Tomorrow is my last full day in Italia. I have been told that I should do a final blog before going home ((although I plan to keep up with this in the states...we'll see how that goes...)).
I came. I saw. I conquered.
My photo albums go from pictures of places to pictures of people.
I would love to say that I had a life changing experience, that I learned things about myself that I had never known before, that I fell in love with me as much as I did with Italy. But I can't. I did that a long time ago. But this trip taught me one extremely important thing, and, as a bonus, it was something I didn't realize I needed to be taught. I learned how blessed I am to have the group of friends I have, and how hard my life is without them. It's good to know that I can go out on my own, make new friends, and live my life. It's even better to know that I have my friends to come home to. So here's to you, Theatre TCU. I'm coming home.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Mille Grazie
Thanksgiving = great success. Well, mostly success. Which was, admittedly, better than expected.
TCU pays for us to go to this really nice restaurant. You know, one of those places where the food is almost to pretty to eat. Almost being the key word. It was called Ganzo, which means "cool" in Italian, and yes, it's pronounced like the Muppet Gonzo. Which is now what I think of every time I see the big-nosed blue whatever. And that's been happening a lot lately, but more on that later.
Back to dinner. Let's get a hit list here.
Other than that, not much. This has been homework hell week. Two papers, an oral presentation, and planning for Paris. So nothing too fun for me. Unless you count the beginning of Christmas movie season. Today: Muppet Christmas Carol. Thus, Gonzo. And I started my new book today, The World According to Garp. I would just like to say; dear John Irving, I love you.
kaythanksbye
TCU pays for us to go to this really nice restaurant. You know, one of those places where the food is almost to pretty to eat. Almost being the key word. It was called Ganzo, which means "cool" in Italian, and yes, it's pronounced like the Muppet Gonzo. Which is now what I think of every time I see the big-nosed blue whatever. And that's been happening a lot lately, but more on that later.
Back to dinner. Let's get a hit list here.
- squash soup ((more like bisque))
- turkey
- marmalade? sweet something that went on the meat
- pork ribs
- creamed corn ((just like Mom's!))
- green bean and mushroom casserole
- sweet potato chips
- stuffing ((not bread based, more like someone in the kitchen sliced open a sausage))
- deviled eggs
- roasted potatoes
- pumpkin pie
- apple pie
Other than that, not much. This has been homework hell week. Two papers, an oral presentation, and planning for Paris. So nothing too fun for me. Unless you count the beginning of Christmas movie season. Today: Muppet Christmas Carol. Thus, Gonzo. And I started my new book today, The World According to Garp. I would just like to say; dear John Irving, I love you.
kaythanksbye
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Dear America
This is just a section of the ever-growing list I have of things I miss about America.
- dryers
- 24 hour anything
- sleeping in a bed
- warm water, or anything that isn't scalding hot or freezing cold
- anything even faintly resembling Mexican food. this includes Taco bell
- bad American TV, which is far superior to good Italian TV
- a shower that's not a hassle
- sweatpants
- my family
- seeing movies in movie theaters
- an oven that's not run solely on guess work
- meals that aren't 90% carbs
- Starbucks
- milk that lasts more than two days
- THANKSGIVING
- my best friend
- my own room
- green space ((even though it won't be green when I get back))
- being able to get lunch at a restaurant in thirty minutes
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Best Museum in Florence.
And no, it's not the Uffizi.
It's the Death Penalty and Serial Killer Museum. No, I'm not making that up. This is the best kind of museum with wax figures. The point is not to scare, but to inform. Granted, even bad wax figures are scary because, well, they're of serial killers, but there were no surprising turns or things that moved.
The first room of the museum had some old school serial killers that I had never heard of but were frightening none the less. The man who you first get...acquainted with was the inspiration for the story of Bluebeard, but the fairy tale toned his story down considerably. He kidnapped, killed, dismembered, ate, and occasionally raped at least 800 children. At least. Children. Then the next lady was a dutchess convinced that drinking the blood of a virgin would keep her young forever ((Hocus Pocus, anybody?)), and when she was caught, they walled her up alive in her tower to die. Way to get this museum off and rolling.
After a room about the man who started criminology and the obligatory room of Jack the Ripper, we headed into the main room. This contained six of the modern world's most notorious serial killers.
Ted Bundy
John Wayne Gacy
Andrei Chikatilo
Albert Fish
Ed Gein
Charles Manson
Let's discuss my favorite two, shall we?
Albert Fish::
This man drove across the country so that he could eat a child from every state. But wait, there's more. He was addicted to pain, and would shove needles up into his pelvis from below. Some of them were so far in he couldn't get them out. After his execution, they found TWENTY-NINE needles in his body, rusting.
Ed Gein::
You've probably heard of this guy. Or one of the THREE separate movie characters he inspired. If you've seen Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or Silence of the Lambs(Buffalo Bill, not Hannibal), you know Ed Gein. Or at least part of him. How, you ask, can one man inspire all three movies? Thusly. Father? Dead. Mother? CRAZY religious and over bearing, so Ed grew up disgustingly attached to his mother. He was also slightly effeminate but learned to hide it. Then his mother died ((movie character 1 - check)). Ed believed that he was a woman, and went to graves to dig up bodies, take them home, and cut up parts to both decorate his house and create a skin suit of a woman to wear ((movie character 2 - check)). But grave robbing wasn't enough, so he took to luring women into his seemingly innocent house in the middle of nowhere and killing them ((movie character 3 - check)).
Other than that, I saw an excellent "staged reading" type of performance of Carmen, and went to a fresh olive oil market. What did you do this weekend?
It's the Death Penalty and Serial Killer Museum. No, I'm not making that up. This is the best kind of museum with wax figures. The point is not to scare, but to inform. Granted, even bad wax figures are scary because, well, they're of serial killers, but there were no surprising turns or things that moved.
The first room of the museum had some old school serial killers that I had never heard of but were frightening none the less. The man who you first get...acquainted with was the inspiration for the story of Bluebeard, but the fairy tale toned his story down considerably. He kidnapped, killed, dismembered, ate, and occasionally raped at least 800 children. At least. Children. Then the next lady was a dutchess convinced that drinking the blood of a virgin would keep her young forever ((Hocus Pocus, anybody?)), and when she was caught, they walled her up alive in her tower to die. Way to get this museum off and rolling.
After a room about the man who started criminology and the obligatory room of Jack the Ripper, we headed into the main room. This contained six of the modern world's most notorious serial killers.
Ted Bundy
John Wayne Gacy
Andrei Chikatilo
Albert Fish
Ed Gein
Charles Manson
Let's discuss my favorite two, shall we?
Albert Fish::
This man drove across the country so that he could eat a child from every state. But wait, there's more. He was addicted to pain, and would shove needles up into his pelvis from below. Some of them were so far in he couldn't get them out. After his execution, they found TWENTY-NINE needles in his body, rusting.
Ed Gein::
You've probably heard of this guy. Or one of the THREE separate movie characters he inspired. If you've seen Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, or Silence of the Lambs(Buffalo Bill, not Hannibal), you know Ed Gein. Or at least part of him. How, you ask, can one man inspire all three movies? Thusly. Father? Dead. Mother? CRAZY religious and over bearing, so Ed grew up disgustingly attached to his mother. He was also slightly effeminate but learned to hide it. Then his mother died ((movie character 1 - check)). Ed believed that he was a woman, and went to graves to dig up bodies, take them home, and cut up parts to both decorate his house and create a skin suit of a woman to wear ((movie character 2 - check)). But grave robbing wasn't enough, so he took to luring women into his seemingly innocent house in the middle of nowhere and killing them ((movie character 3 - check)).
Other than that, I saw an excellent "staged reading" type of performance of Carmen, and went to a fresh olive oil market. What did you do this weekend?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
She Gave A New Meaning to the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
If you can tell me what musical I have o so wittily decided to quote for this post's title, you win. Not sure what you win yet, but you win. And it's cheating to ask my dad. Unless you are my dad.
