Exchange Week in Bergamo

Time flies when you are having fun! It goes even faster if what you are doing is not your normal life! Like a month ago I got back from an exchange week in Bergamo. I have not had time to blog because then following that week I had 2 other exchange weeks and easter. Can we breath for a second please?

If you do not know what I am talking about, read this paragraph, if you do know, skip it. Well yes anyway, I live in Italy in the south. Lamezia Terme, <3 but in Italy for exchange students you have the choice to switch your family for a week and go basically where you want. There is a long list of cities and you choose, but once the place is full you can not join in. This exchange week is for the students who are on year programs, if you are not staying in Italy for the year, sadly you can not go. Not sadly for me thou, I went to Bergamo! (North Italy near Milan)

Read here- Yeah I know, people do not like reading that much. As I was saying I was in Bergamo, and I will just tell you all the run down of what I did! This was from March 23-29th.

SUNDAY - Domenica 

1- I got on the plane from Lamezia -> Bergamo with Noriko (Japan) and with Katherine (Hondorus) and Noina (Thailand) around 8 in the morning
2- I got picked up, and then went with my host family. Most of the day my host sister Ilaria took me around the city and for Gelato BUONA!

MONDAY - Lunedì 

1- I went to an elementary school in the morning. THOSE KIDS WERE SPEAKING ENGLISH! Like amaziing English also, can we give a clap for Bergamo?!?
2- We also had lunch with them, which consisted of a lot of snacks. My host family told me that there would be sooo much food, to just take some for the trip after. They gave me 2 bags LOL. I ended up asking to take popcorn and cookies also, and trust me everyone loved them!
3- Nextly we went on the longest bus ride ever to the Alps! Giant mountains they are! We ended up going to this old archeological park to view some ingaved stones. Personally I could not tell what was on the rocks, looked like plain rocks to me :) We also saw a church, which was up in the mountains and I think no one uses...
4- After this day our feet all killed us, and there was no more food left! If you go on a trip *bring extra!* I ended up buying strawberries as it was the only food near the train station.

TUESDAY - Martedì 

1- This day we started off by visiting a middle school. Which I do not remember at the moment, sorry.
2- After what ever I did at the middle school, we took a tour of Città Alta (High city). Bergamo is divided in two: città alta, and città bassa (low city). The city is divided in two by a giant wall. Think - Great Wall of China. It is divided because Bergamo used to be owned by Milan. Back many, many years agos Milan and Venice were fighting and Bergamo happened to be in the middle. So to protect the city, a wall was built.
3- I saw 2 amazing churches that do not even compare to the churches in America. They just radiate beauty!!!
4- Quick little note about Italy, they really did make most of the streets out of stones and pebbles. After walking for a few hours your feet dont feel so good.... BUT at least the streets are pretty, that makes it worth the pain!

WEDNESDAY - Mercoledì (Milan)

1- All 7 exchange students in Bergamo got on a train to Milan bright and early in the morning!
2- When we got off the train and out of the big station the very first thing you saw was the Duomo. You cannot miss it even if you are blind! This is the 5th (or well one of the biggest) churchs in the world and really I thought it was incredible!
3- It is kind of uncommon to go inside this church, but I went inside! Now if the outside was amazing, the inside to me was made for a giant. It was acutally a bit scary! Imagine no light and big columns that you would never be able to wrap your arms around!
4- I also saw the Castle of Milan and the park that goes with it.
5- Nextly, I got to spend the rest of my day avoiding the rain, because it rained when I went! :( No umbrella! But seriously I would take a rainy day in Milan over no milan at all!

THURSDAY - Giovedì

1- I can wrap up this day quickly. I went to the Mountains and made an AFS Intercultura video and got to get a very large Lake that is famous for being one of the largest in the north of Italy. In the video we spoke italian but also had to sing in our normal language.
2- That night was also my host families Aunt's birthday. (Mouth full of words) One day before mine! So we celebrated together and it was so much fun! She spoke English perfectly because she is a English Teacher, she taught me about England. Mainly about the Prince and Princess!

FRIDAY - Venerdì 
1- Then my birthday came around finally! 18 years and I have not died yet, which is good! We started the day by visiting a city in the mountains again, but a different one. We went to visit a wall that has a famous painting on it,
2- We also went to a high school for cooking. I got to learn a lot, like how to make ice cream and handmade noodles! Yum!

