Just worked. Here's some cool pictures
15 Monday March Fuoriolongo
My kite flying friend has struck again.
Monday night, Claudio invited me to join him for his Italian Theater Class, and although he had forewarned me that it was strange, I still was not ready for this madness.
We started out with an excercise that was quasi icebreaker/quasi warm up drill. Basically we ended up giving everyone else backmassages?!
Than we learned a "famous dance" which I've never heard of,(dance of the maura, or something) which one rugby team does before everygame. It involved a lot of warlike, primitive movements. The following dance we learned was all improvisation. Our instructor told us to imagine how the native americans behaved and act the part. However, everyone started in a line and you had to follow what the first person was doing. So if the first person was smoking a peace pipe, or taking a piss, everyone had to follow.
Besides having a good time, the idea was to attract as many different immigrant groups, and thus, diversity, to the group as possible. Although I'm not from Romania, I can proudly say that in one sense, I was the most "native" american in the group!
Monday night, Claudio invited me to join him for his Italian Theater Class, and although he had forewarned me that it was strange, I still was not ready for this madness.
We started out with an excercise that was quasi icebreaker/quasi warm up drill. Basically we ended up giving everyone else backmassages?!
Than we learned a "famous dance" which I've never heard of,(dance of the maura, or something) which one rugby team does before everygame. It involved a lot of warlike, primitive movements. The following dance we learned was all improvisation. Our instructor told us to imagine how the native americans behaved and act the part. However, everyone started in a line and you had to follow what the first person was doing. So if the first person was smoking a peace pipe, or taking a piss, everyone had to follow.
Besides having a good time, the idea was to attract as many different immigrant groups, and thus, diversity, to the group as possible. Although I'm not from Romania, I can proudly say that in one sense, I was the most "native" american in the group!
16, 17 Tuesday- Wed, March,
Tuesday I went to a couple of travel agencies to figure out spring break. Although I didn't go through them, they did confirm my suspicions that it is neither cheap, nor easy,to get from Urbino to Istanbul. Anyways, I think the current plan is to spend a couple days in South Italy at Salerno. Possibly, check out Naples and Mt. Vesuvius.
Wednesday, I got some new Italian music from roomate. I think I'm learning more from these songs than my classes(don't worry Mom, I still go).
Wednesday, I got some new Italian music from roomate. I think I'm learning more from these songs than my classes(don't worry Mom, I still go).
18, Thursday March, Layed back
Thursday I chatted again with my Argentinian friend. This time we practiced more English, because her teacher's begun giving her a hard time. It's fun explaining all the sayings in the english language which I never thought of before. We were talking about people being 'layed back' verses 'uptight.'
Additionally I stayed up ridicuously late to register for next semesters classes at Villanova. Villanova told me I could register starting at 9:30pm. In Italy time that =s 2:30 am= OUCH!
Additionally I stayed up ridicuously late to register for next semesters classes at Villanova. Villanova told me I could register starting at 9:30pm. In Italy time that =s 2:30 am= OUCH!
19 Friday March- COOKIES!
This morning was excellent! I was still tired from staying up so late last-night registering class, and I didn’t have any food in the dorm to eat before my morning class. However, when I passed by the front desk I saw there was a little package waiting for me, full of HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. That was a very tasty, and the chocolate chips made it well rounded, breakfast. (THANK YOU SO MUCH!)
For my morning class, instead of going to the state archives we went to one of the many state Libraries. However, this was no regular library. You can’t actually see, or take out any books unless you fill out a slip with the request for a certain book or bundle of manuscripts. Then, a librarian brings it to you.
We were looking at problems the Duke of Urbino had to deal with (the theme was life at the court). Most of the manuscripts, in the bundle we examined from the early 17th century, addressed problems of food. In one instance the Duke’s men suspected that one of the bakers, on staff, was purposely making low quality bread. The solution the Duke thought up was to take the same materials that were given to the court baker, give them to an outside baker (without telling the first) and have him make the same amount of bread and compare the quality. It’s amazing to think that this is what the leader of Urbino spent his brainpower concocting.
For the second half of class we actually went to the kitchen, or, that is, what remains of it beneath the Ducal Palace. The basement beneath the Palace is incredibly cool. There are huge arches holding the ceiling up, chimneys extending all the way to the surface and, the remains of the freezer(which is just a huge well with access to the element which they stored snow in to preserve the food during the warmer months).
After another 4 hour history class with Peter(in which we covered all of WWI & II from Italy’s perspective I returned to the dorms for some dinner and rest. However, I was swarmed by my Syrian friends who wanted to learn tango. So I gave an intro lesson upstairs, and although it started out with 2 people, we ended with at least 10 respectable dancer and 6 or 7 supportive onlookers.
20,21 Weekend, March + Outdoor Soccer
This weekend was nothing new. Went for a walk, did some homework, learned that Villanova B-ball is out of the tournament(fortunately I didn't bother to watch). The only really exciting thin that happened wast they turned off my phone. The company bills my debit card every time I make a call. However, I think they just figured out that the last debit card was canceled after I was robbed in Rome. Guess I should give them a ring!
So nothing exciting happened today, but I just realized I forgot about Wednesday night. I joined a faculty soccer team and we played a friendly match. This was truly an international team, and everyone was pretty good. However, we had to drive for about ten minutes to the nearest field, because everything is so hilly.
The cool thing is it was just a lighted soccer field. Nothing else. They even had locker rooms and showers. This is what you get in a land that only knows the football that you play with your feet- a real soccer field!
So nothing exciting happened today, but I just realized I forgot about Wednesday night. I joined a faculty soccer team and we played a friendly match. This was truly an international team, and everyone was pretty good. However, we had to drive for about ten minutes to the nearest field, because everything is so hilly.
The cool thing is it was just a lighted soccer field. Nothing else. They even had locker rooms and showers. This is what you get in a land that only knows the football that you play with your feet- a real soccer field!
22 Monday March- Theatre Animals
Big news today is they turned my cell phone back on-Yay. Oh, and I had fun trying to explain my views on the recently passed Health Care Bill to some of the Italians. Then, we got into to talking about social medicine. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for me, my technical vocabulary is woefully limited so I kept repeating that there are still problems with the aforementioned ideas.
I also returned to my weekly theatre group, I just have to say it gets crazier this time. So instead of imitating Native Americans, this time we had to imagine an animal. We had to imagine that animal (I picked a lion) being born and feeling out the world for the first time. Our development was accompanied by a live group of immigrant drummers. With the congas ringing it almost seemed natural!
Someday, I think this might culminate in a performance, but most of it is now focused on loosening us up. I don’t really care where it’s going, I just know it’s a pretty good way to spend a night with some new friends.
I also returned to my weekly theatre group, I just have to say it gets crazier this time. So instead of imitating Native Americans, this time we had to imagine an animal. We had to imagine that animal (I picked a lion) being born and feeling out the world for the first time. Our development was accompanied by a live group of immigrant drummers. With the congas ringing it almost seemed natural!
Someday, I think this might culminate in a performance, but most of it is now focused on loosening us up. I don’t really care where it’s going, I just know it’s a pretty good way to spend a night with some new friends.
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