Back on Track

I've realized I'm pretty terrible of keeping track of this thing...or actually, maybe even just writing about myself. I'm going to keep going though...

This week I had midterms, and of course, they were all on Wednesday, and for some reason (don't tell my parents) I wasn't too worried about them, so I kind of just let them pass as something I had to get done, but nothing I needed to freak out about. Maybe Italians are rubbing off on me. My biggest worry was Art History, but it went quite smoothly, because, well, I studied.

I was sitting in the library looking over notes when my friend came up to me and asked why I was doing that. I explained that if I didn't at least read over the notes five times and then silently recite it to myself, it would never stick. I believe her response was this:
"I thought that stuff would just be naturally ingrained in you." Interestingly enough, this is not the first time this has been said to me. And interestingly enough, it could not be further from the truth.
"Because my Mom is an art historian?"
"Well, yeah." Now, I'm not mad at my friend for suggesting this, and gosh! I'm totally flattered.  And of course, the test went well. Never for a moment, though, did I realize that the ability of soaking up a piece of artwork could be flowing through my veins--here or there. But still, I thank my mother for it all, it's true.

Tomorrow I go on my second trip for Art History to Florence, where we get to sit in front of the painting itself and take down everything single thing our teacher can through at us. I can't wait, honestly. Last Friday we saw Michelangelo's David. This week, we're going to see Botticelli's Venus di Milo. I don't know how I got to live such a life, but it's happened and don't you worry, I am soaking in every moment.

This weekend, though, begins my well deserved fall break, and I plan to write more after that! My friends and I are heading towards Milan, where I'll get to see more Michelangelo and a Dali exhibit! Sadly, though, there is a four month wait for Da Vinci's Last Supper. Next time, I think. And from Milan, we're on for a relaxing week in an English speaking country: London. Which, thanks to my wonderful Aunt, will be a homey stay, and a very comfortable one at that.

Until I write again! Hope you all are well!
Becca

My Word!

I am so sorry! It has been so long! The long and the short of my explanation is this: suddenley, without any warning (which is how these things often happen), my charger just up and broke, leaving me slightly crippled.
Well, thanks to my great parents, a new charger (plus some rainboots, plus a sweatshirt, plus some vitamin D pills which I just could not escape) is on it's merry old way! And to the wonderful generosity of friends at school, everyday I bring my computer and charge it there.

Well things have been moving fast! Abbastanza rapido, certo! I didn't think my last entry was so long ago, but check it out! September! San Gimignano, feels like years a go! Since then my Italian has improved greatly, and having learned the past, and reflexive verbs, and just today having learned imperfect....woah! It Helps. Capitalized. And it's an especially great feeling when you're Italian sister stops you in the middle of a conversation: "You know a lot of Italian! When you came, just words, but now! You speak well!" I have no idea if I blushed, but I thanked her a million times. And tonight I was actually able to sneak past them and grab the plates to bring to the sink. They stopped me once I got that far. But hey! I'm getting a step farther each time.

 It feels as though a million things have happened--I've visited a few small hill towns surrounding the area of Siena. Just a bit of a day trip to get out of the city, and let me tell you, each is as cute as the next. And every single city has it's own bit of art and beautiful things to see. In truth, every single corner of Italy is something to observe, or to look carefully at. One of my favorites was Montelcino, which was a very small town at the very top of a hill, and with amazing views from every single angle.

 So, Tuscany is great. No arguments here. There is the rest of Italy out there, though! So my a few friends and myself made the promise to make it to Venice, and suddenly we were there, and my word. What an amazing city.

  My favorite of it all was the Scuola di San Rocco. It's the place in which Tinteretto spent the last years of his life, and it is from floor to ceiling covered in glorious masterpieces. In many ways my trip can be summed up in a few movements, and it's simply just when I turned the corner and first saw the great hall in the Scuola di San Rocco. 

The truth of the matter is, I cannot wait to get back to Venice. Being there not only made me feel like I made a childhood dream come true, but it sparked my interest in northern Italy. And, by a turn of events, I will be spending my first weekend of fall break in Milan, exploring a completely different city.

Below is a picture of the water lapping up onto Saint Mark's. A moment caught with luck, but nonetheless, a wonderful memory to have of how immersed the city is in it's water.

 

My life has been ordinary other than these very special things. Slowly I've seen the novelty of studying abroad fade, and as my language is improved upon more and more, I am tested. Suddenly the new bubble that I've formed is broken again, and I have to readjust. I am no longer a wide-eyed student, but someone trying to get by in their daily life.  There are moments when it is frustrating, and I want to collapse in my bed for the rest of the night. But my program is a wonderful support system, the other students I have befriended are unique, silly, generous people, and my host sisters have proven again and again how much they care for me, and how willing they are to help. 

So yes, there are hard days, and there are days when I bang out an email to my parents in complete frustration. But the same exact frustrations could be happening if I was back in dear old Wooster, Ohio, could it not? Only I would be sitting a slightly better heated building, (tile floors are devastating) and not getting to travel to all these magnificent places.

Well, anyways. I'm currently 50 pages away from the end of 1984, and really want to get back to it. I will try and keep better track my dear friends and family!

Ci vediamo a presto!

Baci! Rebecca