she couldn’t speak any English and the Security guy at Gatwick couldn’t speak any Italian, Ellie and I stepped in to try and explain the situation to her. This was when the crying began. “They’re presents for my children!” “I have no more english money to put them in the hold!” - akward moment. Anyway she let them be disposed off and went off drying her tears - Ellie and I decided to move away sharpish before she came looking for us. The second incident occurred on our way to our boarding gate when we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a load of Napoli Football hooligans! Chanting away - VERY LOUDLY, until a woman turns to them and says bluntly - “You didn’t even win!” It seems nothing can dampen the Italian spirit.
Shopping trip!!!:
16th Sept 2011
I went to Ipercoop today, a big supermarket outside the centre of town where I went abut buying all the things which I had left back in Britain: Towels, bedding, pillow, duvet, stationary, food, etc.
One disappointing thing about my trip was that I discovered that electric kettles don’t exist in Italy! I know - Shocking! I have to boil water .... in a pan?! What do you think I am? some kind of primitive being!
Ah well i’m sure I’ll manage. On the plus side, I found a H&M =D
A Saturday Night at the Duomo:
17th Sept 2011
The Duomo is probably one of Ferrara’s most beautiful buildings in the city, inside and out, and pretty much every saturday night there will be hundreds of people swarming around outside it in the piazza, sitting talking drinking, smoking, sometimes a casual bit of african drumming. It has become our regular haunt whilst the warm weather is here. Who’d have thought it, huh?
Classic Car Convention:
18th Sept 2011
Casual stroll around the piazza on a Sunday morning to find the centre of the city covered with classic cars - I’ve learnt that anything can be occurin’ on a weekend in the piazza.
University Organisation (or lack of):
19th Sept 2011
Now I used to think that Birmingham’s inability to tell it’s students the correct information about their courses was infuriating, but since coming to Italy I realised that I may have been a bit harsh on my dear old university. The first week I arrived in Ferrara I went to the International Students office so that I could enrol. A note of warning, expect LONG queues. I waited for a good 40 minutes outside the office waiting to be seen - I will just add that it is an excellent place to meet and chat with other Erasmus students. When FINALLY I actually got to speak to someone about enrolling, I was told that unfortunately I couldn’t enrol today as the computer systems were down - Great!
Now I wouldn’t have minded if once in the office they were actually helpful, but instead it seems that students just get palmed off from one office to another. Once we had chosen our modules we were told to get them signed by Donatella (Versace?! - a joke Terri-ann made when in the international office - it didn’t go down well) who it turned out was only available in here office on thursdays 3-5pm, who knew she’d be so accomodating(?!) Once this was done we went to get our libretti (a little book which the lecturers write the marks in after the exams) from the secretary of the languages faculty. When we arrived, our signed documents in hand, she stared at us as if we had trailed dog muck into her office, saying that it wasn’t her responsibility to deal with us. When we insisted that this was where we had been told to go, she went to check with another office and sure enough 10 minutes later she came back to sort out our libretti.
FINALLY SORTED - RESULT!
La Prova di Corale:
20th Sept 2011
First choir rehearsal with the University of Ferrara Choral group - Got adopted by a 50 yr old crazy blonde soprano, I think she’s my new best friend.
Mirage:
21st Sept 2011
I BOUGHT A BIKE!!!! It’s beautiful, it’s called Mirage and has a wicker basket. Having to get used to the initial saddle soreness - Get your bike ... you’ve pulled!
House party at Casa di Ellie:
24th Sept 2011
7 English, 2 Lithuanians + Drinking Uno + Lots of Prosecco and Fragolino (a type of fizzy strawberry wine) = Me passing out on Ellie’s bed at 2am, waking up at 4am, and going for Breakfast at 6:30am with Federica (Ellie’s housemate) who’d got in from work. Went to bed at 7:30am. SURREAL NIGHT!
25th Sept 2011
There was an International Market (I told you to expect all sorts on a weekend in Ferrara) And of course we found the British Stand, stereotypical tea and flowery tea towels, as was the Irish Stand - Basically just Guiness.
The Night of Many Pizzas:
26th Sept 2011
The first of the 21st Birthdays amongst the Erasmus Students. To be fair to Mike, it was his birthday and did a terrific job by ordering 30 pizza for all of us there - seems all his “networking” and “life experience” has paid off. He also made some new friends to add to his list of contacts that night =p
TSUNAMI:
27th Sept 2011
Tsunami - The Student’s Bar: Every tuesday night there’s a happy hour between 10 - 11pm. This was my first experience of “tickets” for drinks; You queue (or scrum) to pay for your drink, then once done you move along (fight you way over) to the other part of the bar with your receipt and get your drink - sounds logical, can’t say it works particularly well at 10:40pm when every student in there is fighting to get their last drink of happy hour. Fight for you right .... for cheaper drinks =p
Oh but on the plus side, at midnight they bring out huge platters of pasta, now THAT is a good shout!
