The night that Alex, Madison and I got to Italy (a day later than everyone else) we left the SACI welcome party early (it had been a rough day) and went around the corner for gelato. While we were standing there looking over the flavors and trying to decipher all the Italian, these three girls from New Jersey walked in and started talking to us. The six of us ended up sitting together at a little table in the back, and Kim, Kristen, and Jeanne have been our buds ever since. Tonight, on our last night in Italy, we went back to that gelato place and had our final gelato for the semester! I think that of everything, I will miss them most.
Other things I will miss:
1. MUKKI. Mukki yogurt, Mukki Smuthies (strawberry is the best), Mukki milk, saying the word, “Mukki.”
2. Bueno bars…among other chocolate bars that are way better than anything you get in America.
3. My apartment. This place is old, but it is so great. I will particularly miss my bedroom window. It’s a great window.
4. Cappuccinos. You knew that was coming.
5. Running by the Arno. Doing anything by the Arno.
6. Walking to class (every day I walk by the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo, and San Lorenzo basilica…that’s incredible)
7. Quiet time. I’ve never had so much time to myself. God has been very patient with me.
8. My roommates. It hasn’t been perfect, but it’s weird to think about not living in this place with these people anymore.
9. Conad. Conad is our go-to grocery store and I will truly miss how inexpensive and wonderful it is. The produce is great. The pastries are great. The checkout people yelling, “Prego avanti, prego avanti!” are great. Walking across the Ponte Vecchio to get there is great. Yes, Conad, you will be missed.
10. SACI. It’s been a great place to learn, even though HPU will always be home.
As it turned out, I do pretty well on my own. I can actually cook pretty well (and love it now) and am dreading going back to a meal plan. When I’ve had unexpected problems, I’ve figured them out. When I got sick for a couple weeks in February, I ate a lot of oranges, drank a lot of tea, rested, and got over it. I carried that huge suitcase up three very long flights of stairs and I will carry it back down tomorrow (and then a mile to the train station!). I learned to be smart when I’m walking home from school late at night and I learned that I’m tougher than I seem. I learned to help myself.
Over Easter weekend, my normal group of friends went to the Amalfi Coast for a final weekend away together. We climbed Mt. Vesuvius, walked through the ancient streets of Pompeii, took a boat tour around Capri, hung around Sorento, and sat by the beach at Positano. I’ve been thinking…we’ve done some pretty amazing things.
It’s really hard to sum up this semester. I’ve been to so many different places (and countries) and experienced so many different people and cultures that I’m not even sure what to say about the whole thing. A lot of what I have learned here has been really personal and even sacred, perhaps so much that I can’t really explain it in such a public context. It has certainly not all been wonderful, but I don’t think it’s possible for me to go four months straight without some sort of breakdown (that might be a little embarrassing). It has, however, been an incredible experience, to say the least. Above all, I have learned (and am still learning) how astoundingly deep and wide my God is. He is huge. He is so much bigger than me.
“For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.”
Isaiah 64:4
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
"You make beautiful things out of us"
[Life] Lessons from a Batik student:
1. Patience is key. Rushing through the waxing process can end in spills…spills on silk can’t be removed until you’re finished and ready to iron ALL the wax off. This means that spills leave permanent marks. Scars, if you will. When you get ahead of yourself, you mess up and you have to find ways to integrate those mistakes into the design. It’s hard, but not impossible.
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
Psalm 130:5
2. Cracks are a good thing. I don’t know how much you know about the Batik process, but, basically you:
a. Pin the silk and stretch it onto a frame.
b. Wax the silk you don’t want changed by the dye.
c. Remove your silk from frame and dip in dye.
d. Repeat, repeat, repeat until you've dipped all the colors of your design.
During this [long and sometimes tedious] process, the wax begins to crack from all the movement, allowing some dye to get through in some places. As it turns out, these cracks are part of what makes batik so distinct and beautiful.
“There’s a crack (or cracks) in everyone, that’s how the light of God gets in.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
3. There’s no way to know how things will turn out… No matter how much you plan and no matter how careful you are, the dying process is no sure thing. Some colors attach quickly to the silk (like today, when to my horror my silk came out a blindingly florescent yellow that I wasn’t expecting), others take a long time to soak in and do so unevenly (like when I tried to dye the background navy and it came out kind of two-tone). This is also very true of the Shibori dyeing techniques we’ve working on. At a certain point, you have no control over the outcome.
“Man's going are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24
4. …but it almost always turns out to be beautiful. Even after accidental spills, cracks, and the uncertainties of the dyeing process, all of my batiks have proven themselves in the end. No matter how much I mess up, something beautiful happens. You can’t really screw everything up completely. Something comes from every step, even a stumbling one.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
[attempting to have as much faith in my own life as I do in my batiks…]
"You make beautiful things,
You make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things,
You make beautiful things out of us."
Gungor
1. Patience is key. Rushing through the waxing process can end in spills…spills on silk can’t be removed until you’re finished and ready to iron ALL the wax off. This means that spills leave permanent marks. Scars, if you will. When you get ahead of yourself, you mess up and you have to find ways to integrate those mistakes into the design. It’s hard, but not impossible.
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
Psalm 130:5
2. Cracks are a good thing. I don’t know how much you know about the Batik process, but, basically you:
a. Pin the silk and stretch it onto a frame.
b. Wax the silk you don’t want changed by the dye.
c. Remove your silk from frame and dip in dye.
d. Repeat, repeat, repeat until you've dipped all the colors of your design.
During this [long and sometimes tedious] process, the wax begins to crack from all the movement, allowing some dye to get through in some places. As it turns out, these cracks are part of what makes batik so distinct and beautiful.
“There’s a crack (or cracks) in everyone, that’s how the light of God gets in.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
3. There’s no way to know how things will turn out… No matter how much you plan and no matter how careful you are, the dying process is no sure thing. Some colors attach quickly to the silk (like today, when to my horror my silk came out a blindingly florescent yellow that I wasn’t expecting), others take a long time to soak in and do so unevenly (like when I tried to dye the background navy and it came out kind of two-tone). This is also very true of the Shibori dyeing techniques we’ve working on. At a certain point, you have no control over the outcome.
“Man's going are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24
4. …but it almost always turns out to be beautiful. Even after accidental spills, cracks, and the uncertainties of the dyeing process, all of my batiks have proven themselves in the end. No matter how much I mess up, something beautiful happens. You can’t really screw everything up completely. Something comes from every step, even a stumbling one.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
[attempting to have as much faith in my own life as I do in my batiks…]
"You make beautiful things,
You make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things,
You make beautiful things out of us."
Gungor
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
I'm alive! I promise!
It sure has been a while since this baby has gotten some attention! I wish I had a better reason for not blogging, but the best I can come up with is I’ve been kind of lazy and didn’t really know what to say. I get that way sometimes.
Since my last blog I have:
1. Spent a week in Greece for Spring Break.
2. Hugged my mom!!
3. Gone to Venice (again).
4. Spent a day hopping from Sienna to a little farmhouse in the Chianti countryside to San Gimignano to Pisa with my Mom and Rob. What a day!
5. Had gelato at the World Champion gelateria (there really is a world championship and they really did win it!).
6. Climbed the Duomo (why did I wait so long to do that?).
7. Spent multiple afternoons lying in the Boboli Gardens at Palazzo Pitti.
8. Finished two books and started three.
9. Said “I want Bojangle’s!” approximately 1000 times.
10. Gone running, gotten shin splints, started running again.
Greece was probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen for a significant amount of time. We spent about three days on the island of Corfu, where we relaxed, went on a cruise around the island, and went four-wheeling. The ATV tour was, no doubt, the best part of that leg of the trip. We were riding around for about six hours in a group of four-wheelers and saw so much of the island. Creation is truly incredible. It was all fun and games until a girl accidentally went off a cliff….and then it was just funny! No worries, she was perfectly fine. She managed to jump off before her four-wheeler made its fall. Even it was fixable after they finally got it back up. I don’t know which state gave her that driver’s license, but they should seriously re-think it.
After Corfu, we made our way to Athens with our bus driver, Socrates, who must have smoked at least two packs of cigarettes a day. We drove all night (including a two-hour ferry ride) and woke up to Socrates on the bus intercom saying “Heeey ladiesss” in the raspiest voice I’ve ever heard—someone should get that guy a new lung. Alas, we made it to Athens and got to spend some time at the Acropolis, check out some museums, walk around the temple of Zeus, and eat some incredible food. The Greek yogurt was, not surprisingly, the best I’ve ever had. My [tall, dark and handsome] yogurt guy topped mine off with honey, walnuts, and a banana. I hope they serve that in heaven!
When my Mom and Rob got to Florence last week, I was so excited to show them all my favorite places in town. There are a couple places we never made it to, like San Miniato and the oldest pharmacy in Florence, but they loved this place as much as I do! We also got to go to Venice for a day and took that crazy day trip I mentioned before. We couldn’t decide which was our favorite place. They were all incredible! Mom and Rob say they’re “cashing in” and buying their own fixer-upper out in the hills of Chianti. I will be more than happy to visit you, Mom!
