Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Giorno sei
11/11/2013
Today I have come the the realization that this trip is flying so fast that it is impossible to write all of the events that happen. I have less than two weeks, and I will be on a plane back to reality. Although I love it here, I am very excited that my mom will be here on Friday. A piece of home wouldn't be a bad thing at all right now.
This last weekend Molly and I were searching for events happening to fulfill one of our photography assignments. So, we ended up in Firenze (florence) for a tattoo convention. I have always considered body modification a form of art, but after this weekend it isn't even a question for me. One aspect I love about being an artist is that other artists always seem to find one another. It is the same with tattoos. Lovers of body modification will always find one another because they have something they adore in common. Some may see body modification as a sin, brutal, and even disgusting, but I have never seen that many people co-exist so peacefully and respect one another with such passion.
Halloween in Italy is a little bit on the sad side compared to the U.S. Rosa asked if we would go to her house and make treats from home. So, with the limited resources we had, we taught Rosa and her family how to bake chocolate chip cookies. Turns out Italians think peanut butter is awful (apparently they are not human ;)) so, the peanut butter cookies were not a huge success. Upon making treats, I realized that everything in America truly is super sized. I know we are always told this, but to actually see it is a different story. The size of the cookies horrified all of them because it is so much. Then, on halloween Rosa took us to a big halloween bash. Not everyone wears costumes here, it is a choice which is nice, but I wish we could all show them how it is really done. My favorite part about going to disco's in Italy is seeing all of these Italian people singing english songs without knowing the meaning of the words they are speaking. It gives one a new perspective on entertainment.
The one thing that all of us were having a hard time without was fall. We would spend hours in our free time just discussing what we missed the most about this time of year. Molly found us pumpkins to carve and we were able to convince Pauola to let us bake the seeds. That helped my longing a lot. Then a week after Halloween the leaves began to change colors on some of the trees and through the grape orchards. It was beautiful.
We are currently focusing on Photography. Davide (one of the Vasta's that runs the Villa) is a professional video maker. He gave us a presentation on time lapse. Since his presentation we have all been playing around with time lapse and Dave (our photography professor) has been helping us to make the proper editing of the works we have made. I have learned a lot and have way too may pictures to edit and share. In the last two weeks we have seen some of the most beautiful places, and I am so thankful to be able to photograph them. Hopefully I will be done editing soon so that I can share them with the rest of the world!
Today I have come the the realization that this trip is flying so fast that it is impossible to write all of the events that happen. I have less than two weeks, and I will be on a plane back to reality. Although I love it here, I am very excited that my mom will be here on Friday. A piece of home wouldn't be a bad thing at all right now.
This last weekend Molly and I were searching for events happening to fulfill one of our photography assignments. So, we ended up in Firenze (florence) for a tattoo convention. I have always considered body modification a form of art, but after this weekend it isn't even a question for me. One aspect I love about being an artist is that other artists always seem to find one another. It is the same with tattoos. Lovers of body modification will always find one another because they have something they adore in common. Some may see body modification as a sin, brutal, and even disgusting, but I have never seen that many people co-exist so peacefully and respect one another with such passion.
Halloween in Italy is a little bit on the sad side compared to the U.S. Rosa asked if we would go to her house and make treats from home. So, with the limited resources we had, we taught Rosa and her family how to bake chocolate chip cookies. Turns out Italians think peanut butter is awful (apparently they are not human ;)) so, the peanut butter cookies were not a huge success. Upon making treats, I realized that everything in America truly is super sized. I know we are always told this, but to actually see it is a different story. The size of the cookies horrified all of them because it is so much. Then, on halloween Rosa took us to a big halloween bash. Not everyone wears costumes here, it is a choice which is nice, but I wish we could all show them how it is really done. My favorite part about going to disco's in Italy is seeing all of these Italian people singing english songs without knowing the meaning of the words they are speaking. It gives one a new perspective on entertainment.
The one thing that all of us were having a hard time without was fall. We would spend hours in our free time just discussing what we missed the most about this time of year. Molly found us pumpkins to carve and we were able to convince Pauola to let us bake the seeds. That helped my longing a lot. Then a week after Halloween the leaves began to change colors on some of the trees and through the grape orchards. It was beautiful.