So the whole group of us got ourselves to the train station by noon, which, for college student with a day off, can be a difficult thing to do. But we get on this train and ride the hours to Pisa, renowned for grave citizens. ((if you don't get that joke, it's in Taming of the Shrew))
Now, I knew Pisa was going to be a small town, but you would think in a place where tourist are always going would become a haven for shopping and hotels and, well, other ways to spend your money. Pisa has one main drag, and when we walked down it the first time, over half of the shops weren't open. The tower and the train station are on opposite sides of town, but that's not a big deal, since it's only a 10 minute walk from one end to the other.
The tower is cool, I will admit. For about two minutes. We immediately headed over to the green grassy area where all the Japanese tourists were taking pictures. I hadn't thought of this before, but do you know how ridiculous everyone looks when they're trying to pose with the tower? I mean, to everyone except the person with the camera, you look kinda crazy.
After about an hour of picture taking ((there were seven of us, so no, an hour is not excessive)), we decided to go search around for lunch before heading to the one other stop we had in this city, a world famous chocolate shop. That I'd never heard of. But I like chocolate, so I was along for the ride. This part of the adventure begins with the fact that the map we had which marked this shop was wrong. As in put it on the opposite side of the map from where it really was. Then we walked right past it. Twice. And kept going another three blocks. FYI, blocks in Italy are long. So we had given up on this chocolate and were walking back to head to the station when we happened to see a natural gelato shop. Intrigued, we went in. I mean, we should be rewarded after our long and unsuccessful mission.
Friends, this gelato was mind blowing. All the flavors were not only fresh and delicious, but unique. For instance, my flavor combination was (a) creama ((which is the custard stuff that comes inside croissants, etc)) with saffron and (b) pear with cocoa beans. Chocolate pear. It was like heaven on a flat plastic neon colored spoon. And guess what was next door? The chocolate shop! The day was officially a success, and we headed home.
Other than that, it's been back to school, nothing really exciting. We're watching The Magdalene Sisters in my History of Prostitution class. We've only seen half so far and I cried the whole 15 minute walk home.
So the whole group of us got ourselves to the train station by noon, which, for college student with a day off, can be a difficult thing to do. But we get on this train and ride the hours to Pisa, renowned for grave citizens. ((if you don't get that joke, it's in Taming of the Shrew))
Now, I knew Pisa was going to be a small town, but you would think in a place where tourist are always going would become a haven for shopping and hotels and, well, other ways to spend your money. Pisa has one main drag, and when we walked down it the first time, over half of the shops weren't open. The tower and the train station are on opposite sides of town, but that's not a big deal, since it's only a 10 minute walk from one end to the other.
The tower is cool, I will admit. For about two minutes. We immediately headed over to the green grassy area where all the Japanese tourists were taking pictures. I hadn't thought of this before, but do you know how ridiculous everyone looks when they're trying to pose with the tower? I mean, to everyone except the person with the camera, you look kinda crazy.
After about an hour of picture taking ((there were seven of us, so no, an hour is not excessive)), we decided to go search around for lunch before heading to the one other stop we had in this city, a world famous chocolate shop. That I'd never heard of. But I like chocolate, so I was along for the ride. This part of the adventure begins with the fact that the map we had which marked this shop was wrong. As in put it on the opposite side of the map from where it really was. Then we walked right past it. Twice. And kept going another three blocks. FYI, blocks in Italy are long. So we had given up on this chocolate and were walking back to head to the station when we happened to see a natural gelato shop. Intrigued, we went in. I mean, we should be rewarded after our long and unsuccessful mission.
Friends, this gelato was mind blowing. All the flavors were not only fresh and delicious, but unique. For instance, my flavor combination was (a) creama ((which is the custard stuff that comes inside croissants, etc)) with saffron and (b) pear with cocoa beans. Chocolate pear. It was like heaven on a flat plastic neon colored spoon. And guess what was next door? The chocolate shop! The day was officially a success, and we headed home.
Other than that, it's been back to school, nothing really exciting. We're watching The Magdalene Sisters in my History of Prostitution class. We've only seen half so far and I cried the whole 15 minute walk home.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Who Loves You Pretty Baby?
First things first, let's just discuss how stupid the internet is here at my lovely apartment. Only three of us can really be on the internet at one time, and so when one of my roomies really wants it, you know, to watch law and order, she resets it and usually kicks me off. So this is the first chance I have had since returning from fall break to update. For once, it's not really my fault.
WARNING: this is going to be a long entry, so those who only sort of care, feel free to just look at the pictures, I won't be offended.
Day 1: Munich
Getting to Munich was a handful of firsts. My first international train ride, my first time to use my Eurail pass, my first overnight train. My advice for the next person? Get a bed reservation on the train, otherwise really rude women from Bologna will get on, wake you up, and push you out of your seat because they want to lean against the window. For reals, guys? Was that necessary?
Once I got to Munich, I discovered that my hostel was literally visible from the train station. Brilliant! Especially since I got in at 7 AM. I got about three more hours of sleep before heading out for my one day in the city.
Friends, this city is gorgeous. Most of the day I just wandered around and took pictures of whatever I happened to come across. I managed to make it to The Church of Our Lady, and treated myself to lunch at the Hofbrauhaus.
Oooo Horbrauhaus. Best meal I have had in a loooooong time. Delicious half-veal sausages, potatoes, a pretzel, and a drink. For 6 Euro. Um... really? That's fantastic. There's a picture below. TELL me that doesn't look delicious.
Day 2: Hamburg
Alright, I am in Hamburg for one reason and one reason only. The Beatles. What's the connection, you ask? Once upon a time, before they were famous, the group lived and played in Hamburg. Twice, in fact. So there's a Beatles tour AND a Beatles museum.
The area of Hamburg that The Beatles were in was and is the red light district. Which is also where my hostel was, so I was not too hot on staying out late. My tour started at 4:30 in theory, however, my tour guide didn't speak much English, so we had to wait around for a translator to come. She turned out to be a tour guide as well, so essentially I had my own personal tour around the Reeperbahn. Which was cool. We saw all the places that The Beatles play, where they lived, where they bought their first pair of "beatle boots." The museum was, I kid you not, five stories tall with a giant inflatable yellow submarine sticking out of the side. You go through the back story, and by the last floor, you're walking through representations of all of the cover art, including the inside of the yellow sub. And I got to eat fish and chips. :)
Days 3-6: London
Getting to London was a hassle. O my. My plane was at 9:30 AM, but the airport was in the next town over from Hamburg, so I was going to take the early express bus at 6 AM. Well funny story, the early express doesn't run on Sundays. Brilliant. So I'm freaking out, thinking I'm not going to make it to the airport on time if I make it at all (it would cost about 100 Euro to take a taxi). Then I realized that it's daylight savings time, so I'm actually freaking out at 5 AM instead of 6. Which is some comfort. No one working in the gas station i was stranded at spoke any English, but one of the customers did, and he walked me the two blocks to the trains station to catch a train to Lubeck. Nicest guy ever. Long story short, I got to the airport in plenty of time and got to London and Audrey's place without any more trouble.
Audrey and Nicole were super nice to me all week. They cooked for me, (well, Audrey did), and lent me their keys and bummed around with me although they had school that week. Sooo many thanks to them.
Things I saw in London:
-A brilliant 60s photo portraits expose at the National Portrait Gallery called Beatles to Bowie. It was so so so many kinds of good. There were at least 50 pictures of The Beatles which I had never seen before, and that's a task, ladies and gents.
-The special exhibit at the National Gallery called Making the Sacred Real. 16th and 17th century Spanish religious sculpture. Breathtakingly realistic, which was kinda creepy, since their favorite subject was the dead body of Jesus.
I did a lot of window shopping, and a lot of park wandering. Actually, I did a lot of wandering in general. I was so impressed with my ability to still get around without directions or a map. That just reinforces this image I have of London as home. BUT the most exciting thing I did was see theatre. O my goodness, I have missed seeing shows, and I hadn't realized how much until I was seeing one every night again.