SATERDAY - Sabato 
1- From what I remember I spent most of this day with the host day at a sort of spa, kind of. I completely forget the name, but we were inside hot rooms, boiling rooms to be exact. Then swimming for a while. It was nice to relax after such a hard week of non-top movement.



Well then Sunday I returned back to Lamezia, and that about sums up my exchange week. But can I mention for a second how amazing my host family is, they made me a surprise party! To bad I didnt see it coming, I didnt exactly look pretty! I thought we were just going out to get pizza and then go home. LOL!

My American family also sent me a box, the first one, and it brought tears to my eyes. I miss them like crazy, but I just have to hold on!

Till next time!

| § | XOXO Brystal | § |

Traveling!

        When I think of studing aborad, I now think of my experience. BUT before coming to Italy, I think most people would have said, Traveling! So yes, my point is that I am going on a trip! Soon*

        In Italy you have a chance to do the "Settimana di scambia" Which really means "Exchange week!" When I found out I could go anywhere, I choose the North of Italy! Bergamo exactly! This city is *very close* to Milan, so I will also get to visit there! To make it even better, I will be having my 18th birthday celebrated there! (28 marzo!) The word excited does not even describe what I feel right now! Can I find a better word please? I even have a count down and everything! I will leave Sunday the 23rd at 8:30 and return the 29th!

        Some other exciting news is that I decided to get a tattoo to remember my time in Italy! I let my sister <3 design it for me. She is an artist at heart! I will get it with my host sister in April, she is also getting a tattoo!

        Well thats about it for my quick update! Could you even imagine that it is already almost April? Can we please stop and think for a moment! .... Count downs..... On Saturday it will be my 200th day in Italy which means I have only 100 left! Also April, May, June and 6 days in July, then I will be in the states again! 2 days till Bergamo! <3 I love Italy! (I want a shirt with this written on it...!)

| § | XOXO Brystal | § |

Carnivale

        Do you know what is pretty amazing? Something not everyone can say they have done, unless you livehere. Or if you just so happen to be studing abroad that year, which includes me! Well I will tell you then! I went to a Carnivale in Italy! Or in my opionion more like a parade that stopped in the middle of the road...

        To all my readers, I went on Saturday to see the Carnivale. Normally many people get dressed up and join also! So of course, being as I am a Drama Club student in America, I found a way to get colorful! (Which mind me, is much harder then you think. I did not exactly remember to put on my list before coming to Italy - carnivale clothes) Really what that means is you go through your clothes and then find the most ridiculous match possible. Something you would only wear to school or around town if that was the only thing clean left. My rundown will be short. I had on earlier in the day some black pants, so I kept them on and put on black sparkly shorts overtop. Then I put on a t-shirt and my green blazer that I have not worn yet in Italy :( It goes on the list of impratical things I did not need. (Which I really have a lot! Really it is only the grown ups here that look spot on fashion, the kids still look good, but it just is different.) Nextly, I put on my acessories! <3 Which pretty much included everything I brought to Italy also, I was going for the crazy lady in the Titanic movie that worn all her jewlary. *Always*  Also some animal ears to make my outfit finished. I did see some strange costumes also at this parade!

        Now I had a gang of about 6 other people go too. Walter the old host brother of Celeste, Emi, Giorgina, Nonia, Glenn, and then Walter's friend. The girls all got dolled up and we did our carnivale makeup. I was incharge of Mine, Glenn's, Nonia's, and Walter's. I think we all looked killer. As I only had an hour to do them all. 

        ANYWAY! That was all the getting ready part, but at the Carnivale itself, we had tons of fun! We saw floats of the Simsons, of Frozen, of polital guys, of strippers and more! It was like one big street fair, and it had everyones attention! I think pictures at this point will be better to explain my Carnivale experience in Italy. 

Till next time readers! *Really you all should go abroad! It is the best thing ever!*

XOXO | § | Brystal | § |

Dear Diary

        Blog time! What to talk about is always the question I ask myself, I am not even sure how people make a living out of this... I am sure that I would get bored and run out of things to talk abut, and then get angry that I choose such a lame career. Funny thing is, I love reading blogs! Mainly about fashion because I am a girl of course! In general I am blogging to just remember what I did when I was in Italy. #I am So very forgetful!

        In a way its like an online diary of sorts, so...

