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Course Blog – Cultural Engagement and Exploration (2017)

A Native’s Take on Public Education in Sicily

Do a one-on-one interview with a local they said. Well too bad I have an irrational fear about human interaction and high anxiety while talking to strangers. It actually didn’t go as badly as I imagined! Once I got out there and started rambling on to people about my status as an American student who...... KEEP READING

Posted by cynthia on May 26, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Interview with Simone, Owner of FoodSicily

FoodSicily is a small market located just off of the Lungomare that offers various wines, meats, cheeses, and most items typically found in a Sicilian supermarket. For my interview, I had the pleasure of talking with FoodSicily’s owner, Simone. I was curious to learn about what it is like being a business owner in Sicily,...... KEEP READING

Posted by matthewd on May 26, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Video Tour of the Cefalu Cathedral

One of my favorite places to be in is the Cathedral in Piazza Duomo. This Cathedral is huge compared to the little town), and it is unique because it has Norman-Arab influences, as well as a Romanesque style and Byzantine mosaics. Check out my video tour of the famous cathedral here for more information~ ... KEEP READING

Posted by cynthia on May 25, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Ciao from Mount Etna!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hR_ofysjdXKi4t2AY4QIJ9zLBZmTUaDQVuRrAvGD-mU/edit?usp=sharing Growing up in North Carolina and going to school at Vanderbilt, I have hiked throughout the Appalachian Mountains and other nature trails, forests, and parks within my home state and in Tennessee, but never beyond our little corner of the world. I had never heard of Mount Etna before this Maymester. And Mount Etna...... KEEP READING

Posted by rita on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

A Walk Through Palermo… A Wave of American Nostalgia

We went to Palermo to see some Cathedrals and the city on Tuesday (May 23rd). We had some free time to explore the streets, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia. Palermo reminded me of Boston in a lot of ways. PHOTO: Palermo Streets Being a city constructed with Muslim influences, Palermo...... KEEP READING

Posted by cynthia on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty

Palermo was the first city we visited that actually felt like an urban center. The vast majority of the cities we’ve passed through seem to exist only for their attractions. Even Cefalù feels a little fake and overrun with tourists after a little bit of observation. Admittedly, in most cities we’ve visited, we only really saw...... KEEP READING

Posted by dylan on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

From the Bus

One of the most fascinating parts of this trip has been watching the world go by from the bus. I have learned so much by paying attention to what we have passed while driving. One of the street vendors we drove by after visiting Mozia At first glance, the towns in Sicily look pretty similar....... KEEP READING

Posted by on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Interview with Marisa

For my interview, I spoke to Marisa, who works in the Culturforum Italian language learning center in Cefalù. Marisa lived in the Netherlands until she was 10, when she moved with her Sicilian family back to Cefalù. When she first came to Sicily, she was quick to notice how different Sicilian behavior is. In her...... KEEP READING

Posted by Izzy Lewis on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Blowing Through Mount Etna

Our trip to Mount Etna brought more excitement than I expected. We started off the day with a 3-hour bus ride, which mostly included me falling in and out of sleep and listening to some sweet tunes. When we finally arrived, we picked up a tour guide that was fluent in English and she told...... KEEP READING

Posted by chase on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Video Tour: Cefalú

Check out my video tour of historic Cefalú! Cefalú history tour ... KEEP READING

Posted by carolineh on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Comparing Oranges and …Tapestries

Living in Los Angeles my whole life, I have grown up in one of the most renowned epicenters of diversity in the world. From Little Italy to Chinatown, nearly every ethnicity, race, and culture is represented to varying degrees. When driving through LA, it is impossible not to notice the Hispanic immigrants selling fruit and...... KEEP READING

Posted by meghan on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Gli sport ya

pic.twitter.com/M18cNppIDB — MikeyP (@michaelbpelleg1) May 24, 2017 Early on in our trip I realized that Cefalu has plenty of basketball courts and soccer fields. The basketball courts are a little more difficult to come by, but the point is there are plenty of areas for children to disperse from their tech filled lives and be...... KEEP READING

Posted by michaelp on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

The One With Giuliano

May 24, 2017. 1:00 PM. Interview Participant: Giuliano. Interviewee Occupation: Student. Recording of my interview: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByaDeZPZG1liQ3JSVGlzeTBaRms This afternoon I came across a business on the main road in Cefalù that advertised trip/tour planning, hotel reservations, etc. which looked like a promising place to stop into for my interview. The older man and woman working in the store...... KEEP READING

Posted by katiep on May 24, 2017 in 2017 Blog post

Palermo and Change

Yesterday, on May 23rd, we went to Palermo to explore villas, churches, and streets of the ancient city. At first glance, the city seems to be very modern. However, old buildings such as churches and villas remain sprinkled throughout the streets. The churches that we visited were ornate and opulent. They all had artwork and...... KEEP READING