May 2007 Study Tour to Italy

AFLS 3313H
Curt Rom, professor

Dr. Rom and the students began compiling a blog of their travels even before they left Fayetteville. View their occasional reports below with the most recent at the top.

Reflections on Two Weeks in Italy
After returning to Fayetteville, Dr. Rom's students provided their thoughts on the study tour. Here are some of them:

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Regina Finley

Even now, after a week of being back from Italy and in the states, it's hard to think that the trip is over already. It was a lot of fun and very educational, but it was more than just that. It was a bonding experience. The group became a family over those two weeks and that's not something that will just disappear after only a few days back. There's been several times when I've seen something or heard something and thought "Hey, I should show this to..." or "The group would find this really interesting." and it's tough to realize that we've scattered to our own homes now that we're back in the states. We all have to settle back into our normal routines which, unfortunately, do not include excellent Italian coffees with breakfast and fabulous gelato in the evening while watching the nightlife from a small sidewalk cafe.

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Jennifer Schneider

Going on the study tour to Italy has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have always wanted to see other countries, but I never thought that I would actually be able to go. The trip gave me the opportunity to see some of the most important structures in history and encounter and learn about another culture. I am very thankful for my new friends and great professor that made this study tour an amazing once in a lifetime experience.

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Amy Gabbard

I just wanted to say a little of what this trip meant to me. I knew that this trip was about studying. I knew that this trip was about having fun, but what I learned was that it was also about building strong friendships. The 14 of us became somewhat of a family these last two weeks. There's no other way to say it. In cities of 6 million or so it was necessary that we watch out for each other; each person, their feelings, and even their luggage. I personally have developed a friendship with each person on this trip and can't imagine what it will feel like tomorrow morning when there are not 13 other people there to give a hearty "buongiorno!" to. I believe that there could not have been a better group of 14 people. This has been the best group trip experience that I have ever had and am very sad to be at the end of it but as I always must remind myself, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." These are my thoughts.

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Angela Medley

Words simply cannot express what this excursion across the Atlantic has meant to me. I was engulfed with a different lifestyle of art and leisure and surrounded by friends with whom I will share memories of a lifetime. So much of me wants to return to this amazing land of beauty, but I know that my time has come to an end for now. Hopefully, I can return soon to refresh my memories of the many sights and sounds that we shared -- but until then, thanks. Thanks for making my summer remarkable, friends! I will miss you and wish you luck with everything you strive for in life!

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Cristy Gregory

I am so glad that I was able to go on this once in a lifetime  adventure. It was such an amazing experience that opened my eyes to a culture that although is different from the one I am used to is still every bit as wonderful. I have lots of great memories and made  friendships with people that I otherwise might not have had the  opportunity to make. I am so glad I was able to know each of you and  be a part of this class. It was an experience that I will remember  and cherish for the rest of my life.

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Julie Nabb

For me, the trip meant so much. At the end of the spring semester, I was very tired of going to class and having to study all the time; I wanted to hurry up and get into the "real world." The trip to Italy renewed my desire to learn. I now realize what a gift education is, and feel privileged to be able to earn a college degree. As well, I not only got to experience the art and culture of another country, but I built new relationships and friendships with many wonderful people. The trip was an amazing experience that I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life.

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Vicki Mansker

I am processing our trip in bits and pieces. I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of all that we learned about the history of our civilization, ancient architecture, Italian food practices, and the humanity of our own little group and those individuals we met along the way. Casual classroom acquaintances became enduring friends through living and eating (and shopping) together. I am a wealthy person for the lives that have enriched my own. My life has been changed by this experience, and I look forward to the manifestations of that transformation as they play out. Thank you for providing this opportunity.

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Brittany Peyrot

I enjoyed every single second of our journey to Italy and back. I went with great expectations and came home to realize they were exceeded. Not only did I have the opportunity to experience a new country, sample amazing food, and travel to Europe for the first time, I got the chance to do all that with 13 exceptional people. I am thankful for each of the friendships I made on our trip and the ways they made our trip unforgettable. This experience has been one of the most incredible of my life and I thank everyone who went and all those who made it possible for us to go!

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Grant Ballard

The 2007 global studies trip to Italy was truly an eye-opening and unforgettable experience. Personally, I had only a vague idea of what to expect, and I was truly overwhelmed by the experience. This trip exposed the group to a culture, history, and people that cannot be described by books or pictures. The group was truly blessed to have had this opportunity to learn from experience. On that note, I must say that we couldn't have had a better group. The class was full of intelligent and unique people who were always eager to help one another. We all benefited greatly from the journey to Italy, and I will highly recommend this class to future students.

Thirteen Days, Seven Time Zones and Four Airports Later -- Home
27 May
Rome/Amsterdam/Detroit/Northwest Arkansas
Curt Rom

Everyone, a bit slowly and with swollen sleep-deprived eyes assembled in the lobby of the hotel at 2:45 a.m. -- dragging a bit, but on time. Our chartered bus to the airport showed up (amazingly) on-time precisely at 3 a.m.; we loaded our stuff, boarded and headed to the airport -- about a 40-minute drive at this time of day. We arrived at the airport and got to the ticket counter a bit before they opened at 4 a.m. -- so just waited -- the first of several waits today.

Everyone got checked in and ticketed for the return flights and no one’s bags were over the weight limit, although several were within about 1 pound of the limit -- excellent packing! Finally about 5 a.m., the coffee shop opened and the security clearance for the gates opened. The plane was boarded by 5:45 a.m. for our 6 a.m. departure heading to Amsterdam. The plane pulled away from the gate but was put in a hold for one hour waiting for air traffic at Amsterdam to clear. So, we just waited. It seemed that Roma just did not want us to leave -- and several in the group wanted to stay.

