Alumni Spotlight: Mary Stanley

I chose it because it was a professional culinary program in Italy, taught in English, about Italian food that don’t require months of time commitment. I didn't want a tourist program because I wanted to meet other chefs and engage in serious professional exchanges. The courses seemed to be intensive and within my time frame.

Manuelina Culinary arranged all the details except for travel to and from Italy. I only had to buy my airfare and train ticket to Brescia. All my expenses were included except for incidentals such as laundry, and some weekend lunches or site seeing expenses, and of course, souvenirs.

I heard there is a subway stop very near the school so that it is now possible to go to Brescia. This is faster and more comfortable than the bus if you decide to go for Bed and Breakfast (B & B) there.

I should have packed fewer clothes as we wore chef jackets the entire time. I probably only needed to bring one dress-up outfit, and just a few items for casual wear.

If you have allergies like cedar fever, bring your medication. What allergies you have here, you will have there. It's a good idea to bring all those emergency medicines you normally use so you don't have to deal with an Italian pharmacy.

I'd also bring some money to buy Italian tools, knives, specialized pasta stamps, etc. I wish I had devoted more time to studying the local wines.

You have breakfast at the hotel, then travel as a group to the school. Classes all morning, lunch at the school, classes, then break, more classes, then dinner, either an outing, or at the hotel. The time schedule is a usual Italian work day.

Weekends were basically free, but I recall we had an excursion one weekend. There wasn't much time for sightseeing. I booked a few days afterwards in Brescia so I could see the city.

I had no fears except for that anxiety attack I had during the 20 minutes I waited to be picked up. Suddenly, I realized that I had booked this whole thing based on a website, a few email interactions, and trust – kind of a risky thing to have done these days!

Traveling in Italy is very easy, most people speak some English. People everywhere are pretty much the same. Good ones, bad ones, tall ones, short ones – they are just like people at home. In any event, I need not have worried.

In this day and age of fear of the others, or of the immigrants, an interaction at the Train Station in Brescia touched me. As I had too much luggage, and because of some back issues, I was having a lot of difficulty going up the steep stairs. A tall black man, obviously African, offered to help. I had no choice but to accept the man’s offer even when I was feeling hesitant and uneasy. I felt I had unintentionally insulted him when I tried to tip him; he refused the tip, and said he just wanted to help me.

There have been many times I have found it necessary to accept the kindness of strangers while traveling. Be open, but not naïve.