Pigeon Love

Sometimes I feel like my life here is just a constant series of unfortunate events.  We continually make mistakes and often find ourselves being "those Americans."  We make grand efforts to speak in Italian, but usually I find myself resorting to slow English, mixed with a few "Si, si's!, questo's, and dov'es, and hand gestures.  Then I am reminded that I am in Italy, and if my daily struggles consist of figuring out the trains, deciding between pizza or pasta, and which country or city I would like to visit next, then I'm doing pretty alright.

Nonetheless, I figure some of you may enjoy reading about a few of my mishaps that make life so interesting:

Since I was completely mistaken about what the weather would be like here, (remember in the beginning when I was ranting and raving about how it was practically t-shirt weather...well I must have adjusted too quickly mixed with a slight temperature drop) and it is just freezing. So I bought a warmer jacket.  A few days after I bought this jacket the buttons just started to pop off (maybe too much pasta, let's hope that's not the case..poor quality I swear!) Friday I lost the final button to keep the jacket shut. So now I just walk around with an open jacket. Sometimes I'll belt the thing but then it just looks a little ridiculous.

I went out to a small bar in Sesto the other night with a few friends and ordered a beer (this is an exciting occasion since usually we have wine with everything..seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if Italians had it for breakfast) Anyhow, as I'm drinking the beer out of what appears to be a very large wine glass, I must have done something, because at this point I have a chunk of glass in my mouth and a huge bite out of the wine glass. It was just a very strange occurrence. Luckily, no beer was spilt...or blood shed. But mostly, no beer was spilt.

Italian class is just a struggle in general.  But to top it all off, my professor told me not to ask questions.  I think she was half kidding, but then the day before she said this to me she told a fellow classmate she was going to kill him. So I'm not really sure...

I hope that was sufficiently entertaining for you.  Now I can briefly update you on what else is going on here:

On Friday eight of us took a day trip to two small towns, Arezzo and Cortona.  They were so beautiful.  We really didn't do any site-seeing, besides one church we went to in Arezzo and walking by the Duomo.  It was just a day of relaxing and hanging out in these fantastic Italian towns.  Arezzo is where some of La Vita E Bella (Life is Beautiful) was filmed and Cortona is where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed (cue ooh's and ah's).

In Arezzo besides the minimal site seeing we did, most of our time was spent hanging out in a park.  One of my fellow travelers, Grace (she's from Mississippi, or as she says it's pronounced...Missssippi. She reminds me of my Georgia days) is an avid rapper.  Colt 45? She knows the entire thing.  In addition to every Disney song ever created.  This means an great portion of the day was spent in song.  And doing the Single Ladies dance in the middle of what appeared to be a fighting ring. Oh! And the most exciting part of the day (where the title of this blog comes from) was witnessing a full courtship of two pigeons.  In the beginning we were narrating a love story between these two foul birds, then low and behold, we were correct! The started kissing? Beaking? Whatever. And finally did the deed (keeping this as PG rated as possible).  Okay, that really wasn't the most exciting part of my day, you would think I lead a boring life here in Italy, which really is quite the contrary.  But it was fascinating.

Then we took a 20 minute train to Cortona.  When we arrived there, we realized it was nap time for all of the Italians.  Those of you who don't know, Italians check out of life from approximately 12-4.  This makes things somewhat difficult.  I'm not sure actually when any Italians work, since things are always closed. Every other Thursday of every third month? Closed. Mondays? Who wants to work anyway! This may be a slight exaggeration, but really, things just always seem to be locked up. So anyway, we arrive at the train station and are confronted with a huge mountain.  Since we are all mountain climbers back home, a brief thought was that we could climb to the top where the city of Cortona lies.  This was false.  We realized this soon enough and found a bus that would bring us to the top.  After weaving around the mountain for ten minutes and feeling slightly nauseous, we were there.  It was stunning.  So we stood entranced by the view for a solid fifteen minutes, then realized we were cold, found a wine bar and had a fantastic meal.  After eating, we walked around for a bit.  We started to walk down a hill, but after realizing that we would have to walk back up it, we decided against walking to the end of the road and turned right back around to avoid any sort of additional exercise.

So that pretty much sums up Arezzo and Cortona.  Beautiful. Relaxing.  A wonderful day spent with some really great people.

Saturday I slept a majority of the day and I refuse to feel guilty about it.  And I discovered a place with Nutella gelato.  I know it sounds like all I do is eat here, and actually that's fairly accurate, but I promise not to come home a giant blob.  We walk everywhere! And occasionally, I go on runs.  Shocking since it takes serious motivation for me to even go running at home.

Today I have plans of being very productive (I am writing a blog afterall), so we will see how that turns out.  It's a bit rainy and cold (as it has been for a couple days now) but I intend to go to the vintage market and the Uffizzi in Flotown. And of course catch up on homework! (For you mom and dad)  So...off to get things done! But of course, a few pictures first.

