Well, this will be my last post before I start blogging from Europe! I leave tomorrow morning around 8 am. Today I'm spending the day with my mom in Tacoma running around trying to get everything done before leaving. I'm actually quite nervous because I have a lot of planning left to do and things to solidify, but I should be able to do that once I get to Rome and along the way as well.
If I didn't get to see you in person or talk to you on the phone before leaving tomorrow...please forgive me! In this last week I tried to get around to everyone, but as always time just slips through my fingers and here I am leaving in 12 hours! I wish all my friends and family a beautiful summer and fall, and please stay in touch! Email me at rodriguezme08 [at] gmail.com or leave me comments on this blog as well! Whenever I have the chance to check my email or blog I will. See you all very soon...and take care!
Peace,
Maria Elena Rodriguez
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
A tentative travel itinerary for Europe!
So there are still a lot of holes in my itinerary for the next five months in Europe...but I'm not too worried. Things will sort themselves out! I can't believe I leave in 3 days!!! Time since graduation has just flown by in a flurry of packing, moving out, seeing friends, working fulltime at PoE, and trying to also figure out some more details of my travels. But here's what I've got so far, though it may and probably will change a bit!
July 1-6 Rome with Haley and Adriana
July 7-10 Go to the beach on the Adriatric coast with Adriana
July 11-13 Visit previous host family in Calabria with Adriana
July 14-16 Not sure yet...
July 17-29 Greece (maybe WWOOFing or just touring)
July 30-Aug 3 Pescosolido Summer Camp, Abruzzi National Park! http://romesummercamp.ilbello.com/
Aug 4-13 WWOOF at farm in Noto, Sicily
Aug 14-30 Sciacca, Sicily
Sep1-30 WWOOF at Italy Farm Stay Abruzzo http://www.italyfarmstay.com/
October 1-? Visit friends in Perugia
October-? WWOOF in Tuscany
October 22-27 Terra Madre conference in Torino!! (See post way below about Terra Madre)
October 28-December 3 WWOOF in France and Spain, maybe visit friend in Hamburg, Germany for a weekend
December 4-Fly home to Seattle!
So that's what I've got so far! I'll keep you all posted when things are more set. Ciao!
July 1-6 Rome with Haley and Adriana
July 7-10 Go to the beach on the Adriatric coast with Adriana
July 11-13 Visit previous host family in Calabria with Adriana
July 14-16 Not sure yet...
July 17-29 Greece (maybe WWOOFing or just touring)
July 30-Aug 3 Pescosolido Summer Camp, Abruzzi National Park! http://romesummercamp.ilbello.com/
Aug 4-13 WWOOF at farm in Noto, Sicily
Aug 14-30 Sciacca, Sicily
Sep1-30 WWOOF at Italy Farm Stay Abruzzo http://www.italyfarmstay.com/
October 1-? Visit friends in Perugia
October-? WWOOF in Tuscany
October 22-27 Terra Madre conference in Torino!! (See post way below about Terra Madre)
October 28-December 3 WWOOF in France and Spain, maybe visit friend in Hamburg, Germany for a weekend
December 4-Fly home to Seattle!
So that's what I've got so far! I'll keep you all posted when things are more set. Ciao!
UW Graduation update!
I'm officially a graduate of the University of Washington! It feels absolutely great. Though I think I could have continued taking classes and being a student for years, I am glad to have finished this chapter of my life and be able to start moving on to other exciting adventures and experiences. And there's always grad school! : )
My graduation activities were just awesome, my brother Aaron flew in from St. Petersburg, Florida and my aunt Brenda came from Kansas too. The Program on the Environment graduation celebration was so intimate and enjoyable, I even got a little recognition certificate for being a part of the PoE office team for the past four years, which was very sweet! My mom and brother also got to meet some of my professors, advisers, and co-workers and share in that aspect of my life.
