Friday, January 25, 2008
sono fame... sempre!
i am hungry... always!
Today was the last day of my italian language classes. Its amazing to think of how much i've learned in the past three weeks. How much of our lives do we spend learning to speak our native tongues, let alone those strange to us? Often now, I find myself mixing up my English; i spend so much time trying to get my italian sentence structure down that when i speak native, my thoughts come out in two different languages. I dont know... its confusing and absolutely hilarious.
Beth, James, and I are words dorks now. We have made so many lame play on word jokes!
We've been in our new apartments for a week now. We live on Via San Gallo, right near Centro Firenze, which is a dream because i despise taking the bus. James has 4 Italian male roommates, and Beth and I have 6 Italian female roommates. We dont know them very well at this point, but it seems like life will be pretty fun in the homes,... because there is always going to be something to teach each other. So far, we've figured out that jokes dont transfer well from one culture/language to another.
On Wednesday, Beth and I skipped classes (a much needed break) and spent hours and hours just walking around Firenze. The sun was out, and we could finally just meander without a destination. I find that I gravitate to the river. Reaching it is like bursting out of water, gasping for air. The buildings inside the city are so close together and tall; there isn't much space to maneuver. The italian bubble (you know, like safety bubble) is pretty much just their skin. But being near the river is amazing! There is open space, you can SEE the city, the sky, grass, people boating, dogs and their masters, you can see the mountains/hills (we are in a valley) surrounding Firenze, the air is clean there, and the sun hits your shoulders.
Anyways, Beth and I walked to Piazza Michelangelo which offers a birds eye view of the city and ogled at the fact that we lived inside what we were seeing. Its really quite a new experience!
Tuesday night, the three of us were invited to a dinner party with Professor Malagigi (a well-known professor and artist at the Accademia). It was like a book, like a movie, like a dream. There were about 15 people there, talking, eating together. The eating was easy: first course was the best lasagna (aside from Grandma Hedrich's) EVER, and the second course was pasta carbonera (pasta, with eggs and bacon). The pasta was the BIGGEST quantity of pasta i have ever seen at one time. The bowl was as big as a lamptable, bigger still. Delicious! The talking though, that was difficult and very tiring: trying to speak in Italian for 4 hours straight while you know only elementary things (even though you think with a matured mind) is intense. Thats why none of us went to class the next day... and because the dinner lasted until 1 in the morning. zoiks!
Anyways, we begin our courses at the Accademia and the Institute in two weeks and we are all very excited! Right now, I am just happy to feel myself get a little bit more used to life here. The first 2.5 weeks were almost horrible. But, my familiarity is growing. I bought white rice and at that last night and it felt like home. I've eaten cinammon toast and cereal for breakfast, a lot of fruit and steamed broccoli to comfort myself and to inform my body that im not Actually trying to kill it. hehe.
Not this weekend but the next, we will be taking the train to a city called Valleggio by the Eastern sea-side for Carnivale. Beth had wanted to do Venice, but I bargained for the cheaper trip. And I guess the one at Valleggio is supposed to be the oldest and most famous anyways? so.... works out perfectly. I think we'll have a blast (and i'm REALLY looking forward to the train!)
loving you and you and you!
Today was the last day of my italian language classes. Its amazing to think of how much i've learned in the past three weeks. How much of our lives do we spend learning to speak our native tongues, let alone those strange to us? Often now, I find myself mixing up my English; i spend so much time trying to get my italian sentence structure down that when i speak native, my thoughts come out in two different languages. I dont know... its confusing and absolutely hilarious.
Beth, James, and I are words dorks now. We have made so many lame play on word jokes!
We've been in our new apartments for a week now. We live on Via San Gallo, right near Centro Firenze, which is a dream because i despise taking the bus. James has 4 Italian male roommates, and Beth and I have 6 Italian female roommates. We dont know them very well at this point, but it seems like life will be pretty fun in the homes,... because there is always going to be something to teach each other. So far, we've figured out that jokes dont transfer well from one culture/language to another.
On Wednesday, Beth and I skipped classes (a much needed break) and spent hours and hours just walking around Firenze. The sun was out, and we could finally just meander without a destination. I find that I gravitate to the river. Reaching it is like bursting out of water, gasping for air. The buildings inside the city are so close together and tall; there isn't much space to maneuver. The italian bubble (you know, like safety bubble) is pretty much just their skin. But being near the river is amazing! There is open space, you can SEE the city, the sky, grass, people boating, dogs and their masters, you can see the mountains/hills (we are in a valley) surrounding Firenze, the air is clean there, and the sun hits your shoulders.