We arrived at Amsterdam a bit late -- but with what we thought was plenty of time. It was one of those cases where our arrival gate was about as far away from the departure gate as could happen. We made our way across the airport; several stopped to exchange their euros for U.S. dollars or to shop to spend out the euros. But, then, panic set in. Although the TV monitors listing our flight said “boarding in 10 minutes,” it suddenly changed to read, “gate closed.” We all quickly made our way to the gate for the security clearance and review. We all made it to the plane, but we did cut the time a bit close.

Our flight from Amsterdam to Detroit was 8 hours and 40 minutes -- which gave us plenty of time to nap, read, or watch a few movies. In Detroit we had to reclaim our luggage and go through passport control and customs declaration. Both Alison and Regina, who had visited a livestock and poultry farm on their study day had to go through the APHIS inspection - so they got some special attention and had their own special experience.

Once we had rechecked our bags, we headed to our departure gate with plenty of time -- no rush -- but time to kill. The students were glad to be “home.” A couple days ago I asked them what they were looking forward to when they got back home. The answers were probably predictable -- no pizza and no pasta. The wanted Mexican food, and hamburgers, and a bucket of fried chicken from KFC. They also all wanted fruits and vegetables, especially salads that were hard to find at many of the places we ate. So, at the departure gate in Detroit, several indulged and sated those food passions.

We arrived at XNA exactly on time to friends and family awaiting our arrival. There were hugs and tears of both arrival and departure. Although we had been “up” for almost 21 hours, the excitement and energy level was very high. We were glad to be home -- safe and sound and not much worse for the wear.

I notice that as the trip was coming to an end, each of my entries became longer. That, I am sure, is an latent indication of my desire for it not to end; to cling onto our moments. I will be absolutely ecstatic to be home with my family -- I missed them tremendously and really appreciate them letting me do my duty; I wished they could have come along so they could have enjoyed what I enjoyed. But, in the coming days, I will miss Italy, and I will miss “my” students. It was a good trip. I will remember the trip and these people forever and they will join my personal “book of stories” -- which will get better with time.

The AFLS 3313-H Global Issues and Study Tour to Italy was a great show. The colorful cast of characters, in alphabetical order were:

• Grant “Happy to Be Here” Ballard
• Alison “No, These Are Not Italian Cowboy Boots” Cantrell
• Regina “Yeah, This Is Fun” Finley
• Amy “All Smiles” Gabbard
• Scott “Why Do I Have to Carry the Heavy Stuff” Grant
• Cristy “That’s Luv-e-ly” Gregory
• Keisha “Giggles” Koehn
• Vicki “The Chef” or “Someone Stop Me Before I Shop Again!” Mansker
• Mark “Mi Amici” Morgan
• Angela “Oh, Is the Group Waiting on Me?” Medley
• Julianne “The Artist” Nabb
• Brittany “Are You Teasing Me?” Peyrot
• Jennifer “I Need a Workout” Schneider

with featuring roles by:

• Paolo “He’s a Great Guy” Sambo
• Franco “He’s Cute” Sannazzaro
• Davide “He Really Smart” Vitali

A Final Night in Italy, and Another Enduring Feast
Venice/Rome
26 May
Curt Rom

A bride and her father take a gondola ride to a Venetian wedding

The beginning of our homeward-bound adventure started today. We had no morning scheduled activities, which was good. As we did not return from the country dinner last night until about 1:30 a.m., most of the group needed some sleep-in time. The morning was also used for doing laundry, a leisurely cup of espresso at one of the local cafes, and packing. Packing itself was an adventure. Although everyone started the trip with just one bag by today almost everyone now had two, and some three, filled with the spoils of shopping and sights in Italy. The big discussion point in the morning was if luggage would exceed the checked-bag weight limit of the airlines on Sunday. 

Although our group never really moved quickly with our luggage, everyone was really loaded down now. The quarter-mile hike from the residence hall to the water bus dock, across two bridges (up and down steps), down a narrow walking alley, and across cobblestone sidewalks became a slog. It took almost 30 minutes from the first person to leave the residence hall until the last one made it to the dock. But, we did make it. The next trick was getting all 14 of us and probably 35 pieces of luggage on the water taxi in Venice on a Saturday when there is a grand regatta in the Guidecca canal. But, with pushing, shoving, cramming, and crushing we all got on the water bus with a lot of other people, many others in the exact same condition and same amount of luggage as us. The 30-minute water bobbing water taxi ride seemed to last hours.

Many in our group got to see an interesting event. A beautiful gondola slid down the canal next to our residence hall and pulled up to a backyard gate of a home. From the gate, gracefully moved a beautiful bride bedecked in white and bejeweled in pearls, escorted by her tuxedoed father. They lit into the gondola and the gondoliers paddled them off to a special day for the young women. Just the sight made a couple of our group get teary as the pride of the father and beauty of the bride were adorned with bright Venetian sunshine. They all looked so expectant and so happy.

We arrived at the Ferrovia water bus dock adjacent to the St. Lucia train station with about 30 minutes to spare and our high speed direct train to Roma was awaiting us. We boarded, stowed our luggage and loot and settled into our seats. Most of us brought sandwiches and snacks for an on-train picnic lunch because we had to leave the residence at 11 a.m. and the train was departing at 12:30 p.m. with little time to grab a snack in transition.

The train ride was comfortable. Students read and rested. We downloaded pictures to my computer -- which totaled more than 6,500 individual photos. The students did not think I had enough to do during the summer so wanted me to sort the photos and make a DVD of the best of the best.

We arrived in Roma about 5 p.m. It was interesting to watch our group upon arrival. They acted like we were back home. Roma was now a known landmark to them and a comfort of familiarity and excitement washed over the group. We again slogged our way two blocks to our hotel, the familiar Hotel Assisi. I heard students questioning their personal judgement for having so much stuff.