The UW Commencement was so exciting! I'd never been to a graduation of that size before and it was truly overwhelming coming out onto the field being cheered on by thousands of friends, colleagues, and family members of the graduates. The day couldn't have been more beautiful, the sun was out but it wasn't dreadfully hot and there was no rain! Quincy Jones was our speaker and gave a moving and inspirational talk, and I got to shake his hand as the ending processional left the stadium! Even though it was indeed loooong and some parts were a little boring I'm so glad I participated. And I got to sit next to five of my lovely sorority sisters, which made those five hours so much more enjoyable! : ) La Raza Graduation was also a good time, lots of good food and it was nice seeing so many people I knew from the Latino/a community on campus.
Then on Sunday...my party! Although I made a big mistake in having it on Father's Day because so many of my friends went home to celebrate with their families, I still had a great time with the people that were there. It was at La Casa del Mojito restaurant on University Way and 53rd-ish. The owner, Michael, is such a darling and really worked hard to put on a great party for me, for which I am SO grateful! The food was outstanding, and there were so many leftovers we were eating rice, beans, chicken, and pork for days....but hey no complaining here! I would eat that everyday if I could.... yum! And even thought it was a little on the small side, my mom still got everyone up to dance, so I was happy!
Graduation was such a blast, and a great way to wrap up a long but beautiful educational career at the UW. CONGRATS 2008 GRADS!!! : )
My graduation activities were just awesome, my brother Aaron flew in from St. Petersburg, Florida and my aunt Brenda came from Kansas too. The Program on the Environment graduation celebration was so intimate and enjoyable, I even got a little recognition certificate for being a part of the PoE office team for the past four years, which was very sweet! My mom and brother also got to meet some of my professors, advisers, and co-workers and share in that aspect of my life.
The UW Commencement was so exciting! I'd never been to a graduation of that size before and it was truly overwhelming coming out onto the field being cheered on by thousands of friends, colleagues, and family members of the graduates. The day couldn't have been more beautiful, the sun was out but it wasn't dreadfully hot and there was no rain! Quincy Jones was our speaker and gave a moving and inspirational talk, and I got to shake his hand as the ending processional left the stadium! Even though it was indeed loooong and some parts were a little boring I'm so glad I participated. And I got to sit next to five of my lovely sorority sisters, which made those five hours so much more enjoyable! : ) La Raza Graduation was also a good time, lots of good food and it was nice seeing so many people I knew from the Latino/a community on campus.
Then on Sunday...my party! Although I made a big mistake in having it on Father's Day because so many of my friends went home to celebrate with their families, I still had a great time with the people that were there. It was at La Casa del Mojito restaurant on University Way and 53rd-ish. The owner, Michael, is such a darling and really worked hard to put on a great party for me, for which I am SO grateful! The food was outstanding, and there were so many leftovers we were eating rice, beans, chicken, and pork for days....but hey no complaining here! I would eat that everyday if I could.... yum! And even thought it was a little on the small side, my mom still got everyone up to dance, so I was happy!
Graduation was such a blast, and a great way to wrap up a long but beautiful educational career at the UW. CONGRATS 2008 GRADS!!! : )
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Skydiving update!
Wow. I don't even know where to begin! That was absolutely the craziest, most insane thing I have ever done! So Megan and I weren't even sure if we'd be able to jump that day because the weather forecast wasn't so hot, literally. When Saturday rolled around it was a little muggy, but very cloudy. So we called Skydive Snohomish around 1:30 to see if we should make the trek out there to jump, and they say "Come on out and we'll hope for the best". That was reassuring.
Anyway, we drove out there and went through the necessary paperwork. The woman who gave us the paperwork to fill out said she always tells first time jumpers that the paperwork is the scariest part, and let me assure you it was terrifying. We had knowingly agree to all sorts of scary statements to the affect of "your parachute is a human-created device and it may malfunction and not open" and "your instructor may be negligent which may lead to your injury or death." Pretty scary stuff. But I completely understand, these skydiving companies have to cover their butts in case something does go wrong that they couldn't have honestly prevented. However their 100% student safety record did a good job of settling my fears.
