I reorganised the pics section. I now have an album for every place I went to. If you become a fan of my pictures, you can follow changes more easily and will get e-mail alerts whenever I upload new pics.
Ok?
Once again the link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Amrei.in.Italia
2009/10/31
2009/10/30
Bari nightlife.
Went out with Lucrezia and the other girls last night (those who I go out most frequently with).
We went to "Über alles", supposively a German pub - it's run by Italians and has a Bavarian theme to it that seems to appeal to Italians and makes them pay more money for beer. Oh well.
In fact, the pub does look very Bavarian, the interior is completely made of wood and there's a lot of blue-white ribbons and Oktoberfest posters. The first thing that didn't fit in was noticeable from the outside: really loud hiphop and reggae music, which just doesn't suit at all that rather rustic ambience. It was really funny seeing a bunch of Italian hiphoppers (another antagonism that just cannot exist, it's so absurd) going crazy in a tweedy Bavarian pub to reggae music, dancing next to the picture of Cologne's dome (yup!).
I don't think there's any place in Germany that is similar to this one.
We went to "Über alles", supposively a German pub - it's run by Italians and has a Bavarian theme to it that seems to appeal to Italians and makes them pay more money for beer. Oh well.
In fact, the pub does look very Bavarian, the interior is completely made of wood and there's a lot of blue-white ribbons and Oktoberfest posters. The first thing that didn't fit in was noticeable from the outside: really loud hiphop and reggae music, which just doesn't suit at all that rather rustic ambience. It was really funny seeing a bunch of Italian hiphoppers (another antagonism that just cannot exist, it's so absurd) going crazy in a tweedy Bavarian pub to reggae music, dancing next to the picture of Cologne's dome (yup!).
I don't think there's any place in Germany that is similar to this one.
2009/10/26
Update.
Haven't been writing in a while, Ralf is here visiting for a week and we're doing plenty of trips - went to Matera (Unesco World heritage, where Passion the Christ was filmed), Trani, Grotte di Castellana, Alberobello, Bari of course, Valenzano... ecc. The region of Puglia and Basilicata is stunningly beautiful!
I will post pics soon, as soon as he's gone and I'll have more time to spend in front of the computer.
It's been a great time and I'm sad he's going to leave soon.
I will post pics soon, as soon as he's gone and I'll have more time to spend in front of the computer.
It's been a great time and I'm sad he's going to leave soon.
2009/10/17
Aftermath.
Instead of feeling my sore muscles, I feel the effects of last night's "Vodka connecting people party". Erasmus life sure ain't no stroll in the park.
2009/10/16
Hurts so good....
Today was another splendid day. Blue skies, sun, but only about 18 degrees and some strong wind coming from the sea.
I went running for the first time in about 2 or 3 months. Since I came to Italy, I haven't exercised at all and feel a little, um, chunky... ;-) I found a running partner though, and together with him I'll hopefully be motivated enough to get in shape again. We went to "city park" (sad to say, but it is the only park in Bari). I thought we'd be running inside the park, instead we ran around it because it is so small that running inside would make you feel like a horse in a circus. If you run around the park though (on the street next to the cars, very healthy, argh), one round makes one kilometer. You see how tiny this park is. We actually made six rounds in 40 minutes, which I thought was decent for not having done anything in months. I will feel it tomorrow though...
We have another appointment for sunday, and hopefully, if we keep this up (2 to 3 times running a week), it will get me back in shape pretty soon and I can take part in the Bari marathon in the end of november. (I'd only do the 10k distance though...).
Do it!
I went running for the first time in about 2 or 3 months. Since I came to Italy, I haven't exercised at all and feel a little, um, chunky... ;-) I found a running partner though, and together with him I'll hopefully be motivated enough to get in shape again. We went to "city park" (sad to say, but it is the only park in Bari). I thought we'd be running inside the park, instead we ran around it because it is so small that running inside would make you feel like a horse in a circus. If you run around the park though (on the street next to the cars, very healthy, argh), one round makes one kilometer. You see how tiny this park is. We actually made six rounds in 40 minutes, which I thought was decent for not having done anything in months. I will feel it tomorrow though...
We have another appointment for sunday, and hopefully, if we keep this up (2 to 3 times running a week), it will get me back in shape pretty soon and I can take part in the Bari marathon in the end of november. (I'd only do the 10k distance though...).
Do it!
2009/10/14
A strange day.
Today was just weird, but I guess this day says a lot about Italy.
