We're winding down here on top of this blustery mountain top, packing and cleaning and trying to remember where some of this stuff we're packing came from! After living so simply for so long, I feel like I'm packing up too much junk! But, I'm cramming what I can and leaving what doesn't fit. Luckily, the program allows students to leave extra suitcases here if they travel around after we finish in Venice.
This week in Cortona has had really beautiful weather. The main piazza has a huge set of steps that you can grab pizza or a sandwich and just spend the entire afternoon, watching the world go by. The Italians make no appointments or reservations, but find each other during the siesta hours in the street and do their business there. It's a completely different lifestyle in so many ways. The women and yes, men too, greet each other with a hug and kiss on each cheek, as though they haven't seen each other in ages. The truth is, they spent yesterday's siesta in the exact same spot, probably discussing (quite loudly) the exact same thing.
Last night was bittersweet as we held our Last Supper dinner together at the restaurant that we've eaten dinner all semester. It last for hours and hours, and they wine flowed with a neverending supply. We had appetizers and two courses of pasta, and then they brought out the biggest leg of pork you could ever image. It took up it's own table and definately deserved the standing ovation that it received. We made toast after toast, to the teachers, to the students and restuarant, the program director, the future of the program, our futures, new friendships and lasting relationships. It was a night of celebration and maybe a few tears, but it couldn't have been any better. The girls and I at my table told stories on each other all night, laughing at all our adventures and silly moments and sayings. I can't believe a short three monthes ago I didn't know this group of people. I've really learned a lot from them, and I'm so grateful for these people.
As for tomorrow, we head to Venice at 7:00 am, stopping for lunch and the afternoon in Bologna. I hear it is really beautiful, and I'm going to probably stop back in before I leave in June. One afternoon in a town just isn't enough in most cases. We had a brief orientation to the city of Venice, but there is so much more that I want to know before we go. The pictures they showed were absolutely gorgeous and it looks like a fairyland. So tonight we're having another nice, long dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, Nessun Dorma, and then hitting the hay. I'm about to have a whirlwind month and I need to be well rested.
I hope that I haven't bombarded you all with too much talking and plans. I'm really excited, and next time I write I'll have most interesting reports on Venice and its cuisine, which I hear is quite unusual and rather ugly. Lots of questionable dishes from the sea I believe. I'll send a picture or two.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
It's been too long!
Hello all,
I am so glad to have a free moment to blog and catch everyone up on my life lately. There's a lot of ground to cover, so this may come in installments. I definately wanted to put something up though while I had a few minutes.
Classes just finished yesterday, and I have had a very successful semester academically. My art history classes really stretched me and my teacher was demanding. But her enthusiasm was infectuous and I will never look at 13th and 14th century art the same. She enstilled a new appreciation in me that I didn't know could have existed, even though I love art! My bookarts class was one of the most interesting classes I've taken in college, and watch out momma! We have a whole new craft to make room for. I feel like I'll make books and journals for the rest of my life. I even bought a whole cow hide to cut down and make leather books. (Don't worry, I sold 80% of the pieces off to people, so I'm not bringing home a cow.) And finally, my Italian is significantly better, and I hope to continue studying this language. It's history alone is amazing, which I never thought I'd say, but that's another blog. I feel very accomplished with my schoolwork, and though my classes took the backseat to exploring occassionally, I wouldn't have done it any other way.
My education class, where I went into the school, ended really well. The school really loves us and looks forward to us in the spring. They are so appreciative, and we had a ceramony this week to allow the teachers and parents to come and look at everything that we've done. So much of their gratitude didn't need words (which is lucky because I didn't understand most of it). I was hugged so much and kissed on the cheek countless times. The families are genuinely grateful and the kids have had such a wonderful time. It's really been something else working with kids and making a difference in their day and I am so glad that I decided to be apart of it.
Today and tomorrow are free days, so I walked to Le Celle where St. Francis stayed a few times because I didn't get to the other day. It was a 45 minute walk through woods on this dirt road, but then it suddenly opens up to a valley tucked away. A gorgeous waterfall runs through the middle of this monastery that is built on the hill and looks like a dream. Honestly, it's completely self-sustaining and there are hidden gardens and paths all around the compound. It was really beautiful, and I'm so thankful that I made it out there before we leave for Venice on Sunday. I almost missed it! It would have been a shame too. After Le Celle, I had my hair cut, again, to a more normal, easier to maintain style. Well, they attempted normal. I still have crazy diagonal bangs, but it's closer than before.
Tomorrow my friends and I are taking the train back to the lake where the Tulip Festival was held. This time, we're renting boats and rowing out to the tiny islands that are scattered all across the water, that looks like the Gulf it's so blue and green. I'm still washing all my clothes and cleaning and packing, but things are coming together fine and I'll be ready to head to Venice or Venezia soon. I'm excited to go there and explore for a few days, unlike our Saturday trips where we only have a few hours. Plus... IT'S VENICE! We don't have a schedule there either, so any suggestions as to what I should do would be appreciated. Other than marvel at the city on water.
As for a brief rundown of my month, wandering Italy, I think I have a plan. Well, it's tenative, but it's written down on the back of a napkin somewhere in my purse, so it's pretty serious.
Venice, Trieste, Milan, Lake Como and Lake Maggiare, Bologna, Siena, Cinque Terre, Florence, San Gimignano, Rome, Cortona, and then home again. Whew, I'm exhausted already, but really excited about this chance to be on my own and experience Italy, packing in even more than my quiet Tuscan hilltown. I love Cortona, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The people have welcomed us and accomodated to us in ways I'm sure I don't even know about. But I'm ready for the next part of this adventure!
