Musica e Luce

Music and Light.

They have made such a difference in the disposition of this town. The Christmas season has officially started in Italy as of Friday. The lights in all of the towns are lit and, in Perugia, there is a sound system blasting Christmas music on every corner of the city center. Spirits are lifted and my favorite coffee bar (where my friends and I most often order tea with milk) is packed with patrons ordering hot chocolate you have to consume by the spoonful (they are way beyond Swiss Miss over here). There's even a ferris wheel!

My friend, Eline, and I went to Firenze (Florence) to do a little shopping and have a change of pace for the weekend. This was the first time I have been to Firenze since I arrived in Italy this year, and when we arrived, it was like I was in Louisville, or Nashville again...I just knew where to go and what to do, nothing seemed very foreign this time. (That's a good feeling to have in a foreign country.) So, after checking in to our hotel, Eline and I commenced to the shopping portion of our adventure.

Going to Firenze is kind of like going to the nearest big city. They just have things there that you can't find anywhere else. All of the best shops with the widest variety of things to shop for. Kind of like a "one-stop-shop", except it's the whole city, and there are buses you should watch out for. There are even those annoying "kiosk kids." You know the ones. The very moment they make eye-contact, the sales pitch begins and you have to just walk away or they will guilt you into listening to their entire pitch (for an incredibly oversized courduroy pillow that you would have to haul off in a box truck) at the end of which you will have to look at their "puppy dog" eyes and say, "No, thank you. Not today," when you know you really want to roll your eyes and say, "No, I would never buy that piece of junk, not even if you paid me!" Well, in the streets of Firenze, these guys get a little agressive when you don't listen.

First, when you think you have ignored them to the point of success, they might call out to you like this: "Sei italiana? (Are you Italian?)" And you know, they are talking to you, but you aren't italian, so you walk on. Then they might tap you with the paper they would like to tell you ALL about (that was my experience). Well, you still walk on, because you still have not made eye-contact, you are not italian, and now you wouldn't buy whatever it was he was selling you anyway, because he is rude! Then come's the kicker. You are still walking when this guy, who wanted you to buy something from him, says, rather loudly: "F#$! you, puta (which isn't a nice thing to be called)," accompanied by a nasty hand gesture. I continued walking, but Eline, she turned around, and in classic Italian form, gave him a stone cold glare and less rude (but still meaningful) hand gesture particular to Italians. I wish I could have seen his face.

Well, so, we managed to buy some things and eat VERY well (Mexican food has never tasted so good). I think we even bought some Christmas presents for our friends and family far away...

Now we're back in Perugia and it's a typical quiet Sunday, kind of rainy, but we're resting up for our LAST week of classes! I hope you're having a great Sunday as well!!

Ciao for now!

Chinese, Champagne, and CHEESE!

So, the other night, one of these relentlessly rude and simultaneously kind Chinese kids has his birthday party and he invites the whole class. So, of course I went. (I was never really a starving college student in America, but when someone in Italy says they are going to make dinner and you should bring absolutely nothing, you purchase a bottle of champagne, hand it over to the host and chow down!)

Now, at this party are all of these people that we have had to "talk" with in class. We say the obligatory "Ciao, come stai (Hi, how are you)?" as we enter the classroom each day, smile and nod as they respond with "Bene, bene (good)." However, these people are not really our friends. What can I say, free food was calling my name, I couldn't not go.

So, we arrive, kiss-kiss (a typical greeting), and commence to the dining portion of the evening. It was typical chinese cuisine: fried wontons, orange and lemon chicken, fried spring rolls, and lots of Heineken for the Dutch Beer-lovers in the room.

Because none of the people in the room are actually what one would call "good friends," once our mouths were free to use for talking, we couldn't actually think of anything to talk about...This was noticed by all of the people in the room, rather soon after eating, so the champagne was uncorked, another toast was made and the taking of pictures began!

I mean, I've never been in so many pictures in my life. And, these Chinese kids just had to be in a picture, five or six times, with each person in the room. It all happened so suddenly...we were best friends, they were sitting on our laps, pressing their faces next to ours, flashing peace signs above their anime style hair do's. I think the picture taking lasted about 45 minutes, during which we ate cake and drank tiny glasses of champagne and sang happy birthday in three languages. Then, just as suddenly as it began, it was all over. We congratulated, made the kiss-kiss, ciao-ciao, and made our way to the bus.

As Eline and I arrived at our homes, we looked at each other and said "You know, that Chinese girl with the glasses. She took all those pictures with us, right? What is her NAME?" What a party.

Baci (Kisses)