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| Ju and I in rainy Siena |
Sunday evening I got to skype with two of my favorite
people: Mom and Dad! It was a really short visit because I was exhausted after
a day of traveling in Pisa and Siena. Because of the time difference it was
midnight for me and 4 in the afternoon for them. I was huddled in the bus
terminal (where there is free wifi) so I couldn’t show them anything of the
town but I think seeing my face was enough for them as seeing theirs was for
me. The only downside is that it made me more homesick. Love you Mom and Dad!
Thanks for supporting me and loving me through this grand adventure!
Le Grotte di Frassassi
Tuesday we went to a nearby town to view some caverns that
were discovered there in the 70s. It reminded me of Natural Bridge Caverns in
New Braunsfels but I was still amazed by the beauty and majesty of it all. As I
took the tour, instead of listening to the guide as I should have, I spent more
time gasping at the incredibility of it all. This place which looked like a
mountain from the outside was infact a hollowed out hole of sorts filled with
sparkling spears made from years of dripping water. Although it seemed as if we
walked right into a sci-fi movie, I knew at first glance that human hands could
not create this beauty. It was from that time on that I walked through the
cavern with Jesus praising His handiwork and trying to wrap my mind around the
fact that we, as humans, are the height of creation even when something like
this exists. Since we live with our intelligence, our intricately functionally
bodies, and our unique abilities each day, we often forget to recognize the
mystery and beauty of it all. Yes, these places – like caverns, rolling hills,
and hidden waterfalls – exist and when we find ourselves before them we should
give due praise to their Creator. But an even greater creation exists – one
that is in His image – and this is a creation that we can’t stop encountering.
Whether we find ourselves lost in a crowd of strangers’ faces or merely catch a
glimpse of our own reflection in a shop window, we are in the unavoidable midst
of the greatest and most indescribably wonder of all the created world. So if a
jaw dropping view brings our hands up in worship should not each encounter with
our spouse, family, friends, self, and strangers draw out the same reaction?
Singing is a great
form of learning
Last night we had a Karaoke night with the school. Each
class sang an Italian song as a way to practicing pronouncing words as well as
have some fun with all of the students. The song our class sang was a song for
kids but one that happens to be very difficult to sing. Difficult because of
the velocity with which the words are sung and when Italian is not your first
language, it is unbelievably easy to get tongue-tied. However, the evening was
a huge success and filled with laughter and smiles.
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| the professors of la scuola di Dante Alighieri. My professor, Gianni, is in the middle on the mic! |
I’m happy to share that I am seeing progress in my study of
the Italian language. I would, however, like to be at a higher speaking level
than I am currently at. It is incredibly difficult for me to speak but I
understand much of what is said to and around me and have been dealing well
with the grammar since I learned most of it previously at A&M. (6/19 13:36
casa mia)
Thursday 19 June
Thursday we went to the archives of Camerino and it was
awesome! First the archivist lead us into an old (deconsecrated now) church of
a cloistered women’s religious community. There was still the grill and the
turntable (a lazy-susan type mechanism that allows food and other provisions
to be given the community without them having to exit or others having to
enter). Now the convent is used to store ancient texts of the town and
neighboring Italian areas. The archivist then sat us down in the studio to show
us examples of some of the documents housed there. I held in my hands a paper
from 1268! Of course it was impossible for me to read because the writing was
too tiny and in Latin but the lady patiently went around to each of our desks
and read us a piece of the document we held to give us an idea of what its
purpose was. It was a fascinating yet mentally exhausting afternoon because the
lady, being Italian, explained everything in her native tongue so I had to
really concentrate to understand her. However these type of activities really
enhance my listening and understanding skills (what our textbook calls “per
capire”).
That evening I got to skype with Sr. Michela my spiritual
director. How great it was to see her and hear her voice! I also loved getting
to reflect on and recount to her my experience here so far. It is hard to
believe that I have only been here for three weeks. With all of the things that
I have done, it seems as if I have been here much longer! Also, as I was
telling one of my friends here, it is amazing how strong relationships can be
after only 3 weeks. I think it is because we all came alone and therefore need
each other. But it really is amazing. For instance, one of my roommates told us
that she is a black belt! When I first heard it I thought: how could I not know
this about the girl who I share a room with. And then I remembered that I had
basically just met her. It’s crazy to think that there is still so much I don’t
know about these people who have become like family to me as we experience new
things and tackle a new language together. As I had imagined and hoped, I am
creating lasting relationships and memories in a language that is not my own
but is quickly capturing my heart. It pains me to think that after this week,
it is very likely that I will never see these people again in the flesh
especially being the only one from the States. Thank goodness for social media
and modern technology. At this current moment, as I share the couch with my new
best friend I can’t imagine my life without her or any of the others. What will
it be like to wake up and not see them every day in the small streets of this
enchanting Medieval town? This is a question I will have to face but can hardly
bear to consider without tears. Oh Jesus,
You put these people in my life for this short time for a reason. Help me to
understand this reality and be grateful for these days rather than dreadful of
those to come.
