La Vita é Bella a Sassari Sardegena ITALIA

C'est La Vie - And it gets better everyday!

2009-03-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

"Voi usate Argo qua?"

"Si e' un parloe Latino" Alessandra

"No way?!?!"

"What did you do on Sunday" Sergio

"Oh i went to Sicily...hahahaha" Elisabeth

"Who do you belive to be" Alessandra

Isola Bonita - La Dulce Vita

Life in Sassari is going great

I have several really amazing friends

There are 3 girls in particular that I don't know what I would do without

Alessandra, Sabrina & Anna Maria

They are really amazing! and I have such an amazing time with them

Vi Voglio Bene!

Sabrina and Alessandra at the party at Agada's Mom's Bar

Anna Maria at the Party

We went to a party at one of Alessandra's Classmates' Bar

Her classmate's name is Agada

She is super nice!

The Party was all Hispanic Music

Hispanic Dancing

Except for a few songs that were American Oldies like YMCA and Grease

We had soo much fun!

The Bar

Elia and Alessandra at Agada's House

Sabrina and Alessandra Singing Karoke

The Funniest Wine We have ever seen!

Me and Alessandra at our now closed Karaoke Bar

Almost every saturday we would go to this place to sing Karaoke

Me and Ale always sang Grease "Summer Lovin"

So much fun!

We will miss you Brusceterria!

My Dog Blanco Outside in the Garden Near my house

I have adopted a pet here

His name is Blanco

He lives outside my house

He comes when I call him

He waits for me everyday after school

He walks me to the bus stop!

He is so Awsome!

He looks like a sheep!

Kitty and Carla

In our Class we are always joking around

Especially during the hours of Latin and Italian

I love just kidding around with my class!

Emanuele B. and Giulia

Giulia and Anna

This was actually an amazing joke

The guys in my class told my teache they had head lice

She Believed them and made them wear Giulia's shower caps

Later when the teacher finally figured it out eveyone took pictures with them

Oh Giulia... who brings shower caps to school?

Monserato- Me, Kels and Cam

Monserato is an amazing Park where we often have picnics!

Its so beautiful!

An Epic Picnic at Monserato-

One thing we learned is that Italian Parks don't stay open very late

We had our picnic supplies and all

Take the bus to Monserato

And arrive to find that it had closed half an hour earlier!

That didn't by any means ruin our picnic

We just had our picnic on the green grass of the sign outside the park

Me, Elisabeth and Hil at our epic picnic!

Oh I almost forgot to mention

There is a new awesome exchange student from Austria named Elisabeth

She is so cool

Me and Sergio (Colombia) always have so much fun with her!

Closed Park Picnic Crew

Blanco and Me

Back at Monserato-

Tim and Coree

So la dulce vita has been going really great latly

Timmy has been in Israel but he comes back today!

I am having an awsome time with my new friends

I have lots of trips comming up!

Wednesday I go to London

Then for Easter I go to Roma!

Hopefully right after Roma to Spain with my class!

Then hopefully to see lake como if possible!

My time here in Italy is quickly comming to an end!

I must Carpe Diem while I can

Trips to Alghero - February

2009-03-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

"Awkward Turtle"

"Cramples"

Bellisima Alghero

Ok so like i took hardly none of the pictures from my first trip to Alghero but i am using them cause i don't hav

e any

I went to Algher twice in February once for a rotary meeting

A second time to hang out with another exchange stude Jacquie

Both times I had such an aweomse time

bunch of us exchage-ie girls before the rotary meeting

(Kelsey's Pic)

A look at Alghero

Another Pic of us in the eco-circle

(Amber's Pic)

The Train Ride to Alghero

(Fadwa's Pic)

My Second trip to Alghero

My second trip to alghero was just as fun

We saw a parade for Carneval

We hung out around town

We went to a Party at Jacquie's classmates' house

Hilda and Lizbeth at the Carneval Parade

The Trojan Horse

"Biancaneve" Snow White

A Giant Duck

Me and Jacquie at a Party

Dancin'

I had Such an Amazing time in Alghero and I hope to go back really soon!

Until next time xxxxxxxxx

Milan and Venice

2009-02-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

" What the Hull"

"Let's do an Oprah Prayer!"

"Pizza Man!"