I forgot my keys at home. I discovered that when I returned home at about 1 p.m., and of course, none of my two flatmates were there. I called them, but their cell phones were turned off. Rang the doorbell a thousand times. Then left a note at the door asking them to call me as soon as they get home. Then sent them text messages.
It was actually the first cold day today. I didn't have a jacket with me because I only need 5 minutes to go the clinic, so instead of freezing to death I decided to go to the centre and stay somewhere inside. I actually bought a pullover. After bought a panini to eat something. Went home again to check if anyone was there yet. Nothing.
Went back in town, it was so cold (18 degrees) and went to the bar of an Italian I met earlier, who had lived in Germany (Freiburg) for 12 years and just returned to Bari 2 months ago. I met his daughter (Sonia, 21), who spoke perfect German with a southern accent. We talked for a long while and I was served a wonderful hot chocolate and some pastries.
Then went home again, and here's the curious part: it was 7, my flatmates still weren't there, which is unusual. I was afraid that they might have left Bari to go to their parents' house (about an hour from Bari), and their cell phones were still switched off. So instead of sleeping under a bridge tonight, I decided to break into our appartment. I had discovered that Antonello had left his balcony door open and wanted to enter our balcony (third floor) through the neighbors' window... a little dangerous, frankly, but instead of sleeping at the beach...
I rang the neighbors' doorbell and hoped they wouldn't call the police... I had never met them before and didn't know how they would react to a foreign girl with a strange story, kindly asking them to let her break into the neighbors' appartment.
I was warmly welcomed by four girls, all university students. They laughed loudly at my plan of breaking into my appartment... but they didn't call the carabinieri, made me sit down in their kitchen and offered me some coffee and figs and we started talking... and talked... and talked... and talked....
until Alessandro, my flatmate called. He had read my message and was really worried about me. At about 8.30, my keyless adventure was over. But now I have about 5 new friends, 4 of them live next door and invited me to eat with them on Sunday. And to come over for a coffee whenever I want.
(Leave your keys at home some time and find out who you'll meet...).
I forgot my keys at home. I discovered that when I returned home at about 1 p.m., and of course, none of my two flatmates were there. I called them, but their cell phones were turned off. Rang the doorbell a thousand times. Then left a note at the door asking them to call me as soon as they get home. Then sent them text messages.
It was actually the first cold day today. I didn't have a jacket with me because I only need 5 minutes to go the clinic, so instead of freezing to death I decided to go to the centre and stay somewhere inside. I actually bought a pullover. After bought a panini to eat something. Went home again to check if anyone was there yet. Nothing.
Went back in town, it was so cold (18 degrees) and went to the bar of an Italian I met earlier, who had lived in Germany (Freiburg) for 12 years and just returned to Bari 2 months ago. I met his daughter (Sonia, 21), who spoke perfect German with a southern accent. We talked for a long while and I was served a wonderful hot chocolate and some pastries.
Then went home again, and here's the curious part: it was 7, my flatmates still weren't there, which is unusual. I was afraid that they might have left Bari to go to their parents' house (about an hour from Bari), and their cell phones were still switched off. So instead of sleeping under a bridge tonight, I decided to break into our appartment. I had discovered that Antonello had left his balcony door open and wanted to enter our balcony (third floor) through the neighbors' window... a little dangerous, frankly, but instead of sleeping at the beach...
I rang the neighbors' doorbell and hoped they wouldn't call the police... I had never met them before and didn't know how they would react to a foreign girl with a strange story, kindly asking them to let her break into the neighbors' appartment.
I was warmly welcomed by four girls, all university students. They laughed loudly at my plan of breaking into my appartment... but they didn't call the carabinieri, made me sit down in their kitchen and offered me some coffee and figs and we started talking... and talked... and talked... and talked....
until Alessandro, my flatmate called. He had read my message and was really worried about me. At about 8.30, my keyless adventure was over. But now I have about 5 new friends, 4 of them live next door and invited me to eat with them on Sunday. And to come over for a coffee whenever I want.
(Leave your keys at home some time and find out who you'll meet...).
2009/10/13
Picture update.
I posted some new pics on picasa. From now on, I will not put any more pictures into the Toskana albums (obviously). So check on Bari/Puglia and every other new album you might find. The toskana pics will also be deleted in a while (a month or so) because there's only limited space and I need to clear it for new pics.
If you want any picture in the original size, let me know and I'll send it to you via E-mail.