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| Be careful. This girl is dangerous! |
The time I forgot how
to speak my own language
Yesterday was (like them all) a great day. I felt more
confident in class with speaking and enjoyed it more than usual. Also Sarai
(from Mexico) and Virginia (from Argentina) teamed up to serve us quesadillas,
guacamole, and empanadas. It was so good and fun to have a leisurely late lunch
with a group of my favorites here. Then Fernanda and I returned to the house to
watch tv and fall asleep on the couch. I’ve started to embrace the Italian
attitude towards the afternoon. Every store here, except some pizzerias, are
closed from about 1:30-4:30 which is the perfect time for a nap. After
embracing this Italian custom we transferred to the bar to experience another
one: Calcio (soccer). But before this Fernanda needed to get some money from
the ATM. I always speak Italian with her but it’s usually obvious that it’s not
my first language. An Asian guy behind us needed help with the machine so
started talking to me in English. Embarrassingly enough I had been talking
Italian all day and found it hard to form fully English sentences. I would use
many Italian words and have to correct myself when I started answering his
question in Italian. It was funny and actually quite comforting that I felt so
at home with Italian that I kept reverting back to it.
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| Always so silly! |
We arrived at the bar in time to find a seat in the crowd and
listen to the proud singing of the Italian national anthem. Unfortunately Costa
Rica beat Italia this game so the people weren’t the happiest after but it was
a fun evening none the less.
My first cappuccino
Today, instead of taking the optional trip to Venice with
the school I stayed here and early in the day, I am already so glad of that
fact. This morning I went to mass at the same place I usually go, and after,
they exposed the Blessed Sacrament for an hour of adoration. This all ended
around 10 when Don GianCarlo invited me to get a cappuccino with him and Don
Mariano. We talked of me and my plans for the summer and I was able to ask them
a couple of questions I had about the churches I have seen here in Italy. It
was a very delightful breakfast and I am happy to say that my first cappuccino
was experienced with two wonderful priests.
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| my morning sanctuary |
The rest of the day I plan on taking it easy, checking out
the Saturday market they have here in the main piazza and have a midafternoon
picnic with my friends in the countryside. I’m expecting a very leisurely and
pleasant day here in Camerino! I cannot accurately explain how excited I am to
pass a day here without class or bus rides. Sometimes it is good to be lazy.
Especially since the next few days are going to be jam packed. Tomorrow we head
to Florence for the day, returning late in the evening. Monday morning we are
free but have class in the afternoon which is followed by a night of dining and
dancing at a well preserved castle in the countryside. We return around 1 or 2
in the morning but have class at 9:15 like normal on Tuesday which is also the
day we travel to Assisi in the afternoon. Wednesday class is again at 9:15 and
then we are finally with a free afternoon which, for me, will probably
(hopefully) involve a nap. Although I really need to think about studying since
I have my final test next Friday. It is hard to believe this is my last week
here. Leaving Camerino (even though I know that new adventures and memories
await me in other parts of Italy) is going to be one of the hardest things I
have had to do in a while. My only consolation is that I know the Lord is
constantly with me with a reason for each season of time like Ecclesiastes
tells us. I may not know now why people who so easily steal my heart are called
to vanish as swiftly as they appeared in my life but it comforts me to know
that the One who orchestrates all things for the good of the whole world has
His reasons and our lasting joy in mind.
Living Simply
This morning during adoration I reflected a bit on my time
here and recognized the grace of simplicity that the Lord has given me. This is
a virtue that I have been praying about for a while now like I mentioned in my
first post. Today before my Love in adoration I really felt like a wildflower
in bloom. He put me in this place where I’ve been almost completely stripped of
the Internet, with no normal phone usage, limited clothing, limited ability to
express myself in a new language, and limited time to make friends out of
strangers. The beauty of it all is that without Internet and a functioning
phone, I am more present to the experiences and people who are in the flesh
around me. I am on a very regular cycle of clothing and often wear my hair the
same each day. I spend minimal time thinking of my appearance in the mornings
and even feel as if I brought too much clothing sometimes. Living with 6, at
first, and now 5 girls and one bathroom, it is less difficult then I would have
thought. We share everything and are patient with the each other when it comes
to showers or using the kitchen. When speaking Italian I am forced to be very
straight to the point and matter of fact in my speech. Those of you who know me
know that in English I like to be very detailed and use a large vocabulary. At
this point, this is not possible for me to do in Italian so my explanations and
storytelling involve basic words and lots of hand gestures and facial
expressions. In this aspect I feel very Italian. With the people I’ve met here
I have had to be simple in my making friends with them because I can’t rely on
my previous knowledge of them or the long history I have with them. I literally
know only what they’ve told me and honestly, I trust everything I’ve heard.
Until now, since I am writing about it, I have never even considered the
possibility that anyone would be lying about or exaggerating their life story.
These are just a few examples of how I’ve been able to live simply here in Camerino.