Time for enjoying Roma was short. So, the group decided a quick 30-minute rest and refreshing was all that was necessary. Then something occurred that I found interesting. The students were given the opportunity for an evening by themselves (in small groups) as we had “no planned group activities” on our schedule; they could go around Rome to enjoy their favorite sights one more time (and do some more shopping). But, they voted unanimously to change the “plan”; we should all go to the Campo de Fiori together to eat and enjoy our last evening together, not separately. Back at the train station we lined up at the taxi stop for a taxi ride to the Campo. We were to assemble at the statue of Bruno at the Campo as the taxis would drop us off in clusters.

Although I was the last taxi to leave, I was the first to arrive. I sensed conspiracy and mutiny that the students had hatched plan to ditch me and have a night on their own and the previous vote was just a ruse. The Campo was lively with musicians, mimes, street actors, young people, families, and tourists. But, the suspicious professor was wrong.

The study tour group gathers on its last night in Rome, and the professor sports a new beret.

About 20 minutes after my arrival at Campo de Fiori, all of the students came walking up, en masse, with big smiles, then encircled me. They then gave me a surprise - a beautiful black lambswool beret -- to make me look truly Italian. The beret was gorgeous, but the emotion that it carried was beautiful. I normally do not accept any gifts from students, but this was not a gift from students -- this was a gesture of mutual respect from close friends.

We were all really hungry as it was about 7:30 p.m. -- early for dinner by Italian standards, especially on a Saturday evening. We assigned a “food procurement subcommittee” to find a good place to eat. This would be our “closing banquet.” As we walked about three blocks northwest of the Campo, we found in another small piazza a large and elegant restaurant. We were suspicious that it would be too pricey for us but decided to check out the menu. The owner, a gentleman of about 65 years, showed up carrying bouquets of flowers and since no one was sitting there, I asked if it was open. His response was, “uno momento” -- and he re-emerged with his son Georgio. Georgio explained that all the tables had been reserved; that this restaurant was by reservations only. But, then he stopped, for whatever reason or fate, and asked about our group. We told him who we were and that we were from Ar-Kansas (the Italian pronunciation of our state). He said, “Wait right here. We’ll make room for you. I will give you an Italian meal you will remember forever."

And he did, at the edge of the large canopied outdoor dining area, he set a table with linens, and three forks, two knives and four glasses for each of us. He said he wanted to serve our closing banquet. He suggested that we not use the menu, as he would pick food for us, some of the house specialities. Soon came plates of several types of antipasto, bread, and cheese -- and water both “naturale” or “gassata.” Then, he said, for his new friends visiting his restaurant, the Pierluigi, he would treat us to a dinner to remember, and it was.

He brought a pasta made with squash blossoms in a cream sauce. It was delicious. Then, they cleared our plates and brought us another pasta with eggplant and swordfish. And, pasta with shrimp and melon. Three different, freshly prepared pastas -- normally three full meals. Then, il dolce -- dessert. He thought he should pick our desserts for the individuals which were creme caramel, chocolate cake, and creme brulee. But, for Brittany, on the occasion of her 20th birthday in Roma, he brought “something special” with a candle. I am not sure what it was, but it looked delicious and several sitting close by stole spoonfuls and let go sighs of fulfillment. Georgio was an excellent host and we just ate one of our best meals. It was a fitting end to our trip.

After dinner the group split up each going separate ways to see the Coliseum at night, or to go back to Piazza Navonna, or the Pantheon at night. Gradually, and by about 11 p.m. everyone had made it back to the hotel -- for a quick and short nap of a night’s sleep.

Last Hours in Venice
Venice
26 May
Curt Rom

View of Venice from the rooftop porch of our residence.

Today is the beginning of travels home. We catch the water bus at 11 a.m., and the train at 12:30 p.m. The train ride to Rome is about 4.5 hours and we are scheduled to arrive there at 5 p.m. We will walk to our hotel and try not to unpack. There are excited plans to see the last of Rome, but it will be short lived. At 3 a.m. on Sunday, the bus will gather us in to take us to the Rome Airport for the 6 a.m. flight. We arrive home in Fayetteville late afternoon on the same day. I am sure we will be tired of travel, but refreshed from the experience. (Be mindful, several begged to let me leave them behind to stay in Italy -- and some are making plans for return for internships or study abroad.)

This will be the last entry I make until Monday after our return. This has been an absolutely wonderful learning experience for our entire group. After 25 years of college teaching, this may be among the best teaching-learning experiences I have ever had. But, in this case, I was the student because I learned so much about myself, my student friends, and our new “second home” Italy. As I have said before, I have a deep abiding respect and affection for the students in this group. I would travel with them anytime - anywhere. Frankly, when we all get home, I like them will be glad to be back on “terra firma” of Fayetteville among of families and back in our own beds. But, I will miss these guys for a long time. It is a bit hard to describe and explain..........

I am so grateful for the opportunity to travel with them. I am grateful to the Bumpers College for the Global Studies Program and the Honors Program which provided this unusual and life-changing/reaffirming learning experience for our students. I am grateful for the financial support the students received from families and from the university that made this dream of their’s become a reality. I am so grateful to the faculty and staff of the UA Rome center for all of their assistance in our trip -- they were invaluable and reassuring. Our trip was made so memorable by Dr Paolo Sambo, a colleague and close friend, and an adjunct professor in the Department of Horticulture at the UA, and professor of horticulture at the Agripolis, University of Padova. He went over and above the call of duty for our students -- as if they were his own students -- or children. Although only 14 of us made the trip, it took many, many to make the experience. Thanks.

It is time to catch a water bus, then a train, then a bus, then a plane.