If you want any picture in the original size, let me know and I'll send it to you via E-mail.
Fall is coming...
After a splendid day yesterday we got storms now (strong wind, some rain, temperatures of about 18 degrees) and it seems very autumn in Bari. I guess summer's over now... che peccato (what a pity). I am still hoping the warm weather will come back for a few days, but leaves have started falling and in the head of the Italians, it's already winter (they dress so warmly that you could think it's below 0).
I am enjoying my Italian life and already feel a little Italian. I also feel that my language competence is getting better and better.
Alla prossima!
I am enjoying my Italian life and already feel a little Italian. I also feel that my language competence is getting better and better.
Alla prossima!
2009/10/11
Did you know that....
...in Italy, there are no nuclear plants.
...the mean temperature in Bari is 16,4 degrees (Bonn has 10,3 degrees, New Orleans 21,4 degrees)
...with almost 40 millions of visitors each year, Italy is the fourth most visited country of the world.
...ice cream cone and pizza are Italian inventions.
...the average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine each year.
...in the last 65 years, Italy had more than 60 governments.
...98% of all Italians are Roman Catholic.
...about 55% of all 34year-old Italians still live with their parents. (!!!)
...the mean temperature in Bari is 16,4 degrees (Bonn has 10,3 degrees, New Orleans 21,4 degrees)
...with almost 40 millions of visitors each year, Italy is the fourth most visited country of the world.
...ice cream cone and pizza are Italian inventions.
...the average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine each year.
...in the last 65 years, Italy had more than 60 governments.
...98% of all Italians are Roman Catholic.
...about 55% of all 34year-old Italians still live with their parents. (!!!)
Erasmus trip.
Yesterday I met the other Erasmus students in Bari for the first time. There are about 150 students in Bari (not a lot... the city has about 350.000 inhabitants, so 150 get lost very fast/other Italian cities have thousands of Erasmus students. But this was a reason for me to come here since I'm more interested in meeting Italians).
With two busses packed with 130 students, we went on a tour of northern Puglia and saw a village, a castle, and Trani, a really nice city about 50km north of Bari. I liked Trani best, it has a really picturesque port and a lot of small, cheap, family-run restaurants. Will definitely go back and spend more time there.
Meeting the other Erasmus was quite interesting. The biggest group are the Spanish (about 80% I'd guess), who form a closed group and talk Spanish all the time. There is not really a chance to access that group, and I don't speak Spanish anyway. The Spanish also live together in shared flats. I talked to a somewhat more open-minded Spanish guy yesterday and asked him why the Spanish are not interested in socializing with anyone but Spanish people... he told me that the reason is simple: most Spanish speak neither English nor Italian, just Spanish. Thus, it is much easier for them to stay in their "Spanish group" and avoid contact to people who don't speak Spanish. I don't quite understand why they came here, though... they don't seek any contact to Italians either and obviously don't speak any Italian.
The other big group, although much smaller than the first, are the Polish. Most of them are really open-minded, friendly and interested in other cultures. They speak a lot of languages: English (all of them, and quite well), German (some), Russian (most), French (some), and most have at least a basic knowledge of Italian. I enjoyed meeting them.
Then there's a couple of French and some Turkish people, and, surprise... almost NO Germans! I met two German girls, one of them quite strange, the other one was quite nice.
Spent my day mostly with two Turkish girls, Gamze and Nihan, and some Polish people, and, of course, chatted a lot with the Italians who went on the trip with us. I was surprised to see that my Italian skills are better than those of most other Erasmus students. It's quite strange... some people even asked me on the trip to order some ice cream for them in a gelateria or asked me if I could ask for a price... these are really basic things that everyone should have learnt after 2 days in Italy! Some of these students have been here for a month, and they don't speak a word....???!!! I don't get it. Even without doing a language course, you can sit down with a dictionary sometimes and look up some important words. I do it every single day.
The trip was a blast though, and ended with a huge party in a disco here in Bari. Today I didn't get up before 2 p.m. and felt really wasted.
The weather forecast is promising rain for the next days... oh well, time to sit down and study some.
With two busses packed with 130 students, we went on a tour of northern Puglia and saw a village, a castle, and Trani, a really nice city about 50km north of Bari. I liked Trani best, it has a really picturesque port and a lot of small, cheap, family-run restaurants. Will definitely go back and spend more time there.
