Kayaking the Hudson River!

This Saturday we went kayaking on the Hudson River. How amazing does that sound? Almost all of us went and, even though I hadn’t gotten very much sleep the nights before (I went to NYC really early Friday morning to do some interviews and I had been studying late all week) I was very excited about the adventure we had ahead of us. Tired but happy we went to buy some picnic and then we headed to the activity center where we were picked up by a jolly and humorous bus driver.

The bus drive took approximately fifty minutes and I enjoyed the scenery that whizzed past us outside the window. When we arrived at the Hudson River we realized that the weather conditions were a bit rougher than usual. Our kayaking instructor informed us that they had decided to change the route due to heavy gusts of wind out on the river. We got some quick instructions and then we put on our life vests and we each grabbed a paddle. The sun shined encouraging and we were not too worried about the wind even though the waves were a bit unruly…

We paddled for about forty, sometimes though, but mostly great and enjoyable, minutes until we reached a lake or what looked like a big lagoon. It was surrounded by the most magnificent mountain face, which together with the willows contributed to an incredibly peaceful and beautiful view. We stayed there for almost an hour, just floating around, enjoying the sun and taking pictures. After that we returned – this time with the wind on our side, gently brining us forward. Our way back was a Sunday stroll in comparison to our first struggles and it went a lot faster!

When we got back we were starving to the point where we ran to get our bagels as soon as we sat foot on land. We ate all of our food in no time and when the bus arrived we were quite happy to find our seats and lean back. No need to say, I fell fast asleep on our way home, with Stephanie on my shoulder.

P.S. I would definitely recommend this trip to other students! It is a fun way to explore the areas surrounding New Paltz without spending all of your money!

Talk to you later!

/Fanny

To learn or not to learn?

“The beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”

– Plato

 

IMG_3129This quote is one of my favorite quotes, because it really describes the uniqueness of every individual person. It describes how sincerely different an interpretation can be from one human being to another and how something nice can be perceived as something completely different.

The other day, when a friend drove me home in her car after dance class, she asked me how I ended up in New Paltz, “one of the smallest and most boring towns in New York State”. I explained to her that I had first made up my mind and wanted to go to Paris, but when this opportunity with IIB came up, I had to go to the US. I just HAD to study in New Paltz and then do an internship in New York City, the city of my dreams. She was so surprised, how could I appreciate New Paltz and New York over Paris? The capital of fashion with amazing art and history? For me, the choice
was easy it was the opportunity of my life, for her it was not even understandable.

11846593_10153496527086638_1537584381570377312_n

Photographer: Johanna Bjornback

We are now starting our fifth week in New Paltz (gosh these weeks have passed fast) and I have learned so much more than I thought I would have, and now I’m not talking about what I’ve learned in school even though that is a lot. Living with 18 persons from 4 different countries is so different from what I thought it would be. Our cultures are so different. We have different values, we show appreciation in different ways and we appreciate different things. What I might see as extraordinary might someone else see as something casual, what I find tastes good might in other peoples measures be the most amazing dish they have ever tasted. But the most important thing is: There are so many things to learn and there are so much to experience!

My roommate, the very best Federica, has taught me “Italian sign language” and it’s really impressive! “What is this?” you might ask, well Italians have all kind of different signs they use as a compliment to verbal communication. They have a sign for “get it over with”, for “I told you so” and for “I don’t care” just to mention a few. I have also come to understand the importance of body contact and hugs for the Mexicans, something that is not that common in Sweden. And from the Germans I have learned how similar our two countries and mostly how similar our two languages are!! I was surprised when I learned this. For example craftsman is “hantverkare” in Swedish and “heimwerkerin” in German. The ascension is “kristi himmelfahrt” in German and “kristihimmelfärd” in Swedish.IMG_3119 But most of all, I have learned the value of how to appreciate each other and their cultures and how different, and dull most certainly, my experiences would be without them.
If I would be given a second chance to answer my friends question in the car, I would say: “Because of all the amazing people I get to meet here, they are truly the ones that makes this trip, New Paltz and then the future in New York City an amazing experience.”

The birthday girl!

Hello folks!

It seems like yesterday that I landed in New York, full of hopes and excited to start this new and breathtaking experience…. But time goes by and it goes so fast.

The first month in New Paltz is over and just another one left to go… Then we’ll move to the “City”, where every dream can come true, no matter how big it is!

Many things have happened these past 30 days and among the craziness of a brand new life I had the chance to meet fascinating and surprising people and spend some valuable time with them.

Less than a week ago, it was my 25th Birthday and I decided to celebrate it in class, simply by eating a piece of cake with my international mates and asking everybody to wear some beautiful “Happy Birthday” crowns as a reminder of this busy but still important day! That seemed enough for me, though.

