The Last Tale

Well, I can't believe I am writing my last blog from Europe. Seems like just yesterday I was writing about my arrival. So much happens in a year.

Most of the others have gone already, I'm left cleaning and packing and sorting and tossing. This is my last day in the city, and I am planning to spend my afternoon in the center, walking around my favorite streets and piazzas and taking it in for the last time. Sounds so sad to say it like that.

The year ended with a bang, though. We took a trip to Sicily for a week with the school after finals were over. 16 hour bus trip, but it was worth it when we arrived to an island filled with sunshine, beautiful beaches, and sparkling emerald waters. It was such an amazing trip. We went to several of the little towns that line the coast, adorable little beach towns built up on cliffs overlooking the sea. We went up to Mt. Etna and climbed around on craters. Another day we took a ferry to the volcanic island of Vulcano, where we lounged around on the beach and went into the sulfur mud baths, which was quite an interesting experience. We ate delicious food and stayed in a hotel that was on a beautiful pebbly beach, with perfect water. It was definitely a trip I will remember forever, being in such a beautiful place with all of us together for the last time.

The ends of experiences are always a little difficult. I am so happy to be going home, to be going back to my real life there, but at the same time it seems surreal that things will not continue to be like they have been here. I feel like I have been here for so long, yet at the same time, it seems to have passed in the blink of an eye.
I remember at least three years ago, making plans in my mind to spend a year studying abroad, and the time leading up to when I came, I spent reading guidebooks and travel memoirs, and daydreaming about what it would be like. I think that it has exceeded my expectations. I have learned so much, seen so many things, come to appreciate a new culture and new things that I never did before, like art and architecture and food and history. I have learned a new language and can now communicate in a way I never could before. I have made new friends who have become important and will be part of my life forever. I have become more self-sufficient, traveled on my own and done things I didn't think I would ever do on my own. When I think hard about it, I feel like I have accomplished the goals I set out for myself when I came. I can't wait to get home and see how the things that I have learned here about life and myself will affect my life at home. I know that I am not the same person who came here 10 months ago, and for this I am grateful, because I believe that it is important to always have change and growth in life, even if it is hard sometimes.

So thank you, Italy, for this year and this opportunity, and this newfound happiness that I now have. I will always remember this year as one of the best of my life, and I will always be grateful for it.

A Few Thoughts on Freedom

The last few days have been an interesting mix of studying, relaxing, and having fun. I've had a few tests (studying), laid out in the sun for hours under a perfect blue sky, amongst the wildflowers coming up everywhere in the Tuscan countryside and read my book (relaxing), and been to a few concerts, explored the city, and celebrated Italy's liberation from the Nazis (fun!). I never know what the next day will bring for me here.

Today for instance, something happened that really made me think. I went to the Piazza Dalmazia in the morning with a book and a pastry to sit in a little park for a little while to enjoy the sun and the hustle and bustle of the city. Sharing my bench was a very old man who was sitting with his cane in hand, seemingly enjoying the sunshine as well. Somehow I found myself entered into a conversation with him (in Italian, which made things interesting). He was 82 years old and had lived in Florence for many of those years. Born in Siena, he moved to Florence and was part of the police force here for over 30 years. He told me that he has a lot of relatives here, and he likes to walk down to the piazza in the mornings to see friends and just sit.
Speaking to him made me think of my own grandfather, now almost 90 years old, who was a soldier during WWII. In my history class we are studying Fascism, so that has caused me to have some thoughts about the wars of the past. As I was talking to this man and thinking about what his youth must have been like, I imagine my grandfather in his soldier's uniform, stationed in a country far away from home, during a time when Mussolini reigned supreme over Italy and was not a friend to the Americans. And it made me think that at that time this little old man that I was speaking to would have been the bitter enemy of my own grandfather, should they have ever met in battle.