Dear Diary, 

Oh god I can already tell this will be horrible! ..... Today is March 3rd and I am just sitting in school in my free hour, writing a blog! No seriously, lets get down to business, what have I been up to recently!?!

Well as I told you on my last blog, I changed host families! Now I have lived with this host family (Greco) for 8 days, and I still love them! Yesterday, the host dad (Salvatore), the 3 host sisters (Mary, Giorgina, and Emi) and I of course, went to Terranova. This is such a small little town even farther south then I am already. We just spent time eating at the aunts resturant and went sight-seeing. We even got to play with a bunch of furry animals. PUPPIES!!!!! -I love dogs of any kind, I am not a cat person, but give me a cutie with floppy ears and I go dog crazy! They are like heaven really! They even named one puppy after me, how sweet!!! My name is Brystal Chanel Paey, so the dog was named Chanel! I can not wait to go back and see her, she probably already misses me <3 .....Pictures of this day at the bottom!

Science week at my school has ended! I do not know if I am happy or not?..... I liked it and hated it. Now wait a minute to hear me out. Science week was when the students taught class, and teachers did nothing. It was organized by students for students. Well as I am Interculteral AFS, I had my own lab to teach! FUN! *Sarcasm* I love public speaking, BUT I also am not fluent in Italian, so I never knew exactly how to say anything. Also I do not normally speak italian to a room full of about 40-70 people. Yes you heard me, their were not many labs, so each student teaher had to host about that many people. One day I counted 69 people in my class, but they kept coming so I gave up. Now I was not so alone the entire week. The other exchange students came to help a little. Mostly my girl Noriko! Celeste came once (The australian) because she only only had that day before she left! (Which btw, she is back in the AU now). Now Noina, Glenn, and Valentino also helped me at least once each! But there was 1 dat I was by myself, and I did not know what to do.... I can only talk so much about the USA without getting bored or repeating myself. (I mean you try filling an hour each day of new material about your country.... Not a piece of cake)

Well diary, that about sums up what I have been doing. Good night!

Love always, Brystal

*Anyway, thanks for reading! I just noticed I never pushed the publish button, so this is from last week! SMH!!* 

| § | XOXO Brystal | § |

I Got Run Over In Italy!

      Crazy days come and they go, but what is left of those days is called a memory. Now I will push replay on my month so far, it's kind of been huge.

       As most of you know, I had been living with a host family, the Gatto's. They consisted of a mother, father, brother, and sister. Since about Christmas I have noticed that I was not part of their family. So I finally worked up the courage to speak to AFS intercultural about my problems. I asked to switch host families. They excepted also, after many hours and a long email sent. I had a "going away/moving out party" with the Gatto's. I am not sure why?.... Then I calmly packed up my room, which, I had just finished doing yesterday-Sunday. Then I changed families. I now live with my friend Emi and her amazing family, or technically my new family also. I am so happy now :)

       Another big news killing headline was that I was hit by a moterbike! If you have ever been hit, you know what I am feeling like. BUT if you have not, it really feels like a moment of confusion as their vehicle makes contact with you. After, your on the ground and you start to wonder how you got there, then you ask yourself, "Was I just hit?" It is not till about this point that you feel like you were hit. Did I mention it was on Valentine's day? <3

       So I went to the hospital and found out I have a sprined ankle, that is a nice color of purple at this moment. I also have an ugly brace and some crutches to use! (I refuse to walk with crutches!) I finish with all this medical care on March 5th.

       Some other things about this month. At school this week we are having student week. It is when there is no classes and no teachers teaching, unless they refuse to let you go. We do activities instead! For example today I was signed up for break dancing with Valentino helping out. (He is the new exchange student from Belgium) I went to see him dance mainly :)

       Oh course something always goes wrong so I missed that hour and had to go with Noriko (the exchange student from Japan) to help with origami! We were the only 2 people teaching. Should I mention I never did that before in my life?! Yay, now I have a swan! Then after this I went to the AFS Interculteral lab. I got to talk and so did Noriko and Glenn. Glenn is also from America <3 we invaded Lamezia together!

       That's a wrap from my memory! I hope you had a better February then I did! It will get better now that I am healing.

| § | XOXO Brystal | § | 

Rich People Walking Around Nude? - What?

        Would you count yourself as observant? Do you notice the small details in everything? Are you quick to believe some things because everyone else believes them? What do you believe?...

