Saturday, November 29, 2008

One Of The Most Ridiculous Things I've Ever Tried To Do

is learn German IN Italian. When your mother-tongue isn't involved AT ALL it makes it a lot harder for information to stick in the brain. I feel like the all the words just slosh around long enough to find an escape route and leave. So that is why I'm extremely happy with myself because I studied only German last night and during first block, and during second block I did a vocabulary test AND an oral exam and I think that (if we were to convert my grades to the American system) I got at least a C on both tests. Maybe more. In America I would be disappointed, but I'm feeling pretty ecstatic about it here.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanksgiving + Snow

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful day and I have so much to be thankful for this year especially. About 10 of us exchangers met at Mary's house after a morning of cooking and celebrated together. It felt so nice to be together and it was OK to miss our families because we've made a new type of family here through this experience. I just felt really happy all day long thinking of everything I'm grateful for and all of the things I've been blessed with.

Then to top if off, I woke up this morning to it SNOWING! It's snowed once before but it was quite insignificant. But today it's been coming down for hours and it's so beautiful. I doubt it will stick but it sure is fun to watch! It looks like Milan starts winter before Ashland does, anyhow. I am COLD.

Ciao!
Grace

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

una brutta cosa

Since I have arrived, two people have commited suicide by throwing themselves in front of the metro. This has really shaken me and is just an example of the crazy things you encounter when you leave your small town.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Cold & So Beautiful I Can't Stand It!

So it's Sunday night and I need to write about my weekend while all of the memories are crisp and fresh. (Another thing that is crisp and fresh is Milan. Today was the most beautiful weather I think I've ever seen here. But don't let me get ahead of myself. We must start with yesterday.)

I met Katharine and Danielle in the Amsterdam airport. They were so interesting and just super nice and I was totally stoked to be living in Milan with them. But then, as I discovered later, not everyone lives in the city. They both live in areas outside of the city and a good distance from me. So finally we made plans for them to come into Milan and stay a night with me. I asked Marina and she said yes!

Saturday after school Danielle's mom brought both of them to my house and Jody came too. We took the cutest walk through Brera (one of my favorite parts of the city), ending up at the famous art museum La Pinacoteca di Brera. We spent a good two hours+ enjoying every single room in the museum. We discussed the paintings and beyond. For me, it was (shockingly) my first museum and I was just so excited to finally be there, I could hardly contain myself. The art feels different here. Amazing art can be found in many museums, but here in Italy it all feels so connected. I don't know how to explain it. It feels so much more real, the religious paintings feel so much more significant, and the artists are Italian. It is rooted in their history and their culture. When I see a painting in D.C. I marvel at it, don't get me wrong. It's impossible not to appreciate Leonardo. But guess what? Now I'm appreciating Leonardo in the country where he lived. When I look at his art, I realize that somewhere here in Italy, centuries ago, Leonardo was changing the world. I'm here, and he was here. I saw The Last Supper. I was in a room that he spent 3 years of his life working in! UM HELLO? And this isn't even just about Da Vinci. So much of the art just made such of an impression. Together we moved from room from room, and we were noticing all the little details that so many paintings had in common. Our questions accumulated as we all lamented our lack of Bible knowledge. There are so many signs and special details that the artists added and we just couldn't stop wondering, " Why, what does this mean?"

After that delightful experience (p.s. we saw Il Bacio) we met up with John and Kylee and went to a pizzeria. It was a lot of fun and I think we all were just ridin' the feel good wave. We couldn't stop talking about how lucky we were. As we walked home, Danielle, Katharine, and I had one of those talks that seem to encompass so many big life themes and the sharing of ideas, experiences, and perspectives. I hadn't had such a good talk since I arrived.

We woke up at 7:30 AM to the sound of Ben Harper on my alarm clock. By 9:10 we were outside the Duomo and were already amazed by the sunshiney weather. The sky was a bright and clear and the cold breeze blew on our faces, giving us pink cheeks. We met Jody and Kylee in front of the Duomo. And after running through some crowds of pigeons just to see them fly, we went to the back of the Duomo and bought tickets to climb the stairs and go on the roof. The only time I had done this before was with Giorgio and my Rotary club one dark rainy night. This morning the weather couldn't have been better and it did not disappoint. I would camp on the Duomo roof if someone let me. I'd get all kinds of frostbite/flu combinations if there was 24hr availability to the roof of the Duomo. It is truly amazing and although I took photo after photo no recreation came close. I saw the snowtopped peaks of the Alps. I looked down and saw marathon runners following a course around the Galleria. I saw churches and bell towers galore. I could see the Castello. And the marble gleamed under the brilliant sun.

