10 things that occur around the holiday season in florence that make life worth living

1. Family Gatherings.
Last night my family got together with Victoria and Chrysanthe's family because my mamma is their father's sister, aka our little sibs are cousins. Yesterday was the nonna's birthday and she came with her sister and her husband. All in all, there were 14 people at my house, eating pizza, drinking Coca Cola and beer and laughing and chatting. I sneakily tried to take some family photos and then just decided to make everyone pose! It was a night full of laughter and sweet grandmotherly moments and love. And pizza covered in sliced hot dogs. It was perfect. 

2. Beautiful Lights. 
I know I have previously mentioned this and I also promised photos, but I haven't actually seen the beautiful lights lit up yet.... well I saw them at 2pm yesterday but I don't think that has quite the same effect as seeing them at night..... Tomorrow I will take pictures! I promise! 




3. Wandering at night.
I love this city at night. During the day.... not so much, but at night, definitely. I love walking home after class in the dusk to dark period, watching parents picking up their children, wandering past the bus stops and enjoying the general happy bustle that exists after the work-day has ended. I also love having that extra 30 minutes of leisurely strolling (well, I power-walk like there's no tomorrow but still....) to think in Italian and enjoy all the Italian-ness that surrounds me.... It's very relaxing and rejuvenating.... 


4. Decorations.
Storefronts, lights, windows.... all been said before, but I still really love it! 




5. Thanksgiving Dinner with Giovanna.
Thursday night. With all 20 girls and our professors. Turkey and gravy, stuffing, salads, corn, squash, pumpkin carpaccio, cranberry sauce, corn bread, pecan pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie.... Mmmm.... Just like home! 




6. Thanksgiving Dinner with the Host Fam 
It has been decided. Sunday night I will be cooking my family's version of stuffing and some cranberry sauce along with some molasses cookies perhaps.... Silvia is getting some kind of turkey or chicken, and we are good to go! The boys probably won't like the cranberry sauce and we'll see about Silvia and Enrico! Wish me luck! 




7. Helping Older Women Cross the Street
I was walking home tonight (enjoying the peaceful darkness, of course) and as I approached a sidewalk, this most adorable older woman reached out and asked me if I would be so kind as to walk her across the street because she was scared of falling. I took her hand and we walked across very, very carefully and very slowly, all the while she was telling me how nice it was to have someone help her. Then she squeezed my hand and said, "Buona sera, signorina!" My hand was glowing with warm, fuzzy feelings for at least 10 minutes, especially because I had just come from....




8. Sitting in with a Group of Grandmothers who Pray Together Every Day. 
After my audited class at the University of Florence (Methodologies of Contemporary Art History.... very, very, very boring...), I decided to spend some time in one of my two favorite churches (that I know of so far, that is!). When I entered, there were hardly any people other than one man who was seemingly very frustrated because the priest was late for confessionals and another man who works at the church and was restocking all the candles available to light. I walked through the church looking at all the small chapels until I found one that for some reason gave me the goosebumps. There was a beautiful fresco unlike all the others. Many were dark and depicted Jesus' sacrifice or other sad Biblical stories. This one instead was the Madonna surrounded by Saints, looking up at the heavens. It was so brightly colored and there were such relaxed, content expressions on each face, that I was immediately struck by its beauty. I lit three candles at this chapel - one each for my grandparents and my uncle. It was a rare moment of strong faith which continued to get stronger as I walked behind the sacristy (completely unlit with only a few candles flickering in the eerie silence) and I realized that I heard prayers. When I walked back out past the altar, I found a group of about seven woman, all much older, praying together. I went and sat down across from them and listened with my eyes closed for about 10 minutes, although they continued easily for another 10 or 15. It was pretty incredible.... and not something I often desire, but it felt good today to be part of a group of people so full of faith....




9. Orchestral Concerts.
Last night I decided I wanted to go to an orchestral concert. It is Christmas and Christmas means music which reminded me how much I miss my viola and orchestra and classical music. Within five minutes of deciding this, I had already found one this Saturday at the Teatro Verdi in Florence. I know have a ticket and I cannot wait!! http://www.teatroverdionline.it/




10. Being Happy.
Although I have now been sick for 30 days, I am extremely happy. I am settled, I am bonding with my host family, I am less stressed, things are going well at school, the boyfriend is just lovely and it is almost Christmas! Although I am pretty excited for Thanksgiving as well! This weekend between going out with the gang and taking myself out for a night, I will just be working, commencing some Christmas shopping and cooking! Sounds like a perfect weekend to me! 


Baci a tutti! And see many of you in less than 4 weeks! AMORE! 

