Day 17: Friday, May 23. Today was Kim and my 33rd wedding anniversary. Because today was a teaching day, we decided that the "real" celebration would occur over the 3-day Memorial Day weekend starting tomorrow. I taught my two hour class in the morning and met with a couple of students. At 12:30 Kim, Jake and I were meeting at my favorite restaurant, Trattoria Da Ezio, for our anniversary lunch. I made reservations ahead. When we got there at 12:30 it wasn't a problem, but by an hour later almost all the tables were filled. It's a small place so it doesn't take too much for that to happen. I explained to Jake that this was as authentic as he would ever find: hand made fresh pasta.

After a long Italian-style lunch (a couple of hours at least) I went back to the office. In addition to email, etc., I needed to meet with Angelica and Serena to discuss a situation (Fliberto was on an excision with the Oregon students for the day). It seems one of our students had complained to the hotel staff believing that the bed was infested. Of course this is always a possibility but this is not a dump of a hotel. We had a long conversation about how to handle it. As this is a public post and as there are certain student rights with regard to privacy I am choosing my words carefully. There is a lot I am not including here. Our conversation lasted more than an hour, which I have condensed to a couple of sentences. We concluded that the best solution was to make some changes. Getting a new room would not be an option. Having 17 students, one lucked out and had a single room. The decision was to trade the single room occupant, provided that student was willing. I volunteered to visit the hotel and have three conversations. First I asked the hotel whether it would be possible to make the change. It may sound simple but in this country, getting a hotel room requires a passport and they keep track of everything. Even if someone comes to the hotel just to go up to a room to visit a guest, that person should register at the desk. Fortunately the hotel was fine with it. Next I called the single room and asked the student to come talk with me. The student was extremely willing to trade. I was relieved and said that the student could think more about it, but the student was fine, only wanting to be sure that the bed linens would be changed. Finally I called the student who had complained to explain the switch The student was concerned that the one who changed places would now have problems. I asked what other alternatives existed. The student suggested being given a new room and I explained that that was not an available option.

Having dealt with that, I went back to the apartment for dinner with Kim and Jake. I felt bad having to leave after dinner on our anniversary to meet up with some students who were shooting a special event at one of the churches. Kim was very understanding and as I said above, we were celebrating big this weekend. We planned the big meal at noon Italian style on purpose, since we had to get up so early the next day to travel. More on that in the next post.

Day 16: Thursday, May 22. I taught class today. Kim and Jake headed off to the surrounding area for some tourism. 

In addition to teaching class, a couple of the students asked me to travel with them to their churches. First I went with the student assigned to St. George. 

It's a short walk from AHA. Good thing, too, because when we went at about 3:30 it was closed and no one was around. When we returned about 5:00 we found the pastor preparing the church for 6 p.m. mass. He was very kind and quite happy to let the student video anything she wanted, including during mass (one student has been told not to record during mass). She had me ask if he would be willing to be interviewed on camera about the church's history. He responded that he has only been here for a year (the long time pastor died a year ago) and didn't know very much. He apologized for not speaking English, saying that he has been a humble country preacher all his life and never had need to learn another language. 

When I got back to AHA, two other students were waiting for me to go with them to Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart). The student who had been assigned to it had already visited but was unable to speak with the priest because her Italian and his English were not great. When we got there he recognized her and came over to talk with us. I explained the project and what she wanted. He was very kind and also told her she could shoot anytime she wanted. He advised her that she might want to be there for noon mass on Sunday as that is when the children's choir sings. He lent her a book on the church's history, published for the centennial in 2009 (a relatively new church. St. George was built centuries earlier). I told him that she may not make it this weekend, but next weekend for sure. Fortunately there was a lot going on that she could shoot today. Today was the Feast of St. Rita, and she is one of the patrons of this church, so lots of women came bearing roses and requesting a blessing in front of the little side altar. Mass started at 6:30 (well attended for a daily mass) celebrated not by our friendly pastor but by what appeared to be an African immigrant priest. I was surprised such a traditional church would have an immigrant priest, but most of the Catholic church's grown has been in the Southern hemisphere in the last few decades. 

A note for my colleagues who want to do this program in future years: I have told my students that  am not as good a production teacher as some of my colleagues who could lead this program, but I have the language that they don't. That's been a real benefit. Anyone taking this field study next year needs to think of projects that won't require a translator. I thought churches, as inanimate objects, wouldn't require much Italian language skill, but the students think differently. 

Kim and Jake returned to town and the three of us did a "pizza walk" for dinner. Traditionally Italians stroll in the center of town between 6 and 8 p.m., known as the "passeggiata." We have modified it by stopping for pizza and gelato along the way. Jake and I got pizza at 4 stops and 2 for gelato (Kim couldn't eat as much pizza as we did, although she was all over the gelato). We tried to catch part of a concert in the square that was supposed to start at 9 p.m. By 9:30 it still hadn't started so Kim and I left Jake in the square to wait and headed home. 

Day 15: Wednesday, May 21. Today was excursion Day. When I taught in the semester-long program here, Filiberto arranged excursions on most Fridays, starting with nearby locales and eventually finishing with long trips to Florence and Rome. With only 5 weeks, it was too much to try to include it all, but I did ask for one local excursion.

We boarded the bus at 8:30 and headed for nearby San Ginesio. It's a small town but located closer to the mountains, and quite picturesque. The town provided an opportunity for lessons about the etymology of hospital how ancient cities "hosted" travelers. We walked the length of the historic center and spent a long time examining the main church. I think the most excitement came when we stopped for a class photo.

The actual class photo includes Filiberto and me, but Kim took this one on her camera of Sarah setting up the photo. 

From there it was a short bus ride to an Abbey at Chiaravalle di Fiastra, a complex that was built in the 12th century by monks who used local Roman ruins. This was a real opportunity for Filiberto to shine. Without crowds of people like we had in Rome, he could take his time to explain art, architecture and history. Many of the students marvel at how much he knows. They are only getting a small sample. This program is what it is because of him. It was no coincidence that we just "happened" to be there at noon, so we were able to observe a small group of monks singing noon prayer. The Abbey of course contains the church but also a beautiful cloister, refectory (dining hall), storage cellars - all the pieces that make up a working monastery. When we stopped in a small chapel just off the cloister, the students insisted I sit in the Abbot's chair for a posed picture. 

I told them that in August I will use this picture on the first day of class to show my new students the appropriate level of deference I should be afforded. 