And how wonderful a life it is! It makes my life in the States seem cluttered
with a lot of unnecessary stuff like extra clothing, extra words, lost time on
the internet, too much time spent with a screen between me and the other I am
communicating with. I just hope that with this recognized, I am able to life
this simplicity or something close to it when I return. Life is just less
complicated and more genuinely joyful with simplicity. I think I am finally
starting to “learn from the way the wild flowers grow.” And how appropriate
since it was today’s gospel. I see what
you did there Jesus! (6/21 13:02 A Casa Mia a Camerino).
Santa Maria in Via
Santa Maria in Via, in Camerino, is hands down my favorite
church in all of Italy. It doesn’t have the size of a basilica nor the gold of
St. Peter’s, but perhaps that is precisely why I find it so charming. It also
happens to be the parish of my favorite locals as opposed to the large
cathedrals I’ve toured who minister to hundreds of strangers. It is beautifully
decorated and filled with detailed paintings that depict the lives of Christ
and the saints. The colors of the walls are rich and deep bringing a warmth
into the whole structure. The altar only allows for the priest to face the same
direction as the people (shout out to you Katie Crandall!!) and the altar piece
is an icon of the church’s namesake: Santa Maria in Via.
Today I went to the Vigil Mass for the Feast of Corpus
Christi, one of my favorite (maybe my number 1) feast days on the liturgical calendar.
Why is it my favorite you ask? Because it celebrates the greatest gift of love
by Love Himself – the Eucharist. Honestly no words, no facial expressions, no
newly learned art of Italian hand gestures, no nothing can express the
depth of my love for the Body and Blood of Christ. There is no way you could
understand it unless you could jump into my heart and feel it leap and pound at
the moment of consecration or site of the Blessed Sacrament – and even then…I’m
not so sure. Now I don’t say this to toot my own horn because I have not even
begun to break the surface of this great mystery that is the Eucharist but what
I do know has captivated more than just my heart but my very being. Like any
relationship, mine with the Eucharist – thus the Son of God; thus the Holy
Trinity – is ever changing with its moments of profound intimacy and agonizing
growing pains. I don’t always recognize His presence or truly realize that He
brings me to the foot of the cross every mass, but some moments so sweet and
genuine leave me in the state I am right now: giddy with pure joy. There was a
bounce in my step as I traveled back to my apartment from the church. How
comforting and breathtaking it is to know that right now the actual body of
Christ is inside of me! Me! But it’s also a challenge. Do others recognize this
fact through my words and actions? Do I conduct myself like the living,
breathing tabernacle that I am? Honestly, I know that I have a lot of room to
grow in this area but I also know that the One who gives me everything, every
time in the Eucharist has promised me that whoever eats His body and drinks His
blood will have eternal life. And you know what eternal life looks like?...me
either. Ha! But the Church teaches that eternal life, Heaven, is perfect union
with God. Forever. Not ‘til death do us part’ but beyond that. For all
eternity. Outside of time. Beyond even ‘infinity and beyond’! Have fun trying
to wrap your mind around that one. It’s the ultimate mystery of my life: that
the King (and Creator) of the Universe is also the Lover of my small,
insignificant soul and calls me to enter into this mysterious and all
fulfilling perpetual dance of love expressed in the Holy Trinity for all of
eternity. WHAT?! I know.
Okay, deep breath, control the heart rate…let me explain how
the mass went. I took a shower and put on one of the skirts I bought before
coming here. Happily I walked towards the church excited to go to mass – it
really is one of my favorite activities. Heck, I went twice today! And upon
entering, I was again blown away by the beauty of this place. Finding a seat
near the front I smiled at the sound of Don GianCarlo’s voice leading the
rosary. Two priests I hadn’t seen before celebrated mass and I experienced the
first Italian homily that I understood. It was a great homily too - all about
the Eucharist and how Jesus comes to dwell within us and give us eternal life
(see above for a reminder of how I feel about this fact). Also, I was surprised
to see Don GianCarlo, who was not concelebrating this mass, on the organ
playing and singing beautifully throughout the mass. I already knew he had a
good voice from daily mass but what musical talent! Two of my other fellow
daily mass goers joined me as well: Gaieto, as I should have expected, was the
alter server and Anna sat with the congregation. After the mass, as I knelt happily before the
Giver of eternal life, Don GianCarlo presented me with an image of Santa Maria
in Via to hang on my wall when I return to the States. How charming this priest
and parish is. I can’t wait to go to mass again on Monday in their humble
chapel (San Giacomo) to see them and participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the
Altar together with them. Even though I absolutely adore Santa Maria in Via, I
appreciate the humility and simplicity (there’s that word again) of San
Giacomo. I am very pleased to have that be the church I attend daily here.
And now that I’ve pulled out my heart and pasted it on this
page for you and all the Internet to read, I’ll return to the beautiful life
God is allowing me to lead in this amazing little town in the center of Italy.
I don’t know what the rest of today holds, (perhaps a continuation of the lazy
day Fernanda and I spent on the couch) but whatever it is, I know that I am
loved and constantly accompanied by the greatest Lover of all time and this
fact alone assures me that my evening couldn’t be any better. (6/21 19:51 My
bedroom in Camerino)
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| Santa Maria in Via |
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