Two weeks. I’ve lived here for two weeks already, but it feels like quite a bit longer and conversely, like I left two days ago. Time and activity has such a way of filling your mind so, depending on your perspective (age included), it creeps by or is gone in a flash. But I think that is why I journal and blog. Yes, I want to share my experiences with you, but it keeps me reflecting on where I was, am now, and will continue to go. I don’t like to feel like time is getting away from me. It moves without consulting me first, but at least I can appreciate it to my fullest extent, no?

But enough with the lofty reflection and down to the happenings in life. Since I left you, I went to a huge concert on Friday, sponsored by a group called EMERGENCY. The foundation of this group is very liberal, so don’t investigate it if that doesn’t interest you, but we were going for the music. The headliners were Fiorella Mannoia, Elisa (who has put out some things in the USA and sings a lot in English), Casa del Vento (or House of the Wind), and—believe it or not—Paola Turci. I heard that lady sing twice in one week, so I guess I’m turning into a real fan. In all honesty, I had very little expectations going in, but it was a really great show. I took this phenomenal video (which somebody else seemed to get, too!), but unfortunately it seems like I dropped my camera at the concert and based on the number of people that were in attendance, there is no way of getting it back. Great luck, huh? I suppose you’ll have to do without quality pictures for a while and just trust my descriptions.

Anyway, I was able to take my first trip “back home” to Siena on Saturday. It was wonderful to see my friends there! For those of you who don’t know my biography, I lived in Siena on three different occasions (July 2008, Spring 2009, and July-October 2010), so I might be more familiar with that medieval city than I am even with my hometown. I certainly took more time to explore Siena.

The strangest sensation was walking around the city, especially alone. At first I became discouraged when I tried to think about the way to get from one place to another because I couldn’t remember it. Often I would try anyway and was shocked (although I shouldn’t be) by the way my feet seemed to lead the way without missing a step. The brain is a powerful thing, I tell you.

But Saturday, afternoon and night, I spent time at Filippo’s where I lived for three months…in the kitchen. 

That apartment will always be home for me, more for the company shared than the place itself. But then Filippo and I had dinner with our dear friends Anya and Deanne and I was so happy that my cheeks hurt. As I got ready to go out after dinner, the lovely ladies serenaded Filippo and me (and the rest of Via dei Rossi). Finally we went out and met all kinds of characters, which was entertaining, of course. It was just nice to be with my friends and be speaking lots of Italian again in the city where I feel most comfortable. I must say, though, that I’m not very used to going out Italian-style which often means going to bed near dawn. That is definitely going to take a while to get used to.

After another lazy morning, I had a wonderful reunion with Ennio and Tina, my house parents from my semester in Siena. That place will always be full of good food, great language lessons, and better company. We had a lunch you can only dream of and a little nap before I had to get moving.

Sunday afternoon I gathered my things and took a whirl-wind trip to Rome with my friend Gabriele. Last year we saw two of Shakespeare’s works at the Globe Theatre in Villa Borghese and wanted to catch the last one of the season. I really have never seen better professional theatre in my life than at this place. Just sitting down on a little cushion in the middle of that Globe excites my heart.

We saw Riccardo III, which I was very unfamiliar with as far as Shakespeare goes. It was the most difficult to follow linguistically of the three I had seen there, but I grasped the gist of most scenes and the art was enough that they could have said nothing and I would have enjoyed it just the same. So moving! I certainly appreciated it even more after spending several months with my Theatre Alliance family. And, believe it or not, there was confetti. In a Shakespeare historical play. I couldn’t help but laugh out of pity for the poor souls sweeping and recycling it for the next show since that was my job at the theatre. (PS: If you are in the area, you should go see Theatre Alliance’s production of Kiss of the Spiderwoman that opens this week. Get your tickets here! These people are brilliant.)

So despite starting this week with very little sleep, I enjoyed my weekend tremendously. And to think the next is right around the corner!