Reflections on my second home

As my Italian time draws to a close and exams loom for the next week, I've been thinking a lot about the things I will treasure, I will miss, and the things I will wish I had done. Observing the actions of my fellow students, I was at first worried that I would be selling myself short because I haven't done the same as them. Most of them have been traveling to different countries and cities every weekend, and when they're in Firenze, they all travel together and are constantly in each other's company. This was a major point of loneliness for me when I first arrived. I thought to myself, "I obviously need to get with an American friend group so I can feel included and accepted." Nationalities flock together was the easy assumption and hope.

I traveled with one or two fellow Americans at the beginning of the semester. It was great for photos and historical learning. I saw my share of Jesus and the Madonna paintings. Wow! a painting from 1230. Incredible! a timeless fresco. I'm grateful that I was able to see artworks that were painstakingly crafted by artisans of the past. But I wanted something more. I'm a people person. I wanted to connect and very much feel at home around others.

I think that's why my wisest decision during my time here was to spend most weekends here in Firenze. The roads and faces in businesses are now familiar and meaningful to me. I've made more Italian friends than American. If I had traveled too much just to see things, I'd feel like a disconnected tourist. What's the fun in just seeing things to say you've seen them? The last two months especially have been an incredible journey since I've really hit a good stride here. I've found myself smiling just to myself while riding the bus or walking around town, just for the simple fact that I feel so happy here. I have people who care about me and are always willing to share a laugh, story, or tell me about their day. People in the market, like Avi from Romania who works at a jewelry stand, or Carlos and Tweety (I don't even know what her real name is) who both work at a coffee shop across from my school. I can see and feel the warmth from them when I greet them.

Originally, it was painful for me to not be able to communicate effectively with my Italian skills. I only knew a few words before traveling here in September. Everywhere I went, I tried to summon up enough courage to ask for something in Italian, and felt completely disheartened when all I received in return was a bored answer in English. I first took this to be an insult to my Italian. Like saying, 'you're butchering the Italian language, please just speak English.' I felt extremely embarrassed also.

It all tied into my very much wanting to talk and meet people. I eventually changed my social perspective: not to put so much importance on trying to speak Italian if it so negatively effected my self-confidence when out and about in the city. I studied it at home, worked on it in class and spoke some with my home-family. I learned enough key words that I could feel comfortable. Conversational Italian is still very difficult for me.

I absorb Italian like a sponge though. I'm constantly hearing it every day. Most of my free time is spent hanging out with Italian friends. And unless they're directly speaking to me, they all speak Italian with each other. I'm finally at the point where I can understand the gist of what they're saying. That's a huge confidence boost for me in the Italian department.

I was on the city bus yesterday traveling to class, and I overheard two Italians talking right behind me. I understood that they were exclaiming about how bad the riots in Athens, Greece, were. Just a small moment, but it made me feel good that I could both understand them and that I was also aware of the crisis in Greece.

I've been following news through the Internet like crazy. It makes me feel much more connected to everything. I don't even miss TV or news shows. Google.com/News is all I need. It has feeds from all major outlets, which I think helps guard against right/left bias.

More on Florence though - last night was my last time to see the whole Taxi Drivers band in concert. Stevio, Frank Dd, Lorenzo, and GianLuca have been a cornerstone of my Florentine experience. Not only are they incredibly talented musicians, but they are the most down-to-earth people I have met here. Vocalist Stevio works in public relations for a hotel chain in Firenze. Guitarist/violinist/flutist Frank Dd works at a market in Prato, Italia. Drummer Lorenzo teaches history of religion at a school in Prato. Bassist GianLuca works at a bank here in Firenze. Everyone has their day jobs, and they never actually have time to rehearse. They just meet at the show a few hours prior to do soundcheck and then play. Very free spirited.

I had a great time rocking out with them last night. I felt very natural singing along with Stevio and also sharing the mic with Frank. It was a packed house and a good number of my American classmates finally came by to see me.

After the show, as has been custom for a few weeks, I'll just help the band pack up their gear. We'll also just hang out and talk, still enjoying the glowing excitement from the night. Lorenzo is very similar to me with weirdness and a healthy sense of humor. From last night:
Lorenzo and I having fun as very weird people

behind the drums

Lorenzo and I over-dramatique with roses again

Overall, I'm not ready to leave yet. I'm looking forward to seeing GianLuca, Frank and Lorenzo again next Saturday when they perform at Loonees. I don't need a big going-away party; I just want to be with my friends here. I'm just hooked on the essence of European people and the uniqueness of this city. I can't help but feel great when my friends here ask me when I'm coming back. I know I will. I hope it will be very soon. This city has become a home to me.

