TANTI AUGURI A ME! (Happy birthday to me!)

Charita's magic: tiramasu-inspired, divinely light, covered with fresh peaches and kiwi. Perfect for a blistering hot July 9.

Italians and Greeks liked it...

Americans liked it...so did the folks from the UK, Canada and Serbia, I just don't have a photo of them eating it.

             
  Having a birthday during the CrisisArt festival was an act of public service, really.

JUST TO PROVE IT'S NOT ALL PLAY AND NO WORK!

We met for hours on end discussing the school in this empty classroom. We basically did a SWOT analysis, and marketing and strategic plans, for each of the school's programs (summer programs; semester abroad programs with separate tracks for theatre, dance or music; MFA; and CrisisArt festival).  When I say "we," I mean Accademia staff and myself. Pictured above are me and just two of the staff, the young women from the U.S. hired to do the school's marketing. They are terrific!

I'M NOT SHOWING OFF, BUT....

It looks like this every evening! It's like a free drive-in movie!!

                                 

ROMAN HOLIDAY!

After more than a month away from home, I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to connect with Clinton School classmates Jordan Aibel and Leslie Harris this past weekend in Rome! We all brought someone to the party...Jordan (who flew in from Brussels) was also visiting a college friend living in the city, Fiona; Leslie (who flew in from Budapest) brought husband Zach; and I (who took the train, but later than planned because of a train strike that day) had a new Accademia friend, Michelle, join us on Saturday. When I got out of the cab at our rendezvous point we started clapping and hugging and even some stranger nearby had to laugh and cheer too :) We visited the Vatican Museum, including the Sistine Chapel, on Friday night. Saturday they did St. Peter's, the Colesseum and Forum, while I rested (ankle trouble still) and shopped and prepared for dinner. I had the COOLEST tiny rooftop apartment that came with a glorious terrace and views of the city. It was the perfect setting for a relaxed, reunion dinner. We talked about our projects--the good and the bad--and I was amazed at the similarities of our experiences thus far, even though we are in different countries working on very different projects. Leslie, Zach and Michelle had early departures Sunday, but Jordan and I bought some pastries and quiche at a small neighborhood spot and took it back to Fiona's to visit a bit more before leaving. (Get him to tell you the key story sometime.) We parted ways at Termini, Rome's huge train station....I am so proud to be associated with such fine young people, and am glad they are willing to hang out with this ole gal.

We made it! Class 7 represented at the Vatican Museum. Leslie, Jordan and I had talked about doing this since realizing we'd all be in Europe this summer. You can see the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the background.

A great group of folks...my new friend Michelle, me, Jordan, Zach and Leslie Harris (Fiona is taking the photo). Good food, good drink, a charming terrace all to ourselves, and great company.

I have been here 4 weeks today...

Drew, I do not miss Mae and June more than you, I promise, but I cannot figure out how to move their photo to the bottom of the list!! Nor can I figure out how to move the sentence just beneath this to the top of the page.....you are lucky I can blog at all! Where is classmate Laura Crosby when I need her? Oh, yeah, she's in INDONESIA!

...and while I'm grateful for the experience, let it be known this is what (who) I miss most:

my daughter Drew

Shannon

    

My dad, sister and rest of the family

Midnight jousting practice

Arezzo will have a fierce jousting competition this weekend in its Piazza Grande. (This sloped town square was in the film A Beautiful Life--check out the opening when the man is on his bicycle riding to his family's shop). Unfortunately, I will miss it (for a good reason-- I'm going to Rome to see classmates Jordan, Leslie, and her husband!) BUT, the teams, which represent the town's different neighborhoods, have been practicing this week, and you can feel the excitement building! It's kind of a Chicago Cubs/White Sox or New York Mets/Yankees rivalry; the city is very divided. Workers have built bleachers against ancient buildings for spectators; created a dirt track through the middle of the square; neighborhoods are flying their colors out windows and storefronts; vendors are selling scarves with team crests, and everywhere, people are tailgating as the main event nears. One night this week, approaching midnight, my new friends and I were walking home, eating gelato, and stopped to watch for a bit. This video doesn't do it justice, of course, but check it out anyway:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV9AL3E7mJ8

Un altro "conversazione" (another "conversation")

I was walking home, up a long hill, from town one late afternoon and passed this precious old Italian couple walking- he with a cane- up the hill, too:

Me: Buona sera.
Them: Buona sera.
Him: a spill of Italian words
Me: Mi di spiace (I'm sorry), no parla Italiano.
Them: Ahh...(nodding their heads).
I resumed my walk, then thought better of it. I stopped and turned back around to them, remembering a word I had just learned the day before.
Me: Ma (but)..... (at this point I breathed heavily and patted my chest as if my heart was pounding)...Sono stanca (I am tired!)
She: (smiling, moving her arms quickly at her side, as if she was running) Si! Si! Stanca!
All of us: Ciao!

