I may or may not be avoiding studying for Architectural History at this point.. but I was introduced to this band Gungor (thank you Abby!), and I am in love with this song. Perhaps because it is exactly the way I feel at this moment, and generally in Italy this semester. It is a beautiful, honest song.
And here are the lyrics:
Out on the farthest edge
There in the silence
You were there
My faith was torn to shreds
Heart in the balance
And You were there
Always faithful, always good
You still have me
You still have my heart
I thought I had seen the end
Everything broken
But You were there
I've wandered at heaven's gates
I've made my bed in hell
You were there still
Always faithful, always good
You still have me
You still have my heart
You have me, You have me
You have my heart completely
You have me, You have me
You have my heart completely
You have me, You have me
You have my heart completely
You have me, You have me
You have my heart
You have me, You have me
You have my heart completely
You have me, You have me
You have my heart completely
My heart at this point in the semester is this way. I have felt the silence of being without my close friends, my church, my family.. the normalcy of my life in the US. Sometimes I feel incredibly far away from God too. But through any mistakes, loneliness, adventures..all of it, God was there, and He still has my heart. Even though I may run sometimes, above all my heart is His. Forever.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
_the meaning of Christmas_
All of us have gotten a little Christmas-crazy here. Which is almost completely amazing. The only downside is, the more I see the lights, the garlands, the gifts, sales, food, candies, and warmer clothes of the Christmas season, it makes me miss home rather terribly. And the worst part about it is that I won't be going home this Christmas. I will be arriving just after the holiday season, on the 6th of January to be exact. But this means I miss just about everything. My sister will be back in school by the time I get back. Most people would have thrown out their Christmas trees by that time. Christmas lights will be coming down. After Christmas sales will be in full force or winding down. Family parties will have happened before or on Christmas day. Potlucks with friends before the 25th as well. And church parties and services will be long over. That's hard. Christmas is my favorite time of year. Christmas break, when I come back from RPI for the MUCH-needed break from anything architecture and involving rigorous study, is my favorite break. I don't have to pack that much. I don't have to move my life and all of my belongings back and forth. I just need to be there. Be me. Be present with my family and my friends and take it all in.
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| Ice storms and inclement weather.. not always fun, but typically beautiful |
I am also crazy excited that I get to spend it with a family. And I also get to spend it in a place with (hopefully) snow and cold weather. Rome is so warm! It's ridiculous! But I am truly extremely excited. If you haven't noticed, I really love Torino. I don't think I expected to love it as much as I do. I guess I will always be a Northern girl. North places always are more comfortable to me. I need seasons. I feel imbalanced without ALL FOUR. And I need winter.
As much as it is annoying to trudge through snow and have freezing rain smack you in the face in the dead of January sometimes, the beautiful peaceful snow, the powder and the snowmen make it all worth it. I love warm clothing, hot tea, hot soup, mittens, snowball fights, glitter and sequins of children's Christmas cards, Christmas Swedish sausage, lefse, krumkake, and puppy chow. And most of all I love the family around Christmastime. Family and friends.
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| Winter driving is always an adventure. |
I just had a birthday just last week. I understand what birthdays are like. I am just a 21 year old college student. Jesus is the King of the World. the Superhero of all superheros. The God of all gods. Of course he should get one heck of a birthday party. But we should stop thinking about US on HIS birthday! It makes no sense!
Of course, this is the same message of every Christmas. "Remember the reason for the season." ..But I never quite understood it so clearly as I do now. Christmas should not be less awesome because I am away from gifts and family and Minnesota. Christmas should be of the same importance whether or not I am in my home, in Italy, or in Antarctica for that matter. Christ is the same all over the world. The fact that the God of the Universe sent his only son. ONLY Son. If I had one child, I would probably not want to give it over to a bunch of crazy loony people to kill it. That just doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense why God loves us in the first place. But the important thing is that he does. And he love us so ridiculously much that he was willing to do that - to give what probably meant the most to him as a sacrifice for all of us. The more I learn about God's love, the more it really doesn't make sense. But God's love is the same whether or not we celebrate it with Santa and reindeer or with fancy food or with chicken noodle soup. God just wants us to actually make the important things important. And on Christmas, the important thing is that He came! What a crazy awesome God we have.
