Grazie!

A seven-hour flight, three-hour layover, three gate changes and a forty-five minute flight later we made it! Most of us were unprepared for the 75 degree weather that greeted us, but no one complained. Our quarters are perfect - beautiful views of the water and brand new amenities. We're still trying to figure out how to fix the 5 minute maximum of hot water though ....

Our first day started out strong. We walked to the University of Cagliari and met with the professors and students there. There were also students from the University of Padua around for the weekend. We had a day of ice breakers and a couple lectures on waste water management. To finish off our first full day, we were treated to a 13-course dinner at one of Cagliari's finest restaurants. 

Thankfully, we were able to sleep in the next day! Unfortunately, it did not make too much of a difference because most of us were not able to go to sleep until around three in the morning. But lazy mornings are wonderful, and that's what we had. In the afternoon we were invited to go to a beach house in Geremeas that belongs to the professor from the University of Padua. We had a little time at the beach and then a delicious cookout with a bit too much wine and beer.

And today we were tourists! We visited a few Nuragic complexes, which required quite a bit of squeezing through caves and some claustrophobic moments. Next we went to Parco della Giara where we spotted some cavallini. Cavallini are wild horses that can only be found in Sardinia. There are only 700 of them, which encompasses the last wild horse species in Europe. It was a long but wonderful day of exploring.

We still have not started the school portion of the trip just yet. Tomorrow that adventure will begin ...

Audriana