You gotta love this....

Filling up your (wine) tank...can you believe it?!

Sunday afternoon reflections...

First things first...Happy Father's Day to the greatest dad alive on this big ole' spinning planet. I have said many times I think God knew he was going to take my mother early and so he blessed me with this extra-special dad. My biggest wish at present is that he and my family will decide to join me in Italy for several days near the end of my time here.

It's a quiet (and hot) Sunday afternoon in Arezzo, and I realize I haven't said a great deal on this blog about what I'm doing here, so I will sit in the cool of my small office (cool, not because of air conditioning--no such thing--but because of thick stone walls hundreds of years old) and fill you in. (Note: they don't use electricity during the day for lighting, either...you work, eat and play by natural light. Anything to save a buck.)

Yes, I keep the Skippy's on my desk as an afternoon snack. Look closely, CSPS friends, and you'll see Bavon's CD from Evaluation class on the corner of my desk!

 

 

 

 

The Accademia dell'Arte is a performing arts school in Arezzo (Tuscany) Italy that offers semester and summer abroad programs for undergraduate students, specializing in commedia dell'arte and physical theatre,  and a Master of Fine Arts in Physical Theatre. They also have a juried, week-long festival in July called CrisisArt, the focus of which is art in response to crisis, be it economic, political or other crisis. The artists/activists and festival organizers will come from several countries to participate. The heart of my project is to evaluate the process and impact of the festival and make recommendations for its sustainability. While I am curious about what will be performed, I am most looking forward to a symposium by a professor who has studied theatre that was created in the concentration camps by prisoners, for prisoners, as a way to remember their former lives, keep hope alive and imagine their futures. (This is different from the prison orchestras that were created by the Nazis for their own entertainment).  Will keep you posted....

HOWEVER, the majority of my time here so far has not been focused on the festival, but rather strategic planning, including a heavy emphasis on marketing, for the school's undergraduate and graduate programs. Two young women from the U.S., hired to handle the school's marketing there, have been here with me, and together we have had meetings with staff about everything from the school's website to its organizational chart to the content of its various programs to its development of an alumni network. I think it has been helpful for the staff to have to verbalize its processes, rationales, etc. My new friends leave at the end of this week, and then, with the festival looming, I think staff's attention, and mine, will turn toward it.

The other thing that has been going on is the summer program, with about 15 kids here from the U.S., Italy and Israel. They are great kids--smart, creative, engaging--and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them as I observe their classes and share meals. In fact, probably my favorite meal here to date was when my roommate (a film professor at Duke University) and his girlfriend cooked for us and his three film students at our farmhouse.

But then, there have been great meals at Katrin's, Scott's, Dory and Jesse's, and still more!

Pasta with cozze, gamberi and pomodoro (mussells, shrimp and tomato) at a sidewalk cafe in Cortona

Ahh, EATALY!!

This post is getting way too long...will come back at ya soon.

Call your dad if you can and haven't already! I'm gonna try and skype mine now.

Ciao!!

After two Italian lessons, I get this....

(It's really not THAT bad! At least they use the same alphabet!)

Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Baby Bear...

Favorite sounds in Tuscany...the gurgling of my coffee pots when my morning brew is ready!

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS...

...the morning sunlight streaming into my simple bedroom

...my walk to school

...Charita's homemade biscotti!

Photos For Your Viewing Pleasure

The school's loggia, great for students and staff to relax during the day.

The duomo bells peal on the hour--lovely.

Students (these are from Duke and Boston University) enjoy the sunset from the terrace.

HICCUPS 3 AND 4

(news from earlier this week)


Trip Hiccup 3:
The dogs next door started barking like crazy! They sounded ferocious, and I wondered if we were being robbed? I wasn't about to go downstairs and see. I reached out from my bed and felt my computer nearby...they could have anything else, but I would fight them for my computer. Later I learned that at about the same time that the dogs were barking, Italy was rumbling with its second earthquake in less than two weeks. At least 16 people died; the epicenter was located about as far from Arezzo as Little Rock is to Memphis. I didn't feel anything, but I am convinced the dogs did.
Accademia dell' Arte, the school where I am working this summer, had all the students email their parents and post something on Facebook so family and friends back home wouldn't worry.
The good news? We are safe here.