MONDAY: Jersey Boys
I did not want to like this musical. I was so upset that it beat Drowsy Chaperon for the best musical Tony. But Dad really liked it when he saw it, and I had had a rough day, so I wanted something upbeat. Or at least upbeat-ish. And, I mean, I do love the Four Seasons, but who doesn't?
However, I really really really liked it. It's still not as good as Chaperon, but I had such a good time. I had a seat in the 4th row center (SCORE!) and the only downsides were that I saw an understudy for Frankie, who was still very good, and that I sat next to a very excitable British woman who felt the need to sing along with every song. Ugh. I did, however, discover that there is not a bad day in my life that the chorus of "Who Loves You" can't fix.
Also, side note, the guy who plays Tommy DeVito is also the guy in the 2000 movie of Jesus Christ Superstar. As Jesus. I love my life.
TUESDAY: Mother Courage and Her Children
Let's make sure everyone is on the same page here. This show was at the National Theatre. You don't see bad shows at the National. Like, if there is ever a bad show there, it's a sign of the apocalypse. Second, this show starred Fiona Shaw, who you probably should know for something other than Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter movies, but you don't. Go fix that. Fiona Shaw was PHENOMENAL. Mind blowing. And it was the best Brecht translation I've ever read. That Tony Kushner sure knows what he's doing. I just... I can't even begin to tell you how good this show was. The BEST thing I've ever seen. In my life. Ever. Go Youtube search the music - Duke Special Mother Courage. Watch the documentary (10 min) from skyarts.co.uk. Watch the trailer on the National's website. Go now. Try to understand, because I cannot tell you.
WEDNESDAY: Inherit the Wind
I love this play. I knew that walking in. The character I love the most was played by Kevin Spacey. The show was directed by Trevor Nunn, who I love. Do I really need to explain whether or not I liked it? I had the worst seat in the house and I did not care. Spacey was fantastic. You think he's good on screen. Compared to him on stage, he's not. Nope. He is a legend, that man. He made me cry. The set was perfection, and the opposing lawyer, played by a man I'd never heard of, was every bit as good as Spacey. Every bit.
On my last half day in town, I went to meet up with a friend who graduated from TCU about a year ago who's working in France and was vacationing in London. We grabbed lunch and chatted, but it was super refreshing. I've missed her a lot! Then I got on the train to Stansted to fly to Dublin only to realize that I was flying out of Gatwick. I magically made that flight, though, and went to see Jule!!
Days 7-9: Dublin
I met up with Jule, Audrey, and Nicole (who had flown out that morning) and grabbed some Irish fast food before heading to Jule's for some chill hanging out and catching up time. But we went to bed early (well, early for us) because we had a day planned for HALLOWEEN!!!
Most of this day revolved around going to the Bram Stoker Dracula Experience. Why would there be a Dracula museum stuck in the center of Dublin? That's where Bram Stoker was from. I know, new news for me, too. The "experience" was over a bar (sketchy clue #1), was free (sketchy clue #2), and had absolutely no one working it (sketchy clue #3). Like, someone could in theory walk into this museum, dressed like a vampire, and go on a killing spree without anyone catching him. Yes, those were the thoughts going through my head as we walked in. Also, Nicole has a phobia of was figures, which was all the museum was made of, so Jule or I would have to walk forward, set off all the sensors, etc, and tell Nicole and Audrey where not to look, etc. Which calmed us down for a while, but by the end, when people were lowering down from the ceiling, we were literally just running to the exit. BEST HALLOWEEN IDEA EVER.
That night, we went out with Jule's friends, in costume. Cara was in Dublin too, so we met up with her and went dancing. I was dressed as Tonks from the Harry Potter books (pics below) and when we got the bar, one of Jule's friends was dressed as Belatrix. Guess who had a wizard duel in the bar? I love my life. Love it.
Sunday, Audrey and Nicole had gone back to London, so Jule and I spent the day bumming around and having some quality time, which was what I really needed. That girl makes my day. We dined in Hell, a pretty kickin pizza joint that serves Chicago style deep dish pizzas with weird but delicious toppings. Mine had avacado, chicken, and BBQ sauce. Jule's tasted like apple pie filling with pine nuts and cream cheese. Then I got on the airport express and headed home. That was an adventure as well. The plane was so full that they had to check my bag. We got into Pisa late, about 12:30 AM, and the express bus is full so we have to wait for the non-express at 1. By non-express we mean that at about 2 AM, the bus driver pulled over for a 15 minute smoke break. Really? I finally get back to the apartment at 3, but have to wait until 6 AM to go to bed since one of my roommate's boyfriends was still there, sleeping on my couch.
That was fall break! Nothing really exiting this week, just getting back to school. We're spending this weekend in town mostly, though tomorrow afternoon we're taking a trip to Pisa.
WARNING: this is going to be a long entry, so those who only sort of care, feel free to just look at the pictures, I won't be offended.
Day 1: Munich
Getting to Munich was a handful of firsts. My first international train ride, my first time to use my Eurail pass, my first overnight train. My advice for the next person? Get a bed reservation on the train, otherwise really rude women from Bologna will get on, wake you up, and push you out of your seat because they want to lean against the window. For reals, guys? Was that necessary?
Once I got to Munich, I discovered that my hostel was literally visible from the train station. Brilliant! Especially since I got in at 7 AM. I got about three more hours of sleep before heading out for my one day in the city.
Friends, this city is gorgeous. Most of the day I just wandered around and took pictures of whatever I happened to come across. I managed to make it to The Church of Our Lady, and treated myself to lunch at the Hofbrauhaus.
Oooo Horbrauhaus. Best meal I have had in a loooooong time. Delicious half-veal sausages, potatoes, a pretzel, and a drink. For 6 Euro. Um... really? That's fantastic. There's a picture below. TELL me that doesn't look delicious.
Day 2: Hamburg
Alright, I am in Hamburg for one reason and one reason only. The Beatles. What's the connection, you ask? Once upon a time, before they were famous, the group lived and played in Hamburg. Twice, in fact. So there's a Beatles tour AND a Beatles museum.
The area of Hamburg that The Beatles were in was and is the red light district. Which is also where my hostel was, so I was not too hot on staying out late. My tour started at 4:30 in theory, however, my tour guide didn't speak much English, so we had to wait around for a translator to come. She turned out to be a tour guide as well, so essentially I had my own personal tour around the Reeperbahn. Which was cool. We saw all the places that The Beatles play, where they lived, where they bought their first pair of "beatle boots." The museum was, I kid you not, five stories tall with a giant inflatable yellow submarine sticking out of the side. You go through the back story, and by the last floor, you're walking through representations of all of the cover art, including the inside of the yellow sub. And I got to eat fish and chips. :)
Days 3-6: London
Getting to London was a hassle. O my. My plane was at 9:30 AM, but the airport was in the next town over from Hamburg, so I was going to take the early express bus at 6 AM. Well funny story, the early express doesn't run on Sundays. Brilliant. So I'm freaking out, thinking I'm not going to make it to the airport on time if I make it at all (it would cost about 100 Euro to take a taxi). Then I realized that it's daylight savings time, so I'm actually freaking out at 5 AM instead of 6. Which is some comfort. No one working in the gas station i was stranded at spoke any English, but one of the customers did, and he walked me the two blocks to the trains station to catch a train to Lubeck. Nicest guy ever. Long story short, I got to the airport in plenty of time and got to London and Audrey's place without any more trouble.
Audrey and Nicole were super nice to me all week. They cooked for me, (well, Audrey did), and lent me their keys and bummed around with me although they had school that week. Sooo many thanks to them.
Things I saw in London:
-A brilliant 60s photo portraits expose at the National Portrait Gallery called Beatles to Bowie. It was so so so many kinds of good. There were at least 50 pictures of The Beatles which I had never seen before, and that's a task, ladies and gents.
-The special exhibit at the National Gallery called Making the Sacred Real. 16th and 17th century Spanish religious sculpture. Breathtakingly realistic, which was kinda creepy, since their favorite subject was the dead body of Jesus.
I did a lot of window shopping, and a lot of park wandering. Actually, I did a lot of wandering in general. I was so impressed with my ability to still get around without directions or a map. That just reinforces this image I have of London as home. BUT the most exciting thing I did was see theatre. O my goodness, I have missed seeing shows, and I hadn't realized how much until I was seeing one every night again.
