Interview With Melania

Ciao, everyone!

During my stay here in Italy, I have had the chance to meet a million wonderful people. For my Travel Writing class, we were given an assignment to interview someone of our choice. The only stipulation was that they could not be from the States or have lived there. After mentally going through all the people I have met and the friends I have made while abroad, the one person who stuck out the most to me is my friend, Melania. Melania is a native of Italy and goes to the Italian boarding school where I currently study. We met when she came to sit in on a few of my classes and have been friends ever since. She's only seventeen, but like me, she has an old soul. We connected instantly and I knew from there on out that we would be friends forever. I could think of no one better to interview and write about.

For this piece, I tried to find a common theme between the youth in Italy and the youth in America. Although there are some similarities, youth in Italy is quite different than the youth we find in America. I found a lot of similarities with Melania because of my Italian roots, but I think you may find some interesting connections to her life as well. Below is a copy of my piece written about Melania and our journey through a two hour interview. Enjoy!

Finding Heart in the Home of Melania Zen

              Growing up, the world always seemed a bit too small. I went to school with the same people I lived next door to since I was born; it always felt like I was trapped inside a bubble I could not pop. When it came time to go away to college, my parents always reminded me that “home is where the heart is.” Truth be told, I never really took the time to discover what that phrase meant. I took what I had for granted. It was not until I met Melania Zen, my first Italian friend in Italy, that I realized the true meaning behind that very statement. Through her eyes, her words, and her experiences, she has taught me the beauty behind the youth in Italy – a youth that starts and matures at home.

                At only seventeen years old, Melania glows. Her deep brown eyes sparkle with youth and her bouncy chestnut hair glitters beneath the sunlight. She has a youthful laugh, one natural and untainted with fear or sadness. Her down-to-earth attitude and warm presence naturally draws me to befriend her. Although she is much younger than I, age seems to be nothing but a number. Talking with Melania is comfortable, enjoyable, and inspiring. Above all, her youthfulness is what fascinates me the most. As we sit and chat for a while, I begin to realize that the secret ingredient to her glow is not hard to discover.

                Melania comes from a small family of four. She has one younger sister, Emily, and lives with her parents in a small village of San Zenone, Italy. “We’ve always been a close family,” Melania explains, “and we are always doing a lot of traveling together” (Zen). With her dad in business, Melania and her family have traveled to numerous countries, such as: Switzerland, Austria, China, Australia, Poland, Greece, America, and Norway. Picking up my jaw from the floor, Melania giggles. For her, traveling is a way of life; she was on a plane when she was only four days old. “I guess it’s just something we do,” she shrugs (Zen). Intrigued, I ask her to tell me more about family traditions.

                “Every Sunday, we go to my grandma’s house for dinner,” Melania explains (Zen). All of the family comes together for this special meal every Sunday, a tradition created long before Melania was born. Her grandmother prepares authentic Italian dishes that could keep armies full for days afterward. “She makes all kinds of things: pasta, meat, risotto, sometimes French fries, or my favorite…apples over the fire,” she says (Zen). Her grandmother typically does not make much dessert, but the one thing Melania cannot resist is strudel. “My aunt owns a pastry shop,” Melania explains, “So sometimes she brings extra pastries to the house for dessert. If she has strudel, I just love it” (Zen). As she explains to me more about her traditional Sunday dinner, I am reminded of all the Sunday family dinners I enjoyed growing up and the same tradition I had with my Italian family. We exchange stories, giggling as we tell tales of our grandmothers force feeding us extra food when our stomachs are about to burst. As we reminisce together, I realize that the Sunday dinner tradition is about more than just food; rather, it is a place to bond with those that brought us to life and to grow in the rich tradition with those we love and cherish the most.