CIAO A TUTTI

Sorry it has been so long since I updated my blog

So I got to go to both Milan and Venice

Jody, another exchange student from Hawaii in Milan got us in contact with her tutor so we could go to there district trip to Venice

It was an absolutly amazing trip

We saw so many beautiful things

We met so many great new people

-Our Car :)

Off to Mialno at 150 Kilometers per hour

-Galleria (Famous shopping of Mialn)

-All of the Expensive Shops in the Galleria

Piazza Duomo

-La Galleria

The Rivers of Milan

Aparently Milan used to be like Venice in the sense that it was all rivers

Then it was destroyed by attacks in World War II

Me, Jody and Hilary went down to the Fumes for a walk

Then we went to an Aperitivo

It was an aweomse night

The Bone Church

The entire inside of the church was decorated with bones

Human Bones

The Church Site used to be a graveyard but then they decided to build a church

It was extreemly KREEPY! 0.0

A Bakery-

One thing that Italy knows how to do is bake bread really well!

I love foccacia's which are a type of bread

They just have so many different types of breads

Castello Sfortzesco

This is the Castel where the Royalty of Milan Lived

It was Gigantic!

Off to Venice We go

We only got to spend about 8 hours in Venice

But it was ABSOLUTLY AMAZING!

We were in VENICE for CARNEVAL

-John Tucker and Me on the Bus to Venice

Other Exchang-ies on the Bus to Venice

Isn't Venice AMAZING?

My Fellow Hawaiians with our Carneval Masks

The Most Amazing Ask I have ever Seen!

Mask Shop-

Me and Kevin on the Venice Bus

Goodbye Venice! We Love You

Going to Milan and Venice was so great

I can't wait to take a trip back to Milan and hopefully to Lake Como too

We made so many new great friends!

Until Next Time xxxxxxxxx

Bellisima Roma- Christmas-My Sister

2008-12-26T06:32:00.001-08:00

So for christmas I went to Roma the most beautiful city in the world!

I spent the week with my bestfriend/sister it was absolutly amazing

We had so much fun!

We had so many adventures from

A party on the first night

Walking Luna

Ice skiing

Piazza Navona

Christmas eve at the Vaticano

watching zomby movies

Crazy Christmas in Latina

Barbara's Beautiful Christmas Tree-

So when i first got to Roma Barbara picked me up in her car (BOB)

We drove to her house and I saw her mom

I was finally able to speak to her mom because she doesn't speak English

Then we ate lunch and me and Barbara went on a walk and got some delicious tea

That night we went to a party at Barbara's friend Mara's house

At the party we meet up with Barbara's boufriend Jojo!

I was finally able to talk to him too! yay

We stayed there until about 3 am

Then we went to go get Cornetu (like danishes)

The next morning we woke up and took Luna, Barbara's dog on a walk

Barbara and Luna Heading into the Forest-

Me & Luna

Barbara and her cool tree-

We found nature in one of the biggest cities on earth-Its amazing

Later that day we decided to go Ice Skiing (skating)

We got all dressed up for the night in the cold

Barbara and I practicing our skiing moves

To Bad Ice Skating closes at 8 pm and it was 11 pm

So instead we went to piazza Navona

It was beautiful at night

We bought my mom a talking Befana :) (a witch that brings presents on the 6th of January

We got delicious hot chocolate and walked around the center

Barbara and I buying the Befana-

Jojo and me at Piazza Navona-

On the way home we saw the colosseo

It was beautiful at night

The Colosseo at night-

Barbara and Jojo-

The next day Barbara and I really went Ice Skiing as Barbara said

It was actually skating but skiing is mor fun to say

It was really fun!

I actually didn't even fall once!

There was this skater dressed as Babo Natale (santa Claus)

He was pro!

Barbara and I tried to be like him

We didn't achieve :( Purtroppo

Ice Skiing-

Barbara trying to be like Babo Natale-

After going ice skating we went to Gabro's house

We watched a horribily scary zombee movie

A lot of Barbara's friends were there

Some guy, Pons and Dani-

Gabro and Jojo at Gabro's house

Another day we went to Barbara's University "La Sapienza"

Barbara's Political Science Department

There were protesting signs hanging all over the school from the Ocupation

Her Unviersity was really big with protesting!

Political Science Department Ocupation-

Fotocoppyin'

Pretending to Study in the air-

Waiting for the bus-

On Christmas eve before going to Barbara's family's house we went to the vatican

We saw the largest christmas tree in Rome

We admired Michelangelo's designs

We had an amazing time!

