How does one say goodbye (indefinitely) to a place? A place that has become my life, my landscape, my home for a spell...
I'm having a little trouble believing that the four months that I prayed about, looked forward to, imagined for so long, are now coming to a close.
I've been taking pictures, walking a little bit slower, trying to pinpoint the smells and tastes and put them into words. All of my friends and I have been asking each other big, bold questions like, "What do you think you will miss most from here?" "How do you think you've grown the most?" and "What do you want to take back with you from this experience?" While these questions are all important, I'm having a difficult time putting words to my feelings. Part of me knows I won't even figure out some of these answers until months of living back in my "old life." I DO know, however, that this place has been just what I needed. And that I am changed. I don't want to go back, just push "play" as though my life at home and at school were just on "pause." I want to resume in a different manner: slower to make decisions and soak in an afternoon and more willing to sit through the entirety of a conversation rather than rushing off to the next thing on my agenda. There are other lessons and changes I want to take back with me too, however, I am not sure exactly what all of them are currently! I'm sure it will become more clear when I do reenter the States.
Although I will be sad to say goodbye to the jasmine that has recently filled the summery air, and pizza and pasta and gelato, and the friends I've made, and this 800-year-old monastery, and the nuns gardening outside of the kitchen window... it's time. I know it. I'm feeling more ready than ever to return to my family, and I can't wait for a vacation we will be taking almost right when I get back to North Carolina. I'm excited to see friends, both at Gordon and at home, whom I haven't been in the best touch with while here, with the knowledge that constant communication with home would remove me from fully living life here. I'm excited to take the recipes and ingredient inspiration I've received while here and incoporating these into some cooking lessons of my own finally (I'm ready to learn how to cook, Mom!). I'm excited to go to the beach with my sister, take some road trips with friends, and be able to read on our back porch swing at sunset. I can't wait to work at Tuscan Tavern again; it'll kind of be like my Orvieto away from Orvieto. I have lots of really exciting things to look forward to back at school in the fall too- a job I just received as a new student mentor, my Teaching Assistant position for musical theatre, taking my first directing class, living in an apartment my 5 best friends I've made at Gordon, and having a play that I wrote performed in chapel in September!
Please pray for me this last week with saying goodbye and getting ready to make the transition back into American life. I'm so excited to catch up with everyone and see all of your faces in just a few short days or weeks! Love and lemons from Italia,
Heather
6.08.2009
5.28.2009
A Search for All Things Beautiful
(First draft of a piece I wrote for my Travel Writing class)
It’s impossible. You can’t live in Italy for four months and ignore the way that life is different from America. For me, a first-time-over-the-ocean traveler, I was absolutely struck by the way that Italians of all ages express and appreciate beauty. It took me a while to put my finger on just what it is that is so beautiful. In the beginning, I was sure it had to be the way that Italians look at each other as though they are seeing Roman gods and goddesses in human form…
We call it the shark tank. Where two or more Italian men are gathered, you will be checked out. And I’m not just talking about a quick glance, overtly hidden and disguised as, “Oh, I’m just looking for my friend.” It’s a full on stop, a look- up, down, then back up again, some low murmurs amidst the men, and then usually a chorus of, “Buona serras,” “Ciao Beautiful,” or “Hello, are you American?” Occasionally there’s some whistles in there, and maybe even a few suggestive clicks or meows thrown in the mix. It’s the strangest thing.
As American study abroad students, we’ve somehow learned to ignore it over the course of three months, but it’s still surprising how forward these men can be. Generally speaking, it seems harmless, but it’s always off-putting when a middle-aged man and his eight-year-old son walking beside him turn around and give you the eyes. It’s also a bit exhilarating to walk down the Corso on a Thursday evening, passing at least thirty young hungry sharks in small clusters who quietly stop, turn, watch you swim through. Trying your best to keep your balance in high heels on the cobble stone, you attempt to avoid the attention that is inevitable.
I start to wonder if we as Americans are sending off vibes that we want this direct, sexual, obvious attention. But then this morning, sitting outside Bar San Paolo, eating a fresh, warm croissant, I see a group of four young ladies who sit sharing cappuccinos. They are dressed in their best, wearing various shades of this season’s popular purple, and they look ready to head off to tend their shops or do some of their own shopping. For every small group of men that walk by me while I try my best to ignore, these women sit up a little more straight, sticking their chests out, and fixing their hair. It’s like they have an extra sense to tell them that some men might come by any second and they have to be ready. As I watch one woman with straight brown hair pulled back on her head, sunglasses perched on top, I finally see it. Oh my god, these women expect the attention. It’s affirmation that they’ve grown up receiving, and it’s fun for them to respond to a whistle by tossing an approving glance backwards at the shark-men. When men don’t prowl, “Ciao,” or gawk, these Italian “bellas” are actually offended. I guess it is all about appreciating beauty in this country.
But that can’t be it. I move out of the shark tank and into the Piazza del Popolo to continue my search for what makes Italian life so beautiful. A woman in a turquoise blue dress, buttoned and pressed, catches my attention. Her soft white hair delicately frames her face, and blue earrings that match her dress glisten and play with the light of the new day sun. She is at the flower stand at the morning market. I watch her, in front of small pots that have tiny purple flowers spilling out of them like fragrant waterfalls. She tenderly lifts up a pot to take in its scent. She must be thinking to herself, “This is the one.” Yet still she holds it in her left hand, examining and comparing to others still on the table. She pulls out a leather wallet and pays with perfect change. Next, on to the bakery, where she purchases fresh croissants and a loaf of warm bread to take home and share with her sisters, and maybe her four sweet grandchildren. A cucumber. Less picky about this than her flowers, she knows what a perfect vegetable should look like. It will make a refreshing snack on a hot May afternoon like today, sliced to be eaten on her balcony, surely covered in ivy and wisteria. She moves gracefully towards the house wares, eyeing the cheap silver pans and baskets for sale. She is easy to find in the crowd of market-goers this morning in Orvieto. Not just because of her bright-colored dress, but because of the simple elegance and age-old beauty she carries with her. Because of the way she slowly moves through the market with experience- she knows what she wants and where to find these items. While her purchases are simple- her favorite shampoo, a cucumber, soft bread- she also takes pleasure in the short conversations with old friends, smelling a peach, touching the fabric on display, smiling at a small child holding a pastry. I envy the way she takes in the splendor of this Thursday morning with such ease and simplicity.
Yet I cannot deny the compelling beauty of the way Italians treat their families and guests with such love. I’ve had the pleasure of coming to know one particular family during my four month stay here, and it happens to be the family of the unofficial mayor of Orvieto. Alessandro is a young man with dark hair, Italian brown eyes, and a smile that is contagious. His two young children are amidst the seventh generation of Lardanis to inhabit this hilltop town of Orvieto. This in itself is a literally foreign concept to me. I can hardly imagine staying in the same town as my parents when I raise my own children, let alone live in a place that knows my history better than I do.
But Alessandro thrives here. He is a member of the Charismatic Catholic Church, where he also leads a very unique and moving worship group. His work in helping achieve connections and citizenship for foreigners gives him associations all over the region. Walking down the streets with him, I can see that he is a friend of practically everyone in Orvieto. He is a futbal player and enthusiast, and most importantly a family man, as son, brother, husband, uncle, and father. He invites me to join his whole family for dinner, and I am able to witness first hand an example of love lived out loud by Alessandro and his family.
With hours of preparation, his parents have opened their home to me for much more than just a meal. We spend an hour talking while slicing salami and formaggio, deep into a discussion of music, faith, art, and finding where we fit into God’s plan. We contemplate what we are supposed to do with our lives over a salad of pear and parmagian. We pour wine over rich conversation. The table is not only a place of opening up our minds, but a place of beautiful chaos. With Alessandro the only other person here who can speak English, I sit back in my comfortable wooden chair several times and just listen to the Italian flowing out of the mouths of these people who love each other so vividly. Gestures sweep, music flows in the most romantic language I’ve ever heard, and bread is broken. Alessandro’s wife Manuela knows that I can’t speak Italian and I know that she can’t speak English, but we smile all the way through broken sentences with lots of nodding and signaling. We laugh at ourselves. The grandchildren run around playing with toys, chasing each other, jumping on their “nona’s” lap, eating a little bit here and there. About halfway through the drawn-out meal, grandfather Jiacomo jokes that it is now time to add another member of the family to the table as he turns on the television set. A futbol game commences while conversation grows livelier each time that Jiacomo announces an important play. Nona, Manuela and Elisa (Alessandro’s mother, wife and sister) head to the kitchen, producing delicious smells of dessert to come and joyous laughter that permeates beyond the kitchen walls.
I leave after an extra piece of homemade cake and the protests to stay even longer from the Lardani family. My stomach is full and my head light with red wine; the smile reaching across my face is a clear indication of my contentment. I have found this evening what it is that makes Italy such a beautiful place. It is the appreciation of physical beauty, both in others and the never-ending landscapes beyond the hilltop towns like Orvieto. It is taking in the smells of the morning market or reveling in an afternoon. It is the love of a family, grounded in this place as much as the structures carved into the tufa rock cliff. It is all of these things.
It’s impossible. You can’t live in Italy for four months and ignore the way that life is different from America. For me, a first-time-over-the-ocean traveler, I was absolutely struck by the way that Italians of all ages express and appreciate beauty. It took me a while to put my finger on just what it is that is so beautiful. In the beginning, I was sure it had to be the way that Italians look at each other as though they are seeing Roman gods and goddesses in human form…
We call it the shark tank. Where two or more Italian men are gathered, you will be checked out. And I’m not just talking about a quick glance, overtly hidden and disguised as, “Oh, I’m just looking for my friend.” It’s a full on stop, a look- up, down, then back up again, some low murmurs amidst the men, and then usually a chorus of, “Buona serras,” “Ciao Beautiful,” or “Hello, are you American?” Occasionally there’s some whistles in there, and maybe even a few suggestive clicks or meows thrown in the mix. It’s the strangest thing.
As American study abroad students, we’ve somehow learned to ignore it over the course of three months, but it’s still surprising how forward these men can be. Generally speaking, it seems harmless, but it’s always off-putting when a middle-aged man and his eight-year-old son walking beside him turn around and give you the eyes. It’s also a bit exhilarating to walk down the Corso on a Thursday evening, passing at least thirty young hungry sharks in small clusters who quietly stop, turn, watch you swim through. Trying your best to keep your balance in high heels on the cobble stone, you attempt to avoid the attention that is inevitable.
I start to wonder if we as Americans are sending off vibes that we want this direct, sexual, obvious attention. But then this morning, sitting outside Bar San Paolo, eating a fresh, warm croissant, I see a group of four young ladies who sit sharing cappuccinos. They are dressed in their best, wearing various shades of this season’s popular purple, and they look ready to head off to tend their shops or do some of their own shopping. For every small group of men that walk by me while I try my best to ignore, these women sit up a little more straight, sticking their chests out, and fixing their hair. It’s like they have an extra sense to tell them that some men might come by any second and they have to be ready. As I watch one woman with straight brown hair pulled back on her head, sunglasses perched on top, I finally see it. Oh my god, these women expect the attention. It’s affirmation that they’ve grown up receiving, and it’s fun for them to respond to a whistle by tossing an approving glance backwards at the shark-men. When men don’t prowl, “Ciao,” or gawk, these Italian “bellas” are actually offended. I guess it is all about appreciating beauty in this country.
But that can’t be it. I move out of the shark tank and into the Piazza del Popolo to continue my search for what makes Italian life so beautiful. A woman in a turquoise blue dress, buttoned and pressed, catches my attention. Her soft white hair delicately frames her face, and blue earrings that match her dress glisten and play with the light of the new day sun. She is at the flower stand at the morning market. I watch her, in front of small pots that have tiny purple flowers spilling out of them like fragrant waterfalls. She tenderly lifts up a pot to take in its scent. She must be thinking to herself, “This is the one.” Yet still she holds it in her left hand, examining and comparing to others still on the table. She pulls out a leather wallet and pays with perfect change. Next, on to the bakery, where she purchases fresh croissants and a loaf of warm bread to take home and share with her sisters, and maybe her four sweet grandchildren. A cucumber. Less picky about this than her flowers, she knows what a perfect vegetable should look like. It will make a refreshing snack on a hot May afternoon like today, sliced to be eaten on her balcony, surely covered in ivy and wisteria. She moves gracefully towards the house wares, eyeing the cheap silver pans and baskets for sale. She is easy to find in the crowd of market-goers this morning in Orvieto. Not just because of her bright-colored dress, but because of the simple elegance and age-old beauty she carries with her. Because of the way she slowly moves through the market with experience- she knows what she wants and where to find these items. While her purchases are simple- her favorite shampoo, a cucumber, soft bread- she also takes pleasure in the short conversations with old friends, smelling a peach, touching the fabric on display, smiling at a small child holding a pastry. I envy the way she takes in the splendor of this Thursday morning with such ease and simplicity.
Yet I cannot deny the compelling beauty of the way Italians treat their families and guests with such love. I’ve had the pleasure of coming to know one particular family during my four month stay here, and it happens to be the family of the unofficial mayor of Orvieto. Alessandro is a young man with dark hair, Italian brown eyes, and a smile that is contagious. His two young children are amidst the seventh generation of Lardanis to inhabit this hilltop town of Orvieto. This in itself is a literally foreign concept to me. I can hardly imagine staying in the same town as my parents when I raise my own children, let alone live in a place that knows my history better than I do.
But Alessandro thrives here. He is a member of the Charismatic Catholic Church, where he also leads a very unique and moving worship group. His work in helping achieve connections and citizenship for foreigners gives him associations all over the region. Walking down the streets with him, I can see that he is a friend of practically everyone in Orvieto. He is a futbal player and enthusiast, and most importantly a family man, as son, brother, husband, uncle, and father. He invites me to join his whole family for dinner, and I am able to witness first hand an example of love lived out loud by Alessandro and his family.
With hours of preparation, his parents have opened their home to me for much more than just a meal. We spend an hour talking while slicing salami and formaggio, deep into a discussion of music, faith, art, and finding where we fit into God’s plan. We contemplate what we are supposed to do with our lives over a salad of pear and parmagian. We pour wine over rich conversation. The table is not only a place of opening up our minds, but a place of beautiful chaos. With Alessandro the only other person here who can speak English, I sit back in my comfortable wooden chair several times and just listen to the Italian flowing out of the mouths of these people who love each other so vividly. Gestures sweep, music flows in the most romantic language I’ve ever heard, and bread is broken. Alessandro’s wife Manuela knows that I can’t speak Italian and I know that she can’t speak English, but we smile all the way through broken sentences with lots of nodding and signaling. We laugh at ourselves. The grandchildren run around playing with toys, chasing each other, jumping on their “nona’s” lap, eating a little bit here and there. About halfway through the drawn-out meal, grandfather Jiacomo jokes that it is now time to add another member of the family to the table as he turns on the television set. A futbol game commences while conversation grows livelier each time that Jiacomo announces an important play. Nona, Manuela and Elisa (Alessandro’s mother, wife and sister) head to the kitchen, producing delicious smells of dessert to come and joyous laughter that permeates beyond the kitchen walls.
