Divertimento Dappertutto!

Whew! I'm exhausted. I feel like I can see the minutes just roll by me and I'm running around like crazy to get school things done and to still enjoy the end of my time here. Actually, despite the fact that I have a really nice long weekend, I've decided to take it slow and to soak in the end of the semester. My time in Siena is really wrapping up and I feel pretty satisfied with everything that's happened. But to the specifics of recent activity!

The last couple of weeks have been PARTY CITY here (among getting un monta of work done)! I think primavera just brings out the best in people...even when the weather is only sporatically spring-like. Two friends turned 21 and we threw them a surprise party, American style at the school! We invited friends from Florence and even some characters that work at the school came. It was a great success. The next morning we got up presto presto for a trip into the countryside with Jeff and the creative writing class. I had so much fun, but especially since he gave me commentary on the places and people we saw that showed up in his book. I'm finishing it up now and really enjoying it, but I'm certain that that gave it extra life. Not to mention that despite the rain, the Tuscan countryside is fantastic! It's really hard to get to without una macchina, but lucky for us Jeff & Valeria (his wonderful wife) were great guides.

The past weekend was also meraviglioso! April 25th is a holiday to celebrate the independence of the country during WWII so Katie and I relished being Americans in Italy. We fought rough odds (read: Italian chaos on holiday) and ventured back to Jeff and Valeria's small apartment for the festa di carciofi. That's right people. I basically ate my weight in artichokes! Artichokes with penne pasta, artichoke soup, and best of all--i carciofi fritti! I had two servings of that one (and lots of other food). It was insane to see the tiny town overflowing with people after seeing next to no one in the streets just 6 days earlier. And in case you didn't know, Italian's version of una fila, or a line, is more like a mass of people that push themselves forward.

Later, I was also honored enough to attend a contrada party! Friends of a friend are from Siena and part of the Valdimontone (Valley of the Ram) contrada. At this time, I didn't know where the Montone's fountain was, so made my way there. It's also great to have some freedom to walk around places that are totally off limits to the public! I had a fit. But I have to admit that it was an odd sensation being there and everyone knowing you didn't belong to the group. I could understand how people who have lived in Siena for a long time thought of it as a closed community. Still, I had a lot of fun and was able to practice my Italian.

So, like I said there's a long weekend starting today. Why, you ask? It's Labor Day here in Italy! What fun, huh? Readers, rest assured I'm sempre working hard, but I'm still making sure to have a lot of fun while there's still time.

Un regalo

Well, it's finally happened. People, after allllllll this time I've spent here I finally got pooped on by un pigione. I say it's about time since there are SO many of them. Around here, apparently it's really good luck, even though it's really gross. My mom told me I should play the lottery, but I don't know about that....

But the best part is how it happened! I was out with some friends and we were hanging out in the street outside a bar, just chatting. It's the way here. There aren't many cars in the center of Siena and drinking in public isn't against the law here, so on nice nights EVERYONE is outside. My friends and I were chatting and laughing when I felt something drop on my head. I stroked my head I didn't feel anything. I figured that since I didn't feel anything I really didn't need to think twice about it. It had been raining all day and had just recently cleared up for the night. Probably just a rain droplet, right?


Hours later I go into the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. Sure, I had had some Birra Moretti, but not THAT much. And there it was--a glob of pigeon poop. But it wasn't so bad. My hair was up so my friends didn't catch it. Unfortunately I don't have a picture to share other than the picture of a Roman pigeon, but rest assured I laughed quite a bit. Hope you too enjoyed a chuckle or two at my expense!

One month left until I fly home. There's so much left to do and I'm really feeling EXTRA pressure to take advantage of the time I have left. I don't know what that means for the rest of the time here or what's to come for the next month, but I plan on finishing strong!

Buona Pasqua!

Or I guess I should say Happy Easter! I hope everything is going well at home because things are going pretty swimmingly here. Not all fun and games, though. I'm sure you've heard about the terremoto in the region of Abruzzo (in southern Italy). It's been quite a disaster and really hard to watch on the news. The television has been inundated with coverage of the earthquake and the effects on the victims and I can't help but be reminded of watching the news of Katrina. Sometimes it's just too much to watch continuously so I let myself tune out when I need to. Thankfully things are moving along, but to imagine all those deaths, especially of those students who were my peers, is heartbreaking.

My internship is going well also. I feel like with all this extra time where I'm forced to hear and speak Italian, things are improving much quicker now. The other day, there was a party for Easter and a small group came to perform for the patrons of Campansi. I was able to meet them during the intermission and we talked a bit. The most interesting part of this story was that they had no qualms about calling me up to the stage in front of tutti to play an American song. What song you may ask? None other than, "Strangers in the Night" and unfortunately I couldn't help them out with all of the words--or fortunately, depending on your punta di vista.

But on to Easter break! I went with my friend Katie to Venezia and had a fantastic time. We stayed outside of Venice at a campsite which worked out pretty well and took the traghetto into the city and back again at night. The first day we got there without any real direction and by a stroke of luck, made our way into Gallerie dell'Accademia with no line and saw some FANTASTIC pieces of art. We spent hours there! After lunch, we also took a stroll through the Ca'd'Oro, or House of Gold--another museum. We met a man that works there who told us he left his heart and soul in America, despite his Florentine name. It made me wonder what it will be like when I'm no longer in Siena because I'm scared I've done the same here.

Comunque, we walked around a bit more in the Venetian labryrinth and found our way to the old Jewish ghetto. I loved the ghetto so much we visited it again...on Easter! A bit interesting, I know, but this section was almost untouched by the masses of tourists and yet had so much character! But after our first visit there, we literally stumbled on St. Mark's Square just before it was time to go home. Since we were under a time-crunch we planned to return for Easter mass.

The next day we started and finished in St. Mark's Square. First, we were in line for Doge Palace. From what I can gather the Doge had a similar function that the Queen of England now has. Doge's Palace served as the doge's living quarters and the seat of the state. There are also dungeons were the acclaimed Giacomo Casanova was held. I found the elaborate rooms to be quite much and couldn't imagine getting much done. In the Grand Council Chamber the first 72 doges are painted around the top border except one. He tried to overthrow the state and, in addition to being sentenced to death, was removed from all memory of the state. In place of his bust, there is a black cloth. That was pretty neat!

After lunch, the second visit to the ghetto and the museum there, Katie and I took some time along the Grand Canal. We met some interesting characters. My favorite moment was when one accused me of having a Tuscan accent! You better believe that I swelled with pride. We ended the day with some music for "the public good" in St. Mark's Square and a great Easter mass in the Basilica. Talk about thrilling! The detail was unbelievable and the music, as Katie said, really pulled you into the experience. Another good visit in a different part of Italy, but as usual, there's nothing like "home, sweet home."