Ripasso (Review)
The past few weeks have closely resembled a blur of confusion. I’m not sure what all happened, but I do know that time is absolutely flying by.
Last week was the first week of the second trimester here, so we started new classes. I switched to a different class so that I could more thoroughly learn the language; a move which I believe made my teacher angry, but it’s working out for me, so…I’m staying in it. The few days before Thanksgiving were quite rough, mainly because we’re all used to having Thanksgiving break. But seeing as how the holiday does not exist out side of the United States, it’s not something they observe over here. However, in a show of courtesy to the American students, we didn’t have to go to school ON Thanksgiving. We did however have a school trip downtown to Gli Uffizi.
It was strange to have to wake up early Thanksgiving morning, but the trip was definitely worth it.
I have recently purchased batteries for my camera, and was eager to use it again, but as it turns out, it’s illegal to take pictures in the Uffizi. Nevertheless, everything inside was wonderful. It was all original artwork from such painters as Donotello, Boticelli, Rafaello, Cimabue, DaVinci, Michaelangelo, Giotto, Pisano, Martini, and Brunellesci. I got to see things I’ve been learning about for years in textbooks, and not just copies of it. The REAL works of art—the ones the artists themselves touched. It was cool. I decided my favorites were Boticelli and DaVinci, although I also thought Giotto was pretty innovative for his time.
Despite all the amazing art, I think the thing I loved most about Gli Uffizi was the actual building it was held in.The Uffizi was once the home of the Medici family, the richest and most influential family in Florence, and consequently, the family who brought on the Renaissance. It’s the building that is connected to the Palazzo Vecchio (the old palace) that the grand duke and duchess of somewhere lived in, and I guess the Medici’s did too. But there’s a nifty enclosed corridor/hallway-like thing that goes between the buildings over the street below, about three stories up. It runs through the whole Uffizi (enclosed within the walls), out the other side, down a flight of steps and out onto Ponte Vecchio forming the second story of the bridge. Ponte Vecchio is that really old bridge that used to be a market place. I guess it still is actually. Anyway, it’s the one that’s on all the postcards…and the hallway continues onto the bridge at the second story, spans the whole thing, and then was supposed to go into the home of this family on the other side there, but the family owning the home didn’t like the Medici’s so he refused to let them use his house, so you can see the hallway go around the entire building of this guy, and back to it’s original line, and then exits in a church’s crypt. It was used for when the Medici’s and other famous people who lived there wanted to get away from publicness and people, or to escape when there was danger. …even though there are windows all along it…whatever. But is was cool to see. Along with the nifty hidden passageness, the building itself was also very cool. It used to the Medici home,a s I said before, and it is gorgeous. Giant stone staircases, marble floors, (even had a vent system) and hundreds of pane-glass windows. The building is in the shape of a “U” except square, and each halls had their ceilings painted in a different style. Each as wondrous as the next. I loved the halls. And the view from the windows were stunning. I can only imagine what it would have been like to live there!
After visiting Gli Uffizi, we all headed back to the school to eat lunch. It was disgusting and I’ve come to maily rely on the canned corn they serve with the disgusting fennel salad everyday. Canned corn’s not bad. But in addition to normal too-oily pasta, today we also had overly squishy and garlicy, cold eggplant, and mushy, undercooked potato balls. Yay. So I ate the corn and managed some pasta. Then Andrew dropped the bomb. He, (He being Andrew, one of the guys in charge here, Andrew who I went to CA with)told me that we had to go down to the Questura. ON THANKSGIVING!!! Uugh. The Questura is the place we have to go to get ourselves leagalized in Italy. Last time we went, we sat there for 5 hours before our numbers came up, then we got ourselves fingerprinted, copies made of all our documents, and we were given a date to come back. Today was that date. So we got to go again. Me and several other girls. Blah. This time we only stood for a hour and a half, but all we got out of it was another date. They decided to postpone ours, so we have to go back again after Christmas break. Just how I wanted to spend my Thanksgiving day—waiting in a line to be denied legality an told to wait more. Fun.
Luckily enough, though, we got back to the school in time for Thanksgiving dinner. The meal was held in the large chapel in the girls dorm because so many extra people were coming. All the family members of the faculty and some of the students. Over 100 people were present, and that’s a lot for Villa. The food was good, but not American. However it was a good try. Mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey. Spiced cider to drink and apple and pumpkin pie for dessert. Though these are the same things I eat at home, nothing was really the same. Each item contained some…unusual spice that normally would not have been present, making it taste…just a bit off. Being together will all of my friends though, that was the good part. We all dressed up and the room was heated (which is a special occasion here) and so it was all warm and cozy, and chattering away with people you enjoy was really what made the day memorable.
Unfortunately for me, that night I ended up being just a tad bit nauseous, and ended up not going to school the following day nor eating, so it put a damper on all the cheeriness. But I did manage to feel well in time for dinner that Saturday. It was another exciting dinner because our Phonetics teacher, Damaris, had invited us over to her house. She and her husband Mauro picked us up at the school and drove us to thier home (it was very nice to be in a car again instead of a large bus!) There we got to meet her mother who had cooked an entire three course meal for us. It was beyond delicious. First off Mauro played songs for us on the piano while the dishes were being set, and once we were all seated around the table, we were served the most fantastic lasagna I have ever put in my mouth. After those plates were cleared away came eggplant parmesan, tiny roasted potatoes and the best chicken on earth.
All throughout the meal we spoke as often as possible in Italian and told them of our families and where we were from. Then over a dessert of fruit salad and gelato they told us about themselves. It was a moment of feeling really Italian. Sitting in an Italian home, eating Italian food and talking in Italian to people who had invited you over. It was awesome, and as Holly and I were served tea (due to our sore throats) we watched the tape of Damaris and Maruo’s wedding day and looked through their albums. We felt really like friends of the family. Especially so much later that night when they dropped us off they kissed our cheeks and told us that we were welcome back any time. It was cool.
Come Monday classes started again, and this time even our one English class is now taught in Italian. Let me tell you, history is rough in another language. This week has been filled mostly with rain and cabin fever, but got even worse when they announced over lunch on Tuesday that we were initiating Secret Santa week. This is not a normal secret santa thing like back home where you just have a big present swap. No, this is full blown Italian nonsense where you do something for your someone every day and then something even bigger on the last night. I very much dislike these kinds of things, so I was not excited. And of COURSE me and my luck drew the name of an Italian student who I know virtually nothing about other than the fact that he’s a theology student and he’s Italian. Both of which are quite obvious…so it took me a long time to come up with something to do. He’ll probably think it’s lame and be sorry he got me as his santa, but oh well. I’ll be gone next year.
