Final project visit: Italy, 7 - 13 February 2019

A short introduction

The past two years of our school's Erasmus+ project, "Work in Progress - Students Managing Public Relations Projects" have gone by surprisingly fast, and the final project visit was at hand on 7 February. Castelfiorentino (in Tuscan region, Italy) was the destination of yours truly, my co-coordinator Ms Saara Haapalainen and three 2nd-year students at Vammalan lukio. 

7 February

It was a  lovely winter's day, not very cold and snowy. Just like ... Well, the past couple of days, which meant that [/sarcasm on] the National Railway system had issues with this unexpected natural phenomenon called winter [/sarcasm off] - the train we were supposed to take from Vammala to Helsinki airport was late from the get-go. So, just in case we opted for a last-minute taxi transport instead. That was a good choice as the train continued to fall even more behind on the schedule.

Anyhow, we got to Helsinki-Vantaa airport on time. Just to discover that our flight to Frankfurt was delayed due to some issues with boarding. When we finally got airborne, we were so late that we knew there'd be problems with the connecting flight from Frankfurt. And yes, there was a problem: by the time we landed and were taxing towards the terminal, the flight to Florence was already boarding. Luckily, German efficiency came into picture: there was a bus waiting for us on the runway, ready to take us to the gate. So, not only did we make it but our luggage did too, as we were happy to discover when arriving in Florence a couple of hours later. Nice work!

Having lunch at the airport - Erasmus is buying, which explains the smiles.

We had some time to kill as we, Germans and Scots were to take the same bus to Castelfiorentino after the Scots were due to arrive 90 minutes later. And there's no better way to kill time in Italy than eat something. So that was exactly what we did, at a pretty nice restaurant at the airport. Our German friends joined us half an hour later so we didn't have the luxury of gorging quietly as we Finns oft... sometimes tend to do. But it was nice meeting Katharina and Stefan, of course. And later on, Gerry and Kirsteen, our colleagues from Scotland. Oh yeah, and the students too.

Team Germany

A respectable looking busdriver (he looked like a sea captain who's also someone's grandfather) took us to Istituto Enriques (our host school, a short version of the school's actual name that no one, probably including the Italians, really remembers) in Castelfiorentino where Fulvia, one of the English teachers at Enriques, was waiting for us with most of the hosting Italian students and their parents. "Most" because some of them arrived a bit later, giving us the chance to wait around in surprisingly cold Tuscan night air. Well, eventually every student got paired with an Italian counterpart and we teachers headed back to Plaza Gramsci where everyone else went to Hotel Lami, apart from yours truly and Saara. We were staying at an Air B an' B apartment, and the owner (accompanied by Fulvia as the translator) took us to the apartment which was just a couple of blocks away from the main square. It was a pretty modern apartment complex where we had a two bedroom apartment on the third floor. It seemed quite nice with a large bathroom and a well-equipped kitchen, so we were happy to hit the sack knowing that we'd get more than just the standard Italian breakfast the hotel offered. You see, it's not that I don't like coffee and biscuits, but that's DESSERT - a tip to all south Europeans. The bed was nice and firm, albeit a bit short, but that was to be expected. And since it was pretty recently built, the apartment had proper heating which was much appreciated. Nice.

8 February

First full day in Castelfiorentino, yeah baby! I and Saara had time to have breasfast at the apartment (the upside of waking an hour too early is that it allows you to get bread and coffee at the pasticcheria on the corner while your sleepy colleague is still a zombie) before heading to Enriques. There we met the students who had enjoyed the first night, though not the first breakfast maybe that much: cappuccino with a chocolate biscuit is not that well-known option for brekkie in Finland. We were welcomed to the school and Castelfiorentino by the local coordinator Andrea and had a warm reunion with the Erasmus teachers from Estonia who had arrived early the previous day. Of course, some ol' Italian chums from previous project visits, for instance Fulvia, Daniela and Gianluca, who shares my taste in some of the best things Tuscany has to offer (football and trippa, of which more will follow), popped by the say hello.