A Long Day -- Then, a Three-Hour Feast
Venice/Padova
25 May
Curt Rom

The closing banquet.

The group was dragging a bit today as I had them to meet at 7:45 a.m.to catch the 8:02 a.m. water taxi. However, we did not quite make it. So, we had a bit longer to go to the pastry and coffee shops and wait for the next water taxi. We caught the 8:22 a.m. water bus which arrived with only 3 minutes to catch our train to Padova. We jumped on the train as it started to pull out and gasped for breath. We settled into our compartment for the 40-minute ride to Padova.

Padova is an ancient city that ever local reminded us was about 200 years older than Rome. It is the site of the Universita degli Padova, the second oldest university in Italy (12 years newer than the University of Bologna both founded in the 13th century), which makes it among the oldest of all universities. The university is widely known for several reasons, not least to mention its most famous student and professor, Galileo. The town is now a metropolis of approximately 250,000 in a region with about a 1.5 million inhabitants. The university has 65,000 students in its 12 colleges and school, including the Agripolis -- the Agriculture school and the academic home of our host Dr. Sambo.

Dr. Sambo met us at Padova station and walked into the city center. There we arrived at Scrivogeni chappel, a famous chapel known for the frescoes by Giotto, the famed parent of art of the western world. We had previously purchased admissions for the 10 a.m. viewing. This was a very intimate chapel with limited entry (only 20 at a time) after watching a 20-minute video on the history and restoration of the chapel. It was beautiful. From there we walked about 1.5 miles to the Botanical Garden, the oldest medic-garden in Italy adjacent to the cathedral of St. Antonio. It was a beautiful garden with medicinal, edible, and now ornamental plants from all over the world. The students were excited to see a Vitis (grape) species collected from Arkansas.

We left the garden to walk back to the city center for lunch. After lunch we toured the “Academic Building,” the oldest building of the university which housed the classroom and office of Galileo. There we also say the “anatomical theater” -- the first constructed human anatomical teaching laboratory with viewing for approximately 300 students which was used beginning in about the 16th century.

We were surprised at the Academic Building when our group was joined by Professor Ettore Marchetti, an Italian instructor from the University of Arkansas and the teacher of four students in the group. He is back home in Italy for the summer and came to Padova just to see our group. It was a wonderful surprise and good to see a familiar face. He has also been my Italian instructor. I told him that I am trying to use my Italian skills whenever I can -- but must not be very good. Whenever I ask a question or say something in Italian to an Italian, they always respond sympathetically in English. Oh well -- I will keep practicing.

From the Academic Building we drove to the Agripolis campus in nearby Legnaro, about eight miles from the city center. There we were delighted with a presentation of the regional staff and faculty of the Slow Food movement. They explained the origins and mission of Slow Food. And, then they gave us a tasting of regional wines and cheeses. This was not a reception, but a thorough explanation of the grapes producing the wines, where the wines are made, what distinguishes them, and how to taste them. Likewise we had several types of cheeses on our sample plates for which we received instruction on how to sample, evaluate and enjoy cheeses. It seems that is more of an art than the wine tasting as we “cracked” the cheese, smelled it, chewed it, squished it and tasted all of its essence. This was our last “class” and learning experience for the trip and for this class. The hard work is now all done.

We drove from the Agripolis to a rural area outside of Padova to a country garden restaurant where tables were set with china, crystal, silver and linens for our closing banquet. This was a traditional Italian slow dinner featuring Veneto foods. We had several types of antipasto of sausages, cheeses, prosciuto, brochetta, olives, pickles, peppers, onions, etc. Then on to the primi piati of two types of home-made pasta and fresh ground cheese. Mind you, this is not done with any speed because after every course we were “full” -- but more was on the way.

Soon came the secondi piati of pork and ribs, and several other types of meats of which the students will probably talk about for the rest of their lives. Then potatoes, boiled, broiled, fried and au gratin. Then grilled vegettables of eggplant and squash. Of course, followed by the salad. Just to make sure we were completely full, by 11 p.m., more than three hours after we started, came dessert, a local cheese cake-like dessert for which the restaurant has a special reputation. But, we were not finished as toast and songs followed. The Italians toasted our students for being such wonderful guests to which our students responded with toasts for our overwhelmingly friendly Italian hosts. The students presented a signed book of Tim Ernst’s “Arkansas Spring” to Dr. Sambo which they all signed . He stopped to read their best wishes which brought tears to his eyes soon followed by tears in the eyes of several in the group.

At stroke of midnight, Brittany Peyrot turned 20 years old so we sang her "Happy Birthday." Of course, not to be out done, the Italians gave us the Italian rendition of the song. We were not sure of the words but recognized the tune. The Italians all laughed and we laughed along.

But, Cinderella’s carriage turned into a pumpkin after the bells rang midnight as I had to be the “spoiled sport” and round everyone up for the trip back to Venice and our residence, which would take some time.

A Villa, a Winery, a Farmhouse and a Serenade
Venice
24 May
Curt Rom

Professor Sambo and friends.

This morning was a well deserved and well needed “free time.” The group used this freedom for a variety of purposes including seeing the Peggy Guggenheim collection of modern art, discovering more of Venice, shopping the morning markets, or doing more mundane things such as laundry or just sleeping in.

By 11:00 a.m. we were on the move catching the water bus to the train station. In Venice, all movement around the city is dictated by the water taxi system. We caught a late morning taxi to the station and purchased tickets to the town of Castlefranco northwest of Venice. At Castlefranco we were gathered by our Italian hosts from the University of Padova. We drove a short way to another small village where we took a tour of a tremendous villa and estate designed by the famous Italian architect Palladio. It was a beautiful villa with wonderful frescoes and decorations. We were shown the house by a delightful English-accent English speaker who is an expert on Venetto villas.