After the scary paperwork we waited around a little for our training to begin. Megan and I walked out to where people were preparing to skydive and just a bit away from where the small planes actually took off. It was still pretty cloudy but the sun peaked out every once in awhile. Our time came for the group training, which was pretty quick to say the least. We were given a run down of what would happen step-by-step and what we would need to do to make the jump as safe as possible. We got down on our bellies in the grass and practiced the correct free-fall position and also learned how we were supposed to land, which would be on our bottoms.
While waiting for our turns, we were able to watch three other groups make the jump before us. Though we couldn't see much because they were so high, it was kind of unnerving to look up and a bunch of tiny dots floating in the sky above us and realizing those were people. And realizing that that would be me very soon. I made a few calls to my mom and a good friend, you know...just in case : )
Finally our turn came to suit up, board the tiny plane, and get strapped on to our instructors. The plane took off and I was still feeling pretty good, the ground didn't look SO far away. We kept climbing in altitude until we were approximately 13,000 feet up and it was time to go. I watched a few people jump before it came to be my turn. When my instructor said to start scooching toward the door, he practically had to pry my hands off the inside of the plane. He was laughing at me...I was not laughing. I asked him to check that we were really hooked onto each other - as the parachute was attached to his back and not mine. Still laughing, he assured me that we were indeed hooked onto each other. At this point I had to take his word for it because it was our turn to go. We inched up to the edge of the plane, I hooked my legs under the ledge as instructed, took the position, and then everything started to blur together. I remember thinking "what the hell am I doing?" just as we dropped away from the plane and the rush of air hit me like a fist in my face. The first ten or so seconds I was just getting used to what was going on, and probably doing a lot of screaming.
Honestly I didn't like the free fall part too much. I have a hard time equalizing my ears as it is and so I couldn't enjoy the falling sensation over the excruciating pain throbbing in my ears. But once my instructor pulled the parachute and we begin slowly floating down towards the earth, I felt like I was in heaven. I was able to equalize my ears and get rid of the pain, and just look down and all around while we floated. I had never heard such a quiet before in my life. I looked down at my feet and it registered that they were 10,000 feet above the ground, not a feeling I've ever really had before! I can't even find the words to describe this feeling, like a weightlessness combined with the crazy thrill of being up in the air. For moments at a time I would just float along, looking around at the mountains, water, and farmland spreading out beneath me. And then all of a sudden I would remember again that I was literally flying (yes, with the help of a parachute, but flying nonetheless) and I would just start yelling and screaming (my poor instructor's ears!)
Our landing was a little bumpy, and I just layed there on the ground for awhile, registering that I was now safe back on the ground. I felt dizzy and nauseous, but it was all worth it! Finally Megan came over to help me up and we went off. I was sure to call my mom and friend back to let them know I did it...and I survived!
So long story short, I loved it, it was so much more than what I was expecting, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks Megan!!!
Anyway, we drove out there and went through the necessary paperwork. The woman who gave us the paperwork to fill out said she always tells first time jumpers that the paperwork is the scariest part, and let me assure you it was terrifying. We had knowingly agree to all sorts of scary statements to the affect of "your parachute is a human-created device and it may malfunction and not open" and "your instructor may be negligent which may lead to your injury or death." Pretty scary stuff. But I completely understand, these skydiving companies have to cover their butts in case something does go wrong that they couldn't have honestly prevented. However their 100% student safety record did a good job of settling my fears.
After the scary paperwork we waited around a little for our training to begin. Megan and I walked out to where people were preparing to skydive and just a bit away from where the small planes actually took off. It was still pretty cloudy but the sun peaked out every once in awhile. Our time came for the group training, which was pretty quick to say the least. We were given a run down of what would happen step-by-step and what we would need to do to make the jump as safe as possible. We got down on our bellies in the grass and practiced the correct free-fall position and also learned how we were supposed to land, which would be on our bottoms.