We had a tour of the school after that, and while I had been to Enriques twice before, this time I was indeed surprised as the students guiding us showed us the artsy part of the curriculum they were taking. The designs for posters and table calendars looked very nice indeed - especially the one designed by the Italian guy I personally would've deemed an unlikely option for a person with a love of abstract art. Serves me right to have been wrong - never judge a book by its cover!

A word to the wise at Enriques - we certainly weren't foolish there.

Posters made by Italian students.

The highlight of the first day at school was still, as was to be expected, the lunch. Madonna, what a treat: appetizers, ragu bianca alla penne, beef fillet served with contorni of cooked spinach; and millefoglie to top it off. And wines to match - compliments especially to the first Chianti for matching the ragu perfectly and to the Asti served with the dolci (just a perfect combination of sweetness and light-heartedness)!! Goddamn if I'll ever, EVER be able to have lunch at our school cafeteria after this: it's not that I dont't like graded carrots and potatoes that are a bit on the rubbery side but ... Yeah, let me just stop here.

The menu.

The gentlemen responsible for the lunch - bravissimo!

The weather outside had turned warm and sunny after the light drizzle of rain in the morning, so it was a pleasure to hit the town. Guided by Roberto (another Erasnuz veteran who had recovered quite nicely from his terrifying experience with minus 20 degree weather in Finland the year before), we first strolled to the local museum displaying frescos by Benezzo Gozzoli. There we were delighted to meet Nadia who had coordinated Comenius back in 2010 when yours truly started at Vammalan lukio and first entered this world of European cooperation. Nadis is nowadays retired but, according to herself, she is now busier than ever (note to self: try to avoid a similar problem via whatever means necessary. She had just popped by the say hello, which was nice, and we agreed to get together later during our stay. The guided tour around the small two-storey museum was comprehensive, the frescos still looked beautiful as ever (I had been there before) and the guide was so genuinely pleased when I complimented her English, that the entire experience was very, very rewarding indeed. As was the trek up the hill to the lookout point: the weather was so bright and clear that you could see all the way to San Cimignano! It was the perfect spot for taking pictures, including the first group picture of Team Erasmus - the Friendly Barbarians at the Gates.

Sunshine, students and San Gimignano somewhere in the background.

The evening was rounded off (well, in between I and Saara did some breakfast and personal shopping) with a dinner at L'Angolo. I wasn't planning on having antipasto but got talked into it by Stefan, the German teacher - and didn't feel sorry at all afterwards as the dish was a tower of crostini, bruschetta, cold cuts and cheese served for two. Stefan managed a quarter of his pizza after this and I was kind of happy I had chosen a lighter option (seafood risotto) as primi. Then, at the end of the meal, I allowed myself to be talked into having a dessert (this time by Gerry). I suppose there's something about me that indicates I'm an easy "mark" when it comes to food ... It was around midnight by the time I was finally back at the apartment and hit the sack, but heck, every minute had been worth it!

A wee starter.

9 February

Today morning we took the morning train to Florence for a tour of the city. Fulvia and Gianluca guided us from the main station and Piazza di Santa Maria de Novella past the river to the Basilica ... This basilica had originally been a church for poor people (this side of the river was the poorer part of the city), which showed on the outside which was very plain indeed. Inside ... A whole different ballgame. Unfortunately, taking pictures was not allowed, but trust me when I tell you that it most certainly did not lose in appeal to any of the more prestigious-looking churches I've been to. 

From there we strolled to Palazzo Pitti where we had a combined toilet/coffee break (both very much the norm when travelling with Mrs Haapalainen) and continued to Ponte Vecchio, which was as impressive as ever. The sun had chosen to pop in for a visit too, which meant that the streets suddenly got very crowded - even stuffed with people by the time we got to Palazzo Vecchio. Visiting the palace - or the Uffizzi gallery or any of the better-known tourist attractions - would've been quite impossible, so luckily we hadn't even planned on doing that. After reaching the Duomo square, it was time to release the students (or us, depending on your POV) who continued independently with their hosts. We teachers trekked to Ristorante Natalino for a lovely lunch. Finally, trippa (which is tripe) for me - always a great treat in Tuscany.