Our lunch stop was a roadside restaurant. Thirteen of the 17 decided to pay the 12 Euros (others packed their lunches). I assure you they were not disappointed. We had two different pastas, the best being pappardelle with a hare sauce. For the main course we had lightly breaded chicken cutlets, but the sides! We had Ascolani Olives (green olives stuffed with meat, breaded and fried), standard issue french fries, fried green pepper, salad, and a kind of fried cream squares. With each plate the waitress would return offering more to whoever wanted it, so by the time dessert arrived, most of us were not expecting it. 

After lunch we headed off to the day's final destination, the Basilica of San Nicola in Tolentino.  We stopped along the way for 10 minutes so students could take pictures of a 16th Century fortress. 

Everyone thinks of Rome, Florence and Venice when thinking of Italy, but gems like this are all over the countryside. Every time I promote this program, I tell students to see the real Italy, rather than programs that take them only to Rome and Florence. I taught in one of those programs once, and it doesn't hold a candle to the experience these students get. 

San Nicola of Tolentino is not the St. Nick we think of, but there are connections. 

This little church has many interesting features, but Filiberto probably spent the most time explaining the frescoes in the capellone. A point he has made repeatedly about the use of art as a way of teaching lessons to an illiterate society was brought to life in this colorful room. This is one wall: all four walls and the vaulted ceiling are frescoed this way. 

We got back to Macerata about 7 p.m. Kim, Jake and I were still full from lunch, so dinner consisted of walking down the street and having gelato. 

Day 14: Tuesday, May 20. Today was the first day I had a morning class. The other group that's here from the University of Oregon for 10 weeks has students taking a full load of classes, so the classroom already has a number of sessions booked. We work around their existing schedule. Many of the students prefer to sleep late but don't mind 10 a.m. They even say it motivates them to accomplish things during the day (like work on their projects). Officially day 14 means we're 40 percent of the way through the class, but we're certainly not 40 percent of the way through the work. When you consider that our arrival in Macerata was Day 5, and the first day of class was Day 7, it's easy to see why we're not 40 percent finished yet.

Study abroad programs have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, and Ball State is no exception. Because some programs have had very low academic requirements there has been an increased monitoring of contact minutes, learning outcomes, etc. Before getting approval I had to submit my planned class meetings: not exact times of classes, but exact length, so the university could make sure I was expecting enough. Well, these students have gotten more than the minutes listed. Yesterday Filiberto provided his second 75-minute session on churches, showing slides (yes, slides - not PowerPoint or anything like that) and explaining the architectural elements of churches, from Roman through Romanesque through Gothic through Renaissance. These sessions were not considered a part of their contact minutes. Those who are not quite as motivated might see it as an extra burden, but I see it as a "bonus" for them that they haven't had to pay for.

Regardless of how you look at it, this is just one of many examples of how the schedule originally designed when we were back in the U.S. only vaguely resembles our actual schedule. The students have been offered "survival" Italian lessons, just giving them basics. All the students attended the first hour, only about 2/3 came to the second lesson and only about 1/3 made it to the third hour. These are free lessons. They don't fit anywhere into their class schedule. I was asked by one of the students whether they were required to attend. I told him that I wouldn't take that into consideration when grading them. I'm sure that contributed to the declining enrollment. I think this meme currently circulating on Facebook is appropriate.

Our situation isn't about cheating, but the same applies - emphasis on grades rather than learning. 

In any event, administrators will never understand all the learning that occurs in all kinds of settings. If the only things students learn in Italy are the same things they would learn in a Muncie classroom, then what's the point? I know that they are learning so much more, but people several pay levels above me who make administrative decisions will probably never get it. Every administrator ought to do this once so they can see the value for themselves. 

Day 13: Monday, May 19. This was a rather uneventful day...for me. Kim and Jake took off in the morning and headed for Venice. I taught my class and watched a couple of Italian game shows on TV in the evening. Instead of a blow-by-blow of the day's events, I'll write some reflections.

My first trip to Italy was with my family in 1972, when I was just 16. We spent about a month with family in Bologna, and about a month with family in Messina. I was a bit of a jerk (more than I am now), critical of all the things that were not like the U.S. I missed peanut butter, breakfast cereal (only the largest stores had it, and usually only corn flakes and rice Krispies) and air conditioning. I have to remind myself that these students are only slightly older than I was then. This has been a good bunch of students. I have complimented them repeatedly on their punctuality. I have had no discipline issues with anyone. I just wish I could make them want to be more engaged in the culture. Some still stream their favorite TV shows from home rather than trying to watch ItalianTV, or listen to their American music on their earbuds rather than Italian radio (they don't listen to radio in the U.S. - it shouldn't surprise me they don't listen to it here). Some want to eat Chinese food (we have several restaurants) and Mexican (we have none). I have to remind myself that they have stepped out of their comfort zones already, so anything else they do is great. I am not complaining about the students: I really just want them to have the most amazing experience possible.

The Italy of today has much more American product than I found 42 years ago. In fact, it has much more than it had just 12 years ago, when I taught in Italy for the first time. When I taught in the semester-long program, Kim would bring spices to make barbecue sauce. It was a comfort food she could make for students that they couldn't find here. Now, you can buy it in grocery stores - even the porchetta vendor offers it as an option for sandwiches (panini).

Obviously the McDonald's influence has increased in 40 years. Not only have the number of locations increased (thankfully there is not (yet) a McDonald's in Macerata), but the one I saw on the highway had a drive through! That was something I thought was uniquely American but it seems to be increasing here, too. I don't want to blame McDonald's for the increasing obesity in Italy (never before a problem), but it is part of the lifestyle of convenience that seems to be increasing here. There are still people who shop almost daily for the freshest produce but an increasing number are stocking up on quick prepared meals. Not coincidentally I noticed someone at the grocery store offering samples of "diet foods" to help control weight.

Here was the dinner we had with Jake Sunday night: individual pizzas. He had pineapple, Kim had bacon, and I had four cheese.

Day 12: Sunday, May 18. I was foiled on two separate efforts to make it to mass this morning. We let Jake sleep in after his long day, so by the time he got up there were fewer options. Kim had been wanting to go to San Francesco (St. Francis), so off we went, not really knowing the way. Silly us - we brought a GPS to Italy but didn't take it to find the church. Anyway, after multiple turns Kim asked an older lady who told us we were in the wrong area (Kim's Italian is improving). So we headed back to the apartment. We checked the mass schedule and were just about to head out when I got a phone call from the hotel. It seems the student who had sprained her ankle was now having issues with some kind of insect bite. A week ago we had a student who needed to go to the doctor because of bites, so maybe people are a little more concerned than usual. Anyway she was complaining that these were itching. It turns out the desk clerk's father is a doctor and he took a look at them. He believes they may have been from dust mites but wasn't positive, suggesting that if they were causing her problems she needed to see a dermatologist. I told them we would walk down to the hotel and drop off a supply of Benadryl. If after a day she still was itching she could see the doc. Better to go on a Monday rather than Sunday.