We left the villa in mid-afternoon to drive to the mountain village of Valdobiaddene to tour the Bisol winery. The winery was owned by the uncle and cousin of one of Dr. Sambo’s former students, Anna. The winery is one of the larger in the zone and like the majority in the zone their primary product is proseco, the bubbly white wine of recent popularity. We were told about grape production in the area, wine and proseco production, and Italian wine marketing. We toured the cellar and were shown several products that they produce.

As the evening wound down, and the shadows lengthened, we drove up into the hills to a small “agrotourism” farm. This was an only vineyard house now purchased by a regional salami production company. The farmhouse, “The Osteria sans Oster,” is a “self-service” picnic place where people can stop, take advantage of a stock of cheeses, sausages, meats, and wines produced in the region. There is a price list for each item and based upon an honor system, those who use the house and picnic site pay for what they used. However, we were hosted by the owner and his company who specially stocked the larder for our group with several types of fresh breads, local cheeses, meats, sausages, and drinks. He also came to join us for a picnic over looking the grape laden hillsides and valleys below. As we thought the delightful picnic was ending, arrived a local guitar player and some other “friends” of the owner including the owner of the bank who owns the villa we visited earlier, the editor of the regional newspaper, and some other guys. We were serenaded with local folk and popular songs. As the sun set, we were escorted back to Venice to catch the water taxi back to our residence hall. It was an evening we will never forget and a day to remember.

Independent Study Day at Padova
Venice
23 May
Curt Rom

Angela and Cristy at polytechnical school for shoe design and manufacturing.		Brittany at regional senior care and Alzheimer facility.

Because we have to catch a 7:30 a.m. train to Padova, and it is a 35-minute water taxi bus ride to the station and we have to purchase our tickets, we had to catch the 6:30 a.m. water bus. College students look a lot different and are a lot more quiet at 6:15 a.m. when I had them assemble. But, they were actually all ready to go early -- that is a good sign.

We rode a commuter train to Padova about 35 miles to the southwest of Venice. There we met Dr. Sambo and several of his graduate students and colleagues. Today was the "independent" study day for the students to look, listen and learn about Italy related to the semester project on which they have been working. Grant and Mark met with agronomists and marketing specialists. Scott and Keisha went to the city waste management plant to see recycling and composting, energy generation from municipal waste, and waste water treatment and reclamation. Vicki and Jennifer went to a commercial kitchen. Julie visited a professional freelance nature photographer and author. Brittany visited a regional senior care facility. Angela and Cristy visited a technical school for shoe design, testing, and construction. Regina and Alison visited with animal science researchers and veterinary medicine specialists. Amy, our childhood education and family development studies specialist, visited and interviewed instructors at a Montessori school. Everyone was guided on the trip by a graduate student or a professor who was both escort and interpreter. They ate lunch with the students scattered across the region.

We all met and reassembled in late afternoon at the Agripolis, the agriculture campus of the University of Padova for some ice water (what a treat) at the student cafeteria. Then, a 15-minute drive back to the city center and catch the train. It was a long day but very fulfilling.

Once back in Venice, the group went several ways. Some returned to the residence hall. A group of eight walked back across the city to see the famous Rinalto Bridge and shops at the Rinalto Mercato. They wound their way across the city to a campo for their last Venetian dinner as the next several evenings the group will be in the country. During dinner there was a brief rainstorm which was refreshing and fun as we ate under the canopy in the plaza. Even a little rain did not dampen spirits. The last adventure of the day was a water bus ride through the Grand Canal in the evening. The ride began about 10:30 p.m. and finally about midnight we returned to the dorms. We were tired.

The weather this trip has been spectacular -- for tourists. Every day it has been clear and sunny -- and a bit hot. When we were in Rome heavy rain was forecast several days so we all carried raincoats and umbrellas only to find hot sun. A friend told us, “never trust an Italian weather report.” Typically, during the days, the temperatures have been very warm with high temps in the mid to upper 80s. Today, as we sat on the square in Mirano for some soda, the temperature was 36 degrees C (about 97 degrees F). Our local guides were all remarking about the unseasonable temperatures, about 10-15 degrees F above normal for this time of year, and even “hot” for July or August. But, we cannot complain. Although the heat has slowed us down and made us break for water and gelatto, we have not missed any activities due to bad weather.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to a tour of the Venetto region countryside and some farms.

Vicki and Jennifer with their guide, Franco, returning from commercial kitchen tour.

Tired, but Not of Venice
Venice
22 May
Curt Rom

The streets of Venice.

The group spread out across the island to buy breakfast from one of the several cafes or pastry shops along Guidecca canal. It is fun to eat leisurely looking across the canal at Venice and watching the boats go by.

The water bus took us across to the City where we began our explorations. Walking Venice to the novice and tourist is navigating a large maze - with many false turns and dead-end walks. We found our way to Piazza San Marco with the famed San Marco church and the Palace of the Doge. The church is beautiful with a different architecture and style than others we have visited. The ornate gold mosaic ceilings were captivating. It was interesting to see the tomb of St. Mark inside his chapel and all of the other relics of the church. Several of the students enjoyed playing with the famous pigeons of the Piazza. The morning continued with more exploration of the area of the city close to San Marco.

Our afternoon was guided by Dr. Evans, who toured our group of the various neighborhoods of Venice. He showed us his favorite buildings, canals, shops, restaurants and, of course, gelato -- in which we indulged.

There were no planned activities for the evening. Some of the group stayed in the city for shopping and just looking around. A group organized themselves for the 40-minute water bus ride to the city of Lido and its beaches on the Adriatic sea. There, they found dinner and lots and lots of sea shells.

Venice is a wonderful city in which to walk slowly and just discover. It has been fun just watching people and boats and they go by.