I leave after an extra piece of homemade cake and the protests to stay even longer from the Lardani family. My stomach is full and my head light with red wine; the smile reaching across my face is a clear indication of my contentment. I have found this evening what it is that makes Italy such a beautiful place. It is the appreciation of physical beauty, both in others and the never-ending landscapes beyond the hilltop towns like Orvieto. It is taking in the smells of the morning market or reveling in an afternoon. It is the love of a family, grounded in this place as much as the structures carved into the tufa rock cliff. It is all of these things.
5.20.2009
After a while...
Ciao Ciao everyone... Apologies for taking so long to update you on my Italian life.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my poetry professor and her two children while they were here during my last class. Christine, the professor, and I had a lot of neat conversations while walking around the town and during class about family, theology (Orthodoxy in particular), good books, creativity, and the future. She really encouraged me to pursue opportunities where I could share the gift of theatre with children, specifically those with special needs. She thinks I would really be an encouraging and compassionate teacher of theatre for a group of unique individuals who might benefit from such creative outlets. I have been thinking about the idea of looking into "theatre therapy" (like art or music therapy) for after graduation, so I really appreciated her honesty and spurring me on in that direction. I was also really excited about the challenges and improvements I saw in my own writing over the course of the semester. It was fun to push myself to write in verse and pre-established forms, like the sonnet and villanelle, and I came out of the class with about 10 poems that I can share with you if you want (but I don't really want to put them all on my blog).
I've enjoyed getting to walk around the town more, whether at the time of "pasagata" (evening walks before dinner) down the main "Corso Cavour" (our main street), or along the edge of the cliff- about an hour walk. My people-watching skills have been coming in handy here, as there are so many interesting generations of families, tourists and shopowners that I see frequently here. In fact, I just started my travel writing course on Monday with a professor/writer named Scott Cairns. In his opinion, it is sometimes the people that make a place rather than all of the landscape, food and buildings. We've spent the first few days of classes people-watching! Asking, "Why is she doing that? What is he thinking? Where did they come from? What are they saying? Why is he wearing that? Where is she going?" This is a game I've been playing since I was in 6th grade (thanks Grammy!), so I felt really excited to do so for a class and be able to write down my observations and speculations. I'll be sharing what I write as it becomes more developed.
Nick came to visit me from May 6-14. We had a wonderful time sharing the town that is so signficant to both of us- he was here this same time last year for his semester abroad. I loved watching him interact with all of the people and places in town that he grew strong connections to. We had a great time playing "futbol" (soccer) with a group of students, having meals with his friend Alessandro (a man in our town whose whole family is an important part of Orvieto), taking walks around the cliff, and a weekend of hiking, seafood, and the beach in Cinque Terre. (Cinque Terre is a part of the Italian coast comprised of 5 villages that are part of a national park- absolutely gorgeous and refreshing!).
I can't believe I only have about 3 and a half weeks left here in Italy... it's hard to believe how quickly the time can fly when you're growing, learning, seeing, tasting and experiencing a new place such as Orvieto! I have a feeling that I won't be able to know exactly what I'll take from my time here until well after I am home. But I'm trying still to soak it all in, from every taste of gelato to the Italian sunsets over the vineyards. Thank you all for following along this journey with me! I'll try to update more frequently in my last few weeks here! See so many of you so soon!
P.S. Congratulations to my dear friends who just graduated from Gordon this past weekend! I'm so proud of all of you!! Wish I could have been there, but I was thinking about each of you during the time of the ceremony and your last few days on campus as Gordon College students!
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my poetry professor and her two children while they were here during my last class. Christine, the professor, and I had a lot of neat conversations while walking around the town and during class about family, theology (Orthodoxy in particular), good books, creativity, and the future. She really encouraged me to pursue opportunities where I could share the gift of theatre with children, specifically those with special needs. She thinks I would really be an encouraging and compassionate teacher of theatre for a group of unique individuals who might benefit from such creative outlets. I have been thinking about the idea of looking into "theatre therapy" (like art or music therapy) for after graduation, so I really appreciated her honesty and spurring me on in that direction. I was also really excited about the challenges and improvements I saw in my own writing over the course of the semester. It was fun to push myself to write in verse and pre-established forms, like the sonnet and villanelle, and I came out of the class with about 10 poems that I can share with you if you want (but I don't really want to put them all on my blog).
I've enjoyed getting to walk around the town more, whether at the time of "pasagata" (evening walks before dinner) down the main "Corso Cavour" (our main street), or along the edge of the cliff- about an hour walk. My people-watching skills have been coming in handy here, as there are so many interesting generations of families, tourists and shopowners that I see frequently here. In fact, I just started my travel writing course on Monday with a professor/writer named Scott Cairns. In his opinion, it is sometimes the people that make a place rather than all of the landscape, food and buildings. We've spent the first few days of classes people-watching! Asking, "Why is she doing that? What is he thinking? Where did they come from? What are they saying? Why is he wearing that? Where is she going?" This is a game I've been playing since I was in 6th grade (thanks Grammy!), so I felt really excited to do so for a class and be able to write down my observations and speculations. I'll be sharing what I write as it becomes more developed.
Nick came to visit me from May 6-14. We had a wonderful time sharing the town that is so signficant to both of us- he was here this same time last year for his semester abroad. I loved watching him interact with all of the people and places in town that he grew strong connections to. We had a great time playing "futbol" (soccer) with a group of students, having meals with his friend Alessandro (a man in our town whose whole family is an important part of Orvieto), taking walks around the cliff, and a weekend of hiking, seafood, and the beach in Cinque Terre. (Cinque Terre is a part of the Italian coast comprised of 5 villages that are part of a national park- absolutely gorgeous and refreshing!).
I can't believe I only have about 3 and a half weeks left here in Italy... it's hard to believe how quickly the time can fly when you're growing, learning, seeing, tasting and experiencing a new place such as Orvieto! I have a feeling that I won't be able to know exactly what I'll take from my time here until well after I am home. But I'm trying still to soak it all in, from every taste of gelato to the Italian sunsets over the vineyards. Thank you all for following along this journey with me! I'll try to update more frequently in my last few weeks here! See so many of you so soon!
P.S. Congratulations to my dear friends who just graduated from Gordon this past weekend! I'm so proud of all of you!! Wish I could have been there, but I was thinking about each of you during the time of the ceremony and your last few days on campus as Gordon College students!
5.02.2009
A Taste of Poetry
We have one or two poems due a week, with specific requirements and the expecatation that the class will bring forth comments and help "workshop" our poems to make them better. Thus, these are the first editions of the first three poems I submitted which have not yet been revised. But I wanted to share them anyway.
Poem #1- Write a poem in response to ruins that you've seen since coming to Italy.
(I wrote mine about "The Roca," a fortress that overlooks our city and was built thousands of years ago)
These Walls
The gardens through the archway lead me in,
pulling and enchanting me, whispering to me,
“Turn around and look up;”
I think I should follow the ghostly feet and climb.
Footsteps of a thousand souls who have climbed these stone steps.
Warriors and lovers, wanderers and loners.
They have all stood looking up at this expanse of stone
daily warmed by the sun or wetted by the rains.
Hard stairs, hardly weathered by time and weight,
these stairs were built to last.
They draw me upwards, with fortress walls protecting me on all sides
as I travel through vertical space and time.
To reach this spot was my destiny.
These walls have seen so much and I want to know,
Who has looked out from this very point of wonder?
Whose breath has been taken away?
To be in such a place brings a sense of freedom.
The sturdy structure protects me from all fear
and provides a rare privacy for stillness and reflection.
I join the ranks of those before me who have loved these walls.
Poem #2- Write an ode, or a poem of "high-praise," about an object, person or place.
Ode to the Doorstep
Passing over this cold, gray cement,
Going mostly in and out;
Enter for a spell but then leave again.
To be walked on a hundred times a day
Without a word of thanks.
Sometimes a point of resting for feet, bottom, soul.
A place for collecting umbrellas,
Children’s play things, whispered secrets.
A spot of recollecting-
Direction. Where was I going again?
Courage. To knock or not to knock?
Memories. Here’s where we shared our first kiss…
Always overshadowed by-
The double green doors.
The stone arch-way curving perfectly above.
The brass lion heads that announce the presence of guests.
But beneath all the weight and waiting
The coming and going
The collecting and recollecting
Is the solid, smooth, unchanging
Doorstep.
Poem #3- Write a sonnet.
(This was SO hard. The poem has to be 14 lines, and each line should be 10 syllables with a very particular rhyme scheme. But this is my favorite one I've written for class thus far).
The Morning Dew
The earth is still soaked from yesterday’s rains,
The sun is working to dry these gray stones.
Walk out to enjoy the morning and gain
A joy that fills the skin, the heart, the bones.
During sunrise leaves weep their saltless tears,
Marking the beginning of life anew
A kiss on the sole each morning so dear
With each dewdrop splash, a translucent hue.
These fresh cool moments remind us of dawn,
The gift of wonder, and starting again.
A morning song found in drops that yawn
Singing and trickling in mountain and glen.
Catch the light, you delicate beads of glass
This dew that crawls on each sweet blade of grass.
Poem #1- Write a poem in response to ruins that you've seen since coming to Italy.
(I wrote mine about "The Roca," a fortress that overlooks our city and was built thousands of years ago)
These Walls
The gardens through the archway lead me in,
pulling and enchanting me, whispering to me,
“Turn around and look up;”
I think I should follow the ghostly feet and climb.
Footsteps of a thousand souls who have climbed these stone steps.
Warriors and lovers, wanderers and loners.
They have all stood looking up at this expanse of stone
daily warmed by the sun or wetted by the rains.
Hard stairs, hardly weathered by time and weight,
these stairs were built to last.
They draw me upwards, with fortress walls protecting me on all sides
as I travel through vertical space and time.
To reach this spot was my destiny.
These walls have seen so much and I want to know,
Who has looked out from this very point of wonder?
Whose breath has been taken away?
To be in such a place brings a sense of freedom.
The sturdy structure protects me from all fear
and provides a rare privacy for stillness and reflection.
I join the ranks of those before me who have loved these walls.
Poem #2- Write an ode, or a poem of "high-praise," about an object, person or place.
Ode to the Doorstep
Passing over this cold, gray cement,
Going mostly in and out;
Enter for a spell but then leave again.
To be walked on a hundred times a day
Without a word of thanks.
Sometimes a point of resting for feet, bottom, soul.
A place for collecting umbrellas,
Children’s play things, whispered secrets.
A spot of recollecting-
Direction. Where was I going again?
Courage. To knock or not to knock?
Memories. Here’s where we shared our first kiss…
Always overshadowed by-
The double green doors.
The stone arch-way curving perfectly above.
The brass lion heads that announce the presence of guests.
But beneath all the weight and waiting
The coming and going
The collecting and recollecting
Is the solid, smooth, unchanging
Doorstep.
Poem #3- Write a sonnet.
(This was SO hard. The poem has to be 14 lines, and each line should be 10 syllables with a very particular rhyme scheme. But this is my favorite one I've written for class thus far).
The Morning Dew
The earth is still soaked from yesterday’s rains,
The sun is working to dry these gray stones.
Walk out to enjoy the morning and gain
A joy that fills the skin, the heart, the bones.
During sunrise leaves weep their saltless tears,
Marking the beginning of life anew
A kiss on the sole each morning so dear
With each dewdrop splash, a translucent hue.
These fresh cool moments remind us of dawn,
The gift of wonder, and starting again.
A morning song found in drops that yawn
Singing and trickling in mountain and glen.
Catch the light, you delicate beads of glass
This dew that crawls on each sweet blade of grass.
4.25.2009
Favorite Moments/Recent Highlights
Prague-
Seeing Christina and Sarah came at the absolute perfect time. I'd been feeling homesick and had just hit the half-way point of our semester when I was able to run into their arms in the Czech airport and squeal like a little girl. We took a boat tour, loved rainy naps in a fun hostel with our own private room/balcony, woke up slowly to coffee together, had a picnic lunch in a park and saw a one-eyed dog (I thought it was really cute, Sarah called it "Cyclops"), tried traditional Czech food (sausages, desserts, goulosh, potato dumplings, beer-which apparently they drink more than water). We walked down the smallest street in the entire world (akin to an alley way with a traffic light because only one person can pass through at a time), took a two and a half hour walking tour that started at a clock tour and ended up at the Prague Castle on top of a hill. We learned SO many historical and cultural facts that made me want to research this country and city a ton. Favorite fun facts were about communism, graffiti, locks on gates (couples leave their initials or names on locks attached to a gate... "I left my heart in Praha"), and artwork over each doorway (instead of house and street numbers, artistic emblems served the function of identifying houses until the 1750s, so that one could say "I live in the house of the blue fox" or "Find me at the house of the 3 violas!"). I thought that the old houses and buildings were a mixture between Disney World castles (but more gothic/even more elaborate and beautiful) and dessert because they were so ornate and unique. I loved the smells, the language, the way that you could walk down these interesting artsy alleyways and turn the corner to find historical monuments and squares (sort of like Venice but prettier side streets). Sarah, Christina and I shared some fun conversations about which cities we would be if we were cities (the ultimate decision on me was that I'd actually be Prague!), what our eating habits reveal about our personalities, and plans for our senior year. It was absolutely wonderful and a weekend that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
The Howard children
Unfortunately, the Howards, who I have grown very close with (my professors and their children) left this week. They'll be back next Wednesday after a vacation in Sicily for a final goodbye, but I pretty much had to prepare myself this week that they will no longer be right downstairs to entertain or play outside with in the courtyard. Ellie, Hannah and I watercolored on Monday afternoon which was a nice treat. Dr. Howard took me out to wine that evening with her friend Christine, who is my poetry professor who just arrived, "to introduce me separate from the rest of the group." I felt really honored by this! Finally, on their last full day here, which was Dr. Howard's birthday, I got to take her out for a birthday cappucino after lunch, and play with Ellie in the afternoon. We did all of our favorite things. Ellie and I got gelato at the gelateria by the Duomo and ate it on the steps of this cathedral. Then we went to our favorite people-watching spot and made up stories and observed for a little while. Finally, we RAN down streets to try to get lost and discover new things we'd never found before. We both knew it was a magical day, because we came across numerous sights that astounded us. Our favorite was a hidden balcony with an awning covered in ivy. She decided she'll be living there, and I can live across the small side street. I was really sad to see them go because they've characterized so much of my time here, and Ellie and I especially got really close. We're looking forward to September when I'll be back in that area so that I can go rasberry picking with the kids and hang out with them again (they live about a half an hour from Gordon).
This poetry class of mine
"Poetry of Ekphrasis"- writing in response to art or objects. I absolutely love this class. I feel like it was created for me. I'm so glad I switched out of the portrait painting class because I really like my professor, Christine, and all week I've been reading poetry, writing notebook entries on the things I see here in Orvieto, memorizing already existing poems to recite to my class, and I got to write my first poem for the class on the fortress on our cliff. More to come very shortly... I have to run and get a phone call from my parents!!