With the rental car and a visiting nephew, Kim decided we ought to visit somewhere nearby. Cingoli is a nearby hill town known as being one of the more picturesque. When you're driving up to it, it seems like it's a lot higher than 2100 feet.

 We lucked into a beautiful day and as it happened, there was also a celebration going on. We stopped and had some pork sandwiches from a vendor.

Note the British flag rug hanging in the background, available for only 18 Euros! 

We spent much of the afternoon walking around, looking in the stalls, buying a couple of things, and taking some pictures. One diversion happened when we were in the main square. An elderly gentlemen heard us speaking English and asked, in English, if we were British. I told him we were American. He then proceeded to tell me all about his life, from WWII forward. He joined the army at 17 and was proud of himself, his family, his town, etc. He was 88 years old and wanted to tell us about everything. 

It was a very pleasant conversation. Digression: I can't believe my nephew didn't realize that I speak Italian!!! 

After we got back to town we finally made it to mass at the Cathedral in Macerata at 6 p.m. I was very surprised that mass only took half an hour. We've been to short masses, but this one was at the Cathedral so I expected longer. When there's no music, it moves a lot quicker. We walked back to the apartment, Kim made dinner and after I walked Jake to the hotel so he could hang out with the students. Better for him to be with people his age rather than a couple of old people. After calling my mom (it is Sunday, after all - the rules don't change when you're overseas) I was in bed just after 11 p.m., while he made it home "a little later than that." 

Day 11: Saturday, May 17. Kim and I parted company for the day. Her nephew Jake was flying into Bologna and she had to go pick him up (the reason it was so imperative to get the car yesterday, regardless of the rental agency's computer problems). I was going with the students by bus to Civitanova, the nearest town to Macerata on the coast. We were to meet at 9:10 a.m. at the inter-city bus station (different from the local bus station). I had been there before, but just to be sure, without anyone else to walk with me, I left ridiculously early and was there more than a half-hour ahead of time. I sat and had a coffee and roll. The students were also early. They were all there by 8:50. I told them how impressed I have been with their timely arrival. Filiberto arrived right about 9:10. Our bus pulled out at 9:20.

Unlike our Rome and Macerata walking tours, this one was not terribly steeped in history. Civitanova is a fairly new town, with most of the structures built since WWII. The prime reason for a Saturday visit was to go to the market. Theirs is larger than Macerata's. After pointing out a few landmarks (like where they needed to go to take the bus back to Macerata), Filiberto turned everyone loose to explore before he took us on a tour. Obviously their market has food, clothes, etc., but we even stopped at a stall selling live poultry. Filiberto asked the vendor whether the birds were for eating or egg production, and the answer was both. As for price, they varied dramatically. Some rarer breeds sold for ridiculously high amount while others were about the same you'd pay for whole chicken in the store. Our walk took us to the port with lots of fishing boats, then onto the beach for a short time. Interestingly, the beach to the south of the port is gravel while north of the port is sand. No camera today, so I just took this image from the web.

An option for students today was to pay 15 Euros for a complete lunch. Twelve of the 17 students decided to join us. The first course was a large serving of an egg pasta similar to a spaghetti noodle but square shape rather than round. The main course was fried calamari. Sides were either french fries or salad.

The students went to the beach for the remainder of the day. They had the bus schedule and knew when they could return, so it was up to them how long they wanted to stay. I was surprised how many of them actually went into the water. Angelica had driven her car, so Filiberto, she and I drove back to Macerata, along with one of the students who wanted to shoot video for his project. It just so happens his church had a festival tonight so he wanted to come back and get the gear. They drove us to the office, I got him a camera and glide cam and headed home. A while later he called to ask if he could get a tripod instead. None of our group has ever used the glide cam and I think they convinced him not to try but rather stick with a tripod.

Kim and Jake finally made it back to Macerata after a long day of touring around. We had dinner at the same nearby place we ate earlier this week. Everybody was pretty tired after a long day.

Day 10: Friday, May 16: This is the start of the first 3-day weekend for students. They all have decided to hang around Macerata. I think this was the plan before they left the US, partly as a way to save money and partly to see the nearby sights. When I taught twice before in the semester-long program, one of the destinations has always been the mall. Funny as that may sound, it's a practical thing for the students. It's a small mall but the anchor store is a Wal-Mart/Meier type store where they can buy anything they want at a reasonable price. It's about 6 miles away and requires a bus transfer, which none of them have had to do so far. Kim and I volunteered to take whoever wanted to go. At the bus stop by their hotel, we had 10 students at 10 a.m., which exceeded my prediction by two.

Italy has most definitely changed. When I taught my first class here in 2002 there were things that it was hard to find, but not anymore. Breakfast cereal was unheard of before (Italians generally have coffee and a roll) but there are plenty of choices today. I was astonished at the selection of chips. Italy has always had them, but never barbecue, or sour cream or...

We didn't stay too long. All of us wanted to get back to the city center to see the 1000 Miglia, a race of classic cars from Brescia to Rome and back. It's pretty exciting to have been on the route. First a bunch of modern Ferraris and other cars came through town starting about 2 p.m.

A couple of hours later, the classic cars that were part of the race started to arrive. There were about 450 cars, representing about 50 different countries. The news media touted the fact that Jeremy Irons and Jay Leno were racing. Kim and I didn't see either, as we had to leave before half the cars came through. 

Kim needed to pick up a rental car. She got a great deal online, but it required her to pick up the car back out of town. We had to hop a bus not really knowing where the place was, but we knew what area and the address, so we were hopeful. The bus driver didn't know the place or the address, so we got off where we thought it should be. I called the place and it seems we were about a mile away. The guy told us to wait where we were and he came and picked us up. 

The rental did not go smoothly. After several calls it seems the network was down. He ended up finally copying Kim's license, passport and credit card and printing out a rental agreement by hand. All in all we were there probably an hour, but the guy was extremely nice. After getting the car, we ran back to the mall grocery. Now that we had a car, it was a lot easier to stock up on heavier items rather than trying to negotiate two busses and a walk. The final hurdle was parking. The area around our apartment is all permit parking. The students' hotel is just a few blocks away. We went there and asked whether we could park for the night and the desk clerk was very kind. Problem solved - at least for one day. 