                I ask Melania to tell me about the other things that define her. Naturally, she begins talking about her friends. From the beginning of her childhood, Melania met a number of young girls like herself around her neighborhood. “We have lived next to each other for seventeen years,” Melania says, “and it’s just now that we can consider ourselves best friends” (Zen). There are many reasons why friendships in Italy last so long; it is because they take time to develop. Melania goes to Instituto Filippin, whereas the rest of her best friends go to other schools. She has made a life of new friends here at Instituto Filippin, but she assures me that her best friends from home are the ones that will last a lifetime. On the weekends, Melania spends at least one night with her best friends from home. “A lot of times we will go to Bassano or go hang out at a couple of pubs,” Melania describes, “But some nights we just stay at one of our houses and hang out” (Zen). As I inquire about the youth night life in Italy, Melania describes that her and her friends love hanging out at pubs because “you can meet the world…no one is the same there” (Zen). Whenever she has the choice, Melania always prefers to be spending time with her friends from her hometown. Without hesitation, Melania can trust these people. “In a friend, I need honesty and loyalty; I need to know someone will say what they actually think,” Melania tells me (Zen). For her, her best friends do exactly that; in fact, they do it for each other. Since birth, these girls seem to have been linked together by some beautiful force. They began their lives together and have continued to grow ever since. Once again, I notice a theme with this beautiful youth. What we find at home can lead us to the heart of beautiful relationships.

                On any given weekend in an open field in San Zenone, Italy, you will find Melania with her two dogs. “It was originally supposed to be an office for my Dad…but eventually, it just became a weekend house,” Melania explains (Zen). This place is where she spends her weekends, her holidays, and her summers. Her two dogs, a female golden retriever and a male mut, are her loyal sidekicks. She goes up to the house every weekend to take care of them, but the house also serves an entirely different purpose; a purpose more carefree than any other experience Melania has described yet. When I ask her about how she spends her time, a smile glows from her face. “Sometimes, I just take my dogs and we go walking and playing through the woods,” she explains (Zen). There is no set agenda – the days and night simply pass, each day bringing a new sunrise and sunset.

At night during the winter months, Melania’s favorite thing to pass the time is building a fire outside and making hot tea. Simply relaxing and enjoying the moment for what it is gives her a peace of mind. “Ever since I was little I always wanted a dog, but my parents never let me have one,” Melania explains (Zen). It was not until she passed her secondary school exam that her parents decided to give in. “My dad told me we were just going to look at photographs of dogs, but that I couldn’t get one,” Melania explains (Zen). With her eyes filling up with tears, she continues, “But when we got to the place, there were no pictures of dogs. There were just these two dogs sitting there waiting for me to take them home. It was beautiful” (Zen). With her two new companions, Melania’s life at her weekend house began. This new home is where she spends her time, bonding with her pets as well as nature. Her young heart and youthful spirit explore here, unknowingly growing with each night the fire burns.

                When I was growing up, the future always seemed to be a distant memory I never felt I had to worry about. As I asked Melania about her dreams of the future, her eyes weld up with tears. She is silent in this moment, but her eyes speak for her. “I think about it, yes,” is all she is able to get out before the tears begin streaming down her face (Zen). I reach for her hand and she takes it. I asked her what she pictures when she thinks about the future. She smiles, tears still trickling down her face, and she replies, “My family is here. I cannot leave. I see myself married. But all I want is just to be happy” (Zen). As she says this, a flush of emotions come over me. Growing up in America, the future is all about job security, making money, and being able to start a family. With Melania, however, I discovered something entirely new – a life that begins, matures, loves, and dies at home. To Melania, it does not matter that she will most likely be in the same town as she is now in twenty years; for her, home is where the heart is.

                Meeting someone you can instantly see the potential in is quite possibly one of the most amazing feelings to ever experience. With Melania, I was instantly drawn to her for her potential; with some people, you can feel it, see it, believe it -- all before they even have the chance to prove it to you. Perhaps it is a bit of myself that I found in her that drew me so naturally to befriend her. Even before knowing a single detail of her youth, I knew Melania had a good heart. After interviewing her on a deeper, more personal level, I have realized that the beauty of that heart comes from the same beauty found in her home. When I look back at the simple phrase “home is where the heart is” that my parents have parroted to me each time I set out on a new adventure, I realize that it is entirely true. For both Melania and myself, home is the one place where you can learn, grow, love, and mature without ever having to question who is along for the ride. With our big Italian families behind us, our great hometown friends, and our free, youthful spirits, home is never very far. Home is indeed the key ingredient to a forever youthful, happy future.

Interview citation (APA):
M. Zen, personal communication, 8 March 2011.

A picture of Melania :)

Mangiare!

Ciao, everyone!

This past Thursday, my fellow CIMBA students and I went out for our second gourmet dinner. Everyone got dressed up for the occasion and we shared in on an amazing, authentic Italian meal in Bassano del Grappa, a town about thirty minutes from my school. This is a cool thing to share with all of you because not only does it give you a sense of true Italian cuisine, but it also allows for you to virtually meet my best friends here at CIMBA. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the photos!

