Relax

A standard-issue track is 400 meters around, which roughly equates to four laps per mile. Anyone who has ever raced this distance knows that each of these four laps have a character all their own. The first lap feels easy-breezy due to the adrenaline and excitement of racing, and the second lap is a lesson in getting comfortable with the pace. The third lap, though, is always where the wheels fall off. Rounding the corner and exherting yourself into the fatigue and onset lactic acids, combined with the realization that you have to run both of those laps again — except now you're tired —sends cracks through your mental game.

The same could be said about the third quarter of basketball. A recent statistic pointed out that the Golden State Warriors were such a dominant team last season because they outscored their opponents precisely at the most exhausting point of the game (those twelve minutes after halftime). 

All this is to say that this past week was the third lap in our Ferrara mile. 

Our programs are active, all-encompassing, and fully involved. To use another basketball analogy, we go hard in the paint here at CIEE. While most of their friends are back home working lifeguard jobs or sleeping in until noon, our students are up early taking morning classes, participating in enrichment activities in the afternoon, and eating full dinners with their host families into the evening. Combine this with the element of living in another country and being constantly challenged by the language barrier, and you can understand why some days are easier than others for our teens. Also, it's hot in the summer, and unlike in the States, air conditioning isn't omnipresent in Italy.

To combat the natural challenges of the third quarter of our month abroad, we took the ragazzi out to a nearby lake this Saturday to soak up the sun and relax. Chill. Kick the feet up and breathe in the fresh air of the Emilia-Romagna countryside.  

With a lake comes water, and with water come kayaks. With the help of Marcello, the Italian world champion in rowing last year, we were set up with our own boats, paddles, and life vests. Some of our students had never been kayaking before, but it didn't stop them from diving nose-first into the water and giving it a go. 

Kayaking, we discovered, is one of those activities that gets better the more you relax. If you're stressed and tense, the water will fight you. Your arms will hurt. Your core will burn. So you have to take it easy. Relax. That was the theme of the day, after all. 

Kateland spends a lot of time on the lake back home. She knows how to embrace the easy-going nature of a mild current. Our loop was roughly a mile around, which was just far enough to get our bearings and feel the benefit of a nice workout. 

With a quick rinse off, it was time for a well-earned lunch together. The lake brought a breeze that kept us all cool as we ate pasta and caprese. Time at the table is sacred in this country, and our students have taken note in their reflection journals on the importance of eating together. It was neat to see that idea practiced this Saturday.

During our free time between lunch and the afternoon activities, the students bundled into groups and took in the day. Some got ice cream. Olivia found a nice bench that faced the lake and sketched. A bigger group laughed together at a picnic table. The energy was positive this weekend; I get the sense they are beginning to see the finish line.

Beach volley was a hit, too. I jumped in for the last game (who said there's no room for Program Leaders in the activities?!). My team lost, but it didn't matter. 

Our final activity of the day was tiro con l'arco. I spent six years as an archery instructor at a summer camp back in Colorado, so it was nice to put some arrows on target again. Much like kayaking, many of our students had never shot a bow before. I was impressed with their skill on the range.

Shoutout to Malak here for her excellent form, as well as Caden and Matteo for hitting multiple bullseyes in one session. 

This photo of Nathan says it all, really. A beautiful summer day in the countryside, with vineyards as a backdrop, learning a new skill and enjoying the fruits of living outside the comfort zone. I'm very proud of this group, and this weekend was a testament to their tenacity and willingness to keep bringing their best attitude to the table every day. 

I mean, you can practically hear Izzy's laugh. What a good day! 

It's now Monday morning and the group is back in Italian class. We're in our last week, which brings with it all the bittersweet aromas of the end of the voyage. Like I said prior, though, we're full throttle until the end. There's still a lot of running left yet!