My Classes!

Next year in Viterbo I'm taking the following classes:

1. AP Latin Vergil (yay!!)


2. Greek!


3. Italian (but of course!)


4. English (English? In Italy? Fah!)


5. Pre-Calculus (No surprise here)


6. Art History (I had the hardest time deciding between Art History and Ancient History. Now that I've decided on Art, however, I'm beginning to think that I would prefer Ancient -- aah! What should I do?! Maybe they'll let me change my mind back and forth throughout the summer. Or maybe I can start both classes in the fall and see which one I like better... decisions, decisions!)

It's all so exciting! I can't wait to go on field trips to all the ancient Etruscan and Roman ruins with my class. Which of course brings me back to my Ancient/Art History debate... Imagine how many great field trips will be associated with each! It seems to me, though, that both will take us to historical sites, but the Art History class will have more museum trips. Here are the class descriptions:

Ancient History: This course examines three civilizations of the past: Etruscan, Greek and Roman up to the fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 A.D. Through explorations in the classroom and during school excursions, students consider aspects of history, culture, philosophy and politics as expressed on the Italian peninsula, in Sicily and in Greece. Students gain experience reading primary sources and are encouraged to see ancient history as an aid to understanding contemporary civilization.

Art History: This course surveys the art and archaeology of the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, placing particular emphasis on sites and objects that students visit during frequent excursions. In the first semester, students explore Etruscan art and then concentrate on Greek art and architecture from the Geometric through the Hellenistic periods. Students are able to study the work of Polykleitus, Myron, Lysippos and Praxiteles firsthand through visits to the Capitoline, Vatican and National Roman Museums. The second semester seeks to complement their study of Latin more intimately as the course delves into Republican through Late Antique art in situ by visiting sites in Latium, Sicily and Campania. Throughout the year, students learn methods of interpretation applicable to ancient and modern art and consider how the ancient Mediterranean gave rise to the visual culture that surrounds us today.

Now how can a person, and a painfully indecisive one at that, be asked to choose between those two? It's impossible, impossible I say!

Oh well, let's just hope I make a final decision sometime before August...

Love, Holly!

Italia!

Benvenuto! You've found your way to the blog of Holly McKelvey, explorer and conquerer of far off lands. Next year I am going to study abroad in Italy as a student of the SYA program. I'll be studying in Viterbo, a small Etruscan town as of yet undiscovered by tourists, and I'll be living nearby with an Italian family.

This is a completely awesome venture, since I'll be going as a classics student to the home of the Romans. SYA offers both Latin and Greek (and of course intensive Italian!), as well as Ancient History, covering the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans. I am so thrilled to be going!

Of course I'll miss everyone here in California so much! Thanks for being so supportive of me - believe me, your support means a lot. And of course I'll bring back lots of hugs and kisses for everyone (not to mention some sexy Italian boys, as per your requests).

Ciao!