I will continue this tomorrow, I need to go to bed.

OK, sorry for the wait.

So the highlights of Sunday went on to include seeing La Conversione Di Saulo by Caravaggio which was an incredible experience. There was an enormous line in the Piazza della Scala to view the painting. We also took a stroll down Via Torino (we bought roasted chesnuts and linked arms. and yes we sang a xmas song) and saw the canals under a darkening sky. We just keep imagining how wonderful everything will look when all the Christmas lights are lit. Right now they just keep appearing in different places hung on metal skeleton structures. I want them to light up!

I think that covers it.
Moral of the Story: I had a great weekend and I might just be the luckiest person in the universe.

Thank you Rotary!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Trains & Cremona & Blue Skies

Being intelligent really is a valuable thing. Sometimes I can pull it off. Sometimes it is simply beyond me. During my trip to Cremona, well- it was out of sight completely. Jody and I managed to get off at the wrong train station. We got confused by our tickets and didn't quite get to Cremona on the first try. But the station didn't look right so I asked a nearby man where we were and if, say I wanted to get to Cremona, was this the wrong place to be. It was. So after having a good laugh at the situation we set off to find the information desk. I explained it all to the man behind the window and asked which was the next train to Cremona. After telling us we'd been stamping our tickets wrong (and not to do it again), he pointed out the window to the train adjacent to him and said that it went to Cremona. We setting off running down the stairs, Jody calling out that the train was about to leave and we had to hurry! When we ran up another staircase we found ourselves on the other side of the station and NOT near our train. We ran back to the information desk. I asked some teenage boys HOW to get to our train. I glanced at the man at the information desk and he was pointing to the door RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. Right in front of us. The obvious choice.

We hurried onto the train, in case the stupid-people-haters were out to get us. It was intensely hysterical. But then once we got on the train it was completely empty. It was JUST us on the entire train. First we took advantage of this, taking photos and dancing around. But then we started to wonder where this train REALLY went- probably to some unknown location where the information desk man waited for us. *creepy music* We were relieved when we finally got to Cremona. The station was much less sketchy than where we were before. We went and waited by the newspaper stand where we were supposed to meet this girl Margot. Jody asked if I was sure we were in Cremona, because she hadn't seen the sign. I went up to the newspaper stand man and asked once again, "Dove siamo?" (Where ARE WE? Why am I always asking this question?).

Luckily, we were in fact in Cremona- But we had no money on our cell phones and we were kind of just waiting for one of the girls to either call us or meet us. Nobody met us. Nobody called. And after a good half hour by the newspaper stand we went into the warmth of the train station café instead. We sat there for a while, then decided we better go find some payphones. Finally, as we were calling Margot walked up. Relief. Then we went back to her house with her while she explained that she and Elise had a mix up and thought the other was picking us up. Let me just say that the kids in Cremona have it MADE. Their houses are ridiculously huge, first of all. Margot's place could fit like 6 or 7 families. It's like a maze, too. Margot showed us around and opened the door to one room she "seriously discovered 2 days ago." I could have paid for this trip with the change found under the cushions of these people's couches.

So then after dropping all of our stuff off we met up with the other 3 kids in Cremona and got something to eat. Then we went to Brandon's house and hung out there for a while with his Italian brother and all of his friends. After that we headed into the center, where just about everyone goes every Saturday night. It was a fun night. Cremona is just really cute and everyone was really nice. I spent the night at Margot's and the next day we all went to the center and climbed up the church bell tower, which they say is the highest brick building in Europe. After climbing it, I believed it. The view from the top was amazing and we could see all of Cremona. We got some pizza and gelato before Jody and I had to catch a train back to Milan. I really enjoyed hanging out with the kids from Cremona and I have a feeling we'll be taking some trips together in the future. :)

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day. The weather was truly a blessing. The sun shone and there was a chilly wind but not too cold and the sky was easter egg blue. I couldn't even contain myself. I got home from school and immediately called Marco to tell him I was going running. I trecked back across the city to go to the track by the Polytechnical Institute, where the Politi's like me to go since there are always tons of people. I didn't mind. It was so worth it. I got home not too long ago, showered, and drank some lemon tea. I'm feeling rather good and am completely satisfied with how my Monday has gone so far.