Saint Peter's Basilica

Barbara on the Tevere-

We are so cool-

All the Coulmns are allined-

A fountain-

On Christmas eve we went to Barbara's dad's side of the family

We ate a lot of seafood

We opened Presents

Barbara and her family gave me earings, a purse, a scarf

Barbara the red nosed reindeer-

so basically I had an amazing christmas!

I had so much fun hanging out with Barbara and just being in Roma

I love Roma so much!

I really hope I am allowed to go back for easter!

That would be amazing!

Until next post. xxxxx

Nuraghi, Nuoro, the Steps and Discotecha

2008-12-08T13:23:00.001-08:00

"Noi vogliamo il numero di Tim!" -Girls at the Meeting

So this weekend was a very long weekend!!

Yay we didn't have to go to school Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday!

Friday Tim hil and I went to Nuoro for a Rotary Meeting,

Saturday we went hung out around the house and then went into town,

Sunday we went to Thiesi and then I went to a Discotecha with the girls in my class

On Sunday we hung out around Sassari.

The Rotary Meeting- There were kids from all different schools that were interested in exchange

Near Thiesi we went to the Nuarghi

These are the towers also known as the "Giant Tombs"

They were made in prehistoric times by the Nuraghi people of Sardegena

From each Nuraghi Tower you can see another Nuraghi

They were spaced out perfectly so that the people could shine a light and the next tower could see it

Thus they could warn eachother about attacks or storms

The Central Part of the Nuraghi-

The Dimly lit chambers ( everone had to be about 4 feet tall)

The Reflection of the Nuarghi on the feild-

Two cute puppies outside-

They are so big!-

Hilary, Lusia and Me-

There were so many sheep!-

The Church near Thiesi-

The Steps were so steep-

And the Sheep were so close!-

Another Nuraghi in Nuoro-

So this weekend we spent some time around town and the Piazza

We decided to go down to the school

We just went down and sat on the steps

Since its now christmas time everything is open late

They put up christmas lights all around town!

Christmas time is such a nice time!

The Lights were turned on- Its officaly Christmas time!-

They are all over town! Aren't they pretty?-

The door of Azuni Centrale-
Tim was a Gangstah-

Tim was a Ninja-

Can You Say Edward Cullen anyone- haha

I also got to go to the disco Wally

Unfortunatly I don't have any pictures :(

I went with the girls in my class

We came home at 4 am!

This disco was amazing!

There were so many people!

Thanksgiving- Ringraziamento

2008-11-30T09:32:00.001-08:00

"How do you say when a volcano vomits....spits....?" Gian lu tru

For thanksgiving Tim, Hil, Kels and I cooked a big feast right here in Italia.

We found a turkey and everything

Actually that was a bit of trouble

We ordered a turkey but it didn't end up coming

So the night before thanksgiving we were calling all over town to meat shops

The week prior to thanks giving we were all really worried that it would not work out

We all went shopping together for the food.

We thought we might not have enough! (that was a joke)

We made;

Turkey

Graver

Mashed Potatoes

Stuffing

Carrots

Greenbeans

Apple pie

Apple Cider

Deviled eggs

We basicaly spent the entire day cooking for thanks giving

It ended up beaing a lot of fun

Kelsey and some of the ingredients before we started-

We cooked thanks giving at Kelsey's house

We ended up cooking for 21 people

It was crazy

None of the people here in Italy knew how long a turkey could take to cook

They all thought it was impossible for it to take 3 hours

(with our big turkeys in america it takes like 6)

we had a 7 kilo turkey

It cost about 40 euros! so expensive!

Tim and the morning Pancakes-

In the morning we made delicious pancakes!

It was amazing!

Then we got right to work

Kels and hil worked on apple pie

Tim peeled things and looked for a turtle (not to cook, don't worry)

I started on the stuffing

Then it was soon time for the turkey

Tim got to do the great job of cleaning it

It was really groose it still had a few feathers on it!

He basically filled it up like a cup and washed it out it was hilarious!

Tim, Paolo and Hil in the banquet hall-

Later on Pal and Gian lu came over and helped us

They brought us some more butter!

Then they helped make deviled eggs

Then they prepared my speach to give at the table in italian

grrrr i still can't believe i had to to that by myself! haha

Pal & Apple Pie-

The Feast turned out magnificently

Everything worked out perfectly

And it all tasted so good!

Turkey was delicious

Apple pies we scrumscious

Stuffing was amazing

Carrots were sweet and delicious!