So, after a long day spent attending my courses at the University, I headed back home by walking. After a few steps, I started feeling overwhelmed by the circumstances… I was so tired, had no chance to hear from my parents and friends in Italy the all day, and missed home so badly.

I was deep in my thoughts when I arrived at the motel and approached to enter my room… It was closed from the inside… :-/

I imagined that my roomie was in there, maybe sleeping and didn’t want to be bothered…. But then, someone came to open the door and…

SURPRISE!!!!

My crazy, fabulous, sweet like sugar and affectionate Italian girls had prepared an amazing intimate party in my honor.
My room was dark and lighted just by tens of candles strewn all over the place…. Chocolate cupcakes on my desk… Random pictures of my life posted above my bed on the wall… and beautiful, stunning roses sent from Italy by my boyfriend!

I was the birthday girl.

And I felt home again.

Thank you all for making my birthday so memorable!

Hugs and Kisses.
Gaia.

One Pic, a Thousand Memories

Pics, Pics, and more Pics!

It is said that a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Then, is a memory worth more than a thousand pictures?

One Pic, a Thousand Memories

I might be a bit behind technology and connectivity, I admit it. But last Saturday something happened to me that let me thinking.

After an incredible ski trip to Hunter Mountain, I skyped with a friend I used to ride with to tell him the amazing day I had. His first question wasn’t about how I did, if I enjoyed or anything related. His first question was, and I quote, “Did you take a lot of pictures?”.

This single question rang a bell in my mind. Not because I had only taken one picture of the whole day, but mainly because I’ve never stop to think about how much material we “share” with everyone in the social networks.

Could it be that for some people it became more important what you can show of what you did than actually having the great experience of living it?

I guess is quite ironic to ask this in a post in an on-line blog, isn’t it?

We will wake up and realize we were making memories

Proud

Proud

Today I woke up to the sound of snow. When I looked at the window everything was white. I could´t help but think “I´m very grateful and happy for being here”. It was one of those little unforgettable moments that I can´t understand why some people take for granted. I lived in Canada during High school so of course I had seen a lot of snow before, since we don´t have any in México, but this was different. I realized that I am surrounded by new people, people who are my family now. So all I can think now is this moment, and this people will be in my life forever. Just because I want them to be.

Quote of the day: “Be careful who you make memories with. Those things can last a lifetime.“

P.S: Since there were no classes today, my friends and I decided to make a snowman. Here are some pictures I took with my phone. It was so fun!

Snowman

Snowman

Building Snowman

Building Snowman

 

Dining Hall meeting

Dining Hall food Dining Hall food

image

The Dining Hall meeting is one of the best moment of the week. And this is about more than really good food..

For us is a way to chill out a little bit, close our agenda for a while and stay all together. Every week is the same story: the same table, the same crew…and of course, Giulia’s plate is always the biggest one!

Dining Hall food

Culinary Experience!

Last weekend we had the opportunity to visit The Culinary Institute of America, it is a culinary college located in Hyde Park founded in 1946.

Besides the impressive infrastructure they have and the fact of being one of the most privileged gastronomy institutions, the university has four restaurants that are attended by the students themselves.

This time we had the opportunity to visit the Bocuse restaurant, named in honor of the famous chef Paul Bocuse, famous for its excellent cuisine and innovative dishes.

If you love good food you should definitely visit this place and try their unique dishes.
A good place to visit while in New Paltz!

24/7 at New Paltz

When you’re an international student you’re always looking for information about the place where you’re going to and I’m not an exception. New Paltz Village is one of the most welcoming places I’ve experienced in my life, it offers many cool and interesting locations to visit while being here. These are my suggestions:

Day:

  • Cafeteria Coffee House. This café offers a great experience and atmosphere, if you want a place where you can enjoy a good book or just listen to a great range of music, this is the place. Cafeteria Coffee House
  • Bacchus Restaurant. This place is amazing when you want to spend some quality time with your friends and family. Bacchus offers you a great and varied menu ranging from vegan food to some American classics such as their Bacchus Burger  . Bacchus Restaurant

Night:

  • P&G’S, if you want to have a great dinner, dance and have some drinks, this is the place to be. You will never leave P&G’S without a smile . P&G’s
  • McGillicuddy’s Restaurant & Tap House, is an Irish Pub where you can find Irish and American cuisine. If you are a big fan of beer, McGillicuddy offers a wide list to choose from. McGillicuddy’s Restaurant

NEW PALTZ

Baby it´s cold outside!

My first week in New Paltz has been an experience.

Before I came to New Paltz everybody was saying that it was going to be really cold but I never imagined it could feel so cold, especially when in Mexico the weather is so nice.

We already reached a week in New Paltz and it’s a small city with many interesting things. I love all the restaurants and pubs, but most of all the people, they are so friendly, feels like home!

 

photo (1)