Dinner, Trash Party and Atonement, OH MY!

Well hello friends (and fam).  I should start with a little disclaimer.  This might be long, as I have a lot of territory to cover (that's what she said?)

One of the lovely MFA students has asked me to participate in a series of workshops that will help inform her process of devising a theatre piece for her thesis.  The first workshop was Friday afternoon and was so wonderful to be a part of!  Truly, it is opportunities like this, that will keep me artistically and creatively engaged, and will help fuel and inspire me to continue with personal projects here.

I entered the room to find myself surrounded by all different kinds of objects, strategically placed around the space.  We were led through a series of exercises in which we used these objects (which ranged from a banana to a guitar to an empty wine bottle) and ended up creating to a short piece of text we were given (and then expanded on our own), a movement piece containing three gestures.  Um...hello...this is a BU theatre arts' grad's wet dream!  Objects, gestures and devised theatre!  Yes, please!  My text was, "I dreamt of you last night," which turned out to be about a love I was unable to be with *cries internally.* I mean...just kidding.

I left the room feeling more whole, exhilarated and certainly supported by the wonderful group of people.  I am so so SO grateful to be a part of this.  I look forward to what is to come and am thankful for the opportunity.

View from Jesse's terrace at night

I later went out to dinner with my friend Jesse and a few friends from the MFA program, to a ristorante called Miva.  I had an insalata mista, and a pizza, senza glutine (gluten-free crust!!!).  It is amazing that the gluten free options are more readily available here than I find at home.  The pizza had mozzarella, tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, peppers, olives and mushrooms.  There were supposed to be capers too, but they forgot those.  Bastards!  We had two litres of sparkling white wine.  We then all went up to Jesse's INCREDIBLE terrace and proceeded to have about two more bottles of wine (and then some).

Around midnight, we headed to a Trash, Left party at a villa nearby to the school.  What is this you might be wondering?  Well, let us start with the word Trash.  Trash as I was informed is a type of music/party, circa 1980s-early 90s, a party with lots of flashing lights, crazy "out there" clothes.  This particular trash party was for la sinistra (the political left party) which is the former communist party, now democratic/socialist.  Arezzo is a pretty conservative town as a whole.  I'm still trying to get a better grasp and knowledge on the politics here in Italy.  I don't feel like I know quite enough to report on but I will keep y'all posted.  What I can tell you, is that this was the kind of crowd that felt like my kind of people.  It brought in the dudes with mustaches and cool haircuts and maybe fake glasses (so...close to the hipster crowd you might say), and more of the queer community than I have seen so fars, etc, etc.  These could possibly be my perceptions as an American, but my observations nonetheless.  People who liked to get down on the dance flo, need I say mo'?  I walked back around 5am and finally made it to bed around 6.  Perhaps my favorite part of the night was when Time Warp from Rocky Horror Picture Show came on.  Italians and Americans alike knew all of the words and the dance moves, so many hands on hips and pelvic thrusts and jumps to the left (punny, ay?).

my lofted bed and living area in all its glory

I woke up the next morning, well, afternoon, feeling pretty exhausted.  I went into town and got the most AMAZING kebab filled with all kinds of glorious sauces (greek yogurt, hot sauce, hummus) cooked onions, mushrooms, MEAT, and fresh tomatoes and peppers.  MMMMM.  Then I got myself a nice little cup of gelato and returned back to the villa to decompress, clean my room, and make some dinner with friends.

My cute little kitchen

My very own bidet...also very good for filling up water balloons.

The sauce for our pasta.  Sauteed garlic, zucchini and zucchini flower in olive oil mixed with Gorgonzola cheese.

After dinner a very heavy discussion took place outside watching an incredibly beautiful thunderstorm.  We talked about forgiveness, loyalty, judgment, intention, both in/with ourselves and the world at large.  You name it, we probably covered it.  I realized that without even meaning to, we were covering the territory of what Yom Kippur is all about, and certainly what it means to me.  I am not religious, but can connect with what this holiday represents.  While yes it is about Atoning for our  "sins" or whatever you would like to call them, for me, it is about much more.  Letting go of the things that are not serving me anymore, of any ill-feelings I have towards someone, and certainly forgiving myself for things I may have done to cause others or myself pain.  It is about clearing out the old and making room for the new.  Spring cleaning...but in the fall, and to the millionth degree.