Mashed potatoes were so mashed! awesome!

Tim and his little host brother-

Wow tim's little host brother is so amazing!!!

He is the cutest little kid ever!

Now he plays Bird man!!!

The Feast-

At the table

It turned out fantasitc

Those deviled eggs were amazing!

Our Turkey's name was Burlusconi

Kels gave the italians american flags and the stuck it in the foods hahaha!

Pal, Gian lu and Enrico-

Nuoro and Nature

2008-11-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

So this week we went to a Rotary Meeting in Nuoro

We also got to see nature!

It was beautiful

Spookyness-

Do Something Exclamitory they say-

I found Aslans Table Now all I need are talking trees-

Yesterday we went to a town called Nuoro.

We went for a rotary meeting at Liceo Classico Giorgio Asporoni (Gianluca's school).

Nuoro was a big city with some pretty buildings but it was not very exciting.

The best part of the day was exploring the forest which was absolutly beautiful.

Tim, Kelsey, Hilary and I explored the forest.

It was really really cold!

The First Disco and the Birthdays!

2008-11-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Meccano Discotecha

"Happy Birthday!" "I'm a Wizard"

"That was fly"

We we went to our first disco for Kelsey's 18th Birthday

It was super amazing!!

Before the disco we went to a pizzaria

"Pizza al Metro" they literally serve meters of Pizza

We went to the disco at 12:3o and stayed until 3:30 am!

Gian lu, Hil, Pal, Giorgio bought Kelsey's present together.

Her presents were;

A Nature CD

A 4-leaf clover

A Sweatshirt she will probably never wear

The Dance Floor-

The Bar at the Disco-
The DJ's booth-

On Sunday we went to Giorgio's Birthday Party

University Pub

So much fun!

Hil, Kels and I made him a present made of

An American Flag,

Thread,

Recees,

Hand Sanitiser,

A turtle magnet,

A paper crane

Comming up soon is Thanksgiving!

I hope that we can pull that off!

It's gonna be so difficult but so exciting!

Cagliari

2008-10-26T14:47:00.001-07:00

"Now I know where that saying comes from...I could eat a horse"

Sorry I haven't updated in so long!

So a couple of weeks ago we went to Cagliari.

It is a very beautiful city!

We went to a beach called Poeto, a very long beach!

We also wondered around the old city!

We ate delicious mushroom risotto, probably the best food since I have come here

Elisabetta (host mom), and her parents-

Bella Cagliari-

La Chiesa - The church where the pope visited

Citta Vecchio (Old City)-
View of the City-

A really cool light pole-

Ballet- haha

Sciopero/ Assembly 23/10/08- 26/10/08

2008-10-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

"Gelmini Gelmini Va Fanculo"

"Se la Reforma Passa Occupazione in Massa"

This past week there has been a ton of protesting at my school

The kids are protesting against the reform of Italian schools

The lady in charge of the Ministry of Education (Gelmini) is the leader of the horrible reform

Nobody wants this reform but this lady is supposed to be representing the wants of teachers and students

This week there was both and assembly and a sciopero

At the assembly they decided to do an illegal occupation of the school

My friend Paolo led the assembly

After the Assembly the kids in my class decided to lead an illegal occupation of the school. However, they were soon kicked out by the police. Starting yesterday they started Autogestione at my school were the kids teach themselvs. This will continue until Thrusday when there is a HUGE general Sciopero all throughout Italy.

Gianlu and Friends at the Sciopero-

SCIOPERO in front of the Magestrario-
Me at the Sciopero-

Paolo at the Sciopero-

Elias, Francesco and Emanuele in front of our school-

Hanging the Signs for the Occupation-

Discussion of the occupation of the school-
Francesca in the Assembly-

Elena, Chiara and Isabella-

La Assemblea-

My sister Barbara in Roma told me that this week her university started occupation

Everyone tells me that we are lucky to have all this protesting this year.

Adjusting to la Vita Italiana

2008-10-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

"I wonder how many people die in elevators every day....none"

"I hope you die....NEVER"

Gianlu, Pal, Io e Tim-

On Weekends we get to hangout with our friends.

We normally either hang out with our friends from class or with our new friends Paolo, Gianluca and Giorgio from Azuni Centrale

Nuovo Amico Gianluca-

New Friend Giorgio-

The Park Outside My New House-

The Cross Outside La Mia Nuova Casa-

Io e Carla nella Nostra Class- Me and Carla in our Class
Valeria F ed Emanuele B nella nostra classe- Valeria and Emanule in our Class

Allesandra in Nostra Classe- Allesandra in our Class

Io ed Hilary in nostra classe-

These next few weeks I am really looking forward to Halloween and Thanksgiving.