I met so many lovely people while Mom and Rob were here. I don’t normally go out of my way to be friendly to the waiters or the men in the marketplace, because they easily confuse simple conversation with flirting. [No boys, being nice is not an open invitation to harass the American girls.] With Rob around, though, I got to learn a lot about the people we came across. There was Sahid, one of our waiters, who moved to Italy from Pakistan and speaks three languages. He drew a map on one of our placemats to show us where he’s from and wrote out his name in Arabic. At the same restaurant, we met Igor, from Russia. He and Rob hit it off because Rob has been learning Russian from his friend Nadia, back home. Igor also drew us a map of his country and took this picture with us:
Okay, Igor! Don't get too snuggly with me! (hahaha)
Another new friend is Christian, who sold Rob this pretty sweet hat.
We found out that he is, indeed, a Christian man. We look forward to meeting him again one day.
Now that Mom and Rob are gone, it’s back to work for me! We only have a couple weeks until student exhibitions start. I’ve got a batik that is halfway finished and a ring or two left to make. My final project for photography is, so far, nothing. How can I possibly spend my time inside working when I’m in Florence and it’s so beautiful outside?! Here are a couple things I have managed to make myself work on…
Silk scarf, made using a Shibori pole-wrapping technique.
A batik after the first dye…
I waxed more and dyed it again…
This is after the third dye. Now, I’ve taken all the wax off and am going to be dying a couple more times with warm colors (it’s a long process)...
Silver ring.
I have plenty more work to show for this semester, but that's a little sample. To family and friends who actually look for my blogs, I’m so sorry I haven’t been posting and I promise to post again soon!
Until then, happy springtime!
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.”
Lamentations 3:22-25
Since my last blog I have:
1. Spent a week in Greece for Spring Break.
2. Hugged my mom!!
3. Gone to Venice (again).
4. Spent a day hopping from Sienna to a little farmhouse in the Chianti countryside to San Gimignano to Pisa with my Mom and Rob. What a day!
5. Had gelato at the World Champion gelateria (there really is a world championship and they really did win it!).
6. Climbed the Duomo (why did I wait so long to do that?).
7. Spent multiple afternoons lying in the Boboli Gardens at Palazzo Pitti.
8. Finished two books and started three.
9. Said “I want Bojangle’s!” approximately 1000 times.
10. Gone running, gotten shin splints, started running again.
Greece was probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen for a significant amount of time. We spent about three days on the island of Corfu, where we relaxed, went on a cruise around the island, and went four-wheeling. The ATV tour was, no doubt, the best part of that leg of the trip. We were riding around for about six hours in a group of four-wheelers and saw so much of the island. Creation is truly incredible. It was all fun and games until a girl accidentally went off a cliff….and then it was just funny! No worries, she was perfectly fine. She managed to jump off before her four-wheeler made its fall. Even it was fixable after they finally got it back up. I don’t know which state gave her that driver’s license, but they should seriously re-think it.
After Corfu, we made our way to Athens with our bus driver, Socrates, who must have smoked at least two packs of cigarettes a day. We drove all night (including a two-hour ferry ride) and woke up to Socrates on the bus intercom saying “Heeey ladiesss” in the raspiest voice I’ve ever heard—someone should get that guy a new lung. Alas, we made it to Athens and got to spend some time at the Acropolis, check out some museums, walk around the temple of Zeus, and eat some incredible food. The Greek yogurt was, not surprisingly, the best I’ve ever had. My [tall, dark and handsome] yogurt guy topped mine off with honey, walnuts, and a banana. I hope they serve that in heaven!
When my Mom and Rob got to Florence last week, I was so excited to show them all my favorite places in town. There are a couple places we never made it to, like San Miniato and the oldest pharmacy in Florence, but they loved this place as much as I do! We also got to go to Venice for a day and took that crazy day trip I mentioned before. We couldn’t decide which was our favorite place. They were all incredible! Mom and Rob say they’re “cashing in” and buying their own fixer-upper out in the hills of Chianti. I will be more than happy to visit you, Mom!
I met so many lovely people while Mom and Rob were here. I don’t normally go out of my way to be friendly to the waiters or the men in the marketplace, because they easily confuse simple conversation with flirting. [No boys, being nice is not an open invitation to harass the American girls.] With Rob around, though, I got to learn a lot about the people we came across. There was Sahid, one of our waiters, who moved to Italy from Pakistan and speaks three languages. He drew a map on one of our placemats to show us where he’s from and wrote out his name in Arabic. At the same restaurant, we met Igor, from Russia. He and Rob hit it off because Rob has been learning Russian from his friend Nadia, back home. Igor also drew us a map of his country and took this picture with us:
Okay, Igor! Don't get too snuggly with me! (hahaha)
Another new friend is Christian, who sold Rob this pretty sweet hat.
We found out that he is, indeed, a Christian man. We look forward to meeting him again one day.
Now that Mom and Rob are gone, it’s back to work for me! We only have a couple weeks until student exhibitions start. I’ve got a batik that is halfway finished and a ring or two left to make. My final project for photography is, so far, nothing. How can I possibly spend my time inside working when I’m in Florence and it’s so beautiful outside?! Here are a couple things I have managed to make myself work on…
Silk scarf, made using a Shibori pole-wrapping technique.
A batik after the first dye…
I waxed more and dyed it again…
This is after the third dye. Now, I’ve taken all the wax off and am going to be dying a couple more times with warm colors (it’s a long process)...
Silver ring.
I have plenty more work to show for this semester, but that's a little sample. To family and friends who actually look for my blogs, I’m so sorry I haven’t been posting and I promise to post again soon!
Until then, happy springtime!
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.”
Lamentations 3:22-25
Monday, February 27, 2012
"We'll always have Paris."
We left last Thursday afternoon and I, personally, was not mentally prepared for what was about to happen. Before I knew it, I was in a plane, then landing, then being dropped off by a bus in the middle of Paris. If there’s anything that’s being drilled into my brain here, it’s how incredibly blessed I am.
Sorry to do this in list form, again, but I don’t want to end up writing a book here. Paris trip highlights:
1. The Eiffel Tower – Climbed up to the second level (the very top was closed). Paris is a beautiful city and that tower did not disappoint.
2. The Louvre – Wonderful. I only wish that we’d had more time. Thoughts on seeing the Mona Lisa: not that exciting. It wasn’t surprising at all. I was more impressed with other things, like how huge Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa was!!
3. Musee d’Orsay – More exciting than the Louvre, to me. Monet, Manet, Degas, Van Gogh, Serat, etc. My favorite piece: Degas’ “Little Dancer of Fourteen Years.” She was lovely.
4. Notre Dame – Impressive, beautiful, ruined by tourists.
5. Arc de Triomphe -- I loved it! Why does man try so hard, though, to impress? Nothing I saw in Paris was as beautiful as the sunset I saw on the plane home.
6. Food: Had a chocolate éclair. Yums! Also, spent fourty-five minutes searcing for crepes, finally found some, paid four euro for one, got back to the hostel and found out they had free crepes every afternoon. Typical.
Overall, Paris might be my favorite of the places I’ve traveled to so far. The city is so incredibly beautiful – the architecture, the people. I had heard so much from people about how rude French people can be and how I wasn’t going to like their attitude. I found this to be entirely false. The first French person we talked to, a girl we stopped to ask if she knew how to get to our hostel, immediately pulled out her iPhone and used her gps to help us get there. She was so sweet and welcoming. Then, when we got to the hostel around midnight and hadn’t had dinner, we walked to a restaurant down the street where we were incredibly surprised by the hospitality. Alex, Kim, Kristen and I were looking at the outside menu to see what they had (this was the only place we could find that was open) when a woman came out and told us the kitchen was closed. We asked her if there was anywhere we could find food at that hour and, after thinking for a minute, she told us to come in and she would make us something. She fixed us each a little salad and a huge piece of bread with egg, ham, and cheese. We were so surprised by how wonderfully sweet she was and could not thank her enough for helping out a few American tourists. Seriously, guys, French people are amazing. They are very different people, but aren’t we all?
Still, I don’t think anything will top Florence. No matter how amazing these big, crazy cities are, I think I will always be happy to come home to Firenze.
On another subject, I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately and it’s truly changing my heart. It has been really hard for me, in the past few years, to give myself time to sit down and be present inside of a book. Part of that reading includes scripture and things related to my faith. It’s incredible the way increasing your intake of the word increases your joy (Delight yourself in the Lord – Psalm 37:4). Even when I don’t find immediate joy, I almost always find peace.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it.
Amos 8:11-12
John Piper says, “If the feast of worship is rare in the land, it is because there is a famine of the Word of God.” True.
Sorry to do this in list form, again, but I don’t want to end up writing a book here. Paris trip highlights:
1. The Eiffel Tower – Climbed up to the second level (the very top was closed). Paris is a beautiful city and that tower did not disappoint.
2. The Louvre – Wonderful. I only wish that we’d had more time. Thoughts on seeing the Mona Lisa: not that exciting. It wasn’t surprising at all. I was more impressed with other things, like how huge Gericault’s Raft of the Medusa was!!
3. Musee d’Orsay – More exciting than the Louvre, to me. Monet, Manet, Degas, Van Gogh, Serat, etc. My favorite piece: Degas’ “Little Dancer of Fourteen Years.” She was lovely.
