On our second day in Caltanissetta we woke up early to meet with the board members of CulturScambi. CulturScambi is the group here in Caltanissetta that is in charge of finding exchange students and coordinating with ATAD each year. There were about 10 of us at the meeting, and Riccardo came as well to help translate. We had a really nice time meeting the CulturScambi people, and we had a really great conversation about ATAD and the exchanges.
After the meeting we went back to the apartment for lunch, and then went on a driving tour of Caltanissetta with Claudio and Riccardo. We saw lots of cool parts of the center of Caltanissetta, and then we drove to an archeological museum just outside the city. We saw lots of old pieces of pottery that they had excavated from sites near the museum, and even got to see an iron mask like the ones they wore in the movie 300! Riccardo studies ancient Greek and Roman literature in college, so he helped explain a lot of the things at the museum to us.
After the meeting we went back to the apartment for lunch, and then went on a driving tour of Caltanissetta with Claudio and Riccardo. We saw lots of cool parts of the center of Caltanissetta, and then we drove to an archeological museum just outside the city. We saw lots of old pieces of pottery that they had excavated from sites near the museum, and even got to see an iron mask like the ones they wore in the movie 300! Riccardo studies ancient Greek and Roman literature in college, so he helped explain a lot of the things at the museum to us.
After the museum, we drove back to the apartment to pick up Maria and Gaia, and the five of us went for a walk through the center of the city. We met lots of local people, including a woman who sells fresh fruit in the street market, and a man who has lots of passion scenes that are carried in processions through the streets during holy week.
After our walk we got some gelato, and then we were really tired so we went back to the apartment to rest and play with the Ginevra family’s cat, Ludo. Ludo reminded us a lot of our cat Nick back at home. He has a really funny personality, and really bright blue eyes.
After our walk we got some gelato, and then we were really tired so we went back to the apartment to rest and play with the Ginevra family’s cat, Ludo. Ludo reminded us a lot of our cat Nick back at home. He has a really funny personality, and really bright blue eyes.
After we rested, we changed and went out to dinner at a nice restaurant for some pizza. At the dinner were lots of the CulturScambi people, as well as some past and present exchange students and their families. It was fun for my mom and I to talk with a lot of them, even though we needed Riccardo to translate.
After dinner I went out again with the boys and their friends. We met a few other Americans who were here in Caltanissetta visiting the girl they used to host! Everyone I met was so nice, and I had a lot of fun talking to them and attempting to understand everything. My Spanish helped a little, as a lot of Italian and Spanish words are very similar. However, once again I was glad to finally go home because I was exhausted after another long day!
Julia Marie
A cathedral in Caltanissetta
The archaeological museum
Mom and I in the center of the town square
The town of Caltanissetta
Mom, Gaia, and I out for a walk in the market
A typical Caltanissetta street
Ludo, the cat!
Caltanissetta
A church in the town square
Mom, Maria, Gaia and I in the town square
Sicilian countryside
