Tuesday, December 30, 2008

I promise you

I'm going to post a big ol' whopper about my break so far. You're going to love it. But uploading photos was really all I could get to tonight.

Until tomorrow? Hopefully?
Grace

Photos First














Wednesday, December 24, 2008

It's Christmas Eve.

I'll try to catch you up very quickly on what's been happening with me.

I've spent glorious hours with camera in hand.
School let out after a day of singing and food and (yes, really) champagne in class.
I went to a Rotary Christmas lunch.
I saw another Caravaggio painting.
I went to Monza.
I got my hair cut by my friend Katharine from Maine.
I wrapped up all my Christmas gifts, and realized I'd lost one (still looking).
Marina bought me a coat for Christmas- she's really just too sweet.
I went and saw an art exhibition by Magritte, a really trippy french guy.
I made cookies with John and Mary.
I had Christmas Eve dinner with my tutor, Giorgio, and his family.
I went to Midnight Mass.
Still trying to write all my Christmas cards in time to give them to a friend who is going to America during vacation (She'll stick 'em in the post for me).

I'm tired. Details later.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
I love you all!

Grace

Thursday, December 18, 2008

I've never seen such a freak out

over one mosquito.
hahahahahaha.
they should come to the south.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

metro video

I love Italy.

I hope I'm getting this point across.
Is it sinking in?
Are we on the same page here?

I have discovered that I don't just love the Italy you see in the travel books. Naturally, I love the Duomo. The Christmas lights over the canals get me every time. And I could spend an eternity in La Scala. But some of my most treasured moments are just part the normal routine. I like my walk to school. I hear men unloading trucks and by the way the streetlights look you could fool me into thinking it's nighttime still. I see the same people walking about the same time everyday and as I approach the metro I almost always see the owner of a nearby cafe wipe down his tables. I smile when I hear raised voices in the street outside my window. I get such a kick out of all the conversations I can manage to have in one day.

Today, I took the bus home. My ipod had died, so I pulled out a book and it was just as we were rounding the corner of Teatro Dell'Arte (cesare picco in concerto) that I looked up and observed my surroundings. I think that street has more trees than anywhere else in Milan. It wasn't raining (shocker) but the streets were wet. In the seat across from me sat an eldery Italian woman with a shawl and her thinning hair pulled up tight. I looked around at the others, everyone seeming lost in their own thoughts. Outside the windows I could see people in fur coats, high heels, leather shoes, but also those with unshaven faces, empty cups for change, and mats of newspaper. Nobody spoke on the bus. We trundled on, closer to my stop. Cafes, Pizzerias, Tabbachi, Metro stations, and traffic. Shoe store after shoe store. I hear the ring of a requested stop. I saw people get off and tuck their umbrellas under their arms. People got on and settled themselves into seats, sometimes letting out a sigh and setting their bags on their lap. I got up, pressed the red button, and as I took the short walk back to the Politis, I felt a very clear feeling of happy. Some happy feelings are just big explosions, or warm sleepy feelings. This was a thoughtful happy.

I guess it's starting to become real to me now (finally, eh?). Not just that I'm living it Italy, but that I like it. That I can do it. That it isn't that impossible to leave everything you know for everything you don't. Because a person learns. And the truth is, it's not all new. Most of it, but the important stuff stays the same. I'm still a friendly person. I still love a challenge. My good karma still rescues me just as often. And it's true when they say that people are people wherever you go. I'm also no longer worried that I'm not going to fit everything in. At the beginning I had a little anxiety that I wouldn't get to go everywhere that I would like to. This sentiment feels as foreign to me as Milan did when I felt it. I'm sure that I'm coming back to live in Italy for another chunk of time. Sure. Synonyms: positive, secure, without a doubt, confident (sometimes accompanied with "I can feel it in my bones.") I mean, I probably won't be in Milan again. My class keeps telling me that I have to get to Rome. Do you know how many Caravaggio paintings Rome has???

{side note:
You really don't need to be able to understand every single word a person says. You can almost always decipher their emotion, their personality-whether they are sarcastic, interested, easy-going, a goody two shoes, a little creepy, a party-goer, diligent, understanding, unsocial, or if they have a heart of gold. You can makes friends, strengthen bonds, and learn so much about a person without an enormous vocabulary. **facial expressions and body language- and Italians are SO good at this** p.s. this does NOT translate into "you don't need to learn Italian" but more like "don't stress"}

The moral of the story is: The big flashy stuff is great. I will never think of the Castello as anything short of spectacular, and as a tourist don't miss these things! But if you live here for a good chunk of time, enjoy the simple things too. Get to know people. Look out the windows. Walk down the narrow side streets. Go where the locals go. BECOME A LOCAL.