Seeing Christina and Sarah came at the absolute perfect time. I'd been feeling homesick and had just hit the half-way point of our semester when I was able to run into their arms in the Czech airport and squeal like a little girl. We took a boat tour, loved rainy naps in a fun hostel with our own private room/balcony, woke up slowly to coffee together, had a picnic lunch in a park and saw a one-eyed dog (I thought it was really cute, Sarah called it "Cyclops"), tried traditional Czech food (sausages, desserts, goulosh, potato dumplings, beer-which apparently they drink more than water). We walked down the smallest street in the entire world (akin to an alley way with a traffic light because only one person can pass through at a time), took a two and a half hour walking tour that started at a clock tour and ended up at the Prague Castle on top of a hill. We learned SO many historical and cultural facts that made me want to research this country and city a ton. Favorite fun facts were about communism, graffiti, locks on gates (couples leave their initials or names on locks attached to a gate... "I left my heart in Praha"), and artwork over each doorway (instead of house and street numbers, artistic emblems served the function of identifying houses until the 1750s, so that one could say "I live in the house of the blue fox" or "Find me at the house of the 3 violas!"). I thought that the old houses and buildings were a mixture between Disney World castles (but more gothic/even more elaborate and beautiful) and dessert because they were so ornate and unique. I loved the smells, the language, the way that you could walk down these interesting artsy alleyways and turn the corner to find historical monuments and squares (sort of like Venice but prettier side streets). Sarah, Christina and I shared some fun conversations about which cities we would be if we were cities (the ultimate decision on me was that I'd actually be Prague!), what our eating habits reveal about our personalities, and plans for our senior year. It was absolutely wonderful and a weekend that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
The Howard children
Unfortunately, the Howards, who I have grown very close with (my professors and their children) left this week. They'll be back next Wednesday after a vacation in Sicily for a final goodbye, but I pretty much had to prepare myself this week that they will no longer be right downstairs to entertain or play outside with in the courtyard. Ellie, Hannah and I watercolored on Monday afternoon which was a nice treat. Dr. Howard took me out to wine that evening with her friend Christine, who is my poetry professor who just arrived, "to introduce me separate from the rest of the group." I felt really honored by this! Finally, on their last full day here, which was Dr. Howard's birthday, I got to take her out for a birthday cappucino after lunch, and play with Ellie in the afternoon. We did all of our favorite things. Ellie and I got gelato at the gelateria by the Duomo and ate it on the steps of this cathedral. Then we went to our favorite people-watching spot and made up stories and observed for a little while. Finally, we RAN down streets to try to get lost and discover new things we'd never found before. We both knew it was a magical day, because we came across numerous sights that astounded us. Our favorite was a hidden balcony with an awning covered in ivy. She decided she'll be living there, and I can live across the small side street. I was really sad to see them go because they've characterized so much of my time here, and Ellie and I especially got really close. We're looking forward to September when I'll be back in that area so that I can go rasberry picking with the kids and hang out with them again (they live about a half an hour from Gordon).
This poetry class of mine
"Poetry of Ekphrasis"- writing in response to art or objects. I absolutely love this class. I feel like it was created for me. I'm so glad I switched out of the portrait painting class because I really like my professor, Christine, and all week I've been reading poetry, writing notebook entries on the things I see here in Orvieto, memorizing already existing poems to recite to my class, and I got to write my first poem for the class on the fortress on our cliff. More to come very shortly... I have to run and get a phone call from my parents!!
4.17.2009
Greetings from Prague
I'm here safely everyone! The city, to quote my best friend Sarah, is like "an adult non-cheesy European version of Disney World." It's magical...
I took a flight into Munich (the airport was very clean, quiet and modern) and switched over to fly to Prague. Sarah and Christina (two of my best friends from Gordon who are studying in Scotland this semester) met me at the airport and we found a great restaurant to eat a late dinner outside last night. Our hostel is really fun with tons of young people from different countries hanging out with each other on the modern furniture and eating cultural foods together in the kitchen. We have our own 3-person room with a balcony and a gorgeous view.
We slept in a bit this morning and slowly got ready together with fresh coffee to plan out our day... heading off for lunch soon and then for a boat tour of the city on the Vltava (the river). More updates to come!
I took a flight into Munich (the airport was very clean, quiet and modern) and switched over to fly to Prague. Sarah and Christina (two of my best friends from Gordon who are studying in Scotland this semester) met me at the airport and we found a great restaurant to eat a late dinner outside last night. Our hostel is really fun with tons of young people from different countries hanging out with each other on the modern furniture and eating cultural foods together in the kitchen. We have our own 3-person room with a balcony and a gorgeous view.
We slept in a bit this morning and slowly got ready together with fresh coffee to plan out our day... heading off for lunch soon and then for a boat tour of the city on the Vltava (the river). More updates to come!
4.15.2009
The Day I Discovered Roosters
(A Journal Entry from April 14, 2009)
The sunrise today provoked a lot of thought and prayer. I think I just realized another reason that I am here… to discover the joy of the morning and to delight in God’s beauty. Not just to notice things but to be halted and speechless and filled. And to find that it is truly the best way to start off a day. Not rushing to get ready in time with my life and clothes tangled and jumbled. Not laying in bed begrudgingly or even thanking God for a new day while still not fully awake. The physical act of excitingly running down the hall to see what surprises the horizon shows today and meet God has brought me rejuvenation and even refreshed my faith in Him.
I discovered roosters this morning! I felt like a child in my surprise to actually hear them announce the day. My devotion this morning was about Genesis 8, in which “God remembers”- Noah and his family have waited in patience while all they’ve seen for months has been rain and waters. And in an instant the rain is stopped the waters calmed, and God shows Noah the goodness of His promise. And sure enough, one day the family can see the tops of mountains, the olive branch is brought in by the dove, and eventually solid ground is found for all to inhabit and live richly off of the refreshed earth again. (I wonder if perhaps Noah landed right at this spot in Italy. I know I have…).
After a season of heavy rains and an expanse of only water stretched out all around me, I have seen the tops of mountains. I am finding my footing, and it sure feels good to touch solid ground after being at sea for an expanse of time. I reflect on God’s sovereignty to not only bring me through a difficult season of flooding, but also bring me to a place where I get to utterly delight in each unique sunrise, to meet roosters, to laugh, to cry, to lean, to sigh, to take in the olive trees and to live anew.
The sunrise today provoked a lot of thought and prayer. I think I just realized another reason that I am here… to discover the joy of the morning and to delight in God’s beauty. Not just to notice things but to be halted and speechless and filled. And to find that it is truly the best way to start off a day. Not rushing to get ready in time with my life and clothes tangled and jumbled. Not laying in bed begrudgingly or even thanking God for a new day while still not fully awake. The physical act of excitingly running down the hall to see what surprises the horizon shows today and meet God has brought me rejuvenation and even refreshed my faith in Him.
I discovered roosters this morning! I felt like a child in my surprise to actually hear them announce the day. My devotion this morning was about Genesis 8, in which “God remembers”- Noah and his family have waited in patience while all they’ve seen for months has been rain and waters. And in an instant the rain is stopped the waters calmed, and God shows Noah the goodness of His promise. And sure enough, one day the family can see the tops of mountains, the olive branch is brought in by the dove, and eventually solid ground is found for all to inhabit and live richly off of the refreshed earth again. (I wonder if perhaps Noah landed right at this spot in Italy. I know I have…).
After a season of heavy rains and an expanse of only water stretched out all around me, I have seen the tops of mountains. I am finding my footing, and it sure feels good to touch solid ground after being at sea for an expanse of time. I reflect on God’s sovereignty to not only bring me through a difficult season of flooding, but also bring me to a place where I get to utterly delight in each unique sunrise, to meet roosters, to laugh, to cry, to lean, to sigh, to take in the olive trees and to live anew.
4.10.2009
Buona Pasqua!
Looking forward to an Italian Easter (Pasqua) weekend. This evening for Good Friday there will be a procession around the town that commemorates the Stations of the Cross, and I've heard from multiple sources that it is quite moving and reflective. Tomorrow night we are going to the Duomo (the big Orvieto cathedral) at 10:30 pm for a candlelit vigil service. And Sunday morning we will sing all of the songs we've been practicing twice a week with the choir, and we'll celebrate with the congregation the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I've found myself thinking this week about how Protestants place a lot of emphasis (generally speaking) on the victory of Christ rising again to bring new life and hope. While Easter has always been a joyous day for me in the past, this whole season of Lent and this Holy Week here in Orvieto have helped me to reflect a bit more on the suffering of Christ. For when we are able to think about His suffering, what that looked like, why it happened, and what it meant for us, His resurrection means that much more.
I'm writing a play right now! It's for the Women's History class, and our 9-person class will present it to the large art class on Tuesday of this coming week. We learned that in early modern Europe some nuns didn't actually want to take their vows/join convents, but were rather forced in by their families. Apparently, it actually cost money for a family to place their daughters in convents, but it cost less money than paying a dowry for a husband. At times when a suitable husband could not be found, or there were too many daughters in a family (and not enough money for a dowry for each) a convent was a good alternative. Also during the Protestant Reformation when Catholic convents were shut down, some families that converted to Protestantism even dragged their daughters out (daughters who DID willingly choose to be there). Thus, the play is about some of the stories and events surrounding these facts... we'll show a daily life of the nuns (with them rising before the sun to start prayer, etc.), and then a disrupted day (the mothers dragging their daughters out of the convents). I'm playing one of those rebel nuns who was forced in by my family... she'll be planning an escape and writing letters complaining about her life there. A few of us are doing the writing but all of us (including our teacher) will perform it. So glad I'm still able to keep finding ways to explore theatre in new ways here!
I'm feeling a bit homesick this week. I'm not sure if some of it has to do with the scare of the earthquake. Or perhaps because Easter is such a day when most families are together (and three or four students have families visiting right now); this is the first time I'm away from home on Easter. Not quite sure of the reasons but it's been a pretty hard week for me. I have gotten a few letters from my grandparents, family, friends and boyfriend, and their words have certainly provided comfort. Also, I was able to talk to my dad, mom and Nick yesterday, and my best friend Sarah and I were able to talk this morning. It's really good to hear the voices of those I love but it will be even better to actually see everyone in a while. Next weekend I'll be in Prague with Sarah and our friend Christina. In less than a month Nick will be here to visit. Shortly after that, I just found out that Sarah and her sister might be actually coming to Orvieto to see me! And then I'll be heading back to NJ within a month (June 15). I'm just about halfway through the program and I've heard that this can be the hardest time. But if you could just pray for me (that I will not distract myself from these feelings but rather find ways to work through them), I would appreciate it.
That being said, I miss you all and hope that you have a beautiful Easter weekend. Please keep informing me about your life! If you've written me an email or letter and have yet to hear a response I apologize and will hopefully write back very very soon. Thank you all for your patience, prayers and encouragement!
I'm writing a play right now! It's for the Women's History class, and our 9-person class will present it to the large art class on Tuesday of this coming week. We learned that in early modern Europe some nuns didn't actually want to take their vows/join convents, but were rather forced in by their families. Apparently, it actually cost money for a family to place their daughters in convents, but it cost less money than paying a dowry for a husband. At times when a suitable husband could not be found, or there were too many daughters in a family (and not enough money for a dowry for each) a convent was a good alternative. Also during the Protestant Reformation when Catholic convents were shut down, some families that converted to Protestantism even dragged their daughters out (daughters who DID willingly choose to be there). Thus, the play is about some of the stories and events surrounding these facts... we'll show a daily life of the nuns (with them rising before the sun to start prayer, etc.), and then a disrupted day (the mothers dragging their daughters out of the convents). I'm playing one of those rebel nuns who was forced in by my family... she'll be planning an escape and writing letters complaining about her life there. A few of us are doing the writing but all of us (including our teacher) will perform it. So glad I'm still able to keep finding ways to explore theatre in new ways here!
I'm feeling a bit homesick this week. I'm not sure if some of it has to do with the scare of the earthquake. Or perhaps because Easter is such a day when most families are together (and three or four students have families visiting right now); this is the first time I'm away from home on Easter. Not quite sure of the reasons but it's been a pretty hard week for me. I have gotten a few letters from my grandparents, family, friends and boyfriend, and their words have certainly provided comfort. Also, I was able to talk to my dad, mom and Nick yesterday, and my best friend Sarah and I were able to talk this morning. It's really good to hear the voices of those I love but it will be even better to actually see everyone in a while. Next weekend I'll be in Prague with Sarah and our friend Christina. In less than a month Nick will be here to visit. Shortly after that, I just found out that Sarah and her sister might be actually coming to Orvieto to see me! And then I'll be heading back to NJ within a month (June 15). I'm just about halfway through the program and I've heard that this can be the hardest time. But if you could just pray for me (that I will not distract myself from these feelings but rather find ways to work through them), I would appreciate it.
That being said, I miss you all and hope that you have a beautiful Easter weekend. Please keep informing me about your life! If you've written me an email or letter and have yet to hear a response I apologize and will hopefully write back very very soon. Thank you all for your patience, prayers and encouragement!
4.07.2009
I'm okay!
Really quick update for everyone:
-Let me just start off by saying-An 6.3 level earthquake occured with its epicenter about 150 km away from Orvieto yesterday around 3 in the morning. My family always made fun of me because they said I could sleep through a tornado or fire. And I proved their point by literally sleeping through the earthquake. Luckily I am okay, as is the town of Orvieto, but Italy at large is feeling the physical and emotional after-effects of the natural disaster. Last I heard thousands are left homeless in the region closest to the epicenter and over 100 were counted dead. Please pray for their families and for the funds and quick repair of homes and buildings that were lost yesterday. Thanks to all for your prayers, emails and facebook messages checking on me.
-Went to Rome this past weekend for a time without a class agenda and to just explore and wander. Two friends from my program (Jess and Ryan) and I left early Saturday morning, got to have a delicious lunch at an outdoor restaurant, see Michaelangelo's Moses, and eat gelato and sketch at the Trevi fountain. I threw a coin in over my left shoulder so I WILL be going back ;) We also diverted from the Italian food after a month and a half of that and had an amazing late dinner of Chinese food near our hostel! It looked kind of sketchy from outside but it was really worth the hour and a half wait... it was authentically cooked, beautifully displayed (they made carrot sculptures on our plates) and was a perfect end to the Roman day.
-On Sunday I made it back in time for the Palm Sunday service at our church. It was really neat: because of the abundance of olive trees in Orvieto, baskets full of olive branches were displayed in the church and the choir (myself included) and church clergy got to process in to mass holding olive branches and singing an acapella version of an Italian "Hosanna." It was a breathtaking service with the church more full than I had seen it since I've been here, and my favorite part was a dramatic reading of a whole chapter in Mark with three different men reading from different places on the stage to represent different characters in the story.
-Sunday afternoon highlights: a fresh sandwich and great conversation with my friend Kat on the steps of the Duomo, followed by an early evening concert taken in with Hilary and Josh at the theatre in Orvieto. The concert I would love to write a whole separate blog post on so look for that soon. Afterwards, Hilary and I went out for white wine and sat outside of a cafe to people watch. I'm beginning to get really good at picking out the tourists vs. the Italians vs. the actual Orvietani here...
-I helped run an Easter crafts session with the kids here at the monastery and some Italian children in the area. My responsibility was organizing and running the egg dying table. It was adorable and brought me great joy!
-Going to a town called Norcia on the other side of Umbria tomorrow with my women's history class. Looking forward to seeing the place where St. Benedict was born, as well as talk with a current monk living there (he speaks English and is kind enough to meet with us).
More soon! Ciao!
-Let me just start off by saying-An 6.3 level earthquake occured with its epicenter about 150 km away from Orvieto yesterday around 3 in the morning. My family always made fun of me because they said I could sleep through a tornado or fire. And I proved their point by literally sleeping through the earthquake. Luckily I am okay, as is the town of Orvieto, but Italy at large is feeling the physical and emotional after-effects of the natural disaster. Last I heard thousands are left homeless in the region closest to the epicenter and over 100 were counted dead. Please pray for their families and for the funds and quick repair of homes and buildings that were lost yesterday. Thanks to all for your prayers, emails and facebook messages checking on me.
