Travelogue
Due to the reciprocal agreements with various universities abroad, USC Upstate is able to offer students the opportunity to study or conduct internships in places around the world, such as Costa Rica, England, Italy, France and Germany. Faculty also travel abroad during the summer months for further study, special appointments, and awards.

Some students and faculty have submitted journal entries to describe their experiences. Read below to learn about culture in other countries, what it's like to study abroad, and more!

Well, our return travel was safe and we all landed at GSP about 7:30 Sunday evening. There was a line of family and friends with balloons and welcome home posters for the students. Everyone was very excited to see the weary travelers from their month-long excursion to Italy.

I have spent the morning washing everything in my luggage. After things have been packed on and off for three weeks they need to be thoroughly cleaned and aired. I have not had a chance to review my photos, hundreds of them, but hope to do so in the next day or so.

I will select a good sample of images and get them on this site ASAP, so check back for more updates as we transition back to the ole’ US-of-A. Ciao.

Yalonda M. James, USC Upstate Student, Magdeburg-Stendal University in Magdeburg, Germany

Greetings from Germany! I arrived safely in Berlin yesterday morning and quickly discovered my luggage didn't arrive with me. Officials discovered it's in Frankfurt, but no problem. The Brown people (UPS) are to have it delivered today or tomorrow. My travel guide, Alice Rabe, took me to the mall this morning to shop for clothes, so I am squared away. I am currently at the Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal University in the department of industrial design meeting professors and I will attend my first art class tomorrow. It's not a photography class, but a drawing class, which will be a challenge. I will also be involved in working on a product interface project while I'm here. This university is large and filled with Mac G5's. I'm in heaven.

The weather yesterday was excellent with the temperature being in the low 80's. Today is more cooler with a temp in the mid-60's by my estimation. We experienced a storm early this morning that awakened my flatmates and me.

I am learning to settle in and will begin taking photos soon, so please continue checking in. Tschuessi!

By the time you read this entry, we should be home. We fly out Sunday AM from Malpensa airport. It is Saturday morning and I am on the way to the big market in the Navogli area in Milan. Thursday and Friday, Donna Goodman and I were in Stresa on Lake Maggiore, the lago next to Lake Como. I have visited Lago di Como several times and wanted to see another area. The temp in Milan was predicted to be 38 this weekend, appx 100 degrees F, so we decided to look for a cooler diversion. They don't have the same humidity here so even though it is hot, it is not like SC hot.

Lake Maggiore is beautiful and we enjoyed our boating excursion that took us to several of the islands and villages on the lake. Horticultural enthusiasts should make plans to visit this area when in Italy. There is special attention given to the gardens and grounds on several of the islands, such as Isola Bella and Isola Madre, that have 17th and 18th century palaces. Wealthy families built these in order to have a refuge from the plague.

Tourists can enjoy touring on their own, or if you are a gardening fanatic, there are guided horticultural tours. Trees, flowers and other ornamentals are well labeled and there are distinct design differences in the gardens. Isola Bella is very formal, Versailles like, (when man felt he needed to control & order nature), and the Isola Madre is more natural with a flowing and fluid feel to the design. Both are well managed and worth the visit. If you are planning to be in Italy you can either stay in Milan and do a day trip to Stresa, about 1 hr train and spend the day, or stay in Stresa and visit Milan by day. The lakes are located in the mountains that adjoin the Alps so the vistas are marvelous and the water clear and blue. Seafood is a specialty of the area. There are many old Baroque style hotels in the area and plenty of tiny out-of-the-way places too. It is a good visit.

Well I am off to the market!! I will go thru my photos when I get home and send those. So, visit again next week to see more pix and get the final entries form all the participants. Thanks for following our journey!! CIAO!!

I'm in Roma this weekend with Mary, Austin, Jennie, and Josh. This morning we went to the Vatican museum. The Sistine Chapel was more beautiful and impressive than I could have ever imagined. There were people shoulder to shoulder in the chapel, but it didn't distract ; I was so mesmerized by the frescos. Pictures in books of  Michelangelo’s frescos give you no idea of their real beauty; you have to see it to better appreciate it. It was obvious to me that Michelangelo knew he was an incredible painter of the body, and he would be right, because the ceiling was completely covered with human bodies. I could have spent all day staring at the frescos. It was so peaceful in the chapel and quiet because of all the guards monitoring the noise. 