Strange thoughts, I know, but it made me appreciate the fact that that world of the past, the world of emnity between our countries is gone, and that I now have the freedom, thanks to people probably like that man, and also my own grandfather, to be studying in Italy, carefreely enjoying a foreign city and all the pleasures that come with it, and to be sitting in a pretty little park on a Monday morning, talking to this Italian man. It made me appreciate my freedom and also the sacrifices that others have made just a little bit more than I already did. Coincidentally, today is also the day that, 63 years ago, Mussolini was killed and the war was considered to be over (according to my history book). It really is the perfect day for me to be considering and appreciating the life that I have today and the people who have made it possible.

Welcome to Adulthood?

Two days ago I celebrated my 21st birthday, which is an exciting thing for most people. It was definitely so for me, and also a little bit special because I celebrated it in a foreign country.

The weekend right before my birthday, which was on Monday, I decided to take myself on a little solo trip to Rome for a night to see some of the things I didn't have time for when the school took us in March. I booked a little room in a hotel very close to the Vatican City and hopped on a train after class. I had Friday evening in the city, visiting the church of San Pietro in Vincolo to see the tomb of Pope Julius II, which was carved by Michelangelo and has as part of it his famous statue of Moses. Then I found my way to the Coliseum and walked from there through some of the main parts of the city all the way to the Vatican City. That evening, I went to a restaurant and had an amazing dinner, even though it felt a little strange to be eating by myself. The next morning I went early to see the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and rooms painted by Raphael. So much to see! The day was perfect and sunny, so I wandered to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, had lunch, and then headed back to the train station to head home, but first making a stop in Orvieto, which is a small medieval town in Umbria. It is such a beautiful little place, built high up on a cliff. It's known for it's gorgeous Gothic cathedral. It was very charming.

Sunday afternoon, the day right before my birthday, a few friends and I bought bread, cheese, pesto dip, and some other little things to take up to the Piazzale Michelangelo, which overlooks the whole city, to see the sunset and just relax a little bit. It was such a nice time, after the sun had gone down, the lights of the city came up. Florence is stunning at night. After we had eaten, we walked back down into the center to see a violin and organ performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons in a little church called Santa Maria dei Ricchi.

My actual birthday was unfortunately rainy and a little bit chilly, and I had classes for most of the day, but in the late afternoon the skies cleared up and a big group of everyone from school here, about 18 or 19 of us, all went to a pizzeria in the center to eat together. It was really fun to have everything together, it seems like we hadn't all done anything like that for such a long time! I suppose birthdays are a perfect way to bring people together.

So altogether it turned out to be a very good time. I don't know if being 21 means that I am now really an "adult." My parents would probably tell you it doesn't :-) But I do think that it is just another year into a time in my life that is going to bring many changes, lots of growth, and who knows what else...I will have to wait and see.

Spring Break and Other Good Things

Well, I'm back! The last month or so has been crazy, so much to do, so little time. And now, so much to write, so little time!

My spring break began just a day or so before Easter...the first interesting thing I got to do was see "Lo Scoppio del Carro," which is a Florentine Easter tradition. It's basically this huge, fancily-decorated cart that is pulled into the Piazza del Duomo by some huge oxen, along with a parade of people dressed in Renaissance costume. The cart is covered in firecrackers and stops in front of the main door of the Duomo. There was entertainment for a bit, traditional flag throwers. Then the archbishop of Florence came out and threw holy water on the crowds...quite interesting. Finally after what felt like forever, they lit the firecrackers. When the popping began, a large fake dove was released by the archbishop from the pulpit of the Duomo. Tradition says that if the dove flies all the way out to the cart without problems, it means it will be a good year for Florence. Fortunately for all the Florentines this year, it did! So that was a really fun cultural experience, I'm really glad to have been there.

The same day as the cart, my parents arrived in Florence! I met them at the station and we spent the next four days together, two days in Florence, and two driving a rented car through Tuscany and Umbria, the region to the south of Tuscany that is known as "the green heart of Italy." It was a great trip, we got to see several lovely little hill-top towns, such as Monteriggioni, Cortona, Spoleto,Assisi and Todi, and several of the bigger, but still medieval cities: Siena and Perugia. It was nice to just drive, see the countryside, try out the local foods, visit churches and other touristy sights. I also loved just walking through the narrow cobble-stoned streets of the little towns and just getting the feel of the life there.

