Europe Day 19: Wisteria

Today was another beautiful day.  The sun was shining, a light breeze was blowing, all was sublime.  Therefore, instead of cramming thirty people into a tiny room for class, we sat on the large steps next to an obelisque and had class there instead.  Fortunately, it was  not a lecture day.  I'm pretty sure I would have scarcely paid attention to any discussion on church and state or have successfully internalized any Italian phrases.  Instead, we had mini presentations on our research project. No note taking required, and we were easily able to admire the sunshine while listening. 

A small group of us walked with our professor to see a few churches and temples before eating lunch.  We found a little Italian restaurant where she ordered an appetizer for us.  It was melon and proscuitto, and absolutely delicious!  She was also able to give us pointers on what else to eat.  I ordered pasta with eggs and bacon.  Apparently, people in American do this too, but I had never heard of it before.  It was...interesting.  It definitely could have used more bacon, and I'm not really sure which part was the eggs, but it was a satisfying lunch nonetheless.

I returned to Compe de Fiore-the large outdoor market-and got some more nuts.  Salty cashews and chocolate covered almonds.  He put them in a white paper sack, and I wandered around the block, enjoying my snack. 

I returned to the hotel briefly before going to the grocery store.  I'm not sure what it is, but when I went up to pay, the cashier spoke to me in English! I didn't say anything, and I didn't do anything the person in front of my didn't do.  Do I have "American Tourist" scrawled across my forehead?  Or do Italian people not get nutella, ritz crackers, pate, and large bottles of sprite from the grocery store?  I just do not understand.

I felt a little homesick, so I decided to walk around the city a little and pray.  I felt led to go in a certain direction, and ended up in front of a hotel absolutely covered in wisteria.  Have I explained wisteria to you yet?  Fall quarter, freshman year of college I took a class called From Page to Stage where we read, acted, and viewed plays.  One of these, called Enchanted April, really stuck with me.  It is about a group of women who rent a castle in Italy for the month of April. The opening lines are: "To those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine. A small medieval Italian castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April..."  So, here I am, in Italy, in April, in the Sunshine, standing next to a building covered in wisteria.  It is absolutely perfect.

Since I felt homesick, I stuck my bible and notebook in my purse, just in case I should happen upon a place to sit, and sit I did.  Wisteria petals fell on the ground around me, and the sweet scent of those flowers filled my nose and I talked with Jesus.  Despite the people walking around me, I felt invisible on my little ledge.  No men selling sunglasses, purses, or bubble blowing machines broke my peace.  The motorcyles did not come dangerously close to my feet, and no children tried to pickpocket me. I am definitely the kind of person who needs to be alone sometimes, but there is no place, except the bathroom, where I can be alone. And even in the bathroom I can hear my roommates waiting their turn outside the door.  Feeling alone in that little space, surrounded by flowers and good smells, was a true blessing.

It seems that three weeks is about the time when other people begin to be homesick.  So, Kayla, Josh and I went to the Chinese place for dinner again. Something about it just reminds us of home, though we all admit to not eating chinese that often.  Maybe it is because we have been there several times, or because the waiter and waitress speak relatively good English, or simply because it is not Italian, but we all felt a little comforted for having gone there. The gelato for dessert helped too, I am sure of it.

In the future, I think I need to take the time to spend a few hours a week doing something by myself.  Even if it is just walking around the block, or sitting the park outside the window, I think it will help to keep my spirits up.  I love the people I am here with and am so grateful for them, but to be alone with ones thoughts for a time is a healthy thing I think.