:) I'll steal some of Jody's photos of Cremona as soon as I can. I couldn't take photos because my batteries went dead after the train.

Ciao, Bacci!
Grace

Friday, November 14, 2008

Well folks,

We have entered the rainy season. For the past two weeks, it's just been plain gross. Now don't get me wrong, the cold I love. I can handle that. I'm ready for the upcoming months of hot beverages and seeing my breath and wearing earmuffs. I'm so down for that. But getting my feet wet every single morning on the way to school is just not fun. As my lovely new friend Jody said "If the sky was a person, it'd be dying". I have begun cheerful morning tactics to combat the near inevitable horrible mood from wet feet. I'll listen to podcasts of Lake Woebegon or Wait Wait Don't Tell Me!. God Bless NPR. I always show up at school smiling. (Although, my English has improved since I began doing this, and I'm not sure if it's entirely in my best interest).

But some lovely things have happened lately and continue to happen just in time to raise my spirits (wet feet and all). I saw Ra Ra Riot last night, an American band playing here in Milan. It was actually at a not-so-popular discoteca in the outskirts of the city. I went with Paulo, a boy I know who lives mega close to the place and a couple other people. After waiting entirely too long and having to suffer the Italian who played as an introduction- Ra Ra Riot took the stage, and I really just loved the whole thing from that point on. :)

School is getting both better and worse. I'm getting to the point where I can start to try. I can understand everything
about half the time even if some key concepts, context, and advanced vocabulary still passes me by. I can usually get a twisted version of what they are talking about, so I feel good. The trouble is, now I have to work. Hahaha. The teachers have caught on so they all keep asking me things and then I get overwhelmed. For example, the Philosophy teachers seems to think that I know what is going on in her class and has said very nicely that I can take a test whenever I want. I might understand a conversation they have in class, but I have absolutely no idea what theme we are discussing, which philosopher, or what the test would be about. Not to mention that I have to look up about half the words everytime I open the text book. Fortunately, she isn't the pushy type and I think I'll just start by trying to explain a paragraph I read in the book, etc. The point is, I'm starting to study more than just Italian these days. In fact, in a few minutes Marina is going to help me do my German, because (as usual) I have no idea what is going on. I must say I am enjoying the bizarre experience of being clueless. It really is an eye-opener for me about anyone who decides to come to America and tries to learn English. Seriously, Bravo.

This weekend I'm going to Cremona! I'm pretty excited :) I'll try to take a lot of photos to share with you. Thanks again for reading and I'll try to keep updating as often. I'm beginning to cough these days, and I'm sure the same cold season has begun back home. Everyone drink tea! And buy some Ricola!

Love from Grace

Monday, November 10, 2008

The Last Supper

I saw it.
There are no words.
I will not try to describe it.

Friday, November 7, 2008

???

So I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I go home and have to start eating lunch at school again. I mean, I think of the lunch line and cringe. I imagine packing my lunch and I'm puzzled. What is going to happen when I don't get to go back to the house for a home-cooked meal? Where am I going to find the same mozzarella?! How am I going to recreate a portable version of all of the Italian goodness?

I just don't know.

Monday, November 3, 2008

This past week

was really great for me. Going to Como was an enormous treat, and I've been staying really busy in and out of school. My lessons with Suora Ada are getting so much easier to do. I really feel like I've accomplished a lot with my Italian and now I am beginning to study and perfect my past and future tenses. When I got here, I didn't bother with trying to learn anything but the present. When I needed to explain something about the past or future I just announced it. I would say "In the past" and then continue on with present tense. It was ridiculous to try to memorize anything else at that point. I picked up on passato prossimo quickly enough and I use that any chance I get. But now I feel very comfortable studying futuro, imperfetto, etc. and it feels so much easier to process. In school, during my free period, Jody and I studied different tenses of "dire", "potere", and "fare" which are the verbs "to tell", "to be able to", and "to make, do". We spent probably less than an hour drilling, but when I went to my lesson this evening with Suora Ada I was able to use what I learned so easily! Living here does tend to invite opportunities for ongoing practice. I am also trying to make what I say not just understandable- but correct. My grammar isn't the best yet. BUT I AM FEELING SO GOOD. It's not yet been 2 months for me, and I already feel like I have come so far. So you have caught me at a moment of great satisfaction. I know this is manageable- I just have to tackle all of my challenges one by one and have patience with myself. This is one of those things that doesn't happen overnight. But maybe it can happen over 10 months! :)

Ciao,
Grace

Sunday, November 2, 2008