We are currently focusing on Photography. Davide (one of the Vasta's that runs the Villa) is a professional video maker. He gave us a presentation on time lapse. Since his presentation we have all been playing around with time lapse and Dave (our photography professor) has been helping us to make the proper editing of the works we have made. I have learned a lot and have way too may pictures to edit and share. In the last two weeks we have seen some of the most beautiful places, and I am so thankful to be able to photograph them. Hopefully I will be done editing soon so that I can share them with the rest of the world!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Giorno Chinque
10-23-2013
The last few days have been a lot of fun. Jen (our music instructor) is helping us to learn about music history through hands on experiences. Yesterday, we were able to travel to Perugia which is the city that Corciano sits outside of. There is a chocolate festival going on this week and we got to experience the finest Italian chocolates. Molly and I got Kabobs for dinner and sat on the steps of a large church while admiring the rough Italian people hanging out in the square, and admiring the architecture around us. We met a man named Francesco (apparently all Italian men have the same names), and his friend Angelo. Francesco is from Boston, so he was able to explain to us what life in Perugia is like. Unlike the beauty of the city, there are a lot of underlying problems such as drugs, and weapons. This really opened our eyes and helped us to view our surroundings a little bit differently. At 9p.m. we attended a choral concert. The concert was put on by a Brittish choral school that travels and performs. All of the choir singers ranged in age from 7-18. For their age they were amazing, and the acoustics in the old church were fascinating as well. It was a great experience.
Today, we got the pleasure of learning about Rosella's artwork and her inspiration, Ildegarda di Bingen. Like the other members of the Vasta family, Rosella is extremely talented and she thinks on an extremely high level. She is a very private person, and has a hard time sharing her works with students. I am extremely glad that she was willing to give us a sneak peak into what she does on a professional art level. Rosella is the leader of a project called The Table of Silence. I encourage all of you reading my blog to look up table of silence september 11, 2011 on youtube and check out her site www.tableofsilence.com. Rosella has a vision about how she can change the happenings in the world through art, and this is her contribution so far. I don't want to spoil it, but she takes her art and partners with other types of artists throughout the world. She is definitely and inspiration to those of us looking to make a difference with our trade.
After learning from Rosella, we all attended a cooking class from Paoula. She taught us how to make homemade pasta for dinner, and we will be able to eat our creations this evening. Making homemade pasta is actually a lot easier than I thought it would be, or Paoula is just that good at it...it could be either one. I guess I will find out when I get home! The way she taught us makes me feel like it would be an inexpensive way to make everyday variations of dinner. Along with cooking lessons, at the very beginning of our trip Michele ( the matriarch) taught us how to make Italian liqueur. Earlier today, he brought us a book on the subject that he had purchased, and said he would buy as many as we wanted to take home so that we can continue the tradition in the states. I am very excited to bring home everything that I have learned and share it with my loved ones! The Villa is full of education, and everyone has a different skill and knowledge to share with us. Even though there is a language barrier, I continue learning everyday and cannot wait to share it.
PS- for those of you wondering, Rosa took Mi Gato home with her and thought about a name for a few days. After a long thought process, she decided to name the cat Molly (after molly) because she said (in italian) that Molly was the most cat like name :) I am glad she found a good home
The last few days have been a lot of fun. Jen (our music instructor) is helping us to learn about music history through hands on experiences. Yesterday, we were able to travel to Perugia which is the city that Corciano sits outside of. There is a chocolate festival going on this week and we got to experience the finest Italian chocolates. Molly and I got Kabobs for dinner and sat on the steps of a large church while admiring the rough Italian people hanging out in the square, and admiring the architecture around us. We met a man named Francesco (apparently all Italian men have the same names), and his friend Angelo. Francesco is from Boston, so he was able to explain to us what life in Perugia is like. Unlike the beauty of the city, there are a lot of underlying problems such as drugs, and weapons. This really opened our eyes and helped us to view our surroundings a little bit differently. At 9p.m. we attended a choral concert. The concert was put on by a Brittish choral school that travels and performs. All of the choir singers ranged in age from 7-18. For their age they were amazing, and the acoustics in the old church were fascinating as well. It was a great experience.