Hey everybody! We are in Rome this weekend. It's a huge city with lots of stuff going on everywhere. We are staying in the Pop Inn Hostel. It has a pop art theme. All the rooms are decorated with a different pop art theme. And they give free Internet and breakfast. Nothing can beat our place in Milano, but this is pretty good for a few days. I am sharing the room with 5 others and the bathroom with probably about 15 (and there is only one toilet and shower).  It gets a little packed in the morning.  But so does everything else in this city as well.  We went to the Vatican Museum today. We arrived an hour early (thank God) so we didn't have to wait in a mile long line. I saw the Sistine Chapel and some other famous pieces of artwork like Caravaggio and Reni. I really liked the Borgi apartment which had modern religious artwork. It was relieving to see some different interpretations of the Bible and Christ. Well we will be home in a few more hours so see ya soon. Ciao.

St. Peters !!!!!  What an experience.....today we all were up and going at 7am....quite hard to do but sooo worth it when you only have to wait 45min to enter the Vatican Museum which houses the Sistine Chapel or Sistina Cappella as they call it.  Just roaming around the piazza is wonderful in and of itself.  I especially enjoyed watching the green fungus flowing from the two fountains in the middle of the piazza.  I'm a people watcher and so everywhere I have been in  Rome I’ve been noticing the policemen.  We had one day where every time we saw one we would ask him how to get to where we were going and we'd all take turns....haha the joys of the little things....  Today guess what I had for dinner...haha a hot dog with fresh Italian mozzarella...yummy.  This was a case of desperation u have to understand that we had been in some part of Vatican City all day and hunger had us beat!  So alas we had hotdogs....man were they good! Ciao ciao!

Well, big change in plans. Venice was full, so I jumped on a train to Orvieto. Jane and Donna suggested this place to me, cause they knew I was tired of the city life. I am SOOO thankful they told me of this place! Once you get off the train, you ride this funicular (trolley straight up hill) type bus to the top of the mountain. It was like a fairytale. I couldn’t even believe it was real! I got there a little after 7pm, so the crowds of tourist were dwindling and the streets were calm. Every street played music and smelled like the best food on the planet! It was clean and the air was fresh...I still can’t believe I was there!

I didn’t have a hotel reservation for the first night so I just went in a few 'til I found one that had a room. Hotel Italia. It is a 3 star hotel and very classy. I had a QUEEN bed ALL TO MYSELF! I was so excited. I showered and headed out to get some food and get lost in this town. I walked for a few hours in all different directions and took some really great pictures. I was lucky enough to catch the sun going down in the Estruscan Ruins right on the outskirts of the mountain.

I had dinner at a place in Rick Steve’s book--but I can’t remember the name right now. It was very romantic place that played music depending on what you ordered. I ordered a pasta plate that was 'Umbrian Jazz'. I had a small bottle of Umbrian Rossa Vino. I wondered back to my hotel and listened to the city slowly go to sleep....I had two more days like this of shopping and talking to the locals (trying to talk to the locals heehee..) Was able to attend some sort of Mass in the Duomo...then headed back to Milano. Orvieto will hold a special place in me forever...my own fairytale land.

See you all soon!! Miss you tons and can't wait to share all my stories with you! Thank you again to all of you that helped make this possible for me! This has opened my eyes to a whole world of opportunities and abilities in myself I never knew were possible! Love you all!

Italy .... Rome! We are here at a hostel, what an experience Rome is!!  Today we went and saw the Coliseum, how grandiose!  Wandering about the back roads of Rome, eating gelato in front of the Trevi Fountain, watching lovers on the Spanish steps is all part of the Roman experience. As well as the subway on which many bottoms get grabbed....haha

We are staying at Pop Inn right next to the train station and guess what movie they are watching?  Ohhh yeah, The Gladiator (haha) - the home to the Coliseum and they are watching The Gladiator...

Well I’m off to hydrate... I love the frizzante water....

It is Wednesday and the students completed their last class meeting with Monica and Professor Capano just after lunch. We visited the Brera museum for a guided tour and critical assessment of the major works in the collection. Leonardo, Professor Capano, studied painting at the Accademia Brera before he did his doctorial work at the University of Milan in Art History and Literature. This gave us a connection to the school and he was able to take our group on a guided tour of the classrooms, studios and library of the Accademia. He told the group the Brera Accademida is one of the most progressive art schools in Italy, offering new and contemporary based courses such as Digital Art. The  Accademia library, used  primarily by the art students, includes an exhibition area that showcases work by various artists for the purposes of educating the students.