After those few days I separated from my parents and began my two week whirlwind tour of some European countries with my friend and roommate Heather. We had train passes and big backpacks and we just went! We stayed in hostels for super cheap, and saw so many churches and museums, it made my head spin. Definitely a trip I will never forget: Berlin; Dresden, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; Budapest, Hungary; Zagreb, Croatia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; and finally back into Italy, stopping in Milan to see the amazing Gothic cathedral! The traveling was a bit exhausting, but we tried to make the most of our time and see a lot. It was really interesting to see a different part of the continent, and it's amazing how countries so close to Italy can be so different. The trip just continue to fuel the fire that I now have to see the world. It's too big, I want to see all of it!

By the time the two weeks were over, however, I was very ready to come back to Italy, a place that now feels somewhat like a second home to me. That's one of the great things about traveling: it makes you appreciative your home even more, and at the end of a long trip, there's nothing like being back where you feel you belong.

P.S. LOTS of photos will be on my photo sight!

Two Different Worlds

One thing that I love about being here is how it's possible to have so many diverse experiences in a very short amount of time. For me, this past week was like that.

Last weekend, I returned to Spain for the third time (I just can't stay away from the place!) to see the beginning of the Las Fallas celebration, which a fiesta that happens every year in Valencia during Semana Santa (Holy Week). The fiesta has religious origins, but nowadays it's more about the party, it seems. For a week, the streets of Valencia are filled with people and huge, colorful statues made of a papier-mache like material. People spend massive amounts of time and money building these things and then at the end of the week, in one evening, they burn them all to the ground and it's like the city is on fire. Crazy.
I wasn't there for the burning, unfortunately, but I did get to see some amazing fireworks shows, a good concert, crazy parade, and the "mascleta," which is another Fallas tradition: each afternoon in the main plaza of the city, there is a ten-minute or so volley of firecrackers shot into the sky. It seems to go on forever, especially to the ears! So loud. I have never seen anything like it before.

Another thing that made Fallas fun for me though, was visiting some friends that I made during the summer when I studied Spanish at the Adventist college that is very close to Valencia. I stayed at my friend Elias' house for the weekend, near Valencia, and spent my time with him and his friends. It was cool to be able to experience the fiesta with locals, although it was a little difficult trying to keep up with them with my not-so-great Spanish. I have forgotten so much since the summer, and now Italian has taken over my brain! It was definitely a challenge, since not many of the Spanish people speak English, but it didn't damper my fun too much.

After I returned from Fallas, we had our last day of classes for almost a month! And then headed to Rome for two days. I had been waiting for this trip for so long. Since I was little, I've had this obsessive fascination with Rome, particularly the Rome of the ancient Romans: Coliseum, forum, Circus Maximus, the whole bit. And finally my dream of seeing it all came true! Standing inside the Coliseum was so surreal. Not to mention seeing the ruins of the ancient Forum, the arch of Constantine, and a prison where the apostles Paul and Peter were legendarily imprisoned. After that there were famous piazzas, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and Santa Maria Maggiore, another important church. Rome has so much to offer! It is so big, there was nowhere near enough to see half of what there is there, so I know that in my life I will go back. One disappointment: we weren't able to go inside the Vatican Museum and see the Sistine Chapel or the famous Raphael paintings. So I contented myself with St. Peter's Square and the Basilica. The Vatican City is rather amazing. St. Peter's is so huge and intimidating. While I was there, the new pope was giving a mass. The place was crowded, since it is just a few days before Easter.

So Rome was a good experience. It has a different feel from Florence, that is for sure, but I definitely loved a lot of things about it, and I will be back. I threw money in the Trevi Fountain, so that means my return should be guaranteed!