Today, we got the pleasure of learning about Rosella's artwork and her inspiration, Ildegarda di Bingen. Like the other members of the Vasta family, Rosella is extremely talented and she thinks on an extremely high level. She is a very private person, and has a hard time sharing her works with students. I am extremely glad that she was willing to give us a sneak peak into what she does on a professional art level. Rosella is the leader of a project called The Table of Silence. I encourage all of you reading my blog to look up table of silence september 11, 2011 on youtube and check out her site www.tableofsilence.com. Rosella has a vision about how she can change the happenings in the world through art, and this is her contribution so far. I don't want to spoil it, but she takes her art and partners with other types of artists throughout the world. She is definitely and inspiration to those of us looking to make a difference with our trade.
After learning from Rosella, we all attended a cooking class from Paoula. She taught us how to make homemade pasta for dinner, and we will be able to eat our creations this evening. Making homemade pasta is actually a lot easier than I thought it would be, or Paoula is just that good at it...it could be either one. I guess I will find out when I get home! The way she taught us makes me feel like it would be an inexpensive way to make everyday variations of dinner. Along with cooking lessons, at the very beginning of our trip Michele ( the matriarch) taught us how to make Italian liqueur. Earlier today, he brought us a book on the subject that he had purchased, and said he would buy as many as we wanted to take home so that we can continue the tradition in the states. I am very excited to bring home everything that I have learned and share it with my loved ones! The Villa is full of education, and everyone has a different skill and knowledge to share with us. Even though there is a language barrier, I continue learning everyday and cannot wait to share it.
PS- for those of you wondering, Rosa took Mi Gato home with her and thought about a name for a few days. After a long thought process, she decided to name the cat Molly (after molly) because she said (in italian) that Molly was the most cat like name :) I am glad she found a good home
Giorno Quattro
10-10-2013
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.
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.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Giorno tre
9-26-13
The last two days have flown by. On Wednesday evening myself and the other three girls decided to hike to corciano which is a little village a mile from the villa, but the whole way is a vertical hill. We needed to go to corciano to use the ATM, explore and acclimate ourselves to our new settings. I don't think I can even begin to explain how strange it is to know nobody, let alone have a language barrier, only to find out that EVERYONE knows you. The bar tender in Perugia greeted us outside of his shop and said, " are you the Montana girls?"
So terrifyingly strange
Then they all proceed to speak about you in Italian while you are standing next to them.
Later that evening we walked back down the ominous, vertical hill to dinner. As I was photographing my journey home, a blackberry thorn vine wrapped around both f my ankles slicing open my skin. I literally looked like I had kicked a porcupine. Trying to find someone who spoke English for a first aid kit was a fight in and of itself. There were two men gardening behind the Villa so I walked over, pointed to my leg, and said "first aid kit." One of them shoo-ed me away, but then the other one lead me to the kitchen where Angelo was teaching a cooking lesson. I felt awful taking him away from class, but I wasn't sure if tent thrones would make me sick or not. Poor Pauola (the house keeper) was sprinting through the villa trying to locate alcohol and cotton balls while Angelo pulled out my thorns and tried to stop the bleeding. When I was all doctored up, Angelo invited my group and I to get a drink with he, and the other American group here in the outskirts of Corciano. So after an amazing dinner of homemade pasta (that I interrupted with my leg), Zane, Brandon, Molly, and I joined our new friends Mark, Susan, and Angelo. I was fortunate to try a Dolce and Gabanna martini (hopefully I can bring some home) and got to meet several of the locals in town. It was probably one of the funniest nights I have had in awhile.
After class yesterday we decided to hike to Corcina again for money and spritzers (wine and soda+a sunset ;)). We found out the hard way that spritzers are more culturally acceptable in the early afternoon than whiskey at...let's say noon. Oops. Dinner was my strangest yet. It was italian noodles with eggs and ham. This is what I believe to be italian breakfast for dinner. We also had the fortune of attending our first fancy italian art(Arte) party!