Ponte Vecchio

Palazzo Vecchio

Duomo

At the Natalino - knowing that my trippa is coming keeps me a'smilin'!

Afterwards, most of us went our separate ways. I went to Mercato di San Lorenco to purchase some cold cuts, cotecchino and cheese (and treated myself to a wee nip afterwards, if you know what I mean) and then strolled around the city. It started to drizzle a bit, so a panino with prosciuotto before heading back to the station seemed like a better idea than walking around the city any mofe. And I managed to do quite a bit of blogging too (surprisingly much, considering that typing on a tablet is closer to torture than, say, flogging). The evening got a lovely end with yet another lovely dinner at a restaurant called "Borgo alla Vigna" in Castelfiorentino. It was indeed packed and there were several birthday parties there too. Ordering just a single course, a pizza, was a solid strategy as the food took understandably quite long to arrive.

10 February 

Sunday - the teachers' day off. It's not that we don't miss the company of our students but ... Well, I suppose there's no point lying after all: we don't. :-) We left Castelfiorentino for Montespertoli where the Museum of Holy Art was happily unaware of the approaching European hordes (sounds better and more dramatic than "8 Erasmus teachers and their two Italian hosts, doesn't it?). Before that, though, we dropped by to see whether the Mayor of Montespertoli would be at the town hall ... on Sunday - and whaddayaknow, he was! Well, that may have been organized. Anyway, he welcomed us to Tuscany and told a bit about the history of the region. 

Guess who's the Mayor?

The Museum of Holy Art was a bit further away from the town centre up a hill next to a church which used to be THE church back in the day (now rebuilt, of course). The small four-room museum contained many, many lovely pieces of Medieval art, several chalices and other religious silverware from between 12th - 18th centuries, old furniture and ecclesiastal clothing etc. etc. The highlight of the exhibition was the Madonna with Child by Philippo Lippi. The guide was very professional and thorough, which yours truly as a history teacher certainly appreciated.

I've got you, babe!

What is she thinking? Who knows.

After one museum, it made perfect sense to go to another as well as proceed from heavenly delights onto more secular ones. Which meant, in plain English, that a visit to a wine museum was in order. The Montespertoli Museum of Wine contained photos, documentd, equipment, info sheets and pictures, old bottles etc. etc. basically anything you could have hoped to see when wanting to learn more about the modern (19th century onwards) history of winemaking in Chianti region. Our tour guide works as a researcher at the University of Florence, so I deem it's safe to claim that she knew a helluva lot about wine. Each of our questions (mostly from yours truly, as the field of alcoholic beverages interests me) was answered in a very comprehensive and detailed way. Luckily she accompanied us to the local restaurant called I'Licchio where we were served a "teeny tiny" tasting menu, starting with bruschetta made of local bread and topped with quality olive oil. Then pappa al pomodoro (Tuscan tomato soup made of stale bread and tomatoes), next a plateful of olives, pickled peppers and artichoke; then local cold cuts and cheeses with more bruschetta (this time with tomatoes and/or beans with cavolo nero) with more beans on the side. And everything we had was paired with different kinds of Chianti. Pure magic. 

I must've gained around 3-5 pounds on the trip - and here's one of the many reasons why.

Next, Castle Montegufoni, a former holiday place of the Acciaioli family, nowadays a place which you can rent for an upper-class holiday apartment or for parties (there was a birthday party about to take place within an hour or so when we arrived). Since we're VIPs after all, we were shown places not typically open for regular tourists, e.g. a room containing several frescos by Gino Severini which were still undergoing restauration. We toured the premises extensively and were admittedly a bit sleepy (well, I was) on the way back to Castelfiorentino. There we had the evening "off" in the sense that we were free of any organized programme to do as we pleased. Most of us gathered for a nice, quiet dinner at a local restaurant later on and called it an early night according to local standards.