Day 9: Thursday, May 15. The students were given another Italian lesson at 10 a.m., but only about 10 of the 17 attended. I was asked by one student if they were required to attend. I told them that I would not grade them off in their video class for not attending, but that the lessons were being offered "free" and it was in their own best interest. I think the fact that the class was scheduled at 10 a.m. may have had some influence on their decision. Many of them have a tendency to stay up/out very late, so even 10 a.m. presents a challenge. Next week, 3 of our 4 class days we will meet at 10. I'm confident they will be there - let's see how awake they are.

I jinxed myself yesterday by saying that the ethernet solved all the problems. Today, even with a hardwire connection, we had several instances of the video stream stopping. We made it through, but it was frustrating. I was a little surprised to hear how many of the students wanted to spend class time going over the camera. I know they've probably never used this specific model, but it's not like it's their first camera.

Our injured student returned to class today. She was able to rent a cane for the low price of 10 cents per day. Between the brace and the cane she was able to get around.

Filiberto ran a 90 minute session for the class (another "free" benefit) providing background about churches. I know many of them were not as interested as I was, but it was all pretty interesting stuff. This was "extra" class time, above and beyond the minimum class contact minutes that the bean counters worry about. Mini rant here: because some study abroad programs have been abusive in the past (by awarding credit for little more than tourism), universities have had to closely monitor class meeting times to be sure that classes are academically rigorous enough. In theory I completely agree. In practice it's a little harder to regulate. If I propose that I will meet class X days for Y minutes, there's no guarantee that I will, or if we meet that we will do anything educational. It still remains the obligation of a professional that the experience is worthwhile and demanding.

I haven't taken many pictures, so I just took this one of Macerata from the web.

Day 8: Wednesday, May 14. Today was grocery day. It was our first "real" trip (other than to pick up a few items) so I knew it would take a long time. My main goal was getting beer and wine but somehow Kim didn't seem to think that was enough. With no car we took our bags and rolling shopping cart to a local grocery store about a 10 minute walk away. Shopping took us the better part of two hours. After dumping our stuff at home we set out again, this time to get Kim's phone. We knew to bring her passport this time. The guy remembered us and the process went smoothly (any of you wanting Kim's cell number just let me know). It's hard to be sure, but it seems cell service in Italy is cheaper than the U.S. We then headed into the city center. Even though we had already been shopping Kim purposely left some produce purchases until we got to the Wednesday market.

Most towns in Italy have a market day once per week. In Macerata it's Wednesday. The streets inside the walls are lined with vendors who rent space to sell anything and everything. Food is probably dominant but they also sell clothes, housewares, etc. We purposely went back to the guy who we bought produce from in 2002 and 2008. He remembered us. He had a different partner this time, and they both were very attentive to us. As per usual, when we said we were finished and asked for the bill, they then stuffed a few more items in the bags as gifts. Not premium stuff like the apricots and strawberries (both fantastic) but parsley, garlic, etc. - stuff every kitchen needs.

Class today ran smoother than yesterday. No hospital visits were required (although one student still didn't attend due to her injury). Yesterday when trying to show videos in class from the internet we kept having issues. Today I was connected via ethernet cable instead of wifi, and the videos ran with no hesitation. Very important, as a major part of my class is showing nonfiction videos to get my class to discuss the things they liked and didn't like.

In addition to the class that everyone is involved in, six of the students are doing independent study projects. I meet individually with each of them weekly to keep them on track. A couple involve content analysis research (one newspapers, one films), but the majority are taking on additional video projects. One of the students is doing a video blog (vlog) about her experience. If you're so inclined, you can see her videos here.

Kim is not a staff member (i.e., is not paid) but her assistance in this venture is priceless. Our injured student was wanting someone to bring food to her. She has distanced herself from the other students, so none of them has volunteered. She called to ask how she could get food. Filiberto has far too much to do to deal with this. Kim kindly stopped at a shop to pick up bread, cheese and meat for her that should keep her for a couple of days (they have mini-fridges in the hotel rooms). If she's not able to get out and about soon, it's probably best that she just return to the U.S.

On the way home Kim and I stopped at a wine shop operated by Colli Repani, a local winery. We had a long chat with the man working there who suggested that we visit the winery, about an hour's drive away. We may do that when Kim rents a car.

If you haven't yet seen this six minute video someone shot of Macerata, it's worth watching.

I'll conclude today with a couple of pictures Kim took of our apartment. It's not the same place we stayed in in 2002 or 2008. That apartment is currently occupied by the Oregon professor. This one is a little smaller (no problem for just 2 people) but very nice.

Day 7: Tuesday, May 13. The first "official" class day. In our 5 previous days in Italy there has been a lot of teaching and learning, but none of it has gone on in a classroom. Kim and I set out walking in the morning with the objective of buying her a cell phone that will work here (the program provides one for me). European and US cell phones use different transmission systems. Most newer smart phones are able to work on either and just require the purchase of a SIM card for Italy, but since we don't have a smart phone that does us no good. We went to the shop Filiberto recommended and had settled on what to buy when the clerk told us we would need Kim's passport. You can buy a phone without one, but Italy wants to know who has what number, so you can only purchase a SIM card with identification. Kim and I parted without a phone as I headed off to work.

I started class at 1 p.m. (this week - next week times will change). One student arrived a little late, through no fault of her own. She had been taken by Angelica to see a dermatologist for what looked to me like mosquito bites. She had tons of them. The dermatologist prescribed a couple of creams and they went to the pharmacy, but they only had one of them. A second student never made it to class. It seems as she was stepping off the bus she rolled her ankle. She ended up at the hospital where they x-rayed and determined that it was sprained. She has to wear a brace for three weeks. They also prescribed anti-inflammatory pills and a mild pain reliever. This was a major issue today. Because her condition was not life threatening, she had to wait for hours at the hospital. Angelica and Serena (the program office manager) tag-teamed waiting with her, making it impossible for them to do a lot of the things either of them had scheduled to do today.

Class went 1-3 p.m. The students were to have a mini "survival Italian" lesson after, so I went back to the office where I met the Oregon professor. Galen has been here almost six weeks with a group of 18 U of O students studying food and sustainability (their program runs 10 weeks, so they will finish a few days before us). We had a nice chat in between working.