Tiggy's Birthday Meal in Padova:
29th Sept 2011
Padova - An hour away from Ferrara, such a lovely city! Much bigger than F-town, and much more decorative architecture, will have to revisit soon to tell you more. It was lovely to catch up with the girls from Birmingham in Padova to celebrate Tiggy’s Birthday! Hope to see them soon!
"How many more steps are there?":
1st Oct 2011
Bologna - Ellie’s mum and sister arrived in Bologna so Terri and I tagged along with Ellie and her family to do a bit of sight seeing. We climbed the huge tower, over 500 steps and around 100 metres high. Now I’m not scared about heights, but coming down those stairs was a bit of a ordeal - mainly because most of the steps with very steep and uneven. Interesting fact: The students at Bologna university believe it to be bad luck to go up the tower before you have graduated. It’s the same thing for Italian students in other areas of Italy, the leaning tower in Pisa, even the Castle in Ferrara! Second interesting fact: There is another tower built next to this one which leans slightly and was said to be the inspiration for a metaphor used in Dante’s Inferno. (such a Dante geek)
Country lanes and sunshine, Bliss:
2nd Oct 2011
Decided to go for a Bike ride around the city - and discovered a beautiful country path, so idyllic - I felt as if I was back home. Then settled down in Piazza di Ariostea to do some work (and maybe watch the guys play some ultimate frisbee)
Ravenna:
3rd Oct 2011
Ravenna - About an hour away from Ferrara (south). The city of Mosaics and the home-town of my housemate Chiara. If you ever get a chance to visit Ravenna, I would certainly recommend it. I visited the Basilica di Sante Vitale, which has the most magnificent mosaics in it’s interior, the detail is INCREDIBLE (my photos don’t do it justice Im afraid). Then I went to the Museo Arcivescovile which is home to some amazing pieces in particular a chair decorated with ivory panels each depicting certain scenes from the bible, as well as an engraved circular calendar showing the workings out of when easter falls each year. Lastly (since I am a big fan of Dante) I couldn’t leave Ravenna without seeing Dante’s tomb. All in all a wonderfully culture-filled day.
Beach time!:5th Oct 2011
Rimini - so in the last couple of days I had had my fill of culture ad just wanted to sit on a beach, write some postcards and read my magazines. Rimini - meh, not that special - nice beach though. There is a park named after the famous Italian director though. Thinking that I get a bit of peace and quiet, I instead was hassled to by towels or otherwise chinese women were trying to offer me massages =s i politely declined.
Downside to the day: I BURNT SO BADLY!!!! literally couldn’t move for 3 days after this, MASSIVE ERROR!
Venice, Che Bella Città!:
8th Oct 2011
Venezia - I realise now that when I went to Venice with 4CYC in 2005, I really didn’t see much of the city itself, and what a B-E-A-U-Tiful city it is too! We went on a coolish day which i think was better to walk around in than the heat of the summer. The side streets, I think, are much more interesting and pretty than the big piazze. On our way to St Marc’s Basilica we bagged ourselves a Gondola ride for 60 euros (very cheap when you consider at high season you’d be paying twice as much as this) It was perfect as we got in the sun came out and we had a sunny trip along the canals of Venice. Perfect way to spend my last weekend as a 20yr old.
