My First Volcanic Experience in Italy...VESUVIUS!

Buonasera!

Praise the lord for this day! It was amazing! It was spectacular! It was educational! I LOVED today! And I'm still a little bit in shock. I can't believe I actually went there and did that.

My day started early, at least for this trip so far. But it was SO worth it. After all, the first stop of the day was an active dig site at Pompeii!! They found what they think is the first kiln of Pompeii! For all the pottery there, there haven't been any kilns found, until recently. So I got to go and see that, and see them work some, which was really cool and exciting. I even got to help just a little! I found two pieces of a thin world pottery drinking urn that fit together! The lady that was actually working on that urn told me I did a good job and everything! It was fun and made me feel all special inside! Lol.

After that, Celestino and Alberto, the two applied petrologists that were showing me around today, brought me on a walking tour of Pompeii, at least the most impressive places. It was so cool, and I was definitely in shock that I was actually there and seeing Pompeii! It was fantastic! I learned a lot there, including where the zebra stripes of crosswalks come from! In ancient times, crosswalks were built above the road, so that people didn't have to walk in water or whatever else was there. They were built low enough though, so that carts could go over them. They were essentially stepping stones across the road!

After the walking tour, we went back to the excavation site for a free lunch of sandwiches, which were super good. By the way, "real" mozzarella is nothing like our mozzarella cheese. Well, they taste very similar. But real mozzarella comes as little balls of gushy-ish cheese in water in a plastic bag. I was nervous about trying it, because I have never seen cheese come like that, but it was really good! As was, of course, the provolone cheese!

After lunch, Celestino took out a geological map of Vesuvius to show me and explain some of the geology of Vesuvius to me. It was a really interesting lesson! Apparently, Vesuvius has a true eruption pattern. It begins with a plinian or subplinian eruption. A plinian eruption is the kind of eruption that occurred in 79AD and buried Pompeii. Subplinian eruptions are just a little less explosive than plinian eruptions. After that first big eruption, Vesuvius enters a period of less explosive activity with an open vent, meaning you can actually see lava or magma in the volcano for that full period. At the end of the cycle, the volcano enters a period of fumerole activity with a closed vent. Currently, Vesuvius is in the closed vent stage. So...

When I went to Vesuvius today, I saw it steam! It was soo cool! Seeing the cone itself thrilled me to no end! But, then to see fumeroles within Vesuvius?! It was insane! The hike up to the cone was a bit rough for me though. It was all uphill, with no level respites to give us just a second to breath! But it was all worth it! After going around the north side of the cone, we returned to the base...taking our time in order to take samples! I found two fist sized rocks, both of which are scoriacious, or holey rocks, therefore lightweight. I also found a bunch of cobbles of scoria with little crystals in them, and a bunch of just plain crystals! It was really exciting for me! I know I'm a nerd and a dork, but I LOVED just looking at the loose rocks on the walk to and from the cone and just looking at the crystals within them! I can't help it! After we got back to the base of Vesuvius, we returned home.

Since then, I've been working on uploading pictures and typing this, which has taken a surprisingly large amount of energy for me to do. So now, it's 10:30 pm here, and I'm about to crash. I have more to tell about today still, but no energy with which to do it! So, for now, this is it.

Buonanotte!

Benvenuti a Napoli!

Hey all!

After my last blog (as in the next day), I checked out of Hostel Pisa Tower, which I loved staying at, because they didn't have room for me for the next two nights. After checking out, I went back to the University to meet with Marco Pistolesi, an associate of Mauro Rosi's. I spent the day working with him and talking to mom to figure out where I should stay and how I should get to each island. By the end of the day, around 4, I had a solid plan for Vulcano and Stromboli!

So, I went back to Hostel Pisa Tower to pick up my bag, and then left for Hostel Station - Airport Pisa. What a trip! First off, I was tired from the start. Then, as I was walking there, I reached a neighborhood that felt really sketchy, based off of what it's like in the States. So, I was getting anxious, as well as being exhausted. Then, my road dead ended! I tried turning around and taking a slightly different turn...which was a driveway...I was freaking out. I wanted to give up. I wanted to collapse and start crying. But then I was too afraid to. So I just stood there and tried to think clearly.