Anyways, Beth and I walked to Piazza Michelangelo which offers a birds eye view of the city and ogled at the fact that we lived inside what we were seeing. Its really quite a new experience!
Tuesday night, the three of us were invited to a dinner party with Professor Malagigi (a well-known professor and artist at the Accademia). It was like a book, like a movie, like a dream. There were about 15 people there, talking, eating together. The eating was easy: first course was the best lasagna (aside from Grandma Hedrich's) EVER, and the second course was pasta carbonera (pasta, with eggs and bacon). The pasta was the BIGGEST quantity of pasta i have ever seen at one time. The bowl was as big as a lamptable, bigger still. Delicious! The talking though, that was difficult and very tiring: trying to speak in Italian for 4 hours straight while you know only elementary things (even though you think with a matured mind) is intense. Thats why none of us went to class the next day... and because the dinner lasted until 1 in the morning. zoiks!
Anyways, we begin our courses at the Accademia and the Institute in two weeks and we are all very excited! Right now, I am just happy to feel myself get a little bit more used to life here. The first 2.5 weeks were almost horrible. But, my familiarity is growing. I bought white rice and at that last night and it felt like home. I've eaten cinammon toast and cereal for breakfast, a lot of fruit and steamed broccoli to comfort myself and to inform my body that im not Actually trying to kill it. hehe.
Not this weekend but the next, we will be taking the train to a city called Valleggio by the Eastern sea-side for Carnivale. Beth had wanted to do Venice, but I bargained for the cheaper trip. And I guess the one at Valleggio is supposed to be the oldest and most famous anyways? so.... works out perfectly. I think we'll have a blast (and i'm REALLY looking forward to the train!)
loving you and you and you!
Friday, January 18, 2008
la sole! la sole!!
oggi, per la giorni prima (it seems like), c'e' sole!!
Beth, James, and i found out this morning that we get to move tomorrow morning. Finally, we will be (viccino al centro) close to the center!
We will be kitchening instead of snacking and eating out constantly!
We wont have to ride the 14 bus every day. ( which is good because the busses are packed like pigs and i have developed clausterphobia on them... )
We will be in walking distance of everything so it will be more convenient to explore!
LUCKY!
two days ago, we toured the three schools we may attend while here: The Accademia di Belle Arte, The Universita di Arte, and the third one is a product design school that i can't remember the name of. The Accademia is ancient and the teachers are really into traditional methods (which is a nice change) but the classrooms are small and facilities are very limited. I plan on taking a anatomy drawing course there because there are models so i keep in practice. But... I will be doing my printing at the University which is actually a high level high school but the facitilies are great, it is in Boboli Gardens which (look it up because i know little) is HUGE and gorgeous, and there is more room. While here, we can go to as many or as few classes as we please, to any of the 3 schools, and make whatever we want to..... independent work to a T!
Officially, their courses dont begin until the beginning of March because they run a 3 semester system here and February is break. But.... we can begin using facilities whenever we please. nice!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
i guess im in italy
ciao mi amici!
i made it here something over a week ago, and so, here i stay for 5 months plus.
i intend not to lose touch with you or reality. It seems, reality will be the easiest to keep familiar.
My intentions of arriving to a place of alienation have and im sure, will continue to be, fullfilled.
Milan, where my wallet was stolen was not my element, and Florence, while no thievery has taken place, is of course (after only a week) still not my element either.
I look forward to the day I feel a part of things, where I feel at least somewhat at home. I had no idea, no complete idea anyways, upon my departure from the states, how wonderfully embedded my heart is in Kansas and Minnesota.
i must eat before my italian class, so ciao!
i made it here something over a week ago, and so, here i stay for 5 months plus.
i intend not to lose touch with you or reality. It seems, reality will be the easiest to keep familiar.
My intentions of arriving to a place of alienation have and im sure, will continue to be, fullfilled.
Milan, where my wallet was stolen was not my element, and Florence, while no thievery has taken place, is of course (after only a week) still not my element either.
I look forward to the day I feel a part of things, where I feel at least somewhat at home. I had no idea, no complete idea anyways, upon my departure from the states, how wonderfully embedded my heart is in Kansas and Minnesota.
i must eat before my italian class, so ciao!
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