Firstly, my lessons are over. Both my Italian and cinematography classes, until the end of February. (Exams for the whole University are in Jan. and Feb. so classes don't start again until they are over.) So, therefore, I had to start thinking about what I'll be doing during the days. It also meant that it was my last chance to contact with some of the people I have met. I ended up getting another number from a guy in the cinema lesson and one from a sweet girl from Slovakia who is in my Italian lesson. Also, it was the last night in Cineforum (I finally figured out the name of it), and I went to the movie, but was quite tired after, and so was everyone else, so we all headed home instead of out to the bar. But it's ok! Because I got another girl's number. I have been collected these number because in Jan. and Feb. I will be wanting to go out and meet with folk, and since there are no longer any organized functions to do that for me, I have to do it myself. Fun!
Not that I haven't been. Because in this last week I had a great and wonderful transition. I've been hanging out wiht Giorgia and Lucia very much. We had lunch at their place on Saturday, at the college, will lots of sweets, because it was the holiday of St. Lucia. This means sweets, apparently. Then, we decided on dinner the next night as well, because it was the holiday of another Saint (Now, techinichally speaking, everyday is in honour of a Saint, here in Italy. But I suppose some are more important, and more sweet-toothed than others.) Anyways, the dinner turned into a party, because they invited all the girls in their dorm. Who are all Spanish. And I love them and their sangria! Yes! They are so much fun. We played music from a laptop in the kitchen and G. and L. made pasta with romanian cheese and black pepper and I brought bread and pesto and another girl had pickled eggplant with hot peppers. I know, that last one sounds questionable, but wow. Like, really, wow. See? It makes me talk like a Valley girl and everything. Anyways, here are some pictures:
The lovely Spanish clan! The girl second from the right is in my Italian class! Small towns make for fun surprises. I tend to run into people I know all the time now.
Maria, Giorgia(obviously enjoying my pesto) and Lucia
The egglant delciousness with fresh tomatoes and oil. (Drooling a little...)
Maria! They live in Bloc 700 of the Tridente Building. This was rice krispies with Marzo. I could have taken the whole thing and ran.
Sangria! Freshly mixed! In a big pot we had just used to make all the pasta! Oh, the college dorm life.
More sweets. This was something I cannot remember, but I know the ingredients were cream and sugar. That's about it.
Then you add some caramel on top.
Then Italian boys show up! And smoke inside like everyone does! But more importantly they stand around and look cute.
Some of the art on the walls. The kitchens are all brick walled, and there is art from ten years ago and onward.
A rough translations of this is:
Professional Killer:
To you the money of players, with spoons you dig. (I think.)
Anyways, I've been spending a lot of time with the two ladies and I quite like them. I bought them a bottle of wine and some bracelets from one of my favourite shops for Christmas.
This about brings me to last night. Last night was Nero Natale! The concert I was apart of! Apparently I was also in the local paper along with the advertisement for it. I would like to get my hands on that.
So, what had happened, was nothing. I had no idea what was going to happen, or if I had accompaniment or how the night was laid out. So, I emailed Alessandra, the organizer, and she just told me not to worry about it and show up at 5. Done.
Except not, because the first set, at 5, was readings from some authors, which I would have liked to attend, sure, but I was working and they were reading again at 8, which is when I actually had to be there. So, worked out well. I dressed briskly in a nice red flowing tanktop (I mention this for more than only fashion reasons) and jeans. When I got there, the first set was just over and they were starting to mingle in another room for wine and a light take-from-the-table dinner. Perfect timing, really. There was a girl there I had met some time ago, and we had a great talk, because I only knew about ten words when I met her the first time. We made vague notions for coffee after Christmas. This is the talk of the people these days, "Where are you going for Christmas, when will you be back?" At least, that's what I ask everyone. Everyone is leaving in the next few days for their respective homes. Pretty much really jealous but I'll talk about that later.
Anyways, this fancy night was hosted in the building Alessandra works in, and therfore it is part of the University. They all have great high ceilings with artwork and sculptures and antique bookshelves with antique books. This is the lingusitics department we're talking about here. Anyways, I was chilling out in my tanktop, and suddenly I realized everyone was bundled up. I'm not just talking a sweater. I'm talking sweater, jacket, scarf. People started asking me if I was cold. Uh, no. Which leads me to my next point.
-5 is cold here. People are flipping about how cold it is. It might be -7 in a couple days. AH!
Then maybe for Christmas it looks to be about 13. There goes my dream of a white Christmas.
Anways, while mingling and things (I knew about 5 of the people there through Alessandra), a man approached me about playing guitar for me. We heading into another room and worked out a key and a plan and off we were!
Wow. I missed singing muchly, mostly for the way it brings people together and how nice it is when people collaborate and work together to make something fun and beautiful. (Christmas is bringing out the corny in me.) Also, at this time, G. and L. showed up! I had told them about it, but figured they'd be busy with studying, as everyone is. And in fact, they could not stay the whole time, but Lucia was able to stay for my song and it was so great to see them before they both leave for home for Christmas.
Now, you have to understand that I had made a point to myself when I found out about this concert, when I had no friends, to make them. I figured, if I can have close enough friends to invite them to the concert, I'll be happy.
And I am.
Also, the song went really well, the wonderful gentleman, Sergio, playing guitar for the verses, and me a cappella (which means From the Choir, in Italian) for the chorus. It was "Twas in the Moon on Wintertime", the only Canadian Christmas Carol. After me, the concert went on. There were two young guys, each playing guitar and three people doing readings from their newly published works. Eventually, it turned into a nice mash of Sergio and the other two guys playing Beatles songs and things. There were about 30 chairs set up in one of the rooms (about 20 occupied) with mikes and guitars and things. There was a nice soft light and all of the people there work together and have known each other for years. They were often laughing and the lineup sort of just happened, with no real plan. It was a great atmosphere, a little too reminiscent of home.
People were going with the flow, and Alessandra asked me if I had anything else, and I said no. If I had thought about it, I would have brought another song or maybe a poem or something.
Then, one of the young guys headed up to the mike, and he looked at me and said, "Questo e Canadese" (This is Canadian) and he started to play and sing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.
Well, there is nothing like a surprise attack of tears in a room full of people who just don't get it.
I stuck around for a few more songs, and before I was about to leave, a gentleman asked me what else I had to sing, and I said nothing. He said, no no no, you must have something. And everyone was looking at me and waiting. So, I took off my jacket and headed to the mike with absolutely nothing prepared but my red tanktop and my Christmas spirit.
Here you get another cliffhanger. Enjoy! Sorry for the sudden drop-off, but I've got important things to do, don't you know?
I hope you are all keeping warm and enjoying the holidays! I really, truly, desperately wish I was there to celebrate, but I will talk more on that when I stop being a jerk and give you the rest of this story.
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