-Went to Rome this past weekend for a time without a class agenda and to just explore and wander. Two friends from my program (Jess and Ryan) and I left early Saturday morning, got to have a delicious lunch at an outdoor restaurant, see Michaelangelo's Moses, and eat gelato and sketch at the Trevi fountain. I threw a coin in over my left shoulder so I WILL be going back ;) We also diverted from the Italian food after a month and a half of that and had an amazing late dinner of Chinese food near our hostel! It looked kind of sketchy from outside but it was really worth the hour and a half wait... it was authentically cooked, beautifully displayed (they made carrot sculptures on our plates) and was a perfect end to the Roman day.
-On Sunday I made it back in time for the Palm Sunday service at our church. It was really neat: because of the abundance of olive trees in Orvieto, baskets full of olive branches were displayed in the church and the choir (myself included) and church clergy got to process in to mass holding olive branches and singing an acapella version of an Italian "Hosanna." It was a breathtaking service with the church more full than I had seen it since I've been here, and my favorite part was a dramatic reading of a whole chapter in Mark with three different men reading from different places on the stage to represent different characters in the story.
-Sunday afternoon highlights: a fresh sandwich and great conversation with my friend Kat on the steps of the Duomo, followed by an early evening concert taken in with Hilary and Josh at the theatre in Orvieto. The concert I would love to write a whole separate blog post on so look for that soon. Afterwards, Hilary and I went out for white wine and sat outside of a cafe to people watch. I'm beginning to get really good at picking out the tourists vs. the Italians vs. the actual Orvietani here...
-I helped run an Easter crafts session with the kids here at the monastery and some Italian children in the area. My responsibility was organizing and running the egg dying table. It was adorable and brought me great joy!
-Going to a town called Norcia on the other side of Umbria tomorrow with my women's history class. Looking forward to seeing the place where St. Benedict was born, as well as talk with a current monk living there (he speaks English and is kind enough to meet with us).
More soon! Ciao!
4.02.2009
Two Weeks in Review
I find myself in an empty room at the end our hallway in the monastery. It's a perfect spring day. The window is open, so I smell a combination of burnt toast from a failed snack attempt in the kitchen and the fresh air of the Umbrian countryside. It's actually really nice :) Today has been wonderful, as have the last two weeks. My apologies for lack of posting. I haven't had too much to report.
This morning in class, we took a walk all around Orvieto to learn more about the monasteries and orders of nuns that are active, cloistered, or no longer existent in the town. We ended up in the market (the one on Thursday and Saturday mornings) where I purchased nuts and dried fruit. After lunch I went for a walk along the cliff and just took my time letting the warmth fill me and letting the beauty of the afternoon wash over me. We had Italian this afternoon, followed by an "assignment" to break off into small groups and speak Italian in a gelateria. Basically, snack time. I'm okay with that... I'll have a "cono con nocciola e cafe per favore." (Cone with hazelnut and coffee). My friends Jen, Katie, Jenn and I strolled past the Duomo which looked particularly brilliant today, and also stopped into several shops. I'm looking right now for some strappy sandals that will be perfect now that the weather is warming (and since flip flops are so looked down upon). So far, no luck, but I'm holding out for the right (and inexpensive) ones. Jenn bought a red leather bag though that was on sale for only 12 euro! The girls on our trip are doing really well at finding things on sale... They all call me "Mom" though when we're shopping. If they ask everyone's opinion on an item that they want to buy, I tell them to walk away and see how they're feeling when we walk by the store again later in the day.
The last few days have been refreshing. Last week was a bit draining and I was just feeling quiet. The weekend was especially quiet because the whole art class was gone for 3 days in Rome (18 people), leaving 9 of us at the monastery. We pretty much slept in every morning, watched tons of movies, and baked cookies with our director's wife (Sharona). I had a ballet session with Hannah Howard (7 years old) which was absolutely delightful. We made up skits that we danced out without words, and she also liked using scarves as flowing props in our "ballet" plays. The next day I also babysat for all three of the Howard kids (Ben-3, Hannah-7, Ellie-10). They love seeing all of my characters that I make up, so we spent time in the courtyard with me doing little monologues and chasing them around as different "people." They started to join in and we created little 3-5 minute plays. I knew I couldn't make it four months without theatre ;)
Monday and Tuesday this week it rained on and off, but I was able to talk to my family, Nick and Mer (one of my best friends from Gordon) which was especially exciting amidst the dreary weather. Yesterday we had class in a cafe and we decided that part of our final exam would be a play that we are going to write together and act in about the closing down of a convent! It sounds super boring but it actually is going to include true stories of women who never wanted to take vows to be nuns and were forced into convents (by their families who couldn't find husbands for the young ladies), and about women who were literally dragged out of convents after the Protestant Reformation. I think I'm going to be writing most of it and the other girls decided that I'm going to have to play the rebel nun who didn't even want to be there in the first place. Highlight of the week so far was I think yesterday. Ellie Howard and I had a gelato date. We ate gelato at a new place I'd never been before right by the Duomo. It was delicious! And then we strolled through the town and sat on church steps in one of the piazzas to people watch. I taught her the game my Grammy and I made up when I was in 6th grade (that we still play and that I play by myself sometimes) where you try to make up stories about who people are, where they're going, where they've come from, why they're doing what they're doing, etc. Ellie loved it! I think the Howard kids are reminding me how to laugh and enjoy life on a simpler level again. It's a good lesson to learn here.
I found out that Gordon is doing Godspell as the musical next year. This should be fun! I also got offered a TA (Teacher's Assistant) position for the musical theatre course in my theatre department! I'm really excited about this. Finally, I will be taking an independent study in the fall with one other student where we work throughout each week to build auditioning repetoires, finding, practicing and keeping on record monologues and songs for auditions for when we leave Gordon. Hopefully this will work out because I would love to be ready to start auditioning for professional productions following graduation. Ahh. I'm almost a senior in college. Weird.
One more thing. Don't yell at me. I chopped my hair off last night. I've been wanting to for months and I finally got up the guts to do so! My friend Lauren who has cut a few people's hair here said she would do it. It is about the length of my chin right now, SO easy to take care of, and I LOVE IT! Hopefully when I FINALLY get my computer back (very soon), I'll finally be able to put pictures on my computer of all I've been seeing/doing, and also include one of the new Italian Heather. In more ways than one.
This morning in class, we took a walk all around Orvieto to learn more about the monasteries and orders of nuns that are active, cloistered, or no longer existent in the town. We ended up in the market (the one on Thursday and Saturday mornings) where I purchased nuts and dried fruit. After lunch I went for a walk along the cliff and just took my time letting the warmth fill me and letting the beauty of the afternoon wash over me. We had Italian this afternoon, followed by an "assignment" to break off into small groups and speak Italian in a gelateria. Basically, snack time. I'm okay with that... I'll have a "cono con nocciola e cafe per favore." (Cone with hazelnut and coffee). My friends Jen, Katie, Jenn and I strolled past the Duomo which looked particularly brilliant today, and also stopped into several shops. I'm looking right now for some strappy sandals that will be perfect now that the weather is warming (and since flip flops are so looked down upon). So far, no luck, but I'm holding out for the right (and inexpensive) ones. Jenn bought a red leather bag though that was on sale for only 12 euro! The girls on our trip are doing really well at finding things on sale... They all call me "Mom" though when we're shopping. If they ask everyone's opinion on an item that they want to buy, I tell them to walk away and see how they're feeling when we walk by the store again later in the day.
The last few days have been refreshing. Last week was a bit draining and I was just feeling quiet. The weekend was especially quiet because the whole art class was gone for 3 days in Rome (18 people), leaving 9 of us at the monastery. We pretty much slept in every morning, watched tons of movies, and baked cookies with our director's wife (Sharona). I had a ballet session with Hannah Howard (7 years old) which was absolutely delightful. We made up skits that we danced out without words, and she also liked using scarves as flowing props in our "ballet" plays. The next day I also babysat for all three of the Howard kids (Ben-3, Hannah-7, Ellie-10). They love seeing all of my characters that I make up, so we spent time in the courtyard with me doing little monologues and chasing them around as different "people." They started to join in and we created little 3-5 minute plays. I knew I couldn't make it four months without theatre ;)
Monday and Tuesday this week it rained on and off, but I was able to talk to my family, Nick and Mer (one of my best friends from Gordon) which was especially exciting amidst the dreary weather. Yesterday we had class in a cafe and we decided that part of our final exam would be a play that we are going to write together and act in about the closing down of a convent! It sounds super boring but it actually is going to include true stories of women who never wanted to take vows to be nuns and were forced into convents (by their families who couldn't find husbands for the young ladies), and about women who were literally dragged out of convents after the Protestant Reformation. I think I'm going to be writing most of it and the other girls decided that I'm going to have to play the rebel nun who didn't even want to be there in the first place. Highlight of the week so far was I think yesterday. Ellie Howard and I had a gelato date. We ate gelato at a new place I'd never been before right by the Duomo. It was delicious! And then we strolled through the town and sat on church steps in one of the piazzas to people watch. I taught her the game my Grammy and I made up when I was in 6th grade (that we still play and that I play by myself sometimes) where you try to make up stories about who people are, where they're going, where they've come from, why they're doing what they're doing, etc. Ellie loved it! I think the Howard kids are reminding me how to laugh and enjoy life on a simpler level again. It's a good lesson to learn here.
I found out that Gordon is doing Godspell as the musical next year. This should be fun! I also got offered a TA (Teacher's Assistant) position for the musical theatre course in my theatre department! I'm really excited about this. Finally, I will be taking an independent study in the fall with one other student where we work throughout each week to build auditioning repetoires, finding, practicing and keeping on record monologues and songs for auditions for when we leave Gordon. Hopefully this will work out because I would love to be ready to start auditioning for professional productions following graduation. Ahh. I'm almost a senior in college. Weird.
One more thing. Don't yell at me. I chopped my hair off last night. I've been wanting to for months and I finally got up the guts to do so! My friend Lauren who has cut a few people's hair here said she would do it. It is about the length of my chin right now, SO easy to take care of, and I LOVE IT! Hopefully when I FINALLY get my computer back (very soon), I'll finally be able to put pictures on my computer of all I've been seeing/doing, and also include one of the new Italian Heather. In more ways than one.
3.25.2009
Venetian Inspiration
Here are two poems I wrote this weekend. The first I wrote on the afternoon I spent by myself in San Marco's Piazza and the second was drafted in my head as we walked on Sunday morning through the streets of Venezia to catch our train (at six in the morning).
San Marco’s Piazza
Kites made of simple paper
but vibrant design
leave the hands and take flight.
The March wind captures and lifts
each weightless speck til the only
proof of ownership is found in the taut strings
possessed by upward-gazing souls.
One small boy stands watching.
In his gray hat and soft face
he sees the wind snatch the beauties
and tug and twirl them through
the afternoon’s bright sky.
He holds his own by hugging it
tightly to his jacketed self
for fear of losing the wonder of the kite.
What he does not know in his youth is that
this kite’s purpose was to soar.
And it is only when let go that its
full splendor is visible,
joining the symphony of countless others
floating in their perfect dance of flight.
The Sights and Sounds of Venice Waking
The pigeons’ coos are the first voices
to resound before the sun even decides to wake.
The canal is still before the first strokes
pass through to move the waters.
Behind iron gates, shoes, masks, fabrics
yawn and wait to hear the voice of their keeper:
“Look ready, today might be your day.”
And then the facades turn from dull
to a burnt sienna or warm sunflower
as the sun breathes a new morning coat
and fills each window with Venetian light.
Our footsteps break into the crisp morning
with echoes and persistent rhythm
before the first sip of coffee is tasted by the buyer
or the first coin is tossed to the beggar.
Venice waits for its old and narrow veins to be filled
with human life pumping through,
to make this city alive and breathing again today.
San Marco’s Piazza
Kites made of simple paper
but vibrant design
leave the hands and take flight.
The March wind captures and lifts
each weightless speck til the only
proof of ownership is found in the taut strings
possessed by upward-gazing souls.
One small boy stands watching.
In his gray hat and soft face
he sees the wind snatch the beauties
and tug and twirl them through
the afternoon’s bright sky.
He holds his own by hugging it
tightly to his jacketed self
for fear of losing the wonder of the kite.
What he does not know in his youth is that
this kite’s purpose was to soar.
And it is only when let go that its
full splendor is visible,
joining the symphony of countless others
floating in their perfect dance of flight.
The Sights and Sounds of Venice Waking
The pigeons’ coos are the first voices
to resound before the sun even decides to wake.
The canal is still before the first strokes
pass through to move the waters.
Behind iron gates, shoes, masks, fabrics
yawn and wait to hear the voice of their keeper:
“Look ready, today might be your day.”
And then the facades turn from dull
to a burnt sienna or warm sunflower
as the sun breathes a new morning coat
and fills each window with Venetian light.
Our footsteps break into the crisp morning
with echoes and persistent rhythm
before the first sip of coffee is tasted by the buyer
or the first coin is tossed to the beggar.
Venice waits for its old and narrow veins to be filled
with human life pumping through,
to make this city alive and breathing again today.
Bologna (part 2 of our Venice weekend)
So on Sunday we traveled to Bologna, a smallish town that is simply known for having the best food you’ll probably ever eat in your life. And it was. And that was really the only reason we went there ;)
We went to a Georgio Morandi exhibit in the morning which was mostly still-life sketches of bottles, watercolored landscapes in muted colors, and a few nonsensical pieces that really didn’t resonate with me. They were modern and Morandi is definitely talented, but I was trying to figure out why I didn’t connect with him. I figured out that I really enjoy color (his work is very neutral and muted), movement (none at all in his since it is pretty stagnant), and story/context (all of his looked similar and did not portray people or emotions). This makes so much sense to me because I love theatre and dramatic artwork. I am moved by human experience and emotion, which were both completely lacking from Morandi’s work. It felt good to be able to figure this out and put it into words (as the art students I was with were almost offended at first that I didn’t really like him). We had the most delicious (and a bit expensive) lunch with D.O.C. Chianti wine (the best red wine I’ll probably ever have). I had the restaurant (daNello)’s famous pasta dish with cream, sausage and mushrooms, followed by veal cutlet wrapped in ham and a heavenly cream sauce. My friend Jess and I split a large and magnificent chocolate truffle for dessert. Absolutely indulgent but worth it since I’ll probably never have another meal like it again. Spent the afternoon splitting a bottle of wine amidst the six of us, lying in the sunshine in a beautiful park with flowers already in bloom and a small lake with fountains, and simply relaxing. It was a day I’ll never forget.
It was great to get back to the monastery on Sunday evening. It was a strange sensation to reunite with the rest of the group after our time apart and I found myself wanting to hug everyone as though I was rejoining my new family. These people are absolutely wonderful, and I’m finding myself thanking God almost every day that He picked me to be here with such a great group of individuals.
Verse I’m thinking about today: 1 Corinthians 10:31- “Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” What does this really mean and how can I live it out in my life? Just wanted to share that.