At 5 p.m. the students of both groups were scheduled to meet. All of them seemed very excited to be together. There was lots of chatter. Interestingly, my group is 10 males and 7 females, while the Oregon group is 15 females and 3 males. Angelica had made ciambellone in between her trip to the hospital and her Italian lesson for the students so they were able to socialize and share a snack (Kim helped set up and serve).

Unfortunately a thunderstorm moved in this afternoon. We all made it to class dry but none of us left that way. We were fortunate in that Filiberto and Angelica drove us but the students weren't so lucky. We drove to the hotel to check on our newly disabled student, who seemed in good spirits in spite of it all. Kim never had a chance to make it to the store today so we had to go out to get something to eat, rain or no rain. Kim and I opted for the nearest restaurant/pizzeria. We got two different plate-sized pizzas. The rain kept other customers away so we spent most of the time talking with the pizza maker/cook and the waitress. The food was good - a little pricey but not ridiculous.

Day 5: Sunday, May 11: Kim and I went to 9 a.m. mass at Santa Croce (Holy Cross), the closest church to our apartment. We were among the youngest in attendance. I did actually see one kid in church, but he may have been there with his grandpa. The music was all a cappella, so my suspicion is that families attend a later mass. There were also folding chairs set up in addition to the normal pews, so I also surmised that other masses may be better attended, because they weren't needed at 9 a.m. After mass we stopped in a nearby shop for coffee/tea and pastry. We stood at the counter and ate like locals.

We met up with the students at their hotel at 10:15. The program for the day was to walk them to the classroom so they could see the route. A few had actually gone out exploring the previous evening and had found their way to the center of town. Filiberto provided us all with maps and bus passes so we're ready to go wherever and however. What would normally be a 20 minute walk took somewhere around an hour, partly because we needed to stop along the way to explain things, partly because we stopped so students could take pictures, and partly because 17 students walking together just takes longer than one person walking. I advised them not to go out alone, but I also told them that they probably don't want to walk around town as a group of 17 either.

We took the students to lunch at the student cafeteria just to show them how it is done. In the U.S. I told the students that the most economical way to eat would be at the student cafeteria, where a full meal is only 5 Euros (just under $7). Like most institutional food, it's not great but it's a pretty good deal. I certainly wouldn't eat all my meals there but would likely eat a good number there to economize. It turns out the majority of the students aren't going to go that route. It's their choice. After lunch we did some more walking around so they could get their bearings. It just happened to be flea market Sunday, a once-a-month chance to buy old stuff.

Sunday's dinner was our "welcome to Macerata" meal. Filiberto had arranged for us to have dinner at Trattoria da Ezio - my favorite restaurant in all of Italy. Normally closed Sunday night, they were open just for us. It's not a big place (23 of us pretty much filled it) but all the pasta is hand made daily. Mirella (who with her husband Giovanni and their son Marco own and work the place) is not only a wonderful cook - she's also quite a character.  

I was pleased that every single one of them liked it. We have some picky eaters in the group but even they were quite happy. I told them that this was probably the best meal they would have on the trip, and a couple were sorry that we didn't put it off to the end because now everything else will fall short. It's not really in their price range, but several plan to treat themselves at least once before we leave. 

Today was Mother's Day, and thanks to my brother Jack I was able to Skype with my 95-year-old Italian mom back in Florida. 

Day 6: Monday, May 12: Once again Filiberto and I met the students at their hotel for a walking orientation. We went around their neighborhood showing them restaurants, bar/cafes, grocery stores, etc. We had already shown them the closest laundromat yesterday. Once they had the lay of the land, we took them on a bus toward the classroom. The program provides a monthly bus pass for them so they can take the bus to and from class, but they also have the opportunity to explore. Filiberto suggested that in their free time they might just want to take a bus to some neighborhood they haven't been and to walk around. In less than a week, I'm betting I can predict who will and won't try doing that. In fairness I'm not sure how daring I would have been at 20 or 21. I've taught overseas a number of times but never did a study abroad program myself as a student. 

Kim and I did a "pizza walk" for lunch, and so did several of the students. A number of places in town sell pizza by the slice. It's made on cookie sheets so the slices are rectangular and there is a tremendous variety of toppings. Different shops do it differently so if you get a slice at one place it's only natural that you would go somewhere else to get something different. You can walk around town and look in shop windows as you eat or just stay in the shop (not like a restaurant with tables and chairs - just a small counter area). 

After the break we had another discussion with the students, telling them some additions to their schedules. Students asked me about things, like how much farther we will walk or when they will pay their room deposits and I just have to tell them that I don't know. I learned on my previous visits that things will happen when they happen and there's no point trying to know ahead of time. Unfortunately it sometimes causes problems. Today the schedule said we would finish our walking tour at 6:30 p.m., so Kim and I planned to meet up then. I didn't know, however, that Filiberto had planned for the tour to end at their hotel (he walked them back showing them a shortcut), so Kim was in the center of town and I was almost to our apartment. Fortunately Filiberto and Angelica met there and drove back to the offices, where I met Kim. We walked back to the apartment, stopping to buy wine and some produce. We had our first meal in the apartment: 

bread, salami, cheese, peppers, pears, olives and wine may not be a very elaborate meal, but you would be hard pressed to eat better. 

Day 3: Friday, May 9: Most of the students were able to get a good night's sleep. It's tough to spend time enjoying the sights on lack of sleep, but it's especially tough to walk long distances and pay attention to information. Isn't sleep deprivation a torture technique? Well, we left the hotel about 8:30 a.m. and walked a few blocks to see Santa Maria degli Angeli, a church that had been a Roman bath in ancient times but was converted to a church with help from Michelangelo. From there we jumped on the Metro (after another warning about pickpockets) to head to the Vatican. This is Filiberto's third trip to Rome in the past four weeks. First he took the regular semester-long group, then last week he had a special field study from the University of Oregon, and today our group. I thought Rome was pretty crowded but he said it was so much worse last week. The beatification of two popes was two weeks ago and the crowds were still pretty big. It made maneuvering around the Vatican pretty difficult. We visited the Vatican Museums only hitting a few highlights, the Sistine Chapel, climbed the dome of St. Peter's, and visited the basilica (including the tombs on the lower level) all before stopping for lunch at 3 p.m.

