The light is so perfect in the afternoon that today my professor for Italian literature stopped his lesson so that we could admire the leaves spiraling in the wind outside the window.
As of this Wednesday, I've been living in Italy (what?) for a month. It's strange to think about it like that, and while brushing my teeth one morning I began to worry that I'm letting my time slip away from me, but then I realized that I am exactly where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to be doing.
There are still a few things that don't feel natural -- the word buio in my mouth and the habit of wearing socks around the house, but for the most part this daily routine suits me, fits me. More so, though, I think I've fit myself into this routine. I've learned to drink my Earl Grey at the table and to allow myself at least forty minutes to get to school. I'm on my fourth Moleskin notebook as I explore the Italian language, and they are filled with verbs and vocab, obviously weighted in the areas of food and art.
I'm officially sixteen years old, by the way, and we celebrated my birthday in the mountains. The morning of the ninth I found this waiting for me:
4 hour layover and the plane that carried me across the ocean
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Il Duomo quando faceva troppo caldo
Attempting to capture the Duomo in the intense afternoon light in the first week.
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Una Torre del Castello
Cairoli
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Hanging with the fam -- Benny and my host cousin, Alessandra.
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Vicino al Monte Bianco
Maria Grazia e Atillio
Gregorio and I after our two hour hike.
Courmayeur, right along the French border
Courmayeur at dusk with imposing chill
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I made hamburgers for the family. Ironically, this has been the only meal (quasi...read on) thus far that has left me feeling sick.
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Bicicletta (3 min contour)
Waiting for Maria Grazia outside Cadorna
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Outside la Scala
My class, out of all the classes of all the schools in all of Milan, arbitrarily won the opportunity to put on a play this year at a famous downtown theatre called La Scala. We'll preform this spring to the public!
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Stools
Amusing myself in the first week of school when I understood little.
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Sera in campagna
Le pere!
Formaggio di capra (best goat cheese I've ever tasted)
About five different families came and spent the afternoon with us that Sunday, and I hung out with the kids with whom I could speak more easily. And were also adorable, not that that needs to be said.
It was time for the grape harvest when we were in the country, so the roads were all clogged with trucks carrying tons of grapes for wine. I ate so many of these I made myself sick. (The drive home was not pleasant.)
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Last weekend D2040 took a trip to Cinque Terre, a beautiful stretch of mountainous seaside to the southwest of Milan.
Monterosso
The monastery where we stayed.
Hiking with friends
From the tower by the sea
Cleaning the equipment after making grapa.
Newlyweds throwing candy in the streets (to crowds of camera enthusiastic tourists, like me).
Waiting the for the train 1
Waiting for the train 2
Hangin' with friends from around the world -- British Columbia, Australia, South Africa, and Sweden. <3
Stay tuned.
Ahhhh. delighted to hear your words. I love your drawings, they are the essence of you. It is great to see pics of your family and friends. xoxoxo
ReplyDeleteThis was my second read of this post, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time. You write so well, draw so well ... thanks for sharing all this!
ReplyDeleteDad