Coffee With the Italians

One of the things that I find so interesting about Italy is the people, I have to say. I had a long break between classes this morning, so I decided to make the ten-minute walk to the Piazza Dalmazia near the school. I had a few things I needed to do, like withdraw money and mail some postcards, and I also wanted a coffee, so Piazza Dalmazia, a pretty big shopping area, was the perfect place to kill two birds with one stone (or as the Italians say, "Prendere due piccioni con una fava," which literally means "to keep two pigeons with one bean," a little bit kinder version of our saying!) I made it to the bar, after being stopped in front of the Careggi university by a young man giving out pamphlets about a series of meetings on the Catholic church. He and I spoke for a few minutes, and it wasn't until after I had walked on that I realized "hey, that whole conversation was in Italian!" It's always exciting to have those moments when you really feel like you have a grasp of the language and are more a part of the culture, instead of being the "stupid American" on the outside looking in.

But anyway, I made it to the bar, ordered my caffe latte (only acceptable to drink before noon), and then started observing the other people. There was one older man who looked exactly like Mark Twain, complete with white hair and big bushy white eyebrows. He ordered a drink that turned out to be white wine mixed with Campari, a type of liquor that is a bright red color. At ten in the morning! And no one even glanced his way. He took the drink, had a long gulp, and then walked over to the mirror that took up a good part of one wall of the bar. He looked in the mirror, smoothed his burly white moustache a little, and then drank the rest of his drink. I laughed a little bit inside.

My other favorite characters of Italy are the older women. They all seem to be the same: short, still fashionable with their nice black or brown leather heels and pretty jackets. They travel in groups, carrying large leather bags and talking rapidly to each other, using lots of hand motions, their fingers always bedecked with gold rings. They are adorable and I love to watch them.

I think there is a lot to be learned about a country or city just by observing the people. It is something I have learned to do more while I've been here: just quietly observe people-and life.

Art, Art, Art

Before I came to Italy, I had probably an average amount of interest in Art and Art History. I had heard of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and the other big names of the Renaissance, but I didn't really know very much about the their stories and was hardly able to identify any of their works, besides the Mona Lisa and the Sistine Chapel, of course. So when I began my Storia dell'Arte course last November, I was prepared to learn a lot. We started out with ancient Greece and the "classical" architecture of that time. It was really fun then to go to Greece and see for myself the types of structures I had studied. I loved being able to look at an ancient Greek temple and be able to distinguish which period it was built in based on the decorations on the capitals of the columns.

But it wasn't until about two weeks ago, when we got to the Renaissance in my class, when my interest suddenly intensified. I was struck by the realization that I am living in the very city where that period was born, and so many of the paintings that we look at on the projector screen in class are in churches and museums merely a 15-minute bus ride away. On top of that, I started reading (and am still reading) a fantastic book about Michelangelo and the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Reading it has given me a view of what the artists of the Renaissance were really like. It must have been such a fascinating time in history to be living, because everything was changing.

So with this newfound thirst for knowledge, I have decided to make the most of being in Florence, and am on a church/museum rampage. I went inside the Duomo for the fourth or fifth time, but this time actually paid attention to the architectural details. I've been to the Uffizi to see all the paintings by Giotto, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Michelangelo, among others. I've been to the Bargello Museum to see the famous sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo, and Giambologna. I've been inside the church of Santa Maria Novella to see the amazing crucifix of Giotto, the "Trinita" by Masaccio, and the Tournabuoni Chapel frescoed by Ghirlandaio (Michelangelo was one of his apprentices; he is a new favorite artist of mine!) I've been to the church of Ognissanti (which means "all saints") to see some other works by Ghirlandaio. I've seen Michelangelo's "David." I've been to the church of Santa Croce to see Galileo's tomb, designed by Vasari. I've seen the famous statues under the loggia in the Piazza della Signoria, including my favorite, "The Rape of the Sabines" by Giambologna. And these are just a few of the many places yet to see in the city. Everywhere you turn there is art, art, and more art.

So although I still have more places to see and more to learn in class, already I am thankful that I have been able to learn what I have. I believe being able to have knowledge of the past and appreciate it for what it was allows us to also appreciate the present. And that is another one of the many things that Florence has taught me.


P.S. I have put some photos of the pieces of art that I was talking about on my Picasso album for anyone who is also interested in Art History!