I bought film today and I'm stoked stoked stoked. Now I'm just praying for sunshine.

xxoo
Grace

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I am a different person

because of this past weekend.

Where do I begin and how do I explain it? My joy and love for the world just keeps growing!!! I'm thinking about the world from different places and viewpoints and it just keeps knocking me over and taking me back and my mind is shifting to a whole different level. I'm not sure how to describe the moment when I'm faced with something that astounds me and hits me to my core. There is a mixture of AWE in its purest form- first that this thing exists, and second that I GET TO SEE IT AND EXPERIENCE ITS POWER. My heart swells and it feels near explosion. I try my best to completely comprehend what I'm seeing- to try to understand, but sometimes there is just a wall and all I can realize it that I CAN'T appreciate this thing to the fullest. It is too far beyond all that I am familiar with. It is from the earth, but a different world.

So what am I blabbering about?? Well, here are the facts. The concrete things that happened-

Saturday:
Danielle and Katharine came into Milan and stayed at my house. First we walked around the city and had dinner at our favorite pizzeria before coming home for the night. We stayed up half the night just listening to music and talking. It was one of the best conversations I've ever had. I love these girls so much! When we get together we always seem to be able to share and express ourselves- from critical points in our lives, our opinions and beliefs, to our HOPE AND FAITH.

Sunday: We took a train from Milan to Brescia with my host family and some friends of theirs (including my 3rd host family). We saw (apart from the city itself which has some arches that are older than our American civilization) two main things. The first half of the day we spent in Santa Guilia- Museo Della Città. In the evening we went to Van Gogh exhibition. These last two sentences are heavy. They are immense. Read them! I still can't wrap my mind around it. I saw remnants of civilizations that existed more than 2000 years before- IN THE SAME CITY. ON THE SAME EARTH. I saw incredible pieces of art that were created before Christ was born. I saw mosaic tiled floors that were so beautiful, complex, and perfect that I just wanted to cry. I saw a cieling covered in precious blue stones that NO LONGER EXIST. I was face to face with Corinthian columns -with some of the first bronze scultures ever made in the history of our world- with the history of Santa Giulia who was stoned and crucified for her unfaltering belief in Jesus Christ. I touched parts of buildings that were constructed by laborors more than 2,000 years ago! Is this getting through?! Because I'm not sure I still understand! AHHH. And then, after a break- walking through the city and stepping into a cafè- we returned to see the Van Gogh exhibit. Emotion. From the most hopeless portraits to the most vibrant countryside, I was struck immediately by a particular feeling with each piece. You can see things in a textbook or even in one of those big ol' books on the B&N sales rack- but nothing hits you like the real thing. I can't even begin to explain. His hands created something I was a foot away from. His skies. His faces. The hands. The colors.

This weekend- there are not words, but I did my best to try to describe what it meant to me.

As for other parts of life, this is my last week of school before the holidays. I have two Italian lessons left with Rotary. I'm scrambling around trying to get my Christmas shopping done. The nativities here are so cool, I'll post a photo soon. Pretty much I'm feeling like one of the luckiest people alive and I can't stop counting my blessings.

Love,
Grace

Sunday, December 7, 2008

i could watch this all day long.

Duomo















































































Where did I leave off?

So I got sick this week. It wasn't even that bad, but my host mom got really worried. Which was nice of her. I stayed home a couple days and slept a lot as I hacked up half my lungs. I'm feeling a lot better. Yesterday I went with my host family to the countryside and it was the closest thing I have seen to VA in a long time. I walked through FIELDS. My shoes were MUDDY. I can't even tell you how good it felt. It was spiritual. Today I went out with friends but only under the condition that I wore this enormous abominable snowman coat of Marina's. I didn't try to fight it. I would have lost. I don't plan on wearing it again. But I think I'll be able to avoid it, because all Marina said when I got home was "Now you know it is a choice if it is very very cold." Well, obviously not in English. And I replied "Yes Marina, I know it exists." and we both laughed. I'm still a little stuffed up and sniffly but most of the coughing has gone away. :)

Everyday there are more Christmas lights up in Milan. I absolutely love it. It's officially Christmas time! I am ready for all of the carols and the snow and the telling everyone just how much you love and appreciate them. Speaking of which, I love and appreciate all of you who are reading from back home! I walk around this city and I feel so exceptionally blessed. It'll just be a normal ol' day and then I'll turn the corner of a street and the view will take my breath away. The Castello has lights up that change with the music. I'll have to go and take a video because it's just too cool. As for photos and all that, I can finally put up some Duomo photos I took a couple weeks ago. Enjoy!

Love,
Grace