Been awhile, huh? Oops. Weeks 11-14

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From vacation week to the final haul...

Coming home from Dublin was a big to-do. 5am bus, 8:30am flight, 2:00pm train, 5:00 arrival at Siena, then had to sleep outside of my host family's apartment in the freezing cold, like a poor beggar, all curled up next to my backpack, and wait for them to get home from Florence at 8:00pm. It was really, really cold. I was really, really grateful at 8pm. (and a little numb, too.)

Within a few days, host-mom was being her ridiculous self, repeating sentences over and over and speaking to me condescendingly, and I was very, very angry, and almost hit her, and also almost flat out turned my back on her, and man did I write a whole lot of nasty things about her in my journal that night, but thankfully she hasn't been psycho like that since. (I mean, aside from the 'making me go to bed at midnight' thing. I miss being an adult.)

We're talking like, Wednesday, November 10th, here. I'm gonna write an unconventional blog entry now and update you on the past month, because it's been a rather unconventional month, and also a rather uneventful one, in the grand scheme of things. Probably because my brain's been in the United States while my body's been in Europe. That tends to throw off the 'appreciation' factor.

What I've done in the past month:
1. Wrote big fat long messages to various people at home. (Albeit few, but still.)
2. Facebook stalked the crap out of everyone I know. (Albeit a perpetual aspect of my life, but still.)
3. Read some serious Italo Calvino. (In English, The Nonexistent Knight, The Cloven Viscount, Cosmicomics; in Italian, pieces of Cosmicomiche, Le città invisibili, and Se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore)
4. Over-analyzed an excessive amount of unimportant things. (My relationships, my ideas about life, my career options, other people's relationships, all of my faults, etc)
5. Lived inside of my head. (This can be attested to if one were to read my journal. In the first 3 months, I was writing about things that were happening, ways that I was living. In this last month, it's a whole bunch of emotions and wonderings and abstract concepts that have very little tie to reality. I have not felt like I've participated in Italy, because I haven't truly let myself live in it, much. My brain's off somewhere, being judgmental and philosophical and thoroughly dissatisfied with it's current state of Quarantine from all stimulating conversation.)
6. Paid attention to my studies. (This is only half true. I spent a lot of time stressing about my studies, but not a whole lot of time actually doing them. I did, however, write a pretty kickass 8-page research paper in less than half a day. It was a lot of bullshit, yet somehow, that went unnoticed. Sometimes I really don't understand how I do better on things I BS in a day, and worse on things I spend weeks of my life on... Anyways. Aside from the research paper, there have been a whole lot of Literature class summaries I haven't been writing, because in my Literature class, I haven't been paying very much attention. And drawing, well, drawing's actually good. I had a crunch period a few weeks ago in which I was scrambling to have some work to show for this semester, but now I'm working on this really massive project for the art show on saturday. Its about a 5ft x 7ft drawing of a fractal-concept philosophy I've been developing for quite a long time now. It's really exciting; I'll have pictures up when I'm done. I just spent all day Sunday rockin out to Christmas music and working in the studio, and tomorrow I've got the same thing on the itinerary. It's gonna be a lot of work to finish in time for Saturday, but just wait-- It'll happen.)
7. Holidays. We had a Thanksgiving decorating party awhile back, in which we rocked out to some T-Swift and old 90s childhood classics. We also had a Thanksgiving potluck dinner at the school, and it was surprisingly nice - there was turkey, stuffing, AND apple pie. The only thing that was really missing (food-wise) was the cranberry sauce. But it balanced out, because I drank a LOT of wine, so nothing really bothered me after that. Also, I skyped my fabulous family on Friday, (not even trying to alliterate, I apologize), and it was wonderful, because I actually felt like I was there. Yeah, I was just a moving photo of a head on a computer screen, and there tends to be a 'look don't touch' policy with food in those circumstances, but it was the conversation and company I was craving, and i got more than I could ask for in that department. I'm a lucky girl.
8. Rome. We took a weekend out there, staying in a convent of sorts, haha. Saw the Vatican museums and the Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps and the Colosseum. Good stuff - can't wait to go back with Steve.
9. Movies. Lots of random downloads that me and Dafne watch together in Italian. Watched A Troll in Central Park today. Talk about your throwbacks, huh?
10. Siena's Christmas market. Yeah, it was rainy and disgusting and cold. And yeah, I definitely ate intestines for lunch that day at a restaurant with my host-family. Or a few bites, before I couldn't anymore, and then they brought me steak and fries instead. Seriously, there's a reason intestines are the organs used to digest food. They aren't supposed to be the things you're digesting. (Also, fun fact, this dining situation is a perfect example of how quickly Italians stereotype Americans. When I didn't like their special dish, they DEEP FRIED a steak for me and put french fries on the side. This is how they think we eat every day. Also, deep fried steak, not very good. Kinda dry and tough.)
11. Career research. Might be coming back here in the summer to do some art restoration with Filippo. (!!!!) Definitely spent hours researching internships for translators/interpreters in the US (naught so far). Oh, and also, since I haven't updated you on the restoration side of things, we're actually restoring work now. The cleaning process has been so cool, it's cathartic, and seeing the results is incredibly satisfying. It's like unearthing a treasure.
12. Various outings. Met Sarah's sister one night at a lovely Tea Room dining experience. Saw Fabio's friends' band Aftershave in concert this past friday, surprisingly good, played great versions of classic rock songs that I can't remember anymore.

End of Semester Map:
Current time is 1:23am, Tuesday, 11/07/10.
Tuesday: 9-12 drawing, 12-1 culture presentation of Gianni Rodari's short stories, 1-7 drawing/Christmas music/skype, 7-9 getting home/dinner, 9-12 various hwk
Wednesday: 9:30-11 art history research paper presentation, 11-1 italian review, 1-4 last literature class, 4-7 calvino research paper, 7-12 various hwk
Thursday: 9-11 italian debate topic presentation, 11-2 writings for art show, 2-6 art restoration, 6-12 various hwk
Friday: 9-5 third art history trip to Florence, must present Michelangelo's David and his unfinished Slaves. after 5, call Emily Urban, stay overnight in Florence, clubbing/bar-hopping/doing whatever tickles our fancy
Saturday: arrive home early AM, 11-2 prepare for show, 3-5 art show, 5-9 home/dinner, 9-4am discoteca with Sarah/Fabio/others
Sunday: lunch with Fabio/others, Calvino research paper, other studying
Monday-Thursday: Final assignments/papers, Final Exams, Final dinner
Friday: Packing
Saturday: Off to Rome to pick up Steve... And the backpacking adventure begins.

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