This morning we got up early to see the Vatican City. A country inside of a city – beyond ganze! (Ganze means cool). We are challenged to stop using the English words that we know in Italian. So no more yes, only si. And no more thank you, only grazi and prego for your welcome. It’s pretty ganze ;)
The Vatican was very educational. I spent time walking around with catholic students so they could tell me all about the Pope and the catholic church. We went in the Vatican Museum, which would take a normal person a week at best to explore the entire thing and we had 2 hours. It was pretty frustrating but we had a lot to get in, so we ran through and stopped only to really focus on Raphael’s rooms, including the School of Athens, which is perhaps his most famous and my personal favorite.
We ended at the Sistine chapel and I wanted to lay down like we did earlier in the week but it was too crowded. They said no pictures but I snuck a few because I just had to. It was like being in a different world all together. It’s so cool being with this group of people on the trip becaue we all care about art. It’s not like we’re art snobs, but we all really appreciate it and know a bit about it because of taking so much art history. No one wants to run past the painting, we all want to stop and get close and see how they were painted and just stare in all and think about the story lines that we know. It’s also incredibly interesting as a Christian to look at all of these paintings of bible stories that I have known for years and continue to read about and see others’ ideas of how they’d look in real life. It’s sad that we don’t have more religious art now-a-days. The greatest commissioners in that time were the churches and I feel like 50% of the frescos, paintings and sculptures we see involve Chrsitianity. It’s different to think about, because they’re often labeled like St. Marco, and I have to realize that it’s just Mark they’re painting but it’s still extremely cool and helps me to understand tha paintings better.
After the Sistine chapel we walked into St. Peter’s Basicallica, the most famous church in the world. That was pretty dang tight. It was huge and gorgeous of course. Much like Notre Dame in Paris. A few of us wanted to stop and pray but it was just too crazy.
At noon we met back up with our classes and went art supply shopping! I went with my book arts class and bought paper covers and end pages for all of the journals that I’m going to make when class starts. Casey the R.A., my book arts teacher, Richard and I went to a little modern bar and had caprese sandwiches with a plate of veggies – I got greek salad and a vegia pasta mix… mmmm J
After a morning of the most famous art in the world we decided to lighten up by going shopping! The conversion rate from dollars to euro is KILLING all of us! We spend money and then check our bank statements or do the math and almost pass out. My friend Peter is a shop-a-hollic, and keeps buying the killer leather products they have here, but each time he realizes how much he’s spent he practically goes into depression. We went shopping on Via de Coursco, (near the famous Spanish steps if that rings any bells) which is essnentially the 5th avenue of Roma, and I found a Brandy and Melville! I haven’t seen one since New York, so I took my group if 14 and we went on a shopping spree in there! We also found a Zara, which is really popular over here. The H&M here has different, and more fashionable clothing than in the states, so half the girls on the trip dropped some dough there too.
The food in Roma is pretty expensive too. We keep going to little cafés and they charge a sitting fee, which is nice because we aren’t expected to tip, but it’s also sucky because an average lunch is 8-14 Euro, which is actually 12-24ish dollars. I haven’t had a single meal this entire trip that didn’t include bread, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and oil/vinegar. Everything here is comprised of those key items. Salads, appetizers, sandwiches, pizza… everything is centered around those. Good thing Italian is my favorite food. The food is very fresh, and the veggies and fruits are juicy and locally grown, but I’ve got to admit that it isn’t as wonderful as all the hype. I love it all, but it’s extremely simple, and I’m starting to appreciate all the variety that we get back home. Also, food is harder to come by and much further of a walk to get to. I’ve heard countless people craving chickfila, starbucks and a hot fudge Sunday is my wish of choice.
Speaking of people. Let’s just have a brief run-down of the acquaintances that are joining me on this trip. We have a 60 to 9 girl to guy ratio and about 11 or so professors who came with their families. Spivey brought her husband and curly-blonde, pink-cheeked, blue-eyed cherub, Gray, who WILL love me by the end. He’s in his 2-year-old, I hate girls stage, but we’ve already bonded over his love of planes and bikes, so he’ll get over it. Chris Robinson, the director, Danielle, the adorable art historian, Chris Hawking, the drawing teacher and his red headed son and wife, Jeff Wetstone, the photo teacher, his wife and two sons, Jack Henry who’s birthday is coming up and Cole, Lisa, the red-hair, blue eyed (pretty color pallet) book arts teacher, the Morrison family, science and painting teachers and their kids William and Emily, the jewelry teachers, Melissa Harsman, the notorious printmaking teacher that james has warned us of and her husband and daughter, Stella Rose and a few others that I’m forgetting at the moment. But as you can see, we have quite a clan.
I know there will be drama, but I am not going to associate with any of it if I can help it. This will be MY theraputic summer, and yes, I’m want to know everyone, but I’m truly looking forward to embracing another culture, spending time for my self, by building up my running tolerance, journaling, reading, being healthy, doing my Bible study, exploring, and just taking time to be and think. I want to take a lot of photos, practicing my skills for my two photo classes in the fall (which is why I’m going to sit in on some of Jeff’s classes). I’d love to brush up on my Italian, because Kerrie’s favorite part of Cortona was getting to know the locals and spending time with them. I really want to spend my time doing things that I will value, rather than being in the party crowd of this trip. I want to focus hard on school, staying inspired and drawing inspiration from my surroundings, bringing it into my work. I’ve talked a bit with Richard, who’s already working on his exit project for graphics, as he wants to re-brand the Vactican and do a lot of their signage. We have every class together and I know his meticulous craft will help push my in book arts. We’ve been friends since freshman year, so I’m happy to have him with me as he’s a generally nice person who is very inspired and relates to everyone.
I never, ever, ever have any time. That’s always my sad excuse for missing out, or not having time to spend with people. FOMA – fear of missing out, is laughed about on this trip, but I really do have it. I want to do and see it all. I want to hike the mountain and see the monasteries in Cortona, to go where my friends before me have been and to pour all that I have into my classes. To become as good as I can at making paper and books and to keep an eye out for the best presents to bring you all. I’m going to use this time, that I rarely get, to hopefully not get as distracted with people as I usually do. Those of you that know me know that “people are my passion,” and that will definitely stay true for this trip. But my challenge to myself is to really take hold of this TIME that I get and hone in on some self-discovery. We’ll see how it goes J
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