The group finally tired and I note that they all went to bed very early tonight. This was the “good type” of being tired -- filled and fulfilled. And, getting ready for a big day tomorrow.

The Quiet Beauty of Venice
Florence/Venice
21 May
Curt Rom

The group at Il Porcellino - Florence. It reminds us of Maple Street.

This morning the group headed to the Mercato at Piazza di Vecchio for a picture at the “il Porcellino” from which the statue on Maple Street in Fayetteville is based. The group had a few hours to do some last-minute shopping or discovery in Firenze or to pack for our next travel.

Just before noon, taxis met us in our hotel alley to take us across town to the train station. Now well experienced train travelers, we got on and found our seats. Several of us had “picnic lunches” for the trip from Firenze to Venezia. The train trip took about 2 hours until our high speed EuroStar slowly and steadily pulled into the Stazione St. Lucia in Venezia.
We were met at the station by Dr. Paolo Sambo of the Horticulture Department of the University of Padova and Dr. Mike Evans, a colleague from the Horticulture Department at the UA who is having an off-campus duty assignment in Venice. They got our group with all of its luggage on the large water bus for the 20-minute ride to our lodging.

The lodging is a university residence hall for students and faculty visiting one of the many universities or institutes in Venice. The facility is on Guidecca island across the strait from the proper of Venice. It is a quiet island compared to the bustle of Venice. Our accommodations are wonderful; there is a peaceful interior courtyard, an 5th story balcony which overlooks the city, and (importantly) a laundry.

After we unpacked and freshened up, Dr. Sambo took us to Campo di St. Marghertia to enjoy the Venetian atmosphere and a seafood pasta dinner. Upon immediate first impression, Venice lives up to all expectations. It is a beautiful place. There are no cars so everyone and everything moves either by boat or by foot. It gives the city a certain pace and rhythm quite unlike a ‘car-based” town. And, it is much quieter with out cars or scooters. We look forward to discovering more tomorrow.

The Halfway Point
Florence
20 May
Curt Rom

Today was the halfway point of the Study Tour. There were no scheduled activities for the group.  During the semester, however, students were encouraged to plan their own activities and tours of places to go and sights to see on this day.  Several of the group took the train to Pisa and on to Cinque Tere. Several took regional transit buses for a day in Siena – in the heart of the Tuscan countryside – to see the town and enjoy a Tuscan Sunday dinner. Several stayed in Florence to see more museums, exhibits and explore more of the town. By 9:00 p.m. at night everyone was accounted for and safe. Upstairs in the hotel rooms tonight all the students are swapping tales of their adventures and trying to determine who had the most fun, was the most adventurous or learned the most. 

At the halfway point in our Study Tour, I have paused to reflect a bit on the not only the past seven days, but the previous 15 weeks of work. After having taught college classes for almost 25 years, and more than 150 individual classes, I am fortunate to be among the students with whom I am engaged for this trip. This semester, they worked hard in the class – learning about the culture, history, politics, society, culture, geography and economics  – and of course – the agricultural, food and life sciences of Italy. The students each had a semester project on which they have been studying for the past semester and discussing with each other for the past seven days. I am impressed with their intellect and curiosity. These are among the brightest and best students with whom I have ever associated. 

But, I am most proud and feel most privileged and fortunate to observe their maturity, sense of responsibility, loyalty to friends, and caring for their classmates. Many people could imagine all that could happen when you have a group of “20-somethings” (actually 19-22 year-olds with a 40-something student, and a 50-something instructor).  Many people asked how one faculty could work with 13 students. But, it has been easy. Each day we have had an assigned student leader who was the “take charge” person to get us around and keep us organized (and keep me from taking too many pictures). They respect each other and have worked fabulously pulling together. These students impress me and give me incredible faith in the young people of today. 

Lastly, this trip has again renewed my confidence of the importance of Study Tours and our Global Studies Program. Seeing students actively participate in a class and  prepare for a trip, learn in advance, and then arrive with eager anticipation and push themselves to learn more and more is absolutely remarkable to this professor. Seeing wide eyes and excitement lets me know that they are learning. Hearing the questions, listening to their discussions only corroborates that observation. These students are learners. These students are wonderful ambassadors of the Bumpers College, the University, Arkansas and the United States. These students may just change the world – I can sense it.   I both respect and love these people – my colleagues on this life adventure.

The value of this study tour far exceeds the cost of the enrollment and the cost of the trip.  Tonight, as I watched the sun set over Florence with several of the students who made the two- mile hike up hill at the end of a long day, and the red and amber evening shining on the Arno River, I heard the following; “Just think of all the people that have lived and come to Florence. Just think how important this city has been to western civilization. I wish every student at the University could see what we have seen.”  I just have no more to say after that.       

Tomorrow, Monday, on to Venice.

Sunset over Florence and the Arno River.

A View of the City at the 463rd Step
Florence
19 May
ReGina Finley

Our group on the Duomo Copola overlooking Florence.

It was our first full day in Firenzia and we were excited to see some of the sights and discover more of the differences between Florence and Rome. We woke up to quite a different breakfast than we had been having: prepackaged food. It startled a few of us and we had to make an early morning stop at a nearby pastry shop to pick up more of a “normal” breakfast (in other words, fresh pastries).

Our first visit was the Duomo. Two of the students didn’t feel like braving the 463 stairs up to the top (though several of the students who did climb those stairs wonder just how accurate that count was). The view was wonderful, though the visit was only long enough for us to catch our breath and make the stair trip back down.

After the Duomo, we found a neat little church where we walked in to look at some murals. Dr. Rom got in trouble with the priest for taking pictures. We left soon after that and walked down to the Dell’Accademia and held a debate on whether or not we wanted to stand in line to see Michelangelo’s David or go shopping at the Mercato at the Chiesa di San Lorenzo (vendor shops who like to haggle) and the Centro Mercato – the local foods (meat, vegetables, wines, oils, foods, breads, etc.). As the group is 10 girls and four boys, shopping won and we headed to a market area where many little stands were set up down a few streets.

