A New Face in a Far Place: 2011

December 9, 2011

Falling into Normality

Hello my blog monsters, how are we doing today? I'm reporting to you from my stone step in the sunshine of my city center. What could be sweeter? I'm waiting to go birthday present shopping with a friend but I can only pray she's taking her time. I am quite content here. I have people in my sight, music in my ears and warmth in my heart.

This week marks my third month in Italy; I cannot believe that I've been here for such a short time but I really haven't felt the comfort of Casa 1055 in decades. I am better and worse and invincible and vulnerable. Did you follow that? Me neither. However, no matter what my current emotions involve, I have created (or maybe discovered) something in myself that cannot be diminished. It's a spark, a glow, call it what you please. It's a peace / tranquility / realization - it keeps my smiles bubbly and my spirits high. It's the sincere understanding that I am lucky. Yeah, to be in Italy but what the hell - also to be healthy and happy and loved. Maybe I have too much thinking time on my hands or all the philosophy I'm studying in school is giving me a fever... oh well. This is me now!

Despite my peaceful routine, I still walk
around like....

By the recommendation of Mamma Carla, I have joined two "groups." I don't know how to better explain it but it reminds me a little of youth group in the volunteering aspect. However, our discussions are running a little deeper. In one, we have started a discussion on politics - impact, importance, Italy, etc. Sounds dead-beat boring but it's a really useful way to become informed and listen to the educated opinions of some friends. In the other, I am more active. We are smaller in numbers and therefore have greater freedom for a broader discussion. We just began a six-week debate on the death penalty. I, of course, am quite the useful tool for them. So many questions, so little time! I'll keep you updated- this should get interesting.

School is status-quo. Friends are status-quo. Family is, hey - you guessed it, status-quo. Mamma Carla hid one of Fede's Christmas presents in the house so my parents and I love to spend our quiet evenings watching him tear the place up in search of his golden treasure. He's still the greatest guy ever; I'm obsessed. I'll tell all my lovely Christmas-is-coming stories soon, promise. Until then, stay beautiful.

"Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it."

December 1, 2011

Ciocco Ciocco Ciocco Show

A few weeks ago, Bologna was hopping with excitement to get prepared for the big bad Cioccoshow. What's that, you might wonder? HEAVEN ON EARTH. There were little stands set up all around the city piazza overflowing with all the types of chocolate you can imagine. To make the full round, you can easily lose an hour there. Fortunately (or unfortunately?), I pass the square on my way to/from school every day. So.... guess who had to stare at this like the little kid in the candy shop for an entire week? This winner. I will neither confirm nor deny the alleged four times I made an appearance.

The best was going with Gloria, Ylenia and Elena after school that Saturday. We made google-y eyes until the sellers offered us free samples and split the costs and the chocolatey goodness of everything else. Welp, there's my breakfast/lunch/dinner! I'm stuffed and feeling sick for days.

There's not much to say but so much to see, so I'll shut up so you can look around and be jealous.

I needed some new kicks, now that you mention it

Oh Cremino, you get me every time

Slizzard Central

Arrivederci, my blog monsters!

November 28, 2011

Il Giorno del Ringraziamento

That's Thanksgiving Day, for you English-speakers.

Welcome to the second most bittersweet time of year for Intercultura (July takes the cake of course). It's a little strange to see Christmas decorations coming around and all my American Facebookers buzzin' with Thanksgiving plans to return home. But I'm here.... which means not with my family. But at the same time, I'm with my new family. It's a catch-22 and I'm trying to balance these emotions without feeling too much like a crazy.

I didn't even think anything about Thanksgiving until Federico said to me, "So Nat, when are you cookin' for us?" Since it's an American holiday, it didn't even cross my mind to do something here. However, what is important to me is important to them. So here we go, it's Friday night and I'm making quite the feast. Chicken, stuffin' muffins, apple pie, pasta, omnomnomnom.... remember how well I cook? Of course you don't because I never do it. That's what parents and/or microwaves are for! I have literally burnt quesadillas and ruined PB&J's in my day. Carla clearly needed to point out, "You don't do this very much, do you?" Lots of creativity and invention was involved.

As a matter of fact, it was quite delicious and I was quite the proud cook. Don't know about the rest of you American folks, but the Miranda Thanksgiving requires each of its participants to talk about what we are thankful for before the omnoms can begin. I made the point to explain that I was not only thankful to be here and to be with them, but also that I was lucky enough not just to consider them as the people I live with. I feel home; this is my second family.

Gloria, Elena, Irene, Alice, Ylenia

My third family also treated me like quite the princess for Thanksgiving. Ylenia, a school friend, asked me what I do for Thanksgiving with my family and before I knew it our friends and her sister had planned an entire feast for me! Potatoes, turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, carrots, apple pie, roasted chestnuts, coffee, etc... I really had it all. Getting to her house around noon on Sunday, I walked in and recognized the smells and the sounds of happiness that could have been mistaken for a true American Thanksgiving.

At dinner, I explained to them how terrifying/crazy the idea of Intercultura can seem. Here I am, just doin' mah thing, livin' mah life, happy as a clam.... without my friends or family in a different country with a different language. I'm lucky to be here; I'm lucky to be happy to be here. I think my friends are a big part of that - I scored them all by myself and they love the little part of me they know. That's somethin' special... something really, really cool.

Just a mom and a sister being the greatest cooks!

They ate like CHAMPIONS and I couldn't be prouder! Everything was delicious and I was stuffed for days. We had music and laughs and charades and TV and and fireplaces and each other. That's what Thanksgiving's all about, right? Just being with people that make you happy, realizing how lucky we are to have food on our plates and a roof over our heads, it's as simple as that.

