2/13/11
I never realize how much I’ve done during the week until I sit down to write this silly blog. I am always so busy that by the end of the week, it feels as if three weeks have past. I thought this week would be low key because we are more settled into our lives here. We have a favorite grocery store and are going to classes, but to my surprise it was a very eventful week. Two friends of mine from Simon’s Rock, Blake and Elana came to visit and we went to Assisi.
Blake is spending this school year studying in Lebanon and for whatever reason has a really long intersession that he’s been spending traveling around Europe. I heard from my friend Eva, who is also a Simon’s Rocker studying in Florence, that Blake was coming to Florence. When I asked him about it late last week he said he was going to be in Florence in two days and expected Eva and I to show him around. I would have been surprised at the short notice, but I wasn't because this is Blake we’re talking about. During the day Blake was being shown around Florence by his Grandmother’s high school boyfriend who is in his 90’s, “racist” and lives here. Blake and I met up on Monday night and I showed him around a few historical sights. He bought a six Euro gelato that was massive and posed with the famous boar statue. He seemed more taken with Florentine puppies than some of the most famous sights in the world. We met up with Eva and went to one of my favorite bars. I got the bar’s signature passion fruit martini, which I thought was just a flavored martini, but was actually a martini that came with a Passion fruit to eat and a shot of Champagne. It was a bit too showy for my liking, but the Martini itself was good. Blake was unimpressed with the bar, and when we went out again the next night, Blake was still underwhelmed.
On the third night Eva, Blake and my roommate Jocie decided to try a popular club called Full Up. When we got there, there were a ton of Americans outside and a cover to get in. We had pretty much decided not to go in, but turned around to see Blake entering the club. Not wanting to go in and pay a cover, we waited outside for a few minutes to see if Blake noticed we didn’t follow him and join us outside, but he didn't. The three of us girls went to another bar, but Eva left shortly after because she was tired. After an awkward conversation with non-English speaking Italians, Jocie and I left to meet up with one of Jocie’s friends. Jocie’s friend took us back to Full Up where she had VIP passes so we could get in for free. The club was absolutely ridiculous and I did not hear one sentence of Italian. American party girls were all over the place. Now, I’m sure it’s a totally awesome place if that’s what your into, but I’m more of a “enjoy a drink at bar, listen to live music and have a good conversation” kind of person. We didn’t stay long and Blake was nowhere to be found. On our way back to our apartment we ran into Blake, apparently it took him a long time to realize we weren’t in the club and he ended up having fun there, but left before we arrived.
Blake left on Thursday, just as my friend Elana arrived. Elana graduated from Simon’s Rock last year and is currently traveling around Europe. Unfortunately I could only hang out with her a little on Thursday because I had class and tickets to the circus. The circus show ended up being more of a theatre show with some circus arts integrated into it. It was focused around themes of humans conquering nature and global warming. I support people spreading those messages through art, but they made it too depressing, and they could have been empowering people to want to make changes. On the bus back from the circus show there was a drunk American girl who was describing her revelation about how Italian men didn’t like her, they just liked “the hair”, referring to her long blonde hair. She just kept repeating “It’s the hair!”, and I couldn’t help but to encourage her by asking “what is it?” “It’s the hair!” “ Oh, the hair! Of course!” This girl had NO idea how hilarious she was being.
I showed Elana around on Friday and took her to my favorite Pizza place and the chocolate festival. We went into a little leather shop where I bought a pair of handmade leather boots and although the woman working there spoke very little English we were able a good conversation. She told me to come back there and practice my Italian. It was really nice to hang out with Elana. I really admire how she is traveling around Europe by herself. I’d like to start doing more traveling independently.
On Saturday the roomies and I took a train to Assisi. I was surprised we all woke up early enough to even make the train. In fact we almost didn’t, we were really slow in getting our tickets and Kelly and Kira had to run for it while I was standing in the doorway yelling “Rally! Rally! Rally!” Assisi was absolutely gorgeous. Assisi is famous for being the home of St. Francis and St. Clare. St. Francis and St. Clare both lead lives devoid of material things or excess. We visited three amazing churches beautifully decorated with frescos and sculptures, had an amazing lunch followed by amazing cannolis, but my favorite part of visiting Assisi was really just being reminded the messages St. Francis and St. Clare lived their lives by. Material wealth means nothing, if you are privileged, use your money to help those in need and not indulge in meaningless excess. A little silly that all these churches in Assisi dedicated to St. Francis and St. Clare were so embellished don’t you think?
Today was the last day of the chocolate festival. It was really sad to see them pack up the tents. Going to the chocolate festival became a part of our routine. Hopefully we find something else to fill that chocolatey void.
Blake, the boar and I.
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