Long Post of the Week, Part 1
I'm writing this in the middle of the night because I never have the time (or the lack of ADD) to write an entire post when I'm at the Sede, and this I can do while sitting in my room writing a paper and listening to iTunes at the same time. I'm such a multitasker, but when people are chattering and wandering in and out, I have no attention span whatsoever.
Let's see, what have I done since the last post? It was last...Tuesday? Something. Anyway, referring to the diary I try to keep every night, I'll go from then. In trying to get some things worked out in my mind that day, I tried to bike up to Settignano and beyond, but it's all uphill, and ended up pushing my bike the whole way. Still, the angle of elevation was such that I was able to get a pretty nice aerobic workout from it, and by the time I gave up on the hill and sat down on a rock wall, I was high enough to see the entire city of Florence and all of the surrounding countryside. I watched the sun set behind the mountains, turning the haze around the city into an aura of pink and orange, and finally blue as the sun disappeared from the city's view, but not mine as it became larger and redder and turned into such a vision that I couldn't stop watching until it was almost dusk.
Wednesday was another one of our cooking classes with the lovely Pam and her French accent, and damn, guys. I'm going to have to just throw a dinner when I get back and invite everyone I know. I'll cook everything I've learned and serve it in the Italian manner, with courses and all. It's so good. I now know how to make gnocchi from scratch. mmmmm....and some fabulous chocolate mousse. (I don't like mousse and I would have had seconds if we had made enough) On the way home on my bike, I realized I have integrated myself into the city because although I got a little lost, I was never clueless as to where I was. Establishing a sense of direction has made me feel more at home, I think. I've discovered I adapt really quickly, because I'm already pretty comfortable in the lifestyle, but some people are still having real problems. I do miss peanut butter, milk shakes, real breakfast (you know, with eggs), being able to find jalapenos when I have a cold, and New England in the Fall, but everything else is marvelous.
Last week was the Fiorentina versus a Dutch team (soccer), and for the entirety of Thursday afternoon we listened to drunken Dutchmen shouting, chanting, and singing their war songs in the piazzas. They were completely oblivious to the fact that we were trying to take an Italian quiz in the midst of their clamour, but va be'. It was amusing. On the way home the traffic was at a standstill because they decided to parade in the direction of the stadium (near which I live). I got a recording on my camera of the huge line of them marching past in their green and white garb, beer in hand, all acting like idiots. Eventually I'll get it on the internet for all to see, so be watching for that.
Friday afternoon, after drawing in Santa Croce for class and getting some lunch, Sarah and I went and saw Piano, Solo (finally). It's an Italian film, set in Florence, and I would recommend it to everyone if you can find it, except beware: if you are depressed when you watch it, you will not be in a very good mental state when you've finished it. It's a good movie, but so woah.
Let's see, what have I done since the last post? It was last...Tuesday? Something. Anyway, referring to the diary I try to keep every night, I'll go from then. In trying to get some things worked out in my mind that day, I tried to bike up to Settignano and beyond, but it's all uphill, and ended up pushing my bike the whole way. Still, the angle of elevation was such that I was able to get a pretty nice aerobic workout from it, and by the time I gave up on the hill and sat down on a rock wall, I was high enough to see the entire city of Florence and all of the surrounding countryside. I watched the sun set behind the mountains, turning the haze around the city into an aura of pink and orange, and finally blue as the sun disappeared from the city's view, but not mine as it became larger and redder and turned into such a vision that I couldn't stop watching until it was almost dusk.
Wednesday was another one of our cooking classes with the lovely Pam and her French accent, and damn, guys. I'm going to have to just throw a dinner when I get back and invite everyone I know. I'll cook everything I've learned and serve it in the Italian manner, with courses and all. It's so good. I now know how to make gnocchi from scratch. mmmmm....and some fabulous chocolate mousse. (I don't like mousse and I would have had seconds if we had made enough) On the way home on my bike, I realized I have integrated myself into the city because although I got a little lost, I was never clueless as to where I was. Establishing a sense of direction has made me feel more at home, I think. I've discovered I adapt really quickly, because I'm already pretty comfortable in the lifestyle, but some people are still having real problems. I do miss peanut butter, milk shakes, real breakfast (you know, with eggs), being able to find jalapenos when I have a cold, and New England in the Fall, but everything else is marvelous.
Last week was the Fiorentina versus a Dutch team (soccer), and for the entirety of Thursday afternoon we listened to drunken Dutchmen shouting, chanting, and singing their war songs in the piazzas. They were completely oblivious to the fact that we were trying to take an Italian quiz in the midst of their clamour, but va be'. It was amusing. On the way home the traffic was at a standstill because they decided to parade in the direction of the stadium (near which I live). I got a recording on my camera of the huge line of them marching past in their green and white garb, beer in hand, all acting like idiots. Eventually I'll get it on the internet for all to see, so be watching for that.
Friday afternoon, after drawing in Santa Croce for class and getting some lunch, Sarah and I went and saw Piano, Solo (finally). It's an Italian film, set in Florence, and I would recommend it to everyone if you can find it, except beware: if you are depressed when you watch it, you will not be in a very good mental state when you've finished it. It's a good movie, but so woah.