ISU

Somehow.....I am now involved with the international student board oncampus as one of two social committee members. I'm actually kinda excited about promoting the rights of international students oncampus(like translation of documents into english) and also planning events for the campus community to integrate Norwegians with international students. Many of my friends are on the board....so it could end up being a blast. We have members from every continent of the globe except South America.

tree fall

Today I fell out of a tree
it sounds like an everyday occurance
but I can't remember the last time it happened
to me

I had just stopped off at the campus post
and picked up lovely letters from home
when i decided to climb the branches of an oblidging oak,
standing resolute in the midst of a wheat field

It was easy to surmount its branches
and delightful to sit and read
forgetting time and place
when I looked up I remembered
I had climbed a tree
and looked down to see
a great distance

The skyline was framed by the branches
and I wished my home could be in such a place
as this
but all good things must come to an end
so I began to descend

Fancy loafers are not the best for climbing trees
particularly when you are on your way down
I attempted to grasp a branch and swing to the ground below
but found my hands slip from their grasp
and I landed
plop

before I regained my bearings
I was laughing
who knew you could get wiplash from a tree fall
the rest is history

street after street

windows open
doors slam
the hum of scooters
and swaying of clothes
drying in the breeze

feet in a hurry
cameras galore
old Italian ladies
asking you to give up your seat

blue skies
gelato smiles
and street after street
art beyond your wildest dreams
and beautiful churches which feel
empty

because they are

until the monks begin to chant
and people sing
lifting up their eyes

music
opera
lights
hands on the piano keys
heart on its knees

I see
hundreds
thousands
millions of people
asking questions
without listening
for an answer

Chuga Chuga

On the train to Florence there is grafitti everywhere and it is hot. I met a nice Italian buisnessman on the plane from Norway. He said He would consider moving to California, except for the earthquakes. He plans to take his kids to drive across the states once they are old enough. Isn't life ironic? Here I am in Italy and here he is wishing He was in California.

The hand of providence must have been at work when I arrived at the airport, because I found the train 3 minutes before it left for Florence from Pisa, and the next was scheduled to arrive in 3-4 hours! I had planned to meet Alexa at 5 pm and wouldn't have made it.

I can understand now why someone once said Italy was the Mexico of Europe. It is hot, dirty and crowded. But, Italian villas are passing through my window and I do not mind the view.

doorbells

I've arrived in Florence and am settled in Alexa's apartment close to Piazza del Santa Croce. She is a good friend from Cal Poly studying at Florence University of the Arts. On the street, all you can see of her apartment is a green door with the number 73 next to it and 5 doorbells for the apartments on each floor. Her apartment is on the 4th floor, up a winding flight of stairs shared by all the tenants.

The streets are noisy and full of kamikazee mopeds. The sidewalks are 1-2 feet wide, just breadth enough to jump to and hope you survive. I would have been easily run over except for Alexa pulling my arm towards the sidewalk half a dozen times.

This city is beautiful. Breathtaking. When I arrived at the train station, I put on my backpack and walked across the city, stopping to soak it in along the way. The buildings are so tall, yet they feel just as they should be in proportion to me. There are arches, hundreds of statues, fountains, large squares and tiny streets. Mix that with thousands of tourists and you've got quite a mess. I wish you could experience everything but the stares of the Italian men......