Blessed by an Italian Nun: or how I just raved in a fortress circa 1534

Thursday afternoon
I believe that I was just blessed (maybe not fully blessed, but at least slightly) by a nun who works in a little store of all things Catholic, located right across from the Duomo. Just the fact that such a sweet woman would even talk with me is enough to make me feel fortunate! This particular nun reminded me of my grandmother. If you took my dad's mom, taught her Italian, rewound to when she was 70, put her in a habit and tossed her over to the Duomo, you would find this exact little nun. I might need to return to the shop and buy this little wooden rosary I was eyeballing just because I had the overwhelming sense that I needed to buy it.... When in Florence, as they say! 


(Although.... when in Florence..... one must definitely eat at a chinese restaurant where they serve a) lemon chicken with at least one entire REAL lemon sliced all over the fresh chicken and b) pizza by the slice. So good. Add a cheap Italian beer and you pretty much have the greatest lunch ever.)


When I got home after this little encounter, my little bros were talking up a storm and Silvia embarrassed them tremendously when she said, "Oh ragazzi, this is how you are when Sera isn't here but the second she comes in the door you get timidi, don't you?" At which point they both turned bright red and sat down at the counter and stared at their hands, elbowing each other and giggling. 


We had an amazing dinner of tender and flavorful turkey, incredible lentils cooked al dente with salt and olive oil, the best brussels sprouts I have ever had - yes an oxy moron but these were the BEST, served with Béchamel sauce, who woulda thunk!? - bread, tomatoes, and then some mandarins and biscotti. Perfection.


Oh, and did I mention that after doing the last (yes, the LAST - WOOHOO!) of my laundry, I returned home only to find a pair of men's black boxer briefs mixed in? Interesante.... I have been obsessively spraying everything in this room (including the doors, my closet, the clothes in my closet and my bed.... all the time) because I finally brought home EVERYTHING from the sede. I have all of my non-washable things spread on the floor to be sprayed and monitered for the next few days and then I am putting it all away. So far the coast appears clear! In boca al lupo! (In the mouth of the wolf = good luck!)


Friday afternoon
Yes, I did just go buy that rosary. And I love it. A lot. 

Prior to this purchase, Breana and I were craving hot chocolate (since it is freezing here!! Yes, I am aware that it has snowed in both Northampton, MA and Middlesex, VT but regardless, it went from being 85 degrees to being 40-50 degrees in a matter of days and it has been a tad bit shocking!). Anyway, we were craving hot chocolate so we returned to a place we had seen yesterday and we ordered hot chocolate - literally that's what it was - hot melted chocolate with a dollop of delicious whipped cream on it. It was amazing, but very intense and very dark. 


Later tonight we are meeting up with our Italian friends and heading over to this great event called "Festival della Creatività" at this amazing old fortezza (fortress) called Fortezza da Basso which is only about 15 minutes from my new house (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortezza_da_Basso). It should be pretty amazing - there are art exhibits and food stands, and live music and DJs and dancing - everything you could ever need all inside one big, old castle. 

Friday late night
Recap of the evening: Dinner = delicious. As usual. We had really delicious rice with lentils leftover from last night and it was so comforting and tasty! Then we had two egg-somethings. It's hard to describe, but I guess they were like big flat omelets, one with sliced potato and one with incredible zucchini. Then we ate some apples and mandarins and after I helped clear the table (much to their surprise, I do this every evening no matter how many times they tell me not to!) and then we meandered into the living room to watch some ridiculous Italian television. I can't explain to you how bizzare Italian television is.... nudity, strange men in costumes (such as snowmen and really large red things with huge mouths), odd skits, and terribly depressing news. Needless to say, it is an experience. 

Oh, and did I mention.... I just raved in the castle. Well, the fortress really. It even had a moat (empty, but still!)! 


Saturday morning
Oops. I woke up just a tad bit late - 11:45am anyone? My family had the plumber come this morning and I just walked into the bathroom and the toilet is just not there anymore.... Anyway, the plumber was running all around the house this morning, up and down the stairs, hollering in Italian, and then the twins got up and were singing and frolicking around and it was all very nice and cute and entertaining and educational with all theItalian and such, but I wanted to sleep! So here I am, its 1:03pm and I need to finish this blog, shower, and then finish my homework, followed by a trip to the train station to buy a ticket to Perugia for tomorrow (chocolate festival!!) and then I am going out to dinner with Ali and her boyfriend and some other lovely ladies, and then who knows what!!


Such is life in Florence, Italy.


Baci e abbracci!!! 

a series of somewhat magical days....

So I have no idea where to begin this blog.