MONDAY: Jersey Boys
I did not want to like this musical. I was so upset that it beat Drowsy Chaperon for the best musical Tony. But Dad really liked it when he saw it, and I had had a rough day, so I wanted something upbeat. Or at least upbeat-ish. And, I mean, I do love the Four Seasons, but who doesn't?
However, I really really really liked it. It's still not as good as Chaperon, but I had such a good time. I had a seat in the 4th row center (SCORE!) and the only downsides were that I saw an understudy for Frankie, who was still very good, and that I sat next to a very excitable British woman who felt the need to sing along with every song. Ugh. I did, however, discover that there is not a bad day in my life that the chorus of "Who Loves You" can't fix.
Also, side note, the guy who plays Tommy DeVito is also the guy in the 2000 movie of Jesus Christ Superstar. As Jesus. I love my life.
TUESDAY: Mother Courage and Her Children
Let's make sure everyone is on the same page here. This show was at the National Theatre. You don't see bad shows at the National. Like, if there is ever a bad show there, it's a sign of the apocalypse. Second, this show starred Fiona Shaw, who you probably should know for something other than Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter movies, but you don't. Go fix that. Fiona Shaw was PHENOMENAL. Mind blowing. And it was the best Brecht translation I've ever read. That Tony Kushner sure knows what he's doing. I just... I can't even begin to tell you how good this show was. The BEST thing I've ever seen. In my life. Ever. Go Youtube search the music - Duke Special Mother Courage. Watch the documentary (10 min) from skyarts.co.uk. Watch the trailer on the National's website. Go now. Try to understand, because I cannot tell you.
WEDNESDAY: Inherit the Wind
I love this play. I knew that walking in. The character I love the most was played by Kevin Spacey. The show was directed by Trevor Nunn, who I love. Do I really need to explain whether or not I liked it? I had the worst seat in the house and I did not care. Spacey was fantastic. You think he's good on screen. Compared to him on stage, he's not. Nope. He is a legend, that man. He made me cry. The set was perfection, and the opposing lawyer, played by a man I'd never heard of, was every bit as good as Spacey. Every bit.
On my last half day in town, I went to meet up with a friend who graduated from TCU about a year ago who's working in France and was vacationing in London. We grabbed lunch and chatted, but it was super refreshing. I've missed her a lot! Then I got on the train to Stansted to fly to Dublin only to realize that I was flying out of Gatwick. I magically made that flight, though, and went to see Jule!!
Days 7-9: Dublin
I met up with Jule, Audrey, and Nicole (who had flown out that morning) and grabbed some Irish fast food before heading to Jule's for some chill hanging out and catching up time. But we went to bed early (well, early for us) because we had a day planned for HALLOWEEN!!!
Most of this day revolved around going to the Bram Stoker Dracula Experience. Why would there be a Dracula museum stuck in the center of Dublin? That's where Bram Stoker was from. I know, new news for me, too. The "experience" was over a bar (sketchy clue #1), was free (sketchy clue #2), and had absolutely no one working it (sketchy clue #3). Like, someone could in theory walk into this museum, dressed like a vampire, and go on a killing spree without anyone catching him. Yes, those were the thoughts going through my head as we walked in. Also, Nicole has a phobia of was figures, which was all the museum was made of, so Jule or I would have to walk forward, set off all the sensors, etc, and tell Nicole and Audrey where not to look, etc. Which calmed us down for a while, but by the end, when people were lowering down from the ceiling, we were literally just running to the exit. BEST HALLOWEEN IDEA EVER.
That night, we went out with Jule's friends, in costume. Cara was in Dublin too, so we met up with her and went dancing. I was dressed as Tonks from the Harry Potter books (pics below) and when we got the bar, one of Jule's friends was dressed as Belatrix. Guess who had a wizard duel in the bar? I love my life. Love it.
Sunday, Audrey and Nicole had gone back to London, so Jule and I spent the day bumming around and having some quality time, which was what I really needed. That girl makes my day. We dined in Hell, a pretty kickin pizza joint that serves Chicago style deep dish pizzas with weird but delicious toppings. Mine had avacado, chicken, and BBQ sauce. Jule's tasted like apple pie filling with pine nuts and cream cheese. Then I got on the airport express and headed home. That was an adventure as well. The plane was so full that they had to check my bag. We got into Pisa late, about 12:30 AM, and the express bus is full so we have to wait for the non-express at 1. By non-express we mean that at about 2 AM, the bus driver pulled over for a 15 minute smoke break. Really? I finally get back to the apartment at 3, but have to wait until 6 AM to go to bed since one of my roommate's boyfriends was still there, sleeping on my couch.
That was fall break! Nothing really exiting this week, just getting back to school. We're spending this weekend in town mostly, though tomorrow afternoon we're taking a trip to Pisa.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
I'm Still Alive, I Swear
Since we last spoke, I managed to cook and eat an octopus. Granted, this was with the help of Cara, but still, I butchered that sucker. Here's the short list of things I learned whilst embarking on this adventure.
1. Even when the octopus is dead, its suckers still have some kick to them. Not enough to be dangerous, but enough to be really really creepy.
2. When boiling your octopus, do not be surprised if it turns itself over in the water. Again with the creep factor.
3. When mincing your octopus, it can be messier than it first looks. Be aware, or you too will get octo-juice on your shirt.
4. The smell of an octopus cooking makes the meat completely unappetizing. Just FYI.
After the Great Octopus Adventure of 2009, the ever exciting ACCENT group spent the weekend in Roma. Let's just say that our ACCENT tour guide, Freya, is the greatest things that's ever happened to the art of being a tour guide. Anyone who tells stories about Pope Paul III by calling him "the pope with the cute sister" deserves an award of some kind. We were in town for just over 48 hours and we managed to go to...
The Borghese Villa Museum
Campo di Fiore
Castel Sant'Angelo
Trevi Fountain
St Peter's
The Vatican Museum and Apartments
The Sistene Chapel
The Colosseum
The Forum
... just to name a few. Let's just say that sleep was not on the list of priorities, especially on mattresses that were rocks. No, seriously. I'm not a picky sleeper and I was uncomfortable. However, we had the luxury of being able to take a stress-free shower for the first time in about a month. Ahhhh... glorious.
In Rome, I bought the most expensive non-formal dress I have ever bought. But it is gorgeous. Totally worth it.
THEN, most exciting, my parents came to Florence for a few days. :) :) :) :) Fantastic. We went bumming around the city, eating good food, seeing churches, being together again. It was wonderful to be with them, but it really made me miss my brother :( Ah well.
Next week is midterms, so right now is studying and finalizing my plans for FALL BREAK!
1. Even when the octopus is dead, its suckers still have some kick to them. Not enough to be dangerous, but enough to be really really creepy.
2. When boiling your octopus, do not be surprised if it turns itself over in the water. Again with the creep factor.
3. When mincing your octopus, it can be messier than it first looks. Be aware, or you too will get octo-juice on your shirt.
4. The smell of an octopus cooking makes the meat completely unappetizing. Just FYI.
After the Great Octopus Adventure of 2009, the ever exciting ACCENT group spent the weekend in Roma. Let's just say that our ACCENT tour guide, Freya, is the greatest things that's ever happened to the art of being a tour guide. Anyone who tells stories about Pope Paul III by calling him "the pope with the cute sister" deserves an award of some kind. We were in town for just over 48 hours and we managed to go to...
The Borghese Villa Museum
Campo di Fiore
Castel Sant'Angelo
Trevi Fountain
St Peter's
The Vatican Museum and Apartments
The Sistene Chapel
The Colosseum
The Forum
... just to name a few. Let's just say that sleep was not on the list of priorities, especially on mattresses that were rocks. No, seriously. I'm not a picky sleeper and I was uncomfortable. However, we had the luxury of being able to take a stress-free shower for the first time in about a month. Ahhhh... glorious.
