Italy Journal

Monday, December 28 Venice Italy Shopping District

     Oh my god, the clothes Yulina and I brought were so not for this trip. Because both of us think that we look like trashbags around here. Everyone walking the streets of Italy are wearing clothes that are so fashionable! For such a normal day! Well, we should have known when we learned Rome was in top ten for Top Global Fashion Capitals in 2012. We also saw everyone wearing sunglasses, which I guess was because the sun seemingly never stops shining in Italy. Right now, we're at the Venice Italy Shopping District, and it's so cool! It's basically paradise for people interested in fashion, and there are SO many shops! There are shops that sell masks, clothes, accessories, food, vegetables, and so much more!


https://www.google.com.tw/search?espv=2&biw=1464&bih=774&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=venice+italy+shopping+streets&oq=venice+italy+shopping+streets&gs_l=img.3...5358.6571.0.7002.7.7.0.0.0.0.181.650.0j4.4.0....0...1c.1.64.img..3.0.0.ZPnKFtTQp7w#imgrc=vMdMp1J8NOqX9M:
https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=italy+street+fashion&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGkeyLvPTSAhVX5mMKHedeCdAQ_AUIBigB&biw=1464&bih=774#imgrc=0WQ4FnPDchTppM:

Tuesday, December 29 Leaning Tower of Pisa

     Standing beside the Leaning Tower of Pisa is truly intimidating. It feels like the whole building could fall on you any second!
     We learned a lot of things about this tower. This tower is a church's belltower. The height is 56.67 meters on the highest side, and 55.86 meters on the lowest. There are 251 steps to the very top of the tower. Its construction started in August 1173, and ended in mid-1399. It took so long because it was interrupted several times by war. We also found it funny how Pisa got its name in 600 BC from a Greek word that meant "marshy land."

https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=leaning+tower+of+pisa&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiEruWIxPTSAhUUR48KHW3uDogQ_AUIBigB&biw=1464&bih=774#imgrc=pTZwWlmaJNqpLM:

Wednesday, December 30 

     We just celebrated Christmas in Belarus, and it was awesome! The decorations were nothing like I've seen in Taiwan, and they were beautiful! 
     We learned there are a lot more holidays, other than just Christmas. January 6 is the Epiphany. It marks the 12th and final day of Christmas. A popular tradition in Rome is the la befana, which is a witch on a broom who brings candy and coal to children in their stockings. August 15 is the day that marks the beginning of the ferragosto, a public holiday in Italy. People usually close up shops and go to places like the beach or mountains. Many Italians also go to trips before or after the holiday.


https://www.google.com.tw/search?espv=2&biw=1464&bih=774&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=italy+epiphany+holiday&oq=italy+epip&gs_l=img.1.1.0j0i24k1l5.47183.49774.0.51837.10.10.0.0.0.0.268.1175.4j4j1.9.0....0...1c.1.64.img..1.9.1173...35i39k1j0i67k1j0i5i30k1j0i8i30k1.urPdwmL_9fE#imgrc=k9uzRgb-SuBtgM:
https://www.google.com.tw/search?espv=2&biw=1464&bih=774&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=italy+ferragosto&oq=italy+ferrag&gs_l=img.1.0.0i30k1j0i5i30k1j0i8i10i30k1j0i8i30k1j0i24k1l2.93434.102454.0.106393.16.12.4.0.0.0.174.1381.1j8.9.0....0...1c.1.64.img..3.13.1391...0j35i39k1j0i67k1.lbCxiHHUCJg#imgrc=5Obp6Bd3hMSfvM:

Italy Postcard

Dear Anna,
     Anna~~ How are you doing in Hawaii? I heard you couldn't really get used to the school there. I hope you have a lot of friends by now!
     Yulina and I are in Europe right now. I'm really sorry and sad you and Ginny couldn't come, but we can go somewhere else together next time! We went around Italy today, and we're going to go to Croatia tomorrow.  
     One of the places we visited today was the Colosseum in Rome. The name "Colosseum" is from the Latin word "colosseus," meaning colossal(extremely large or great). This was in reference to the gigantic statue of Emperor Nero that was apparently 98 feet high! But it was destroyed a long time ago so we didn't get to see it. We also learned that this oval amphitheatre has an area of 24,000 square meters, with a height of 48 meters. Emperor Domitian added a gallery at the top of the Colosseum to increase the seating capacity, but that's also gone.
     I hope we can meet soon, Anna, we really miss you!!~ You should come to Taiwan and visit us someday! Yulina really wants to hear what you think about Hawaii. I'll be waiting until you come back home!
Byeee!~~ <3

                                       Love,

Hannah

https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=italy+colosseum&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzicqVufTSAhUN12MKHeMrB8wQ_AUIBigB&biw=1464&bih=774#imgrc=T-JggMKwn7pzaM:

Italy News

WHY ITALY'S ECONOMY IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE

    The Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Renzi, recently stated: "Governing the Italians is not impossible, it is merely useless." Economic reform attempts have not been reaching the hoped goals, and even the leader of the country is starting to lose hope.
    Italy's GDP has shrunken by 10% since 2007, and unemployment rates have risen from 12 to 13%. 15% of Italian industrial capacity is destroyed, and the total government debt is about € 3,885 billion. Considering that this cost is 259% of the country's annual income, it is likely that it will take decades to pay off completely.
All this damage has dramatically affected the economy - reducing employment and investment, and reducing growth potential in general.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/why-italy-s-economy-is-about-to-collapse-a7091221.html

IS THE EURO FAILING ITALY'S ECONOMY?

