OVAI = OYVAY

Here I am two weeks later with a new blog post.  It maybe even more than that!  Dio Mio! or Ooooh MADONNA (another phrase we use over here) or what I learned today OVAI!  You would use that in exchange for what we Jews always say, oyvay.  I apologize that I've fallen off the wagon, or the Tuscan hill and into the I'm so tired at the end of the day all I feel like doing is having a glass of wine or watching SVU or looking at the stars or procrastinating blogging in whatever form that may bring (lots of facebook, YouTube video exploring, g-chatting...not that that's what you would think a person would do whilst in Italy).  Sometimes I do venture into town to Aurora, the good old Communist bar or  listen to Joni Mitchell/James Taylor & Carole King's Trabadour Reunion tour and CRY.  Just kidding.  Kind of.  AHHH.

The aqueduct (on the way to school)

It's funny how I have read blogs of other friends, or skyped with them (another version of blog procrastination) and even though some may be in the east, and I am in the "west," here we are both skype-ing and looking at what everyone else is up to around the world and catching up on our guilty television pleasures. Not to say we are not present in our own experience of living abroad, but sometimes, in the midst of loneliness and confusion, it feels comforting to look at pictures of friends and family, things familiar and safe.  But I am trying to "ween" myself off of those "distractions."  I use quotations because I don't think that taking part in these things are necessarily bad, they are part of the experience, but I do think that it sometimes makes it harder for me...makes me miss home in a non-productive way and focus on the things I'm "missing" there rather than gaining here.  And no matter what happens, I am starting to feel and believe that this experience in Italy can only help enrich my experiences to come in the future.

So what the ef have I been up to?  I am struggling with my back.  Ouchers.  As many of you know I found out this summer, after many months of discomfort and then further aggravation, I have a herniated disc in my lower spine.  I have been trying to prolong the process of addressing it here in Italy.  I was doing a lot better at home before I came but I can feel it start to deteriorate again.  Sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day (+ 2 in the morning for Italian) probably doesn't help.  I'm trying to be better with physical therapy exercises.  I am going to make the venture into town to see this man who teaches Pilates to the MFA students and does chiropractic/healing type stuff.  That will be fun trying to explain in my half ass Italian what my problem is...lets hope he doesn't ask me how this whole trouble started ;)  I've been trying to avoid this as long as possible but truth be told, it fucking hurts AGAIN. Damn my schiena (back)! 

Since my last post I have done many new things!  I finallllly made it to the open air market in Arezzo which is every Saturday morning (this was the last weekend in September I am referring to...behind I know).  I bought some groceries (which I later made dinner with) had a Piadina, gelato, the whole works.  I bought some kitchen shtuff.  A strainer and dish towels, oh my!  I went with my friend Meredith who is in the MFA program.  We had a lovely night the night before (kebab and gelato and lots of wine!).  I took the rest of the day to explore Arezzo on my own and take a walk (and some pictures) which I hadn't had the time to do yet.  I got back and took a little rest and got ready for the festive evening that was to come.  Meredith and Dory had birthdays the same week so they had a join party which entailed dinner at a German restaurant in town, then hanging (and drinking and dancing) at another friends apartment and we finally finished at Aurora (we didn't quite make it to the dance club.  A lil too expensive for our liking).

Flowers at the market

Meredith drinkin' her coke after our Piadine

cool ass mother fuckin bike-- yeah I said it

One of the girls with Jezebel and juggling balls :)

That Sunday there were workshops at the Accademia all day led by Nausika, a theatre/dance group in Arezzo (Italy).  It was such a lovely day.  Besides from the hangover and lack of sleep from the night before, it was wonderful to be surrounded by so many different people.  When I was sitting outside drinking espresso, after espresso, after espresso (to try and wake myself up) this little girl came up to my friend Kevin and offered him a little bean that she had found on the ground that was edible.  We were a littttle skeptical, but she ate it, proving it wasn't going to kill us.  Her many sisters came to the table where we were hanging out, followed by her mom and mom's boyfriend, both incredibly friendly.  The woman spoke perfect English, and I sounded like a dummy trying to speak Italian...ok, I'm learning, I know, I need to cut myself some slack.  These girls were the cutest.  I received a package from my parents while we were all hanging out, that had posters of past shows I have created, so I told this family all about my endeavors in Chicago.  I then had the fabulous idea of getting out Jezebel Eskander (the South African stuffed animal sheep Jenny got me) and a clown nose.  And Magda had some juggling balls out.  So btwn. the balls, the nose and the sheep we were all having a gay old time.  I put on my nose, the girls put the balls on there head (I'm refraining from saying what I might normally say because they were far too young and innocent to be part of any that's what she said jokes).  We had the best time.  It was truly DELIGHTFUL.


I was going to get into my adventures to Perugia this past weekend with Magda, but that will have to wait for the morning because I have an Italian test tomorrow.  Mamma mia!  


Things are feeling more and more settled.  I had this moment in Perugia (only thing I will share now about that trip) when I was sitting on the steps with Magda, watching her eat a hamburger, and thought to myself I LIVE here.  I am not travelling for a month, or travelling abroad.  I am living and WORKING in Italy.  And I forgot in that weekend that I even had a job.  It was very strange, but comforting.  I am still trying to find more artistic opportunities for myself.  I am leading a dream workshop on Friday and am taking a dance class in town with a wonderful man named Gianni and woman named Ash (who I've just met).  The class is on Tarantella and other African and Mediterranean dance.  I'm very excited to have something going on in town, and to be the ONLY American...sigh.  How good for my Italian!


I will speak (or blog) of my Perugia adventures soon.  I can't beleive that tomorrow marks 1 month of my being gone from Chicago and here in Italy! WOW!  
  
Sending lots of love and positive energy to you all.  May the force be with you.


I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding."
— John O'Donohue