La Salla delle Maschere by Gino Severini.

Statues in the cave beneath the castle.

11 February 

Back to school, although this time it wasn't for any activity directly involving us but rather to be the audience for a debate on immigration, the participants being representatives of Oxfam and the local council. Or a kind of debate ... More like a panel discussion, it seemed - eventually, as the final participants arrived fashionably late, after half an hour or more so after the whole thing had started. The panelist from the local council, Franscesca, had been a Comenius student back in the days of the first project involving Enriques, which goes to show what a stepping stone to a career in politics it was ... I suppose? Anyway, it was great to hear that she and other students taking part in the project had been keeping in touch all these years afterwards.

The panelists.

Stefan - surprise surprise - recording.

After what we had thought would be a regular coffee break had turned out to be a second breakfast / brunch with scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, bacon, juice and pie (brilliant work, Davide!) and, more importantly, after we had finished, we hopped on a bus to San Gimignano. This walled city is a beautiful example of Medieval architecture and egos: as none of the rich families could build towers taller than the tower of the ... palace (this activity being the favourite way of showing off back then), one particularly clever family built TWO instead. Luckily there were very few tourists around so the shops were mostly free of rush and restaurants too - a good thing as most of them were closed. A "light" lunch of two ham and cheese sandwiches (the slices of the famous unsalted Tuscan bread were so thick that you had to struggle to get your jaws around them for a bite) left some room for the world famous gelato served at a small ice cream parlour at Piazza della Cisterna. The combination of stracchiatella and Nutella ice cream was to die for, simply put.

The best ice cream in the world? I won't challenge that claim!

The twin towers (Torri Gemelle) - the Salvucci family knew how to piss their rivals off.

After the refreshing indulgence our Italian hosts had planned a shortish tour of the city in three small groups. I really don't know why, but I and Saara volunteered to guide one group with the hell of a handout detailing the route and sights along it. Only later did it dawn on me that guiding a group consisting mostly of Italian students on their hometurf while not knowing that much of the place was indeed quite ... ballsy or plain weird, either way you wish to see it. It's a good thing I'm too old to feel ashamed. The stroll from the Town Hall and Duomo down Via Matteo and onwards to Piazza Sant'Agostino (where the town's old Church of San Pietro is located), from where we followed a route going along the city walls) didn't take that long, so the students were free to wander about to the ice cream parlour afterwards. Oddly enough, though, our three Finnish students decided to get their cones only at the very moment we were supposed to head back to our bus. Rebellion or plain miscalculation in scheduling things? Anyhow, they did get their ice cream and managed to eat it during the walk downhill towards the bus parking lot, without dropping any of the precious substance along the way(which, I confess, I had kind of been waiting for as a karmic payback for having to wait for them at the parlour).

While the students went their separate ways after we got back to Enriques, we teachers had a few hours off before dinner - which would, by the way, take us back to San Gimignano. Some spent the time sleeping, others slept after doing some more miscellaneuous, quirky recording on a portable recorder they'd been using all along to document such noises as people talking and/or chewing food, doors opening etc. etc. (yes Stefan, I'm talking about you). At around eight o'clock we piled into the cars of our hosts snd drove up the curvy mountain roads to San G where "Il Feudo", a restaurant owned by one of the teachers at Enriques. And boy oh boys, were we in for a treat! We had fixed menu, a four-course dinner showcasing the best of the best Tuscany has to offer, which is a LOT when talking about food. Antipasto of local cold meats and cheese and crostini with the famous and delicious chicken liver patee; two primis (risotto with asparagus and pici, the stocky Tuscan pasta which is like bulkier and more rustic version of spaghetti, served with ragu blanco); bistecca Fiorentino with grilled vegetables and French fries; and dolci consisting of various kinds of mousse and flavoured ricotta cheese. And Asti, Vernacchia di San Gimignano, Chianti Classico, limoncello and grappa to wash everything down with. To be honest, I don't know how I made it to the secundo without stuffing myself with the risotto and pici (I once pretty much missed the secundo on an earlier Erasmus trip due to same kind of "problems"). Sheer willpower, I suppose. The Italian coordinator Andrea and his bandmate Rita had organized entertainment in the form of a couple of duets and the opportunity to sing some karaoke later. Despite all the food and drink - or maybe partially due to the latter - we had rounds of joining in singalongs of many Italian classic tunes such as "Volare" and "Olen suomalainen" (also known by the title "S'ono Italiano") - and some dancing, too. It was certainly a late night as we weren't back to the hotel/our apartment until the wee hours but worth every minute.

