Lessons Learned

Since I'm learning so much, so quickly while I'm in Italy, I thought I'd start writing them down for you and bring them up every once in a while. Here's the first batch:

Italians of all ages love to sing. (Level of ability, notwithstanding.) 

Gli anziani love my crazy nail polish and think I have pretty teeth.

Never live near a parking lot. Or a church with bells. Or in a medieval city that likes to do road construction in a nonsensical manner at ungodly hours.

While I am still a talented sweeper and dish washer, I make a decent a sous-chef. (Next up: Do I have the skills to be a head chef?)

Commas are always optional and run-on sentences are commonplace in Italian literature.

Anchovies aren't that bad.

Meat, "Why?", "Buon appetito", and my name in Italian Sign Language.

Vitamina B is supposed to make your blood smell bad to mosquitoes. (Actual result: still unknown.)

Stay tuned for more Lessons Learned and the consequences of some from this week.

My first week is up and I'm feeling really good about what I've done so far, which is mostly just getting reacquainted with the city and the language. I'm all set up for my language course at the Universita' di Siena per Stranieri and in the meantime have been going out and trying to speak as much Italian as I can. Part of that, as noted in my last post, is reconnecting with the locals. Yesterday I did something of a course intensivo when I decided to visit Crisitna and Dafne.

Friends, meet my friend Dafne.

When I was a student here a year ago, I tutored Dafne in English and got to know her and her mom Cristina pretty well. Seeing them was like coming home...again (because I am so lucky knowing only the best people). We caught up and after a while Crisitina had some errands to run so I was invited. Lucky for Dafne and me, the first stop was to the gelateria. There's a posh new one in Siena that serves only gelato made of fresh products and although it seemed like we waited in line forever (even by Italian standards), the product was worth it.

We went in farmacia and I learned the word for one of my favorite things: nail polish. Now, for those of you that haven't seen me much in the last year may not know how one of my greatest pass times is painting my nails in outrageous manners. Unfortunately, I chose not to bring any with me, getting nervous about the weight of my single bag and within days of arriving regretted it. Turns out, crazy nail polish colors is a big thing here and I didn't feel quite myself without mine. Explaining that to Dafne, I suppose she felt bad for me so she ushered me this awesome new store. It's a makeup Mecca store: eyeliner, eye shadow, and nail polish galore! My first purchase:

Dafne had to go home for her piano lesson (she's quite musical and is training to get into a conservatory for her violin in Florence), but Cristina and I continued to the grocery store. I was invited to dinner on the condition that I acted as Cristina's helper. No, Mom, I didn't burn down the kitchen. In fact I was cutting fresh tomatoes in the perfume of frying eggplant and listening to Dafne's musical musing when I had my first official "Is this REAL LIFE?!?" moment. Can you blame me? Here are a few pictures of our fantastic meal and mealtime setting:

Coming home, I'll admit that I had a bit of a breakdown. It was minor and thankfully Filippo's already trained in dealing with "my big drops," but I really feeling present here in Italy and all of the pressure that comes along with that. For the past week I've been pushing myself into everything that I can do, trying to speak and listen to Italian as often as I can, and walking around in and among those who know I'm not a part of "them." I'm pleased by how the language is coming back and how many words I'm learning each day. I'm so proud of myself and know I need to continue along, but I need to unscrew an emotional valve for a while. Here's to staying on the path! Salute!

I haven't been here long, but today has been great! After a weekend of doing the understatement of nothing, I was resolved to get some things crossed off my "da fare" list. But then this morning (or should I say, early afternoon) I was moving slowly and I was quickly deterred from my first task when I got out of the house because of some domestic issues. Looks like it's going to take a few days to solve this one. What can I say? Italian culture suits me. :)

But I was quite excited for my second task: visit Ennio. Ennio is my last host father from the semester I was here in Siena.

Ennio's giving me a grammar lesson at Sharing Day in May 2009.

The best way to explain our relationship is to say that Ennio is my adopted Italian grandfather. He was always my hardest Italian teacher, but I could never say that he didn't have my best interest at heart. In addition to wanting to catch up, I was also the carrier of some packages he couldn't get delivered to Italy, but since I still not having a phone (just another problem that's just gotta get resolved soon), we exchanged emails and found a time to meet.  When I walked up to the apartment I was greeted with big hug and kisses from my nonno. We spent quite a while catching up and he tried helping me with some of my issues. (Too bad he doesn't know there are too many to count. Haha!) I found out he has 2 new grandchildren (which explains why my other host mom, Tina wasn't home) and has recently acted host to Josh Charles and his girlfriend by chance. After a typical conversation between us--which includes me getting some teasing, lots of grammar lessons, and new wisdom from Ennio--I was on my way.

Biagio and I serving dessert to our "vechiette" on my last day at work in May 2009.

I stopped into La Casa di Riposo a Campansi (the nursing home) just to see if there was anyone here that remembered me. Walking up the stairs, I saw Biagio, my "boss" while I volunteered there. He didn't look like he remembered me at first, but then suddenly I was showered with compliments and lead to everyone I've ever seen. Considering that most of the women I worked with had some stage of dementia, I was shocked to see how many remembered me both with and without assistance. I asked Biagio if I could to volunteer here again while I'm in the area, and he was delighted that I was interested and invited me to re-join the crew.