I'm thinking about all of you and can't wait to see everyone in June. I will always have my computer while I travel, but I'm sure I'll be in and out of internet service. Please email me and let me know how you all are doing. I really love reading them. I hope that you are well and enjoying the spring.
Casey
I am so glad to have a free moment to blog and catch everyone up on my life lately. There's a lot of ground to cover, so this may come in installments. I definately wanted to put something up though while I had a few minutes.
Classes just finished yesterday, and I have had a very successful semester academically. My art history classes really stretched me and my teacher was demanding. But her enthusiasm was infectuous and I will never look at 13th and 14th century art the same. She enstilled a new appreciation in me that I didn't know could have existed, even though I love art! My bookarts class was one of the most interesting classes I've taken in college, and watch out momma! We have a whole new craft to make room for. I feel like I'll make books and journals for the rest of my life. I even bought a whole cow hide to cut down and make leather books. (Don't worry, I sold 80% of the pieces off to people, so I'm not bringing home a cow.) And finally, my Italian is significantly better, and I hope to continue studying this language. It's history alone is amazing, which I never thought I'd say, but that's another blog. I feel very accomplished with my schoolwork, and though my classes took the backseat to exploring occassionally, I wouldn't have done it any other way.
My education class, where I went into the school, ended really well. The school really loves us and looks forward to us in the spring. They are so appreciative, and we had a ceramony this week to allow the teachers and parents to come and look at everything that we've done. So much of their gratitude didn't need words (which is lucky because I didn't understand most of it). I was hugged so much and kissed on the cheek countless times. The families are genuinely grateful and the kids have had such a wonderful time. It's really been something else working with kids and making a difference in their day and I am so glad that I decided to be apart of it.
Today and tomorrow are free days, so I walked to Le Celle where St. Francis stayed a few times because I didn't get to the other day. It was a 45 minute walk through woods on this dirt road, but then it suddenly opens up to a valley tucked away. A gorgeous waterfall runs through the middle of this monastery that is built on the hill and looks like a dream. Honestly, it's completely self-sustaining and there are hidden gardens and paths all around the compound. It was really beautiful, and I'm so thankful that I made it out there before we leave for Venice on Sunday. I almost missed it! It would have been a shame too. After Le Celle, I had my hair cut, again, to a more normal, easier to maintain style. Well, they attempted normal. I still have crazy diagonal bangs, but it's closer than before.
Tomorrow my friends and I are taking the train back to the lake where the Tulip Festival was held. This time, we're renting boats and rowing out to the tiny islands that are scattered all across the water, that looks like the Gulf it's so blue and green. I'm still washing all my clothes and cleaning and packing, but things are coming together fine and I'll be ready to head to Venice or Venezia soon. I'm excited to go there and explore for a few days, unlike our Saturday trips where we only have a few hours. Plus... IT'S VENICE! We don't have a schedule there either, so any suggestions as to what I should do would be appreciated. Other than marvel at the city on water.
As for a brief rundown of my month, wandering Italy, I think I have a plan. Well, it's tenative, but it's written down on the back of a napkin somewhere in my purse, so it's pretty serious.
Venice, Trieste, Milan, Lake Como and Lake Maggiare, Bologna, Siena, Cinque Terre, Florence, San Gimignano, Rome, Cortona, and then home again. Whew, I'm exhausted already, but really excited about this chance to be on my own and experience Italy, packing in even more than my quiet Tuscan hilltown. I love Cortona, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The people have welcomed us and accomodated to us in ways I'm sure I don't even know about. But I'm ready for the next part of this adventure!
I'm thinking about all of you and can't wait to see everyone in June. I will always have my computer while I travel, but I'm sure I'll be in and out of internet service. Please email me and let me know how you all are doing. I really love reading them. I hope that you are well and enjoying the spring.
Casey
Sunday, April 13, 2008
I hope you have taken this leave from my blogging as a sign that I am utterly wrapped up in my school work, my new friends, my food, and my surroundings... because the past two weeks has been nothing but of whirlwind of art, pasta, tiny alleyways, and new green growth around Cortona. I can't believe that this part of my life is almost over, and there is nothing that can be done to stop these days from slipping away. So instead of blogging, I've been exploring and laughing and working, and I hope that when I get home, I'll have even more to share with you than what I could post here. I will, however, start the stream of pictures from snapfish.com. If you don't have an account, you are welcome to use mine to look at my first two albums of Florence and Rome. http://www2.snapfish.com/home/t_=126576909 is the website, and if you need an account mine is : caseynberry@gmail.com password: caseynberry
Good luck, and if you need to make your own, it is really simple.
As for blogging, I will return soon. As for today, I'm walking to Le Celle, where the Franciscian monk St. Francis of Assis (he's a pretty big deal around here) stayed in a monastery for a few years, and the walk there, I hear, is the best one around. So I'm off, crossing my fingers it won't rain on me.
I love you and have really missed home lately, so let me know how you are! - Casey
Good luck, and if you need to make your own, it is really simple.
As for blogging, I will return soon. As for today, I'm walking to Le Celle, where the Franciscian monk St. Francis of Assis (he's a pretty big deal around here) stayed in a monastery for a few years, and the walk there, I hear, is the best one around. So I'm off, crossing my fingers it won't rain on me.
I love you and have really missed home lately, so let me know how you are! - Casey
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