While waiting for our turns, we were able to watch three other groups make the jump before us. Though we couldn't see much because they were so high, it was kind of unnerving to look up and a bunch of tiny dots floating in the sky above us and realizing those were people. And realizing that that would be me very soon. I made a few calls to my mom and a good friend, you know...just in case : )
Finally our turn came to suit up, board the tiny plane, and get strapped on to our instructors. The plane took off and I was still feeling pretty good, the ground didn't look SO far away. We kept climbing in altitude until we were approximately 13,000 feet up and it was time to go. I watched a few people jump before it came to be my turn. When my instructor said to start scooching toward the door, he practically had to pry my hands off the inside of the plane. He was laughing at me...I was not laughing. I asked him to check that we were really hooked onto each other - as the parachute was attached to his back and not mine. Still laughing, he assured me that we were indeed hooked onto each other. At this point I had to take his word for it because it was our turn to go. We inched up to the edge of the plane, I hooked my legs under the ledge as instructed, took the position, and then everything started to blur together. I remember thinking "what the hell am I doing?" just as we dropped away from the plane and the rush of air hit me like a fist in my face. The first ten or so seconds I was just getting used to what was going on, and probably doing a lot of screaming.
Honestly I didn't like the free fall part too much. I have a hard time equalizing my ears as it is and so I couldn't enjoy the falling sensation over the excruciating pain throbbing in my ears. But once my instructor pulled the parachute and we begin slowly floating down towards the earth, I felt like I was in heaven. I was able to equalize my ears and get rid of the pain, and just look down and all around while we floated. I had never heard such a quiet before in my life. I looked down at my feet and it registered that they were 10,000 feet above the ground, not a feeling I've ever really had before! I can't even find the words to describe this feeling, like a weightlessness combined with the crazy thrill of being up in the air. For moments at a time I would just float along, looking around at the mountains, water, and farmland spreading out beneath me. And then all of a sudden I would remember again that I was literally flying (yes, with the help of a parachute, but flying nonetheless) and I would just start yelling and screaming (my poor instructor's ears!)
Our landing was a little bumpy, and I just layed there on the ground for awhile, registering that I was now safe back on the ground. I felt dizzy and nauseous, but it was all worth it! Finally Megan came over to help me up and we went off. I was sure to call my mom and friend back to let them know I did it...and I survived!
So long story short, I loved it, it was so much more than what I was expecting, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks Megan!!!
Sicily: Catania (Nov 2007)
Next stop on my trip.....was Catania! This is another city I absolutely fell in love with, I could honestly see myself living there or at least visiting again. I was there for only about three days and spent most of the time wandering around the streets and markets, my favorite thing to do! I met two nice travellers from Australia at Agora' hostel (an awesome place! see the web site here: http://www.agorahostel.com/main/Home.htm ) and we ended up hanging out for awhile.
I spent most of my time walking through the open-air markets, and took many pictures there. I noticed here a much bigger focus on meat and fish, and a great number more of butchers and meat vendors than I had seen in any other market. Even though I had began eating meat again just a month before, my stomach turned numerous times upon seeing the cut open animal carcasses hanging proudly on display, and the butchers carving off fresh slabs of meat for sale.
I also saw a 2nd-century Greek-Roman theater, Duomo di Sant'Agata, Terme dell'Indirizzo, Villa Pacini, and other numerous ruin sites scattered throughout the city that I don't know the names of. From various spots throughout the city it is possible to see smoking Mt. Etna, which was covered in snow when I visited Catania. I read that Catania has been covered by lava from Mt. Etna seven different times, each layer covering up the ruins of ancient Greek and Roman cities. They say in Sicily to find ruins all you have to do is pick up a shovel and dig somewhere, and you will find something! I saw this throughout Catania, where in the middle of a busy street or underneath the hostel we could see the excavations of more ruins.
Here are a bunch of photos from my lovely visit to Catania:
I spent most of my time walking through the open-air markets, and took many pictures there. I noticed here a much bigger focus on meat and fish, and a great number more of butchers and meat vendors than I had seen in any other market. Even though I had began eating meat again just a month before, my stomach turned numerous times upon seeing the cut open animal carcasses hanging proudly on display, and the butchers carving off fresh slabs of meat for sale.
