Part I
This past semester I had the
fortune of taking part in a course that culminated with a trip to Sicily! The
trip was almost a semester in the making. The class would meet once a week and
each week, the anticipation grew. During every class, I looked forward to the
journey, before I knew it spring break was here and it was time to go! Even before arriving to Sicily we
encountered many unexpected adventures. On the way to JFK from Philadelphia,
our bus got lost in Brooklyn, after several loops around the same block, we
were on our way. With each passing second the excitement began to build. Seas
of people greeted us at the airport. The lines looped so many times it was hard
to keep track of where they began and ended. Despite all the standing around
for hours, the trip was underway and we were in for an adventure. Moments after
finding our seats on the plane, a cat got loose! There were two cats in
carry-on luggage and although the owner claimed to have sedated them, one still
was up and bouncing! Throughout the week “cats on a plane” became part of our
inside jokes cache.
I always find take-off to be the
most exciting part of any trip; it meant the journey has officially commenced and
you’re at the point of no return! After leveling off in the air, the ride began
to feel very long. After spending many hours in the airport terminal, our group
was ready to finally get there. Once we landed in Rome, we were only three
quarters of the way there. After disembarking the large plane we were on our
way to catch another flight to Catania airport in Sicily! When we landed in
Catania I remember stepping out onto the tarmac and breathing in the fresh warm
air. It was the most splendid and exhilarating feeling. After being on the east
coast where it was cold and snowy for weeks, the bright sun and warm air felt
fantastic. The first few minutes in Sicily were some of the best! Although I
was tired and we weren’t exactly “visiting”, the knowledge that the next six
days to come would be filled with new experiences provided me with boundless
excitement.
Once everyone’s luggage was claimed
we were finally able to step outside. We took taxis from Catania to Ortigia.
Despite my eyelids feeling like stone, the sights were magnificent; I just had
to take it all in! Ortigia
is a small island next to Siracusa. The island has a small population and some
of the most breathtaking scenery. As soon as we arrived we dropped our luggage
in our hotel rooms and set off to get a “lay of the land,” as my professor
called it. Our first stop was the school building. The school building was
around the corner from our hotel, tucked away between a residence and a
restaurant. We entered through two
large wooden doors and at the end of a wide corridor was a lovely courtyard in
the center of the building. To the locals, I doubt it feels so magnificent, but
to someone such as myself who grew up in a city where everything is relatively
new, the old buildings took my breath away. I could not have imagined a better
place to study. We were provided a lovely lunch and met all the professors and
coordinators at the Arcadia-Sicily center. I vividly remember the lunch. It was so light and fresh compared
to the airplane/airport food we had been eating for the whole day prior.
After the
introductions and brief discussion we were ready to explore Ortigia! Our first
stop was the Piazza del Duomo. This was one of the main squares. The Cathedral
of Saint Lucia was like the epicenter of the island, from there the streets
branched out in all directions. Our next destination was the Temple of Apollo. The Greek
ruins was a short walk from the church. Seeing remnants of the classical
culture is always astonishing and the amount of time passed since the original
construction was difficult to fathom. After visiting some land marks in Ortigia, we were able to explore for
the rest of the evening.
~ Rosa Loveszy