The group! (minus our photographer Grace)

Duomo in Arezzo

The final button

Arezzo

This picture doesn't do it justice

Becca, our tour guide for the day.  Lovely.

The beginning of the pigeon love affair

Piazza in Arezzo

Panoramic action in Cortona 

Cortona, actually, this is the view from up in Cortona, so I don't actually know what's below.

Under the Tuscan Sun! 

Caffe for lunch

I'm so artsy

Ragazze e vino

Ben and his hood

Cortona 

Ohhh amici

Verona, you have my heart

I apologize for the delay--school is actually real here (who would have thought?) and I've been so busy! So as it was kindly pointed out to me by my aunt, I may want to inform my readers that I am in fact here to study some things--pasta, pizza, gelato, all the important things in life. But really, here's a quick run down of my classes:

Italian (3rd semester): Terrifying. There are only six of us in the class so actually it's not that scary, and our professor is incredibly nice, but intimidating nonetheless.  I have plenty to keep me busy in that class.

Roman Women: Dutch professor. The class is on and off interesting, basically the history of Roman women.  There isn't much literature out there about women (insert feminist joke) so most of what we discuss is people's interpretations of what may have been.

Italy and the Invention of America: When I actually find out what this class is about, I would love to tell you.  Our professor is amazed by all technology, it's quite fascinating.  Mostly we just have been discussing explorers who first came to the Americas.  (In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue)

Florentine Renaissance Art History: This is probably the best class because we only have lecture one day a week, and the other day we do site visits in Florence to different churches and museums.  Plus my professor for this class is fantastic. Guido. That's his real name.


So now that the discussion of classes is over we can move on to bigger and better things.  To get "involved in the Italian culture" I've decided to participate in three things:
1. Volunteering at the senior center (Mai Dire Vecchio-which translates to "Never say old"), I'll start this tomorrow
2. Helping build floats/create masks/participate in the floats and parade for Sesto's Carnevale.  The theme this year is Pinnochio
3. I am going to get a conversation partner.
All of this should be under way shortly, so I will update on that front once I know more.

And on to a quick update on this weekend! There is so much to say, and it was really a huge series of misfortunate events, but in the end everything turned out for the best and I just may have found my favorite place in Italy! (okay..this is only my first traveling weekend, but just wait for pictures, it was wonderful!) Oh, I guess I should mention, our destination was Verona and Bologna.

After a few mishaps at the train station (obviously a few difficulties locating the proper train) we arrived in Verona, you know the setting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  And truly, the city was straight out of a fairy tale.  Our hotel situation, not so much.  We arrived at our hotel (bed and breakfast actually) and naturally the door was locked.  Finally someone let us in and we climbed a million steps up a huge spiral staircase attempting to locate the door for our hotel.  (Often times inside the main door will be a few different places, hotels, apartments and such).  We called the hotel and a woman answered and after about ten minutes she came down.  Upon seeing 8 of us, she looked incredibly confused.  Turns out only one room was reserved.  After sending our fluent Italian speaker up to talk to the lady (by this I mean we sent Camellia, killa cam, who is in Italian 101), somehow through the language barrier the woman offered three of us to stay in her own bedroom, and five could sleep in the one room we had for four people.  Of course this would happen on our first travel experience.

So a few highlights from Verona:

Everything. Seriously. But more specifically..

Roman arena--basically the Colosseum but on a smaller scale. It was so huge though and beautiful.

Juliet's wall--like in the movie, Letters to Juliet. Except you don't actually put the letters on the wall, there is a mailbox. But there is writing all over.  Then the balcony.  Just as I imagined.

Probably my favorite place was the Teatro Romano.  The views were just incredible.  Camellia and I just sat for awhile and took it all in.

Castelvecchio--okay at this point I was actually getting so tired and not needing to see any more art, but it was pretty cool being in a castle.

And basically just everything else was great. It was just a walking city, hardly any cars in the downtown area.

Now Bologna:

Okay actually, at this point I was so tired from being completely sleep deprived and basically a zombie, we all kind of were. So I think I will need to revisit Bologna to actually see anything. But here's what I can tell you:

Bolognese sauce from Bologna is the best there is.

Neptune's fountain makes me feel uncomfortable.

There were Native American performers in the Piazza. It was strange.  I considered getting a picture with them to see if I could get some sort of credit for Italy and the Invention of America.

And that is all I got. BUT I plan on returning before spring break we will be staying there a night, and hopefully I will get to see some of the actual sites when I am a little more lively.


Oh, and for those interested, I caved. I bought shoes. Brown leather boots made in Florence to be exact.  This is what they tell me at least. And for my wallet and mind's sake, I will believe them.

