The Last Supper

Journal Excerpt

Friday, March 4th 2011
Milan, Italy

Saw the Last Supper today...

just to get into the room it's located in, you have to go through 2 previous chamber-type rooms that regulate temperature control and remove pollution & debris from your body, purifying, so as to not bring damaging elements into the room in order to preserve the painting. Only 25 people at a time are allowed in the room to view it. This is because Leonardo Da Vinci used paints one would use to paint a canvas, but that do not suffice as well on a wall/mural painting. The paints he used are much harder to preserve and are not long-lasting, but he did this so he could take as much time as he needed on the painting, carefully constructing each move until it was perfect. The paints he used allowed him to go back and make changes, which he was constantly doing. He put so much time and effort into his work, using science and research to perfect it, sketching out every move before executing it. He studied sound waves and ripples to make the positions of the subjects appear fluid and circular. He researched biblical and religious documents in order to convey each apostle's exact emotion and include iconography and significant elements in every detail. He chose Jesus' right temple as the focal point to create perfect illusion and distance perspective and to draw attention to the Christ. While it took Leonardo so long to finish one wall, Michaelangelo spent only 5 years painting the entire Sistine Chapel. This also explains why it was not such a process to get through the Sistine as it was the Last Supper, because it was made from Fresco and in much better shape. A lot of detail in the painting had already been lost, including Jesus' feet at the bottom of the table due to some Dominican Monks staying in the refectory who wanted to widen the door for easier kitchen access, as well as the floral detailing in the tapestry lost as a result of aging. Then, the Last Supper suffered from a bombing in 1943 during the war and was subjected to the conditions of nature while the refectory was rebuilt. The restoration lasted until 1999. Yet still, it is a miraculous and beautiful thing that it happened to be the only wall (along with the crucifixion painting) that survived the war and is still in tact today, though probably not for long. And so they strive each day, taking every precaution to preserve this masterpiece for as long as possible so that future generations may have the same opportunity I was so graciously given to awe at all its glory.

Here Comes the Sun

Journal Excerpt

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Today I was in a bit of a downer mood. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by school assignments and financial troubles, so, feeling I deserved a treat, I purchased some delicious dried fruit (and thought of you momma!). I walked in the doors of my favorite cozy little cafe, right next to school that takes our meal vouchers, to be greeted by 'Here Comes The Sun' singing through the speakers. It was music to my ears. As I sipped my cappuccino and nibbled my pastry given to me by the sweet, endearing, ever-so-kind waitress, I thought, nothing like the Beatles to remind you that..


Little Darlin', it's alright :)

Fiesole

(this is old but apparently it never actually posted so i'm posting it now.. plus i just love fiesole!)


Most definitely my favorite part of the trip so far. It was much needed nature after adjusting to the city life of Florence. We took a bus out of Florence up into the hills of Fiesole where we toured ancient ruins. It happened to be the most gorgeous day complete with the warm sunshine wrapping it's rays around my skin in desperate need of some good old fashioned Vitamin D. As if the beautiful weather and nature weren't enough, we got to see some amazing things like the ancient ampitheatre, a museum of remains found at the site, the ruins of the palace that used to be there. Then, we hiked up an enormous hill which was worth it for the amazing view of all of Florence below us. At the top of the hill, we saw a beautiful chapel complete with real live monks :) Then ended with an incredible brunch that I stuffed my face at, held at a beautiful local restaurant. Even though, I felt no desire to use my camera and declared at the beginning my friend Lisa had to be the photographer and let me steal her pictures, I ended up taking so many pictures because there was beauty in all directions. It was the perfect day.

So used to Italian guys being overtly creepy..

and blatantly hitting on anything remotely female, that i've learned to ignore them. So today, while walking to my volunteer school, a young man gestures toward me and says something in Italian I can't understand (plus I have my headphones in so can't really even hear him anyway) and I roll my eyes and continue walking, ignoring him as i've been acclimated to. But then he looks a bit offended and in my rush I realize he was trying to tell me my bus pass was falling out of my jacket pocket (granted I had no need for this because it was just an old one from Rome) but I was surprised at his genuinely harmless and considerate gesture. I felt bad for instantly writing him off but sadly, this is how a girl has to survive here. This must be a reflection of the cold, passionless, numb, and shallow society that has come to be of recent according to my women in Italian society. Women are forced to put up this cold front in order to protect themselves from the objectifying men who are only doing it because they have been raised (so coldly themselves) to think they can, and to think it's good.

But anyway, speaking of volunteering...
it's upsetting how much smarter and more cultured kids outside of America are. haha
These kids are already quite fluent in English and learning cultural things about both the UK and the US. The 14-15 year olds know more about U2 and bloody Sunday than I do, and the 16-17 year olds.. well, they use a literature book just like the ones I used in highschool.. meaning.. in English. They are doing the same stuff I did in HS.. but in another language. Today i was supposed to talk to them about Robinson Crusoe. We read an excerpt from that in HS and all... but its not like I remembered that ish! haha I had to basically do the smae hw they did to educate myself on it before trying to teach them about it!

