Kristen: La studentessa pigra – the lazy student (but don’t be fooled!) Guest Post about Lucca

Sono contenta di presentarvi la mia amica Kristen che
scrive anche un blog in italiano per fare pratica della
lingua. Alcuni anni fa ha studiato a
Lucca Italian School in Toscana per un mese.

Forse vi ricorderete che il prossimo giugno (1-12) Sto mettendo insieme una vacanza d’immersione linguistica con Lucca Italian School. Durante la nostra settimana insieme avremo un’esperienza unica per studiare ed esplorare la cultura italiana e avremo l’opportunità di conoscere questa splendida città murata meglio. 

Kristen abita in California sud e io abito in California nord. Per mettere questo in termini che gli italiani potrebbero capire, è come se lei vivesse in Puglia e io vivessi in Liguria. Nonostante la distanza lontana, ci parliamo spesso su Facebook e recentemente abbiamo cominciato a giocare a Angry Words in Italiano. Non fatevi ingannare dalla sua affermazione che lei è una studentessa pigra. Infatti nel gioco, spesso mi sconfigge! La sua passione per la lingua profondo e e spero un giorno che possiamo viaggiare in Italia insieme.

I am happy to introduce to you my friend Kristen who also write a blog in Italian to practice her language skills. A couple of years ago she studied at Lucca Italian School in Tuscany for a month. Perhaps you recall that next June (1-12) I am putting together a language immersion vacation with Lucca Italian School. During our week together we will have a unique experience to study and explore Italian culture and we will have the opportunity to get to know this beautiful walled city better.  Kristen lives in southern California and I live in northern California. To put this in terms that Italians might understand, it is as if she lived in Puglia and I lived in Liguria. Despite the distance, we speak often on Facebook, and recently we have begun to play Angry Words in Italian. Don’t be fooled by her claim that she is a lazy student. In fact, she often beats me in the game! Her enthusiasm for the Italian language is deep and I hope that someday we can travel to Italy together.

Ecco le parole di Kristen!

Sono Kristen “la studentessa pigra”. Dico pigra perché rispetto a Melissa “la studentessa matta” io non sono dedicata ai miei studi come lei. Nonostante ciò, nel 2012 questo non mi ha impedito di andare in Italia dove studiavo alla Lucca Italian School per un mese. Ho frequentato lezioni d’italiano quasi tutte le mattine e ho esplorato Lucca nel pomeriggio. Gli insegnanti erano ottimi padroni di casa nella loro città magica. Le lezioni erano divertenti e hanno trovato il livello giusto per sfidare questa studentessa pigra. Per me è stato un misto perfetto di studio e di vacanza. La mia insegnante mi ha fatto conoscere alcuni dei famosi negozi e gli altri ho scoperto da sola. Vorrei condividere con voi alcuni dei miei luoghi preferiti a Lucca. Inoltre, mi permettete di essere pigra e continuare in inglese.

It might be fair to say that I miss Le Mura the most. I walked or biked here every day. The Renaissance-era wall encircles “il centro storico” and is 4 km, or 2.5 miles, in length.

Early morning on La Pasquetta I climbed the Torre Guinigi and was rewarded with spectacular views. At one point I was even alone atop the tower with the trees. It felt like my secret garden.

A day without a visit to La Pupporona was just not complete. Rumor has it that the water from the side spigots is better, but not everyone agrees. I’ll let you decide when you join Melissa on this fabulous trip. If I wasn’t going to the lady to fill my water bottles I was walking through this piazza on my way to my favorite pizza shop.

Piazza da Felice. For several weeks I thought this was “happy pizza” because it certainly made me happy! This is the oldest pizza establishment in Lucca. Be sure to try the cecina pizza. Did you know they could make pizza from chickpeas? It was really good.

Some will say that Gelateria Veneta has the best gelato in Lucca and it was certainly excellent but when I was out searching for my favorite flavor, cioccolato arancia, I discovered Gelateria Il Pinguino and made that my go-to gelato parlor. It is on Piazza Napoleano (or Piazza Grande as the locals call it) and is great for people watching.

Also great for people watching is Piazza San Michele. I understand the Studentessa Matta group will be staying at the Hotel Puccini, “a pochi passi” from San Michelle. I walked by this charming hotel every day as my apartment was very close on Via del Toro. The last night I spent sitting in the piazza with a nice couple who were staying at this hotel and they loved it.

Italians buy bread daily so my morning rounds involved stopping at Giusti Panificio on Via Santa Lucia. It’s right behind Piazza San Michele but I was always getting lost trying to remember where it was.

If you make your way over to Piazza del Carmine you will find the exquisite Pasticceria Buralli, but truth be told Lucca has no shortage of shops for the “buongustaio”. This is a temptation you will face daily, particularly as you pass the sumptuous chocolate offered at Caniparoli on your way to the Lucca Italian School.

My memories of Lucca are still vivid in my mind. I see that there will be a full moon at the end of the Matta trip (June 12) so be sure to make that final trip on Le Mura and snap some fantastic memories.

Grazie Kristen. Che bei ricordi! Se volete venire con me e gli insegnanti di Lucca Italian School potete leggere più qui! Vi aspettiamo!!!

To see more pictures of lovely Lucca check out this site “Lucca in uno scatto“