Filiberto explained that we had to do it that way to avoid crowds. Going from our paid admission to the Museums to the dome to the cathedral meant we were able to avoid a good deal of the line of people waiting for each. Leaving at any point would have meant a long reentry time. A skilled administrator like Filiberto is invaluable to an experience like this. And while I'm on the subject, Kim, Angelica and I were working pretty damn hard, too. It was not easy keeping our group together in the crush of the crowds. At some points in the Museums I could not see our entire group because of the crowds. My role on these excursions is border collie trying to keep the group together. Thankfully Kim and Angelica were also doing the same thing so between the three of us we managed. Anybody who thinks I'm just over here having a good time has no idea. Yes, I'm having a good time - but it's a lot of work, too. After a lunch break we then toured St. Peter's square, the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps. When we got back to the hotel, we had spent 10 hours out touring (with a 75 minute break for lunch), most of which we had spent on our feet. We again had dinner together and the students were a little more lively. Clearly a night's sleep - and a day together - made them more convivial. After dinner, a former Iowa State student and his wife met us for a drink. Jason and his wife just happened to be vacationing in Italy. In 16 years since I left ISU I had not seen him in the US, but we met in Italy. It was great catching up.

Day 4: Saturday, May 10: We had all of our stuff out of our rooms by 9 a.m. We went to the Campodoglio, the Roman Forum (this time from above), the Pantheon, Piazza Navona (my favorite square in Rome) and Campo di Fiori. We ended the formal Rome tour at 1 p.m. and gave the students 3 hours to go where they wanted. At 4 p.m. they were to be back at the hotel to get their bags and walk about 4 blocks from the hotel to where our bus was waiting.  Rome's streets are a mess and there was no way a bus could make to to our hotel. It was at this point when they understood the value of packing light. In my role as border collie I brought up the rear behind a student who was really struggling with her stuff. She had a wheeled suitcase she pulled by a strap, but it kept tipping over because it was not balanced, and because of the condition of the streets and sidewalks. Our driver is someone I know from our previous Italy trips, so it was really a feeling of "heading home" when I got on that bus.

There were only 2 or 3 students who made it the whole way without nodding off. I felt sleepy but there was no way I was going to miss out on the Italian countryside. Our route. We drove across the mountains and saw the tallest peak of the Apennine range. In our short drive we saw quite a diversity of landscapes, including the Adriatic Sea. Even though actual driving time is under four hours, we made a couple of stops. Experience has taught Filiberto not to go more than a couple of hours with a group of students without taking a bathroom stop. We finally reached the hotel about 9:30 p.m. and got all the students checked in. They seemed pleased with the accommodations, which are much more modern than their Rome hotel. Also they were 3 and 4 to a room in Rome, and now they are all in doubles. With an odd number of females, one got a single. She was pretty excited about that but for fairness we will probably have to rotate that room among them. 

It's day five of our 35-day Italian adventure. I will briefly hit some highlights.

Day one: departure day - May 7. Kim and I drove to Nicole's in Indy. It gave us the chance to see Riley before leaving, and it also provided us a way of getting to the airport without having to leave the car, thanks to Nicole. Of course she got the use of our car, which I think was a good trade for both of us. As per my usual we arrived at the airport earlier than needed. Still, we were not the first. Not having all 17 students on the same flight was a little bit stressful, as I didn't know whether everyone made their flight. Whoever does this next year may have to decide for a group flight. The biggest disadvantage will be the inconvenience to whoever wants to leave from a more convenient airport. This year, three students had a direct flight from Chicago. Had we had a group flight, they have been forced to drive to Indy, and to add a flight. Not sure what is best.

Day two: Italy arrival - May 8. As it happened, the Chicago flight was delayed, so rather than getting here before us, they arrived a little later. That was not a big deal, except that the map we provided of the airport confused them. They were waiting inside the baggage claim area rather than proceeding through customs and exiting. We were all waiting for them outside the secured area. Thank goodness for Facebook and free wifi in the airport. One of the students posted that they were waiting in the baggage area, and one of the others saw it and was able to message them to come out. It didn't matter as we still had to wait for our charter bus to arrive. Filiberto and Angelica met us at the airport and rode with us to our hotel. After quickly settling in, we took off to see some sights.

After some orientation to the Rome transit system, we went first to the Colosseum. People who have never done this before can never appreciate the value of having a skilled leader like Filiberto. He had already purchased the Roma Passes before we arrived, so we did not have to deal with anything at the Metro station. Despite large crowds at the Colosseum we were able to skip most of the lines and proceed in. Of course he was also a masterful professor, providing students with the context necessary to understand what they were seeing. It's difficult. I know. Understandably, first time visitors are probably most focused on getting pictures rather than understanding context, but to make the experience as educational as it should be requires it. Filiberto knows not to overload them, and it was only our first day. So we walked up through the Forum where he was able to explain some important points while the students were able to take dozens (hundreds?) of pictures of antiquity. Tour time for the first day totaled "only" about 5 hours. We did have one student who opted to stay behind. When we arrived at the hotel she told me she felt a migraine coming on due to lack of sleep. I certainly didn't want her to suffer the whole day walking around, so I told her that as long as she was comfortable knowing what she was missing, it was OK with me if she stayed behind to rest. She was able to rejoin the group for our first dinner together in Rome. 

By coincidence, Ball State Honors College also has a group of students in Rome at this time, so after dinner Kim, Filiberto, Angelica and I were able to meet up with Jim and Connie Ruebel for a little while. It was a pleasant ending to a very long day. 

Annual newsletter. Those of you who are Facebook friends probably already know most of these things, but here goes:

January: Anthony returned from his deployment in Afghanistan. Of course we are proud of his service to our country, but we are so glad he’s no longer overseas.

February: Kim finished Phase Two of the new flooring. Phase One was wood flooring in the dining room and porcelain tile in the entryway. The second phase involved wood for the kitchen, living/family room and porcelain tile in the guest bath. In addition to “standard” flooring work it required a plumber to break through 8 inches of concrete slab in the bathroom to locate and repair a leak (one of the few things Kim doesn’t do is use a jackhammer). Later she did Phase Three, extending the wood down the hallway and into our bedroom. Only carpet remaining in the house is in two bedrooms.

March: Kim and I traveled to Harrisonburg, VA for a couple of days as part of my Fulbright Ambassador position. I visit universities and conferences to encourage faculty applications. We also visited Pittsburgh in April, Indianapolis in Sept., Valparaiso (IN) in Oct. and Ames in Nov. I asked to be invited to Iowa State at that particular time so I could attend a ceremony at the Greenlee School posthumously awarding Barbara Mack the School’s highest award. If you work at a university and would like me to come visit (at no cost to your university), get me invited. Information is at http://www.cies.org/ambassadors/Flyer.pdf.