A few of my favorite Christmas things:
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| Gingerbread houses..and Christmas fun for archie nerds. |
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| Christmas lights..specifically the one house in Arden Hills that makes crazy light sculptures.. including globes, Nemo, the Eiffel Tower, and a dragon. |
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| I love the beauty of winter. |
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| Even RPI and Troy can look especially beautiful with a fresh snow. |
Friday, December 3, 2010
_torino parte due_
I know this is the second post about Torino, but I did a lot there!! So I feel like I need at least two or three posts to cover it all!
On Thursday Marina graciously showed me around the city. We went up to Superga, the church and burial place of the Savoye family. It was beautiful!! And it looked out over the entire city of Torino! And I also must mention that the weather was absolutely gorgeous! It was cold and lovely. I mean, it wasn't freezing cold, just a really amazing refreshing cold. It felt almost like Thanksgiving at home.
On Thursday Marina graciously showed me around the city. We went up to Superga, the church and burial place of the Savoye family. It was beautiful!! And it looked out over the entire city of Torino! And I also must mention that the weather was absolutely gorgeous! It was cold and lovely. I mean, it wasn't freezing cold, just a really amazing refreshing cold. It felt almost like Thanksgiving at home.
 |
| Superga |
 |
| The view from Superga |
 |
| Egyptian museum |
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| The famous room of the Egyptian museum |
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| Torino streets by night |
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| Church of the Cappuccini |
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| an amazing hot chocolate at Baratti & Milano near the central piazza |
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| Galleria lit up for Christmas |
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
_rest for the soul. snow for the road_
Monday was over, our presentations finished, and only one more class in the morning to attend. Rome had become a bit stressful, to busy and chaotic. On Wednesday I would leave for Torino, the place of my old apartment, my old studies, and most importantly, my old friends.
It was a pretty smooth transition to get to the airport, but of course with the usual Italian bustle and last-minute rush, as is always present. After exiting the train, and finding the correct of five terminals, it was a relatively painless trip to the airport. Italian airport security is MUCH less painful than at American airports. I don't even have to take off my shoes! It's wonderful. And it moves much quicker. Consequently, you have a little time to kill, but in the rush of airports, time is always welcome. A few minutes later, and the shuttle comes to bring all the passengers to the plane. Everyone crowds on, all talking rapidly on their cell phones to either fellow business colleagues or loved ones. A couple children scream in the background, their parents trying to hush them as best they can.
The flight was short - less than the time it takes me to fly from Minneapolis to Chicago. I guess that put's into perspective the size of Italy versus the United States! I took a seat in the back of the aircraft, a space by the window so I could look out onto Italy before it was overtaken by clouds at higher altitudes. Rome and all of it's craziness fell into the distance, the coast quickly came and left the view, and soon the sea blotted out all memory of land. A few winks of sleep later, and lights of the cities and towns below glittered on the black ground, mountains looming but not yet distinguishable. Soon, the highly gridded system of Torino's streets and boulevards came into view, a very welcome sight.
Torino's airport is small, but clean and easy to navigate, which helps when you have someone to meet. Various people stood outside the sliding glass doors marked "Arrivals/Arrivi" holding signs of different travelers. Some were normal, with various last names written on cards, some were peculiar... like "Hot Buns" ...to which an entire group of Scandinavian-looking businessman answered. ...
