Looking back on my last night in Vicenza, it was truly the perfect ending to three ridiculously awesome - for the lack of a better word - months. Sitting in Piazzetta Palladio with Duy, drinking prosecco served to us by our friend Ricky at venti-cinque, slowly sipping in silence as we watched the streams of people flow and ebb in the two piazzas. It was how the trip had begun; the most pure form of "traveling". Two friends half way around the world exploring. But this time we were not struggling to find food or friends or to understand the language. We had traveled to this city. We had lived in this city. We were comfortable in this city. And there we sat, in our Italian city, enjoying our last glass of wine together. I will never forget the pure joy of that night.
I wrote the first two sentences of this post in June, sitting in my parents hotel room in Florence, up late because I couldn't sleep. The transition between traveling and being on vacation came as soon as we left Vicenza for the Cinque Terre*. The last 8** days in Italy for me was more a time of reflection than exploration. It was also pretty emotionally rough on me, with a tough loss at home and saying goodbye to my friends. But it wasn't until now that I could figure out how to properly express myself: I wanted the myth of that last night in Vicenza to become a truth. That last night was one of those moments that is so perfect that no matter how hard I could ever try to replicate it the people and events and place could never quite be exactly the same. No matter how hard I could try to freeze my life at that moment, time just keeps rolling and life goes on.
*Parents, those last 8 days were great though. Except for the Cinque Terre. We're in agreement there though.
**Parents, I am so sorry I lost my passport and made 8 days into 10. Again. We've been over this.
So, in case you were wondering, I'm back, still alive and kickin'. I decided that it might actually be okay to keep up a blog every now and then. I'm not really convinced it is, but I do like writing, and I know the fam down in the bay likes to hear what I'm up to so why not?
Here's what I've been up to. The major highlights:
Summer:
-I lived in Eugene.
-I took French 202 and 203. They were still too easy but speaking french every day for three hours definitely helped me improve my overall grammar and vocabulary.
-I was the photographer for the Eugene Emeralds single-A short-season baseball team. The job was fun and I really like my boss, but the organization is a joke.
-I turned 21, so I learned how expensive bars are in the US.
-My roommate and I decided to "start" a "company". It's called Donc (Dunque in italiano). We "hired" our friend Kimmy to be our graphic designer. So far she's done the most work. We expect to be moving some sort of skiing related product/items of clothing in the next 20 years.
Fall:
-Still in Eugene. Taking a light load of classes: Studio, History of Shogun's Japan, Grant Proposal Writing and Rock Climbing II: Conditioning.
-My studio project is a redesign of Eugene's City Hall trying to dampen costs by reusing the existing concrete structure and building up. It's the most realistic project I think I will ever have in school because there is a real budget, real building, real site, and real people, which makes it incredibly challenging but very fun.
-Rock II is as awful as it sounds, but I like it.
-Our football team is kicking butt and taking names (take that PETER! USC's looking a little weak after what we did to you guys last weekend)... I've gone to every home game.
Which brings us to now. Life has been great the past few months, continues to be excellent now, and as it's almost ski season it seems like it can only get better right? It's amazing how time flies.
Just last week I attended and spoke at a Vicenza 2011 Study Abroad meeting for students interested in next year's program. I've held off saying this for a while now, but I can truly say that it was the greatest experience of my life. Best three months, hands down. Just sitting there and talking with my classmates about it brought back all the great memories. But it's not just reminiscing with my friends, what I learned in Europe is entering my life: from food to fashion to studio. I don't have salad dressing, only oil and vinegar. I got a fancy hoodie, that looks like an even fancier jacket. I'm more concerned with how my studio project affects the street and city fabric of Eugene than how the internal circulation works. Whether I like it or not, my spring in europe will probably continue to influence me for years.
So I pause here for a moment to write these thoughts down, reflect on the great times had, dream of the great times to come, and just keep on living.
2.7.10
Spring in Europe: Firenze
The first time I was in Firenze* I really enjoyed it. After spending two weeks in Roma, it was such a relief to be at a slower pace in a city that seemed a little bit more real. It actually seems like people actually inhabit the city: there are locals, local eateries, local specialties, etc. While Roma is constantly catering to the tourist, and constantly being epically grand, Firenze has a much more approchable feel to it in my opinion.
*that's right. I'm calling it Firenze because that's what it is. I'm not trying to sound pretentious, despite the fact that being a native english speaker it is completely pretentious to call it such. Ridicule as you wish. When I'm back I'll go back to our English interpretation: Florence.
While we were here in April we spent a few days in the city and traveled to Bologna and Sienna (aka Hogwarts South, cause that town is build for wizards by wizards I'm sure of it). While here with the group it was the usual whirlwind tour, walk here, sketch this, sketch that, move on, get yelled at in churches for taking pictures.