I also saw a 2nd-century Greek-Roman theater, Duomo di Sant'Agata, Terme dell'Indirizzo, Villa Pacini, and other numerous ruin sites scattered throughout the city that I don't know the names of. From various spots throughout the city it is possible to see smoking Mt. Etna, which was covered in snow when I visited Catania. I read that Catania has been covered by lava from Mt. Etna seven different times, each layer covering up the ruins of ancient Greek and Roman cities. They say in Sicily to find ruins all you have to do is pick up a shovel and dig somewhere, and you will find something! I saw this throughout Catania, where in the middle of a busy street or underneath the hostel we could see the excavations of more ruins.
Here are a bunch of photos from my lovely visit to Catania:
Sicily: Siracusa (Nov 2007)
When I left the farm in Noto, I travelled to Siracusa just for one day. I didn't expect the train to take so long getting out of Noto, so unfortunately I didn't have much time to explore Siracusa. But from what I saw it was a beautiful city! I arrived at the train station then bumbled around looking for my hotel, which I eventually found. There I met the sweetest Romanian woman, who worked and lived at the hotel and treated me just like a daughter, bringing me Romanian treats and coffee in the morning.
I took a walk all around the city the day I got there, and visited the Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime, the Roman amphitheater, and the main cathedral on the island of Ortygia. When I visited the amphitheater, it was about to close, but the little old man selling tickets let me in for free and even gave me a behind-the-scenes tour. We climbed over the tourist barrier and walked down into the amphitheater and he showed me where the gladiators would wait their turn to enter the arena, and the little holes they peeked through to watch the show. He started to get a little creepy, so I wrapped up the tour and thanked him...what an experience!
The evening I was there it rained cats and dogs, but I spent the whole time wandering around Ortygia island, which was so beautiful with winding, twisting alleys and grand churches. I walked into one church where there was an art exhibit going on. I began chatting in Italian to the guy selling tickets, asking about the exhibit. I mean, I like art, but I wanted to make sure it was worth spending a bit of my precious money that needed to last until I got back to Seattle. He said because I was an American and I spoke to him in Italian, I could see the exhibit for free!
The short time I had in Siracusa was very enjoyable, and like most places I visited on this trip I wish I had more time! Here are a few shots from that day:
"He who picks the roses and flowers and damages the plants doesn't love the Madonna and is an uncivil person!" Whoa.
I took a walk all around the city the day I got there, and visited the Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime, the Roman amphitheater, and the main cathedral on the island of Ortygia. When I visited the amphitheater, it was about to close, but the little old man selling tickets let me in for free and even gave me a behind-the-scenes tour. We climbed over the tourist barrier and walked down into the amphitheater and he showed me where the gladiators would wait their turn to enter the arena, and the little holes they peeked through to watch the show. He started to get a little creepy, so I wrapped up the tour and thanked him...what an experience!
The evening I was there it rained cats and dogs, but I spent the whole time wandering around Ortygia island, which was so beautiful with winding, twisting alleys and grand churches. I walked into one church where there was an art exhibit going on. I began chatting in Italian to the guy selling tickets, asking about the exhibit. I mean, I like art, but I wanted to make sure it was worth spending a bit of my precious money that needed to last until I got back to Seattle. He said because I was an American and I spoke to him in Italian, I could see the exhibit for free!
The short time I had in Siracusa was very enjoyable, and like most places I visited on this trip I wish I had more time! Here are a few shots from that day:
"He who picks the roses and flowers and damages the plants doesn't love the Madonna and is an uncivil person!" Whoa.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sicily: Cava d'Ispica (Nov 2007)
For the first time in my life...I went rock climbing for real! It is quite a funny story really....I didn't set out to go rock climbing. One Saturday or Sunday while at the farm, the owner Giuseppe asked me and two other WWOOF volunteers (from Germany and Italy) if we'd like to go for a ride in the countryside around Noto and of course we said yes. We got in the car and somewhere along the way met up with one of his friends. We drove for awhile, through beautiful rolling hills and citrus orchards. Eventually Giuseppe pulled the car down a long winding road, and we drove until we ran across a home tucked away in the hillside. Giuseppe got out of the car and went to knock on the door of this house. After discussing something with the homeowners, we parked the car there and helped Giuseppe carry some bags out of the trunk. I kind of began to wonder if I had inadvertently gotten caught up in some Mafia business or something.