4. Notre Dame – Impressive, beautiful, ruined by tourists.
5. Arc de Triomphe -- I loved it! Why does man try so hard, though, to impress? Nothing I saw in Paris was as beautiful as the sunset I saw on the plane home.
6. Food: Had a chocolate éclair. Yums! Also, spent fourty-five minutes searcing for crepes, finally found some, paid four euro for one, got back to the hostel and found out they had free crepes every afternoon. Typical.
Overall, Paris might be my favorite of the places I’ve traveled to so far. The city is so incredibly beautiful – the architecture, the people. I had heard so much from people about how rude French people can be and how I wasn’t going to like their attitude. I found this to be entirely false. The first French person we talked to, a girl we stopped to ask if she knew how to get to our hostel, immediately pulled out her iPhone and used her gps to help us get there. She was so sweet and welcoming. Then, when we got to the hostel around midnight and hadn’t had dinner, we walked to a restaurant down the street where we were incredibly surprised by the hospitality. Alex, Kim, Kristen and I were looking at the outside menu to see what they had (this was the only place we could find that was open) when a woman came out and told us the kitchen was closed. We asked her if there was anywhere we could find food at that hour and, after thinking for a minute, she told us to come in and she would make us something. She fixed us each a little salad and a huge piece of bread with egg, ham, and cheese. We were so surprised by how wonderfully sweet she was and could not thank her enough for helping out a few American tourists. Seriously, guys, French people are amazing. They are very different people, but aren’t we all?
Still, I don’t think anything will top Florence. No matter how amazing these big, crazy cities are, I think I will always be happy to come home to Firenze.
On another subject, I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately and it’s truly changing my heart. It has been really hard for me, in the past few years, to give myself time to sit down and be present inside of a book. Part of that reading includes scripture and things related to my faith. It’s incredible the way increasing your intake of the word increases your joy (Delight yourself in the Lord – Psalm 37:4). Even when I don’t find immediate joy, I almost always find peace.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it.
Amos 8:11-12
John Piper says, “If the feast of worship is rare in the land, it is because there is a famine of the Word of God.” True.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Roma! Roma!
This weekend, I went to Rome with my roommates and stayed with our bud Shelby, who is studying there for the semester. It was such a blessing to have her as our personal city guide and to have a free place to stay…thank you so much Shelby! I love you!
Honestly, I could go on for a long time about what happened/what we saw/what we did in Rome. Lists are easier…here are my Rome highlights:
1. The train ride!! The ride from Firenze to Roma was beautiful and so relaxing. I would do it again just for the ride.
2. Supli. If you didn’t know, traditional Roman food includes a lot of fried goodies. Supli are little fried rice balls with tomato sauce and cheese that are dipped in raw eggs, covered in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. Not exactly healthy, but delicious.
3. Pantheon, Four Rivers Fountain, the Roman Forum, Vittorio Emanuele, Colosseum, etc.
4. The Roman bus system. Not incredibly reliable, if you ask me, but definitely an adventure.
5. The Vatican. Alex and I went by ourselves to the Vatican Museum and saw the things you have to see: the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael rooms, the tapestries, etc. Everywhere we looked, it was beautiful. Unfortunately, the insane amount of people that were crammed in that place made it almost hard to enjoy those things.
6. Trevi Fountain. My favorite part! I’m not really sure why I liked it so much, but it was kind of magical at night. I threw in a couple coins, including an extra that I promised for a friend. I guess that means I’m going back to Rome!
7. Gelato. Oh. My. Goodness. The amount of gelato I got for 2 Euro at this place by the Vatican blew my mind. It was probably sinful to eat that much gelato at one time, but I did. Twice. Three flavors in fantastic cone. We walked over and finished devouring our gelato in St. Peter’s Square. Does it get any better?
8. [Speaking of that…] St. Peter’s. We never made it in to St. Peter’s Basilica because there was a lot going on there this weekend. On Saturday, the Basilica was closed because new Cardinals were being inaugurated. (we watched that happen while we ate our gelato). We did go back to St. Peter’s Square twice, though. On Sunday, Alex and I saw some of the morning service on the big screens in the Square. After the service was over, the Pope popped out of a window and blessed the crowd! I’m not Catholic, but it was still a great experience.
9. Missing our train. The bus system let us down and, after waiting for our bus to show up for over twenty minutes, we finally got on and made it to the train station. Thanks to the delay, however, we missed our train. This was after running—bags in hand—through the train station to the furthest possible track (no exaggeration) that the station has. We realized later, though, that it was kind of a blessing in disguise. In the rush, there’s no way we would have remembered to validate our tickets before getting on the train. If we had made it, we would have each had to pay 60 Euro fines! In the end, we made it home to Florence safely a few hours later.
After a weekend in Rome [which is incredibly beautiful, don’t get me wrong], coming back to Florence really was like coming home. I actually missed it while we were gone. Looking back on my first day here—the exhaustion, the overwhelming feeling of being lost, the confusion about where to buy food, the realization that I was pretty much alone in another country—it is strange to see how much things have changed. The city that I was once so afraid of is now a place that I think of as home. Even though I miss so many people back in the US, I do love it here. It took a long weekend away to realize that.
“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” Genesis 28:15
Honestly, I could go on for a long time about what happened/what we saw/what we did in Rome. Lists are easier…here are my Rome highlights:
1. The train ride!! The ride from Firenze to Roma was beautiful and so relaxing. I would do it again just for the ride.
2. Supli. If you didn’t know, traditional Roman food includes a lot of fried goodies. Supli are little fried rice balls with tomato sauce and cheese that are dipped in raw eggs, covered in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. Not exactly healthy, but delicious.
3. Pantheon, Four Rivers Fountain, the Roman Forum, Vittorio Emanuele, Colosseum, etc.
4. The Roman bus system. Not incredibly reliable, if you ask me, but definitely an adventure.
5. The Vatican. Alex and I went by ourselves to the Vatican Museum and saw the things you have to see: the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael rooms, the tapestries, etc. Everywhere we looked, it was beautiful. Unfortunately, the insane amount of people that were crammed in that place made it almost hard to enjoy those things.
6. Trevi Fountain. My favorite part! I’m not really sure why I liked it so much, but it was kind of magical at night. I threw in a couple coins, including an extra that I promised for a friend. I guess that means I’m going back to Rome!
7. Gelato. Oh. My. Goodness. The amount of gelato I got for 2 Euro at this place by the Vatican blew my mind. It was probably sinful to eat that much gelato at one time, but I did. Twice. Three flavors in fantastic cone. We walked over and finished devouring our gelato in St. Peter’s Square. Does it get any better?
8. [Speaking of that…] St. Peter’s. We never made it in to St. Peter’s Basilica because there was a lot going on there this weekend. On Saturday, the Basilica was closed because new Cardinals were being inaugurated. (we watched that happen while we ate our gelato). We did go back to St. Peter’s Square twice, though. On Sunday, Alex and I saw some of the morning service on the big screens in the Square. After the service was over, the Pope popped out of a window and blessed the crowd! I’m not Catholic, but it was still a great experience.
9. Missing our train. The bus system let us down and, after waiting for our bus to show up for over twenty minutes, we finally got on and made it to the train station. Thanks to the delay, however, we missed our train. This was after running—bags in hand—through the train station to the furthest possible track (no exaggeration) that the station has. We realized later, though, that it was kind of a blessing in disguise. In the rush, there’s no way we would have remembered to validate our tickets before getting on the train. If we had made it, we would have each had to pay 60 Euro fines! In the end, we made it home to Florence safely a few hours later.
After a weekend in Rome [which is incredibly beautiful, don’t get me wrong], coming back to Florence really was like coming home. I actually missed it while we were gone. Looking back on my first day here—the exhaustion, the overwhelming feeling of being lost, the confusion about where to buy food, the realization that I was pretty much alone in another country—it is strange to see how much things have changed. The city that I was once so afraid of is now a place that I think of as home. Even though I miss so many people back in the US, I do love it here. It took a long weekend away to realize that.
“And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” Genesis 28:15
Monday, February 13, 2012
Carnevale di Venezia
Saturday was crazy.
Carnevale is happening in Venice, right now, and that’s where I spent a very long, cold, wonderful Saturday with friends. We left at 9am Saturday morning on a bus with a bunch of other college students who were headed to the same place. After three hours of driving through more snow than I have ever seen in my life (no sarcasm there), we hopped off the bus and onto a waterbus to Venice! Kim, Kristen, Jeanne, Alex, Madison and I spent a good hour hopping from waterbus to water bus to get to Murano, one of the Venetian islands that’s famous for its beautiful glass. Of course, I bought some glass. Nothing too crazy…just a pair of earrings and a glass ring. The woman who I bought my ring from was so beautiful! She was telling us about her shop and how her family has lived in Murano, making glass pieces for over a hundred years [at least I think that’s what she said]. Their work was incredible.