Today was pretty normal, until the ATM DECIDED TO EAT MY CARD. We are leaving for Rome on Sunday so I have no way of paying for anything. I guess this is the time to not be too proud or humble to ask for help.
This trip has definitely been a new cultural experience with all emotionally expressive words used to describe how I have been feeling. It is time for bed so ciao for now.
The last two days have flown by. On Wednesday evening myself and the other three girls decided to hike to corciano which is a little village a mile from the villa, but the whole way is a vertical hill. We needed to go to corciano to use the ATM, explore and acclimate ourselves to our new settings. I don't think I can even begin to explain how strange it is to know nobody, let alone have a language barrier, only to find out that EVERYONE knows you. The bar tender in Perugia greeted us outside of his shop and said, " are you the Montana girls?"
So terrifyingly strange
Then they all proceed to speak about you in Italian while you are standing next to them.
Later that evening we walked back down the ominous, vertical hill to dinner. As I was photographing my journey home, a blackberry thorn vine wrapped around both f my ankles slicing open my skin. I literally looked like I had kicked a porcupine. Trying to find someone who spoke English for a first aid kit was a fight in and of itself. There were two men gardening behind the Villa so I walked over, pointed to my leg, and said "first aid kit." One of them shoo-ed me away, but then the other one lead me to the kitchen where Angelo was teaching a cooking lesson. I felt awful taking him away from class, but I wasn't sure if tent thrones would make me sick or not. Poor Pauola (the house keeper) was sprinting through the villa trying to locate alcohol and cotton balls while Angelo pulled out my thorns and tried to stop the bleeding. When I was all doctored up, Angelo invited my group and I to get a drink with he, and the other American group here in the outskirts of Corciano. So after an amazing dinner of homemade pasta (that I interrupted with my leg), Zane, Brandon, Molly, and I joined our new friends Mark, Susan, and Angelo. I was fortunate to try a Dolce and Gabanna martini (hopefully I can bring some home) and got to meet several of the locals in town. It was probably one of the funniest nights I have had in awhile.
After class yesterday we decided to hike to Corcina again for money and spritzers (wine and soda+a sunset ;)). We found out the hard way that spritzers are more culturally acceptable in the early afternoon than whiskey at...let's say noon. Oops. Dinner was my strangest yet. It was italian noodles with eggs and ham. This is what I believe to be italian breakfast for dinner. We also had the fortune of attending our first fancy italian art(Arte) party!
Today was pretty normal, until the ATM DECIDED TO EAT MY CARD. We are leaving for Rome on Sunday so I have no way of paying for anything. I guess this is the time to not be too proud or humble to ask for help.
This trip has definitely been a new cultural experience with all emotionally expressive words used to describe how I have been feeling. It is time for bed so ciao for now.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Giorno due
9-24-2013
I woke up with pressure in my ears, like I was on an airplane. So I take that as a sign that my body is finally acclimating to Italy. We had italian lessons twice today, with art history class in the middle. Catia drove us up the hill to Corcina before lunch so we could purchase needed toiletries, and then walk back to the villa. Corcina is a beautiful village with narrow, cobbled, vertical streets that is a wonder to us from the U.S. We found a small bar and enjoyed a drink. While Molly was investigating the ATM, we received a first hand experience in learning the word "cat," which is gotto in Italian. This gotto walked up to us with a lizard in it's mouth. It was almost a parade to show us it's find. When it dropped the lizard, it tried to run. But the gotto was not about to let that happen. It nonchalantly ripped off the lizards tail. It could have been the most terrifying/scaring thing I have encountered here so far.
Catia (our Italian teacher) formed us that the castle next to the villa will be open on Saturday along with all of the museums in Italy due to heritage day. Were all very excited to finally get to see the interior of the castle. After dinner Michele (the owner of the villa, Mi
-kay-lay, italian version of Michael) invited us to his presentation on how to make fruit liquore, then the group proceeded to learn an Italian song and sing karaoke. It was definitely an enjoyable/interesting day.
-kay-lay, italian version of Michael) invited us to his presentation on how to make fruit liquore, then the group proceeded to learn an Italian song and sing karaoke. It was definitely an enjoyable/interesting day.
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