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