Before our food babies: Brittany from South Carolina, myself, and Jodi from Iowa.

Pre-food babies: Jodi, Liz, myself, and Allison.

Antipasti (aka appetizer): Treviso red chicory pie in an Asiago cheese sauce.

It was perfection at its finest!

Primi: Hand-made pasta with vegetable ragout.

This was by far my favorite dish thus far in Europe. Yum!

Case in point: Italians do not know how to embrace vegetarianism. 

Can you guess what you see?

If you guessed two blocks of fried cheese with potatoes, you guessed right.

It's okay to laugh. I did, too...along with the rest of my table.

Orange bavarian with chocolate sauce. 

Let me tell you, it made up for the fried cheese.

Myself and Jodi posing between courses.

Liz and I during dinner.

Myself and Jodi at dinner.

These dinners are so much fun to go to. The food is spectacular, but it's even better when you have great friends to share it with. Jodi, Allison, Liz, and Brittany are some of the greatest people I have met. It is times like these that allow me to see how lucky I am to have such a great team of people alongside me throughout this journey. We have faced and overcome various challenges together. We all come from different walks of life; we have learned from each other and witness each other grow to new extremes. Together, we have become better, stronger, healthier, happier individuals. I will miss them when I'm gone, but we've made a pact to keep in touch -- distance doesn't matter. Dealing with the distance between Europe and Chicago has been hard enough; a few hours in a car doesn't even come close.

Until Next Time --- Ciao!

The Beautiful Lake Como

In every place, there is a story. If there is one thing I have learned during this study abroad program in Italy, it is that every place you visit (big or small) has a history, a story, and a vision to offer. For me, Lake Como, Italy not only blessed me with it’s own history, but allowed me to create a bit of my own.


The view from the lake was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Mountains floated through the fog in the backdrop; the clear lake was calm, flapping lightly against the stone steps that lay in front of me. Birds chirped as people talked. I walked along the rocky coastline with my pants dragging in the sand and rocks. I would have to wash them later. My hair blew in the breeze, waving back at the people I passed. Children laugh and the wind blows. I feel a sense of peace wash over me as the water washes over the rocks. The water touches my toes; it is cold. As my toes tingle with the sensation of the chill water, I wiggle them gently into the rock. It is cool where my toes nestle, but my mind flutters to the view in front of me. I forget all about the cold water, cool breeze, and background conversations. Soon, it is just me and the lake. No worries cloud my thoughts, no feelings cloud my judgment; it is just me, the lake, and one hell of a view.

It is in this moment that I realize how great my life is. I walked into this city as a foreigner searching for the reason everyone raves of such a place. After experiencing the views alone, this place as the power to hypnotize people with its beauty and treasure. More than once, I found myself stopping in the middle of the street just to take in the scenery. Although my touristy attire and picture taking activities were quite obvious, what’s not so obvious was the relationship I developed with Lake Como during my stay. This was more than just a visit for me; it was an awakening. Throughout all the hectic schedules, homework assignments, major papers to write, projects to complete, and classes to attend, this was the one place I was able to completely forget about it all and simply enjoy it for exactly what it is. I found myself climbing hills that my fear of heights would have never dared see me climb. I spoke to locals without any hesitation. I ordered the four scoops of gelato I wanted rather than feeling self conscious about how much I ate. I ran along the lake without my headphones and truly experienced the lake by scent, taste, and sound. I did the things I would do at home, but have been too preoccupied or scared or nervous or apprehensive to do yet abroad. Lake Como allowed me to see past those obstacles and embark on a journey throughout its beautiful landscape, one  more fulfilling than anything I have experienced yet.


I came to Lake Como as a stranger, but left a friend.

The beautiful Lake Como...

The Duomo of Lake Como.

Inside the Duomo...

Another look inside the Duomo...

Liz and I braved our fear of heights and took this train up to the top of the mountain.

Yes, it was this steep THE ENTIRE WAY.

The view from the top.

(So worth the scare...)

Proof that I did it!

The gate to the edge of the world. Literally...

Another view of the lake.

(From the ground this time...)

From the other side of the Lake.

The Lake Como water. It was literally this clear regardless if you were on shore or in the middle of the lake.

Even foggy, the beautiful town of Bellagio did not disappoint.

Cheesin' in Bellagio.

My friend Liz and I in the beautiful Bellagio.

One of my best friends here -- my Alabamian Allison (can't miss the Crimson red) and I during our last night in Como.