We ate lunch while we were at Murano—it was honestly such a blessing to be able to just sit down inside and eat something warm. I don’t remember ever feeling as cold as I felt before we had that lunch. After Murano, we went back to the main island and found the Carnevale! The costumes we saw were amazing and I, of course, bought a mask so I could join the fun! We walked around the city for a few hours, just stopping in little shops to look at glass and masks and grabbing warm drinks. We found a place that had vino caldo [hot, mulled wine], which was so good! Everywhere we went, there were little bands playing on the corners [singing in Italian, just like you would imagine] and people dancing in their costumes.
In San Marco Square, there was actually a lot of American music playing. We’re talking Michael Jackson and The Beatles. Everyone, including the six of us, was dancing and singing and laughing with each other. Such a great time! Can I go back now?
One of my favorite parts of the day, though, was the waterbus ride back to our bus at the end of the night. Even though it was freezing, the six of us girls and a few other people sat out on the back of the boat and just took in the city. The lights on the water at night were beautiful and we could see inside all of the little buildings and apartments we passed. We actually went past a Carnivale Ball that was going on at one of the palaces. There were fire dancers out by the docks, where people were getting out of their boats in huge dresses, beautiful suits, and masks. I would love to go to one of those balls before I die.
After a good twenty minutes of sitting on the back of the boat, everyone got cold and went inside the boat. I sat out there by myself, though, and just enjoyed the silence. I thought about my buddy Nicholas, who I knew was in the middle of the second baseball game of his college career, and sent him all my good thoughts and prayers. Then I just told God how grateful I was for those quiet minutes and the beautiful canals and the amazing things he has equipped his people to build—in that city and everywhere. People are incredible. We may be sinful and dirty and make tons of mistakes, but if I’ve learned anything from this country, it’s that people can also do incredible things. We are capable of so much, both good and bad.
Thank you to my family for supporting me financially, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m so thankful to be here and to have been raised by such amazing people. Love you all. Mean it.
I’m off to an open drawing session! Happy Monday, everyone!
Carnevale is happening in Venice, right now, and that’s where I spent a very long, cold, wonderful Saturday with friends. We left at 9am Saturday morning on a bus with a bunch of other college students who were headed to the same place. After three hours of driving through more snow than I have ever seen in my life (no sarcasm there), we hopped off the bus and onto a waterbus to Venice! Kim, Kristen, Jeanne, Alex, Madison and I spent a good hour hopping from waterbus to water bus to get to Murano, one of the Venetian islands that’s famous for its beautiful glass. Of course, I bought some glass. Nothing too crazy…just a pair of earrings and a glass ring. The woman who I bought my ring from was so beautiful! She was telling us about her shop and how her family has lived in Murano, making glass pieces for over a hundred years [at least I think that’s what she said]. Their work was incredible.
We ate lunch while we were at Murano—it was honestly such a blessing to be able to just sit down inside and eat something warm. I don’t remember ever feeling as cold as I felt before we had that lunch. After Murano, we went back to the main island and found the Carnevale! The costumes we saw were amazing and I, of course, bought a mask so I could join the fun! We walked around the city for a few hours, just stopping in little shops to look at glass and masks and grabbing warm drinks. We found a place that had vino caldo [hot, mulled wine], which was so good! Everywhere we went, there were little bands playing on the corners [singing in Italian, just like you would imagine] and people dancing in their costumes.
In San Marco Square, there was actually a lot of American music playing. We’re talking Michael Jackson and The Beatles. Everyone, including the six of us, was dancing and singing and laughing with each other. Such a great time! Can I go back now?
One of my favorite parts of the day, though, was the waterbus ride back to our bus at the end of the night. Even though it was freezing, the six of us girls and a few other people sat out on the back of the boat and just took in the city. The lights on the water at night were beautiful and we could see inside all of the little buildings and apartments we passed. We actually went past a Carnivale Ball that was going on at one of the palaces. There were fire dancers out by the docks, where people were getting out of their boats in huge dresses, beautiful suits, and masks. I would love to go to one of those balls before I die.
After a good twenty minutes of sitting on the back of the boat, everyone got cold and went inside the boat. I sat out there by myself, though, and just enjoyed the silence. I thought about my buddy Nicholas, who I knew was in the middle of the second baseball game of his college career, and sent him all my good thoughts and prayers. Then I just told God how grateful I was for those quiet minutes and the beautiful canals and the amazing things he has equipped his people to build—in that city and everywhere. People are incredible. We may be sinful and dirty and make tons of mistakes, but if I’ve learned anything from this country, it’s that people can also do incredible things. We are capable of so much, both good and bad.
Thank you to my family for supporting me financially, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m so thankful to be here and to have been raised by such amazing people. Love you all. Mean it.
I’m off to an open drawing session! Happy Monday, everyone!
Monday, February 6, 2012
"The end of our search"
Reasons to be happy [since my last post]:
1. Taco Tuesday in my apartment. (It was epic…the food was wiped out in fifteen minutes)
2. Videos featuring Nigel Thornberry on YouTube.
3. New lipstick.
4. Hot tea.
5. Finally heard back from a contact about an internship…say a prayer for that one! I’m really hoping for it.
6. Maple and brown sugar oatmeal sent to me from home!!
7. Anna Johnson—a beautiful, loving friend who has been so good to me this week.
8. My spring break trip is officially booked. Corfu Island, Greece, here I come!
9. Almost finished with a jewelry piece that I’m actually proud of!
10. Got an email from my poetry professor asking if she could feature one of my audio pieces on the Apogee website (Apogee is HPU’s literary magazine).
11. Super Bowl party! It was such a late night, but worth it.
12. Received a letter from my Granny! She’s the best.
13. Cappuccinos (always)
14. CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL STARTS NEXT WEEK. It will be, conveniently, right around the corner from my apartment. This is real life.
I haven’t blogged in a few days, mostly because I haven’t had much to say. It’s strange how things have become normal here. I’m not sure if that is good or bad, but things that I used to be excited about are just everyday life now. On one hand, I feel extremely blessed. On the other hand, I think I might be beginning to take things for granted.
I’m reading a book by John Piper right now called, "Desiring God". Sometimes, it’s not an extraordinarily fun read, but I’m enjoying Piper’s ideas/reflections. Yesterday, I re-read a part that had kind of been sticking out in my head for the past few days. The quick and dirty version of what he says in this chapter is that God “is the end of our search, not the means to some further end.” Sometimes, I start to think of God as a instrument for getting what I want [Does everyone do that sometimes?]. After all, he does say “Delight thyself also in the LORD and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” The hard part of that, surprisingly, is the part about delighting in the Lord. I guess the point [not a new point, but one that's hard to remember] is that when we delight in the Lord, He becomes the desire of our hearts. He isn’t a means for receiving the joy and love [or whatever] we want, He is that joy and love that we want—complete fulfillment of our desires.
Why is that so difficult sometimes?
On a different note, I am falling madly in love with cooking. Here’s a taste of what’s been happening in my kitchen lately:
1. Eggplant Parmesan
2. Parmesan baked tomatoes
3. Stuffed bell peppers (most of the credit goes to Alex for that one)
4. Stuffed Zucchini (we had more stuffing than peppers, so of all our vegetables got stuffed)
5. Bruschetta
6. Quite a few variations of pasta with pesto or pomodoro
7. Stir fried veggies with pineapple and curry
8. Mushroom and mozzarella panini
Tonight, I fixed baked eggplant with pasta...
Something about cooking makes me so happy. I think it’s either that the kitchen gets warm and I don’t have to walk around in a blanket anymore or that I love being creative with what’s around the kitchen and making something good with my own hands. If there’s any American food that I’m craving, though, it’s wings. I could really go for a big plate of hot wings from Waldo’s in Winston-Salem…with some ranch on the side…mm mmm!
Who’s hungry?
1. Taco Tuesday in my apartment. (It was epic…the food was wiped out in fifteen minutes)
2. Videos featuring Nigel Thornberry on YouTube.
3. New lipstick.
4. Hot tea.
5. Finally heard back from a contact about an internship…say a prayer for that one! I’m really hoping for it.
6. Maple and brown sugar oatmeal sent to me from home!!
7. Anna Johnson—a beautiful, loving friend who has been so good to me this week.
8. My spring break trip is officially booked. Corfu Island, Greece, here I come!
9. Almost finished with a jewelry piece that I’m actually proud of!
10. Got an email from my poetry professor asking if she could feature one of my audio pieces on the Apogee website (Apogee is HPU’s literary magazine).
11. Super Bowl party! It was such a late night, but worth it.
12. Received a letter from my Granny! She’s the best.
13. Cappuccinos (always)
14. CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL STARTS NEXT WEEK. It will be, conveniently, right around the corner from my apartment. This is real life.
I haven’t blogged in a few days, mostly because I haven’t had much to say. It’s strange how things have become normal here. I’m not sure if that is good or bad, but things that I used to be excited about are just everyday life now. On one hand, I feel extremely blessed. On the other hand, I think I might be beginning to take things for granted.
I’m reading a book by John Piper right now called, "Desiring God". Sometimes, it’s not an extraordinarily fun read, but I’m enjoying Piper’s ideas/reflections. Yesterday, I re-read a part that had kind of been sticking out in my head for the past few days. The quick and dirty version of what he says in this chapter is that God “is the end of our search, not the means to some further end.” Sometimes, I start to think of God as a instrument for getting what I want [Does everyone do that sometimes?]. After all, he does say “Delight thyself also in the LORD and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” The hard part of that, surprisingly, is the part about delighting in the Lord. I guess the point [not a new point, but one that's hard to remember] is that when we delight in the Lord, He becomes the desire of our hearts. He isn’t a means for receiving the joy and love [or whatever] we want, He is that joy and love that we want—complete fulfillment of our desires.