"Olen suomalainen!"

12 February 

Final full day in Tuscany, goddamnit! Today we started the morning by working on the podcasts with the students. After an invigorating coffee break, we had them start recording them in a small recording studio used for radio broadcasting too - thank you very much, Stefan (the German teacher) and Reggino, by the way, for acting as engineers! 

After wrapping it up, there was still time for a quick and efficient coordinators' meeting (being professionals, we get things done fast when need be) and a luxurious four-course lunch, this time with the students who got served the same food but not the same wines (remember, we are professionals and thus deserve to be treated as such). Nadia joined us for lunch and we traded some gifts: an exchange in which we won as cantuccini & chocolate beats Fazerin Sininen in my books. After finishing lunch with some espresso and chocolate, we strolled back into the auditorium: local students had prepared a show with singing, dancing and other performances which we attended. Especially the performance by one Italian girl who sang an Evanescence song stuck to my mind: damn impressice voice to boot.

Our colours.

The evening dinner plans changed a bit as the restaurant where Gianluca had booked for the evening had a gas leak in the late afternoon. Luckily we managed to reschedule at a moment's notice and trekked our way across small roads to a B & B up in the hills near Empoli. It was precisely the kind of place you'd love to visit on a nice summer day, with a beautiful view over the surrounding Tuscan landscape of olive groves and fields and with a large garden decorated with metal sculpture and hedges - practically a place screaming "Come and have a white wine spritzer here while your bambini tear through the rode bushes". The restaurant part was pretty darn nice too with a high ceiling with wooden beams and a staircase lined with metal rails going up to the rafters. This time we treated our Italian hosts to the meal (our revenge for the fact that the bill for the feast on the night before had been ridiculously small due to the owner being from Enriques) and enjoyed our meal and each other's company very much so.

13 February

"Finland, here we come", was the theme of the day as it was the day of departure back home. It was an early start as us, the German team and the Estonians all had the 10 am flight to Frankfurt and the Scots accompanied us even though their flight didn't leave till 12:45. This time there were no delays on the way to Frankfurt so we had enough time to change planes in peace (not in quiet, though, as that simply isn't an option at an airport as big as Frankfurt). There was also plenty of time to kill in Helsinki as we had opted for a later train just in case something went wrong, so going all out at a sushi buffet was the way we decided to go about it. It was in keeping with the general idea of "eat yourself into stupor" that had served so well so far during the trip. Worked this time, too. 

The train to Tampere and from there on to Vammala was late this time too - no surprises there - but luckily only around 15 minutes or so. I arrived in Tampere around 10:15 PM, tired but still very much in a good mood due to the successful (and by that I mean all the eating, good company and the fact that all the students we took with us came back in good health - always a pro in my books!) visit to ever-so-beautiful Tuscany. A BIG thank you to all the other project countries, their representatives and especially to our Italian hosts! Ciao Andrea, Daniela, Fulvia, Gianluca, Patrizia, Roberto, Rosa etc. etc. - grazie molto bene!!! Looking forward to seeing you all soon with the next Erasmus+ project, working title being "Erasmus+ - show me the money!" (very much a working title, really ...)

All pictures © Saara Haapalainen and Antti Väisänen 2019