Most of the group are planning to go to Rome so many will be leaving at 2 today on the train. I met with representatives of the International Studies Center for lunch and to discuss our future relationship. Everything has worked so well we want to plan for 2007. So if you are interested, put May 2007 on your calendar and start a little savings account. If you want credit, you can earn 6 hours of transferable credit, but it is not a requirement to register for credit to participate in the program.

One very exciting thing I discussed with the International Studies Center is about an exchange with their Arts Management program. It would mesh very well with the USC Upstate Non-Profit Management Program and they are interested to exchange students between the two. This would include art, theatre, music and dance and could include relations for internships with such organizations such as the Spartanburg Arts Partnership, South Carolina Arts Commission, Greenville Peach Center, SC State Museum, Greenville Symphony, and many many more. If you are interested just get in touch.

Well, I have things to see in Milano. Time has flown by, as expected. Keep reading. CIAO!!

Hello, I sent more photos of Venice and also our wine tasting trip outside of Florence in Tuscany. Also, there is a great sunset shot when we ate dinner. Enjoy!

Greetings from Italy! On Sunday morning Mary, Austin and I took a train from Florence to Siena.  We had heard how beautiful the town was and we were not disappointed.  We walked through the winding roads first to the piazza publico then to the Duomo.  The huge oval shaped piazza was filled with people either eating in a cafe or absorbing some sun. The Duomo was so beautiful I could have spent all day studying it. The very Tuscan look of using different colored marble gave it such a subtle decorative appearance.  The huge supportive columns in the Duomo interior were black and white marble and were so strong and tall. The floor had beautiful mosaics scattered everywhere.  Seeing the Duomo in Siena was defiantly a highlight of my trip to Italy.  

We are in Milano today just relaxing.  My group just got back this morning at 1.30 AM from our day trip to Siena.  Our train was delayed and slow (we couldn't get a direct train so we were on the train that stopped at every little town along the way) so we got home a little later than expected.  We all complained the whole time but it was fun overall.  Being on the train was like being at Waffle House at 3 AM - lots of people who are tired and cranky or who knows what.

We have been planning our trip to Rome today.  In lecture today, Monica - our teacher, gave us a rundown of things we must see while in Rome.  She gave us the name of like 9 churches and 10 museums!  I have been to Milan, Florence, Venice, Bergamo, and Siena so far - at this juncture I am ready to start planning my trips a little more carefully.  At first I was totally opposed to schedules and what not but I am beginning to see the value in knowing what you are doing, at least a little bit.

I must go because we only have a few more days in Milan and so many more things to do.  Plus it's Happy Hour. Ciao!

Ciao! Don't u just wish u were here to enjoy a wonderful machiato in the morning and a brioche to wake u up and get u going!!!!  Last weekend we went to Firenze as the Italians call it, Florence as we know it.  The highlight for my trip was climbing Brunelleschis dome!  What an experience, running up the winding staircase until I was soo dizzy I couldn't see!   Firenze was beautiful; the Duomo was made of white, green and pink marble.  What a view from the top of the dome!  Firenze is located in the Tuscana (Tuscany) region.  I will show my stupidity here by saying that I never really knew what Tuscany was until coming to Italy...and for those of you who don't know it is a region in Italy just like Milano is located in the Lombardia region.  While in Firenze I had such a wonderful time!  One night my friend and I (she will remain unknown), went out and participated in a wonderful moving drum circle....how wonderful to be crowded in with the Florentines or Tourists sweating chanting and clapping and moving their bodies to the Jamacian beat!!!!!  How I would have loved to stay in Florence for a whole summer!  The only thing that was totally annoying was the tourist groups that held up different types of umbrellas so that their people would not get lost.  We went into the Duomo and had a free tour after a wonderful dinner at a Rick Steves recommended restaurante e vino e limonchello.  How awesome to explore the FRESCOS of the dome!!!!  Our guide was Italian but spoke English very well. I personally have enjoyed trying to speak Italian....my favorite phases are "Mi dispiace," which is "I'm sorry" and "Parle inglese," which is "do u speak English".....how wonderful to be able to communicate. Italiana is such a beautiful language! 

For today it has been raining. We had a class on the introduction to Rome.  I came home and did laundry and called my home, then e-mailed all my amicos as they say in Italiano! Have a wonderful day wherever u are!

Hey everybody in Greenville. We are all chilling here in Milano. The whole group went to Firenze (Florence) this past weekend. It was nice the whole weekend. We were able to see some neat stuff and of course SHOP at the markets. The girls loved that. I know everybody was negotiating prices for gifts for their families and friends. Hope everybody in Greenville is doing well. Everybody here in Milano is doing well. We are planning our next trip to ROMA!!!! Ciao.