Why is that so difficult sometimes?
On a different note, I am falling madly in love with cooking. Here’s a taste of what’s been happening in my kitchen lately:
1. Eggplant Parmesan
2. Parmesan baked tomatoes
3. Stuffed bell peppers (most of the credit goes to Alex for that one)
4. Stuffed Zucchini (we had more stuffing than peppers, so of all our vegetables got stuffed)
5. Bruschetta
6. Quite a few variations of pasta with pesto or pomodoro
7. Stir fried veggies with pineapple and curry
8. Mushroom and mozzarella panini
Tonight, I fixed baked eggplant with pasta...
Something about cooking makes me so happy. I think it’s either that the kitchen gets warm and I don’t have to walk around in a blanket anymore or that I love being creative with what’s around the kitchen and making something good with my own hands. If there’s any American food that I’m craving, though, it’s wings. I could really go for a big plate of hot wings from Waldo’s in Winston-Salem…with some ranch on the side…mm mmm!
Who’s hungry?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Making Mud Pies
Things I’ve done since my last post:
1. Went to yoga class.
2. Made the hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo, where you can find some of the most beautiful views of Florence. Favorite part: Views. Second favorite part: Asian weddings on the side of the hill. Least favorite part: Man peeing in the bushes beside the path.
3. Eaten the most beautiful, wonderful pizza I’ve ever had. It was called O’Vesuvio (which happens to be the name of the restaurant) and, besides the regular stuff, it had hot sauce on it. That’s what I’m talking about.
4. Had multiple cappucinos in one day.
5. Spent Saturday night out on the town with my girlfriends!
6. Went to yoga, again (I am so sore, in a good way).
7. Cooked French toast with my roommates. We smothered it in strawberries and bananas. I may or may not have heated up Nutella and drizzled it on a couple pieces. (How have I not gained weight?)
8. Finished reading "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." If you haven’t read it, you should. Now is a good time.
9. Had a cheeseburger and fries, which kind of made me feel like I broke some Italian law.
10. Received two packages from my Mom and Rob. Big smile on my face!!
11. Finished my first Batik project! I will post a picture when my silk gets back from the dry cleaner’s.
12. Had more cappuccinos…and tiramisu…
I know I sound like the most unhealthy eater in the world, but aside from the cappuccino overload and the occasional Nutella splurge (ok, it might be a little more than occasional), I eat a lot better than I did at home. I cook all the time and eat a lot of fruits and veggies. Like I’ve said before, the produce here is amazing. I don’t know why anyone would choose to eat out all the time when you can get the most amazing oranges, apples, grapefruits, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplants at the open markets for so cheap. I don’t want to ever go back to American food.
One of my favorite things about my classes here is that I have so much freedom. My classes last longer than at home, but we have so much less work outside of class. That means that I have more time for myself and for exploring with friends. Sometimes, I get to just sit by the window in my favorite bar, drinking a cappuccino and reading a good book. Italians seem to value their time more than Americans. They know that there is a time for work, and their work is really important to them, but they also understand that life is short and we need time to live. Yes, we have to work hard, make money, and keep the world turning, but we also have to nurture our relationships with the people we love. We have to have time to take a walk by the river and cook a good meal for friends and each other's hands.
We have to have time to be quiet.
Today, while I was being quiet, I read this:
“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – C.S. Lewis
Maybe the reason we live our lives so up and down is because we find our happiness in things that are too small to sustain us. Sometimes, I'm not sure that I know how to search for God. I can say “I love...I trust...I believe…I want…” but I’m not sure that I’m always telling the truth. I can read and study the word for hours and not feel fulfilled. So, how do I find happiness in this big thing while I watch so many people find immediate pleasure in little things? How do I find fulfillment when I can’t see past aching desires for things that are not good enough? How do I desire something I will never fully understand above all the wonderful things that I can easily understand?
Even when I stand beside the most beautiful mountains, sit under the bluest sky and take in the vastness of the creation we’ve been given, God begs me to want more—more Him.
Why is that so hard?
1. Went to yoga class.
2. Made the hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo, where you can find some of the most beautiful views of Florence. Favorite part: Views. Second favorite part: Asian weddings on the side of the hill. Least favorite part: Man peeing in the bushes beside the path.
3. Eaten the most beautiful, wonderful pizza I’ve ever had. It was called O’Vesuvio (which happens to be the name of the restaurant) and, besides the regular stuff, it had hot sauce on it. That’s what I’m talking about.
4. Had multiple cappucinos in one day.
5. Spent Saturday night out on the town with my girlfriends!
6. Went to yoga, again (I am so sore, in a good way).
7. Cooked French toast with my roommates. We smothered it in strawberries and bananas. I may or may not have heated up Nutella and drizzled it on a couple pieces. (How have I not gained weight?)
8. Finished reading "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." If you haven’t read it, you should. Now is a good time.
9. Had a cheeseburger and fries, which kind of made me feel like I broke some Italian law.
10. Received two packages from my Mom and Rob. Big smile on my face!!
11. Finished my first Batik project! I will post a picture when my silk gets back from the dry cleaner’s.
12. Had more cappuccinos…and tiramisu…
I know I sound like the most unhealthy eater in the world, but aside from the cappuccino overload and the occasional Nutella splurge (ok, it might be a little more than occasional), I eat a lot better than I did at home. I cook all the time and eat a lot of fruits and veggies. Like I’ve said before, the produce here is amazing. I don’t know why anyone would choose to eat out all the time when you can get the most amazing oranges, apples, grapefruits, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplants at the open markets for so cheap. I don’t want to ever go back to American food.
One of my favorite things about my classes here is that I have so much freedom. My classes last longer than at home, but we have so much less work outside of class. That means that I have more time for myself and for exploring with friends. Sometimes, I get to just sit by the window in my favorite bar, drinking a cappuccino and reading a good book. Italians seem to value their time more than Americans. They know that there is a time for work, and their work is really important to them, but they also understand that life is short and we need time to live. Yes, we have to work hard, make money, and keep the world turning, but we also have to nurture our relationships with the people we love. We have to have time to take a walk by the river and cook a good meal for friends and each other's hands.
We have to have time to be quiet.
Today, while I was being quiet, I read this:
“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – C.S. Lewis
Maybe the reason we live our lives so up and down is because we find our happiness in things that are too small to sustain us. Sometimes, I'm not sure that I know how to search for God. I can say “I love...I trust...I believe…I want…” but I’m not sure that I’m always telling the truth. I can read and study the word for hours and not feel fulfilled. So, how do I find happiness in this big thing while I watch so many people find immediate pleasure in little things? How do I find fulfillment when I can’t see past aching desires for things that are not good enough? How do I desire something I will never fully understand above all the wonderful things that I can easily understand?
Even when I stand beside the most beautiful mountains, sit under the bluest sky and take in the vastness of the creation we’ve been given, God begs me to want more—more Him.
Why is that so hard?
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Accademia
On the first day of my eleventh grade English class, my beautiful teacher, Mrs. Kathy Hayes, stood up on a chair and screamed, "Words! Words, Ladies! Words!" She was reenacting the first day of one of her English classes at Meredith college, in which her professor yelled at her students the same way. To be honest, I don't remember anything she said after that, but I do remember understanding exactly what she meant. Of course. Words.
If you’ve been close to me in the past year, you know that I like poetry. I’ve found that its power is not necessarily in the final piece of paper, or how the words cover the page in neat, typed up, printed completeness. It is not perfectly manicured and coherent like prose. Poetry is not about completeness. It is about how each word relates to the ones around it. I learned from Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Jorie Graham, that poetry is about letting each word and image come and go, making us fully present in the moment of reading. It is not some definitive meaning that comes at the end. It needs very little explanation. Poetry tries to reveal everything about the moment it lives in.
Today, my drawing professor, John Taylor, took a group of us to the Accademia to draw Michelangelo's David. As expected, it was more impressive in person than in any photo I've seen [more impressive than the replica in front of Palazzo Vecchio, which I walk by every day]. As I worked through my first gesture, I got an even better idea of how lovely his lines are, standing calmly contrapposto, hips swung, almost unconcerned by the giant in front of him.
After a few sketches, John took us back down the open hall to look at some unfinished pieces by Michelangelo. David seems to watch over them. Standing beside the furthest one, he said, "Now look back at the David." We looked. "It's impressive, yes. But this [gesturing to the unfinished piece], this unfinished man, pushing outward, not yet born--this is poetry." Once again, I knew exactly what he meant.
[Note: For full effect, anything said by John must be read in a British accent]
Now, some of you are laughing right now because the scene I just described sounds too much like the far too typical mush of obnoxious, artist jibber-jabber. If I hadn't been so taken by it, I would probably be laughing along with you. Maybe it was the accent...