I have been trying to blog for days. Unfortunately, my emotions have been a muddle, mess, and disaster these past few days and I felt unable to write the purely happy and optimistic blog I desired. Amidst my fluctuating feelings of Italian ecstasy and confidence of no bedbugs and the fear of being stuck with bedbugs for life and having to head home to the states I decided to hold off until I could guarantee sheer joy for my readers. That being said, I have been creating a list of blog subjects for about 5 days now and I can't quite put them in order..... please bear with me!

To start off, I would like to say this: You will never believe what we ate for dinner tonight.

Luciana has been sweet enough to provide us with meals this week. In case you weren't aware, we were displaced yet again, this time to an INCREDIBLE and very expensive apartment right up the street from Luciana's. It is stunning and very adorable, and naturally I have attached a photo. Every night at 7.30pm we walk down the street with a neon orange cooler/bag to acquire our homemade meal and then we return to our apartment, eat together, wash the tupperware, and repeat the following day. Anyway, back to my point. Dinner tonight.

We had something I would like to call Italian Tuna Noodle Casserole. Shocking, I know. The wonderful mother of my darling boyfriend makes this delicious meal called Tuna Noodle Casserole. A casserole is foreign to me. As my mother says, "We don't really eat those..." I ha

d never even seen a casserole. My last night at Gaber's house this summer, I requested that his mother please make tuna noodle casserole so I could try it. It was amazing. Pardon me, but what is not to like about pasta with tons of cheese and tuna and peas? Nothing. So. Tonight. The Italian equivalent. I was laughing so hard. I opened up the tupperware container to find penne (cooked al dente, of course!) with a fresh tomato sauce and tuna. Canned tuna. Flakey, canned tuna. It sounds terrible, yes? It was incredible. So tasty. There you go, America. Italians do it to.

Back to our apartment for a m

inute. Lately, I have been trying to find some beauty in this city. Besides the obvious beauty of the buildings and churches, Florence is actually pretty disgusting.... There is no gree

nery like you find in the occasional pocket park in NYC or Boston, no trees on the sidewalks, hardly any flowers outside houses. Pl

enty of fake flowers stuffed in window boxes, and of course there are large parks but nothing immediately near my house. The streets are full of trash and even worse, dog poo. Everywhere. There are no laws about this here, and therefore no one cares.... How vile!! Our temporary apartment sings a different song. When you enter the first door into the "building" you are actually still outside in a beautiful courtyard full of the most luscious green grass and beautiful pink, yellow and red flowers, looking up to a sky where you can actually see stars at night... A little slice of home.... or heaven even!

Of course, the churches are beautiful too.... I might have even found one to call my own. We visited Santa Croce last week (see photos on Facebook!). It was a gorgeous Gothic church but it didn't call my name when I entered. The one breathtaking aspect of Santa Croce was the sensation I experienced when we exited the church to walk around the convent area

/private chapels.... I haven't smelled anything so similar to the scent of my grandparents house in Elmsford, NY since I last visited their house as a junior in high school. It must have been the scent of a tree that was planted in the courtyard but it was a magically reminiscent moment, reminding me that somewhere my grandparents are glowing with happiness that I am here in their country.

This morning we visited a church of the Renaissance - San Lorenzo. My heart may have stopped when we entered. It is a simple church - brick on the outside, no marble. The inside is all white plaster and simple grey stone. There are no frescos, all the art that hangs inside now was added later. Construction began in 393..... I walked in and immediately felt like a tiny particle in the universe. There are at least two organs.... what I would do to

attend mass at San Lorenzo and hear those organs playing.....

I had another magical moment yesterday.... slightly less ethereal but equally awesome (in the true meaning of the word!). My friend Allie is back in Northampton at Smith and she has a radio show Wednesday nights. Naturally, I wanted to listen to it live but for some reason it wasn't functioning properly. To cheat the system, I video-chatted my darling Gabriel and he turned it up very loud on his computer so I could hear. A few minutes later Allie sent me an instant message saying she was about to play a song for me. Momentarily Pablo Picasso by Citizen Cope came on..... a song that Gabe and I have listened to together for about 4 years now.... it was a very comforting and reassuring moment - a moment that made me feel as though everything was going to be okay no matter what happens with the bedbugs or the distance between myself and home. Thank you, Allie May!!

Prior to this lovely event, I had two other humorous, interesting and sweet experiences. Yesterday morning I went to a market over on our side of town, down by the Arno. I was wandering the market and after buying some peccorino and some sunflower honey (AMAZING by the way) I decided to buy a panini. I wasn't sure what kind it was exactly, but there was some kind of meat, perhaps pork, that all of the panini stands seemed to specialize in. After ordering one, I stood in front of the stand eating my delicious snack with a group of three Italians - a couple and their younger male friend. The older man asked me if I would care for a small glass of wine with my panini and after politely declining a few times, he gave up trying. I then tried to pay. I went up to the counter and offered my three euros but the younger man came flying over saying that I could not pay because he was... I tried to argue but to no avail and thus I walked away with an exceptionally tasty, free panini.