And hey, as you continue to stalk these sweet Thanksgiving pics.... please notice the sweet touch of all the decorations they drew for me around the house. How am I so loved?!

yo Yle we're not ready to eat yet...

kisses & songs & love & fun

"If I hold this spoon, does it look like I helped?"

The Beautiful Chef :)

Someone's ready to eat...

But now it's time to get down to business (Nevin cousins - "...to defeat the Huns"). My Thanksgiving(s) was (were) so unique this year. I loved every minute of it! But it was so weird to wake up on the real Thanksgiving day and not eat my French Toast, stay in my pajamas and essentially play Tetris with all the bodies trying to nap on the Miranda couch. I can only fake so many Thanksgivings until I feel the need to experience a real one... aka with my four favorites. So here I am, a Thursday night, waiting for my family Skype date. It's the first time everyone has been together since that September departure date... so it's safe to say I'm feeling a little strange. Bittersweet? Nostalgic? Jealous? Grown up? Alone? Whatever, man. It is what it is. I promise this passed quickly!

And so I watched them eat after we gave our thanks and shared some love. We have had quite the year, quite the life! We are lucky people. Lucky to be alive, in good health (heyo Raymond!), pursuing each of our goals, happy with our lives and each other. Is it not 'tis the season to be grateful? Don't lose that glow - count your blessings every day, not just went the American calendar tells you to.

ALL THE LOVE I COULD EVER NEED!

November 22, 2011

Something Quite Curious?

Future not assured? Occupy Sabin!

And something my little Connecticut town has not prepared me for... It's the regular protests occurring at my school and in my city. So far, there have been a total of six days of protests at school - in the form of occupations and manifestations - and five other days where there were no lectures as a result of this. I see that this is happening in the States now too but it's a project that has been occurring here for more time and with more regularity than at home.

SERIOUSLY creeping
me out.

Some background information is necessary here I suppose, aye? Sabin students are extremely passionate and active about their desires for change. This isn't just Sabin, but a large portion of Italian students who feel they aren't receiving they education they both need and deserve. They blame their government and protest in order to demonstrate for the cause. A secret source, aka my Italian friend Anna, said that lately the protests have maybe in a way lost sight of their goal recently:

1. Kids use this as a great way to skip school for a day

2. There are so many protests that nobody is taking them seriously anymore

3. Not everyone is respecting the idea and the process

Manifestation: when the students march around the city with signs or masks like these as police and news cameras follow them every which way. It lasts one noisy day.

It's your debt, we won't pay

Occupation: when the students "occupy" the school by remaining there day and night without allowing parental, academic or legal interference. It lasts as long as they can make it last.

Since these protests can potentially be dangerous, AFS has of course forbidden my participation. That's okay, I'm too precious a package for those games anyways! There are so many things about this that really just amaze me. First, that these kids actually sleep and smoke and drink and debate and protest in their school and nobody shuts that down right away? Second that they have so much passion that the time that has passed hasn't made them give up in the least on their cause? Third, do I sound naive yet?

Alice, Lorenza, Marta, Elena!
Aye my girls :)

The manifestations have only allowed to observe from afar. But Saturday morning when the students declared occupation, I realized I would have the chance to see the real deal. We took a vote and when the majority supported the occupation, so it began!

The first day, of course, is all fun and games. But by the time I returned Monday morning the kids had organized themselves into classrooms of discussion and debate.... or just sitting on desks in the hallways smoking and listening to music. It's actually pretty cool to (as well as I can) just sit back and listen to what they have to say, which is a lot.

And here's the bummer - occupations, in order to get a bigger crowd and just for the idea of being friendly, are open to other kids that aren't students of the particular school. Unfortunately, this means that everyone can come and have a good time without worry about the consequences of their actions. So Monday (or was it Tuesday?) afternoon, a couple of troublemakers came and broke into our vending machines to take some cash money and some over-priced omnomnom snacks. So that ended that, because it was just the excuse the police needed to cramp the style of that party.

During a manifestation, they
painted these red circled V's all
over the city.

So the next step is pretty useless. To finish the week, the students are required to go to school but there are no lessons. Post-occupation, pre-normalcy. We listen to lectures and watch movies all day. Not such a tough life! The first teacher in the first hour in the first day back to "school" asked each of us what our opinion was about what has happened at school. At the end of much debate and a few raised voices, she turned to me and said, "So, Natalie, what about you? What'd ya think?" More or less, this was my response -

"So as usual, I didn't understand everything. What I do understand is that these manifestations and the occupations are not perfect. They lack some respect and organization. But in my opinion, it has the potential to be a beautiful thing. When you see a problem and you want to change it, you try to make something happen. That's magnificent. I know it's frustrating. But maybe you have to keep doing it not for the sake of yourselves but maybe for the sake of a better future for your kids. I guess different governments and cultures are the reason this is the first time I've seen something like this, but in my opinion it's kind of cool."

Sasso's runnin this place

And get this... they applauded me. Have you ever been applauded for something you've said?! Do you know what a champion that makes you feel like?! Well, now we can wait a second to let my ego come back down.....hold on......... okay. hi. I have normal self-esteem again.

After a sweet week of no lessons, I'm back to regular school now (and it is such a bummer). The only thing that has changed as a result of the occupation is now I can't get my snackin' on during school hours because there's a sad empty space where our vending machines used to be. I talked to a 30-some-odd year old Italian the other day he told me stories about the occupations he used to go to in high school... same things, different years. So what are they really accomplishing? And what's really changing? To the foreigner, it doesn't seem like much. Lost cause or beautiful battle? Your call, my friends.