    Many German economists have recently started to question the value of the Euro, which the Italian government has adopted for the past 15 years. This point was first made by Clemens Fuest, who works at the Institute for Economic Research, arguing that the Euro has not risen living standards since 2002.
    Critics say that these methods of economic organization exist to help unite the European countries. However, Fuest explains that such are political matters. The economic structure and policy must be judged and looked at first. He believes many people do not notice it now, but in the future, people will start getting dissatisfied and go against the Euro. The head of Germany's Ifo Economic Institute, seems to agree with this too:
"The head of Germany's Ifo Economic Institute believes Italians will eventually want to quit the euro currency area if their standard of living does not improve."

He says that it is foolish to stay in a system if it doesn't achieve the basic standard of an economy, and hopes that citizens will become aware of this. Fuest claims that if the use of the Euro continues, Italy is doomed to an economic disaster, just like what happened to Ireland, Finland, Spain and Greece.

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2017/01/02/italy-might-leave-euro-says-leading-german-economist-probably-it-should-too/#55bd38ce5a18

5 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS NABBED IN ITALY

    Since the unexpected terrorist attack in Paris, police in Italu have been extra cautious about suspicious looking people around town.
    This morning, it was reported that five suspected members of an Islamic guerrilla group with links to Osama Bin Laden was arrested. The five men were found in Milan and are currently being held in the San Vittore prison in Milan.
    Milan prosecutor Stefano Dambruoso said that the five had connections with other terrorist groups in France , Germany, Belgium, and Britain. They are accused of trafficking in firearms and explosives, and also for producing false documents. It is suspected that the five men were believed to have planned an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Rome, but it yet to be confirmed.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=81288

Belarus Postcard

Hey Ginny!
     It's been such a long time we've seen each other. I really miss you, and I hope we can go on a trip together someday. 
     Actually, I'm in Europe right now with a friend. Yesterday, we went to Mir Castle in Belarus. We went there after we heard that it is an outstanding example of the 16-century fortification art. It's a really famous castle, and there were SO many people there! My friend and I almost got separated. Well, it is considered one of the most important tourist attractions in Belarus. The tour guide told us a three-story palace was built along the eastern and northern walls of the castle which had forty rooms. An Italian garden was made to the north of the walls, and an artificial lake was made to the south.
     I don't really remember much of what else he said(you know I have really bad memory), but I remember him saying that during the Napoleonic wars, the castle was severely damaged. But in 1981, someone called Nikolai Svyatopolk-Mirsky(I only "remember" this because my friend was taking notes) brought order to his new property. If it wasn't for that person, we wouldn't have gotten to see anything beautiful there. 
     Anyway, Ginny, I really really miss you! We need to meet~ My friend also really wants to see you. You should come to Taiwan to visit and maybe we'll give you a tour around Taiwan. I'll be waiting!
     Love you!

Love,

Hannah

https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=mir%20castle&safe=active&espv=2&rlz=1CAACAH_enTW737&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjOgbCRmfbSAhUprVQKHZIrBZEQ_AUIBigB&biw=1366&bih=655#imgrc=PNrTiVF-vlkBdM:

Belarus Journal

Thursday, December 24 Bistro de Luxe

     Yulina and I agreed on one ultimate thing during this trip: this restaurant's food was the best among all of the ones we went before this. Although it was the most expensive, the dishes from Bistro de Luxe was definitely unforgettable. We went there for breakfast, and we tried eggs benedict, which was amazing. Egg benedict is traditionally an American breakfast that consists of two halves of an English muffin that is each topped with bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. We also tried the caramelised grapefruit, which is just pieces or chips of grapefruit covered in hardened caramel. Everything that came out of the kitchen was delicious, like the oatmeal, coffee, and other desserts. I'm really glad we stopped by just to compliment the appearance of the restaurant. Who knew the food would be just as awesome as how it looked?


https://www.google.com.tw/search?espv=2&biw=1331&bih=704&tbm=isch&q=eggs+benedict+with+bacon&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiImf7vzMnSAhWBVbwKHc6uCowQhyYIIg#imgrc=7bN9bddjaC0ukM:
https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=caramelised+grapefruit&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4r4SozcnSAhVCGZQKHcywBi8Q_AUIBigB&biw=1331&bih=704#imgrc=q_PqOWSsmdW9sM:

Friday, December 25 Belarusian National Art Museum

     It's Christmas, and I should really be thankful I'm in Belarus right now!! I honestly never saw such beautiful and creative Christmas decorations in my life! While we were on our way to the Belarusian National Art Museum, we saw huge sparkling ornaments in the park, and they were so cool! Thankfully, we were allowed to go inside and take pictures. I don't know how sad I would've been if we couldn't.