We went to a Georgio Morandi exhibit in the morning which was mostly still-life sketches of bottles, watercolored landscapes in muted colors, and a few nonsensical pieces that really didn’t resonate with me. They were modern and Morandi is definitely talented, but I was trying to figure out why I didn’t connect with him. I figured out that I really enjoy color (his work is very neutral and muted), movement (none at all in his since it is pretty stagnant), and story/context (all of his looked similar and did not portray people or emotions). This makes so much sense to me because I love theatre and dramatic artwork. I am moved by human experience and emotion, which were both completely lacking from Morandi’s work. It felt good to be able to figure this out and put it into words (as the art students I was with were almost offended at first that I didn’t really like him). We had the most delicious (and a bit expensive) lunch with D.O.C. Chianti wine (the best red wine I’ll probably ever have). I had the restaurant (daNello)’s famous pasta dish with cream, sausage and mushrooms, followed by veal cutlet wrapped in ham and a heavenly cream sauce. My friend Jess and I split a large and magnificent chocolate truffle for dessert. Absolutely indulgent but worth it since I’ll probably never have another meal like it again. Spent the afternoon splitting a bottle of wine amidst the six of us, lying in the sunshine in a beautiful park with flowers already in bloom and a small lake with fountains, and simply relaxing. It was a day I’ll never forget.
It was great to get back to the monastery on Sunday evening. It was a strange sensation to reunite with the rest of the group after our time apart and I found myself wanting to hug everyone as though I was rejoining my new family. These people are absolutely wonderful, and I’m finding myself thanking God almost every day that He picked me to be here with such a great group of individuals.
Verse I’m thinking about today: 1 Corinthians 10:31- “Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” What does this really mean and how can I live it out in my life? Just wanted to share that.
Venezia
I write on a wonderful Tuesday, finally having a bit of time to reflect on my weekend with friends in Venice and Bologna. (By the way- I spent this afternoon journaling, writing letters, balancing my checking account, and making breakfast from scratch for tomorrow with some girls- we are making cinnamon rolls and coffee cake!).
So with friends from my program (Abby, Jess, Ryan, Josh and Jake), I left early Friday morning to travel from Orvieto to Florence to Venice. We had a wonderful fresh lunch of mozzarella, bread, salami and tomatoes on the train and arrived in Venezia at 2:00. Walking out of the train station we were struck with the sight of the canal right in front of us! We did in fact jump and squeal with excitement, embarrassingly enough (well, us girls did). We navigated through the city on foot and found our hotel after about an hour of turning down narrow alleys and crossing over footbridges. Venice is an interesting place, as you may pass through one section of the city with boards over windows, paper scattered on the ground and not a person in sight. You then travel through a tiny street (akin to an alley) and turn a corner… then WAM! The largest piazza you’ve ever seen FILLED with people, huge cathedrals, pigeons, music, restaurants and high-class shops (try, Versace, Guess, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Calvin Klein… those are just a few!). Also, there are absolutely no cars in the city as all major transportation occurs through gondola/boats. (Even the “buses” are on water, with stations in the middle of a canal!) On Friday afternoon when we first explored we stepped into a few small shops, took cappuccino in a side café and walked to San Marco’s Piazza at dusk where live music was being played, one of the street sellers forced us girls to buy roses, and we took in the sights of the buildings and water we could only hope to see in our lives. We found a really cute restaurant for a pizza dinner. Abby and I split a zucchini, eggplant and pepper one… mmm. We topped off the night with gelato as we strolled the streets of Venice (I got chocolate and creamy Nutella). It was a bit windy but mostly the whole day was just gorgeous and picturesque.
The next morning we woke up slowly and had a delicious complimentary breakfast in our hotel. Then we headed to San Marco’s Piazza again (it was really close to our hotel) and saw the inside of the famously astounding basilica there. There were gold, rich mosaics all over the walls, arches and domes, as well as tiled mosaics on the floor that I found particularly interesting. Eastern design clearly had an influence on the way things were depicted in the artwork, the windows, architecture itself and the chandeliers. In the square, tons of people feed the pigeons and our friend Jake couldn’t pass up the chance for a photo op. He poured the crumbs from his potato chip bag all over his jacket and hat (which he was wearing!) and pigeons flocked to feast off of his head and arms! It was hilarious (and he was luckily spared from their nasty “thank-yous” that one would assume would be left after a snack). After walking around for a bit outside, we had a small lunch near the canal. One of my favorite parts of the day was next: modern art museum and sculpture garden taken in at the Peggy Guggenheim museum. I fell in love with paintings by the futuristic Umberto Boccioni. I also really enjoyed a specific piece with bright strokes that stretched out onto the frame called “Sea=Dancer” (by another artist whose name I can’t recall), and instillation pieces with natural elements/emotions represented in Jason martin collection called “Vigil.” Pastries and afternoon snacks/naps followed. At which point I went off to sit in San Marco’s Piazza with my journal. I ran into a friend from my work at home named Regina! She is studying abroad in Florence and the only reason I found her was because she and her friends were making a lot of noise and trying to take crazy pictures, typical "American" behavior which caught my attention. It was really funny and we exchanged information so that if we are ever in the other’s Italian town we could try to catch each other again. I stepped into whichever shops I wanted to (mostly bookshops and stores with masks- I bought one!) and took as much time as I felt like, stopping to peer into elegantly-dressed windows of stores I’d never shop at in real life (for their expensive merchandise). I spent a lot of time before sunset just people watching and smiling because I was so content in that time. The music being played from an outdoor restaurant, the beautiful air and the sun reflecting off of San Marco’s were enough to make me feel as though all problems and worries were masked by a carelessness that lifted my soul and let me find a wonderful peace. I wrote a poem about what I saw that you can read in my next post. I met up with the rest of my friends to browse the market that lines the Rialto (the largest/oldest bridge in Venice which is over 500 years old). Finally, the pinnacle of the day: a nighttime gondola ride! It felt like a dream as we slid through the waters and learned there are over 400 bridges in Venice, saw where Mozart, Marco Polo, Goethe and Casanova lived or stayed in the city, and enjoyed each other’s company.
So with friends from my program (Abby, Jess, Ryan, Josh and Jake), I left early Friday morning to travel from Orvieto to Florence to Venice. We had a wonderful fresh lunch of mozzarella, bread, salami and tomatoes on the train and arrived in Venezia at 2:00. Walking out of the train station we were struck with the sight of the canal right in front of us! We did in fact jump and squeal with excitement, embarrassingly enough (well, us girls did). We navigated through the city on foot and found our hotel after about an hour of turning down narrow alleys and crossing over footbridges. Venice is an interesting place, as you may pass through one section of the city with boards over windows, paper scattered on the ground and not a person in sight. You then travel through a tiny street (akin to an alley) and turn a corner… then WAM! The largest piazza you’ve ever seen FILLED with people, huge cathedrals, pigeons, music, restaurants and high-class shops (try, Versace, Guess, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Calvin Klein… those are just a few!). Also, there are absolutely no cars in the city as all major transportation occurs through gondola/boats. (Even the “buses” are on water, with stations in the middle of a canal!) On Friday afternoon when we first explored we stepped into a few small shops, took cappuccino in a side café and walked to San Marco’s Piazza at dusk where live music was being played, one of the street sellers forced us girls to buy roses, and we took in the sights of the buildings and water we could only hope to see in our lives. We found a really cute restaurant for a pizza dinner. Abby and I split a zucchini, eggplant and pepper one… mmm. We topped off the night with gelato as we strolled the streets of Venice (I got chocolate and creamy Nutella). It was a bit windy but mostly the whole day was just gorgeous and picturesque.
The next morning we woke up slowly and had a delicious complimentary breakfast in our hotel. Then we headed to San Marco’s Piazza again (it was really close to our hotel) and saw the inside of the famously astounding basilica there. There were gold, rich mosaics all over the walls, arches and domes, as well as tiled mosaics on the floor that I found particularly interesting. Eastern design clearly had an influence on the way things were depicted in the artwork, the windows, architecture itself and the chandeliers. In the square, tons of people feed the pigeons and our friend Jake couldn’t pass up the chance for a photo op. He poured the crumbs from his potato chip bag all over his jacket and hat (which he was wearing!) and pigeons flocked to feast off of his head and arms! It was hilarious (and he was luckily spared from their nasty “thank-yous” that one would assume would be left after a snack). After walking around for a bit outside, we had a small lunch near the canal. One of my favorite parts of the day was next: modern art museum and sculpture garden taken in at the Peggy Guggenheim museum. I fell in love with paintings by the futuristic Umberto Boccioni. I also really enjoyed a specific piece with bright strokes that stretched out onto the frame called “Sea=Dancer” (by another artist whose name I can’t recall), and instillation pieces with natural elements/emotions represented in Jason martin collection called “Vigil.” Pastries and afternoon snacks/naps followed. At which point I went off to sit in San Marco’s Piazza with my journal. I ran into a friend from my work at home named Regina! She is studying abroad in Florence and the only reason I found her was because she and her friends were making a lot of noise and trying to take crazy pictures, typical "American" behavior which caught my attention. It was really funny and we exchanged information so that if we are ever in the other’s Italian town we could try to catch each other again. I stepped into whichever shops I wanted to (mostly bookshops and stores with masks- I bought one!) and took as much time as I felt like, stopping to peer into elegantly-dressed windows of stores I’d never shop at in real life (for their expensive merchandise). I spent a lot of time before sunset just people watching and smiling because I was so content in that time. The music being played from an outdoor restaurant, the beautiful air and the sun reflecting off of San Marco’s were enough to make me feel as though all problems and worries were masked by a carelessness that lifted my soul and let me find a wonderful peace. I wrote a poem about what I saw that you can read in my next post. I met up with the rest of my friends to browse the market that lines the Rialto (the largest/oldest bridge in Venice which is over 500 years old). Finally, the pinnacle of the day: a nighttime gondola ride! It felt like a dream as we slid through the waters and learned there are over 400 bridges in Venice, saw where Mozart, Marco Polo, Goethe and Casanova lived or stayed in the city, and enjoyed each other’s company.
3.18.2009
Learning
Went to Florence yesterday. It felt so different from Rome! My friend Jen and I came up with a few comparisons. We thought Rome felt more like America's NYC while Florence has a bit more of a Boston feel. Her comparison was the best though: Rome has all of the spectacle, excitement and movement of a Broadway musical while Florence feels like you're in the midst of or on your way to a ballet. It's fluid and classy and you're excited but you have to keep composed. I think this was a pretty accurate portrayal. But I bet you all can see why I think I like Rome better ;)
I did love the side streets in Florence, and we saw some more beautiful cathedrals, frescoes and monasteries. Favorite of the day was a cloister where each cell had a depiction of a scene from Jesus' life painted by Fra Angelico. Walking around Florence at lunch time, my friends and I noticed a lot more American tourists (by appearance and hearing them speak) than in Rome where travelers have seemed to be far more international. It's really strange in Italy to hear people speaking English with distinctly American accents after being surrounded by a foreign language for days and weeks on end.
Speaking of, I got to have a wonderful conversation on the phone this past weekend with my dad's side of the family. I called my grandparents' house where everyone was congregated for a dinner and they passed the phone from one person to the next. It was absolutely delightful and comforting to hear each person's voice, to hear what's new with a few people, and also to know that my blog is being read :) I was slightly embarassed though when my Poppy (my grandfather) got on the phone and said, "Okay, Heather, speak Italian to me." ALL I could think to say was, "Ciao, buon giorno... come stai?" So basic. So embarassing. I got back to the monastery and offered to buy someone a cappucino if they'd tutor me in Italian cause I'm ashamed that this is all I could think of to say after a month of living here!
It's hard to believe it's been about a month. Class is wrapping up. Heading to Venice this weekend. Starting the next class on Monday. Feeling a little more settled each week, but still being challenged in vast and exciting ways by the things I'm seeing and learning.
I did love the side streets in Florence, and we saw some more beautiful cathedrals, frescoes and monasteries. Favorite of the day was a cloister where each cell had a depiction of a scene from Jesus' life painted by Fra Angelico. Walking around Florence at lunch time, my friends and I noticed a lot more American tourists (by appearance and hearing them speak) than in Rome where travelers have seemed to be far more international. It's really strange in Italy to hear people speaking English with distinctly American accents after being surrounded by a foreign language for days and weeks on end.
Speaking of, I got to have a wonderful conversation on the phone this past weekend with my dad's side of the family. I called my grandparents' house where everyone was congregated for a dinner and they passed the phone from one person to the next. It was absolutely delightful and comforting to hear each person's voice, to hear what's new with a few people, and also to know that my blog is being read :) I was slightly embarassed though when my Poppy (my grandfather) got on the phone and said, "Okay, Heather, speak Italian to me." ALL I could think to say was, "Ciao, buon giorno... come stai?" So basic. So embarassing. I got back to the monastery and offered to buy someone a cappucino if they'd tutor me in Italian cause I'm ashamed that this is all I could think of to say after a month of living here!
It's hard to believe it's been about a month. Class is wrapping up. Heading to Venice this weekend. Starting the next class on Monday. Feeling a little more settled each week, but still being challenged in vast and exciting ways by the things I'm seeing and learning.
3.15.2009
Choir Practice, Jazz Music and Mountain-top Lunches
Highlights of the last few days:
-My first Italian karaoke night at a cafe. Quite a riot! The American songs that they chose to sing none of us Americans actually seemed to know, and they ALL knew the words and sang very loudly along to every Italian song.
-A beautiful day in Assisi (the hilltop town of St. Francis). Got to sit in an olive grove with the group and sing, write poetry and sketch. Had a delicious fresh picnic on top of a mountain (tomato salad, bread, cheese, meat, olives, fruit and cake). Saw more beautiful cathedrals and the tomb of St. Francis.
-Another night at the jazz club with friends from my program (Jana, Jen, Alexandra, Kat, Josh, Ryan) and Hilary. The band was incredible and the company even better. We especially loved watching the faces of the musicians as they got really into the music (there was a stand-up bass, drums, piano, saxophone/jazz clarinet).
-I received a few letters from my boyfriend and some encouraging emails from friends at home. As wonderful as it is to be making new friends here (Italian and American alike), it's still really special to hear from those who I love and those who know me really well.
-I got offered the possibility of a job back home with my community theatre program. I'd be able to be on the directing staff of the children's theatre if I decide to send in my resume. Praying and thinking about this as it would certainly be a great experience but add a more stressful atmosphere to my summer after returning from being abroad.
-I booked a few trips! Two of my best friends from Gordon (Sarah/Christina) and I are going to Prague in mid-April, and this coming weekend a small group of friends (Jess, Abby, Ryan, Josh, Jake) and I are going to go to Venice and Bologna for the weekend after finishing our first course. Further, we are taking a class field-trip to Florence on Tuesday! I'm beginning to feel like quite the traveler ;)
-I went to mass this morning at San Giovenale and was really excited that I recognized some of the songs, and was able to follow along more with the order of the liturgy. Also, I'm beginning to understand fragments of prayers and readings just from learning Italian and living here. Today was the first choir practice after the service! Almost half of our whole program group decided to join, but the choir director Eduardo was very enthusiastic about how many of us wanted to be involved. The music is gorgeous, and we just sing along to Eduardo playing an acoustic guitar that resounds brilliantly in the old church. He split us up this morning into four-part harmonies and for some reason directed a lot of his English instructions to me (sitting in the front row, trying very hard), to share with the rest of the group. I'm looking forward very much to getting to know Eduardo and the rest of the choir, in addition to singing for the Easter celebration.