In Rome, I bought the most expensive non-formal dress I have ever bought. But it is gorgeous. Totally worth it.
THEN, most exciting, my parents came to Florence for a few days. :) :) :) :) Fantastic. We went bumming around the city, eating good food, seeing churches, being together again. It was wonderful to be with them, but it really made me miss my brother :( Ah well.
Next week is midterms, so right now is studying and finalizing my plans for FALL BREAK!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Man, I Suck at Keeping Up With This
Sorry for the long wait between this post and the last. I know you were all anxiously awaiting the further descriptions of my Italian adventures.
What have I been doing to entertain myself for the last week? Thursday I treated myself to a massive AMERICAN brunch. I deserved it. Small stack of strawberry buttermilk pancakes ((which comes with strawberry and blackberry jam for dipping)), fresh fruit salad, a big bottle of water and hot chocolate. Mm-mm-mm-mm good. And then, fat and happy, I went to take a nap. And when I woke up, I had the apartment to myself, since all my roommates had left for their overnight train to Munich for the weekend. Now this would have been lovely, except my only other friend in this city was also gone for the weekend. So I was alone until Sunday. Mwahahahahaha.
Friday I got up and decided it had just walked past the Duomo long enough. It was time to climb that monstrosity. Show it who's boss. There are 436 steps up, I know this because there are at least 10 signs in the 3 foot hallways saying "THERE ARE 436 STEPS. NO LIFT." You'd think the message got across the first time. Ah well. I was definitely a sweaty mess by the time I reached the top but o, was the view worth it.
((My photos are acting weird, I'll post picture when they decide to behave))
Saturday I decided to head out to one of my favorite places in the whole world: Assisi. This tiny hillside town managed to be the home of two saints: St. Francis and St. Clare. Guess why I love this town ;). It was exactly like I wanted it to be. I still want to retire there. I had a really great conversation with God while I was there. I am so supposed to be here right now.
The train ride to Assisi is about 2/2.5 hours long. In my total 5 hours on the train that day, I managed to read the whole new Dan Brown book. All 506 pages of it. Crazy. Insanity. AWESOME.
Somewhere in Assisi, I threw my back out of whack and have been dealing with that for the last couple of days. Today, it's all but gone, thank God, since we're going to the opera tomorrow night!
And tonight? I'm cooking an octopus with Cara :)
What have I been doing to entertain myself for the last week? Thursday I treated myself to a massive AMERICAN brunch. I deserved it. Small stack of strawberry buttermilk pancakes ((which comes with strawberry and blackberry jam for dipping)), fresh fruit salad, a big bottle of water and hot chocolate. Mm-mm-mm-mm good. And then, fat and happy, I went to take a nap. And when I woke up, I had the apartment to myself, since all my roommates had left for their overnight train to Munich for the weekend. Now this would have been lovely, except my only other friend in this city was also gone for the weekend. So I was alone until Sunday. Mwahahahahaha.
Friday I got up and decided it had just walked past the Duomo long enough. It was time to climb that monstrosity. Show it who's boss. There are 436 steps up, I know this because there are at least 10 signs in the 3 foot hallways saying "THERE ARE 436 STEPS. NO LIFT." You'd think the message got across the first time. Ah well. I was definitely a sweaty mess by the time I reached the top but o, was the view worth it.
((My photos are acting weird, I'll post picture when they decide to behave))
Saturday I decided to head out to one of my favorite places in the whole world: Assisi. This tiny hillside town managed to be the home of two saints: St. Francis and St. Clare. Guess why I love this town ;). It was exactly like I wanted it to be. I still want to retire there. I had a really great conversation with God while I was there. I am so supposed to be here right now.
The train ride to Assisi is about 2/2.5 hours long. In my total 5 hours on the train that day, I managed to read the whole new Dan Brown book. All 506 pages of it. Crazy. Insanity. AWESOME.
Somewhere in Assisi, I threw my back out of whack and have been dealing with that for the last couple of days. Today, it's all but gone, thank God, since we're going to the opera tomorrow night!
And tonight? I'm cooking an octopus with Cara :)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Children and Art
I've been slacking in my blogging again. Sorry. However, you should take this a sign that I am really going out there and living life.
Ravenna.
It was brilliant. Beautiful. We visited two churches and a mausoleum, then lunch and some free time.
But the heart of all of these are the mosaics. Huge walls of mosaics with colors like you have never seen. In San Vitale, the mosaic took up the whole presbytery, so when you walked in, you are surrounded by these vibrant images of Bible stories and allegories of God's love. It was the least alone I have felt in a long time. There was definitely something there.
Sunday, I went to Collodi. I've had an itch to go to this town since reading about it in a travel book back home. There's not much in this town, but it's one major tourist attraction is o so worth it. Pinocchio Park. You get to walk through the story of Pinocchio as told by sculptures, fountains, and various interactive environments.
Can I get a "holla?"
It was fantastic. However. Getting home was a nightmare and a half. The one taxi for this mess of cities was busy, so I bought a bus ticket and waited. For three hours. Only to find that the buses don't run on Sundays. So I call the taxi guy again and get lectured all the way to the train station about how I just should have called him before. Seriously? Give me a break.
And today? I just may have gone to see the David. Maybe.
I love my life
Ravenna.
It was brilliant. Beautiful. We visited two churches and a mausoleum, then lunch and some free time.
But the heart of all of these are the mosaics. Huge walls of mosaics with colors like you have never seen. In San Vitale, the mosaic took up the whole presbytery, so when you walked in, you are surrounded by these vibrant images of Bible stories and allegories of God's love. It was the least alone I have felt in a long time. There was definitely something there.
Sunday, I went to Collodi. I've had an itch to go to this town since reading about it in a travel book back home. There's not much in this town, but it's one major tourist attraction is o so worth it. Pinocchio Park. You get to walk through the story of Pinocchio as told by sculptures, fountains, and various interactive environments.
Can I get a "holla?"
It was fantastic. However. Getting home was a nightmare and a half. The one taxi for this mess of cities was busy, so I bought a bus ticket and waited. For three hours. Only to find that the buses don't run on Sundays. So I call the taxi guy again and get lectured all the way to the train station about how I just should have called him before. Seriously? Give me a break.
And today? I just may have gone to see the David. Maybe.
I love my life
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Thursday is the New Friday
It's the weekend!!!! For me at least.
Tomorrow a bunch of us ACCENT kids are off the Ravenna, and then on Sunday I think Cara and I are going to Collodi, a little town that is Pinocchio themed. AWESOME!!
This week, I finally sucked it up and stood in line to get the Amici gli Uffizi card. This card is brilliant. For 40 Euro ((yay student discounts!)) I can now get into every museum run by the Florentine Museum Coalition or whatever FOR FREE. That's right. I can go the the Uffizi as many times as I want and not pay for any of it. To celebrate, I turned around and got in line to get into the museum.
Let's just say that I am so glad it only takes 90 seconds to get from my front door to the Uffizi. I made many new friends that I am going to have to go back and visit. What, don't you make friends with artwork? Psh.
Last night, I went to the soccer game:: Fiorentina vs Sampdoria. We kicked them to China and back. 2 to 0. It was, however, a very confusing experience for me. There was a whole stadium full of purple wearing, frighteningly fanatic people. However, there was no riff ram, no smack it and flip it and rub it down. And then, just to rub it in, they all just left as soon as the game was over. Don't you people stay and sing the alma mater?
Speaking of songs, we got a translation of the Fiorentina fight song. Not all of these lyrics make practical sense. For example::
- "We have eleven athletes and one heart" - I feel that this is actually going to drag the team down. Also, how do they share this heart? I've got this image of the fates in Disney's Hercules where they pass their one eye around, drop it on the ground, pull hairs off of it, etc. Ew.
-"Fight everywhere with intensity and importance" - that's how riots get started.
Tomorrow, we're off to Ravenna. More after the weekend.
Tomorrow a bunch of us ACCENT kids are off the Ravenna, and then on Sunday I think Cara and I are going to Collodi, a little town that is Pinocchio themed. AWESOME!!
