So since my last post we have done a lot of traveling. We went on a walking tour of Scandicci, which is the suburb of Florence in which we are located. It's a nice area, so many things to see it's hard to just mention one. It is also where the Avante Italia school is located, and that's worth noting because I've considered that program as a possible future for my life.
The next day we did an all day walking tour of Florence, there are so many amazing sights to be seen The Duomo (Brunelleschi's dome built without scaffolding). Several amazing churches including Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flower), which is massive and beautiful white marble building topped with the aforementioned Duomo. After moving through the central part of the city and seeing several grand statues (even some by Donatello my first official Ninja Turtle sighting was during this time)we went outside of the main city up to a mountain-top church called San Miniato al Monte which was down right incredible to be able to go inside. We even sang a few songs in a chapel area inside.
After that we walked down back into the city and as we came back in we crossed over the Arno River (which Mark Twain once called a ditch) on the Ponte Vecchio (literally "Old Bridge") and saw a place where the fencing around a particular bust was covered in key locks. Apparently according to tradition (of which there are many in Italy) if you and your loved one put a lock on this grate (Which is highly illegal) and then toss the key into the waters of the Arno (also very illegal), then you will be together forever we even witnessed a couple doing that. After that we toured to what Kyle (the Assistant Director here) called the Piggy Market, because of a bronze statue of a Boar, again if tradition is true then if you rub it's nose it means you will one day return to Florence.
That was all one day. The next day, we went to San Gimignano, a small town still very medieval in its feel, with many towers making up its skyline, relics of family feuds between the rich and noble of the town throughout the centuries. At one time there were 72 of these spires, but today, only 14 remain. We had a chance to visit a church there called The Collegiata (literally a "college church" which is a classification from the catholic church). It had many beautiful Frescos inside all very moving.
Once we had finished Darby, Chase, Joanna, and I, climbed up the highest of the towers (Chase counted 219 steps though I was too out of breath to be able to verify). The view was incredible you could see the entire town and many miles of Tuscan farms in the valley. We went down from there through and into a castle courtyard that was like something out of the Secret Garden and as we explored it a woman began to play "Canon" on the Harp, definitely a moment that will stick with me.
We soon left there and head to Monteriggioni a small walled-in village that was all but dead, but a nice place to have lunch.
After that we moved on to Siena. Unfortunately I can't simply repeat the entirety of everything I learned in that city, but I'll hit the highlights of what we saw.
Let me set a scene, if you'll allow it. We went into a big church beautiful from the inside and huge, but not very ornate on the outside we come out and listen to some more talk from the guide. Then it happens we turn a corner and suddenly we see this:
Simply the most incredible thing I've seen, before this all I had seen were the inside of St. Dominic's Basilica, and some cramped alleyways. I loved every bit of it. We also got a chance to imitate the Palio race that Siena is known for (if you've seen the opening to Quantum of Solace you'll know what that race looks like). Every participant in our mock race had a flag representing one of the districts. It was a really fun time, my flag was the snail but after running a fourth of the race and then canceling the rest because we were going the wrong way, I passed the flag to beck to let him finish it.
Then Sunday (the next day) we rode an hour on the city buses to get to the local church. Now the Service did irritate me because it was in Italian, well not because it was in Italian but because Robbie seemed almost neglectful of those of us that didn't understand Italian. Anyway we got back and classes began, I only had to go to Bible with Randy McLeod. then there was a devo and dinner, and somewhere in the midst of it I began to experience a combination of homesickness and an anxiety attack. I'm not sure why exactly I guess we've been moving so much the first few days that I hadn't noticed it, but I have no close friends here. I mean I knew that but I hadn't felt their absence until I wanted to have a deep discussion with Mitchell Carter, or watch Even Stevens with Hammitt and Blake, get in a silly argument with Harrison over whether or not I drink a soda, or watch Jeopardy in Chandler and Barker's room. I longed for a chance to hear Easton use his crazy high pitched voice or to see Baur using that shake weight. Being here, as amazing as it is has required me sacrificing everyone of my touchstones, no inside jokes, no movie references, no floors coated such that you can barely walk on them, none of it, and that feeling is still hanging on me.
I'm not that social a person on my own I rely heavily on my friends to help make new connections with people, but I don't have that here. It's me as I am, which quite frankly is me as an introvert. I don't know what to do, but aside from classes and meals I've been in front of this computer most of the time. That's why I named this Chiocciola, because like the snail, I've pulled into my shell. I'll be honest thinking about spending so much time without those people I cherish back home really rocked me, the honeymoon of my time here is at an end. I pray that God will help me to build relationships but I guess I just rue leaving behind all of those really deep connections I had made at school. I mean today "Save Me" by Remy Zero came on and I was hit by the fullness of spending time with the guys in the dorm, and then the hollowness of not having that until April, I rejoiced in the memory as I finished my cardio for the day with an exasperated sprint to the Gate of the Villa, but then I mourned. I don't know that I fear losing those friendships, merely that I can't act on them for sometime.
I love my friends and I know that the people here are, "a good people Kal-El" (to make a quote I know several of those JLA will love) I have no doubt of that. I hope that I can get passed this quickly and begin to really develop lasting friendships with them. If they'll have me.
ti amo tanto (I love you so much)
-matt
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