That night we went to a Reggae night at a local club in Ferrara - absolutely crazy night, involved stealing oranges and cycling drunk. Now kids this isn’t the safest way of getting home, but it is funniest and QUICKEST method!MY 21ST BIRTHDAY!!!!:
10th Oct 2011
MY 21ST BIRTHDAY!!!! And I’m celebrating in Italy!!! The only thing to make this day better would be to have all my family and friends here from home. But I received so many cards and letters it felt like they were all here in spirit =] And I have to thank my lovely friends here in Ferrara for helping me celebrate in style; after a couple of drinks and eating my (homemade - from a packet) cake, we went for pizza where I got ANOTHER cake (and yes it did taste better than mine). Then people bought me a lot of prosecco and I after that, all I remember was that I was very happy =]
Musical Theatre Mayhem:
13th Oct 2011
So I decided to try out a dance class at a local dance school here in Ferrara, what I THOUGHT was a musical theatre dance class, and it sort of was but nothing like I had ever experienced. I walked in, with 4 or 5 other people and we were greeted by the most enthusiastic teacher ever. If I can just describe this guy maybe you’ll understand my perplexity - He looks Korean, He speaks Italian, He sings in an American accent, and He acts ridiculously camp - Identity crisis or what?!? So I suddenly realise that I’m the ONLY newbie of the group and he asks me to sing something ... I hate it when people do this, I’m not a jukebox you can automatically get songs out of - luckily (thanks to GMTG showcases) I had a couple of songs up my sleeve and whipped out a verse and chorus of ‘Wash that Man outta my hair’. Thinking that would be the end of it I went to sit down , but OH NO he wanted me to show him some quick pace steps as well! I was only there to try out the class, I wasn’t auditioning for the bloody thing. Then we spent the next hour doing exercise where we worked on stamina and made us sing and do an aerobic routine at the same time - i was quite a useful exercise, a part from the choice of song made me want to rip my ears off (Fame - I can only listen to it so many times before wanting to hit something) Well I think i’ll just hold off on the musical theatre until I’m back on British soil, but I will let you know how I get on with the other classes.
Black Friday:
14th Oct 2011
Slowly and surely, like all Erasmus students, I am making my way around the bars and clubs in Ferrara. This Friday I sampled the delights of RENFE (and no it has no link with the spanish railway network) on a night which the Italian’s call “Black Friday” - yes thats right, bit of a shocker. Anyway after a couple of drinks at Anna and Kirsty’s we got on the old biciclette and rode to RENFE.
On the way to the club me and Terri stopped at Ashley’s to use the loo, as we entered his apartment he said “bathroom’s on the left, oh and sorry but the lock doesn’t work.” (typical lad’s house) So i go to open the door only to find a rather surprised german girl (luckily not in a compromising position, otherwise this would have made the whole situation so much worse) who turns out to be Ashley’s housemate’s, Ben’s, girlfriend. Great first impression there!
We got to the club, somehow! Ashley precariously perched on the back of Ellie’s bike. We walk in and it’s quite small and a bit dingy - but anything is better than nothing here. Next we notice that not many people are dancing, it’s just one circle of people trying to battle (dance) - what the hell have we walked into?! Unperturbed we went to the bar got the drinks and then headed to the dance floor. You have to understand that I haven’t been to a club and danced since being in Britain - I was going to dance on friday no matter what! After a couple more drinks we started joining in the circle - when I say join in, more like take the piss, ah well.....
Eventually we decided to call it a night after they wouldn’t Ashley back in for being too drunk. Interesting night, not sure i’m that into Black friday though.
In Britain a student's graduation, whilst I'm sure it's a happy day, seems such a waste of a day. Sitting in the Great Hall for hours waiting for your name to be called so that you can shake hands and give a quick smile to your family (who have had to leave your siblings or grandmother at home since your only allowed to have TWO tickets for family) and the wait some more to get your photos taken. The actually ceremony itself doesn't seem to a fitting end to 3 or 4 years of University. However I think the Italians have got it right when it comes to celebrating the achievements of it's students. This thursday I was lucky enough to be a part of Stefano, my housemate's (Grazia) boyfriend's, graduation. 
We assembled outside a classroom in the Facoltà di Medicina a long with at least twenty others who were close friends and family of Stefano, and waited for Stefano to be called in to make his presentation. You see, before you can graduated you must make a presentation in front of your friends and family as well as your professors who will then ask you questions, then everyone leaves the room and wait for professors to decide on what mark you should graduate with. So we all filed in to watch Stefano's presentation which, to be honest I didn't have a clue what it was about (even if it had been in english) But it sounded good! We left the room whilst the professors deliberated the marks then went back in and they announced that Stefano had achieved 110 marks (the highest which one can get). At that everyone cheered and many people cried with joy. There was such a overwhelming feeling of pride and happiness that I don't really think comes across during graduation ceremonies in Britain.
Then the fun began! Basically after the formal part of the ceremony comes the informal celebrations organised by friends and family and basically turns into taking the piss out of the Laureate (the graduate) for the rest of the day. So Stefano's housemate's had decided to dress up as Roman soldiers and have Stefano as Jesus carrying a large wooden crucifix (Yes, Italy is still a very catholic country). Dressed in a white bed sheet, with only shorts and t-shirt underneath, ankles in cardboard manacles and only socks on his feet, we shivered in hats, scarves and coats following the jubilant Laureate through the university buildings singing loudly "Dottore, Dottore, Dottore del buco del cu, vaffancù, vaffancù!!!" (I'm not going to translate this, but just know that it's VERY RUDE!).
