Most of our students and staff arrived at the airport in Rome last Saturday. They were greeted by other staff members then rode our buses to Lanciano. Other families made the journey to Lanciano on their own - some traveled quite a distance!
Our orientation started that evening with a welcome dinner prepared by Chef Speranza. We then went on a short walk followed by a tour of the school. For most, it was a long day of travel, so it was straight to bed after a safety meeting in residence and a bit of unpacking.
On Sunday morning, we had a longer tour of Lanciano where students learned about some of the rich history and culture of the town. After lunch, we headed to the coast to cool off in the Adriatic. Beach days are common during the summer program, as we try to go to the sea at least twice a week.
We visited our friends Johnny and Nico at their agriturismo Sunday evening. Agriturismi are working farms that operate as B&Bs and restaurants. Nico gave us a tour of the farm, highlighting some of their organic practices, and spoke about how the family home had been occupied by the Germans during WWII. We then had a tasting of the food grown and produced on the land.
Overall, it's been a great start to the program!
Photo credits: Clark Adams