What he meant was that it wasn't the figure's perfection that was beautiful. This piece, unfinished, certainly wasn't perfect. What was so beautiful about it was its possibility--the fact that it wasn't finished--the fact that you can still see Michelangelo moving around the marble, pushing further and further backwards until this man starts to find his way out of the block.
None of this really matters. It’s probably starting to sound like that mushy stuff I mentioned before. I just wanted to say that being unfinished or fragmented or disjointed is more powerful than being a perfect piece of prose. It is more powerful than being a shiny, finished piece of marble that will never be changed again.
I just wanted to say that I’ve never been so glad that I, too, am unfinished.
-----------------------
“Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
If you’ve been close to me in the past year, you know that I like poetry. I’ve found that its power is not necessarily in the final piece of paper, or how the words cover the page in neat, typed up, printed completeness. It is not perfectly manicured and coherent like prose. Poetry is not about completeness. It is about how each word relates to the ones around it. I learned from Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Jorie Graham, that poetry is about letting each word and image come and go, making us fully present in the moment of reading. It is not some definitive meaning that comes at the end. It needs very little explanation. Poetry tries to reveal everything about the moment it lives in.
Today, my drawing professor, John Taylor, took a group of us to the Accademia to draw Michelangelo's David. As expected, it was more impressive in person than in any photo I've seen [more impressive than the replica in front of Palazzo Vecchio, which I walk by every day]. As I worked through my first gesture, I got an even better idea of how lovely his lines are, standing calmly contrapposto, hips swung, almost unconcerned by the giant in front of him.
After a few sketches, John took us back down the open hall to look at some unfinished pieces by Michelangelo. David seems to watch over them. Standing beside the furthest one, he said, "Now look back at the David." We looked. "It's impressive, yes. But this [gesturing to the unfinished piece], this unfinished man, pushing outward, not yet born--this is poetry." Once again, I knew exactly what he meant.
[Note: For full effect, anything said by John must be read in a British accent]
Now, some of you are laughing right now because the scene I just described sounds too much like the far too typical mush of obnoxious, artist jibber-jabber. If I hadn't been so taken by it, I would probably be laughing along with you. Maybe it was the accent...
What he meant was that it wasn't the figure's perfection that was beautiful. This piece, unfinished, certainly wasn't perfect. What was so beautiful about it was its possibility--the fact that it wasn't finished--the fact that you can still see Michelangelo moving around the marble, pushing further and further backwards until this man starts to find his way out of the block.
None of this really matters. It’s probably starting to sound like that mushy stuff I mentioned before. I just wanted to say that being unfinished or fragmented or disjointed is more powerful than being a perfect piece of prose. It is more powerful than being a shiny, finished piece of marble that will never be changed again.
I just wanted to say that I’ve never been so glad that I, too, am unfinished.
-----------------------
“Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
Monday, January 23, 2012
Getting Warmer-Being Weak
It has gotten warmer in our apartment since we’ve been here, but last night was colder than normal. I’m thinking it was half because of the weather and half because of my heart. Sometimes, I feel like I’m having to go through this healing process, even though I’m not completely sure where [or why] it hurts. So I was hugging the radiator in the bathroom (literally), trying to warm up my hands and spirit, and realized something. I’m still not sure what it was that I realized, but I know that my boots got a little lighter. I think it was something along the lines of what Morgan told me about being whole (see second blog). So, I stood there for a while, hugging the radiator, alone, whole. I hope that doesn't come off as depressing, because I am really happy right now.
Today, while Romeo, my photography professor, was flipping through some Ansel Adam slides, I made lists of how I’ve been spending my time and how I’d rather be spending my time. [Don’t worry, Mom, I was still paying attention.]
Things I’ve been doing:
1. Eating. A lot.
2. Drinking a lot of cappuccinos…and in a hurry because I’m always running behind.
3. Talking to people in America. It is comforting.
4. Wishing I were stronger/tougher/doubting myself less.
5. Wondering if we have soul mates [and if we do, do we only have one?].
6. Reading sad [but beautiful] novels.
7. Forgetting things [like to buy juice and where I put my keys].
Things I want to do:
1. Drink more cappuccinos.
2. Write in my journal. Write poetry.
3. Talk to God more than when I’m in the shower or walking down the street alone.
4. Take more photos [not the tourist kind]
5. Tell people that I admire/love/respect them without sounding creepy [or blushing]
6. Paint something.
7. Get bangs and not hate them.
8. See the coast.
9. Learn a new Italian phrase every day [thank you, Mike Sellitti…you da man]
10. Stop wearing makeup all the time.
11. Learn to be completely fulfilled by God.
12. Meditate.
13. Learn how to live without sleep [so that I’ll have time to do all these things]
So here’s what you actually want to know…what have I really been doing in Italy?
Well, I went to Pisa and Luca on Saturday and climbed the leaning tower! It was so amazing at the top, I can’t even describe it. If you ever make it to Pisa, you must pay the fifteen euro to climb the tower. I do, however, recommend working out for a week beforehand to get ready and possibly taking some Dramamine. It is really dizzying because of the way the tower leans. The stairs (which are incredibly narrow) spiral up the tower and you are constantly changing the direction you’re leaning.
Luca is a beautiful little city, famous for the huge walls that surround it. The walls once protected the city from invasion, particularly when the Medici were taking over Italy. The city was never taken. The walls are really wide and are, now, paths that people walk/run along. How cool!
When you walk through the markets here, you are almost guaranteed to get called some celebrity name. Since I’ve been here, I’ve heard J-Lo, Lady Gaga, and Mariah Carey. I guess they think that calling you a celebrity will make you want to buy their stuff….? I’m still trying to figure out how being called “Lady Gaga” is a compliment. It’s like saying, “Hey you look like a crazy person.” That would probably be more accurate, though. I also get, “Hey sista! Sista!” a lot. That one really cracks me up. I made my first market purchase yesterday, though! I bought a wool/cashmere cape and it is sooo wonderful! I swear, it’s warmer than my winter coat and it makes me feel so Italian. My friends Kim, Kristen, and Alex all bought capes, too. We are going to look like little super heroes walking down the streets of Florence together. Ok, we might actually look more like homeless people. I love it though!
Other than my new cape, I also love my weaknesses right now. I’m finding that it’s those weaknesses that make me suitable for being filled up and used by God. My new friend David, back in Winston-Salem, posted this yesterday….
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." I Corinthians 1:26-27
Your weak places let in God’s strength. Rejoice in your weaknesses.
Today, while Romeo, my photography professor, was flipping through some Ansel Adam slides, I made lists of how I’ve been spending my time and how I’d rather be spending my time. [Don’t worry, Mom, I was still paying attention.]
Things I’ve been doing:
1. Eating. A lot.
2. Drinking a lot of cappuccinos…and in a hurry because I’m always running behind.
3. Talking to people in America. It is comforting.
4. Wishing I were stronger/tougher/doubting myself less.
5. Wondering if we have soul mates [and if we do, do we only have one?].
6. Reading sad [but beautiful] novels.
7. Forgetting things [like to buy juice and where I put my keys].
Things I want to do:
1. Drink more cappuccinos.
2. Write in my journal. Write poetry.
3. Talk to God more than when I’m in the shower or walking down the street alone.
4. Take more photos [not the tourist kind]
5. Tell people that I admire/love/respect them without sounding creepy [or blushing]
6. Paint something.
7. Get bangs and not hate them.
8. See the coast.
9. Learn a new Italian phrase every day [thank you, Mike Sellitti…you da man]
10. Stop wearing makeup all the time.
11. Learn to be completely fulfilled by God.
12. Meditate.
13. Learn how to live without sleep [so that I’ll have time to do all these things]
So here’s what you actually want to know…what have I really been doing in Italy?
Well, I went to Pisa and Luca on Saturday and climbed the leaning tower! It was so amazing at the top, I can’t even describe it. If you ever make it to Pisa, you must pay the fifteen euro to climb the tower. I do, however, recommend working out for a week beforehand to get ready and possibly taking some Dramamine. It is really dizzying because of the way the tower leans. The stairs (which are incredibly narrow) spiral up the tower and you are constantly changing the direction you’re leaning.
Luca is a beautiful little city, famous for the huge walls that surround it. The walls once protected the city from invasion, particularly when the Medici were taking over Italy. The city was never taken. The walls are really wide and are, now, paths that people walk/run along. How cool!
When you walk through the markets here, you are almost guaranteed to get called some celebrity name. Since I’ve been here, I’ve heard J-Lo, Lady Gaga, and Mariah Carey. I guess they think that calling you a celebrity will make you want to buy their stuff….? I’m still trying to figure out how being called “Lady Gaga” is a compliment. It’s like saying, “Hey you look like a crazy person.” That would probably be more accurate, though. I also get, “Hey sista! Sista!” a lot. That one really cracks me up. I made my first market purchase yesterday, though! I bought a wool/cashmere cape and it is sooo wonderful! I swear, it’s warmer than my winter coat and it makes me feel so Italian. My friends Kim, Kristen, and Alex all bought capes, too. We are going to look like little super heroes walking down the streets of Florence together. Ok, we might actually look more like homeless people. I love it though!
Other than my new cape, I also love my weaknesses right now. I’m finding that it’s those weaknesses that make me suitable for being filled up and used by God. My new friend David, back in Winston-Salem, posted this yesterday….