Lake Como is my favorite place I have visited so far. Whether it was the two great friends I had alongside me or the amazing weather and views, this place is a must-do for anyone visiting Europe. Such an amazing place with so much to offer, see, and experience. And we were only visiting in the off season!

Look for a new blog this week with pictures from my second gourmet dinner! Yum! :)

Until next time --- Ciao!

Love for the John Lennon Wall

As promised, this is the piece I wrote for my travel writing class describing my fascination of the John Lennon Wall in Prague. Enjoy!

  

             On the wall lies an image of a man of who is vaguely familiar. The artist who painted him was careful in his strokes, as it is visible how much this drawing meant to him. The sketches are gentle and precise, every detail worked in so perfectly. He has shoulder length brown hair, glasses, and a pointy nose. His eyebrows are bushy and his beard covers the majority of his face from the bottom of his nose downward. There is little expression on his face in this particular illustration, but he seems sincere. A quote follows his face that reads, “I am not afraid of death. I don’t believe in it.”

The precision and detail in both the illustration and the quote tell something about the artist; the person who said those words was special to them. A step back from the wall allows a new insight into the artist’s creation. Whether purposefully or not, the quote placed underneath the familiar man’s face tells the story for many visitors and admirers to come. In what seems to be a lightning jolt of knowledge to the brain, it becomes clear that the man’s face looking out to the world from this very wall is not any ordinary man -- he is John Lennon, the hero of the youth of the Czech Republic.

Whenever we hear about the music of the 60’s, there is one band that everyone remembers: The Beatles. Now, for a second, imagine what life would have been like without The Beatles. Does it seem a bit empty? For the youth of the Czech Republic, The Beatles were far from non-existent – but their Communist authorities surely tried to keep it that way. Until 1989, “western pop songs were banned, especially John Lennon’s songs, because [they] praised freedom that did not exist” in the Czech Republic (1). If this is true, then why does John Lennon have a whole wall dedicated to him in Prague? Lennon never even visited the city of Prague during his lifetime. In fact, the wall did not even come into existence until after Lennon had been killed in 1980. To the untrained eye, the Lennon Wall may not offer much insight into the real story of its creation. The story behind the wall, however, remains a powerful story of love, peace, and youth.

 When Lennon was murdered in 1980, a mural of his face was painted on a wall in Grand Priory Square in Mala Strana, Prague. The mock-grave of Lennon resides “within a garden wall that forms the backside of a 14^th century churchyard,” containing not only Lennon’s famous face, but graffiti speaking out against the Communist authorities (2). For weeks, the Communist police attempted to control the madness of the wall, but they never seemed able to keep the wall clean. Murals of Lennon and lyrics of Beatles songs engulfed the wall faster than authorities could stop it. Soon enough, the wall “took on a political focus” and became a graveyard for Communism and the loss of a young hero (2). In a last effort to preserve the wall, the story remains that a French ambassador telephoned authorities in Prague in 1989 and asked that they leave the wall as is. Who it was that made the call is not exactly clear – it has been debated for quite some time – but whoever he was, the youth of the Czech Republic and admirers for years to come have much to thank him for. Over thirty years later, the wall still stands – graffiti and all.

At first glance, the John Lennon wall looks like any other graffiti infested wall found in any major city. Spray paint covers the vast majority of the space, bleeding colors of pink, purple, green, blue, yellow, red, and black and all the shades in between. Hints of past drawings and sketches peak out from behind the freshly painted peace signs that overwhelm the space. Occasionally, a “Sarah loves John” or “Timmy was here” sneaks its way into a beautiful mural. The twists and turns of various forms of cursive and bubble letters are scattered to create a wave of size; it feels as though a mountain range of color and shape has erupted onto this seemingly flat surface. Like the wind, the murals, pictures, and drawings come and go with each passing day. What once was a mural of Lennon transforms into a peace sign with doves and notes of love. Lyrics of “Let It Be” transform into the face of Lennon with his infamous eyeglasses. Love is everywhere – literally. With every glance, “All you need is love” is painted, written, or scribbled on every inch of the wall. If examined closely enough, countless other Beatle references are found. A yellow submarine bleeds out from the wall, along with other iconic Beatle images. If enough time is spent, even quotes from other famous musicians, philosophers, and politicians can be found. Over time, as the transformations and blurred images become more visible and detailed, it is easy to see just how unique a place the Lennon Wall is. Every word, picture, and lyric on the wall becomes something new by the touch of an artist, a musician, a fan, a lover, a tourist, or an admirer.

