I am not saying that metaphorically - today is one of those Florence days with a beautiful clear blue sky, and not a cloud in sight. It's amazing, especially in the middle of January! Definitely one of the things that makes me love Firenze. In that vein, winter here isn't the type of winter I am used to - most of the time it's mild and it never really snows. I imagine that California winters are sort of like this. I keep hearing about really cold temperatures in the US but it hasn't been very wintry here at all.
The main purpose of this post is to update everyone on the past couple weeks since David left. My main productive activity has been studying for the philosophy exam I have on Monday. This is the class I took the second half of last semester - here exams go into January, which is why Georgetown students can only study here either full year or spring, not fall only. I have a really good tutor, Nicola, and we have met 6 times in the past two weeks to work on the concepts and the readings and everything. Our last two sessions are today and tomorrow. I feel really fortunate to have him as a tutor, and to have a tutor in general, especially with a subject like philosophy, which is hard enough in English! (Yes, like all my other classes this one is entirely in Italian.)
Tuesday, January 6 was a holiday in Italy - but instead of Three Kings' Day, it's the festa of "La Befana" this old lady character who brings stockings to children filled with goodies - much like our traditional Christmas stockings. I accepted an invitation to go with my Italian family out to the country to a restaurant owned by some family friends. It's near a lake - well, they said lake but it was really a pond. Regardless, the scenery was beautiful, the food was good, and it was a nice relaxing day with the family and some of their friends. After lunch we went down the road to a farm, and the guy who lives/works there showed us the animals and even had Lisa and her two friends sit on the horse for a moment, which was an adorable photo op. It was a really nice day and I was glad I took them up on the offer to go.
Last night was also fun. Lucia had asked if I was interested in going to see a play when we went to lunch the other day, and I said of course. Last night we went to a play called "Il Dubbio" which featured an actor I have seen in Italian movies before (both in Italian class at Georgetown) - Stefano Accorsi. So that aspect of it was neat. Also, incidentally the play, which originated with a book, is coming out in the US as the movie "Doubt" starring Merryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and will be out in Italy in February. It was a simple but interesting play, and I understood most of it though I had to ask Lucia to clarify a few things during intermission and after it ended. It was largely driven by dialogue, so that made it harder than your average movie or show on TV.
The other fun aspect of last night was that Lucia offered to give me a ride to the theater and back - on her motor scooter! The theater is in the center of town, where it is difficult/impossible to park or drive, so it was the practical thing. At first I was a little nervous as I had never ridden a motorino before, but much to my relief she had a helmet for me - I think it is required by law and it is actually a law that Italians follow (I have never seen someone without a helmet on a motorino). It ended up being really fun, and as a result of the experience I feel a little bit more Italian, it just seems like one of the things one should do. I caused quite a stir with my facebook status (ie comments), but I didn't make clear that I was wearing a helmet and that I was with Lucia, not some young Italian man (wouldn't have pleased my fiance ha), and not driving myself. Anyway it was a lot of fun and added to the night!
Here is how my next month or so breaks down:
Monday - Philosophy oral exam (after which I am officially done with my first semester!)
Next Thursday - the other 5 Georgetown students (all girls) who are studying at the University of Firenze this spring arrive - I will no longer be the only one!
Feb 3-9: I am going to Spain! I will spend the first part of the trip in Andalucia (southern Spain) visiting Cordoba and Granada and the latter part in Salamanca and Madrid with Kristen and Molly!
Feb 15: My parents arrive in Florence to spend a week in Italia with me!
Feb 23: Oh, were you wondering when classes start again? Yeah that would be at this point... and between now and then I will have to watch for class listings to go up so I can figure out my schedule.
As you can see, I have an exciting month coming up, and all before I start next semester! That's just Italy for you though...
I think I will leave off here. I hope everyone is having a good transition back to real life after the holidays!
The main purpose of this post is to update everyone on the past couple weeks since David left. My main productive activity has been studying for the philosophy exam I have on Monday. This is the class I took the second half of last semester - here exams go into January, which is why Georgetown students can only study here either full year or spring, not fall only. I have a really good tutor, Nicola, and we have met 6 times in the past two weeks to work on the concepts and the readings and everything. Our last two sessions are today and tomorrow. I feel really fortunate to have him as a tutor, and to have a tutor in general, especially with a subject like philosophy, which is hard enough in English! (Yes, like all my other classes this one is entirely in Italian.)
Tuesday, January 6 was a holiday in Italy - but instead of Three Kings' Day, it's the festa of "La Befana" this old lady character who brings stockings to children filled with goodies - much like our traditional Christmas stockings. I accepted an invitation to go with my Italian family out to the country to a restaurant owned by some family friends. It's near a lake - well, they said lake but it was really a pond. Regardless, the scenery was beautiful, the food was good, and it was a nice relaxing day with the family and some of their friends. After lunch we went down the road to a farm, and the guy who lives/works there showed us the animals and even had Lisa and her two friends sit on the horse for a moment, which was an adorable photo op. It was a really nice day and I was glad I took them up on the offer to go.
Last night was also fun. Lucia had asked if I was interested in going to see a play when we went to lunch the other day, and I said of course. Last night we went to a play called "Il Dubbio" which featured an actor I have seen in Italian movies before (both in Italian class at Georgetown) - Stefano Accorsi. So that aspect of it was neat. Also, incidentally the play, which originated with a book, is coming out in the US as the movie "Doubt" starring Merryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and will be out in Italy in February. It was a simple but interesting play, and I understood most of it though I had to ask Lucia to clarify a few things during intermission and after it ended. It was largely driven by dialogue, so that made it harder than your average movie or show on TV.
The other fun aspect of last night was that Lucia offered to give me a ride to the theater and back - on her motor scooter! The theater is in the center of town, where it is difficult/impossible to park or drive, so it was the practical thing. At first I was a little nervous as I had never ridden a motorino before, but much to my relief she had a helmet for me - I think it is required by law and it is actually a law that Italians follow (I have never seen someone without a helmet on a motorino). It ended up being really fun, and as a result of the experience I feel a little bit more Italian, it just seems like one of the things one should do. I caused quite a stir with my facebook status (ie comments), but I didn't make clear that I was wearing a helmet and that I was with Lucia, not some young Italian man (wouldn't have pleased my fiance ha), and not driving myself. Anyway it was a lot of fun and added to the night!
Here is how my next month or so breaks down:
Monday - Philosophy oral exam (after which I am officially done with my first semester!)
Next Thursday - the other 5 Georgetown students (all girls) who are studying at the University of Firenze this spring arrive - I will no longer be the only one!
Feb 3-9: I am going to Spain! I will spend the first part of the trip in Andalucia (southern Spain) visiting Cordoba and Granada and the latter part in Salamanca and Madrid with Kristen and Molly!
Feb 15: My parents arrive in Florence to spend a week in Italia with me!
Feb 23: Oh, were you wondering when classes start again? Yeah that would be at this point... and between now and then I will have to watch for class listings to go up so I can figure out my schedule.
As you can see, I have an exciting month coming up, and all before I start next semester! That's just Italy for you though...
I think I will leave off here. I hope everyone is having a good transition back to real life after the holidays!
1 comment:
I love days like that, days that you just want to put in a bottle!!! Good luck on your Philosophy exam- I know that you'll be more than prepared to pass- and I can't wait to see you in a few weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3
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