Hitting my Florentine stride

Finally, a break and time to breathe. After my birthday weekend, I hit the ground running on school projects. Three papers averaging seven pages each. I felt too guilty to write on the blog when I had research papers to compose. Now though, all papers are finished! Celebrated the week by going out to see Taxi Drivers at Loonees Music Bar again last night. Like the good friends they are, of course they didn't disappoint. I just jammed along with people there, dancing in my own little way.

I was glad I was feeling better - about three days ago I came down with a bad sore throat. I lost my voice for a day and since then my voice has been pretty weak and pained. I still don't completely have it back. That didn't stop my friend Stefan, the vocalist for Taxi Drivers, to call me up on stage last night to sing with him. It was a full house and I knew I couldn't lead-sing the vocals, but I happily took part in the back-up chorus vocals and doing a little sing-dancing. Afterwards, Stefan kiddingly chided me for not dancing more. "I was sick! You were lucky I got up there at all!" Regardless, I promised to put on more of a show next week when they play at Loonees again on Friday.

When the show finished at about 2:30am, we went through the usual routine of packing up the drum kit and other instruments.


Lorenzo taking a break with his drum kit

It's a great feeling to feel so included and part of the band. I had a person at the bar ask me if I sang in another band and if I'd be willing to sing at a jazz club in Rome. I thought this was slightly ironic though since I was sick and was hardly singing. I took the compliment anyways though. Afterwards, we were hungry so set off on a quest for food. In my college city of Rome, GA, this would be a practically impossible quest except for going to McDonald's, which I refuse to eat at. What did we find instead? A hot-food vending machine. It was a miracle of technology.



Frank digging into pasta with cheese and salmon (it was actually really good) while Julia hungrily looks on

We also went to a Istanbul Kebab place that was open 24 hours. At 4am, it was packed with people just chowing down. I love finding places like this. I even got to learn a little about gender politics. Lorenzo recommended that I go ask for the bathroom key instead of him doing so. So I did, and received the key with a smile from the guy behind the counter. We both were able to use the bathroom with no problem. I returned the key afterwards. Then Julia's friend decided he wanted to use the bathroom. He went to ask for the key, and the guy just looked at him expressionless and told him it was broken. I turned to Lorenzo and looked confused. All he said was, "That's why I told you to ask for the key. He never would have given the key to me, being a guy." It seemed very unfair, but was an interesting learning experience. Hooray for being assumed the safe female. I value my femme card when it's needed. :)

My birthday last weekend went fairly well. Granted, I thought more of my American friends would show up out of the 10 that I invited, but it was raining, so only one showed up. My reliable travel-partner Nora. The rest of the crowd were my Italian friends. We met at PlusFlorence hostel like was planned and had a few good games of pool, a little dancing, and long conversations at the bar. I started talking with two American guys that were staying at the hostel and were students studying in Rome for the semester. When Issam, my party organizer, decided to go on to Be Bop Music Bar from the hostel, I invited the Americans along. It was quite a packed van that included about 8 people. My friends brought other friends of theirs too so it made for a great time.

part of the group: Rafael (the co-birthday boy), me, Rafael's friends, and Daniele (from the horseback riding tour)

At Be Bop was a Doors cover band. I remember they weren't bad, but I was so happy just to be with good conversation people that I don't remember much else about them. The owner and bartenders at Be Bop are great friends of mine also. It always feels like visiting friends when I go there.

On Monday, I had a field trip with my marketing class to the Officina Profumo Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella, one of the oldest farmacies in the world created by Dominican Friars around the year 1221. We were given a tour of the factory that covered how the creams are packaged, how the candles are made, how the perfumes are made, and we even got to test some of their herbal liquors.

hand cream line

the soaps are hand-wrapped

the soap particles going through the machine to be compressed into bars (the soaps are made of milk, coconut and plant oils - no animal fat)

We were given complimentary candles at the end of the tour. Not bad for a field trip! The factory smelled wonderfully also. A majority of the herbs used there come from the hills around Florence.

So what's up for the next week? Hopefully me coming to 100% health and also studying for final exams. I'm still not ready to leave yet, but I feel that it's a good thing because I'll fully enjoy and appreciate the time I have left here.