When I came back to my room I took some time to reflect on what these big concepts mean to me.   In the past few months I have been doing a lot of reflection as is.  Realizing that in my life, it is important to me to always come from a place of love, compassion and understanding.  It is something that I want to work on, and a place I want to live from, everyday.  And so, I make the choice to learn how to forgive, to free myself of judgment of myself and others, and to be more patient.  This shit ain't easy. 

And so I let go, and will continue to work on letting go and living freely, becoming more aware and mindful of my actions, taking ownership and responsibility of them.  And loving, deeply and fully, myself, and those around me.  Amen.

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky" - RUMI

Just a taste

I came upon this video on YouTube, after watching one that featured the students first trip into town this semester.  I think this will give you a good idea of what this place is like :)  Ah..it makes me warm and tingly all over.

a view from the courtyard at the Villa

Who are we?

And so it begins.

I guess I am doing this.  This "blog" thing.  How intimidating...who knew picking a  fricking template could be so nerve-wracking.  The colors, the styles, the size of the font.  God damn, this is like my bat-mitzva all over again.  I hope you like it! EEEK!

Exhale and dive, two words a dear friend/mentor wrote to me as I took this leap of faith in coming here.  And so I take a deep breath, exhale and dive and let myself fly and crash and fly again.  I am here.  I'm in Arezzo, Italia, working as the Student Life Coordinator for the Accademia dell' Arte.  A haven of music, dance and theatre.  A place where I studied two and a half years ago.  A place that I associate the word home with, and a place that I hope to give back to, what I so deeply took in.  AND the city where Roberto Begnini is from.  Life IS beautiful.

I decided to start this blog today, as it was one of those days when I wondered what the ef am I doing here.  But I stepped outside and breathed in the fresh Tuscan air, and was instantly at ease.  The landscape and architecture of this city and region inspire me in a way I don't know how to describe.  Perhaps I was an architect in a past life, or Italian, or an Italian architect.  I feel like I have been here before, long, long ago..  The color of the villa walls, a bright yellow, and the bright sun infuse me with energy.  I still feel sad and lonely at times but always remember that there is wine and cheese (and gelato) just around the corner.  And by corner I mean a path that leads you past vineyards and chicken coops and old Italian shirtless men working on their land.

I performed a peice at the cabaret, have led the students through an exercise, made friends, had a wonderful first weekend (lots of wine and a piadina...the best damn sandwich you will ever eat in your life...salame piccante, scamorza, pomodori e raddichio),

There are a couple of stories I must share with you:

I was sitting on the toilet just a couple of mornings ago and turned around (while sitting) to look at the mammoth bruise I got on my ass from falling down a flight of stairs the night before.  I shouldn't even say falling, it was a total wipe out, the kind where your feet fly out from under you and you can't help but laugh at yourself.  Well luckily the edge of the stair missed my spine and got my tush.  Bad.  Anyway so I was sitting on the toilet, turning to look back at said bruise, and I felt the toilet seat move, but I kept looking curiously to find and check on my poor tush.  I heard something snap and lo and behold it slid right out from under me, kinda like my fall, and it broke.  It BROKE.  It didn't just pop out of place.  I legitimately butchered it.  Bye bye lid, bye bye seat.  I was so embarrassed I waited a whole day to tell Riccardo, the amazing man who takes care of maintence issues, that I broke my toilet.  Ho rompito mi toilet.  AH! Only me.  How shitty.

Number two (and this is not referring to toilets), a student knocked on my door tonight and said, "Um..someone has a bat in their room, and it won't fly out of the window...do you know what to do." Well, considering my knowledge of bats...

...So I called my friend who has worked in my same position, and asked her what to do in a "BAT SITUATION." This was not a part of my job description, getting rid of bats, but I am the go-to person.  It was perched in one spot and was swooping over the students head.  Ha.  Oh man, I laughed so hard.  They were all freaking out but pretty amused.   I walked into the residence hall where the room was, and they decided it was time to go check and see if the bat had left the building.  They tip-toed slowly into the room and whispered...it literally felt like they were trying not to disturb Sasquatch (Maggie, if you read this blog, that reference is for you).  It was gone.  Phew.  Chicago has rats, Arezzo has bats.  Who knew.