For Halloween me and a bunch of girls from my class are going to a big party until 4 Am.

For Thanksgiving we are cooking a big feast at Kelsey's house!

It will be really great. Our friends Paolo, Gianluca, and all of four host families are coming. Hopefully all the food turns out ok haha.

Protesting at School

2008-09-24T06:01:00.001-07:00

Sciopero alla Scuola

Today was pretty much amazing!!! Today we protested at school. No one entered our school!

We left our campus and went to the Center School. We were protesting that fact that we are locked in school during the day and not let out during break. When the principle walked by everyone booed because no one likes him!

Tim and me at the Sciopero-

Me and Silvia-

I love protesting and Italia is absolutly AMAZING

Update

2008-09-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Thiese Festilve Madonna di Selenus

In thiese we went to a religious festivle. It was very exciting. Here we met a lot of new friends that we hang out with.

More Festivle

Food at the Weding

At this wedding there were about 7 courses of food. it was so much!!

Trick on the horse

This week was really great these are some old pictures but I will try to put up some new ones of school and life in Sassari soon!

Love Steph xxxxxxx

Pictures la dulce Vita week 1

2008-09-12T00:51:00.000-07:00

Guilia
Me at Grotte Netunno
Pizza Night 1
Stintino

Week 1- La Dulce Vita

2008-09-12T00:34:00.000-07:00

So far my life in Italy has been Amazing. On the first day I was here I arrived at about 8:00 pm. My host family and picked me up at the airport and then we went to there summer home in Alghero, the same town where the airport was. That night we ate the biggest Pizza of my life like literally the size of the table! Here we meet a really awesome girl named Guilia, the daughter of friends of our host parents. Throughout the week we spent time with her.

The next day we went to an amazing beach called Stintino. There was an ancient castel is the middle of the water. We went swimming at a little beach with a plat form. The water is so clear here that you can see all of the fish swiming without putting your head under water.

Later that week we went to a place called Grotte Netunno or Neptunes Grotto. It was a large limestone cave that was reallly amazing. We walked 600 steps down to the Grotto and 600 steps up so it was a long walk up!!

Then we went to a beach called Bosa, which also had a castle nearby. Here there was also a little town with old cathederals and stuff. I found out that here they also roast wild pig under ground and wrap it in leaves like we do in HAWAII! (this was really weird).

After leaving Alghero we spent one night in Sassari and then went straight to a religious festivle in a town called Thiese. Theise is the place where both of my host parents grew up. We stayed in a mansion (the house of Giovanni's mom). Here in Thiese we meet a lot of new people.

First we meet two sisters Elisabetta (15) and Luisa (11) (kinda like our host cousins).

Throughout our 5 days in Thiese we meet many of Elisabetta's friends. We had so much fun in this town and the people were so nice. We meet Beatrice, Silvia, Jon Maria, Francesco, Paulo, Luca, Giuseppe and several others. We found out that some of them will be going to our school with us.

After five great nights we left Thiese and went back to Sassari. It was really sad leaving Thiese because we made so many new friends there, and also Guilia went back to her home on the mainland of Italy.

Back in Sassari we meet some new friends that go to school in the same class as us. We meet Katarina (Kitty), Francesca (Sole) and many others. Sassari so far has been a lot of fun. We also meet two other exchangers to Sassari, Timothy (Florida) and Kelsey (Lake Taho CA).

2008-08-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

Goodbye USA hello ITALY

2008-08-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

I get to leave for the most awesome place ever in less than two days!!!!!! i am so excited. Just wait Italy i am almost there

Rotary Youth Exchange Sassari

2008-08-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone my name is Stephanie Vancil and I am from HAWAII.

I will be a Rotary Youth Exchange Student to Sassari Sardegna Italy the year 2008-09.

I am very excited to leave.

I will be heading out in the first week of September probably the 1st of September.

I will have another girl living in the same house as me in Italy name Hillary

My host parents are name Giovanni and Elissabeta

They have twin daughters that will be on exchange to the US when I am in Italy

In Sassari I will be living very close to the Piazza di Italia

I will be posting a bunch of pictures and stories on this site so check it out.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx