Night Lights

From my experience, I feel like cities in Europe can't be truly appreciated until they are experienced at night. The youths of Italians (and when I say youths, I mean anywhere between ages 18-30something) gather nightly in the piazzas (squares) and sit around the fountains and talk and drink and eat gelato. Someone told me, "its like there's a nightly block party in Italy!" And they are so right. Our last night in Rome, a few of us ventured out to experience the sights under the sparkle of night. Parks do not close at night and there aren't open container laws. Not because Italians like to get crunk, but because community is such a vital aspect of their culture. Around the dinner table and the fountains, Italians devote their daily lives to each other. Its definitely one of the things I appreciate most about Italian culture. One of those things that we are unfortunately lacking in America.

So, as a tribute to our last night in Rome and as a general means of kicking off our tour, a few of us ventured towards a nearby square, casually passing the Colliseum along our way. Its silently beautiful resilience gracefully replaced the dusty hot crowds we had witnessed earlier in the day. A warm yellow Italian moon shone brightly above it.

When we arrived at the square, it was fairly intimidating. According to Elizabeth Gilbert, Italians keep the same group of friends from grade school through adulthood. Walking into that square full of happy Italians speaking in Italian separated into their lifelong cliques... well, it felt like walking into a lunchroom as a transfer student in the 7th grade, I'm sure. After getting enough courage to have some discouraging chit chat with some American freshman fratboy smoking a Cuban cigar, we gave up our attempts to be Italian-square-cool, hopped in a taxi and headed toward the Trevi Fountain.

TIP: Trevi Fountain at night is a must see!

Like the Coliseum, it was a beautiful Italian image, all lit up and sparkling at night and was a peaceful comparison to the crazy crowds from earlier. This was the first time I felt truly relaxed on our journey (though I became a semi-pro by the end of the trip). It felt like magic. We had a long and beautiful conversation with an Asian Australian couple about everything from style to theology before we hopped in another cab towards our hotel and said goodbye to Rome.

Buonanotte and I hope you enjoy these slowly pieced together legs of our journey.

When in Rome...

...say "buon giorno" to the Pope!

Wednesday, May 21st

Today, we got up early to hit up the Vatican for the Papal Audience. TIP: They hand out tickets like free candy, but that doesn't mean that you have a spot saved. Get there early, so you can snag a chair by the fence. The Pope will drive by the fence once or twice, smiling and waving and who knows? Maybe it'll be your baby he'll stop to kiss, or your hand he'll high five. Once he makes it to the steps of the church, every pilgrimage group is announced and welcomed in every language represented. This takes about an hour. Then, the Pope will give his address. First, he reads it, then he thanks his peeps. Then it is translated.  Then he thanks his peeps. And the address is translated again and again, language by language. This takes a little over an hour. We left after it was translated in English, to beat the crowds for lunch (always a good choice). However, the ceremony ends with the Our Father in Italian (or Latin? - Obviously, I wasn't there - which now that I think about is kind of sad). For the prior Popes, this service usually took place in an auditorium that seats 2000. However, Pope Francis is so popular, they do it on the steps of the church, to make way for the hundreds of thousands that gather weekly. The crowds were overwhelming. More on that later. The address itself was beautiful. I have included the translation because I can that's why:

Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the seven gifts of the "Holy Spirit, we now consider the gift of knowledge. Through this spiritual gift, we are enabled to see every person, and the world around us, in the light of God's loving plan. In a sense, we see the beauty, harmony and goodness of all creation with the eyes of God its maker. As is clear from the lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and so many other saints, the gift of knowledge gives rise to grateful contemplation of the world of nature and joyful praise of the Creator. The perspective given by this spiritual gift leads us to respect God's gift of creation and to exercise wise stewardship of its resources for the benefit of the whole human family. It also prevents us from restricting our vision to the persons and things of this world alone, forgetting that in their order, value and beauty they point beyond themselves to God, their source and ultimate end. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us grow in the knowledge which enables us to perceive the love with which God guides the world, to respond with gratitude and to praise him for his infinite goodness and love."
http://www.news.va/en/news/general-audience-21-may-2014

This was relevant and striking to me because A) hello - I'm in college. Acquiring knowledge is kinda my thing right now. Also, B) in the Vatican Museum, we saw Raphael's Rooms and one in particular related to the sermon. Our tour guide told us that the walls of The Room of the Segnatura, (which had once been a library), were painted (by Raphael) to represent the sides of knowledge. Google tells me its actually the sides of the human spirit. But perhaps they are one and the same. Raphael represents Truth, Good and Beauty through scenes of Philosophy, Theology and Justice. Whatever. I found new understanding of the sermon through them.

At the end of the tour, we stepped inside the Sisteen Chapel. You know, that one that Michealangelo painted as though gravity didn't exist? And I was so excited. And it was so beautiful. And I still can't believe I saw it in person. And that it was one person painted it so so long ago. And I now understand all the hype about lapis lazuli. And I was so looking forward to a moment of silent reverence.

But tourists suck.

And I KNOW I'm a tourist too. So I guess we suck. But still. It is probably more of a societal problem than an individual's problem, because this is how it is everywhere. Nationalities intermix and gather to experience a bit of the world we should all have ownership of as human beings, and instead we just can't respect each other because we get overstimulated and shut everyone out, talking loudly as though we're the only people in the world. When the Pope gave his address in Italian, all of the Americans talked like nothing was going on - just tuned it out and snapped one hundred pictures. When the sermon was in English, the Italians spoke loudly and snapped their own pictures (perhaps to get back at us). And when everyone enters the Sisteen chapel, after ceaseless warnings about having to be quiet and not being allowed to take pictures in there, everyone still pushed and shoved and talked like it was 4th grade recess. And what is this societal obsession with having to take pictures of everything always anyway? No one cares if you got a hundred pictures of the Pope. You were not even looking at the man because you were too busy trying to balance the camera higher than the rest of people shooting their arms up in the air. It is like their lives depend on being one of the hundreds of thousands of people to get to take a picture of him today. I could barely see him for the arms. Like I said - I don't judge the individuals. It is a societal problem. But part of that problem is that people's obsession with documenting experiences end up highly detracting from the experiences of others (if you come to hear the Papal Audience, you should be able to hear and see the Papal Audience). We do all have ownership of this world, but it must be ownership in a way that connects us.

Ok, there is my rant. I just hate crowds (introvert). But I guess that's what I get for visiting a place that is just so unabashedly amazing.

Anyway. There are extreme perks to being a part of a touring choir. Tonight, we sang in literally the MOST BEAUTIFUL church I have ever been in in my life. You may have heard of it. Saint Peter's Basilica? Yeah. That one. Though Pope Francis didn't end up making it to this Mass, we still had an incredible experience. We sat in the choir section, which is near the front of the church and which is also the most beautiful part. General visitors are not allowed that close - and I believe they have to pay to visit. I almost cried at least ten times. And I'm a pretty stoic person when it comes to things like this. That's how beautiful it was. And Saint Peter is literally buried underneath it. How cool is that? The literal rock of the Christian Church. And there's the Pieta of course. Wow. Michelangelo actually did these things. And they are right where I was standing. I'm not much of a materialist most of the time, but seeing these amazing pieces of history... it physically changed me.

Buon giorno!

The school year has come to a close, research papers are completed, many of my friends have graduated, and I've started rehearsal for my summer job at Bare Bodkins Shakespeare Company. However my life is on hold for a moment, giving way to music, worship, and tasty deliciousness. The University of Sioux Falls Concert Chorale has arrived in Italy.

To prepare myself for these adventures, I've been rereading Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. And I found the following excerpt particularly relative to my travel experiences. The first line of the chapter is, "Truthfully, I'm not the best traveler in the world" (Gilbert, pg. 40). It is a shocking start for the reader who is thus far under the impression that this world renowned traveler and writer would have it all together. She admits her "faults" as a traveler - she often doesn't do any research prior to traveling, she lacks an internal compass, her stomach is not of steel, and she has a tendency to appear flustered when she is flustered.

Some of these faults I share - particularly in the research department. I try to cover this fault up with the face for adventure, but really I'm just kind of lazy/busy. Though I love adventure anyway - don't get me wrong! But it was nice to hear these "faults" from a fellow world traveler. My mistakes often happen to cost money. At least I've ever repeated one of these specific mistakes, per say (I think) - it just turns out that there's a lot of opportunity to make new mistakes. Who knew?

For example. TIP: When the prices for fish or steak on a European menu appear too good to be true, they are. If the fish says it costs six euros, it doesn't mean that you only get to pay six euros. It probably more likely means that you get to pay six euros per gram. Don't let your empty stomach and that spirit of adventure fool you. Woops.

But I don't let myself get upset about things like that anymore (at least not for more than an hour). You can't let small mishaps ruin a day, or even a week, when you're having an adventure (called LIFE). Pretty much I just pay the bill, learn the lesson, and move on. Also, TIP: When in doubt, just order the pizza. 

Anyway. My favorite part of the chapter of Eat, Pray, Love was what Gilbert said after she listed all her faults:

"Still despite all this, traveling is the great true love of my life. I have always felt...that to travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless newborn baby--I just don't care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it's mine Because it looks exactly like me." (Gilbert, pg. 41)

I didn't realize until I read it that that's exactly how I feel about travel. You may have noticed that I have a small case of wanderlust. However, I take it one step further. Travel (and maybe this could still be compared to a baby - I wouldn't know) has not only taught me incredible things about myself, but also about the world. A few of the people I'm traveling with are first time pond crossers. Though we've only been here a day, its been cool to see these people confront the world in an entirely different culture than their own. I didn't even realize how much I've picked up in my travels by way of knowledge about etiquette, history, and language until I found myself answering questions, telling stories and simply enacting the things I've learned for them.

But the biggest thing I've learned is how little I truly will never ever know. Also, I've learned that tour groups are awesome (thanks, Dr. D-K!). Yay not having to plan things!

Today, we were given an introductory walking tour of Rome. We threw coins in the Trevi Fountain, saw the Egyptian Sun Dial, basked in the beauty of the Pantheon, ate the best bruschetta (pronounced: brew-skeh-tah), and generally stuffed our faces with pasta, beef, potatoes, mutton, panna cotta, and wine (OH the wine!). I tried to show off my knowledge of Italian goodness and introduce my friends to the glories of Italian hot chocolate (cioccolata calda - nectar of the GODS), but apparently its out of season. I guess it is summer in the rest of the world. Maybe South Dakota will catch up while we're gone. We had amazing and worldly dinner conversations and Dannika and I practiced our Italian (and she her Spanish) with the locals. Despite my fish failure, I'd call it an over all successful day. I am so happy to be here. I also brought my devotional book. This trip will not only refresh my spirit of adventure, but also my spirit in the Lord.

Ciao, bella!

Post-Study-Abroad-Culture-Shock-Syndrome

“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” 
― Robert Frost

Pay close attention to the "real feel" temperature."

I've officially been home for one month now and it's been a whirlwind of transition. At this moment, as South Dakota's temperatures have met near record lows (note the "real feel" temperature in the photo to the left), I'm missing sunny Greece more than ever.

The month before leaving Greece, I started to get really hyped up about dealing with the post-abroad-culture-shock. I tried to prepare myself in every way possible: telling myself what it would be like, talking about it, scheduling future coffee dates with friends, researching coping strategies, and reading other blogs. But in the end, it was simultaneously smoother and more shocking than I could have expected.

On the one hand, South Dakota has been my home my entire life. My body knows what it is like to live here. The cold was not much of an adjustment for me. The culture here is everything I have grown up with. My first trip back to Walmart was just like my last trip to Walmart. Whatever. But on the other hand, everything has a slight different color. The taste in my mouth is off.

My second day home, I stopped at a friend's house for a cup of coffee and to see a couple people. Everyone was very sweet, asking me to teach them a few Greek words and what it was like being back. But it wasn't long until our faces became glued to a Facebook newsfeed. Conversation turned to everything I've missed since I've been gone. It suddenly overwhelmingly felt like I never went to Greece, but like I had rather been in a coma for 4 months. I began to grasp what this particular brand culture shock would be like and I actually started to cry a little bit. We didn't talk about it though - I couldn't unscramble what was going on in my head. The next day, I went home to my parent's house for Christmas where I got wrapped up in preparing for the holidays and didn't really touch the subject of Greece again. Every other coffee date following felt like an investigation on my part to discover what all had happened since I'd been in my abroad adventures/undead coma. My friends aren't the same and I'm not the same. I dyed my hair blonde to try mirror my internal changes. Probably a horrible decision on my part, but whatever. It could be a limb.

Family Christmas. :)
Me - Matt - Liz

I had my first day back at school today and though I'm super stoked to see my friends, there is a part of me that still feels a little lost. I keep wanting to ask people how their summer was - as though Fall semester at USF didn't happen. But it definitely happened. Without me. Which is ok. Probably the best and worst way in which I changed from my time in Greece was the realization of how incredibly small I am. In my perspective, in my endeavors, even in my size (if we're looking at like, the universe I mean). I say the "worst" not because it is a bad thing, but only because it is hard, you know - letting go of one's ego. Even though it's for the better. The only negative result is that I'm finding it a little more difficult to relate to people at the moment. But I'm sure that will pass soon, once everything gets back in full swing. My roommate tells me I'm much more mature than I used to be. Another friend said I'm much more "Zen." Perhaps the two go hand in hand.

Anna and I on our last plane home.

But I'm all settled in my new lovely little apartment in which I have a comfortable bed (FINALLY) and lots of personal space, kitchen utensils, and quiet time. After living out of a suitcase for three and a half months, I've been learning a lot more about how much we actually need. TIP: It's not a whole lot. And makes moving/cleaning/organizing much easier then it has been in the past. However, I'm still struggling to simplify my daily life quite as much. I forgot how scheduled everything in the States is! Even on days when I only have a couple of errands to run, the pressure of time still makes me grind my teeth and that "Zen" quality is slowly being chipped away. No idea why that is, but I've started doing Yoga. Thanks, America.

*twenty four hours later*

First day touring with University Singers and it was great! Though it was weird to walk around campus later and not be recognized or know who people were. Trust me - it's a very small school to not recognize others in... though I'm sure the new hair color doesn't help much. People assume I'm a transfer student. :) However, in general, things are going much more in the up and up. But I still think it's important to share what I wrote yesterday as a resource for what post-study-abroad-culture-shock-syndrome can feel like. TIP: I'm told the best way of coping is by writing about it and talking about it. Again, I thank you all so much for reading! Perhaps I'll get around to sharing my experiences from Turkey and Epidaurus someday - I really hope I do. But for now, I'm back in the theater and choir and preparing for KCACTF and the Spring Semester. Started a new book with my sibling book club and planning on going home to see my parents much more often this semester. Things are really looking quite good. :)

All my love,
Debbi

PS: My friend Mariah made a video collage of studying abroad from her perspective. She's got some gorgeous footage if you're interested!