The First Europeans.....

Omygoodness. Today was a day of bizarrity and giggles.

I believe the first Europeans were midgets. My apartment is made for midgets. My apartment is a building constructed in the 14 Century! When I shower, my head towers over the showerhead. I have to put my hand up above me to make sure i don't smack my head on any of the door frames. Yes, i have already been awoken by this sensation at least twice. When I come back will I be the Hunchback of Notre Dame?! One perk of the shower is that it looks out over the city and a church steeple in the distance. We are on the top floor of the apartment.

Today in Art History we met our Prof., Professor Petrioli. Last week he was out, due to being hit by a truck in Rome. YES. HIT by a TRUCK in Rome. And if you have ever been to Rome, you know how easily and frequently this must happen. He came in on crutches. He speaks with a booming thick Italian voice.
Today his lecture was on 14th Century Siena. 14th Century Siena was a huge place, a busy busy constant market and melting pot. Being part of the Francigena Road, the Road of Charlemagne, many different people came thru Siena to get to Jerusalem for the "holy" Crusades or China for the Silk Road route. Actually, Via Montanini, the street I take to class everyday was a part of the Francigena Road. Pretty cool. Can't get that from Halsted and 12 mile.....

At one point, when explaining about feudalism, he said - "Ifa youa wera rednick [redneck] youa woulda stay a rednick. Youra destiny wasa predetermined." You would stay a redneck. LOL.

He also, when describing a rich Italian man of the 14th Century he said - "Thinka, thinka I am a reech man, you know sono la padre. I am the Godfather."

When describing the men of noble status in a portrait he said, "see interpreted here isa he isa like a Brad Pitt." he was emphasizing his glamour/hotness factor to the people back then i guess. Whenever Italians want to express someone being really hot or really famous they relate it to Brad Pitt.

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The Tuscan village of Siena is divided into 17 contradas. These are sort of districts which separate one area from the next, although it is only a town of 50,000. Every summer, Siena has a horse race called the Palio. 10 districts are chosen each year to race across the Piazza del Campo. Each district even gets a blessing from the local bishop of Siena! It is a big deal. They even have their own rivalries. Today i discovered which contrada i live in - Del Necchio. It is a coat of arms of a white pearl shell, with blue seaweed around it and some yellow border.

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Me and my roomates and some others students from the program have decided to go to Venice during CARNAVALE! Sooooo excited. Instead of opting for the hostel life, we've have rented an apartment for the weekend during Carnavale. It is located behind a Gucci store and right down the street from St. Marc's!!!!