        Recently I have noticed something strange about sterotypes. American sterotypes to be exact. I would like to clear them up for you. Now there is the normal one that we are all fat and do not know how to cook. My host family firmly believes in this. I have asked to cook for them, just for the host sister and brother to say they would not even try it. So I do not cook. They won't let me because the only American food they have ever tried came from McDonald's. So the sterotype is that Americans only have food similar to McDonald's. Greasy, fried, covered in salt, soda, grilled. Now if you are American you might be thinking, "That is not all we eat!" Evidently not all Americans weight 300+ pounds, or eat fast food all the time. So what do we eat?

        I came up with a few items that we eat that I have not had from my host family yet. Making me think, they do not know what it is. List time!!!

- Gingerbread houses for Christmas time
- Chocolete chip cookies. No one makes them like the US do. My host family does not even know what a chocolate chip is.
- Smores, seriously? This is a go to campfire food.
- Potato pancakes, this might just be my American family that eats these.    
- Hamburgers, they gave me one and forgot the bread, tomato, lettuce, cheese. Everything but the meat.
- Hotdogs, they have them just without the bread....
- Chili, it is meat and like tomatos, but you eat this with tortilla chips
- Pumpkin roll, or really any dessert out of pumpkin or carrot
- Chicken noodle soup, my friends parents made this once, but differently, not with all the liquid part...
- Apple pie people, my host mom has no idea what it is

        That is to give you an idea that Americans do not just eat deep fried food. Also because my host family won't let me cook, I guess they will never try the awesomeness. More for me. BUT this sterotype of the USA not knowing how to cook should end, unless you had a real American cook for you.

And we are not all fat. Just saying......

        Ok now to deal with the newer sterotypes I have noticed. They revolve around the music industry.

        People look at the American music industry, at their idols and think that's just the life of a normal American. My host brother asked me if we all have so much cash that we can rub it on our bodies and throw it into the water like Rihanna did in "Pour it up." - Rich greedy Americans have no idea that Italy is poor. Well Italy has no idea that America is poor too.

        I have been asked if all American boys are like Justin Bieber. First he is from Canada, and 2nd not everyone does drugs and goes shirtless all the time.

- As a side note with JB, Americans want to kick him out, there is a petition for the White house to do so. I notice that it is not just him that gives American people their bad reputation. Should I mention that Rihanna is not American either, but people think she is, so we get bad things said about us because of her.

        Recently I was in an English class, where I got asked the question about being nude. No not me, but in general do all American girls feel comfortable walking around like Miley Cyrus did in "Wrecking Ball?" Well that's an exteme sterotype, can I just say no and not need to explain why?

So, yes this is just three examples, but seriously take the time to look at every other famous song out today that is repeated on the radio 100x times per day. Really listen to the words, someone over seas is wondering if that is how all Americans think, and act.

        Same with movies. They influence the world to believe that is how Americans are like. Being abroad I get to be part of a Facebook page that we write all the ridiculous things people think about our country. I have a few at the bottom for you to read. Sterotypes, people, are not good. Neither is judging a country by what you see on social media.

Till next time <3 by the way, this is the half way point in my fashionable journey !

| § | XOXO Brystal | § | 

Nothing At All

        This is what I call "A quick update!" Yup! What have I been up to recently? Well I can honestly say next to nothing! It is after Christmas, and all plan making has failed completely!

I have taken up Knitting! So useful if no one in your family knows how to knit. I am doing this with Noriko the Japanese girl, and surprisingly she's been more bored then I was! we started making scarfs on Wednesday of last week, today makes a full week later, andI should mention that this scarf should take a normal person 2-3 weeks. She is so ahead, like a steam engine. She said that is all she has been doing, breathing-eating-sleeping while making a scarf.... Mine is a cranberry color <3

        I have also gotten back into the swing on school. Everyone has been going through the awful interrogations, except for me! Thank goodness, they all really have to remember such useless stuff! I think sooner or later I will have to do them, but this then I will keep reminding everyone I speak a different language.... Gosh I AM so lazy! I could probably attempt one in math, but I have no clue what the teacher does. Maybe layer guys :)

        Only other exciting news, for me, is I won't be the only American in Lamezia anymore! Yes! A girl from California is coming Sunday, i will meet her at the airport! #NotAloneAnymore

        Of your at all curious about by host family, they are all well! Except Maria went back into her bubble of not talking..... Guess I have to get used to it again

| § | XOXO Brystal | § |