This week, I finally sucked it up and stood in line to get the Amici gli Uffizi card. This card is brilliant. For 40 Euro ((yay student discounts!)) I can now get into every museum run by the Florentine Museum Coalition or whatever FOR FREE. That's right. I can go the the Uffizi as many times as I want and not pay for any of it. To celebrate, I turned around and got in line to get into the museum.
Let's just say that I am so glad it only takes 90 seconds to get from my front door to the Uffizi. I made many new friends that I am going to have to go back and visit. What, don't you make friends with artwork? Psh.
Last night, I went to the soccer game:: Fiorentina vs Sampdoria. We kicked them to China and back. 2 to 0. It was, however, a very confusing experience for me. There was a whole stadium full of purple wearing, frighteningly fanatic people. However, there was no riff ram, no smack it and flip it and rub it down. And then, just to rub it in, they all just left as soon as the game was over. Don't you people stay and sing the alma mater?
Speaking of songs, we got a translation of the Fiorentina fight song. Not all of these lyrics make practical sense. For example::
- "We have eleven athletes and one heart" - I feel that this is actually going to drag the team down. Also, how do they share this heart? I've got this image of the fates in Disney's Hercules where they pass their one eye around, drop it on the ground, pull hairs off of it, etc. Ew.
-"Fight everywhere with intensity and importance" - that's how riots get started.
Tomorrow, we're off to Ravenna. More after the weekend.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Walk This Way...
Sorry this has taken so long. I have had a ridiculous couple of days. Yesterday, I went to class, came home and did some homework while waiting for the most recent bout of rain to pass, and then decided to take advantage of the sunshine. I headed out to the Bobogli Gardens, which are behind the Pitti Palace.
They were HUGE. Unrealistically huge. I think some Italian towns are smaller than these gardens. However, when I began this journey, I was blissfully unaware of this fact. Can you blame me? It looked a lot smaller on the map. I quite literally got lost for the better part of a half hour. And it was GLORIOUS. Nothing short of glorious. Every inch of these gardens are gorgeous, you are literally stumbling onto classical statues all over the place. By the time I found the exit, I was starving and my feet were insanely sore, but I did not care. Not at all.
Today we got up and met our bus at 8:00 AM, which was all but impossible, along with the KU kids, and we headed to Siena. Which is gorgeous. Points of interest about Siena::
1. It is known as "Medieval Pompeii." In the 1300s, Siena was the place to be. They had the largest cathedral in Italy, but they wanted to expand it. Like, two or three times the size. So construction started. And then, it was 1348 and someone invited the Black Plague. Which wiped out 75% of the city's population. Needless to say, they never quite got back up on their feet. So the whole city, with a few minor exceptions, looks like it did in 1348.
2. Siena essentially invented the fruitcake. Siena was beseiged by the dirty Florentines, and the town was going hungry since they couldn't trade for more food. So a nun invented this cake to soothe the pain in and give energy to the fighters. This cake involved ginger, candied fruits, and nuts. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?
3. Siena is divided up into 17 neighborhoods. Who are crazy competitive. Twice a year, they have a horse race in the town square. And the winner gets to display their colors for a long time. The competitive nature was palpable even in September, very much between races. Sienese are crazy.
And we made a brief excursion to San Gimignano, a town with only one main street. HOWEVER, on this main street, there was both the Torture and Death Penalty Museum ((which was ... delightful)) and world famous champion awesomeness gelato.
Life is good :) My feet hurt, so I think tomorrow is going to be devoted to homework.
They were HUGE. Unrealistically huge. I think some Italian towns are smaller than these gardens. However, when I began this journey, I was blissfully unaware of this fact. Can you blame me? It looked a lot smaller on the map. I quite literally got lost for the better part of a half hour. And it was GLORIOUS. Nothing short of glorious. Every inch of these gardens are gorgeous, you are literally stumbling onto classical statues all over the place. By the time I found the exit, I was starving and my feet were insanely sore, but I did not care. Not at all.
Today we got up and met our bus at 8:00 AM, which was all but impossible, along with the KU kids, and we headed to Siena. Which is gorgeous. Points of interest about Siena::
1. It is known as "Medieval Pompeii." In the 1300s, Siena was the place to be. They had the largest cathedral in Italy, but they wanted to expand it. Like, two or three times the size. So construction started. And then, it was 1348 and someone invited the Black Plague. Which wiped out 75% of the city's population. Needless to say, they never quite got back up on their feet. So the whole city, with a few minor exceptions, looks like it did in 1348.
2. Siena essentially invented the fruitcake. Siena was beseiged by the dirty Florentines, and the town was going hungry since they couldn't trade for more food. So a nun invented this cake to soothe the pain in and give energy to the fighters. This cake involved ginger, candied fruits, and nuts. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?
3. Siena is divided up into 17 neighborhoods. Who are crazy competitive. Twice a year, they have a horse race in the town square. And the winner gets to display their colors for a long time. The competitive nature was palpable even in September, very much between races. Sienese are crazy.
And we made a brief excursion to San Gimignano, a town with only one main street. HOWEVER, on this main street, there was both the Torture and Death Penalty Museum ((which was ... delightful)) and world famous champion awesomeness gelato.
Life is good :) My feet hurt, so I think tomorrow is going to be devoted to homework.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Museum Time!
It was raining again today and I was tempted to spend the day in again. But I decided that I can not waste another day here, 3 months is going to come and go before I know it.
I went on a museum hunt and found one, I kid you not, around the block from our apartment. The Borgello National Museum. I walk by it every day to and from school. Way to be observant, Claire. And it was cheap, only 2 Euro to get in. SCORE.
The Borgello is a three story mansion of a building with an open courtyard. It was absolutely gorgeous, even without the art in it. It used to be a Medici family possession and the walls are covered in coats of arms from all their close personal friends. Or their not so personal friends. Whatever.
I saw some awesome awesome art, but I will give you the two highlights.
#1:: This museum has one of the biggest collections of Della Robbia pieces in Italy. There are at lesat 50 different pieces in here. At least. Whole rooms have their walls just covered with them, and these are not small rooms. Check this monstrosity out.
((I thought you'd enjoy that, Mom.))
#2:: Donatello's David. In the flesh. He's been in hiding for a while to get cleaned up but it was totally worth it. The bronze was glowing. It was... surreal. I know I've seen great works of art before, but when you're 12, you don't get it like you do when you're 20. I've studied this sculpture for several classes and seen pictures in text books, and there it was. Crazy. Talk about your humbling experience.
You can probably tell that these last two pics weren't taken by me. We could only photograph in the courtyard. So here are some of my pics from outside.
Well, I'm off to get some homework done.
TTFN
I went on a museum hunt and found one, I kid you not, around the block from our apartment. The Borgello National Museum. I walk by it every day to and from school. Way to be observant, Claire. And it was cheap, only 2 Euro to get in. SCORE.
The Borgello is a three story mansion of a building with an open courtyard. It was absolutely gorgeous, even without the art in it. It used to be a Medici family possession and the walls are covered in coats of arms from all their close personal friends. Or their not so personal friends. Whatever.
I saw some awesome awesome art, but I will give you the two highlights.#1:: This museum has one of the biggest collections of Della Robbia pieces in Italy. There are at lesat 50 different pieces in here. At least. Whole rooms have their walls just covered with them, and these are not small rooms. Check this monstrosity out.
((I thought you'd enjoy that, Mom.))#2:: Donatello's David. In the flesh. He's been in hiding for a while to get cleaned up but it was totally worth it. The bronze was glowing. It was... surreal. I know I've seen great works of art before, but when you're 12, you don't get it like you do when you're 20. I've studied this sculpture for several classes and seen pictures in text books, and there it was. Crazy. Talk about your humbling experience.
You can probably tell that these last two pics weren't taken by me. We could only photograph in the courtyard. So here are some of my pics from outside.
Well, I'm off to get some homework done.TTFN
Monday, September 14, 2009
Rain Rain
It's been pouring down today. On and off, granted, but when it's on, it's not joking. I'm finally home from class and have bundled up in some thick leggings and a sweater and have prepared myself for a cozy night in.