My contact was also my incredibly gracious host, Signore Miglia, the father of my dear friend Marina with whom I was staying. Though he spoke no English, his kindness and generosity was obvious. I so desperately wish I knew more Italian in order to talk with him more! We drove straight to the Exhibition for our projects, something I had been looking forward to for a while! Almost everyone was there when I got there. It was so good to see everyone! I realized then how much I missed all of the Italian students. Being Italy isn't quite the same without them in class! They are what made Torino great - being able to see it and experience it with new-found local friends. Later we went out for pizza, the first place of the first night that started it all. Not everyone was there, but it was still a good crowd. The Americans were pretty outnumbered... as it should be :) The place was Sicilian, and had specialties like aranchini - which are fried balls of rice with a filling inside. They are pretty delicious. After dinner we went out for drinks, as always, and this time to a fancy-looking Indian-themed bar/restaurant. I just needed coffee. Everyone talked like they used to. Sharing music and movies, figuring out differences in Italian and American culture... asking to repeat phrases when someone spoke too quickly...
I know it might seem like I like Torino a little too much. But.. I really do love it! It was much more of a home than Rome is. Rome is a metropolis, full of ancient items and tourists, souvenirs made in China and much much too much rain. I do like Rome a lot, but it is not a home. Torino is more of a home, even if it was only for a short period of time. It was so good to be back!
It was a pretty smooth transition to get to the airport, but of course with the usual Italian bustle and last-minute rush, as is always present. After exiting the train, and finding the correct of five terminals, it was a relatively painless trip to the airport. Italian airport security is MUCH less painful than at American airports. I don't even have to take off my shoes! It's wonderful. And it moves much quicker. Consequently, you have a little time to kill, but in the rush of airports, time is always welcome. A few minutes later, and the shuttle comes to bring all the passengers to the plane. Everyone crowds on, all talking rapidly on their cell phones to either fellow business colleagues or loved ones. A couple children scream in the background, their parents trying to hush them as best they can.
The flight was short - less than the time it takes me to fly from Minneapolis to Chicago. I guess that put's into perspective the size of Italy versus the United States! I took a seat in the back of the aircraft, a space by the window so I could look out onto Italy before it was overtaken by clouds at higher altitudes. Rome and all of it's craziness fell into the distance, the coast quickly came and left the view, and soon the sea blotted out all memory of land. A few winks of sleep later, and lights of the cities and towns below glittered on the black ground, mountains looming but not yet distinguishable. Soon, the highly gridded system of Torino's streets and boulevards came into view, a very welcome sight.
 |
| I didn't take this.. but this is more or less what I saw. Looks good! |
Torino's airport is small, but clean and easy to navigate, which helps when you have someone to meet. Various people stood outside the sliding glass doors marked "Arrivals/Arrivi" holding signs of different travelers. Some were normal, with various last names written on cards, some were peculiar... like "Hot Buns" ...to which an entire group of Scandinavian-looking businessman answered. ...
My contact was also my incredibly gracious host, Signore Miglia, the father of my dear friend Marina with whom I was staying. Though he spoke no English, his kindness and generosity was obvious. I so desperately wish I knew more Italian in order to talk with him more! We drove straight to the Exhibition for our projects, something I had been looking forward to for a while! Almost everyone was there when I got there. It was so good to see everyone! I realized then how much I missed all of the Italian students. Being Italy isn't quite the same without them in class! They are what made Torino great - being able to see it and experience it with new-found local friends. Later we went out for pizza, the first place of the first night that started it all. Not everyone was there, but it was still a good crowd. The Americans were pretty outnumbered... as it should be :) The place was Sicilian, and had specialties like aranchini - which are fried balls of rice with a filling inside. They are pretty delicious. After dinner we went out for drinks, as always, and this time to a fancy-looking Indian-themed bar/restaurant. I just needed coffee. Everyone talked like they used to. Sharing music and movies, figuring out differences in Italian and American culture... asking to repeat phrases when someone spoke too quickly...