Last week of the first class coming up. Worked on my paper all weekend and it's coming along pretty well. Group project to be presented on Wednesday, followed by the final exam on Thursday. I forgot to mention also that I'm no longer going to take Portrait Painting for the third class. The options were Portrait Painting or "Poetry of Ekphrasis." Assuming that Ekphrasis was an ancient poet and thinking this sounded very boring, I was thrilled with the idea of painting in Italy. However, an announcement was made this week that there are far too many students signed up for the painting class and a few needed to switch out. Learning that the painting class is going to be highly technical (which I'm not ready for as a simple beginner)/expensive, and that Ekphrasis Poetry is rather poetry written in response to art, I jumped at the chance to switch. I'm actually really looking forward to that! First, though, I have a history of women and the family in the Medieval Period class with Dr. Agnes Howard. Should be interesting! Have a great week everyone.
Heather
-My first Italian karaoke night at a cafe. Quite a riot! The American songs that they chose to sing none of us Americans actually seemed to know, and they ALL knew the words and sang very loudly along to every Italian song.
-A beautiful day in Assisi (the hilltop town of St. Francis). Got to sit in an olive grove with the group and sing, write poetry and sketch. Had a delicious fresh picnic on top of a mountain (tomato salad, bread, cheese, meat, olives, fruit and cake). Saw more beautiful cathedrals and the tomb of St. Francis.
-Another night at the jazz club with friends from my program (Jana, Jen, Alexandra, Kat, Josh, Ryan) and Hilary. The band was incredible and the company even better. We especially loved watching the faces of the musicians as they got really into the music (there was a stand-up bass, drums, piano, saxophone/jazz clarinet).
-I received a few letters from my boyfriend and some encouraging emails from friends at home. As wonderful as it is to be making new friends here (Italian and American alike), it's still really special to hear from those who I love and those who know me really well.
-I got offered the possibility of a job back home with my community theatre program. I'd be able to be on the directing staff of the children's theatre if I decide to send in my resume. Praying and thinking about this as it would certainly be a great experience but add a more stressful atmosphere to my summer after returning from being abroad.
-I booked a few trips! Two of my best friends from Gordon (Sarah/Christina) and I are going to Prague in mid-April, and this coming weekend a small group of friends (Jess, Abby, Ryan, Josh, Jake) and I are going to go to Venice and Bologna for the weekend after finishing our first course. Further, we are taking a class field-trip to Florence on Tuesday! I'm beginning to feel like quite the traveler ;)
-I went to mass this morning at San Giovenale and was really excited that I recognized some of the songs, and was able to follow along more with the order of the liturgy. Also, I'm beginning to understand fragments of prayers and readings just from learning Italian and living here. Today was the first choir practice after the service! Almost half of our whole program group decided to join, but the choir director Eduardo was very enthusiastic about how many of us wanted to be involved. The music is gorgeous, and we just sing along to Eduardo playing an acoustic guitar that resounds brilliantly in the old church. He split us up this morning into four-part harmonies and for some reason directed a lot of his English instructions to me (sitting in the front row, trying very hard), to share with the rest of the group. I'm looking forward very much to getting to know Eduardo and the rest of the choir, in addition to singing for the Easter celebration.
Last week of the first class coming up. Worked on my paper all weekend and it's coming along pretty well. Group project to be presented on Wednesday, followed by the final exam on Thursday. I forgot to mention also that I'm no longer going to take Portrait Painting for the third class. The options were Portrait Painting or "Poetry of Ekphrasis." Assuming that Ekphrasis was an ancient poet and thinking this sounded very boring, I was thrilled with the idea of painting in Italy. However, an announcement was made this week that there are far too many students signed up for the painting class and a few needed to switch out. Learning that the painting class is going to be highly technical (which I'm not ready for as a simple beginner)/expensive, and that Ekphrasis Poetry is rather poetry written in response to art, I jumped at the chance to switch. I'm actually really looking forward to that! First, though, I have a history of women and the family in the Medieval Period class with Dr. Agnes Howard. Should be interesting! Have a great week everyone.
Heather
3.10.2009
Breathing new air
Today was probably my favorite day yet. After class and lunch, I walked away from the group and had an afternoon that was incredibly fulfilling. I took a long, slow walk around different parts of the city. I tried to get lost in my further exploration of our town with the hopes of finding my way back, but I actually had trouble getting lost ;) I did find a neat spot to look out over the cliff that provided an excellent bench for journaling. After this, I headed to the Duomo and just sat in quiet in the large cathedral to think and pray. Made my way to the library in town which I've been itching to check out, and got to read for class at a window overlooking a beautiful courtyard with lemon trees. AND I returned to San Paulo to find 3 letters (two from Nick and one from my good friend Christine from school) which was really exciting. Mail always makes the day even better :)
I am not sure if I mentioned her yet, but I have a friend that I've really enjoyed getting to know here named Hilary. She's not in the Gordon program, but rather a student from University of Bath (in England) spending 8 months in Orvieto teaching high school students English. She's already been here for about 5 months, so her Italian skills are far better than mine and she has lots of Italian friends she's been able to introduce me to. She's also a Christian and is connected to the church that is held out of our monastery (so she knows the families and directors involved with our program). We met for capuccino today, and decided to go for a double treat by buying gelato too (I'm making you all jealous, sorry. I'll stop mentioning the gelato everyday if you want). We walked with our refreshing treats to a park right near San Giovenale (the cathedral where I'm joining the choir) and breathed the afternoon air in a way that revitalized me and made me feel very comfortable. The whole day has been quite a breath of fresh air amidst the very full days here that can actually be overwhelming at times (not in the way that they are at Gordon, but mostly because there's so much I want to do/people to talk to, which can get draining when I don't take time for myself).
For dinner we had pizza, which is very thin-crusted, so they bring out 5 or 6 different kinds for us to try in succession. Our favorite is the dessert pizza they bring out at the end sometimes with Nutella. Tonight though, the one that had grilled zucchini and eggplant definitely made its way to the top of my Italian pizza list. I'm now babysitting for the Howard family (the professors with two girls and a little boy) and I'm actually reading for fun! Finally picked up The Shack since I've been encouraged by so many people to read it and I actually have time now.
Oh, another exciting thing is that I've found a friend to do a Bible study with. Abby is a Gordon art student who I didn't know extremely well before this trip, but we've had some great conversations already and have decided to read a chapter of Matthew together each day. It's nice to have that, especially since the church services are in Italian and I really like to have other people who I can be in the Word with.
Tomorrow we're heading to Rome. Gonna hear the Pope, and I'm really looking forward to it!
I am not sure if I mentioned her yet, but I have a friend that I've really enjoyed getting to know here named Hilary. She's not in the Gordon program, but rather a student from University of Bath (in England) spending 8 months in Orvieto teaching high school students English. She's already been here for about 5 months, so her Italian skills are far better than mine and she has lots of Italian friends she's been able to introduce me to. She's also a Christian and is connected to the church that is held out of our monastery (so she knows the families and directors involved with our program). We met for capuccino today, and decided to go for a double treat by buying gelato too (I'm making you all jealous, sorry. I'll stop mentioning the gelato everyday if you want). We walked with our refreshing treats to a park right near San Giovenale (the cathedral where I'm joining the choir) and breathed the afternoon air in a way that revitalized me and made me feel very comfortable. The whole day has been quite a breath of fresh air amidst the very full days here that can actually be overwhelming at times (not in the way that they are at Gordon, but mostly because there's so much I want to do/people to talk to, which can get draining when I don't take time for myself).
For dinner we had pizza, which is very thin-crusted, so they bring out 5 or 6 different kinds for us to try in succession. Our favorite is the dessert pizza they bring out at the end sometimes with Nutella. Tonight though, the one that had grilled zucchini and eggplant definitely made its way to the top of my Italian pizza list. I'm now babysitting for the Howard family (the professors with two girls and a little boy) and I'm actually reading for fun! Finally picked up The Shack since I've been encouraged by so many people to read it and I actually have time now.
Oh, another exciting thing is that I've found a friend to do a Bible study with. Abby is a Gordon art student who I didn't know extremely well before this trip, but we've had some great conversations already and have decided to read a chapter of Matthew together each day. It's nice to have that, especially since the church services are in Italian and I really like to have other people who I can be in the Word with.
Tomorrow we're heading to Rome. Gonna hear the Pope, and I'm really looking forward to it!
3.09.2009
Beautiful day in Orvieto
Ciao everyone! Hope this post finds you all well.
I'm enjoying my Monday after a very full weekend. I'm slowly finding my favorite "niches" and things to do in Orvieto, either with friends or by myself. Friday night, my friend Jake and I stumbled into an art studio and met a man named Massimo who showed us around his beautiful studio while listening to Miles Davis. We also tried out a jazz club right in our town with some friends where I had the best wine ever and listened to delicious music in such a relaxing and modern atmosphere. I enjoy strolling down the Corso (the main street) by myself looking into the shop windows and not buying anything. Except maybe gelato. I found a gorgeous little park right near the monastery overlooking the hills and vineyards that I've gone to a few times with the kids (our program director's and professor's), which provides such joy (they let me be totally silly and imaginative with them). A side chapel within the Duomo is a favorite place to go and pray or be silent. My best journaling is done in our sala, with the light pouring in to our "living room" space when no one else is there. I'm currently looking for a good place to sketch/do some water color as I haven't yet had the chance to do either.
The work load is picking up a lot since we're a little more than halfway through the first course. At the end of the second week, our professor said, "Congratulations, you've just made it through eight weeks worth of course material." A little intense, huh? (We have 3 hours of class a day, four days a week so it works out). It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but coming up we have a 10-page paper (I'm doing mine on the Eucharist), a group project (my group is studying/presenting on Catholic thought on Mary and the saints), and a cumulative final exam on the lectures and our tons of reading. Everyone seems to really be engaging in the class; personally it's been extremely beneficial in teaching me about things that I've always wondered or needed clarity on in terms of Christian religion.
Saturday, I am pleased to say, was the first official dance party held in our sala for the semester. And yours truly planned/advertised/executed the whole thing ;) It was called "eleTTrica" (which means electric in Italian), and we called it a Euro-tech (or...ashamedly "Euro-trash") party where everyone wore crazy neon, sparkly or absurd outfits that would not quite fly in America. Two friends made playlists, we decorated the sala and rearranged it with dance floor, floor lights, and even an art corner included for those creative minded friends who do not prefer dancing. We had a blast and about half the group came. We're excited for the next one, though a theme or date is not yet planned.
On Sunday we made it to Rome again and saw about five cathedrals, including one where we attended an English-speaking Catholic mass. My favorite place we saw all day was the first cathedral we stepped into in the morning, dedicated to St. Ignacius with baroque style architecture and a huge ceiling frescoe that literally felt like it was blowing the top off of the building. Some felt that it was too absurd or melodramatic, but it took my breath away and really amazed me. It is crazy to think about all of the time, effort and creativity that has been put into all of these incredible historical and religious structures. We're going again this Wednesday to hear the Pope speak as members of the papal audience! Friday we're finally making it to Assisi.
For now, time to go read over an afternoon cappucino. Ciao!
I'm enjoying my Monday after a very full weekend. I'm slowly finding my favorite "niches" and things to do in Orvieto, either with friends or by myself. Friday night, my friend Jake and I stumbled into an art studio and met a man named Massimo who showed us around his beautiful studio while listening to Miles Davis. We also tried out a jazz club right in our town with some friends where I had the best wine ever and listened to delicious music in such a relaxing and modern atmosphere. I enjoy strolling down the Corso (the main street) by myself looking into the shop windows and not buying anything. Except maybe gelato. I found a gorgeous little park right near the monastery overlooking the hills and vineyards that I've gone to a few times with the kids (our program director's and professor's), which provides such joy (they let me be totally silly and imaginative with them). A side chapel within the Duomo is a favorite place to go and pray or be silent. My best journaling is done in our sala, with the light pouring in to our "living room" space when no one else is there. I'm currently looking for a good place to sketch/do some water color as I haven't yet had the chance to do either.
The work load is picking up a lot since we're a little more than halfway through the first course. At the end of the second week, our professor said, "Congratulations, you've just made it through eight weeks worth of course material." A little intense, huh? (We have 3 hours of class a day, four days a week so it works out). It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but coming up we have a 10-page paper (I'm doing mine on the Eucharist), a group project (my group is studying/presenting on Catholic thought on Mary and the saints), and a cumulative final exam on the lectures and our tons of reading. Everyone seems to really be engaging in the class; personally it's been extremely beneficial in teaching me about things that I've always wondered or needed clarity on in terms of Christian religion.
Saturday, I am pleased to say, was the first official dance party held in our sala for the semester. And yours truly planned/advertised/executed the whole thing ;) It was called "eleTTrica" (which means electric in Italian), and we called it a Euro-tech (or...ashamedly "Euro-trash") party where everyone wore crazy neon, sparkly or absurd outfits that would not quite fly in America. Two friends made playlists, we decorated the sala and rearranged it with dance floor, floor lights, and even an art corner included for those creative minded friends who do not prefer dancing. We had a blast and about half the group came. We're excited for the next one, though a theme or date is not yet planned.
On Sunday we made it to Rome again and saw about five cathedrals, including one where we attended an English-speaking Catholic mass. My favorite place we saw all day was the first cathedral we stepped into in the morning, dedicated to St. Ignacius with baroque style architecture and a huge ceiling frescoe that literally felt like it was blowing the top off of the building. Some felt that it was too absurd or melodramatic, but it took my breath away and really amazed me. It is crazy to think about all of the time, effort and creativity that has been put into all of these incredible historical and religious structures. We're going again this Wednesday to hear the Pope speak as members of the papal audience! Friday we're finally making it to Assisi.
For now, time to go read over an afternoon cappucino. Ciao!
3.06.2009
Uh-oh
Buon giorno amici.
The past week has been great. Filled with great class sessions, lots and lots of rain and some good conversations. Today was a birthday party for our director Matt's son Silas. It was a Jungle Jamboree and some of my friends and I made headbands with animal ears for construction paper. I was a frog with big eyes. We had a blast :) A group of us are going to Arazzo (a small town north of here on the way to Venice) and Sunday we'll be attending an English speaking mass and doing more exploring in Rome.
You may have noticed that I haven't posted in a few days. Right now I am on a friend's computer giving a quick update because my computer is having hard-drive problems. I can only hope that it will be fixed in the next week or so, so please bare with me with the less frequent posting. Miss you all! Also, send me an email at Heather.Lobe(a)gordon.edu (replace that a with the @ sign- don't want spam) with an address for postcards and updates on YOUR life too. I would love that. Ciao for now. Happy weekend.
3.02.2009
When in Rome... (our first trip and the weekend's update)
Quick catch-up of the last few days…
Thursday-
After dinner, we learned some Italian worship songs with Alessandro but the music didn’t stop there! Some friends and I headed to our favorite café (Caffe Cavour) to hear live music by a really great band from Orvieto. Each week a different band plays on Thursday nights, which we’re looking forward to. We met a girl named Hillary from Britain who is our age and teaching English here for about 8 months. She is excited to show us more of the town/what the young adults around here do. Up soon on the calendar: a jazz club that is close by in one of the piazzas on Friday and Saturday nights! Yes!
