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Thursday, February 26, 2009
So let me say now that I know there probably are not many people following this blog, because I know it’s a bit cliché and quite audacious to expect anyone besides my family to care about my travels in Italy, but I want to thank them as well as anyone else who is following this and commenting. Truly, it means so much to me.I don’t really have the means to stay in contact with as many people as I would like. In a way I suppose, this is good for me, it helps me focus on what I am here for instead of being planted in front of facebook all day, but I want you to know if you are reading this, its most likely because I have specifically given you this link and that I miss you while I am away. Traditionally, I have not been one for homesickness, I am quite used to traveling often and living in the moment. This is a good thing at times. However, this past year I have been blessed and lucky enough to reconnect with so many friends that I ignored or fell away from for so long. I know a boring aside in a blog is hardly the proper way to thank you all (ya’ll?) for this, but I hope I have at least begun to express my appreciation towards especially my family, Niki and friends for seeing me through some of the “hard times” I’ve had in college so far. I may not have many friends in this world, but to those who have taken the time to be there for me, I would do anything. So enjoy my travel and know you will be in my thoughts. Ok enough. That’s one of the dangers of this blog, you’re gonna have to hear me ramble at times. Mmmmmkay. Today I toured the old monetary where the program I am currently on used to be. I forget the specific name of the convent, but it was something awesome sounding like Our Lady of the Open Hands Adulating the Holy Blood and Atonement of Christ’s Perfect Mercy sect. That sort of moniker is pretty common around here. Nuns and monks live a pious and difficult life serving the Lord and society, but at least their names would make freaking sweet track jackets…That’s not sacrilegious I swear, I have nothing but the highest respect for what these sects do. Anyways, the old building was absolutely beautiful, just like everything else in this amazing city. It’s still unbelievable really. Call it my own naiveté, but I still cannot fathom how these duomos were built using the tools of medieval cultures. And for anyone who has seen an art book, these are not clay huts, these are works of art that rival anything that we Moderns have produced to this day through all of our wonders of technology. People will save their whole lives to come see what I live in now, these churches, these streets. Truly, they all seem like miracles to me. The nuns couldn’t have been nicer, of course. Since we have two international students from Columbia studying with us (who are awesome and have already extended a serious invitation for me to stay with them in Columbia), the nuns were at first speaking Spanish, which I understood fairly well. Then, thinking they were doing us all a favor, switched to Italian, a language that still makes me feel mentally handicapped. If only it didn’t sound so perfect, I could resent the syntax far more. Even though the old monastery was a work of art, I’m glad the program has changed hands and locations. Here, Gordon has far more control over the real estate and we are fairly autonomous when time permits, unlike at the previous convents where the nuns felt that it was their duty to take a more hands on approach, which limited comings and goings. Also, the Monastery San Palo that I stay in now is far more central to the pertinent comings and going of the town, although I still have yet to take the gondola ride to the lower half of the city, which is apparently far more affordable. Italian class got cancelled in favor of walking around the city for two hours pointing out various points of interest along the way in person instead of in a workbook. All in all, it’s been a beautiful and successful day. Although previously mentioned friends and family be warned: It has been a long while since I have been a caffeine junkie, yet I’m fairly certain by the time I return, I’m gonna need rehab. Until next time… Yossarian [
4:26 AM ] |