Only moments later, I was strolling along a very ritzy street full of designer shops and a man in a very nice Italian suit approached me, saying something very quickly in Italian. He soon realized that I had no idea what he was saying and he repeated more slowly - "Posso prendere un foto dei suoi piedi?" "May I take a picture of your feet?" To which I said, "Scusa?!?!!???" He then explained that he was a photographer and a designer, he loved shoes and that was his specialty. He said he adored my shoes (mind you, they were gold sandals from Payless......) and really, could he please just take one photo. He then whipped out a very nice camera and proceeded to show me that he had hundreds of photos of feet in shoes on the street.... Che strano! I decided if he were going to put my life in danger, my chances of surviving were higher if I obliged, so I stood in the street, posed my foot, and let him snap a quick photo.... Hopefully he doesn't trace my $8 sandals back to me!

Bedbug update: Any minute now (its 11.35pm) we have to walk down the street to Luciana's and start Night 1 of the Bedbug Watch - otherwise known as Bedbug Busters! (If there's something strange in your neighborhood, Who ya gonna call? BEDBUGBUSTERS! If there's something weird and it don't look good, Who ya gonna call? BEDBUGBUSTERS!) If we see even HALF of a somewhat alive bug, we are to call Giovanna immediately and we will no longer be allowed to live there..... Hopefully there will be none, given that they gassed the walls and re-sprayed the apartment a few days ago...... Wish us luck!!

Goodness, my apologies for the length of this blog!

A domani!!

Baci e abbracci!

P.S. I actually had one more subject I was going to cover in this blog.... a very important one! But I think this is long enough as it is, and instead I am going to write a separate one!!!

How Florence Helps One to Find Faith: A Brief Guide to Encountering God in a Foreign Country

First of all, I must say that there is nothing like discovering new and beautiful places in Florence. There really is nothing AT ALL that even compares. It was in doing this that I realized perhaps Florence is the best place to find some faith.

This morning we took the bus (did I mention that there are tiny orange electric busses in

Florence?? We didn't take one this morning, but I did this afternoon!) and we went to la Chiesa di San Miniato. San Miniato is across the Arno, up a beautiful hill, and it overlooks ALL of Florence.

On top of the church being incredibly beautiful on its own, today was a gorgeous, bright, sunny, cheerful day. Coming to the crest of the hill after scaling at least 500 steps, I saw la chiesa - a very large one at that - and was struck silent.

To think that this church has been standing in the same place, appearing almost exactly the same as it did about 1000 years ago.... È incredibile, no?

So that is my first piece of advice when you desire some faith - find a church (or temple, or synagogue!). It doesn't absolutely NEED to be in Florence... but hey, my advice is my advice. Find a church in Florence. ANY of them. A huge famous one, a tiny one built in among other buildings on a side street, a roadside shrine - anything. Stop for a minute and just be. Don't think about faith or finding God, or talking with anyone of the divine sort. Just be. And perhaps take a minute to think about where you are and why you are there and who else has been there before you and how long people have been doing just that - standing and enjoying. Chances are, if you're in Florence especially, millions and millions of people over thousands of years (or even only hundreds, but still!) have been standing just like you, their feet on the same stone, wondering what you're wondering. It's a bit of a miracle.

My next piece of advice is to find an Italian nonna to cook you some dinner. This with inevitably help you find more faith in life and humanity. I say this because what better way to enjoy your life than to sit down with someone who loves you and has spent all day preparing something special for you to enjoy together (also... enjoying fresh Italian food.... a real delight.... something to savor and remember forever... and something which at least seems to give me some faith in love and life and famiglia). Tonight Luciana made spaghetti with tiny shrimp, mussels and some other types of seafood. Then we ate some delicious white fish and amazing potatoes made with rosemary, followed by the best nectarine I've ever eaten. When we finished, I had never felt better. Wasn't too full, wasn't empty. I had napped before dinner, and laughed my way through dinner.

As usual, a perfect giorno in Firenze!!

Moltissimi baci e abbracci!!

Note: The GoogleMaps image shows my house (A) and San Miniato (B). In between, you can see the Arno, the Boboli Gardens and to the left of my house, there is a huge park with places to run and walk and wander. Also in the park there is an apparently amazing market every Tuesday morning where you can buy everything from fruit and veggies to leather jackets and shoes to clothing and jewelry. In between Piazza Santa Maria Novella and the Uffizi, there is a little piazza called Piazza della Signoria and that is where I go to class every day.