Monday in Milano-- We all came back yesterday from Florence. I'm so excited because Jane worked out a trip into Tuscany for a wine tasting. This was by far my most favorite place in Italy so far!! The wine was spectacular and the view was breathtaking. I only wish we could have spent more time here...in Tuscany the time just stops. You don't think of problems or concerns or even your next step--you just open your eyes wide and try to breathe. I will definitely go back here. I could live here. We went to another wine tasting inside a factory type location in a small town. We put 15 euro on a card and we were able to taste some of the most expensive wine they make for only a few euro a taste. This was a first for me--Ive never been to a wine tasting. The people were so nice to us! The weather was perfect---I think the most perfect weather I've ever felt in my life! I can't even tell you how special this day was for me! The smells, textures, sights and sounds were so perfect I felt I was in a dream.

We had a "real Italiano" dinner--I think it was a hundred courses, every bite better than the last! We were lucky to catch the sunset over the Tuscan Mountains--it was fast but something I can't even compare or put into words. This place would be my heaven!

I continue to miss my family and friends at home -- this place has made me so thankful of them all...that and my "own space" which I didn't realize meant so much to me. I hope someday soon I can take them here with me--this is something everyone must see! I'm off to get tickets to Venice for the weekend. I have decided to venture there alone. I figure if I can do Roma--Venice will be easy--I will keep you all in my thoughts and ask you do the same! See you in a few days-- Love you all so much! Jess

We returned from Florence yesterday and had a chance to regroup and plan for the week ahead. A couple of our group went to Ravenna for an overnight stay and some to Siena for the day before getting back to Milano.

It has been a little rainy today but the sun is emerging just now so I expect tomorrow will be nice. We are planning a trip to Turin, Turino, which is about an hour from Milano. There are several good museums there including an Egyptian collection that has the Book-of-the-Dead. The shroud is also in Turino but they only unveil it for special liturgical occasions. It is a lovely city encircled by the Alps, usually with snow on top.

Today is Stephen Bruce's birthday; he is 22. We will try to do a little something special to surprise him. Stephen has acquired a new hair style while here. I will see if Brad or Josh can upload an image to the site so you can see.

Well I am off to the train station to get tickets for tomorrow. CIAO!!

Ciao from Firenze!!!!!!!!! Leather, leather, leather!!! Donna and I took a train from Milano Centrale to Firenze Santa Maria Novella. Plenty of tourists here, but wait until June!!!!!!! Weather could not be better. Sunny and warm with a cool breeze. None of those sweaty days on the hot asphalt for us. May is the perfect time to visit Italy.

Monica presented a lecture on Florentine art, history, and culture to help the students prepare for the visit. I am interested to see if they begin to notice the differences in food and language.

Florence has become very international since I was here in 2003. There is now a very large Asian population working in the Italian shops and operating businesses. There is also much more foot traffic and less autos in the streets, but still plenty of motorinos!!!! Interesting how things change.

I am in an Internet cafe near Hotel Nuovo Italia that is owned and operated by my friends Luciano and Eileen Vitti. They are very interested in art and always have a list of galleries and exhibitions for me to visit when I am here. The students will visit the Uffizi tomorrow and then for our vineyard tour at 2 pm. I doubt anyone will miss that!!! Ciao for now. Keep in touch.

Had a fabuloso lunch with Professor Capano and Michela at a lovely restaurant near the Duomo. The interior is art deco and the food exquisite. We discussed art, politics and food. How better to spend a lunch?

The class met this afternoon for a lecture on Leonardo's Last Supper and a tour of the Santa Maria della Grazie before our time to enter the Last Supper at 4 PM. We are only allowed to stay in the gallery for 15 min. and then must move on so another group can go thru the "decompression" chambers before entering. Ha, Ha!!

After the class, the professor and Monica and Michela invited us to meet them at a nearby cafe for drinks and snacks in the typical Italian after work routine. The students had a chance to ask many questions and speak with our Italian friends about art and general Italian life and culture. They are curious about so many things.

Tomorrow, they will have a lecture on the history and art of Florence in preparation for our travels to Florence. We have reservations at the Uffizi and Academia and a vineyard tour with dinner. Ciao Bella!!

Hey, things have been great here in Milano.  Today we should, or will have seen Da Vinci's Last Supper by the time this is posted. The Italian culture is wonderful. I can't wait to go visit some of the smaller towns just out side of Milano, like Lake Como, and on Thursday we leave for Florence. So until then I will leave you with some pics of our latest adventures. Ciao.