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." I Corinthians 1:26-27
Your weak places let in God’s strength. Rejoice in your weaknesses.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Birthdays, cooking, and finding my true love!
SHOUTOUT: Happy birthweek to Cameron McGraw and Nicholas Patterson! I love Florence, but I have to say that I’m a little sad that I missed two of my closest friends’ birthdays this week. Cameron and Nicholas both turned 21! Cameron, it’s still your birthday so enjoyyyy and don’t have too much to drink. Nicholas, it was so wonderful to see your face on Skype for your birthday and it makes me so happy to know you’re doing well in Texas! I will be at your games in spirit, cheering you on. I love you both so much! As the Italians say, “Cento di questi giorni!” [I wish you one hundred more years]
[We're so goofy]
I haven’t blogged in a few days, so this could be a long one…fasten your seatbelts.
Even though I embarrassed myself in my photography class this week by taking a roll of film without any film in my camera (thank you, camera guy, for not telling me you took my film out) and I had a slight emotional breakdown over my drawing class, it’s been a really beautiful week. Last night, a few friends came over and I cooked dinner for everyone. It was late and the markets were closed so I had to make do with what I could find, but I fixed something like a vegetable parmesan with some seasoned pasta on the side and had some bread with olive oil to start. Want to see??
It turned out to be pretty good! There were no leftovers, so the girls must have liked it. Granny and Aunt Marilyn, I hope you’re proud!
Speaking of cooking, I went to a cooking class tonight at school and had a really great meal. The teacher is the most amazing woman and I think I will go back next week just to see her. This woman was so lovely and her food was incredible. She made us bruschetta, white beans with black cabbage, and pasta with pesto, green beans and potatoes. So simple, so delicious. She did her best to tell us everything from how to buy olive oil to where to find the best produce in town. After the class was over, Alex, Madison and I stayed behind to talk to her and I’m so glad we did. She is so funny, so beautiful, and so Italian.
Things I learned:
1. Cooking is a labor of love. It’s not so much about the labor, though, as it is about sharing something you’ve made with your hands with the people you love.
2. Being old in Italy is a good thing, not a bad thing. I think that a lot of Americans are losing respect for elderly people, not because of heartlessness, but because of constant efforts to get ahead or to get things done more quickly. Italians respect every age for different reasons. My wonderful cooking teacher says that if you are old in Italy, you are not useless. Instead, you are “patient, wise, and have time to tell stories.”If you want a man to fall in love with you, cook for him. (see number one)
3. Eating real, fresh foods will make you healthier and more beautiful. Ok that one seems pretty obvious, but you should see this woman! I was shocked to find out that she was over fifty. Her skin is amazing and she looks and acts like she doesn’t plan on ever aging. She says that Italians live longer than any other people because they only eat fresh foods. Then again, I’m finding that Italians like to make up a lot of nice things about themselves. It seems believable to me, though.
4. If you want a man to fall in love with you, cook for him. (see number one)
I forgot to mention that I found my true love today. His name is Tiramisu. That was the best part of the cooking class…and now I [kind of] know how to make it! I’ve always liked tiramisu, but eating it in Italy just made it taste so much better. Alex and I were scraping be bottom of the pan.
As far as edibles this week go, a close second to the tiramisu was the discovery of Pocket Coffee. These little guys look like a piece of chocolate candy, but they have espresso inside. Liquid, ready to go, espresso. Yes, fellow coffee lovers, these do exist. The espresso is pretty strong, but boy, is it good.
Final thoughts: In Italy, just like in America, people really care about how they look and how successful they are. This week, I have felt a little bit like a failure in some of my classes. Beyond that, it’s really easy to feel judged here. Not only do I stick out as a crazy American, but I constantly have people looking at my work and I walk around looking at these beautiful, well-dressed Italian women everywhere I go. This verse has made me feel beautiful, despite those feelings of inadequacy:
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
Happy birthweek, again, to two of the most wonderful hearts I know.
Buona sera!
[We're so goofy]
I haven’t blogged in a few days, so this could be a long one…fasten your seatbelts.
Even though I embarrassed myself in my photography class this week by taking a roll of film without any film in my camera (thank you, camera guy, for not telling me you took my film out) and I had a slight emotional breakdown over my drawing class, it’s been a really beautiful week. Last night, a few friends came over and I cooked dinner for everyone. It was late and the markets were closed so I had to make do with what I could find, but I fixed something like a vegetable parmesan with some seasoned pasta on the side and had some bread with olive oil to start. Want to see??
It turned out to be pretty good! There were no leftovers, so the girls must have liked it. Granny and Aunt Marilyn, I hope you’re proud!
Speaking of cooking, I went to a cooking class tonight at school and had a really great meal. The teacher is the most amazing woman and I think I will go back next week just to see her. This woman was so lovely and her food was incredible. She made us bruschetta, white beans with black cabbage, and pasta with pesto, green beans and potatoes. So simple, so delicious. She did her best to tell us everything from how to buy olive oil to where to find the best produce in town. After the class was over, Alex, Madison and I stayed behind to talk to her and I’m so glad we did. She is so funny, so beautiful, and so Italian.
Things I learned:
1. Cooking is a labor of love. It’s not so much about the labor, though, as it is about sharing something you’ve made with your hands with the people you love.
2. Being old in Italy is a good thing, not a bad thing. I think that a lot of Americans are losing respect for elderly people, not because of heartlessness, but because of constant efforts to get ahead or to get things done more quickly. Italians respect every age for different reasons. My wonderful cooking teacher says that if you are old in Italy, you are not useless. Instead, you are “patient, wise, and have time to tell stories.”If you want a man to fall in love with you, cook for him. (see number one)
3. Eating real, fresh foods will make you healthier and more beautiful. Ok that one seems pretty obvious, but you should see this woman! I was shocked to find out that she was over fifty. Her skin is amazing and she looks and acts like she doesn’t plan on ever aging. She says that Italians live longer than any other people because they only eat fresh foods. Then again, I’m finding that Italians like to make up a lot of nice things about themselves. It seems believable to me, though.
4. If you want a man to fall in love with you, cook for him. (see number one)
I forgot to mention that I found my true love today. His name is Tiramisu. That was the best part of the cooking class…and now I [kind of] know how to make it! I’ve always liked tiramisu, but eating it in Italy just made it taste so much better. Alex and I were scraping be bottom of the pan.
As far as edibles this week go, a close second to the tiramisu was the discovery of Pocket Coffee. These little guys look like a piece of chocolate candy, but they have espresso inside. Liquid, ready to go, espresso. Yes, fellow coffee lovers, these do exist. The espresso is pretty strong, but boy, is it good.
Final thoughts: In Italy, just like in America, people really care about how they look and how successful they are. This week, I have felt a little bit like a failure in some of my classes. Beyond that, it’s really easy to feel judged here. Not only do I stick out as a crazy American, but I constantly have people looking at my work and I walk around looking at these beautiful, well-dressed Italian women everywhere I go. This verse has made me feel beautiful, despite those feelings of inadequacy:
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7
Happy birthweek, again, to two of the most wonderful hearts I know.
Buona sera!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Ravenna...and dumb things I do...
Dumb things I’ve done in the past couple days:
1. Spilling milk all over my coat (down the side and all over one sleeve) while walking to the bus for Ravenna at 6:30am.
2. Trying to take head-set out of coat without unbuttoning (it was cold), resulting in breaking a button off of said coat.
3. Only wearing a pair of tights and one pair of socks to Ravenna. Another pair of socks might have helped.
4. Telling the Ikea man I understood how to work the self-serve gelato machine and then walking away without taking my cone or the token you need to put in the machine…I’m an embarrassment to America.
5. Waiting until 30 minutes before drawing class to buy supplies.
Smart things I’ve done the past couple days:
1. Put Nutella on bananas instead of cookies.
2. Shopping for produce at the central market instead of the grocery store.
3. Buying a sewing kit.
4. Going to the Uffizi to see Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Primavera…it was a quick visit…I will be back.
5. Making better use of my quiet time.
Alex and I were talking about food earlier and realized that, even though we kind of went on a Nutella binge the first week, we really have been eating better than at home. Except for a few potato chips, I haven’t had any fried food since I got here. We buy a lot of fruit for snacks, including some sun-dried fruit from the central market. We rarely eat out for dinner and our meals at home usually include some sort of pasta or rice (ok, we might be a little heavy on the carbs), some veggies (zucchini, mushrooms, etc.), and sometime some meatballs. I only have soda when I’m feeling homesick and I’ve even lowered my coffee intake!
I might have lied about the coffee.
Point is…I bet my mom would be proud! Love you, Momma bear. This is a public thank you for letting me have this opportunity and for always supporting me in every way you can. I will cook for you when you get here!
Yesterday was the trip to Ravenna! Ravenna is not as beautiful as Florence, but its mosaics are incredibly striking. The trip was with the Early Renaissance class and our stops were based mainly on where you can find the most preserved examples of Early Christian art and architecture. The mosaics from this time are not quite like mosaics today, which are usually made up of small tiles or pieces of flat glass. These pieces of these mosaics are often covered in thin sheets of gold and are not always perfectly flat. Because of the more angular pieces, Ravenna’s mosaics dazzle like no others.