Friday-
The professors of the current class, Dr. Tal Howard and Dr. Agnes Howard, have 3 wonderful children who we are already quite attached to. I asked Ellie, the oldest, to show me around her favorite parts of town after lunch on Friday since it was our day off. She took a small group of us to the smaller of two public Etruscan caves that we were able to explore, followed by a large historic “park” area near the edge of the cliff that overlooks the lower landscape. It was an absolutely perfect day! The weather felt like spring so we were able to take our jackets off, and we had gelato after dinner which ended the day well.
Saturday-
ROMA! We left Monastery San Paolo at 6:15 in the morning in order to catch all the right buses and trains. It was so early but I was SO excited! The whole day was an absolute whirlwind because we were just getting a taste of the city, with the promise to return many more times through the course of the next four months. Yet, for our first visit we couldn’t have been given better weather! The sun was shining warmly on our faces, there wasn’t a hint of rain, and we even had to take our jackets off multiple times during the day. (Definitely doesn’t feel like February in New England! I heard you guys have a snow day today!) The first thing we did when we got into the city was hit up the National Art Museum of Rome to catch a quick tour of the Garden of Libia (a room full of a garden that is painted on all four surrounding walls and has such a fresh and lively quality), the rich mosaics, and famous Roman and Greek marble statues.
Next, we saw the Pantheon, had amazing gelato ("con pana," or with cream on top) as dessert before lunch. I had white pizza and “Diet Coke” for lunch, and my friend Lauren and I bought huge, fresh, juicy pears from the large open air market afterwards. Not sure if I told everyone yet but they don’t have real Diet Coke here! They have Coca-Cola light which is awful haha.
We saw many Roman fountains and learned a great fact from Matt (our program director and tour guide for the day, who luckily lived in Rome for a year and studied art history) about the fountains never being turned off in the city, as they are the source of life there. Also, when we reached the old Jewish neighborhood of Rome, we saw the beautiful earth-toned buildings that Matt called the “Banana Republic colors.” He reminded us that these are the colors that we see after much fading, and that Rome once was filled with the vibrancy of bright blues and yellows. Also, something wonderful about this part of Europe is that nothing is ever torn down. Everything is reused or built upon so that the remnants of ancient work are still visible and still very much a part of the present. It is that interplay of old and new that has given Italy (especially Rome) such cultural significance for so many hundreds of years.
Next… we toured the outside of museums I’ve only ever seen in textbooks, St. Peter’s square (designed by Michelangelo), the Forum, beautiful artistic basilicas and arches, ancient ruins, and of course the Coliseum (from the outside). One more important note from the day- the Howards’ middle child, Hannah came with us. Her mother had to return very early in the day to Orvieto with one of our classmates who wasn’t feeling well, but I offered to keep Hannah with me all day. Hannah has been to Rome quite a few times now, so it was neat to not only keep catching my breath from the grandeur of the sights around me, but from a 7-year old pulling my hand with excitement all day. My favorite moment with her was looking over a fence at the Forum together, and using our imaginations to pick out which pieces below us would create parts of a modern town (ie: a fireplace created by a pile of rocks, the large arch creating the “pulpit” for the preacher at the church, a rather orderly section of a broken column becoming a cemetery, etc.). I was so exhausted by the end of the day that I got 11 hours of sleep before church the next morning! I can’t wait to go back…
Sunday-
Here’s why I love Italy. My Sabbath day included the following-
A pistachio-filled cannolli for breakfast. Mass at San Giovenali’s. Pasta for lunch. A 3.5 hour nap (Matt tells me this is probably the final end to my jet lag). Some reading for class. A pizza party dinner in the monastery. Cappuccino and another pistachio-filled cannolli with my roommate Alicia and friend Sarah from Gordon at Montanucci’s (a café nearby) to finish up our reading. What a life…
And now, I find myself in the midst of a rainy Monday afternoon that is extremely relaxing. Not too much planned for the week other than continuation of our class and reading, and getting further settled in to our town. I’m off to go practice my Italian!
Thursday-
After dinner, we learned some Italian worship songs with Alessandro but the music didn’t stop there! Some friends and I headed to our favorite café (Caffe Cavour) to hear live music by a really great band from Orvieto. Each week a different band plays on Thursday nights, which we’re looking forward to. We met a girl named Hillary from Britain who is our age and teaching English here for about 8 months. She is excited to show us more of the town/what the young adults around here do. Up soon on the calendar: a jazz club that is close by in one of the piazzas on Friday and Saturday nights! Yes!
Friday-
The professors of the current class, Dr. Tal Howard and Dr. Agnes Howard, have 3 wonderful children who we are already quite attached to. I asked Ellie, the oldest, to show me around her favorite parts of town after lunch on Friday since it was our day off. She took a small group of us to the smaller of two public Etruscan caves that we were able to explore, followed by a large historic “park” area near the edge of the cliff that overlooks the lower landscape. It was an absolutely perfect day! The weather felt like spring so we were able to take our jackets off, and we had gelato after dinner which ended the day well.
Saturday-
ROMA! We left Monastery San Paolo at 6:15 in the morning in order to catch all the right buses and trains. It was so early but I was SO excited! The whole day was an absolute whirlwind because we were just getting a taste of the city, with the promise to return many more times through the course of the next four months. Yet, for our first visit we couldn’t have been given better weather! The sun was shining warmly on our faces, there wasn’t a hint of rain, and we even had to take our jackets off multiple times during the day. (Definitely doesn’t feel like February in New England! I heard you guys have a snow day today!) The first thing we did when we got into the city was hit up the National Art Museum of Rome to catch a quick tour of the Garden of Libia (a room full of a garden that is painted on all four surrounding walls and has such a fresh and lively quality), the rich mosaics, and famous Roman and Greek marble statues.
Next, we saw the Pantheon, had amazing gelato ("con pana," or with cream on top) as dessert before lunch. I had white pizza and “Diet Coke” for lunch, and my friend Lauren and I bought huge, fresh, juicy pears from the large open air market afterwards. Not sure if I told everyone yet but they don’t have real Diet Coke here! They have Coca-Cola light which is awful haha.
We saw many Roman fountains and learned a great fact from Matt (our program director and tour guide for the day, who luckily lived in Rome for a year and studied art history) about the fountains never being turned off in the city, as they are the source of life there. Also, when we reached the old Jewish neighborhood of Rome, we saw the beautiful earth-toned buildings that Matt called the “Banana Republic colors.” He reminded us that these are the colors that we see after much fading, and that Rome once was filled with the vibrancy of bright blues and yellows. Also, something wonderful about this part of Europe is that nothing is ever torn down. Everything is reused or built upon so that the remnants of ancient work are still visible and still very much a part of the present. It is that interplay of old and new that has given Italy (especially Rome) such cultural significance for so many hundreds of years.
Next… we toured the outside of museums I’ve only ever seen in textbooks, St. Peter’s square (designed by Michelangelo), the Forum, beautiful artistic basilicas and arches, ancient ruins, and of course the Coliseum (from the outside). One more important note from the day- the Howards’ middle child, Hannah came with us. Her mother had to return very early in the day to Orvieto with one of our classmates who wasn’t feeling well, but I offered to keep Hannah with me all day. Hannah has been to Rome quite a few times now, so it was neat to not only keep catching my breath from the grandeur of the sights around me, but from a 7-year old pulling my hand with excitement all day. My favorite moment with her was looking over a fence at the Forum together, and using our imaginations to pick out which pieces below us would create parts of a modern town (ie: a fireplace created by a pile of rocks, the large arch creating the “pulpit” for the preacher at the church, a rather orderly section of a broken column becoming a cemetery, etc.). I was so exhausted by the end of the day that I got 11 hours of sleep before church the next morning! I can’t wait to go back…
Sunday-
Here’s why I love Italy. My Sabbath day included the following-
A pistachio-filled cannolli for breakfast. Mass at San Giovenali’s. Pasta for lunch. A 3.5 hour nap (Matt tells me this is probably the final end to my jet lag). Some reading for class. A pizza party dinner in the monastery. Cappuccino and another pistachio-filled cannolli with my roommate Alicia and friend Sarah from Gordon at Montanucci’s (a café nearby) to finish up our reading. What a life…
And now, I find myself in the midst of a rainy Monday afternoon that is extremely relaxing. Not too much planned for the week other than continuation of our class and reading, and getting further settled in to our town. I’m off to go practice my Italian!
3.01.2009
Too much to write, too little time!
I only have a few more minutes of internet time because I just took a long rainy Sunday afternoon nap!
Updates to come:
a day seeing Orvieto through the eyes of a 10-year old
my fabulous adventures in Rome
some questions and experiences about church
Long update tomorrow- with (hopefully) picture! Ciao!
Updates to come:
a day seeing Orvieto through the eyes of a 10-year old
my fabulous adventures in Rome
some questions and experiences about church
Long update tomorrow- with (hopefully) picture! Ciao!
2.26.2009
Going to the Market
Well we've completed our first week of classes today! I'm feeling much more settled, mostly over my jet lag, and finally understanding the rhythm of living in a place like Orvieto.
Yesterday in place of both classes we took two different tours of the town. The first class is the one that focuses on Catholicism and Protestantism, so we saw different historical buildings and sites tied to the earlier history of Italy (back to papal states and the introduction of Italy as an actual country). My favorite part of the tour was getting to see monasteries and cathedrals in Orvieto that hold a lot of religious, political, historical and social importance. During our break, we tried a new cafe where I had my first espresso shot ever (you order it by saying "Vorrei un cafe'"). After lunch, our Italian teacher Laura took us on a more practical tour of places that we will certainly be needing as American college students living here (pharmacy, post office, grocery store) and places where we can practice our Italian (coffee and pastry shops, shoe and clothing stores with less expensive but good options, internet cafe's, etc.). You may know that people in Italy don't really wear flip flops. Well, you can also tell the Americans by our other shoe choices as well, generall speaking. People dress up here on a very regular basis with their nicest shoes (mostly leather, boots for the ladies, stylish dress shoes for the men), coats and purses. Another favorite option is that all of the older ladies wear fur coats down to almost their knees! You see them around town but mostly in the churches (which are all so big that they're hard to heat)...so people wear coats all the way through the service.
Speaking of church services, we observed Ash Wednesday yesterday in the Duomo. The service was in Italian entirely again, but it was breathtaking to be inside partaking in church with this group of people. I found myself thinking about how this church body was unique and different from my home church/school church, simply for the fact that they do not speak my language and have had such different backgrounds/lifestories from my own in Italy. Yet the church body holds similarities more than I can even see in way of dress or talk because we are still gathering together under the same God and for the same purposes.
After class today everyone went to the open outdoor market in the Piazza del Popolo (a town square a few minute walk from the restaurant where we take our meals). It felt a little bit like a flea market in America, but one could also smell exquisite fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, nuts, meat and dried fruit. I bought a beautiful teal scarf for 3 euros (only about $5!) and some dried fruit to snack on. This market is held every Thursday and Saturday morning. After a lunch of lasagna, kebabs and fresh salad at Locanda del Lupo (did I mention yet that most meals are served in 2 courses?), my new friends Emily, Kelsey, Lauren and I walked around town. We spent the afternoon relieved to be done classes for the week, talking in the "sala" (the living room the group shares), and eating more food (we got gelato!). I'm going to look like a different person when I get home with the way that life here tends to revolve around food so much!
In the afternoons here, the whole town takes "reposa" which is an afternoon rest. Since lunch is the biggest meal, the next 3-4 hours are spent napping or relaxing. Every store in town seems to shut down (other than the cafes and gelaterias). They open back up again at about 5 pm except on Wednesdays, when the stores all close at 1 pm for the day (not opening up again til the next morning). It's so interesting and sooo different from what we are all used to! It's not very convenient sounding, but I actually like it!
Tonight we are going to hear live music at a cafe and then some of the girls are going to watch Roman Holiday together to prep us for our trip on Saturday to Roma! Arrivederci!
P.S. We only get an hour or so of internet a day, and it doesn't have the strongest signal so it takes very long to load websites/upload pictures. I'm working on getting some visuals up for everyone!
Yesterday in place of both classes we took two different tours of the town. The first class is the one that focuses on Catholicism and Protestantism, so we saw different historical buildings and sites tied to the earlier history of Italy (back to papal states and the introduction of Italy as an actual country). My favorite part of the tour was getting to see monasteries and cathedrals in Orvieto that hold a lot of religious, political, historical and social importance. During our break, we tried a new cafe where I had my first espresso shot ever (you order it by saying "Vorrei un cafe'"). After lunch, our Italian teacher Laura took us on a more practical tour of places that we will certainly be needing as American college students living here (pharmacy, post office, grocery store) and places where we can practice our Italian (coffee and pastry shops, shoe and clothing stores with less expensive but good options, internet cafe's, etc.). You may know that people in Italy don't really wear flip flops. Well, you can also tell the Americans by our other shoe choices as well, generall speaking. People dress up here on a very regular basis with their nicest shoes (mostly leather, boots for the ladies, stylish dress shoes for the men), coats and purses. Another favorite option is that all of the older ladies wear fur coats down to almost their knees! You see them around town but mostly in the churches (which are all so big that they're hard to heat)...so people wear coats all the way through the service.
Speaking of church services, we observed Ash Wednesday yesterday in the Duomo. The service was in Italian entirely again, but it was breathtaking to be inside partaking in church with this group of people. I found myself thinking about how this church body was unique and different from my home church/school church, simply for the fact that they do not speak my language and have had such different backgrounds/lifestories from my own in Italy. Yet the church body holds similarities more than I can even see in way of dress or talk because we are still gathering together under the same God and for the same purposes.
After class today everyone went to the open outdoor market in the Piazza del Popolo (a town square a few minute walk from the restaurant where we take our meals). It felt a little bit like a flea market in America, but one could also smell exquisite fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, nuts, meat and dried fruit. I bought a beautiful teal scarf for 3 euros (only about $5!) and some dried fruit to snack on. This market is held every Thursday and Saturday morning. After a lunch of lasagna, kebabs and fresh salad at Locanda del Lupo (did I mention yet that most meals are served in 2 courses?), my new friends Emily, Kelsey, Lauren and I walked around town. We spent the afternoon relieved to be done classes for the week, talking in the "sala" (the living room the group shares), and eating more food (we got gelato!). I'm going to look like a different person when I get home with the way that life here tends to revolve around food so much!
In the afternoons here, the whole town takes "reposa" which is an afternoon rest. Since lunch is the biggest meal, the next 3-4 hours are spent napping or relaxing. Every store in town seems to shut down (other than the cafes and gelaterias). They open back up again at about 5 pm except on Wednesdays, when the stores all close at 1 pm for the day (not opening up again til the next morning). It's so interesting and sooo different from what we are all used to! It's not very convenient sounding, but I actually like it!
Tonight we are going to hear live music at a cafe and then some of the girls are going to watch Roman Holiday together to prep us for our trip on Saturday to Roma! Arrivederci!
P.S. We only get an hour or so of internet a day, and it doesn't have the strongest signal so it takes very long to load websites/upload pictures. I'm working on getting some visuals up for everyone!