Meeting the other Erasmus was quite interesting. The biggest group are the Spanish (about 80% I'd guess), who form a closed group and talk Spanish all the time. There is not really a chance to access that group, and I don't speak Spanish anyway. The Spanish also live together in shared flats. I talked to a somewhat more open-minded Spanish guy yesterday and asked him why the Spanish are not interested in socializing with anyone but Spanish people... he told me that the reason is simple: most Spanish speak neither English nor Italian, just Spanish. Thus, it is much easier for them to stay in their "Spanish group" and avoid contact to people who don't speak Spanish. I don't quite understand why they came here, though... they don't seek any contact to Italians either and obviously don't speak any Italian.
The other big group, although much smaller than the first, are the Polish. Most of them are really open-minded, friendly and interested in other cultures. They speak a lot of languages: English (all of them, and quite well), German (some), Russian (most), French (some), and most have at least a basic knowledge of Italian. I enjoyed meeting them.
Then there's a couple of French and some Turkish people, and, surprise... almost NO Germans! I met two German girls, one of them quite strange, the other one was quite nice.
Spent my day mostly with two Turkish girls, Gamze and Nihan, and some Polish people, and, of course, chatted a lot with the Italians who went on the trip with us. I was surprised to see that my Italian skills are better than those of most other Erasmus students. It's quite strange... some people even asked me on the trip to order some ice cream for them in a gelateria or asked me if I could ask for a price... these are really basic things that everyone should have learnt after 2 days in Italy! Some of these students have been here for a month, and they don't speak a word....???!!! I don't get it. Even without doing a language course, you can sit down with a dictionary sometimes and look up some important words. I do it every single day.
The trip was a blast though, and ended with a huge party in a disco here in Bari. Today I didn't get up before 2 p.m. and felt really wasted.
The weather forecast is promising rain for the next days... oh well, time to sit down and study some.
2009/10/07
Bari Street Life, University Life and more.
I met some really nice people here (all Italians) and went out with them two times. Sunday we ate pizza and went to a bar, and yesterday we went bowling. The Italian way of bowling is something that definitely needs to be experienced... everyone is shouting, jumping, clapping, dancing etc at the same time. I don't think I ever had so much fun bowling, it was such a "drama"... after, we went to another pub. Well no actually we went in front of the pub after we had bought a plastic cup of wine inside. Italian nightlife is all on the street, and cars are the furniture... people sit on cars, eat pizza on cars, lean on cars, dance on cars, put their wine bottle on the next car...
Went to lectures today and was thrilled by the Italian timetable, as always, everyone was "on time", which meant that everyone arrived within two hours of the actually scheduled time. No use going on about this...
Going to lectures is obligatory, and occasionally someone checks on that, but nonetheless, more than half of the students prefer to stay home. And noone cares. Well, if I were Italian, I'd probably much rather stay home than endure five hours on these torture banks that they put into our lecture hall. They are designed in a way so that you can never lean back without a sharp pain in the back that makes you immediately sit straight up again. No joke. This way, it's hard to fall asleep. In Germany, I never follow any lectures (they make me fall asleep), but here I actually enjoying listening to them, it helps me very much in learning the language.
There is no lesson that is not interrupted at least twice by the prof's cell phone ringing. In Germany, profs turn around embarrassed and switch of their phone. Here, they always answer their phone with a melodious "pronto!" and then go on talking for a couple of minutes. Again, noone cares. The prof wants to talk to his wife about what's for dinner? So what, be it.
It's October and I still run around in a T-Shirt and skirt! Perfect blue sky, sun, 25 degrees... what more can you ask for? I'll tell you next time.
Went to lectures today and was thrilled by the Italian timetable, as always, everyone was "on time", which meant that everyone arrived within two hours of the actually scheduled time. No use going on about this...
Going to lectures is obligatory, and occasionally someone checks on that, but nonetheless, more than half of the students prefer to stay home. And noone cares. Well, if I were Italian, I'd probably much rather stay home than endure five hours on these torture banks that they put into our lecture hall. They are designed in a way so that you can never lean back without a sharp pain in the back that makes you immediately sit straight up again. No joke. This way, it's hard to fall asleep. In Germany, I never follow any lectures (they make me fall asleep), but here I actually enjoying listening to them, it helps me very much in learning the language.
There is no lesson that is not interrupted at least twice by the prof's cell phone ringing. In Germany, profs turn around embarrassed and switch of their phone. Here, they always answer their phone with a melodious "pronto!" and then go on talking for a couple of minutes. Again, noone cares. The prof wants to talk to his wife about what's for dinner? So what, be it.