     The National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus is known to have the largest collection of works of art. More than twenty seven thousand works of art are in the museum and are separated into two main categories: national art and monuments of art of other countries and nations of the world. There collections were very diverse, and the pictures were interesting. Many of them were portraits and a lot of them were related to religion. There were also objects from the past like chess figures, household glassware, beads, and jewelry. The collections also include examples of weaving and embroidery in the seventeenth to early nineteenth century such as robes and chasubles made from fabric of Europe. 


https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=belarus+christmas+museum+decoration&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjn_Jih2MnSAhUJo5QKHf8DC1UQ_AUICCgB&biw=1331&bih=704#imgrc=yZIvSSVHfkC83M:
https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=national+art+museum+of+the+republic+of+belarus+portraits+religion&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiG_Ljj0cnSAhXFvbwKHc3uBFQQ_AUICCgB&biw=1331&bih=704#imgrc=0OBR7Vz5XQ-B-M:
https://www.google.com.tw/search?espv=2&biw=1331&bih=704&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=national+art+museum+of+the+republic+of+belarus+chess+figures&oq=national+art+museum+of+the+republic+of+belarus+chess+figures&gs_l=img.3...50927.53351.0.53518.15.14.1.0.0.0.140.738.11j2.13.0....0...1c.1.64.img..1.0.0.YgAVJM9p9rM#imgrc=isZVHuX5wLv7mM:

Saturday, December 26 QSI International School of Minsk

     I didn't know these buildings turned out to be a school at first. I mean, look at them! They look like houses! But it was actually an international school. The schools are so clean and fancy, and even the inside looks cool.
     Their education system says that most children start school at the age of six, and most of them keep learning until the age of eighteen when they finish high school. When they are fifteen, they have reached their basic level, and students who have successfully completed their education can attend college, or professional technical institutions that help them finish their high school education and let them work toward a professional certificate. Finishing high school or a professional certificate allows the student to learn at a university level. 
     From ages six to ten, children will go to primary school, from ten to fifteen, students will go to secondary school, from fifteen to eighteen, they will go to vocational school, and tertiary school is university. Their system seems a bit complicated...

https://www.google.com.tw/search?espv=2&biw=1331&bih=704&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=belarus+international+schools+building&oq=belarus+international+schools+building&gs_l=img.3...43223.45242.0.45378.11.10.1.0.0.0.56.336.10.10.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0.cnuxDFWyT1M#imgrc=mieLN71L17965M:

BELARUS NEWS

IT IS NOW AGAINST THE LAW TO BE UNEMPLOYED

    President Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree this morning that declares unemployed citizens to pay fines. According to the new law, adults who have not payed income tax for 183 days are required to pay at least 450 BYN (about 250 USD). Those who don't pay the fine could be detained and forced to take community service.
    The new law was implemented due to Belarus' shrinking economy caused by conflicts in Ukraine and the decline in the Belarusian Ruble.
    The decree aims to "stimulate able-bodied citizens to engage in labor activity and fulfill their constitutional obligation to participate in financing state expenditures." The new legislation has been criticized by the International Federation for Human Rights, declaring it "forced labor." Upset citizens are also taking action on the internet, with a Change.org petition being signed by more than 28,000 people.

Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/17/news/belarus-fine-unemployed/

BELARUS RESUMES EXECUTIONS AFTER EU SANCTIONS DROPPED

     Belarus has started carrying out executions after E.U. sanctions against Lukashenko were dropped, according to a landmark investigation. 

    Over 400 people were executed since its independence in 1991. Documents from the International Federation for Human Rights reveal the physical abuse used to force confessions out of the accused, and the horrific conditions death row inmates are kept in. 

   It was also discovered that the government closely guards the statistics on state killings, including the time and locations of the executions. Bodies of the prisoners are never released to families. 

    Lyubov Kovaleva, whose son was executed, says the process of criminal conviction and execution is deeply flawed and carried out with "total disregard to international obligations."
    "The conditions in which this action takes place are terrible," she said. "[It is ] a terrible ritual, and a terrible thing to witness."

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/12/belarus-resumes-executions-after-eu-sanctions-dropped

THE 2019 EUROPEAN GAMES PLANNED DESPITE OF ECONOMIC STRUGGLE

    Nowadays, Belarus is struggling with a dramatic economic decline, however, the 2019 European Games are continuing to be organized by authorities. 

    The first games, held 7 years ago was hosted in Azerbaijan, and money was lavishly spent. A new stadium with 68,000 seats was constructed, as well as 20 other large sporting facilities. This was estimated to have costed $9 billion, according to BBC investigations. 

    Although the next games will be held on a lower budget, Belarus is actively preparing for the event. Belarus hopes the 2019 European Games will serve as an opportunity to attract more tourists and increase the income from tourism. Leaders also hope that hosting the games will soften their ruined reputation as a corrupt nation. 

Read more: http://belarusdigest.com/story/2019-european-games-circuses-instead-bread-28983