The group enjoyed shopping for friends and family (some of us spent a bit on ourselves as well) and met back up after lunch to walk back to the hotel to drop off those purchases and take a bit of a siesta in mid-afternoon.

A few people declined the tempting offer of a nap to visit the church Santa Croce or call home. In Santa Croce are the graves and monuments of  DaVinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Danti, and others. History just surrounds us.

After our break, we headed for an academic tour of the art of Uffizi Gallery, the Italian National Gallery, to see some very beautiful art pieces.

After a day of interesting, enjoyable, and education adventures, our scheduled tour finished and we were able to explore on our own. We split up into groups to start debating what we wanted to do on our day off tomorrow. Everyone enjoyed the Florentian evening air and atmosphere.

Things to know:

• Milk is NOT cold.
• Hand sanitizer really is a lifesaver.
• Stairs do make a good warm-up exercise for the day, just not in excess.
• Watch where you’re walking, especially on the sidewalks.

New Adventures – New Places - New Experiences
Rome/Florence
18 May
Brittany Peyrot

The famous covered bridge with shops of the Ponte Vecchio.

Another day of travel.  We hated to leave Rome, our new Italian home.

After the initial rush of packing our belongings, eating breakfast, and checking out of our hotel in Rome, we waited in the Termini to catch the train to Firenzia.  Once aboard the train, some people caught up on some sleep while others studied maps or admired the beautiful countryside and castle ruins as they passed by.

From the train station, we caught taxis to our hotel where we got settled before exploring the city and finding dinner.  Florence is a beautiful city filled with small shops and open air markets vending everything from leather goods to jewelry.

Later in the evening we meandered about the city snapping photos, listening to street performers and enjoying Italy by night.  At the Piazza di Vecchio,  Dr. Rom, always taking pictures, used a nearby car to steady his camera. Quickly the Carbinieri (Italian national police) asked him to move informing him that he was leaning on the President’s car. 

Personally, I’ve eaten gelato everyday we’ve been in Italy and today was no exception.  We enjoyed our treats overlooking the Arno River and enjoying each other’s company.  As we walked home, we discovered my absolute favorite part of the trip so far.  In the middle of the Piazza della Repubblica under the stars, several of us rode a carousel.  Others went to one of the highest points in Florence for a sunset photo-op.  We ended the day by swapping stories of our adventures back at the hotel before sleeping.

Things we have learned:

• Contrary to popular belief, Italian trains can and do leave on time.
• With street vendors, everything is negotiable.
• All the streets in Florence are one way.
• Unlike Rome, pedestrians have the right of way in this city.
• Journaling is a great way to record your experiences

Grant rides the carousel at Piazza della Republica.

If It's Thursday, It's Time for a Gelato Break
Rome
17 May
Amy Gabbard

Students enjoy an opportunity to take pictures and have their pictures taken at Roman fountain.

After a hearty breakfast of cold croissants, hard bread, and thin yogurt, the group was off to what may have been the highlight of our time so far: the Colosseum. As we walked the street toward this magnificent structure, the expressions of our faces said it all. Cameras were clicking everywhere. Professor Davide met up with us at the entrance, and oddly enough this week is culture week, so the group got in free.

With an excellent tour guide at our side, we walked through the Palatino. This is the ruins of the ancient emperors: their houses, gardens, and private arenas.  It was then off to the Forum where our imaginations were used to complete the whole picture using the preserved columns. It was interesting to see Capital Hill, which is actually still being used in government today. In the Jewish Ghetto we found our lunch destination with food ranging from cheese-covered salmon to deep fried peppers. We walked to the Constantine Victory Arch, Trevi Fountain, and then to the Spanish Steps. We all stopped for a gelato break before continuing on to the Piazza del Popola.

At this point the group activities for the day concluded and we split up to either return to the hotel or see other places. Some visited the highest point in Rome where beautiful pictures were taken. Others returned to the Colosseum for night pictures. Everyone made it back to the hotel full of pasta, satisfied with the day, and tired, but we  are looking forward to traveling to Florence tomorrow.

Today we learned that:

• Hand sanitizer is a must.
• Linking arms in the subway is the safest way
• Italians get more friendly as the weekend nears
• Italian police have no apparent purpose
• Many sights = Much walking
• Italians frown upon pigeon kicking

The group at one of the Emperor’s fountains at the Palatino.

When in Rome, Run
Rome
16 May
Keshia Koehn

Latin Smiles: Keisha Koehn, Amy Gabbard, and Brittany Peyrot enjoy the Roman sunshine on the first day of the AFLS study tour.

Buon giorno!

After resting from extensive traveling, the group was ready to explore beautiful Roma. The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel were our first stop in the morning. Luckily, we had obtained tour tickets earlier and were able to pass by an extremely long line of other tourists. Upon entering the museum, the group awed at the hall of ancient Roman statues, mosaiced tile floors, and exquisite ceilings. The Sistine Chapel was beautiful beyond words — each scene on the ceiling was extremely detailed and well preserved. We wound our way through the twists and turns and hidden treasures of the museum and found a quaint little café for lunch. St. Peter's Bascila and Forum were built as a funeral monument over Peter's tomb. Beneath the basilica were the catacombs of deceased popes and shrines for them. Then, we met with Professor Davide Vitali of the University of Arkansas Rome Center. He toured us through the Senate building, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona.

Can you imagine - celebrating your birthday in Italy? Today is Grant Ballard's birthday. Aside from being a bit travel weary he smiled extra big all day long. All day our group celebrated his birthday - but I think everyone was too shy to sing happy birthday to him. But, it was a fun birthday. (And, we have another birthday next week!).