Also, this afternoon, I bought Nutella. And let me just say, few things work as a better fix-all than Nutella. Maybe duct tape is better. But duct tape isn't edible. Not that I've tried it.
On the subject of grocery shopping, Italians do it differently than we do. Shocker, I know. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING in the country has preservatives. Which really has served to point out how much of the food in America does. Ew. Anyway, if you buy a peach today, you must eat it in 48 hours or else it will be growing a tupee. We have learned this from experience. So you must go shopping ever two or three days. This may be my American laziness speaking but - UGH.
My women's study class - blowing my mind. It's so wonderful and the teacher is everything you'd envision a women's studies prof to be. With an Italian accent thrown in for good measure.
My drawing class, on the other hand, is going to kick my butt. The mere fact that we're on our feet without a break for two and a half hours is enough. But he said I got better by the end of class. So I'm not a hopeless wreck. Yet.
Stay tuned. Same bat-time. Same bat-station.
Also, this afternoon, I bought Nutella. And let me just say, few things work as a better fix-all than Nutella. Maybe duct tape is better. But duct tape isn't edible. Not that I've tried it.
On the subject of grocery shopping, Italians do it differently than we do. Shocker, I know. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING in the country has preservatives. Which really has served to point out how much of the food in America does. Ew. Anyway, if you buy a peach today, you must eat it in 48 hours or else it will be growing a tupee. We have learned this from experience. So you must go shopping ever two or three days. This may be my American laziness speaking but - UGH.
My women's study class - blowing my mind. It's so wonderful and the teacher is everything you'd envision a women's studies prof to be. With an Italian accent thrown in for good measure.
My drawing class, on the other hand, is going to kick my butt. The mere fact that we're on our feet without a break for two and a half hours is enough. But he said I got better by the end of class. So I'm not a hopeless wreck. Yet.
Stay tuned. Same bat-time. Same bat-station.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Beach Bum-mer
Things that are different in Italy #34::
Here, there is an official ending day of summer activities. And that day was yesterday. Too bad we didn't know that when we booked a three night stay in the beach town and summer hot spot Rimini.
Yesterday, there was NOTHING to do except lay out on the beach. And so we did. All day. We now all resemble paninis - slightly toasted. But today it's cloudy. To quote Hilliary, "Dove sun?" And so we left early. Which I can't really complain about since I am not really a beach person to begin with.
I had a rough night last night. I was really homesick and lonely, since I was again the only one staying home that night. Let's get something clear here. I have nothing against wanting to go out and drink. You do your thing. But I would like to find someone who wants to stay home with me, since I have been home alone every night for over a week. And I got worked up and started crying and called Jeffrey and finally curled up in my bed and prayed. And then everyone magically decided to come home today? Nope. I just finished The Alchemist, and you have to read the omens. God is good, friends.
Tomorrow, I am going to find a park ((seriously, there are no parks, which is the only flaw in this city)) and read for class.
Here, there is an official ending day of summer activities. And that day was yesterday. Too bad we didn't know that when we booked a three night stay in the beach town and summer hot spot Rimini.
Yesterday, there was NOTHING to do except lay out on the beach. And so we did. All day. We now all resemble paninis - slightly toasted. But today it's cloudy. To quote Hilliary, "Dove sun?" And so we left early. Which I can't really complain about since I am not really a beach person to begin with.
I had a rough night last night. I was really homesick and lonely, since I was again the only one staying home that night. Let's get something clear here. I have nothing against wanting to go out and drink. You do your thing. But I would like to find someone who wants to stay home with me, since I have been home alone every night for over a week. And I got worked up and started crying and called Jeffrey and finally curled up in my bed and prayed. And then everyone magically decided to come home today? Nope. I just finished The Alchemist, and you have to read the omens. God is good, friends.
Tomorrow, I am going to find a park ((seriously, there are no parks, which is the only flaw in this city)) and read for class.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Class Update #3, #4, and #5:: Italian, Greek and Roman Mythology and Lost Symbolism and Secret Codes in Art
Italian
This class is going to kick my butt. Me and languages, well, let's just say that we don't get along. Our prof told us that for the first few weeks, she would use English, despite the school's rule, which is a plus. Our book is essentially a grammar dictionary, which is a negative. But I suppose everything can't be perfect.
When we had to tell the class our major, in Italian, many interesting discoveries were made.
ONE:: the word for "director" in Italian is "regia." Remind anyone of anything? How about the Latin word for queen. So, technically, I am training to be a queen of theatre. Eat it.
TWO:: So after I've gone through all the "I'm-from-Texas-theatre-regia" stuff, another girl gives the exact same introduction. Turns out she's from Carroll, TX, goes to school at Trinity, is a theatre major AND wants to be a director. We couldn't decide if we were exicted about or suspicious of this new development.
Greek and Roman Mythology
So I walk across the hall to my next class and and this girl walks right in behind me. After making sure that, yes, we were both taking mythology also, we decided that the fates had deemed it fitting for us to be friends. And thus enters Kristen, stage right.
The first thing I noticed about this class is that it was easily my biggest one. I mean, there is a clear difference between 8 and 20. And there were males. Multiple males. Maybe half a dozen. Besides class, I have seen no more than three in the same place at the same time. Our prof here is an archaeologist, and when she asked what we thought an archaeologist was, someone said what we were all thinking:: "You mean besides from Indiana Jones?" Her response was classic:: "So I am the female Harrison Ford. I will take that as a compliment." Prof: 1, Students: 0.
We had the happy syllabus day part of class ((note:: most classes only happen once a week, and that means class is two and a half hours long)), then a break, then headfirst into the first lecture. Now, the guys here have one thing in common besides being grossly outnumbered. They are all frat boys, in the most stereotypical sense of the phrase. Ball caps, popped collars, the whole shibang. And the one behind me had the lovely quality where it is impossible to understand that you are wrong. For instance, we were trying to define what a myth is and do we have myths today. He nearly ripped my head off, literally, when I said that religion is a myth. Because "a myth is false." He just kept saying that over and over again. *facepalm*
Lost Symbolism and Secret Codes in Art
The only bad thing about this class is that the proffessor talks wayyyyy too fast. That + her thick Italian accent = trouble taking notes.
The class, however, sounds really interesting. Almost every class there is a field trip to actually go see some of the art we are talking about. Ah, the perks of living in Florence. The first half of the semester is about lost sciences that were put in art - numerology, astrology, etc. Then the second half is about iconography. And she said the magic words::
"This class is going to be like the Da Vinci Code. Only scientifically accurate."
*fistpump*
Bring it.
This class is going to kick my butt. Me and languages, well, let's just say that we don't get along. Our prof told us that for the first few weeks, she would use English, despite the school's rule, which is a plus. Our book is essentially a grammar dictionary, which is a negative. But I suppose everything can't be perfect.
When we had to tell the class our major, in Italian, many interesting discoveries were made.
ONE:: the word for "director" in Italian is "regia." Remind anyone of anything? How about the Latin word for queen. So, technically, I am training to be a queen of theatre. Eat it.
TWO:: So after I've gone through all the "I'm-from-Texas-theatre-regia" stuff, another girl gives the exact same introduction. Turns out she's from Carroll, TX, goes to school at Trinity, is a theatre major AND wants to be a director. We couldn't decide if we were exicted about or suspicious of this new development.
Greek and Roman Mythology
So I walk across the hall to my next class and and this girl walks right in behind me. After making sure that, yes, we were both taking mythology also, we decided that the fates had deemed it fitting for us to be friends. And thus enters Kristen, stage right.
The first thing I noticed about this class is that it was easily my biggest one. I mean, there is a clear difference between 8 and 20. And there were males. Multiple males. Maybe half a dozen. Besides class, I have seen no more than three in the same place at the same time. Our prof here is an archaeologist, and when she asked what we thought an archaeologist was, someone said what we were all thinking:: "You mean besides from Indiana Jones?" Her response was classic:: "So I am the female Harrison Ford. I will take that as a compliment." Prof: 1, Students: 0.