Trip Hiccup 4:
I sprained my ankle. Bad. This is not cool--really cramping my style! My colleagues have been terrific about picking me up in the mornings and taking me home at night after dinner but I'm hoping it heals soon so I don't have to inconvenience them much longer.
The good news? I didn't break it!

MY ITALIAN SUMMER Post 2

YIPPEE! SKIPPY!

A taste of home! Skippy peanut butter is made in Little Rock, Arkansas!! I squealed with delight when I saw this on the grocery shelf. I had asked my Italian colleagues who took me grocery shopping where I might find some peanut butter but they were not sure. The "ipercoop" ( a large Wal-Mart type store) didn't have any. An American on staff said he had bought some once at a smaller grocery store...sure enough, there was ONE jar. I paid 4 Euros for this (more than $5) but it is worth it. Not to worry...I've already enjoyed some delicious Italian food...pasta pesto, pizza and a divine sandwich with salami, peccorino cheese drizzled with olive oil and salt on fresh bread for starters...but who knows? By the time I leave, Italians may be eating Skippy on their melas (apples) like I do. If Patrick Mathieu, who runs the Skippy plant in Little Rock, tells me their exports to Italy increase in the near future, I am taking full credit :)

MY ITALIAN SUMMER, Post 1 !!!!

Ciao!
I arrived in Arezzo, Italy (Tuscany) on Tuesday and was warmly welcomed by my summer project partner, Accademia Dell' Arte (ADA). This little adventure is actually in fulfillment of a Clinton School requirement to spend the summer in international field service. My classmates are scattered across the globe, and upon my arrival here, I couldn't help but think I drew the long straw! Actually, we each made our location and partner choice (approved by the school), and I know my friends will have terrific experiences, regardless of which continent they are on.

I am staying in a charming farmhouse the ADA rents to house faculty and guests. It is currently for sale, so I keep it clean and ready to show at all times! It is a bit chilly--I'm told heat is VERY expensive and that Italians are required to turn off their heat at the end of March to limit their dependence on foreign energy??--but I packed a few warm things and the days are getting warmer, too. I didn't have hot water at first, but was able to take my first hot shower this morning. Glorious!! There is no internet at the farmhouse, so I will do all my researching and corresponding during the day while at the school.

Here's why I think I'm going to love this place. On my first morning here, I was walking to the school and this sweet older Italian man in a soft yellow Fiat stopped for me.

Me: Parle Inglese?

Him: No

Me: Accademia dell'Arte?

Him. No

Me: (show him my computer and act like I am writing and thinking)

Him: Escola?

Me: Si!

So I got in and he drove me about 3/10 mile

Me: Grazie mille!

Him: Prego!

Me and him: (waving goodbye) Ciao!

Good way to start an Italian summer. 

My house as seen from the school, across some olive trees and small vineyards.

Today's the day!
After months of planning, I'm off to the airport to begin this journey. When I applied to the Clinton School I thought the idea of three months out of the country was exciting; now I'm here to tell you how hard it is to leave your life for three months....loved ones, dogs, a house with a mortgage and a yard that needs mowing, rental properties with water heaters that break, garbage disposals that quit working, and a/c's that konk out in the dead of summer...

Friday I attended an event in Little Rock where the managing director of the school in Italy where I will be working this summer was in attendance. I reminded her I would arrive this week.
"Oh, so soon?" she said. "Where will you be staying?"
Yikes! I had been told I was staying at the school, at least for part of the summer. That information obviously hadn't made its way to her. First hiccup. Surely it will all work out...

(Oh, second hiccup....major earthquake in Italy yesterday morning, but north some distance from where I'll be.)

Sometimes you have to quit planning and just DO.
Let's DO this thing!

I'll be back in touch from the other side of the pond.

P.S. Thank you to Clinton School faculty and staff for helping prepare my classmates and me for the adventure!

Mae and June: "Take us with you!"
Wish I could, girls. 

So much life's been happening....

Hello out there.... to whomever might land here.... so much life has been happening, I haven't written in two years. My Grown-Up Gap Year became a job, became a "resignation", became the pursuit of another graduate degree, that I've failed to take time to write it up. Stories are lost... to an aging brain, to too much wine, to good times that kept me from the quiet of alone time with a computer. Maybe I'll catch you up on some of that along the way, but for now, the big new is, I'm spending the summer in Italy! I'll start posting about preparations, reasons behind the trip, etc. We will call it "My Italian Summer." Stay tuned for "My Italian Summer, Post 1." And to all my Clinton School of Public Service peers, get busy writing your blogs...I want to read allllll about it!