Author Archives: Elyssa Noonan Ganser

Spring Broken

Spring break is known as a time of relaxation, where things, like stress and work, are put on the back burner. This spring break however, took a turn I was never expecting; and ended up being my biggest learning experience of the semester.

My roommates and I had planned our entire spring break excursion together. We decided to start our break off on the beautiful island of Santorini. For half the week we were going to explore this remarkable, volcanic island. Then, we planned to fly to Barcelona and finish our spring break on the beaches of Spain. We all agreed to the plan, and booked our planes and trains eagerly. After a rigorous week of cramming for finals, we made the trek to Santorini, Greece.

Oia is one of the most famous towns on Santorini.

Oia is one of the most famous towns on Santorini.

After a few days of exploring the marvels of this island, we decided to rent ATVs and do a day trip to the famous Red and Black Beaches. Our first stop was the Red Beach. We followed the coastal trail out and stood in awe at the beauty of this volcanic wasteland. After spending an hour or so at the Red Beach, we decided to hop on our ATVs and cruise over to the Black Beach. This is when our spring break to a turn for the worst.

One of the most famous beaches in Santorini. It gets the red color from volcanic rocks.

One of the most famous beaches in Santorini. It gets the red color from volcanic rocks.

One of our roommates, AnnMarie, lost control of her ATV and drove into a brick wall at 35 miles-per-hour. It took the rest of us about one minute to realize the gravity of the situation. AnnMarie was seriously injured, we were miles away from the only hospital located on Santorini, and we were all phoneless. It was obvious that AnnMarie had broken both her arms and she needed to get to the hospital.

The ATVs we rode across the island to get to the Red and Black Beaches.

The ATVs we rode across the island to get to the Red and Black Beaches.

Luckily a local was driving by right after the crash and was nice enough to help. The man did not know anything about us, and I did not even know his name, but at that moment in time he could see the seriousness of what had happened and was there to help. As a group we decided two of us would go with AnnMarie to the hospital, and the rest would drive the ATVs back to Fira.

I was one of the people who went with AnnMarie to the hospital. Between calming AnnMarie down in the back while trying to communicate with a man who spoke no english, it is safe to say it was a stressful ride back to Fira. I have been lucky enough to never face hospitals in other countries, and I hope I never have to enter one ever again. The biggest problem was communication. I had to explain to the doctors what happened, while they had to communicate back to me what the next steps were going to be. AnnMarie had to get X-rays, and eventually the doctors called me back into the room to deliver the news. She had to fly back to Athens to get surgery.

From there it was a downward spiral of finding surgeons and hospitals in Athens, figuring out healthcare coverage, and contacting home. It was a long day of making decisions, very big decisions. Eventually it came down to AnnMarie flying back to Athens and meeting our other roommates, who luckily were staying there for part of the week.

Now, three weeks later AnnMarie is healthy and well. She is almost fully recovered and gets her casts removed in one week. The casts might be gone, but I know I will never forget my trip to Santorini. Broken bones are a common occurence; I have even broken a few myself. But when you are in a foreign country, where you do not speak the local language, and do not have a way of contacting anyone, the situation changes completely.

I learned a lot about myself over spring break. I learned how to deal with real life, scary situations. I learned how to communicate with people, in a way where we both can understand each other. I also learned how to comfort a friend, in a situation that most will never have to experience. Being abroad I have faced some obstacles that have been very hard to overcome. But that is all part of the learning experience, to overcome the challenges that are thrown your way.

First You Live, Then You Learn

Three weeks and ten pounds of gelato later, I finally have 30 seconds to breathe. This semester is flying by at such a rapid pace; a pause button would be handy at this moment in time.

After just three short weeks of living in Italy, I have already fallen in love with Florence. The history of this ancient city can be felt everywhere.

It crumbles from the bridges and crawls from the cracks of the buildings. It is a surreal feeling, to walk the same streets that Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo did hundreds of years ago. In a time period where technology and modernity is craved by all, Florence embraces the past.

Even with only a few weeks conquered, I have learned so much about the culture of Florence.

The first thing I picked up on is that Italians are very passionate people. When walking down the streets I am greeted on every corner by shouting men and women waving their hands, tempting me with their handmade jewelry and paintings.

I also learned quickly that Italians are never in a rush. They take their time, and appreciate doing things at a leisure pace. I found this odd after growing up outside of New York City. When I think of New York, I think of running through subway stations or Grand Central to make meetings and conferences. In New York no one sits down to enjoy a coffee or a lunch. We eat our lunches at our desks, and coffee is sipped while in the back of a taxi cab. In Florence, people take their time to enjoy a cappucino and the company they are with. Dinner is a social event paired with great food that can go on for hours. Whereas back in the States, dinner is quick and simple.

Learning how to slow down was a struggle for me. I am someone who eats while studying, and drinks my coffee while running to class. So naturally, I was not a happy camper when I had to sit down and drink my first cappucino, because Italians don’t believe in to-go cups. But 50 cappucinos later, I have learned to embrace the Italian way. I think we can all sacrifice five minutes of our day to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee.

With almost one month down in Italy, it amazes me how much I have grown. I never thought you could learn so much from living in a new city. I have learned how to communicate with people who speak a completely different language than I do. I have learned how to find my apartment in a city that is more complicated than human anatomy. I have learned how to light a gas stove without burning my eyebrows off. I have even learned how to live without wifi and netflix, which was the biggest lesson to master of all.

With over three months left in this city, I am eager to see what life lessons lie ahead. Stay tuned to find out.

Ciao from Firenze!

After 9 hours in a plane, delays from the snow, and running through the Paris airport to make my connecting flight, I have finally arrived in Florence. Between meeting my seven other roommates and figuring out how to find my university, to say these past five days have been stressful is an understatement.

Upon arriving in Florence I was clueless. I had no prior knowledge on where I was living and whom I was living with. I didn’t even have a copy of my class schedule for the semester. So when boarding the flight from JFK to the unknown in Italy my anxiety was at an all time high.

When flying into Florence my anxiety soon turned to excitement, as I peered out the plane window at the rolling hills spotted with Tuscan homes below. The program advisors greeted us with thick accents and grinning faces. As soon as I collected my luggage I was swept into a cab with three other Penn State girls and was on my way to my new Italian apartment.

While zipping along the cobblestone streets through the heart of Florence it finally hit me. This is home for the next four months of my life. This is not a week long vacation, or a school trip during spring break. I will be completely immersed in a culture totally foreign to my own.

In these past five days I have faced a whirlwind of emotions. I have felt stressed, after getting lost in a city where I speak no Italian. I have felt blown away from the sheer beauty of this old, rustic place. I have also felt gratitude to be able to call Florence home for the next semester.

With classes starting tomorrow I know I will be adding many more emotions to the list. But whether I am feeling stressed or excited, I know this semester will be one that I will never forget. I can’t wait to see what Italy has in store for me for the next four months.


Location: Via del Moro