April: Kim visited the Caristi grandchildren near Tacoma. Anthony and Megan got to have a brief vacation and Kim loved having the kids to herself. I made my annual trek to Vegas. Honest – I wish it were somewhere else. At least they have direct flights from Indy.

May: Kim and I shared our anniversary with Joe and Nicole at a “cabin” in Brown County. It was a pretty nice place, complete with satellite TV, hot tub, pool table. We had a good time taking it easy. It just so happened to be the “Taste of Brown County” weekend, so of course we did a little eating, too.

June: Saw lots of Kim’s family at a get together at Jacque and Stuart’s house in St. Louis. It’s always great to see Kim’s family. It was the first time most of us had been together since Kim’s mom died in 2012, so it was especially nice to be together.

July: We hosted a couple of college students (just a couple of days) from Malaysia and Indonesia who were in a program at Ball State. We were challenged because they are Muslim and it was Ramadan, so we didn’t eat dinner until 9:10 p.m. and they wanted to eat breakfast before 5 a.m. I also had the honor of speaking at BSU’s summer commencement ceremony. Immediately after, we headed down to my mom’s in Florida. Of course – visit Florida in July! We stopped going down and back at my brother Tony’s in Atlanta. Both my brothers were with Kim and me at my mom’s. We had asked her if she would rather we spread out our visits or plan them to coincide, and she preferred the latter. She says because it’s more festive that way, but I think it’s so we’re not around too much. J We did some work around the house: replaced screens on the porch, painted the kitchen, plastered walls. While there Jack installed a computer with remote software so he can Skype with her – even created a Facebook account for her. She’s 95 now and still doing well.

 

August: This was a challenging semester, as I picked up an extra class. A colleague resigned two weeks before the start of the semester, so I and another colleague “took one for the team” and absorbed some of her load. The semester sure flew by. The big August news, though, was the arrival of Tony Pons, our foreign exchange student from Mallorca, Spain. Tony has really acclimated himself quickly. He’s made tons of friends and has gotten involved. As a junior at Muncie Central High School (only 15, but advanced) he was in the school play and is on the Swim Team. I am extremely impressed with his dedication. He has to leave the house for practice Mon, Tue and Wed at 5:30 a.m., Fri at 4:30 a.m. and Sat at 8:30 a.m. We have been doing our best to give Tony a complete American experience, including everything from sitting around watching TV, to college sporting events, to outdoor concerts, to his first American Halloween. Yes, he trick-or-treated a little, but also went to a party, and volunteered at the local Haunted Forest for charity. He’s very excited about the Christmas decorations and presents under the tree (he says it looks like a movie).

September: I keep trying to invite people to visit. Kim’s sister Jacque and husband Stuart took us up on the offer. We gave them as much of a red carpet treatment as we could, including a Ball State football experience.

October: RILEY IS BORN! On October 18, daughter Nicole gave birth to Riley Kaplan, her first child and our third grandson. Kim and husband Joe were in the room for delivery, while I sat next door in the waiting room. Please don’t be too critical of me. I wouldn’t have been any help during delivery, and Nicole said she would have been uncomfortable knowing that I was bothered by her pain. Nicole, Joe and Riley are all doing great. It’s also a real treat having them only an hour away. No telling how long we will be able to enjoy that luxury.

November: Headed to St. Louis for Thanksgiving. We always have a great time with Kim’s family but this time was even more special as little Riley and Tony experienced their first ever Thanksgiving, made their first trip to St. Louis, and rode up in the Gateway Arch for the first time. I doubt Riley will remember it, but we have pictures to prove it J

December: Our annual Holiday Open House had 80 people, I think. I may have lost count of one or two but that’s pretty close to correct. Because we host a six hour party, it gets spread out pretty well. There is probably an hour when it’s pretty crowded but for the most part it’s manageable. Kim doesn’t feel like we should put an end time on a party but after six hours I’m pretty much exhausted and think people should go home! 

For the past several years I have used this blog exclusively when traveling, but I decided to use it this year for the annual newsletter. It's a simple URL I can send to everyone, I know how to easily edit it, add pictures, etc. Kim and I have pretty much given up sending Christmas cards except for people who don't go online (i.e., our moms). It's more environmentally friendly not to waste the paper, it saves tons of money in postage and greeting cards, and it helps relieve the December crunch.

2011 had a tremendous highlight, and a terrible blow. The great news (not just good - great) is that our second grandson was born. Matteo Kellen Caristi arrived in April.

Kim was able to be in Washington to take care of his big brother Luca while Matteo was being born.

Our daughter-in-law Megan has set up a super family blog. If you'd like to see pictures and see what Anthony's family is up to, visit Chaos and Cuddles.

The terrible blow came just after Thanksgiving when Kim's father passed away. He had been weak for a number of years, and hospitalized on a couple of occasions, but hung in there. Finally a one-two punch of a heart attack and pneumonia were just too much for his 86-year-old body to take. Kim and her sisters did an amazing job of bringing everything and everyone together in just a few short days for the wake, funeral mass and internment at a military cemetery (Dad was a Marine). With the time before and after Thanksgiving, Kim ended up 18 days in St. Louis while Nicole and I made 2 trips totaling about 7 days.

We did have more pleasant travels this year. In May we drove down to Florida to spend a week working on my mom's Hallandale house. Despite a lot of hard work we were able to see several friends (Mark, Dave, Brisette, Lou and Leslie), spend a night with Wendy and Dan, a night with Kim's Aunt Trudy and Uncle Carl and a night with Jae and Gemma. We timed it so we would be able to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in Savannah, GA. It was hot, but we enjoyed walking around the town, seeing the history, taking pictures...and eating.

In July we celebrated Kim's 50th birthday (welcome to AARP). Nicole planned and executed a surprise party completely on her own. My only task was to get Kim out of the house for the day. When we got back from Indy, the house was filled with friends and treats Nicole had spent the day preparing.