It's October and I still run around in a T-Shirt and skirt! Perfect blue sky, sun, 25 degrees... what more can you ask for? I'll tell you next time.
2009/10/05
First day of university.
In Germany, classes always start 15 minutes later than they are announced for (so actually they start on time, just 15 minutes late... you get it). Here classes start "on time" at 9 in the morning. Well, at least I was on time, and so were the other students. But no prof showed up until about 9.25. Not a big surprise, we're in southern Italy, come on.... Then, as in every classroom in this world, the beamer didn't work. Until we finally had everything working and the prof talking, it was about 9.45. Almost half of the lesson was over before we had even started to hear anything about surgery.
So then I listened to Italian talk about medical issues until 2 p.m.... very tiring, and I didn't always understand everything. But I'll keep going there and hope that one day, I will finally understand everything and be able to talk about medicine in Italian.
Let's see how tomorrow works out: Emergency medicine, prenatale medicine, and emergency surgery are waiting for me... (doesn't sound all that interesting to me... but, you know...).
I am already looking forward to Friday: Psychiatry and "mental hygiene" for three hours.
So then I listened to Italian talk about medical issues until 2 p.m.... very tiring, and I didn't always understand everything. But I'll keep going there and hope that one day, I will finally understand everything and be able to talk about medicine in Italian.
Let's see how tomorrow works out: Emergency medicine, prenatale medicine, and emergency surgery are waiting for me... (doesn't sound all that interesting to me... but, you know...).
I am already looking forward to Friday: Psychiatry and "mental hygiene" for three hours.
2009/10/04
Welcome to... Bari!
I arrived safely but really tired after an 8-hour-long busride from Siena. I got a heavy culture shock immediately: Bari is nothing like Siena! I call it a dream in concrete... but after a couple of days, I found out that there are some really nice spots here, for example the port of Bari, the old historic centre... and of course, there's some really good pizza, pasta, and gelato :-)
But to top it all off, the people here are the friendliest and warmest people I have ever met. Example: one day, I went into a store. I asked the owner, a 40-year-old (I guess) woman a question concerning one of the articles sold in the store. She answered, then asked where I'm from, what I'm doing here... ecc, and this way we started a conversation. After 5 minutes, I was offered coffee. Then her husband arrived. We all sat on chairs in the store and were having coffee that had been brought by another Italian who had a coffee bar next door. After about an hour, I left the store with an invitation to dinner.
In Germany, this wouldn't be possible but considered very strange...
Thursday, I moved into my new flat. I have a room with a balcony to myself and share the flat with two Italian guys, Alessandro and Antonello, who are doing a PhD in Physics. They are both really nice and I think we'll get along quite well. Alessandro has shown me around here in my quarter, pointed out the supermarkets and interesting places, and we also cooked together. Both guys have girlfriends, so I don't have anything "to fear" and our relationship is very relaxed and easy-going...
Tomorrow (Monday) will be my first day of university! I am very excited. I am taking the classes of the sixth year here, but the system doesn't really correspond to our system in Germany - from tomorrow on I will "enjoy" surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, gynecology, and psychiatry. The university here is one huge chaos, but I hope I'll get along. :-))
But to top it all off, the people here are the friendliest and warmest people I have ever met. Example: one day, I went into a store. I asked the owner, a 40-year-old (I guess) woman a question concerning one of the articles sold in the store. She answered, then asked where I'm from, what I'm doing here... ecc, and this way we started a conversation. After 5 minutes, I was offered coffee. Then her husband arrived. We all sat on chairs in the store and were having coffee that had been brought by another Italian who had a coffee bar next door. After about an hour, I left the store with an invitation to dinner.
In Germany, this wouldn't be possible but considered very strange...
Thursday, I moved into my new flat. I have a room with a balcony to myself and share the flat with two Italian guys, Alessandro and Antonello, who are doing a PhD in Physics. They are both really nice and I think we'll get along quite well. Alessandro has shown me around here in my quarter, pointed out the supermarkets and interesting places, and we also cooked together. Both guys have girlfriends, so I don't have anything "to fear" and our relationship is very relaxed and easy-going...
Tomorrow (Monday) will be my first day of university! I am very excited. I am taking the classes of the sixth year here, but the system doesn't really correspond to our system in Germany - from tomorrow on I will "enjoy" surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, gynecology, and psychiatry. The university here is one huge chaos, but I hope I'll get along. :-))
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