Hoosiers get a taste of Italian culture

The IU women’s basketball team members are still a bit jet-lagged from their 10-day excursion in Italy, where they managed to win four games while touring the country’s landmarks.

Senior guard Jamie Braun, who averaged about 13 points per game during the trip, and junior guard Andrea McGuirt, said they enjoyed their experiences.

“It’s really weird being here now because of what we experienced in Italy,” McGuirt said. “We all really bonded like you would on vacation with your family.”
Braun said part of that bonding came from understanding when it was time to show up and represent women’s basketball.

Coach Felisha Legette-Jack expressed full confidence in the women’s ability to perform.

“They are fantastic, mature young women, and I and the other coaches recognized that,” she said in an phone interview. “They always rise to the occasion when it’s game time, so we really wanted them to experience Italy through their own eyes and leave a respectable impression on the country.”

Legette-Jack said the inspiration to travel to Italy came from the how she and the coaches all felt changed by the players.

“They deserve to do something this significant in their careers,” she said. “Some of the girls will never have the chance to do this again.”

The opportunity came about because of IU President Michael McRobbie and an NCAA ruling that allows traveling college teams one international trip every four years.

The team spent time in Rome, Treviso, Florence, Venice and Milan, along with several other stops. McGuirt and Braun said they competed with girls of all ages who “definitely brought their A-game and represented their country.”

They said it was a wonderful end to a hard-fought season and served as a proper goodbye to graduates Amber Jackson, Kim Roberson, Lydia Serfling and Whitney Thomas.

McGuirt and Braun said they also experienced several interesting cultural differences from America, dining being one of them. The women didn’t have to leave tips but paid a service charge at the door, and there were smaller portions of food. Chicken and pasta was not a proper mix, apparently.

“It was a bit hard for (Braun) to handle that none of the pasta we ate had chicken in it, because all she eats is chicken in butter with no pepper or anything,” she said.

“Girl, I like seasoning, too,” Braun said defending herself.

McGuirt brushed that off, citing Italian food as being better because of its lack of being “drenched in grease,” something that plagues American food.

Both women might not have agreed on food, but they did see eye to eye on Italy’s beautiful landmarks.

Braun bragged about holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the Tuscany region. McGuirt recalled being speechless at the Vatican, where the team saw the pope and the Sistine Chapel.

Braun and McGuirt said they have their “fabulous” and knowledgeable tour guide, Fabio, to thank for all their unforgettable memories.

“If he weren’t there to guide us through, we wouldn’t have half the amount of history we experienced,” McGuirt said. “The whole experience was breathtaking, and we will never forget it.”

For more information about the women and their adventures in Italy, visit their blog “IU In Italy” on the team’s Web page.