Then came the drive of a lifetime. Kim and I drove 5,500 miles in three weeks. We set out from Muncie stopping first in Ames, Iowa, where we were hosted by our friends Tom and Linda for a couple of nights. From there we drove to Ft. Collins, CO, where we were hosted by our friends Martin and Mary Catherine for four nights. Then we drove to Jackson, WY for a night, visiting Grand Teton National Park. I believe Jenny Lake is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in the US. From there is was one night in West Yellowstone, MT, and a day exploring Yellowstone National Park. I knew about the geysers but didn't realize they have beautiful falls/canyons, too. One night spent on the road at a random hotel in Idaho and we reached our destination: Anthony and Megan's house in Washington. We got to spend a week relaxing, getting to know Matteo, getting reacquainted with Luca, visiting the zoo, Farmer's Market, etc. I could not believe that their kitchen window perfectly frames Mt. Rainier.

For the return trip we drove due east, spending a night in Bozeman, MT. The following day we made it to southwest South Dakota. We drove through Deadwood (it was raining and we had no desire to gamble), were surprised at the quaintness of downtown Rapid City, and then headed down to see Mt. Rushmore. We got there in the late afternoon, after a pouring rain, so the guys were streaked with water. The good news, though, was the iffy weather kept the crowds small. We didn't have a hotel reservation, and with the big Sturgis bike rally only 5 days away, we had to check several hotels before we found one - back in Rapid City. The next day we went back to Rushmore, made a quick visit to Crazy Horse, then on to lunch at Wall Drug followed by a visit to the Badlands. Another night at a roadside hotel, a quick visit to the Corn Palace and we made our way home.

Just recently we were able to celebrate Nicole's graduation from Ball State. On Dec. 17 I handed her her diploma as she walked across the stage. The following day, she moved out. 2011 has been quite a year for her, what with her graduation and getting engaged. 2012 will be a huge year for her as she and Joe get married in May then leave for Thailand to teach English the following week.

As I write this my mom is still at my brother Tony's house in Atlanta but she will return to our house sometime after Christmas, so Kim and I are really not going to be true empty nesters for very long. My mom is now 93 and still lives with us most of the time. Although she is quite capable of taking care of all her personal needs, she still is a handful in many other ways. Thank goodness my brother Tony is willing to take her periodically.

I'm in my 14th year at Ball State, and have applied for full professor. I purposely waited until this year, in part because a textbook on Communication Law that I coauthored came out in August. For those not familiar with academe, there are three ranks for faculty: assistant professor, associate professor and professor. Applying is a long process. I collected my materials in August to send out to two external reviewers (full professors from other universities). In November, my department colleagues voted unanimously in support of my promotion. In January it goes before the College of Communication committee and the dean. From there it moves to the provost, president and Board of Trustees. It will be early May before I know the outcome.

Happy Holidays and Best wishes for a fabulous 2012.

It's Sunday here in Greece. We leave for home tomorrow after 120 days.

These first couple of pictures I took at the farewell dinner. Unfortunately I didn't run around the table to get everyone. We sat at one long table so these people were all across from me.

Like so many other meals we've had here, this one was fantastic and served "family style." As
each new dish arrived it was passed around so everyone could have as much or little as they wanted.

As I reach the end of the time here I get reflective. I enjoyed interacting with the students and faculty but was exceedingly frustrated by the idea that attendance is so abysmal. I am opposed to giving points for attendance in my US classes but I think something needs to happen to get students to attend regularly. One suggestion

might be to make the grade based on more than one exam. If tests were more frequent it might
help. Of course it would mean a lot more grading for the professors so maybe some of them would prefer not to change anything.

This is Michael Meimaris, director of the University Research Institute of Applied Communication. He was the official host of the farewell dinner and his institute sponsored the panel discussion I did. Can you see he's wearing a Harley hat? Professor Sorogas took me out for coffee Friday as another farewell and Michael just happened by. He was flying off to Rhodes for a conference presentation. The professors are very
active. Despite any criticisms about the system here, I won't accuse the people I met of laziness.

I got a pretty bad picture of the open-air theatre. It was dusk: the big white screen kind of washes out the picture but I hope there's enough to get a sense of what it looked like. I took this about 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of the movie. The theatre had more people by the start of the film.

Yesterday (Saturday), Mark and Martha drove
us to Sounion. Kim had been wanting to make the trip for some time but we've never gotten around to it. Sounion is the southernmost point of the Attica mainland and just a little more than an hour's drive. I took this first picture as we stopped along the road, just 10 or 15 minutes away, so Kim could take pictures. Rather than settle for the roadside shots she climbed over the guardrail and walked down a few hundred feet for a better vantage. I will admit that her pictures are far better than mine but of course she has taken thousands (literally). On our excursion to Sounion I took 7 pictures. Kim took 81.

People visiting Sounion are faced with the choice of looking out at the natural beauty surrounding you or looking at the architectural marvel that is the remains of Poseidon's Temple. It was also nice to visit because it completed the equilateral triangle of temples made by the Acropolis, temple of Aphaia on the island of Aegina, and Sounion. Most people who visit Sounion do as we did: just set out from Athens and spend an hour or so there. As spectacular as it is, there isn't much
more there. When we arrived the first thing we did was to get a table at the restaurant/coffee shop at the base of the rock and have a drink before going up.

Legend has it that King Aegeus of Athens committed suicide here. His son Theseus sailed to Crete to try to slay the Minotaur. They had arranged that if he was successful he would sail back to Athens with a white sail. He did slay the Minotaur but the crew was too busy celebrating to remember to change the sail. Aegeus was anxiously waiting to see the ship and when it

rounded the cape he thought his son was dead and threw himself from the cliff. The Aegean Sea is named for King Aegeus.


The temple is now roped off so you can't get inside it but in earlier years it was famous as a place for visitors to scrawl their names. Lord Byron, very popular with Greeks, has his name carved in the marble, as does the composer Ravel. You have to have a very good camera to be able to get a picture of it from a distance.


Most shops are closed on Sunday so when we got back to Athens Kim and I needed to grab a quick bite to eat and jump on the tram to head downtown. We came with two checked bags and two carry-ons and we've left some gifts we brought behind, and we won't be bringing back some of the clothes we've brought (having to wear the same thing every few days means it wears out a lot quicker). Nonetheless we would likely be over the weight limit if we tried to stick to two bags, so we decided to play it safe and buy a cheap duffel. We were ranting about airline baggage policy. If one of our bags is just a pound or two overweight, we get charged $70. But, as
we are flying international and don't pay for up to two checked bags per person, we are encouraged to check more bags. Isn't that contrary to what the airlines are trying to do? I think I understand that baggage handlers wouldn't want all bags to weigh 90 pounds, but the end result is that instead of handling two bags now they will handle three.

Last night Mark and Martha took us out for another farewell dinner and once again it was spectacular. I think I've gained wait on this trip.