Sardinia Thus Far

I feel like I have been here for a week already but in reality it has only been 3 days now! We arrived on Thursday afternoon and went straight to our rooms for some much needed rest. After a quick nap and unpacking we went to the local square and had pizza and wine for dinner.

Friday was a long and eventful day because that's when we first met the Italian students from both the University of Cagliari and the University of Padua. The University of Padua students took a special interest in us because they were studying their master's degree in English and they wanted to improve their language skills. The day was filled with lectures, ice breaker activities such as a debate and lunch. What I like about food here is that it always comes with wine. Something not very common in the States. Later that night we went to dinner with Professor Onnis-Hayden for probably the best meal I have had thus far in Italy. It was all-in-all 13 courses, and fish based. No wonder Sardinians live so long.

The next day, Saturday, we were invited to the beach house the Paduan students were staying at in Geremeas for the day. This has probably been my favourite activity thus far. The drive was about an hour long and well worth it. The drive was all on the coast so it was very scenic, we also saw flamingos in the lagoons. Upon our arrival to Geremeas we hit the beach straight away. The water was cold but beautiful. We played some beach tennis on the sand with Enrico and Rachele. After lunch we taught the Italians a classic American drinking game called Flip Cup. This game is hard to get through even for me. The Italians thought we were crazy after playing a few rounds. We beat them every time! But we had an amazing time with them. The house itself was stunning, every house in Geremeas was white with dark brown shutters. It almost looked like Santorini. 

Today we had an early wake up call at 9 am in order to catch the tour bus to go around the island and learn about the history of Sardinia. Our tour guide, Frederico, looks like an eclectic musician with his man bun and dark, baggy clothes. After speaking with him in my broken Spanish, I learned that he is an archeologist, journalist and part time DJ. He took us to Nuraghe Di Barumini which is an ancient ruin that was discovered by archeologists. We went into the ancient huts and military fortresses which by there build have proven the test of time. We also had lunch in a quaint restaurant with beautiful views. Then trekked for 4 miles into a forest to spot wild horses. What I loved about this activity the most is the tour guides respect and appreciation for the horses' privacy and distance. He also pinpointed all the plants and their special uses.

What I can say thus far is that I am surely falling in love with the Italian culture and the food. I have been trying to pick up some Italian. So far my favourite phrase has been "sono distrutta" because I am always so tired.