The trip to San Marino was one of my favorite adventures...but there were many.

JOJO

Look at this cute dog!!! This is Jo Jo ... :) Aww.....
He is the Napoleon's Dog here in Rimini... ( HOTEL NAPOLEON )
Got his own chair and gets lots of attention from everyone.... Is so nice to have him here because when I get to the hotel he sees me and come right away to get some love!!!! It is like being home with my pets!
I love JoJo

DaNNa

I love Italy...and Lucy.

So, the blog. I have officially entered. I am not entirely sure what to write here. I think that we (everyone in the program) knows already how amazing Italy is. So, I guess this is for the folks back home. We have been moderately busy, going to class every day (95% on time -- sorry for that other 5% guys), and going out to eat at nice Italian restaurants at night. Occasionally, some of us had consumed wine with our meals. This is very common in Italy and it is a custom which we should respect greatly. ... This area, Rimini, is very relaxed. It reminds me of San Diego a little bit, but with better food, a nicer atmosphere and a completely different culture. People dress casually, but in a way that seems somewhat sophisticated. We have also seen a million people on bikes -- old people, young people, people in suits, people in tee-shirts, people with their girlfriends (on a one seater...seems kinda hard to do...but hey, if you can, more power to you). There are a lot of old churches. I am not Catholic, but the churches are very nice, with amazing stained-glass windows and great art and relief sculptures and other types of sculptures. The floors are often marble. Remains of historical personages are also sometimes contained within the churches. There was one church in Firenze (Florence), the Basilica Di Santa Croce, which had the remains of Machiavelli, Dante (?), Galileo, Michelangelo and more. Leonardo Da Vinci also lived in Florence. ...So amazing. We also saw the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore which is one of the biggest churches in the world. The beaches are nice, but the weather has not been as good as we had hoped. ... is anybody up for a mediation session trying to develop a treaty for combating climate change? ...I was told a couple times to take my hat off in the churches. ...oops. ...i guess i am just used to synagogue, where we cover our heads when we pray. ...intercultural conflict...oh, and the ladies on the trip were too sexy for church...reminds me of that song...i'm too sexy for my church...anybody know it? ...alright, this is the end of the trevor comedy, history ridiculous posting on the blog. ...i need to stop typing before i run into something or i break the computer...for those of you on the trip, you will understand this. ...peace homies.

Trevor Witt
6-17-2008

First Annual Summer Institute

Hello everyone! I'm so excited about this year's institute. I wish I was able to attend. The line-up is amazing and a whole two weeks in Italy... WOW! I will say that I wouldn't trade my one week in Venice for anything, though. I still find myself talking to people about that trip. I learned so much there and had the pleasure of learning even more in Lisa's course at SDSU. The experience opened my eyes to another world in many ways. I learned about mediation in both a domestic and an international sense. Not to mention the ways it could be applied to interpersonal communication!

(I took this picture the night we had dinner in Venice)

And of course I can't forget the fact that I was in Venice, Italy! I had to pinch myself several times just to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I soaked in every second I could and I hope anyone attending this or future summer institutes will do the same: the training, the culture, the friendships. I can only hope to have the opportunity to attend another summer institute in the future.

To all those in Italy now, take care and have fun! Just keep your mind open and you will learn more than you ever imagined!

first day of class

we have finally made it to rimini, italy! most of us travelled to other parts of italy (i have visited bologna and rome thus far) before we got here and have seen the most beautiful places and have eaten the most amazing food and wine! it is warm and sunny today which was a contrast to what it was yesterday (rainy and windy). everyone made it class on time (well, it is the first day!) and lisa and steve are already doing an amazing job. luca, of course, is comfortably settled in his beloved home of italy and will be officially the tour guide later this afternoon. i will be leaving the hotel shortly to walk around the piazza to look for places such as laundry, pharmacy, supermarkets and a place to watch the soccer game tonight (italy vs. netherlands). it is going to be quite an experience- to watch the passion of the italian soccer fans, so we better be rooting for them tonight!!! buona giornata!
clair @ ncrc

At the Hotel!!!!

Salve, I just got here at the hotel... :) I am feeling really tried... Well, I had the chance to stay 1 day in Bologna and I found the city really cute... but I didn't have the time to explore more because when I got there the only thing I wanted was sleep! :) So.. I woke up this morning and here I am with internet writing this blog in my room! God bless we have internet wireless! One of the funny things that happened while I was traveling by train.. is that I couldn't help but bring a pretty heavy suitcase... I have just one ... but when is that heavy is difficult to get around at the train station. I guess I knew how difficult would be because I had prior experience in Paris where I notice that no one helped me. So... today.. I didn't expect anyone to help me with the suitcase up the stairs... but I was laughing at me because I made this to myself. :) So... every person at the train station was just saying... " Pesado han" and in my mind I said " Yeah... I deserve it" :) I wish they had some elevators or even an escalator would help much more! :) Welcome to Rimini! Ciao DaNNa Carter

Waking up in San Diego and going to bed in Italy!!!

Ha albeggiato appena su me che parto in meno di 48 ore a Italia!!! Ho un giorno pieno di lavoro @ il tomororow di NCRC ed incontra la mia famiglia per la cena e poi il pacco; leggermente! È duro per immaginare che sveglierò in San Diego ed intendo dormire in Italia l'indomani~ non vedo l'ora di il divertimento e l'eccitazione che attende me quando prendo lí =)

Translation: It just dawned on me that I'm leaving in less than 48 hours to Italy!!! I have a full day of work @ NCRC tomororow and then I'm meeting up with my family for dinner and then pack; lightly! It's hard to imagine that I'm going to wake up in San Diego and go to sleep in Italy the next day~ I'm looking forward to the fun and excitement that awaits me when I get there =)