On another note, things to remember when traveling in Rome:

• Lines on roads are only used as guidelines — therefore, walk a ¼ mile, run across the street
• Camera batteries are essential for good group morale.
• Look up in every single building and church — the ceilings are amazing.
• Gelato (Italian ice cream) is good anytime of the day.
• Finally, Italians DO NOT split checks.

Transatlantic Travel
Northwest Arkansas/Detroit/Amsterdam/Rome
14-15 May
Curt Rom

Students wait patiently at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport on May 14 with a more than one-hour flight delay.

It's 5:25 p.m., but the plane was supposed to leave at 5:03 p.m.

The afternoon was rushed for almost everyone. Cristy had been waiting on her passport. Although she submitted and applied for it in February, it was only after persistent phone calls and intervention from the congressman that her application was located at the New Orleans passport office, and sent to Fayetteville. The passport arrived at 2 p.m.

The group met for departure at 3:30 p.m. to carpool to the airport. But, one student was late. She called and would just meet us at the airport but had to go back home to get something left behind which she needed.

The majority of the group assembled at XNA at 4 p.m. for group check-in. There were a few hiccups during the check-in procedure and students had to dump some liquids at the security check.

The last student arrived at the airport at 4:50 p.m. -- just 10 minutes before planned departure. But, the plane was at least an hour late. So, we just waited. As someone said, “We are just 20 minutes from home and we are already stranded....”. It appears our connection in Detroit to Amsterdam and on to Rome will be very quick -- only about 20 minutes. It will be interesting to know if we will make it.

All of the check-in snaffus aside, the group was enthused and excited. We look forward to a great trip.

Although the plane left Fayetteville more than 90 minutes late and we should have missed our connecting international flight departure from Detroit, they held the plane for us. It was a really a case that as soon as the last one of us got on the plane, they shut the door and pushed off -- even before we were all seated. And, then we were off, and on our way.

We arrived in Rome almost an hour ahead of schedule as they changed our flight times for the Amsterdam-to-Rome leg. Beyond belief, our luggage all arrived. And the charter bus taking us from the airport to the downtown Rome hotel arrived right on time at the appointed location.

By 5 p.m. on Travel Tuesday (May 15) we were driving through downtown Rome during the rush hour. The bus could not navigate the narrow street where our hotel, the Hotel Assisi, was. We were dropped off about a block away and had to walk the last block in. Hotel check-in went fine and everyone got settled into their rooms. The rooms were small but very nice for 2-star accmodations. And, they had what mattered -- a bathroom (and shower), and a TV.

We decided to clean up and refresh and then reassemble for dinner after 90 minutes. We ate dinner at a local pizza/pasta place. The food was OK -- but the excitement was great as it was our first Italian meal. We were really sitting in an open-air café in Rome; this is what we had planned for and prepared for all semester and now we were finally here.

After a casual dinner, we went for a long walk to see sights in the “neighborhood” -- ruins, churches, ministries, etc. We walked for more than an hour and we were just about exhausted after a long day of travel. A good-night gelatto, and our day ended. We were in Rome.

Getting Ready to Go
Fayetteville
11 May
Curt Rom

Standing next to Il Porcellino, a replica of the statue by Italian artist Pietro Tacca, given as a gift to the UA by Suzi Stephens and Jim Hatfield and place in front of the University House (see http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/5952.htm). The original Tacca is in Florence and will be visited by the class. Back row from left: Keisha Koehn, Brittany Peyrot, Amy Gabbard, Vicki Mansker, Scott Ballard, Mark Morgan. Middle rows from left: Regina Finely, Scott Grant, Megan Ellis, Alison Cantrell, Jennifer Schneider. Seated from left: Angela Medley, Julie Nabb, Cristy Gregory.

Final exams are over and now the AFLS 3313-Honors Global Issues class is getting ready to get going. The AFLS 3313H class is an honors class open to AFLS Honors Students, all Honors College students, and any other student meeting the academic requirements. This year the class has students from Environmental Science, Agri Business, Crops Science, Apparel Studies, Foods, Nutrition and Hospitality Management, Family Studies, Poultry Science, Animal Science, and Art. This class is a part of the interdisciplinary Global Studies program of AFLS and is required for the minor degree.

During the semester, the students had a focused study of Italy. They participated in a seminar learning about the history, political and economic system, landscapes and gardens, architecture, customs and travel in Italy. The students gave presentations on the demographics and economy, the geography, food and customs, art history, agriculture production and trade. They also gave presentations on their individual semester-long independent research projects that will be continued during the trip. Lastly, they planned and prepared for a two-week study tour to Italy to visit Rome, Florence and Tuscany, Venice and Venetto, and Padova. During the study tour, students will do “on the ground” study of culture, history, customs and agricultural, food, and life sciences. They will each have a day when, because of assistance from our colleague contact at the University of Padova, Dr. Paolo Sambo, they will do independent research on their semester project in the field.

The students going are Grant Ballard, Allison Cantrell, Regina Finley, Amy Gabbard, Scott Grant, Cristina Gregory, Keshia Koehn, Vicki Mansker, Angela Medley, Mark Morgan, Julianne Nabb, Brittany Peyrot, Jennifer Schneider. The instructor for the course is Professor Curt R. Rom (Horticulture). Dr. Ray Barclay is the director of the AFLS Global Studies Program and Dr. Duane Wolf is the Director of the AFLS Honors Program.

On Monday, 14 May, the group takes off for 15 days in Italy. So, the class is busy with last- minute planning and packing. Although finals are over, the busiest part of the semester for this class is about to begin.

Come back to this site and to see postings of the trip along the way.

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