When in Italy, do as the Italians do.
The SAIS Bologna experience is anchored in the classroom. It is fundamentally an academic program.
But as we've written
before, the learning experience extends beyond the classroom walls. There are lectures, job opportunities, exposure to different points of view and of course the attractions of Bologna, the surrounding region and neighboring countries.
Last weekend, many SAIS Bologna students took advantage of the proximity of Venice to participate in the annual Carnevale. It's difficult to find a more colorful tradition among Italy's many rituals.
Started some 900 years ago, Carnival marks the shift from winter to spring. It traditionally lasted from October to Lent and had an important social function: to bring together different social classes. It was a time when rich and poor could mingle freely thanks to the masks on their faces. Today, it is a time to celebrate Venetian culture, to mark the beginning of Lent and of course to dress up.
Our students' photographs have been among our most popular posts since we launched this blog in December. It's little use, then, my continuing to write about Carnevale as these pictures are worth far more than my words.
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| By Megan Holt |
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| by Elizabeth Fustos |
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by Megan Holt
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| by Elizabeth Fustos |
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by Megan Holt
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| by Rachel Salerno |
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by Megan Holt
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| by Courtney McCarty |
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| by Megan Holt |
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| by Courtney McCarty |
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| by Courtney McCarty |
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| by Rachel Salerno |
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| by Lars Olson |
Nelson Graves