We had the happy syllabus day part of class ((note:: most classes only happen once a week, and that means class is two and a half hours long)), then a break, then headfirst into the first lecture. Now, the guys here have one thing in common besides being grossly outnumbered. They are all frat boys, in the most stereotypical sense of the phrase. Ball caps, popped collars, the whole shibang. And the one behind me had the lovely quality where it is impossible to understand that you are wrong. For instance, we were trying to define what a myth is and do we have myths today. He nearly ripped my head off, literally, when I said that religion is a myth. Because "a myth is false." He just kept saying that over and over again. *facepalm*
Lost Symbolism and Secret Codes in Art
The only bad thing about this class is that the proffessor talks wayyyyy too fast. That + her thick Italian accent = trouble taking notes.
The class, however, sounds really interesting. Almost every class there is a field trip to actually go see some of the art we are talking about. Ah, the perks of living in Florence. The first half of the semester is about lost sciences that were put in art - numerology, astrology, etc. Then the second half is about iconography. And she said the magic words::
"This class is going to be like the Da Vinci Code. Only scientifically accurate."
*fistpump*
Bring it.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Class Update #2:: Principles of Drawing and Composition
Alright. This class is going to be pretty awesome, too.
Our professor Filippo is not as comfortable with English as Cecilia, which actually makes him more fun to listen to in a way.
He took us all to the art supply store to explain what all of our materials are and how to use them, etc. Then we walked back to class and he demostrated what we're going to be doing next week. Since we only meet once a week, the class is two and a half hours long. It's a little intimidating. Just a little. But I got to chat it up with some girls in my class, one of whom is from Holland. And, news flash, there are a couple of guys in my class. So I guess the do exist after all. Who knew?
Our professor Filippo is not as comfortable with English as Cecilia, which actually makes him more fun to listen to in a way.
He took us all to the art supply store to explain what all of our materials are and how to use them, etc. Then we walked back to class and he demostrated what we're going to be doing next week. Since we only meet once a week, the class is two and a half hours long. It's a little intimidating. Just a little. But I got to chat it up with some girls in my class, one of whom is from Holland. And, news flash, there are a couple of guys in my class. So I guess the do exist after all. Who knew?
Class Update #1:: The History of Prostitution
Dear friends, if I was excited about this class before ((and I was)), I am completely, out of my mind stoked about it now. There's only 10 or 11 people in this class. Again, all girls, though none of them are from TCU. I'm starting to think guys just don't study abroad. Our professor's name is Cecilia ((pronounced Chechilia)) and she is so glad to be there that you don't want class to end, even on happy syllabus day. I'm just saying, when a final paper sounds like the greatest assignment you've ever had, that teacher is something special. We're going to read a lot, but it's going to be from lots of different sources, from Plato to the Bible to court records to novels. We get to write our final paper about a novel. If you could see me right now, I would be happy dancing like a fool.
BUT WAIT, there's more!
We're watching movies. All of them I've either wanted to see or have seen and love.
-Dangerous Beauty
-The Magdelene Sisters
and last, but certainly not least
Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
My.Favorite.Movie.
Greatest class ever, yes?
Yes.
BUT WAIT, there's more!
We're watching movies. All of them I've either wanted to see or have seen and love.
-Dangerous Beauty
-The Magdelene Sisters
and last, but certainly not least
Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
My.Favorite.Movie.
Greatest class ever, yes?
Yes.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Lessons
Tomorrow school starts. Which I am TOTALLY stoked about. My first class? The History of Prostitution. I don't care what you think, I am completely stoked about this class. Completely. And I love that I get to start every week with it. Then in the evening I have Principles of Drawing and Composition. We'll see how that goes. Maybe that comic book I've been writing for a while will finally happen. Or not.
Last night, the rest of the group went out for one of the girl's birthday. I am not the bar hopping type, since I know I have a tendency to over-trust people when I am sober, I try to avoid being around strangers whilst drunk. One of the girl was trying to be nice a get a bottle of vodka, since the girls were having table service. The cost of this bottle of vodka? $356. Life lesson of the day:: never offer to pay until you see the bill. And never trust sketchy gay men from Connecticut.
I noticed today that my sheets, which feature bongo-playing monkeys, have something written on the bongos. Evidentally the monkeys have names. They are Nick and Nora. It made me smile.
There will be more tomorrow about class! For now, good night.
Last night, the rest of the group went out for one of the girl's birthday. I am not the bar hopping type, since I know I have a tendency to over-trust people when I am sober, I try to avoid being around strangers whilst drunk. One of the girl was trying to be nice a get a bottle of vodka, since the girls were having table service. The cost of this bottle of vodka? $356. Life lesson of the day:: never offer to pay until you see the bill. And never trust sketchy gay men from Connecticut.
I noticed today that my sheets, which feature bongo-playing monkeys, have something written on the bongos. Evidentally the monkeys have names. They are Nick and Nora. It made me smile.
There will be more tomorrow about class! For now, good night.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Out and About
We have discovered that our internet only supports THREE of us on the internet at a time. So I didn't get to post yesterday. Sorry about that.
Yesterday was loooooonnnnnggggg. We got up and met Daniela at 8:30 to go to the police station to get legal permission to stay in the country. Then I decided to go grocery shopping to try to save some money on food. Let's discuss how unrealistically hard it is to find supermarkets in Florence. I wandered for almost an hour without success, continually asking for directions, always being pointed in the opposite direction. I almost gave up. I was on the verge of tears. But then success!! I ended up finding a supermarket that was a lot closer to our apartment than the one I remembered seeing, so in the end, the adventure paid off.
Then I went home, made some noodles for lunch, and slept. I actually spent most of the day in bed. Stupid jetlag. We went to orientation for our school, Lorenzo di Medici, in the early afternoon. Important things learned this that session::
1. Our Italian classes will be taught all in Italian. It is a school rule that there is no English spoken by Italian professors during class. Effffffff.
2. There is a flim club. Where they watch Italian movies w/ English subtitles every week. I think my movie itch can be satisfied. *insert happy dance here*
After orientation, another nap. An epic nap. I refuse to be jetlagged when school starts. REFUSE. We went out to dinner at a little touristy pizzeria by the Uffizi and then walked across the Ponte Vecchio.
Today we met Scary Harry, the faculty member who started this whole program for a trip up to Feisole. We went to the Roman ruins for a while and then walked up this high, steep hill to look down on the city. The hike was awful, but the view was worth it.
Lunch in the square, then we went our seperate ways before dinner tonight. I managed to forget to pack sandals, so I went and bought some. They may be a little Pocahontas, but who says that's a bad thing?
Yesterday was loooooonnnnnggggg. We got up and met Daniela at 8:30 to go to the police station to get legal permission to stay in the country. Then I decided to go grocery shopping to try to save some money on food. Let's discuss how unrealistically hard it is to find supermarkets in Florence. I wandered for almost an hour without success, continually asking for directions, always being pointed in the opposite direction. I almost gave up. I was on the verge of tears. But then success!! I ended up finding a supermarket that was a lot closer to our apartment than the one I remembered seeing, so in the end, the adventure paid off.
Then I went home, made some noodles for lunch, and slept. I actually spent most of the day in bed. Stupid jetlag. We went to orientation for our school, Lorenzo di Medici, in the early afternoon. Important things learned this that session::
1. Our Italian classes will be taught all in Italian. It is a school rule that there is no English spoken by Italian professors during class. Effffffff.
2. There is a flim club. Where they watch Italian movies w/ English subtitles every week. I think my movie itch can be satisfied. *insert happy dance here*
After orientation, another nap. An epic nap. I refuse to be jetlagged when school starts. REFUSE. We went out to dinner at a little touristy pizzeria by the Uffizi and then walked across the Ponte Vecchio.
Today we met Scary Harry, the faculty member who started this whole program for a trip up to Feisole. We went to the Roman ruins for a while and then walked up this high, steep hill to look down on the city. The hike was awful, but the view was worth it. Lunch in the square, then we went our seperate ways before dinner tonight. I managed to forget to pack sandals, so I went and bought some. They may be a little Pocahontas, but who says that's a bad thing?
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