While both reunions were really touching, the most amazing part of the day was how much Italian I actually spoke. Now, I'm not saying I caught everything or that I was eloquent, but it was nice to recognize that I do have some conversational language skills left over after a year's absence. I live for lovely surprises like that!

Sono qui!

I'm here!!! Happy to say that I'm whole with all of my possessions in tact, just a little worse for wear. I've got a blister on my luggage hand and a pretty bruise from the whole running and waiting process that is traveling, but especially so in Italy.

All in all, the trip to Siena took over a day. And in case you didn't know, it's summertime. And summertime is more summery without airconditioning...and lugging my 47 pound suitcase around made me super gross. But after more planes, trains, and buses than I wish to count I finally got here. Not having any communication with which I could contact my friend Filippo, I tried buying a SIM card for my new international phone. Unfortunately the phone store didn't have one on hand...even though that's what they're there for. And one won't be in until Wednesday. Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to my own version of Wonderland: Italy. Doesn't make sense, but that's how it works.

So I duck into a pub I know has wireless internet and text Filippo over Skype. (At this point, I have a realization that I could not survive in a time before this technology.) Filippo finds me as I update Facebook to let everyone know I've arrived. I pack up my computer and walk out the door to run into Luciana of all people in this great city.

Now, I'm not sure I could produce a better picture of the small community nature of Siena if I tried. Luciana was my first host mother, who I grew very close to during my month here. During my semester in Siena I made the mortal sin of not contacting her after telling her I would be coming. When I ran into her in the middle of Piazza del Sale, she was so surprised to see me she started crying, hugged me until I couldn't breath, and slapped me about 5 times. Lovingly of course, although I could see the outline of her hand on my cheek for a few hours afterward.

So when I step out of the dark pub my fight or flight response flares. I consider turning and running back into the pub, but then she makes eye contact with me. I brace myself for another round of decimation, but she pulls my sweaty self tightly to her. She is so excited to see me that she's talking in super sonic speed with her thick Tuscan accent. I'm so exhausted and overwhelmed I ask Filippo to translate for me. I tell her I'll call her tomorrow (which is today--I better find one of those SIM cards pronto!).

Finally, we get to Filippo's place and after a few minutes catching up I grab a cold shower. He fills me with a good meal that suffices for the lack of food from the whole day. And to finish off the night, we meet my good friend for Koppa Kabana gelato (fondente e pompelmo-YUM!) in the Campo. So I'm here and happy. Plenty more to update later, but for now I've got a city to rediscover!

It's the final countdown.

This is me in a matter of days.

 

Ten days that is. There is still so much to do, but that's okay. I'm finally really getting excited.

Womp, womp.

It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted because not much has been going on. Besides a pretty big disappointment. My test didn't go so well, and since then I've had to deal with more negative emotions than I wish to admit. But I'm over it and moving on with what I have to do. There's a little more than two weeks until I leave and still quite a bit to get done. But this post is really about disappointment.

I hate that my first attempt at the GRE went so sucky (to be truly eloquent). Following the big failure, the big thought that passed through my head was: "This was NOT in my plan. I've been studying for this test so much and it was not supposed to happen like this. I was going to do well on it, go to Italy after three weeks, and apply to those graduate school with a little peace in all this hectic." And then it hit me. I guess I'm not as well adjusted as I thought I was getting. Not off the path of "The Plan." Which made me start thinking about other things.

Specifically, I've been reflecting a lot on the decisions I've made recently. Moving home has been full of mixed outcomes. It's been wonderful spending time with my family. The older I get I realize just how priceless that time is. Especially since I don't have much else to give these days--gotta love that free rent! (Another benefit of being home.)

But then there are the sour sides of moving home. No job means that I'm home until I have something really interesting to do...like go to the bank. Since most of my work is on the computer because I'm going international I have no reason to go anywhere. Positive side of this: I know there's NO WAY I could ever work from home. Maybe if I had my fantasy study. Otherwise, no.

Then there's also NOTHING here. I'm really not kidding. There are no adventures here which really speaks to my hiatus from blogging. College friends are near college. And all things considered, I have a good group of people I still keep in touch with from high school...but none of them are around either. I have to take big long trips and get lost every time I see a friend.

And before I get too emo, this separation has made me appreciate those good friends you can't live without. I've always sucked at keeping up with people, but I guess with some international friends to keep in touch with over the last few years and practically residing in a foreign land the last few weeks, I've had some good practice. Now I know communication is a two way street and I'm starting to learn which friends like to know about certain things, like to talk about specific issues or news or gossip, have similar woes as me, etc. It's almost as if we're all taking friendship labels. I'm sure they'll change over time, but it's just interesting. I'm still working through this idea, but I mention it to provoke. What do you think?

So in closing, I've got a lot more work to do on myself and my friendships and my life. And thanks for making it through this post. You're a trooper. :)