Surreality.

Standing in the Sistine Chapel.. I am literally speechless. I'm actually somewhat grateful that pictures, as well as even speaking are not allowed in this place.. As eager as I am to document all this incredible experiences I'm taking part in, something about not worrying about a camera or about discussing the awe with someone else really allows you to take it all in. I knew this was something I needed to journal/blog about, but I found myself thinking that there were literally no words that could describe my experience. I just walked around with my head all the way back, staring at the ceiling.. I could have laid on the floor for hours just looking up. This huge chapel that Michaelangelo painted all by himself, in just five years, among the many other accomplishments of his life... it was breathtaking.

Rome is unreal. I have been to more churches than I can count, each done with such care, effort, and beauty. (I have so many pictures of ceilings it's not even funny) I have entered through the archway of the Coliseum that the gladiators came through, and seen where they fought their bloody battles. I have wandered the ancient Roman ruins, literally set foot on the same paths that they walked. I have seen the site of Julius Cesar's murder. I have walked into some rooms of Augustus' house, and seen the remnants of the chipping paint on his walls, painted in 9BC... over 2,900 years ago. (This was another thing I was not allowed to capture on film, it's always the most important things. Maybe they just know cameras are just a distraction and secretly just want you to take it all in for yourself and give it undivided attention, standing in awe...or your flash and breath are bad for the paint.. either way) I have been in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI, and received a blessing from him among a crowd of adoring fans, come from all over the world to hear his words. I still can't believe it all really happened.

It's funny how much a series of ups and downs studying abroad is. Although my weekend was breathtakingly surreal, I also suffered a few minor setbacks and went through times of emotion and stress, including money problems, roommate troubles, homesickness, actual sickness, and extreme exhaustion. Yet when things get rough, I've found it's important to remind myself it's all worth it. No matter how hard it gets, even if something disastrous happened and I had to leave to go home this very instant.. it's all worth it. I have seen and done things that most people only dream of and I am an incredibly privileged girl. Never in my life have I been able to check so many things off my bucket list and I feel very blessed to have received this opportunity.

Viola Per Sempre!!!!

Went to my first Italian soccer game! Gooo Fiorentina! It was raining, and freezing, and we got there pretty early. But I learned a lot…
“Sampadoriiiia, Sampadoriaaaaa Vaffanculo! Vaffanculo! Vaffanculo!”
“Vai Vai Vai Vai”
Don’t get there too early.
Bring some beers with you on the bus ride, find a nice place to drink them before entering the stadium.
Try to sit on the side with all fun, singing, decked out fans.
Don't get sat on during the bus ride home by a drunken, singing Italian guy. (sorry Case)
Learn how to insult the ref in Italian
Learn all the Fiorentina club songs.
Go on a sunny, warm day.

I love Florence.

Journal- 19.2.2011

Plan for the day- Boboli Gardens. I hear it is supposed to be a nice day, so I wear shorts with tights, boots, and a button up shirt. I know this will not be enough to keep me warm, but I figure I‘d rather wear this outfit on a day that‘s expected to be somewhat nice rather than any other. So I throw on my leather jacket and a scarf, crossing my fingers that I somehow won’t freeze. I walk out my door and reach Santa Croce where the sun is flooding the piazza. This weather calls for some Shwayze I think to myself, pop in my headphones and loosen up the scarf, my neck isn’t cold at all! I head down the road and upon reaching the arno, the jacket’s coming off, I’m actually somewhat hot with it on.. I don’t remember the last time I felt hot. Walking down the arno, everyone is out on this beautiful day. It’s fun to see the people laying out on the arno walls, couples stopping to enjoy their lunch in the sun, tourists taking photos of the ponte vecchio. I want to join in on the ‘doce far niente’ (the joy of doing nothing), but I’ve got to meet Hayley and Stacie at Boboli. So I continue my stroll and arrive at Pitti Palace, get my ticket (students are free-- I feel so VIP). Walking into Boboli, I am overwhelmed by how enormous this place is… and I still have to find my friends. After wandering a bit, we reunite and set off for exploring this beautiful garden in disbelief of what it actually is.. Or was. How this garden was made just for the Medici family, just to have a beautiful garden in their backyard, just because they had the money, just because they could. How Eleonora Medici was able to just come right out here behind her palace to have a picnic by the island fountain, or to take a stroll after dinner under the moonlight. With a view of all of Florence, beneath her, above all the rest. We make our way up to the highest point of the gardens to bask in the sun and take in the breathtaking views. And so I find myself here with you journal, thinking about how I could do this everyday, how there is just not enough time, to do it all, to see it all.. But to still enjoy the ‘dolce far niente.’