I know it might seem like I like Torino a little too much. But.. I really do love it! It was much more of a home than Rome is. Rome is a metropolis, full of ancient items and tourists, souvenirs made in China and much much too much rain. I do like Rome a lot, but it is not a home. Torino is more of a home, even if it was only for a short period of time. It was so good to be back!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
_fellowship_
In the past few weeks, I have learned more about the incredible importance of fellowship. Yes, God is enough. But fellowship makes life very sweet. Recently, I've had the incredible gift of joining up with a group of girls from Iowa State for a Bible study on Thursday nights. What an incredible blessing. We've been going through Romans, which is awesome...because we are in Rome! But also, it has been such an oasis for me. There is such joy when you can just share with people what is on your heart, what God is doing in your life, your struggles, and your successes. When you can just be with some Christian girls, there is an automatic level of trust because you have Someone in common. Your lives are about living for Jesus, and about pushing one another to live for Jesus even more. If you girls ever read this, THANK YOU for being such a blessing to me, thank you for welcoming me and accepting me as your sister and friend, and thank you for pushing me towards Christ. I love you all dearly, though I have only known you for a few weeks!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
_ walking_
What I see on a walk back from school.
The escape from studio, from class, from the palace. It is leaving what is formal, frescoed, and serious. Sometimes, it is leaving what is warm and dry for someplace cold and wet, which seems to be the case in November. The cobblestone streets shine with the reflection of the lighted shop windows and restaurants against the dark damp stone. Fewer people line the streets, as they often do on these evenings. Only those with a reason to be out are. Thus, it is filled with Italians on cell phones, or shopkeepers just closing. The usual bustle of lost dreamy tourists is absent when it has rained.
Walking on these nights is usually incredibly peaceful. Cars stop and go, turn right and left, with a certain rhythm and balance. Their sounds, though not quiet, fade into the background like the harmless white noise of household appliances. Somewhat often there is a rift in this 'calm', and the blaring wailing siren of an ambulance or Polizia rushes by.
If you are observant, you can pick apart the background of people walking by. The exhausted, blank-looking ones with backpacks and laptop bags are most probably study abroad students, tired from another day of Roman college life, or their 500th historical tour. The women with long pea coats and tall dark boots are typically businesswomen, those wearing stilettos or those changing into them have not quite come out of the woodwork yet. It is still too early in the night, and early in the week. Older men in suits have usually escaped from the office by this point, but those that work a little later a present, walking to their cars or motorbikes to return home. And then there are the tourists. On these rainy nights, it's the hardcore tourists that are still present, trying to figure out what in Rome is still visible and photo-worthy on a dark wet night.
At around 8 at night, the city is in a lull. Shops have closed or are closing. People are home with their families, just barely starting supper. And even the homeless are starting their suppers. The most amazing thing happens around this time of night, at least on some streets. ..The homeless who so numerously line the streets, sitting shivering and humble before passers by finally have food. They draw it out of plastic grocery bags and take-out containers. No, they did not just fake being poor - they have been given their food. If you wait and watch, sometimes you can see a shop-keeper or restaurant cook sneak out quietly, whistle abruptly, and hold out a plastic bag containing take out containers with 'gift food.' Beautiful.
Just a few blocks further, and you reach a large ministry and the beginning of my pocket of quiet residential streets. The few stores there are long closed. Just the 'Fruitteria' is open, the shopkeeper as welcoming as ever. Italian grocers are extremely special. Though you may be foreign, though you may not know exactly what you want, though you may have issues finding your change, the still greet you with a smile and treat you with kindness. They pick over their produce for the best they have. They even give you free gifts if they are shown loyalty or you spend a specific amount. It is an incredibly warm and welcome thing to have your grocery eagerly ask how you are and carefully package up food for you, like they were fragile china.
A minute of walking more, and the glass and iron door is reached, red sensor glowing at the foot of the door, Italian messages surrounding the inside warning of 'automatic door - do not push!' But our key doesn't work for the magical button. Instead, the regular old key turns, the door creaks, and you arrive in the white tunnel that first symbolizes your Roman ' home'
The escape from studio, from class, from the palace. It is leaving what is formal, frescoed, and serious. Sometimes, it is leaving what is warm and dry for someplace cold and wet, which seems to be the case in November. The cobblestone streets shine with the reflection of the lighted shop windows and restaurants against the dark damp stone. Fewer people line the streets, as they often do on these evenings. Only those with a reason to be out are. Thus, it is filled with Italians on cell phones, or shopkeepers just closing. The usual bustle of lost dreamy tourists is absent when it has rained.
