Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Eyes Wide Open

     Plato has this theory about prisoners in a cave. What if you were stuck in a cave with a fire behind you and you could not turn around. The only world would you know of are the shadows on the wall created by people going by on a bridge behind you. Now say one prisoner is let go, and after getting used to the light begins to see a whole new world. Of course the prisoner runs back and tries to tell his companions (you) about the wonders he has seen...would you believe him? It feels like that has just happened to me, but my brain is the prisoner and my eyes are the ones trying to convince me that what they see is true. Now let me give you some back story. 
     Last I talked to you Bora had just arrived, and until a week ago, Bora stayed. So for the last month below 0 degrees was the norm. The great thing about Italian winter is that Italians are not ready for it, so as soon as below zero hits the radiators die, the wind picks up, the sky darkens, and life becomes centered around how many clothes you can get on your body. The up side to this all was it  

snowed, TWICE,  and I got to wear alll my lovely new winterclothing. Then because of the cold I got a lovely case of bronchitis which kept me indoors for a week. All in all I had not seen the sun in a long time. Then Saturday morning my cough was minimal, a school  trip to Verona was scheduled and the Sun came out. I felt like that prisoner who had just escaped and the world was new again, but my brain just could not process what was going on. Thank god for cameras to capture it all and remind you later when the brain is feeling more acceptable. 
     Verona was beautiful. People tell you when you first arrive that Duino area is not truly Italian, there is to much Sloven and Austrian influences but you just think "You must be joking!" There not and when you go to places like Verona you are hit by how ITALIAN it is there. It has everything, ancient Roman colosseum's, Shakespearean love stories, Dante, and good pasta. Having a guide like Henry Thomas my World and Arts teacher with never ending knowledge of all things is nothing to shrug at either. My dream in life is to have at least one forth of the knowledge that man possess. 


 The day was spent running through the streets after the man, trying to stay as close as possible in case he said anything, going into churches, and searching for affordable food. All in all it was a good day, snow was seen, pasta was consumed as well as gelato, side streets were explored and many, many pictures were taken. Sadly though  the time in Verona was still not enough, Juliet and Romeo's house's were not explored and I did not get to walk on the grass next the river and yell Dante's inferno at the ducks. But there will be a next time, the ducks shan't get off so easily. 














And that is really the only interesting thing that has happened in the last month. Yes there have been late nights with friends with long conversations that never seem to end and random adventures but this is all that I can tell you. I promise I will be more vigilant with my entries here and hopefully more interesting things shall occur. Which I deem will not be until London in two weeks! I will be going there for one week for a school project in which I will wander around doing an art project that involves photography. SO excited for the three extra days there I will have to wander around with my friend and read poetry, sit in the many parks and hopefully try and see some live show or acting. 
P.S. The heading is a song by Gotye that I recommend you go check out.

I have created a game in which the goal is avoiding the wind.

The fog comes
on little cat feet. 
It sits looking 
over harbor and city
 on silent haunches
 and then moves on.
- Carl Sandburg  

I know I have already talked about weather here but right now, the weather controls my life. Winter has truly arrived and in full force. Negative degrees were always something for late nights...not 12 in the afternoon. The residence now bustle with a social life that consists of huddling around heaters with hot tea and stories to warm you up. Its nice the way we all have come together because going outside is just plain silly when there is baking,warm beds and pillow fights to do inside (key word being inside). Cold is not the only change in weather we are experiencing here, the fog was one beautiful example of how the sky is becoming clouded and the infamous Bora has arrived. It is everything the stories said it would be, windy beyond belief and cold...so very cold. Its like the wind captures all the frigid air around and the captures you  in a whirlwind of hell frozen over. Tips...layers. Now I don't just mean a few shirts I mean tank-top, long-sleeve, jacket, another jacket, scarves (I'm starting to contemplate two scarves) tights,jeans and of course gloves. I don't need to walk...I roll everywhere. 
College life is starting to pick up, course work actually exists and my goodness it is evil. Add onto that Occidental Week in which all us occidentals put together a show and activities for the rest of the college to learn more about our countries (more on that when it happens). This equals no sleep. But that's okay this is way to much fun to give up.

 Please forgive me for only adding this now, but all this happened a few weeks ago. I was hoping to have some pictures for this blog but that will come later. New more up to date blog to follow within the next few days.