Having a great time!!!!! But how could we not, since we are living in one of the great cities of the world. Each day we see wonderful examples of design, beautiful fresh foods, displays worth photographing, architecture, art, and molto, molto......oh, US you have lost your focus with big Macs, carbs-crazy and everything disposable.

It is 10:20 PM and I needed an Internet fix. There is a convenient Internet cafe just down the block from our apartment building. The wash-a-teria is next door so you can wash, e-mail, and listen to good rock music all at the same time. I love multi-tasking!!!!! By the way, anyone out there reading this, you can email me at jnodine@uscupstate.edu if you have questions, comments or just want to say hello.

Today we had a field trip to Sant' Eustorgio to see the transition of styles in Milanese art and architecture. (From Gothic, to International, to Renaissance). Good examples in the church and chapels and it will prepare the students for their trip to Florence later this week. After that several of the group left for Bergamo and the rest of us went for a typical Italian lunch with our faculty and friends from IULM. Lunch started about 2:30 and ended at 4:00. Ah, Italia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The students have found the subway\metro and train system to be easy to navigate and a convenient way to travel. Seems like someone in SC would catch on to this idea. It appears it would use less petro and keep the air cleaner. Any legislators listening?? I doubt they would be reading this journal. Oh well, it was a good thought.

Later today we visited the Fondazione Prada to see the current exhibition by Steve McQueen, not the 1960s hunk but the contemporary living artist. The gallery is supported and operated by the Prada foundation that is the famous fashion empire. The exhibit was a cinematic installation by McQueen that emphasized elements of cinéma vérité. Many of the students were puzzled by the work so it led to much discussion after we returned to the apartments. We talked about how American movies are made to make money and how they as viewers have been trained to "look" at film for entertainment. Very formulaic. We also discussed how the European viewer expects to be a "participant" rather than a viewing-sponge and therefore will expect to be challenged and need to think about the visual information in a film. (Sort of like reading, if you still do that, you know what I mean) Often the independent and foreign films that few Americans see are politically and socially motivated. Oh yes, I see on CNN where George Lucas is in Cannes celebrating his ??10th Star Wars movie. I guess that was sort of a political reflection, if you really stretch the story idea.

Interesting experience for the students. Yesterday several of them had a chance to witness an anti-Bush demonstration. It was led primarily by immigrants rather than Italians. I have encouraged the students not to engage in political conversations; Bush is obviously disliked here and the Newsweek fiasco this week has not helped the US image any. This is great experience for our students who typically have had a very comfortable and insular experience in SC. they need to be aware of the US image abroad and also watching CNN Europe the news covers many areas, not just the major powers.

Well, I need to get back to my apartment to rest up for another glorious day in Italy. We will visit the Last Supper and others sites on the planned field trip tomorrow. Keep reading and we will try to keep you informed of our excursions!!! Ciao!!

Ciao! I want everyone to know we are having a great time in Italy! Milano is the best, and going to school here is even better. I learn something new everyday! Today, we went to visit Sant'Eustorgio, one of the oldest Gothic churches in Milano. After school, Austin, Mary, Anna, Julie and Lori went to Bergamo and will be back sometime this evening. The rest of us, (me, Jessica, Stephen, Josh, Brad, Donna and Jane) all went to lunch with Mikayla, Monica, and the Professor. We had a good time there and then went to the Steve McQueen art exhibit called Fondazione Prada. It was interesting and something like I've never experienced. There were six rooms with different films showing. One room, I was hesitant to enter because it was so dark and the walls were covered with mirrors. A big screen with various lights was accompanied by loud sounds; it became part of the room, like a 'kaleidoscope'. After reading the brochure we discovered it is supposed to be an infinite reflection. So it was something I'm glad I did and will always remember. So, hope everyone at home is doing well, and I'll talk to ya'll again soon. Ciao for now!

This is a sidewalk café near the university. Lunch is usually “taken” standing up at a bar eating a panino, a sandwich, with a glass of water or espresso afterwards. Their word for coffee is espresso, but it is served in a tiny cup (about two inches tall) with about 3/4” of very, very thick, black coffee. Most stores open at 9:00 am, close for lunch and rest around 2:00 pm and reopen at 3:30 or four and then stay open to seven or eight. They don’t even think about dinner until after seven; most restaurants don’t open until seven for the evening meal. Read full entry and see photos.*

We arrived in Milano!!! We had a little difficulty on the plane, because there was a sick man. Other than that the flight was smooth. We have been having a lot of fun. This past weekend all but three of the students went to Venice. I think everybody enjoyed it very much. Some of the areas you need to plug your nose but the sights were beautiful!! I know everybody got lots of great pictures. Monica, our teacher, has been able to take us to a lot of churches, etc., to tour around and learn more about the history of Milano. Monica is a very nice, smart lady. Her English is excellent even though she is self-conscious about it. We are planning to go see the Last Supper on Wednesday, and we leave for Florence on Thursday. I think everybody is really excited, or at least I know I am. Hey to everybody in South Carolina!