We began to hike past this person's home, through what looked like their backyard or land. After hiking for approximately 20 minutes we came to a clearing where Giuseppe set his bags down. I looked around the place for awhile, taking in the striking scenery of steep cliffs, shrubby trees, and wild olive trees. Then I noticed Giuseppe unpacking some of the bags we had carried up. After a few minutes I realized he was getting ready to rock climb! Out came ropes, carabiners, climbing shoes, harnesses, and chalk bags. Something must have gotten lost in translation : )
Giuseppe and his friend began to lay out the ropes on pre-positioned hooks (sorry I don't know any of the official climber lingo). Both took turns climbing up to the top of the cliff, which based on my very faulty visual measurement capabilities could have been maybe 60-80 feet up. Soon, more groups of climbers began arriving and setting up their equipment and ropes on other parts of the rock face. I found out this is a very popular spot for local rock climbers. Some people even brought along their two dogs, which made me very happy (see the pics below)! After awhile Giuseppe asked us volunteers if we wanted to try. I automatically turned the offer down, thinking how ironic it would be if I came all the way to Sicily to do undergraduate research on organic farming communities and then killed myself falling off a cliff rock climbing. Both of the other volunteers did it, including the Italian WWOOFer, who must have been at least 40.
After seeing both of them give it a try, I succumbed to peer pressure and climbed. The first time I got about a quarter of the way up, chickened out, and came right back down. But the second time, I huffed and puffed and pulled myself all the way up that damn rock! Then we had a delicious lunch of panini with cheese and salami, and leisurely hiked back to the car. So that's my story!
And here's my proof : )
We began to hike past this person's home, through what looked like their backyard or land. After hiking for approximately 20 minutes we came to a clearing where Giuseppe set his bags down. I looked around the place for awhile, taking in the striking scenery of steep cliffs, shrubby trees, and wild olive trees. Then I noticed Giuseppe unpacking some of the bags we had carried up. After a few minutes I realized he was getting ready to rock climb! Out came ropes, carabiners, climbing shoes, harnesses, and chalk bags. Something must have gotten lost in translation : )
Giuseppe and his friend began to lay out the ropes on pre-positioned hooks (sorry I don't know any of the official climber lingo). Both took turns climbing up to the top of the cliff, which based on my very faulty visual measurement capabilities could have been maybe 60-80 feet up. Soon, more groups of climbers began arriving and setting up their equipment and ropes on other parts of the rock face. I found out this is a very popular spot for local rock climbers. Some people even brought along their two dogs, which made me very happy (see the pics below)! After awhile Giuseppe asked us volunteers if we wanted to try. I automatically turned the offer down, thinking how ironic it would be if I came all the way to Sicily to do undergraduate research on organic farming communities and then killed myself falling off a cliff rock climbing. Both of the other volunteers did it, including the Italian WWOOFer, who must have been at least 40.
After seeing both of them give it a try, I succumbed to peer pressure and climbed. The first time I got about a quarter of the way up, chickened out, and came right back down. But the second time, I huffed and puffed and pulled myself all the way up that damn rock! Then we had a delicious lunch of panini with cheese and salami, and leisurely hiked back to the car. So that's my story!
And here's my proof : )
Sicily: More Noto (Nov 2007)
As I briefly mentioned in my last post, I visited a wetland and bird sanctuary while staying at the farm outside of Noto. I tagged along with a Sicilian friend from the farm and an Italian WWOOF volunteer from Siena. This sanctuary was on the beach (the farm was only 3 km from the coast) and served as habitat for birds migrating to and from Africa to the south. There were some old abandoned buildings at this site, which I think were previously used by the military or local government...but I'm not entirely sure about that. We also walked along the shore and saw what the Sicilian thought were ruins from ancient buildings, pools, or houses, with only the foundations still intact. After this we stopped by a nearby town for coffee and to take a walk, I've included some pictures from that town because it was very beautiful! Enjoy!
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