Walking on these nights is usually incredibly peaceful. Cars stop and go, turn right and left, with a certain rhythm and balance. Their sounds, though not quiet, fade into the background like the harmless white noise of household appliances. Somewhat often there is a rift in this 'calm', and the blaring wailing siren of an ambulance or Polizia rushes by.
If you are observant, you can pick apart the background of people walking by. The exhausted, blank-looking ones with backpacks and laptop bags are most probably study abroad students, tired from another day of Roman college life, or their 500th historical tour. The women with long pea coats and tall dark boots are typically businesswomen, those wearing stilettos or those changing into them have not quite come out of the woodwork yet. It is still too early in the night, and early in the week. Older men in suits have usually escaped from the office by this point, but those that work a little later a present, walking to their cars or motorbikes to return home. And then there are the tourists. On these rainy nights, it's the hardcore tourists that are still present, trying to figure out what in Rome is still visible and photo-worthy on a dark wet night.
At around 8 at night, the city is in a lull. Shops have closed or are closing. People are home with their families, just barely starting supper. And even the homeless are starting their suppers. The most amazing thing happens around this time of night, at least on some streets. ..The homeless who so numerously line the streets, sitting shivering and humble before passers by finally have food. They draw it out of plastic grocery bags and take-out containers. No, they did not just fake being poor - they have been given their food. If you wait and watch, sometimes you can see a shop-keeper or restaurant cook sneak out quietly, whistle abruptly, and hold out a plastic bag containing take out containers with 'gift food.' Beautiful.
Just a few blocks further, and you reach a large ministry and the beginning of my pocket of quiet residential streets. The few stores there are long closed. Just the 'Fruitteria' is open, the shopkeeper as welcoming as ever. Italian grocers are extremely special. Though you may be foreign, though you may not know exactly what you want, though you may have issues finding your change, the still greet you with a smile and treat you with kindness. They pick over their produce for the best they have. They even give you free gifts if they are shown loyalty or you spend a specific amount. It is an incredibly warm and welcome thing to have your grocery eagerly ask how you are and carefully package up food for you, like they were fragile china.
A minute of walking more, and the glass and iron door is reached, red sensor glowing at the foot of the door, Italian messages surrounding the inside warning of 'automatic door - do not push!' But our key doesn't work for the magical button. Instead, the regular old key turns, the door creaks, and you arrive in the white tunnel that first symbolizes your Roman ' home'
Sunday, November 14, 2010
_autumn_
Right now I am really missing fall and all of the wonderful things it has to offer. It's probably my favorite season of the year. Fall in Minnesota is by far my favorite. Fall in New York is also beautiful. Fall in Torino was pleasant. Fall in Rome........ not so much. It's choking with tourists.
There are so many wonderful things about fall. Things I really wish I could do here! Some of them I'm still going to do. You can bet on that :)
Hot chocolate on crisp days
the colors on the North Shore of Minnesota, especially on the way to Grand Marais
kids in cute Halloween costumes, pining for candy
raking leaves into huge piles
leaf fights
hay rides
apple picking
corn mazes
pumpkin patches
cranberries
pumkin pie
..and apple pie
and family.
Fall usually involves lots and lots of family.
There are so many wonderful things about fall. Things I really wish I could do here! Some of them I'm still going to do. You can bet on that :)
Hot chocolate on crisp days
the colors on the North Shore of Minnesota, especially on the way to Grand Marais
kids in cute Halloween costumes, pining for candy
raking leaves into huge piles
leaf fights
hay rides
apple picking
corn mazes
pumpkin patches
cranberries
pumkin pie
..and apple pie
and family.
Fall usually involves lots and lots of family.
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