It has been awhile since I have written a journal entry, because we have been going non-stop for the last two weeks. So much has happened, but I think I should just hit the highlights. The day before we left for Rome, Molly, Brendan, Paige, and I convinced Rosa (the cook) to give us a ride to Corciano when she got off of work. Rosa doesn't speak english very well, so our language barrier is brutal. But we have found that hand gestures, noises, and translation tools work well (she is also really good at helping us pronounce our dinner she serves every night). I really enjoy her company.
Every one at the Orange Bar seems to find us all very interesting and new, so we all make friends fast. I swear that when we all show up they call one another to come hang out. We enjoyed Italian drinks, played foosball, and racquetball. On the way home an adorable kitten began to follow us home. Italians are terrifying drivers. On our roads that are considered 25mph, Italians drive 70. I have come to the conclusion that this is due to their tiny cars. Anyway, there was no way I was going to leave this tiny kitten on this terrifying road, in the rain. So I picked her up, tucked her in my jacket, and took her to the Villa with me. She slept in the crevice of my neck and shoulder all night. Needless to say, I fell in love without thinking about what I was going to do with her when I left in the morning. In the morning I found Rosa and told her about mi gato ( it means my cat in Italian, and that is what I named her). Rosa came up with a plan after gesturing that if Bibi (the matriarch) found out, Mi Gato, Rosa, and myself would all be dead. Very comforting.
When we arrived in Rome, I knew the experience was going to be very different from Corciano, and I didn't like that thought. Rome is loud, dirty, rude, and very touristy. It was not the at home feeling that we all had in Corciano. The only time you can really see all of the sites is at night when people clear out for the evening. One night we all went to the grocery store, and enjoyed a picnic in the Piazza Navona (if you don't know what this is you should google it). Italian food was everything I expected it to be, so a picnic was a good change of pace. You can only eat so many variations of pizza and panini's. The first day we were traveling around Rome for class it was 75 degrees with 95% humidity and then it suddenly changed into a flash flood down pour for an hour. The odd part was that the sky was still baby blue during the whole storm.
The Pope was actually visiting Rome while we were there. So far it seems that the Italian population is very happy with him. He tends to lean toward what our modern world needs at this time. My two favorite places in Rome are the Castello Sant' Angelo, and the Vatican Museum. Although the Vatican's Sistine Chapel is smaller than I had anticipated, it is still magnificent. There is no way to describe finally seeing pieces that you have read about and studied for years, and size along with colors of the pieces is always a surprise. I will say with pride that I cried in many places that we visited, just from knowing a little bit about the shear value of the piece and the experiences I am receiving in Italy.
I think the end of our trip to Rome is when homesickness began to strike all of us. I found myself searching for American comforts such as hotdogs, burgers, and steak. But then, all at the same time I just want to immerse myself in my travels.
Florence was the place that we traveled next. Firenze is a completely different atmosphere than Rome was. I immediately noticed how much quieter Firenze was, and how much friendlier everyone is. We met several people that were willing to talk to us. These people included locals, desk clerks in the hotel, and even other tourists. I feel that in Florence we are either appreciated for making an effort in their culture, or politely pitied.
Florence has a different kind of beauty. You (or maybe just me) can become lost very easily, but one Italian man that we met explained that you must look to where the streets become narrower. When the streets narrow you are nearing Santa Maria Del Fiore. all of the streets of Firenze move away from the church, because it is the center point of the city. In Firenze Molly and I made two new friends, Fancesco and Liga. while we were in the city they taught us more than we could have ever asked for. We now know from their knowledge where the good parts of the city are, and where not to travel ourselves. We also learned how to check the ATM's before using so that we do not get our identities stolen, and most importantly ( the one I always forget) to keep your pockets zipped and possessions in site at all times. Every night we would go on walks with them and they would ask what we had learned that day. After recapping our new education, they would elaborate and help our new knowledge expand even further. Francesco introduced us to acai smoothies with granola and banana's as well as showing us the beautiful city of San Gimignano.
My favorite places in the city of Firenze were Orsansmichele, the houses on the Arno river, and the Academia where the original David resides. When studying the David in class I was never very impressed, but when you see this piece in person, it draws one of tears. The thought process of this piece was so intricate, and the smoothness of the sculpture is miraculous. I can only imagine the hours and the blood that was shed during the creation.
It is good to be back in Corciano, simply because to us this is home.
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