Tiny little sign and tiny little button to press to locate our bed and breakfast. I think at this point we should have realized we may run into a few problems. 

A candy store in Verona that made the cutest things!

I couldn't help myself..

Breakfast at the bed and breakfast (hello tamara!) This made up for everything!

Outside the arena

In the arena

Obviously pretending to be fighting gladiators or something in the arena

For goodluck in love!

More Locks of Love at Juliet's house

Romeo, Romeo..

Beautiful Verona

Teatro Romano

Verona down below

Verona

Castelvecchio (Old Castle..creative huh?)

Castelvecchio

Bolognese in Bologna, really all that mattered. 

Awkward fountain. 

We're on top of the world!

There is no possible way I only got here just over a week ago.  It seems like much longer, we have just done so much.  I won't bore you all to death and go through a play by play, actually because I am just far too lazy to do so, but I'll say it's for my readers.  Instead, I'll give some highs and lows of the everything so far.

Highlights:

Booked our first big trip! (To Prague the first weekend in February) There's a couple of us going, but it is through an organization in Florence so actually all we had to do was click Book Now, and the trip was booked. So actually I still basically have panic attacks when discussing/planning trips.

Went to a kareoke bar (somewhat on accident) but ended up having a great time and I sang with three people we met there!

Took a day trip to Sienna and San Gimignano with the whole group Friday.  Words don't effectively describe what these places were like. (there will be a lowlight about this later) But San Gimignano is like a walled city from the medieval times and it was just incredible.  They are home to the world's best gelato (allegedly), but of course they were closed.  Went to a place next door though, and I would say they must be very close rivals because it was delicious.  Immediately following gelato and approximately an hour before we would return for dinner I had a slice of pizza from the walled city.  I think I died and went to heaven. This is not a joke. Everyone needs to go there and get pizza. Tiny little place. Don't know the name. Goodluck finding it! But you'll know when you have.

Went to a jazz club Friday night and danced with a man probably in his 60s.   This maybe could be a lowlight, I danced with him in front of everyone at this tiny little club, and it was slightly humiliating.  But so entertaining so I think that makes up for it.  Especially because everyone clapped for us.

Climbed the Duomo.  463 steps to the top. Dad, if you read this, or if I ever talk to you, I could tell you you would not not not like it. Tiny, claustrophobic, and very high. But there was not a cloud in the sky and we could see all of Florence.  We had to take a few stops along the way and I did a little de-robing, but we made it, sweat and all, and it was so worth every step.

Dinner in Florence Saturday night.  We asked someone working at the market to recommend a restaurant to us for dinner, and he was spot on.  Whatever pasta I got, I think rigatoni with some sort of marinara and mozzarella was out of this world (I'm trying not to use the same descriptive words here, I apologize) But really, I think if that was all I got to eat for the rest of my life, I'd be okay.

Umm...the Packers beat the Falcons!! The game didn't start here until about 2am so I only made it until halftime, but no matter where I am, that's a highlight.

Climbed a mountain today!  We were above the clouds. (on top of the world, get the title of this post now? ha...ha) Breathtaking (okay really, I need a thesaurus now...)


Lowlights:


I broke a glass at brunch this morning.  Thank god I had lessons on how to sweep from my dad over winter break.

In Sienna, we climbed uphill. Both ways.  I always thought this was not possible, some evil joke. But it was real life.  To and from the bus, I basically had to bend over at the waist to walk up the hills. No wonder Italians are so thin.

I have had zero luck thus far in my quest for boots. So still, shoes shoes shoes, but no shoes for me.

Running after a bus.  I remember all those times I'd laugh at people who did that. That was me. Fortunately, it was about 20 other people too in my group.

Cobblestone. Heels. Cobblestone and heels. I think that's all that needs to be said.

I am almost positive I have not slept for eight hours consecutively since I have arrived in Italy.  I plan on changing that tonight. My body is exhausted.

Remember how I said I climbed a mountain today? Did I say the hike took five hours? Maybe you don't all know me very well, but my physical activity level has not exactly been impressive the past few months.  Needless to say, I think I will be sore for quite some time.  What I could really use is a hot tub. Instead, I have a shower the size of a pinhead.

And...the most important part, pictures!

At the Medici Palace

Ceiling in one of the rooms at the palace

Climbing one of the many hills in Sienna

Duomo in Sienna

Piazza del Campo in Sienna 

Strangest thing ever..these guys were running around with fake guns and this cardboard cage chasing one guy dressed up as a cheetah. 

San Gimignano 

Gelato in San Gimignano 

Jazz club in Florence 

Emily's turn to dance with Stefano! 

Halfway through the climb of the Duomo

View of Florence from the top of the Duomo

Serious hiker 

One of the many views on our hike 

The hikers 

We were above the clouds! 

Poor self timing...but so happy we made it to the top! 

Walking back into Sesto after our hike