It is strange to go into basillicas here, because they are usually a hodge-podge of different styles on the inside. For example, Ravenna’s famous basilica, San Vitale, has a choir and apse that are fully decorated in Byzantine mosaics, while the cupola is full of 18th century frescos. It’s an odd experience to stand there with such opposite styles in one place. It’s kind of like wearing snow boots and a mini skirt.
We saw a lot in Ravenna, but sadly, I mostly remember the cold. By the time we got back on the bus, I was chilled to the core. My feet were kind of in a cold sweat (sorry if that’s gross) and I ended up taking off my socks because they were moist and making my feet even colder. It was basically a day of wardrobe malfunctions (see above).
Nonetheless, I’m still loving Italia! It’s not easy, especially on days like today when I can’t even figure out how to buy gelato, but it’s definitely becoming a positive experience. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as alone as I feel here, at least not on a regular basis, but I’m finding that it’s a good kind of alone. It’s the kind of loneliness that makes you realize that you’re never really alone.
Friday, January 13, 2012
One week down...
It's been one whole week in Florence. I can't decide if it's going by fast or if it seems like I've been here forever. Even though I'm terrible at speaking Italian and I feel like such a tourist most of the time (and probably not a very good one), I love it here.
Thoughts on the first week of classes….
Batik – Love my professor (she’s so happy) and so excited to bring home some beautiful, hand-dyed silks. Already have my first project sketched and ready to go. I looked through books of former student works and some of them are so beautiful. Got to see some that were made by my wonderful art history professor back at HPU, Anna Piperato!
Photography – My professor, Romeo, is so caring and so excited about photography. There was something really minor wrong with my camera (thanks for letting me borrow it, Lindsey!) and our TA, Jon, took it to the camera shop for me because I didn’t have time (thanks, Italy, for closing EVERYTHING for a three hour lunch break every day) and have no idea how to get there. Thank God they didn't charge for the repair! Apparently it took the guy about thirty seconds to fix it. Going to shoot a roll of film on Sunday…I hope it’s not terrible.
Jewelry Design – A lot of women with saws and power tools. Need I say more?
Drawing – This class is a little intimidating. I’m trucking along, though. My teacher is English and I love his accent and his kind of raw sense of humor. My favorite parts of the class are when it gets quiet, except for the sound of pencils and charcoal running over paper. It’s kind of like the streets of Florence, when you’re walking around and everywhere you go you just hear footsteps and mopeds and ringing bicycle bells. I love the repetition, the musicality.
Everyone told me before I left that this was going to be a life-changing trip, that I would learn and change and grow into someone new. It would be nice to be able to share that kind of experience with whoever is out there reading this blog. So, I keep hoping I’ll have some epiphanic moment so that I can write something moving and make everyone reading think that I might be talented, thoughtful, or, at least, worth listening to. Instead, I’ve been running around like a chicken with its head cut off (saw one of those at the central market today), trying to find art supplies and attempting to develop something that resembles a social life. As it turns out, Mexican food in Italy isn’t bad. I went to a Mexican restaurant tonight with some friends for quesadillas and margaritas and it was so delicious and so much fun…my favorite meal so far (the Italians might kill me for saying that). After all that, I had a waffle with gelato, covered in nutella (yes, that does exist). All I do is eat.
In between meals, though, I really have made some important realizations. They might seem obvious. The most important of these, to me, is one that I keep having over and over again: I am not alone.
"And He said, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" Exodus 33:14
Realizing His presence and [trying to] just live in it, in awareness of it, really does give my heart a warm, safe place to rest. I am never so at peace than when I am in recognition of God’s presence. I would be lying if I said I never feel alone, because I feel that way quite often. More and more frequently, though, when I’m looking out across the Arno, standing in front of Giotto’s Maesta, or even just taking a hot shower, I have moments when I feel God’s presence. In those seconds [or minutes, or hours] I feel like I’ve got somewhere to just rest. Rest is good.
Off to Ravenna at 7am tomorrow to see some beautiful mosaics!
Buona notte, world. Get some rest.
……….
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Gioia
Today, Alex and I made the most wonderful discovery. We’ve been so annoyed by how far our apartment is from school compared to others, but decided today that we couldn’t have had a better location. Here’s why:
The building with the columns on the right is the Uffizi, Florence’s huge and wonderful museum [home to Boticelli’s Birth of Venus, Titian’s Venus of Urbino, works by Giotto, Fra Angelico, Caravaggio, Masaccio….I could go on and on]. See the bridge there to the left? That’s Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s famous bridge. I could tell you all about it, but this is probably going to get lengthy…here’s a better picture:
How beautiful is that? If you walk across that bridge from the Uffizi to the other side and just go straight, you come to this place after a couple blocks…
This is the Palazzo Pitti. It was once home to the Medici family and it has the most amazing garden I’ve ever seen. The gardens are called the Boboli gardens. I don’t think I’ve been to a more beautiful, peaceful place. After a rough time adjusting to Italian life (not that I’ve really adjusted yet) and some emotional ups and downs along the way, this place made my whole spirit just feel….better.
Honestly breathtaking, as cliche as that sounds. Now, I took this next picture standing in the same exact spot as the first picture (of the Uffizi)…
See that coffee bar on the corner by the little red van? My apartment is just past that. Do you catch my drift? For the next few months, I live right around the corner from the most beautiful, wonderful places in Florence. It didn’t really hit me until today. I am so blessed. What’s even better? I have a little card from my school that gets me into the Uffizi, the Palazzo Pitti and it’s gardens, the Academia (where Michelangelo’s David is held), and other amazing places for free. Alex and I have already decided that we will be in the Boboli gardens as many afternoons as we can. We didn’t even see all of it today…they seem to go on forever.
"Much, much stress results from your wanting to make things happen before their times have come. One of the main ways I assert My sovereignty is in the timing of events. If you want to stay close to Me and do things My way, ask Me to show you the path forward moment by moment. Instead of dashing toward your goal, let Me set the pace. Slow down, and enjoy the journey in My presence"
There were no more perfect words for me at the time (and even right now) and I’m so thankful for that message. The first few sentences are hard. We never want to admit that what we want might not be best for us. Sometimes, it’s not even about what we want, but it's about when we want it. As silly little humans, we have a rather imperfect sense of timing and even our best attempts at logic still fail sometimes. Thankfully, our God has perfect timing and begs us to just live in that time, His time [If you don’t believe in God, come to the Boboli Gardens with me…I think He is there]. The easy part of the message is the last part. “Slow down, and enjoy the journey in My presence.” I believe that it’s God’s desire that we enjoy Him. It’s funny that we often make something that sounds so wonderful and simple [Really? Just enjoy Him?] so difficult when we try to find joy in other places. Instead of slowing down and letting our lives happen, we try to make things happen “before their times have come.” I hope this maybe calmed someone's heart the way it calmed mine.
Forget everyone, forget yourself, and be joyful.
Buona notte!
............
............
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Pace, amore, e Nutella gelato!
My friend, Morgan Gunn, who I sadly left back in High Point, has told me over and over that I am a “whole person.” Without any other human on this earth, I’m still one whole person. I’ve had to remind myself of this so much in the last couple months, especially now that I’m in a foreign country, far from all those I love so much. I’ve had a hard time understanding myself without the context of some of those people who I love and who [seem to] love me back. I’ve found that a lot of what I know about me is based one who those people think I am and how I relate to them. My hope and prayer is that, while I’m here in Florence, I’ll start to really believe Morgan when she me tells me those things…that my happiness and peace of mind will not depend on the love, approval, or opinions of those people that I love, but on my own self and my own spirit.
“For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Today was a beautiful day in Florence, which I’m finding is pretty much true of every day in Florence. I decided today that every time I walk by the Duomo, which seems to be at least six times a day, it feels like I’m in a dream. It is so lovely, I still don’t believe it’s there.
[The view from our terrace if you look down the street...pictures don't do it justice.]
Alex, Madison and I planned on going to see Michelangelo’s David today, but we realized that there were some more pressing matters to address. We can only go so many days with three towels between the three of us and one useless pillow each, but we have four months to see all the art we can handle. David, don’t go anywhere buddy. So…what did we do? We went to IKEA! It felt like we were home! Thanks to that free Ikea bus ride and a few Euros worth of new stuff, our apartment feels a little more like home, too. Favorite purchase: candles. I also picked up some Swedish meatballs from Ikea’s wonderful food section! [Cameron McGraw, you know how exciting this is for me!!]
Of course, I had gelato again today. Nutella is my new favorite gelato flavor. By the way, we have at least four jars of Nutella in our Kitchen right now. It makes everything better (maybe not the meatballs…). We also made a trip to H&M, which is only about a three-minute walk from our apartment to check out their huge sale. Don’t worry, Mom. I only spent 1Euro.
Final thoughts on the day: I love the church bells here. I hear them on the hour and half hour from my apartment and I’m hoping I don’t get tired of them before I leave.
So, I’m off to sleep…first day of classes tomorrow! (well, today…it’s 1:30am here…oops)
Buona sera, from one whole person in Florence.
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