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.
3.25.2009
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!
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