At the end of our stay we were given some free time, many decided to travel to the Cinque Terre or Ravenna. My original plans were to go visit Old Man Savey up in Copenhagen, but unfortunately that fell through so I just decided to relax in Firenze with Sam, Duy, Kohlton and Kim.
As much as I like people (and I like people a lot) I have either become more introverted or realized that I like more intimate interaction. I'm not all about being lost in a big crowd; a hand full of people having good conversation is just right with me. Some of my favorite moments this entire trip have been shared not with the whole group, but just a few people that I've gotten really close to this trip.
One of these small group experiences was the five of us roaming around the streets of Firenze on Notte Bianca or White Night. It is an all night festival of the arts where the museums were all open, the streets were packed wall to wall, and TONS of people were dancing. It was great. It was one of those times when you look around and realize that this. this is life. One of those I am in the midst of an adventure and I love it times.
I left Firenze happy and rested, ready to take on Vicenza and studio.
I returned to Firenze emotionally and physically exhausted.
School was over but that last week in Vicenza had taken a toll on me. It wasn't too hard saying goodbye to my classmates, I knew I'd see a few over the summer and the rest in September. What was difficult was the realization that my time in Europe was coming to a close, the program is over, "closing time" was playing in my head. What made this week more difficult was I felt like I lost so many people. Some I will see again, I promise, and one who I will never see again, and I will miss deeply.
The train ride here was comforting, like going to see an old friend to re-live good memories.
Unfortunately, however, it should be noted that Firenze has changed since I've been gone. No longer is it the place where I can walk from Santa Maria Novella to the Olt'Arno and potentially hear no English what so ever. Now I'm surprised when I hear Italian. The city has become tourist central, which makes sense but is AWFUL. I've gone most of this trip in the off season and hitting the city like this was kind of shocking. Though I haven't let it ruin my stay. In fact, this is probably the most relaxed I've finally been all trip. I know how to get around, I have nothing to do, and my parents are paying for things. Firenze is still treating me well.
The Parents and I had a little fancy night out the other night at this restaurant on the south side of the Arno River overlooking Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi. It seems fitting to end this post with some images from the night:
Ciao ciao, Firenze.
*that's right. I'm calling it Firenze because that's what it is. I'm not trying to sound pretentious, despite the fact that being a native english speaker it is completely pretentious to call it such. Ridicule as you wish. When I'm back I'll go back to our English interpretation: Florence.
While we were here in April we spent a few days in the city and traveled to Bologna and Sienna (aka Hogwarts South, cause that town is build for wizards by wizards I'm sure of it). While here with the group it was the usual whirlwind tour, walk here, sketch this, sketch that, move on, get yelled at in churches for taking pictures.
At the end of our stay we were given some free time, many decided to travel to the Cinque Terre or Ravenna. My original plans were to go visit Old Man Savey up in Copenhagen, but unfortunately that fell through so I just decided to relax in Firenze with Sam, Duy, Kohlton and Kim.
As much as I like people (and I like people a lot) I have either become more introverted or realized that I like more intimate interaction. I'm not all about being lost in a big crowd; a hand full of people having good conversation is just right with me. Some of my favorite moments this entire trip have been shared not with the whole group, but just a few people that I've gotten really close to this trip.
One of these small group experiences was the five of us roaming around the streets of Firenze on Notte Bianca or White Night. It is an all night festival of the arts where the museums were all open, the streets were packed wall to wall, and TONS of people were dancing. It was great. It was one of those times when you look around and realize that this. this is life. One of those I am in the midst of an adventure and I love it times.
I left Firenze happy and rested, ready to take on Vicenza and studio.
I returned to Firenze emotionally and physically exhausted.
School was over but that last week in Vicenza had taken a toll on me. It wasn't too hard saying goodbye to my classmates, I knew I'd see a few over the summer and the rest in September. What was difficult was the realization that my time in Europe was coming to a close, the program is over, "closing time" was playing in my head. What made this week more difficult was I felt like I lost so many people. Some I will see again, I promise, and one who I will never see again, and I will miss deeply.
The train ride here was comforting, like going to see an old friend to re-live good memories.
Unfortunately, however, it should be noted that Firenze has changed since I've been gone. No longer is it the place where I can walk from Santa Maria Novella to the Olt'Arno and potentially hear no English what so ever. Now I'm surprised when I hear Italian. The city has become tourist central, which makes sense but is AWFUL. I've gone most of this trip in the off season and hitting the city like this was kind of shocking. Though I haven't let it ruin my stay. In fact, this is probably the most relaxed I've finally been all trip. I know how to get around, I have nothing to do, and my parents are paying for things. Firenze is still treating me well.
The Parents and I had a little fancy night out the other night at this restaurant on the south side of the Arno River overlooking Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi. It seems fitting to end this post with some images from the night:
Ciao ciao, Firenze.
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