Local Graduate Austin Bass Studies Abroad in Sicily, Italy

Last year this time Austin Bass was relishing being a newly minted Piedmont Academy graduate ready to embark on his future and see the world. Since then he has seen and experienced a small part of the world with life on the Mediterranean.

Mr. Bass, a former Cougar and Monticello resident, completed a 10-day study abroad adventure in Sicily, Italy from March 4-14 this year. The Piedmont Academy Class of 2014 salutatorian and chaplain is a rising sophomore at Mercer University majoring in Pre-Med/Biology with a minor in Latin/Chemistry/Psychology. While enrolled in a Greek and Roman Classical Literature class at Mercer University, the opportunity to study and travel abroad presented itself and Austin pursued it. All of Italy including the isles of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily is world renown for its cultural standards including art, food, wine, climate and so much more.

With regards to where Austin spent his time studying and touring in Italy, Sicily is situated at the tip of the mainland peninsula “boot” bordered by the Ionian, Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian Seas (see map at far right) just northeast of the continent of Africa. The island is about the size of Massachusetts and is populated by 5.3 million residents.

Austin and his traveling peers toured around the Sicilian island to approximately seven different cities—a few large cities and several small villages. His favorite stop was Mount Etna which is Europe’s highest, most active volcano that overlooks the town of Catania. The volcano is approximately 2.6 million years old.

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Austin and his traveling peers drove up the icy road of the volcano during which they slid off the road and had to get out and push the van. Snow was up to 10 feet high near the tip of the volcano, he recalled. Upon reaching the top of Mt. Etna the traveling students enjoyed a picnic in the snow.

Every day Austin and his peers visited a different isle ruin of Greek and Roman theaters and cathedrals. Some of the Greek ruins include Syracuse, Agrigento, Selinunte, Gela, Kamarina, Himera, Megara Hyblaea, Naxos, Heraclea Minoa and the Romans ruins include Piazza Armerina, Centuripe, and Taormina. As part of the class assignment each student in his group would have to make a presentation on one of the archeological sites.

The American students visited several old churches including one that contains stained glass murals depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Murals depicted included God making man, the birth of Jesus and the death of Jesus.

The students also visited many museums including one that contained a statue of the Virgin Mary which has been said to have cried for four days because of the state of the world. Another museum they visited contained a cloth that when folded is said to have a stain that looks like the face of Jesus.

One cannot speak of Italy without referencing food. As Sicily is an island, fresh seafood is a main staple of the nation’s diet. Another of Austin’s most memorable moments was viewing a fish auction for the sale of the morning’s fresh catch. Many of his dinner entree choices included swordfish salad, fried calamari, and shrimp. The island also offered its share of chicken, lamb, and of course authentic Italian pizza.

Morning breakfast dining wasn’t complete without jelly or chocolate-filled croissants and cappuccino. Lemon biscotti, chocolate mousse, cheesecake, gelato, cookies, tiramisu, chocolate bars— were all necessary dessert components as well.

I guess Jasper County will have to stay tuned in to see where the pursuit of a pre-med/biology history degree will take Austin next.