Hello everyone. I am sending more photos than words but I will try. I like it here in Milan sometimes. It is a very busy city like NY. I like NY, too, but here there are no to go coffees. The cappuccinos are great. Monica, our instructor, is very passionate about her city. It's interesting to see and touch art that for us has only been as real as the printed page. This past weekend I went to Venice with a couple of other people. I sent some photos of both Venice and Milan. I hope you enjoy.

Ciao, today was a little damp, but nevertheless, it has been a great day in Milano.  We visited San Ambroggio; I won't spoil you with details, but it was a very pleasant Romanesque church with beautiful chaples.  After lunch, I traveled to the Duomo and photographed a little of what I hadn't seen before.  I'll send some pics later......, but I must run for now. Ciao, Buona Cera!

Donna Goodman and I returned from Venice late yesterday and spent the evening washing clothes at the lavanderia and getting unpacked. The train takes about 3 hours and we had a cabina so it was comfortable. The weather was really great in Venice, and it was a good trip for photographs with the crystal clear sky and blue of the sea. Sunday evening I saw a few members of our group that had also returned from Venice and some from Rome. Everyone was in one piece and had lots to tell of their excursions. The crowds are not so large at this time in Italy so many exhibitions and architectural sites are more accessible in May than in June and July.

This AM we met Monica and Michela at St. Ambrogio for a tour and lecture on Paleochristian Milan. I have visited the church several times but had a chance to gain new information from Monica. Our directing professor, Professor Capano, has written on the church so she was pulling some information from his research. It is also good having the relationship with the University IULM and having the Italian instructor because she was able to get us access to the alter to see detail work on all sides. The metal work showed several styles and the quality and condition was very good. I have tried numerous times to gain special access to cordoned areas for the students and in most cases we cannot get access.

Things are going well. We see the Cenacolo Vinciano on Wednesday and Thursday we will leave for Florence. The students are looking forward to the Florence trip because of their visions of shopping!!! They are loving the styles and design in Italy and have begun to acquire some garments, items and "looks" influenced by what they have seen.

Having a good time and good food!! CIAO!!!

It's Sunday afternoon, Brad, Josh and I went on a hunt for food. Everything closes here on Sundays...unless you just want to drink. We laughed of our mutual love of the 24-hour Waffle House. That and Ranch. Pizza it is...Bufalina..it's a Buffalo Mazza that is sooo good.
They got back this morning from Venice and I got back last night from Roma. I decided to do Roma on my own. I can hardly even put into words what this was like. Sitting on the steps of the Vatican with everything I needed for survival on my back ... and not one soul on earth knowing how to get ahold of me--or even know where to locate me. In a world of pagers and cell phones...especially those that know me...this feeling was the most frightening and equally liberating feeling I have ever felt in my life. The Roma Termini was scary for me at first alone, but I was able to move about easier alone I think, because I don't look American. I spoke Spanish and was very successful. I recommend solo travel to everyone. You learn things about yourself that will blow your mind, and hopefully change you for the best.

We all contiue to need your prayers and thoughts...I believe they keep us all as safe as we have been...xoxo

Ciao!! from Venezia!!! We are having great weather. It is sunny and warm with cool breezes. May is definitely the time to visit Italy. Crowds are lower and temp is good. This AM I visited the Ca' Pesaro, national gallery of Arte Moderna. Numerous modern works including Klimt, Kandinsky and Chagall. The collection is not big but the palace that houses it is well restored and the works are well displayed and lit. The students are most interested to visit the Peggy Guggenheim Collection that is in her former villa on the Canale Grande. I always enjoy visiting it and there have been a few new works added to the collection in recent years. Jenny Holzer and I think there is a recent Bill Viola. I am reading the biography on Peggy that is popular just now and it is interesting to get a bit of insight into her social connections with the artists before they became known. This is the year for the Bienniale and too bad it does not open until mid June, so we will miss it. Tomorrow back to Milano. CIAO!!!