Pasta e Pane

When one thinks of Italy it's safe to say that pasta and bread are two of the first things that come to mind.

Yesterday the BCSP group had a guided tour through some of longest lasting bakeries and delis in Bologna.

During the middle ages, if you were a butcher, you were considered high class, because in Bologna cuisine is centered around the meat. If you're meal is not going to consist of mortadella (known to Americans as bolgona), proscuitto, or salami you might as well not eat.

Paolo Atti & Figli is a wonderful bakery that has been passed down through four generations. It opened in 1880 and has survived the great depression and WWII. At the beginning to mid 20th century the Atti family hired prostitutes, giving them a job that paid fairly and gave them dignity. During the depression, to prevent them from eating the rich inside of tortellini (ricotta cheese, meat or grains) they would sing. So, when you would walk into the bakery to buy your fresh pasta and daily loaf of bread you were greeted with beautiful singing women.




At the end of WWII, Bologna was heavily bombed, and it so happened that a bomb fell in the Atti bakery, however it landed on some dough which softened the fall and so it didn't explode. The grandmother at the time, wrapped the bomb up in the middle of the bread dough and put it on a cart that was heading outside of Bologna- saving the bakery from being blown to pieces.

After trying various breads, cheeses and desserts at Paolo Atti & Figli we went to Tamburini. , an old Bolognese Salsamenteria. We were offered a delicious meat and cheese platter.


Tamburini was founded in 1887 and is famous for their salami and tortellini. The little shop is always full of people and they offer a great lunch cafeteria style, worth the money and crazy atmosphere.

Home Sweet Home

I have a home in Italy!

The past week has been very stressful for everyone in the program. Since the second day of the program (Aug. 31) everyone has been on the search for an apartment. At the end of June I made an account on a housing site for Bologna. I received around 40 emails a week advertising these great apartments in the center of the city for a reasonable price. I canceled my account since it was obvious that there were many options and I was looking 2 months early.

However, as many options there may seems to be, it is actually a very difficult, long, stressful search.

Here, in Bologna (I can't say if it is like this in all of Italy) when looking for an apartment is like going in for a job interview. Not only are you looking for a home where that is clean, in a good location and has friendly italian housemates, they are also looking for someone who they think they will get along with and will fit into their lifestyle.

No matter how much you like an apartment, you have no say or choice. It ultimately comes down to the people renting out the room.

The first day of the search I went to 7 apartments. The following day 3, the day after that 4.
There was a smaller quaint apartment I visited on Wednesday. There were two very nice girls who greeted me and offered me a coffee and showed me around the apartment. There was a little terrace with a hammock and a tree growing over half of it. The apartment was filled with sunshine and there couldn't have been anything better.
I decided that was the place to live. I wrote them an email the following day expressing my interest in the apartment. They said they had to wait until Sunday. Those were the longest 4 days of my life. I had to keep looking in case they were going to say no.
Saturday morning I went to go look at yet another apartment. That one was also very beautiful and that evening they offered me the room. But I wanted to live in the first apartment. I was torn between the two. Do I choose the place that is a little bigger, closer to the center, but a little more expensive but I haven't met the girls I'd be living with or do I choose the one that is a little smaller, but with an awesome terrace, and the friendliest girls?
Sunday night, I stopped by my first choice apartment and met the third girl I'd be living with- my roommate. She was amazing. And then .... they offered me the room!
Monday I packed up my things from the hotel that had become my home for over a week and brought half of it over to my new, "real" home. Tuesday I took an adventurous trip to Ikea and by Tuesday night I was in the apartment eating homemade pizza with my house mates.

Bologna, Emilia Romagna, Italia

(View from hotel bedroom window)

Yesterday I finally arrived in the beautiful city of Bologna.

Bologna has a slogan " La dotta, la rossa, la grassa" it literally means " the learned, the red, the fat"
Having only been here for 24 hours I can't comment too much on this, however Bologna does have one of the oldest universities with some of the most renowned professors, is famous for the mortadella otherwise known as bologna, and all roofs have red tiles and many buildings have brick or red/pink painted facades.
With the little walking I have done, I know I am going to be completely, utterly happy in this city. You can't not walk around and be in awe of the beauty that awaits you around every corner.

Today was the first official day of the BCSP program. I met the director who is very friendly and approachable, and also met the other 21 students who are studying here for the here coming from Cornell, UPenn, Indiana University, University of Chicago, U Madison, U Milwaukee, and of course the University of Minnesota. The most important topic we discussed today was housing- how to go about looking for an apartment.

I have two weeks in a hotel, which during that time I will be looking for a place to live and experience this bolognese lifestyle, it is quite a nerve racking experience.


(dinner with BCSP at Ristorante Nino)

Avignon

The IEFE institute took us to Avignon.

Serendipitously we went during Avignon's annual theater festival which is from July 7th to July 31st. They have over 500,000 visitors and is becoming more and more internationally known.

We saw the famous Pont d'Avignon and made sure to dance while singing the song Sur le pont d'Avignon


We visited the Palais des Papes, also a well known destination in the Provence region, as it was was was the home of several popes during the 14th and 15th century when there was political unrest in Italy.


And we made sure to walk around the town and catch some theater in the air. Every street and alleyway is covered in posters advertising different shows from musicals, one acts, to dance and cinema. And people are in costume ready to entice you to come see their performance

Bastille Day

14 July 1789- France's Independence day

This day is known as Bastille day because it is when the Bastille, which held political prisons, was raided during the French Revolution. The storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be passed on to the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers. Today many French are not proud to be French, so celebrating July 14th is not quite comparable to the 4th of July in the US.

However the French Revolution of course was an important change in France's history and we all remember Marie Antoinette's famous words "Let 'em eat cake"
In Montpellier they held a picnic, fireworks, and a fireman's ball the night of July 14th. The fireworks lasted 30 minutes and were amazing!

shop til you drop

It's that time of year when you need a break from the beach and you're dying from the heat- hit the town to get a good deal from your favorite shop.

its soldes time!

In France, the stores offer sales twice during the year, right after Christmas until early February and for the month of July.

Les Estivales de Montpellier!

Summer time in Montpellier- ahh what a beautiful time.
"Musique, danse, animations...GRATUIT"

To help soften the long deadly hot humid days in Montpellier, starting 25 June , every Friday evening until 10 September there is wine and tapas tasting.

Head on down to the esplanade and for 4 euros you get a wine glass and 3 tickets to try wines from various vineyards in Southern France.
Plus lots of artwork, food, music, and people