I'm back! I've been pretty terrible about my blog. Mostly because I'm trying the practice of, "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything." Its not that I have anything particularly bad to say, but nothing divinely inspired.
This funny moment keeps coming back to me and its short and stupid but I'm going to share it.
The other night I was riding the bus into town to meet up with some friends to watch the new movie the Intern with Robert DiNiro and Anne Hathaway. In Italian.
The funny thing that I didn't realize about American movies in Italy is that they have a very serious "dubbing" industry. Every big American actor has a specific Italian "dubber" that does all of their movies. In all honesty- I like Anne Hathaway's voice better in English. The Italian Robert DiNiro rocks.
Even though it was in Italian, I understood the basics of what was happening. I'm still unsure if that was because I've seen every romantic comedy under the sun- and eventually they are all as predicable as the sun rising. Or...it could be because I'm fluent now.
Lol. Nope.
Anyways, back to the bus.
There were only three people on the bus (including me). There are about 6 stops after I get on till down town; but the driver only stops if someone is either at the stop, or if someone on the bus presses the "stop" button. Once I got on, the bus driver started stopping at every one, even though nobody was at the stop, and nobody was pressing the stop button.
So I was all, "This noob. I wonder if its company policy to stop at every stop, but nobody does it until he or she has to. This guy must be on the first day of his job, and he's terrified of breaking the rules. Just wait. He'll learn to break the rules. Just like all those dumb college freshman that still show up to every single 8am, even when they dont take role. Or they keep a tally of the days they miss, to make sure that they don't go over. Or the American tourists who don't even know how to ask for a scoop of gelato in Italian, and are so obviously American. They'll learn..."
Eventually I was thinking about how glad I was that I was a life-experienced college graduate who actually knew things about the world.
Then I realized that my knee had been pressing the "stop" button accidentally, because I was in a handicapped seat that I wasn't supposed to be in in the first place.
So I was making him stop at every single stop for no reason at all.
Whoops.
I just got off and pretended like everything was normal. And I felt like a sorry idiot- rightfully so.
So much of my overall story here is about forced humility. Its good, really it is. And I am so thankful to repeatedly relearn that I know so little. But also, might I add, Italy has a way of making you feel like an idot.
Nothing really makes sense.
For example, me and my Slovenian friend were trying to exit this Farm to table food expo yesterday, and we literally did laps trying to find the exit. We asked at least three people how to leave, and nobody gave us adequate directions.
Or how it took five months and four trips to different government offices to receive my student visa. Or the fact that you don't buy postage at the post office, you get it at the newspaper store.
Or the fact that you buy your city bus pass at the bus station, but you pay for it at the bank. And if you lose it then you have to present yourself to the police station and tell them why, and then you have to go to airport customs to say you're sorry. Ok I made the last bit up, but honestly it wouldn't surprise me.
Or the fact that trains will change direction sometimes. While you are on it.
I realize that I could be stressed about it, and kill myself to try and do things correctly. Or I could accept that I am not and never will be Italian; so I can throw my hands up and laugh and admit that I don't know how anything works here.
I choose joy.
Speaking of joy: here are some nuggets of joy that have carried me almost to my half way mark.
-My parents are coming in 10 days!
-Italian food. Praise the great line of Judah for that.
-This region goes nuts over Chestnuts. Last weekend I went on a hike, eat, and hike down lunch thing that is common here. Unfortunately, our easy two hour walk became a hard four hour hike because we took the wrong trail. We didn't know this right away though.
I started questioning things when we had about an hour straight accent over quite rocky terrain. We were all unprepared- I was wearing Clarks street shoes; but one girl, bless her soul, had no experience hiking whatsoever. Eventually we reached a clearing, and I joyously announced "We have arrived at Heaven's gates!"
But then we all slowly realized it was a private home, not a restaurant. I could not stop laughing. But it was one of those, "wow this is so terrible and there is literally nothing we can do about it" laughs. I think at this point sweet unexperienced hiker still had no idea that we were not at our destination. At the time she was lying in the grass praising the heavens.
Butttt, we called (ok my German speaking Austrian friend) called the restaurant owner who tried to direct us over the mountains. Oh- they speak German in this particular part of Austia/Italy. I don't think anyone who lives there really knows how they identify.
And we made it, and enjoyed the best meal I've ever had in my life; All the while looking over the Alps and enjoying a random assortment of International company.
-My last nugget.
Before I came here, people loved to say to me, "You're totally going to find yourself in Italy." And I was all, "Nah, I already know myself. Nothing else to learn." I seriously thought that. But how insanely untrue that is. I'm learning so much more about myself that I can imagine. And mostly I feel more and more secure in my place in this Universe; as the daughter of the King. This may sound corny, but its true. And this alone makes me feel smaller, but more content than I've ever been.
