Italy A Taste of Italy: Biodiversity, Cooking, and Slow Foods

Each student has a unique and individual experience on their Experiment program. The following essay is a single glimpse into a program from one student's perspective.

Osarumwense Pat-Osagie

This summer was a summer I will never forget, and that's an understatement. This summer, for the first time in my life, I want to another country and it was amazing. It was a trip that changed my outlook on life forever. I spent five weeks immersed in a country, a culture, and a language I did not know. But by the end of the five weeks not only did I know the country, culture, and language - I fell in love with it all! My journey began in Rome Italy where our group's orientation started.

In Rome I met and really got to know the other nine members of my wonderful group. Since the day we arrived at the hotel, we instantly bonded, thanks to the scavenger hunt we did. We split up into small groups and had to work together to get to our final destination. This close working environment allowed us to understand and get to know each other on a different level. It also allowed us to experience the city and the country firsthand. While looking for the Spanish Steps my group members and I got lost, but it was an educating experience and it was fun. Throughout the first four days we did many activities that brought the group closer made us learn and understand the rich culture and history of Italy - not to mention the wonderful food we ate there too! In Rome we were introduced to the Slow Food Movement. After seeing wonderful sites like the Spanish Steps, The Vatican, and the Plaza Da Poples, we took a nine hour bus ride to the city of Nepali and then to a small town called San Sebastiano Al Vesuvio.

San Sebastiano is where I really got to understand the culture and the life of Italians. From the moment I stepped out the bus I felt a warmth that I never felt from strangers before. I was so excited to meet these people and they where so happy to see me that I felt right at home. The nervousness that I felt on the bus was completely erased as soon as I saw my host family greeting me with open arms and smiles on their faces. We introduced ourselves to each other, got in their car, and drove to the place that for the rest of my life I will call my home in Italy. As soon as we got home I gave them a framed picture of Time Square. Personally I thought it wasn't the best present but they loved it. It was the first time their son (my little brother) got to see a picture of Time Square. Immediately they took down a picture from the wall and put up mine and from that day on that picture of Time Square stands on that wall.

My host father took me in like one of his own sons. Raffaele Torre is the name of my host father, he was a world class swimmer, he holds a record in the sport of swimming in Napoli. He is now an optician and has a lovely wife named Giovanna Torre. Giovanna is a stay home mother. She was very loving and even thought she spoke no English at all I was still able to understaend her better then most of the Italians I met. She cared for me and I felt the love she had for me. She loved me like one of her own sons. She really showed me the love Italians have for life and others. I also had two teenage brothers. Simone was just like my little brother. He taught me Italian and Napolitano, the dialect spoken in Napoli. He took me around the neighborhood, introduced me to his friends and we did what kids usually do in the town.

The Torres were not the only ones who were caring and friendly; their family members and friends were too. I remember going to Giovanna's brother's birthday party and being introduced to her family. Everybody was friendly and happy to meet me. They asked me questions about America and asked how I liked Italy. Interactions like these allowed me to really understand and appreciate the Italian people and culture. This openness is one of the reasons I really love Italy and its people. The other reasons was the people and their lifestyle. I created a bond with the other host families of members in my group. My group members' host families were just as welcoming and wonderful as my own host family. The fact that I still keep in touch with some of the Italians just like I keep in touch with my host family proves how strong of a bond we all formed.

My stay in San Sebastiano was wonderful, I learned so much from the language to history thanks to the EIL staff members in San Sebastiano. The teacher took us to incredible sites like Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. I learned about the old Kings of Napoli. I learned about the different types of food in the region, from pizza to the meats. I even got better in soccer, thanks to my host dad and host brother.

The day that we had to leave for Asti was a very emotional day. No one wanted to go, even the day before when we want to the beach again was a sad day. We all felt sad and depressed at the fact that this was going to be the last day we stayed with our host family - the people we came to love, and see as our own family. People were crying and hugging, but we made sure that it was a day we will always remember.

We soon arrived in Asti and went to the cooking school and got introduced to Chefs Genieo and Sergeo and the Principal of the School. Before we even started cooking we learned the difference between the kitchens and how it played into Italian history. We learned how types of kitchens reflect the types of food that is cooked in it. The king's kitchen is where a lot of good meats are cooked, the Mountain Kitchen is where a lot of wild vegetables and meats are cooked, the Plants Kitchen is where a lot of grains and vegetables are cooked and the Sea Kitchen is where a lot of sea food and plants that grow near the sea are cooked. I learned that cooking is an art form. The chefs took their jobs really seriously, and taught us every thing they knew about cooking. It was great seeing someone share their love for something and passing it down. They were great teachers, very funny, and knew how to have a good time. We explored the concept of the Slow Food Movement - the idea that one should really know what is in their food, where it came from and how the foods were treated.

All in all, the sites were incredible and these new places beautiful. I truly enjoyed meeting up with the other groups and hearing about their experiences at the end of the trip in Venice. This trip has really changed me and my outlook on life. Now I want to travel the world, meet new people, and experience new things. I understand people a lot better now and appreciate peoples' backgrounds, culture and way of life. I would love to help spread the word about this program because I believe every child around the world should have the chances to see new things, and experience new cultures and places. I feel that this is very important in the development of a united world and would create more global tolerance. I would love to be part of that and I know EIL is building the foundation with this program.