Luckily, a kindhearted man drove up to his house, like right in front of me. I asked him for help finding the street that I was aiming for...he didn't know. He ended up giving me a ride to my hostel. I know that's not exactly a smart thing to do...but at that point, I really didn't care. I collapsed on my bed when I got there, and did a little crying to let all the frustration out, then I ordered a pizza and had it delivered! My night was improved with the pizza and with chatting online.

Yesterday, I woke up not feeling so great, after sleeping in a bit late. So I had a really slow moving morning. Around one or two, I took off for the university again...and got lost. At least once. I was not a happy camper. But I got my errands run, and I eventually got to the university. Upon getting there, I looked up a way to take the bus back to my hostel. After that, I met with Mauro and we planned my Napoli stay! Then, he gave me a personal interview! It was SO exciting to hear what my dream career is really all about and what can be done with it. It made this study seem so much more real, you know? I got completely jazzed about everything again. It was an AMAZING afternoon/evening.

So, I decided to walk to the train station, instead of catching a bus there. After all, I knew that part of the walk. It was totally worth it! I loved being out at that part of evening. I wanted to stop and experience it a bit more, but I didn't want to risk getting lost. Seeing that part of the culture has given me more confidence about being outside at night now though, so it won't be wasted on me! Anyway, I walked through town and picked up some gelato before catching my bus back to my hostel.

Back at my hostel, I talked with my two, new, English roommates. They told me an EASY way to get to the train station. So this morning I got up at 5:30 to catch a 6:49 train to Napoli! I was dead. I tell you, DEAD. But I got up, somehow, and managed to catch my train! I arrived in Naples around 1 this afternoon. On the train ride, I got some paper stuff done, I slept some, and I met a man that lives in Herculeam, or however you spell that, and his father was an archaeologist there, and brought an archaeological magazine for me to keep! It's all in Italian, of course, so I have no clue what it says yet, but it's the thought that counts!

I took a bus to near my hotel, found it, got checked in, and fought with internet. It took me a while to get the internet figured out here. But once I did, I went and took a shower, using the razor I found last night...OH MY WORD! It feels SO good to feel thoroughly and properly clean, which only comes with shaving! Sorry for that tangent. Anyway, I found food again and took a chill night off. But now I need to get to bed...tomorrow's a big day...oh, I didn't tell you? Let me expand...

I'M GOING TO POMPEII AND VESUVIUS TOMORROW!!! I'm entirely PSYCHED! My first trip to an ACTUAL VOLCANO on this trip! THIS is what I've been waiting for! So, I need to sleep so that I can thoroughly enjoy it and still, possibly anyway, blog about it tomorrow night! I can't wait! Wish me luck! I'm so excited!!! Can you tell? No way! I'm not at all excited. My heart rate didn't just jump like 50 beats per minute just thinking about this. No. Never. Lol. It totally did. I'm totally freaking out right now, so sleeping may take a while to actually happen. Wish me luck with that too.

Buonanotte!

Better Already!

So, yesterday I told you how weak I was feeling and how hard things were on me and how poorly I've been doing. And at the end, I told you I'd do better starting tomorrow...aka today.

Told ya so! Told ya so!

Today was great! I went out at 11, like normal here, and found the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Pisa! I found Mauro Rosi's office, and then spent a couple hours working on some project stuff, typing notes up and organizing my potential questions for Mauro while hanging out in the geology student courtyard. It was so cool! I'm totally jealous of those students! Aside to the geology students of UWRF: we need to work on getting a courtyard of our own to study at!

Anyway, from there I came back to my hostel to get dressed and do my makeup for my meeting! I was so excited!! I couldn't wait!

Finally, it was time to meet him! He was half an hour late, go figure. But at least I was still early! And he was fantastic! He introduced me to a second professor there, I forgot his name...oh well. And the three of us talked! I went over my plans and they were both very into it and told me that we could arrange plans for me! Beyond that, Mauro said he was very optimistic about getting everything set up for me! So, it looks like I'm gonna get free, nice tours on three of my volcanoes! I'm so excited now! Oh yea, they gave me a new free geologic map of Vesuvius! The best part about this free map is that Dr. Cordua's map of Vesuvius that he gave me can go back up in the petrology room! Tomorrow I need to be there by 9:30 though. So, I'm a little bit nervous that I'll be late since I've been moving later than that lately...but I'm SURE that I'll really have no problem doing this! I'm psyched!