From across the street, the wall looks like a jumbled pile of word vomit with random pictures squeezed into any place they could fit. But if examined a bit more closely, the wall glimmers. It has no glitter or confetti, but simply sparkles with the symbolism of the love, freedom, and peace John Lennon and The Beatles sang about. John Lennon was a hero to the youth of the Czech Republic. During Lennon’s reign, “the Czech people had few opportunities to express their feelings with their lack of freedom” (1). Lennon’s music granted them an opportunity to express their thoughts and dreams for the world. Although it seems odd that a flat wall can represent so much of a youth’s history, the John Lennon Wall does exactly that. Just as the wall undergoes transformation regularly, the youth of the Czech Republic underwent countless transformations as well. The Lennon Wall remains the Czech youth’s mini-history book; here, they expressed their demands, their dreams, their hopes, their prayers, their sadness, and their gratitude. The wall is not simply a wall – it is a canvas for all of humanity to share in the history of a culture that fought for the same love and freedom that John Lennon sang about.

Adventures in Prague and Munich

Ciao, everyone!

It has been a while since I have had the chance to post another blog. I apologize for the delay! In order to get everyone up to speed, I'm going to do my favorite kind of blog -- a picture blog -- for you all to experience Prague and Munich with me.

Enjoy!

Prague

Prague was an awesome city to visit. The architecture and color alone kept me occupied. Although there are not many landmarks in Prague, the Czech Republic has a fascinating history that adds to its appeal. In just two days, Katie, Lauren, and I were able to see and experience much of what the historical city has to offer. So sit back, take a look, and enjoy! No passport required. :)

The Astronomical Bell Tower

Not-So-Fun-Fact: The architect/artist who created this building was ordered to gouge his eyes out so that he never again could create something so beautiful.

My first Czech meal -- a wonderful selection of veggies with cheese and spices. The parsley potatoes were out of this world!

My first taste of real Czech bread dumplings. To die for!

Myself, Katie, and Lauren at dinner in Prague.

The Prague Castle. The gothic architecture is the most amazing sight I've seen yet.

Inside the Prague Castle Chapel. 

Stained glass windows covered the entire Chapel. Absolutely gorgeous.

The Charles Bridge -- the first bridge ever built in Prague.

Ask me to tell you what I found on it!

The John Lennon Wall. This was one of the coolest places I went to in Prague. I actually used it as the basis for an assignment for my travel writing class. In the next few days, I'm going to post it for you all to read!

All in all, Prague was a wonderful experience. Public transportation is amazing there -- and quite cheap! Although we only had two days there, I truly feel that I experienced all the city has to offer. Would I ever return? Probably not. Prague seems to be one of those cities that you visit once and that's that. Instead, I'll have all the pictures I took and the memories we made to keep me company if I ever get lonely for Prague in the future.

Munich

Germany was a truly a wonderful country to visit. Although, I must admit, the Germans hate us Americans. We were not treated as well as I would have liked, but the country and it's amazing sights made up for any disappointment. By far the most life changing experience on my travel week journey was my trip to Dachau, a concentration camp during World War II. Due to some graphic content, I am not going to post a lot of pictures on here. However, if any of you ever get the chance to visit Dachau or any other concentration camp, I highly recommend it. I connected with a part of history I never thought I could connect to. I mourned for those that died and experienced something most people would never have the guts to do on a simple two day vacation to Germany for the very first time.

A concentration camp barrack at Dachau.

What it looks like inside a small room in one of the barracks.

A collection of photographs of the victims of Dachau.

Marienplatz Square: My favorite landmark!

Of course, being in Germany, it's only right to visit their famous beer halls. This is a plaque found in their most famous beer hall, the Hofbrauhaus. 

A government building in Marienplatz.

My favorite government building in Marienplatz.

The entrance to Marienplatz.
Note to the ladies: Some of the BEST shopping you will ever find!

Proof that I didn't make it all up. I was there!

The verdict on Germany? I will return there someday. The city was so clean, offered so much, and truly allows any visitor to feel a part of history. I did not get to do everything I wanted to do while I was there. Just another reason why I need to go back!

Stay tuned for my piece on the John Lennon Wall in Prague and an update on my recent visit to Lake Como, Italy!

Until next time --- Ciao!