2.24.2009
What a fat Tuesday
Ciao friends! Pretty uneventful day thus far. Except for a funny story from the morning. I was being really silly last night with some friends (I know surprising), and my pocket sized alarm clock fell out of my pocket. The time still worked so I thought it'd be fine. However, it didn't go off this morning. I awoke to my sweet roommate Alicia moving around at about 8:00. I jumped in the shower and got ready for my 9:00 class. With wet hair and both of us still barely mobile in a morning grog, a classmate rushed into our room saying that our professor had already prayed and we were 15 minutes late to class. Apparently Alicia's alarm clock was set to the wrong time an hour behind. We rushed to class embarrassed, but it was fine. You don't have to guess that the first thing I did after lunch was buy a new alarm clock for about 15 euros. What a start to the day ;)
After lunch, a small group of us bought gelato (my first time in the few days we've been here). Mine was multo bene (very good)! It was a flavor that tasted like hazelnut and nutella. Mmm.
About to head out into the town for Carnival (Fat Tuesday? Marti Gras? Sound familiar?). It's the day before Ash Wednesday, and a huge celebration before the beginning of Lent. We learned today that it is called Carnival because when you look at the root of the word you find "carne" (meat)... everyone celebrates and has tons of meat to make up for the tradition of no meat for the next 40 days. Everyone dresses up in fun costumes and throws confetti and listens to live music supposedly. We'll find out soon, as we're about to head out for "pasagata" (a walk around the town before our 8 pm dinner). I'll tell you all about it later!
P.S. I know some people have asked for my address here so you can find it below! Grazie!
Monastery San Paolo
Via Postierla, 20
05018 Orvieto (TR)
After lunch, a small group of us bought gelato (my first time in the few days we've been here). Mine was multo bene (very good)! It was a flavor that tasted like hazelnut and nutella. Mmm.
About to head out into the town for Carnival (Fat Tuesday? Marti Gras? Sound familiar?). It's the day before Ash Wednesday, and a huge celebration before the beginning of Lent. We learned today that it is called Carnival because when you look at the root of the word you find "carne" (meat)... everyone celebrates and has tons of meat to make up for the tradition of no meat for the next 40 days. Everyone dresses up in fun costumes and throws confetti and listens to live music supposedly. We'll find out soon, as we're about to head out for "pasagata" (a walk around the town before our 8 pm dinner). I'll tell you all about it later!
P.S. I know some people have asked for my address here so you can find it below! Grazie!
Monastery San Paolo
Via Postierla, 20
05018 Orvieto (TR)
2.23.2009
A little red, a little white
After dinner on our first evening, a small group of us decided to celebrate our entry to Orvieto by sharing a bottle of red wine at "Caffe Cavour" over conversation and toasts to the semester. The next morning, we woke up early and took a walking tour of some parts of town led by a young man named Alessandro who helps out with our program. The air smelled so fresh, and the overlook of the hills, crops and houses below the cliff were still covered in a misty fog. Older men were sitting on steps reading their Italian papers, but mostly the town was very quiet. My favorite part was when we climbed the clock tower (many, many flights of stairs) at the center of town and got to look out at the expanse of the layout of our town and the natural landscapes that are also very important to where we live. Our program director Matt prefaced our tour by a challenge that I loved, and will try to hold true to beyond that first tour. He said that we have a tendency to try to "possess" what we see for the first time by capturing it with photography, giving it a two-dimensional quality that can never truly grasp the essence of a place. He challenged us to put the cameras away for the first day, and experience Orvieto through all five senses (not through a camera lens). It was wonderful, and really did make a great difference.
We ended the tour at San Giovenale, the oldest cathedral in Orvieto, where we experienced our first Italian Catholic mass. The whole service was in a language that I don't yet understand, but the music, the building itself, and the general tone of the service were things I could enjoy and embrace without knowing Italian. And guess what?! The choir director has extended an invitation to our group. Starting next Sunday, a few of us will be attending choir practice after mass so that we will be able to sing in Italian in this beautiful context for the Easter Sunday service. What a once in a lifetime experience!
Afterwards, we walked around through fresh markets, open shops, and had a delicious Sunday lunch. We found a little restaurant on a side street called "da Carlo" that we promised to check out again later that day. Okay. So the food here? I can't even tell you that it's more exquisite than we all expected, because I know that will just make you all jealous ;) We are so spoiled.. Everything tastes deliciously fresh; the pasta, the salads, the bread, the water... everything. I think I will officially be cured of my diet coke obsession because a) it's not readily available, b) it's expensive here, c) the water is amazing (that sound weird but it tastes different), and d) people drink water here all the time. You don't order iced tea, soda, lemonade, etc. at the restaurants really. Just natural or sparkling water, or of course wine.
Sunday evening, a welcome program was hosted for us in the monastery, and we were able to meet some of the local families! Homemade pastries, sandwiches and appetizers were cooked in our honor, and a band played Italian, jazz, and some American music for us to enjoy/dance to! We had a blast :)
After this dinner on Sunday, about 2/3 of our group went out together and stopped back at da Carlo. (Apparently Orvieto is really well known for their white wine, the Duomo and ceramics.) Our table shared a bottle of the Orvieto Classico Bianco, as appetizers were brought to the table without our even asking. We couldn't complain because the bruschetta, prosciutto, and "pate" (pe-tay; goose liver, yes) were all phenomenal. In Italy, sometimes at restaurants the waitstaff bring you samples of appetizers to try to get you to order more. Sometimes they charge you (like last night), but sometimes it's on the house. We had great conversation, and know that we won't be doing this EVERY evening, but the occasional outing with wine is definitely part of experiencing the culture here.
This morning (Monday) we began our first section of classes. For those who don't know, we will have class every morning 9-12, Monday through Thursday. We take one class at a time, to alleviate the cumulative stress of finals at the end of the semester, and so that we can really dive in to the material at hand. Everyone starts off together in a history course (more to come) and Italian lessons. After this first month, we split off into two tracts; history/humanities or art. I'm taking a combination of these. So today, we began a class that is really a history of theology course with a concentration on Catholicism and Protestantism. Before I came, I was having a lot of questions about religion and how it is experienced by different individuals (in America and globally), so I feel that this course will really open my eyes to things I didn't know before about why people believe what they do within the general realm of Christianity. Through this class we will be watching several films, doing a LOT of reading and also taking some field trips. One includes a trip to the Vatican to be part of the "papal audience" (we'll get to hear the current Pope address the people in attendance). Italian class was in the afternoon, with very beginning grammatical rules and vocabulary/helpful expressions that we must know. I'm actually surprised! One girl in my group (Riel) knows her Italian (as her mother speaks it), and another student named Chris is pretty well-versed in the words and phrases he studied, but I am amidst the majority who really have no clue what is going on or how to interact with the Orvietani (other than "Ciao" and "Come sta?"> How are you). I'm excited to soak in as much as I can of the language so that within a couple of weeks I can have basic conversations, and no longer need a translator to do something simple like buy stamps (embarassing today).
Well, we already have a lot of reading and homework for class, so I better get going. But for now, thanks for reading, and I promise to get pictures on here soon. Arrivederci!
We ended the tour at San Giovenale, the oldest cathedral in Orvieto, where we experienced our first Italian Catholic mass. The whole service was in a language that I don't yet understand, but the music, the building itself, and the general tone of the service were things I could enjoy and embrace without knowing Italian. And guess what?! The choir director has extended an invitation to our group. Starting next Sunday, a few of us will be attending choir practice after mass so that we will be able to sing in Italian in this beautiful context for the Easter Sunday service. What a once in a lifetime experience!
Afterwards, we walked around through fresh markets, open shops, and had a delicious Sunday lunch. We found a little restaurant on a side street called "da Carlo" that we promised to check out again later that day. Okay. So the food here? I can't even tell you that it's more exquisite than we all expected, because I know that will just make you all jealous ;) We are so spoiled.. Everything tastes deliciously fresh; the pasta, the salads, the bread, the water... everything. I think I will officially be cured of my diet coke obsession because a) it's not readily available, b) it's expensive here, c) the water is amazing (that sound weird but it tastes different), and d) people drink water here all the time. You don't order iced tea, soda, lemonade, etc. at the restaurants really. Just natural or sparkling water, or of course wine.
Sunday evening, a welcome program was hosted for us in the monastery, and we were able to meet some of the local families! Homemade pastries, sandwiches and appetizers were cooked in our honor, and a band played Italian, jazz, and some American music for us to enjoy/dance to! We had a blast :)
After this dinner on Sunday, about 2/3 of our group went out together and stopped back at da Carlo. (Apparently Orvieto is really well known for their white wine, the Duomo and ceramics.) Our table shared a bottle of the Orvieto Classico Bianco, as appetizers were brought to the table without our even asking. We couldn't complain because the bruschetta, prosciutto, and "pate" (pe-tay; goose liver, yes) were all phenomenal. In Italy, sometimes at restaurants the waitstaff bring you samples of appetizers to try to get you to order more. Sometimes they charge you (like last night), but sometimes it's on the house. We had great conversation, and know that we won't be doing this EVERY evening, but the occasional outing with wine is definitely part of experiencing the culture here.
This morning (Monday) we began our first section of classes. For those who don't know, we will have class every morning 9-12, Monday through Thursday. We take one class at a time, to alleviate the cumulative stress of finals at the end of the semester, and so that we can really dive in to the material at hand. Everyone starts off together in a history course (more to come) and Italian lessons. After this first month, we split off into two tracts; history/humanities or art. I'm taking a combination of these. So today, we began a class that is really a history of theology course with a concentration on Catholicism and Protestantism. Before I came, I was having a lot of questions about religion and how it is experienced by different individuals (in America and globally), so I feel that this course will really open my eyes to things I didn't know before about why people believe what they do within the general realm of Christianity. Through this class we will be watching several films, doing a LOT of reading and also taking some field trips. One includes a trip to the Vatican to be part of the "papal audience" (we'll get to hear the current Pope address the people in attendance). Italian class was in the afternoon, with very beginning grammatical rules and vocabulary/helpful expressions that we must know. I'm actually surprised! One girl in my group (Riel) knows her Italian (as her mother speaks it), and another student named Chris is pretty well-versed in the words and phrases he studied, but I am amidst the majority who really have no clue what is going on or how to interact with the Orvietani (other than "Ciao" and "Come sta?"> How are you). I'm excited to soak in as much as I can of the language so that within a couple of weeks I can have basic conversations, and no longer need a translator to do something simple like buy stamps (embarassing today).
Well, we already have a lot of reading and homework for class, so I better get going. But for now, thanks for reading, and I promise to get pictures on here soon. Arrivederci!
2.21.2009
Welcome to Orvieto
I'm here!!! After much anticipation, I'm sitting in the monastery with 23 other students who are all furiously typing during "internet hour" to let loved ones know we have safely arrived. Don't quite know where to start other than the fact that it's even more unbelievable here than I could imagine :)
Top five things about the morning I left the states:
1. Mom made my favorite breakfast (pumpkin bread) and brought a slice upstairs with a huge mug of coffee. She knows me so well.
2. My brother and I got ready next to each other in the bathroom. As I brushed my hair and he brushed his teeth, my younger brother actually asked me questions (along the lines of "Are you excited?"). It was thrilling!
3. As I got ready in the morning, the classical radio station played the theme music from Carousel. If you know me at all, you know why I considered this a very, very good omen.
4. Dad and I had our ritual final Wawa stop. He knows that I miss these greatly when I leave the tri-state region.
5. Met up at the Philadelphia airport with the three other students I'd be flying to D.C. with. I squealed. I danced. I made a fool of myself. I don't think I've ever used the term, "I'm a theatre major" so much in such a short amount of time as in the course of introductions that would follow throughout the day to my fellow Orvieto-ans. I used it more as an excuse than an actual explanation of who I am to make sure everyone understood why I was being so dramatically and vocally excited :)
So from there...
Flew on a tiny plane from Philly to D.C. and all of 4 us felt rather discomforted, but we had a 5-hour layover to rest our bodies again before the long direct flight to Rome. Once there, my Uncle Dave drove in and bought me lunch at a restaurant at the airport which helped calm my nerves through laughter (he always reminds me a bit of Jim Carrey and he was "peppering" me with hilarious questions about this upcoming journey and life in general).
One by one, students from our program began to arrive at gate D11, and introductions ensued. The flight was long. I barely slept (I got in a 2 hour nap, watched a movie, and saw the sun rise just as we were flying into Italy). I squealed again by accident for my excitement at seeing where we were landing, and almost everyone in our section of the plane laughed at me. And at 7:20 a.m., in my new time zone, I breathed my first Italian air. I couldn't look at anything long enough! A wise person who recently took this trip to Orvieto told me that no matter how tired I was, I would probably remember every second of this first day. So far, this has proven to be true.
We took a bus to Orvieto, and the pictures that I took can't even grasp the beauty of this place. It doesn't feel real because it's beyond what I've ever been able to picture for myself, but at the same time very tangible at last. The monastery is on top of a hill, and the winding roads that brought us up gave us a breath-taking view of the Italian land all around. We all kept looking at each other and saying, "Guys, we live here!" We had time to unpack before lunch, and had our first delicious Italian meal at "Laconda del Lupo," the restaurant right nearby that will be providing our lunches and dinners for the next four months. My uncle joked with me yesterday at the airport, that I luckily survived not gaining the "Freshmen 15" but I'm sure to get the "Jumbo Junior" while eating the way I will here in Orvieto. We took a long walk after lunch and got to see the Duomo. It's indescribeable to see it in person. I can tell that I'll be spending many a sunny afternoon looking at the grand front view of the Duomo and people-watching the vibrant lives of those in my new home.
My friend Riel from Gordon and I shared cappucino at an afternoon break. It was only one euro for a cappucino (which is equivalent to like $1.50 in American money), and we're planning to take in our first gelato after dinner this evening.
I'm feeling the jet lag (and the fact that I probably only slept for 45 minutes the night before I left out of excitement), so I'm going to take a nap before dinner. Much more to come. Hope you can all feel the love flowing your way from the wide-eyed and squealing me over here in Orvieto. Ciao for now!
**Disclaimer- for now I just put in pictures from Google images, and promise to replace them with my own later. Just wanted you to get some visuals for now!**
2.14.2009
The Checklist Queen
6 days until I fly into Rome.
I have spent the last few days back in NJ cooking (not lying!), unpacking from my time up in Massachusetts (doing Our Town), buying a few necessities (raincoat, textbooks, toiletries), and resting like crazy (... I slept in until 2:15 one day...). I received my Visa/Passport in the mail, and also found out my roommate's name a few days ago. These things make it all so much more real! I also have made several checklists. For those who know me well, I'm a little obsessed with that type of organization and can hardly go anywhere without a checklist to guide my footsteps. Hopefully I'll be able to live more freely and spontaneously once I get to Italy.
But for now, I have a running count of four checklists.
And a lot of anticipation and excitement bubbling up inside of me. I can feel it in my bones that this experience is so needed and that I'm ready for it.
I have spent the last few days back in NJ cooking (not lying!), unpacking from my time up in Massachusetts (doing Our Town), buying a few necessities (raincoat, textbooks, toiletries), and resting like crazy (... I slept in until 2:15 one day...). I received my Visa/Passport in the mail, and also found out my roommate's name a few days ago. These things make it all so much more real! I also have made several checklists. For those who know me well, I'm a little obsessed with that type of organization and can hardly go anywhere without a checklist to guide my footsteps. Hopefully I'll be able to live more freely and spontaneously once I get to Italy.
But for now, I have a running count of four checklists.
And a lot of anticipation and excitement bubbling up inside of me. I can feel it in my bones that this experience is so needed and that I'm ready for it.
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