Finally...a special shout out to my grandma and grandpa! A little birdie told me that they were gonna look at my blog today...so hi guys! I love you! I'm having a great time here and loving it! And how many kittens did Stuffie have?! I expect a number today!

Wish me luck in my further adventures! Love you all! Ciao!

Self Realizations

So, obviously I posted my last post way later than I meant to. There are lots of reasons for that, and I've figured at least some of them out. I've come to understand a lot more about what this trip has been doing to me lately. It's taken a few meltdowns, but if a few meltdowns is all that I need to do to find personal growth, then I think it's totally worth it.

Last night, I discovered a new fear within me, that I never expected to truly experience. It's a fear of being alone. And a fear of disappointing myself and others. I always understood that it was a possibility and a common fear, well that both were. But I always considered myself above such fears. After all, mom raised me to be a strong and independent woman. So, being alone and disappointing others shouldn't matter. But I've been disappointing myself too.

Since arriving in Pisa, well really in Paris, I haven't been taking full advantage of this opportunity. I've been sitting around for way more of every day than I should, or want to, and it's taken me until now to really figure out that I'm afraid of being alone. Not to mention I'm not at all used to being alone. Every time I've traveled in the past, it's either been mom and me or a group of students, with at least a handful of us sticking together the whole time. So, I'm working on getting myself going more. Not for my project, but just to see everything I can and experience everything I can. And my lack of going out and about has contributed to my lack of blogging, because I've been embarrassed over how little I've really done.

But no more. Now I'm doing stuff. Which is kinda funny, because as of this afternoon, most of my doing stuff, really doing stuff, has ended up with me just hanging out at my hostel. But I'm actually accomplishing things, don't be fooled.

Now for a bit of humor from last night...I'm staying in a co-ed room, with 6 main beds, but up to 8 beds. I was skyping with my mom, like I do just about every day. All of a sudden she goes, "Is that guy wearing his underwear?" I turn around, and on one of the other top bunks is one of the guys from New Zealand in his underwear! So I'm like "Yes" and we move on. Then, a few minutes later, the guy on the bunk below me is standing and walking around or whatever, and out of the corner of my eye I see him. I swore he was naked, so of course I did a double take. He was wearing red briefs! Like the whitey-tighty style briefs! Oh my word! It was everything I could do to keep from bursting out laughing!

Well there you are. More adventures will be coming soon. In the mean time, I'm doing daily errand for today! Ciao!

Pisa Pisa Pisa!

Sorry I haven't blogged in the past few days. I got in late originally, and then didn't want to yesterday. On Wednesday, I caught an overnight train to Milan at 7:45 from Paris. It was supposed to arrive in Milan around 5:38. So, I woke up at 5:00 to make sure I was all set to get off the train when it stopped...but after 7:00 or so, when I had finally given up on worrying about why the train hadn't stopped, we were told that we had a 4-hour delay. So in the long run, instead of arriving in Pisa around noon, I arrived in Pisa around 6 in the evening. I took a cab to my hostel and played dead for the rest of the evening.

So then, yesterday, I went through town, aiming for the 14 bus in order to get to Media World to get some errands done. As I went, I took a road through town and took my time. I stopped for lunch at a restaurant on the street and got spaghetti!! (I'd been craving spaghetti, so it was a big deal.)

I then made it to the bus stop, where, when asking for help, I was told that there was a "bus stroke", so I continued to the tourist information office of Pisa, hoping for a better map so I could walk there instead. The lady there told me to take a different bus, the LAM Blue line. The "stroke" was a fib, because I saw a 14 bus going, but I made it to Media World either way, and ran all my errands! Other than finding another camera battery anyway. I did my best to though.

I was sure that it hadn't been that far of a ride on the bus, so I decided to try walking back, meandering through town. It was definitely an experience and a lot of fun. I made sure to find the Tower of Pisa for mom too, of course.

Other things I did yesterday included buying my first rock from Europe and buying a couple scarfs.

So far today, I've gone out and wandered. That's it for now. Ciao!