June 1 2017

Wow, I really can't believe it is already June. It still feels like yesterday that I arrived in Ragusa. This period is defiantly a mixture of excitement to go home, and random realizations of the little time I have left. I try not to think about the numbers, but tomorrow I leave for a rugby tournament in Lombardia for 4, days, when I get back I have 7 days before going on Eurotour, then I have 17 days of exploring Europe before returning for my last 4 days in Ragusa. In the end it all adds up to 32 days before I set foot in Minneapolis.

For now lets talk about what has been happening!

Thursday the 23rd one of the Brazilian exchange students, Ana who has been living in Siracusa, came down to Ragusa to visit. Whenever someone visits we have my favorite lunch of typical Scaccia and focaccia from Ragusa.

We walked did a little tour of the neighborhood and walked to the cute little train station.

Ragusa!

We then met Natasa and went with her for moral support when she got a tattoo! My second time accompanying a friend to the tattoo parlar this year. 

We then met my friend Francesco (Giogio's godson), and headed down to Ragusa Ibla for the festival of San Giorgio. It's one of the most important festivals in Ragusa because San Giogio is one of the Patron saints.

I've probably posted this picture a million times, but even after 9 month the view never stops being beautiful.

The colored houses.

The start of the procession.

The small sicilian streets.

In this last period I've started to try and take even more pictures.

The start of sunset.

For the procession, the Arca santa ( the box with some remains of San Giorgio) and a statue of San Giorgio are taken from Duomo San Giorgio and taken to the Church Anime Sante Del Purgatorio. 

The Arca Santa is take into the church in a very particular way. Two lines of people all hold hands and at the end a few carry the arca santa. They then all run, and use the momentum to get the statue up the stairs and into the church where it will remain for the next two years until the next festival.

The statue then goes in the same way but then comes back out to continue the procession. This tradition is very typical of the south, because in the north it is considered very uncultured to disturb and parade the saints around.

Coming back up to Ragusa.

I'm going to miss the views.

Unfortunately Natasa had to leave earlier, and it was Francesco, Ana and I for the rest of the time.

Confetti, flags, and sparklers!

The next day Ana, and I took the bus to visit Modica. This is part of Ragusa Ibla. 

Modica is only about half a hour away by bus. 

One of the best things about Modica is the chocolate. It is made solely with cocoa and sugar, so there is no cream. It is kind of grainy and chalky but in a really good way. All the stores sell it and have a ton of free samples! 

The view.

The cathedral.

Modica.

 Giogio and Pino picked us up from the bus station in Ragusa, and we headed to the marina di Ragusa house to eat the left over scaccia and focaccia for lunch.

Ana and I took a quick little walk around the beach before catching the bus again to head back to Ragusa to rest for a bit.

For me, diciotessimo season has been over for a while and I think the last on I went to was Anna's in December. Unfortunately just after that, I got a package from my amazing grandma with a new dress! After a long wait I finally had a diciotessimo to wear it too! 

It was for Martina! My next door neighbor and really good friend.

Sunday morning, we woke up early after getting home late to go to Enna for the last district meetting. We got to me the Outbounds and unfortunately I had to say goodbye to my friends that aren't coming on Eurotour. 

Sunday night the was the last night of the San Giorgio Festival. Walking tot the bus station (for festivals the city sets up little free buses between Ragusa and Ibla)  I saw some fireworks from the bridge.

Ibla was more beautiful than I have ever seen it, full of lights and people.

Tunnel of lights leading to Piazza Duomo.

We even got some cotton candy!

The best part was the light and fireworks show accompanied by intense music centered around the church. I never wanted it to end.

Tuesday Andrea was in town (unfortunately we didn't see her when we went to Modica) and we went to the mall to do a little summer shopping before urotour.

As I was dropping Andrea off at the bus station, Natasa got off the bus! 

My host dad often gets very generous gifts from his patients, and Tuesday night he was given a platter of stuffed squid. We invited Zia Graziella, Zio Aldo, and Anna up for dinner to help us eat it.