Avventure Avevano e le Lezioni Apprese

Adventures Had and Lessons Learned.

Well friends, my adventure in Italy has come to an end. But not without a few adventures on my way out!!

On Thursday, I had a bit of free exploring time, so I walked a little bit further down the mountain road. Our past San Marcello was yet ANOTHER small mountain town. I give you Mammiano!

This is really the only good picture of Mammiano...as there is absolutely nothing there except houses. It's cute, though! But the adventures don't stop there!

On Friday, I made a crazy decision. Leaving the gates of Dynamo...I decided to...turn the other direction!! There really want much there except these pretty mountains.

The real adventure happened when I started walking back to camp. One of the owners of the camp, Roberto, had passed me and was pulled over waiting to give me a ride back. Gratefully, I accepted. Now, Roberto's family once owned all of the land (and factories) that now belongs to Dynamo. He grew up in these mountains and its now, quite possibly, the most powerful (and wealthy) man in these parts. He's a good guy to have on your side.

So he drives us back to the camp, where he parks next to this cutie:

As I admire this lovely Fiat 850 Sport (1969), Roberto spontaneously asks if it's like to go for a ride. Actually, he asked if I wanted to drive it...but when I declined tredeptatiously he offered the ride instead. So of we went, cruising through the mountains with Roberto's faithful doggie Loch.

Roberto drove through several small mountain towns that were all quaint and lovely. But the highlight of the drive was out beyond the towns. When Roberto was a kid, and his family owned the copper factory, a suspension bridge was built across the mountains so that workers could get to the factory from all parts of the mountain. It is now made from steel and cables instead of wood and rope, but it is still the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Italy (and possibly Europe). And it is still unnervingly wobbly.

After a having on the suspension bridge, we headed back into San Marcello where Roberto inspired upon refreshment from his favorite little cafe. So, like you do in Italy, I had a coca cola. FROM A TAP.

Having complete what will now be know as "The Fiat Adventure," we headed back to Dynamo where I had some of the best hours of my time in Italy.

First, I placed third in the obstacle course created by one of the cabins for their camp amusement park. I even got a "medal!"

Then, I got to dress in a funny costume and wake up a cabin full of teenage boys (who love the fact that I speak English) with a very loud rendition of our national anthem.

And THEN, my camp shirt got attacked by all sorts of signatures.

And on top of all that excitement, I got to watch my theatre kids put on an affordable rendition of Dudley Do-Right. It was great!! Still no pictures, of course, but believe me - they were ADORABLE!

Thus, my adventure in Italy has come to an end. I've seen a lot in these last few weeks...And I've managed to learn a couple of conversational Italian words!

Ciao = Hi/bye
Come va? = What's up?
Dai = Go
Via = Come on
Andiamo = Let's go
Dammi cinque = Give me five
Va bebe = Alright

And of course, I can order any food, gelato, or coffee in Italy. So I may be useless with the Italian language...But I won't starve!!

In this journey to Italy, I've also discovered some little things that we really take for granted in America. Of course, Italy is by no means a third world country...but it is definitely lacking in a couple things we've come to expect in our lives:

1. Free water. If you want water in a restaurant in Italy, be ready to pay for it. And finding water in public places is a massive challenge.

2. Public bathrooms. These are few and far between in Italy. And usually they cost about $0.50.

3. Clothing dryers. Clothes dry pretty quickly on a line in Italy...But the convenience of a dryer sure is nice.

4. Fabric softener. I'm sure they have it here, but it's not used by most people.

5. Air conditioning. Energy is REALLY expensive in Italy. So many houses just close up against the summer heat and open all windows at night.

Of course, none of these things are necessary for a happy life...but I'm definitely grateful that I get to go home to them!

So here we are. The end of the adventure. I'm now home without my sweetheart and kitty cats and preparing to jump back into work and performing. But fear not, friends. I have no doubt my next adventure is around the corner. And maybe I just might blog about that one, too.

Until next time, friends - keep adventuring!

Encore Lentamente!!

Repeat/again slowly!! This is, by far, the most common Italian phrase that comes out of my mouth around here. Otherwise, someone will lose an eye. Alas. On with the blog!!

This week I'm back at camp Dynamo for one more session (encore!). This time, my room in the villa is the penthouse suite! Really, it's just the only room on this floor...but it has a private staircase!!

I even have a lovely view of the linden tree! (Made even more beautiful by an approaching thunderstorm.)

So far, this go around has been amazing!! Since I already met a good chunk of the staff, I had friends already. Since I had friends already, it seemed like I knew what was going on, so the new volunteers befriended me more quickly. And because we're all friends...the kids are even more open and welcoming than last session!

Most of the session is exactly the same. However, we have gotten to do one thing different. On Tuesday afternoon, we got to ride with the kids up the mountain to the oasi (English: oasis). I lovingly call it "the teepees." This is a little campground near the top of the mountain where the kids get to camp in tents and sleeping bags and have stories around the bonfire. Here are a couple pictures that I snuck!

One of the most fun parts of this session is that several of the campers are quite fascinated by listening to me speak English, so they constantly want to talk to me and practice their broken English. It's a little like being a rock star! Or a side show. Of course, dressing silly and painting my face may help with the side show factor.

Nonetheless! This session has been amazing so far. And, while I still can't take pictures for privacy reasons, I can say I'm having a blast and constantly being humbled by these kids and volunteers. And as of today, we have three more days with our theatre kids (out of four total) to work up our Italian version of the classic melodrama Dudley Do-Right! It shall be interesting, to say the least!

Since it has been a very busy week, I haven't had as much mountain exploring time. But I DID have a pudding adventure! Look, guys! It's Italian squeeze tube pudding!!

In the next couple of days, there will be more time for exploring...so stay tuned for one more Tuscan adventure before I say goodbye to this beautiful country!

Avventura a Firenze

Adventure in Florence!

These last few days of exploring Florence have been a delight. Now, I have adored exploring the city with my two "big brothers" (who may or may not have been old enough to be my dad...don't tell them I said that...), but it was really quite lovely to explore the city on my own.

I've hit a couple places that are "must sees" on the Florence list. For one, the Galleria d' Accademia to see The David.

Now, this is not a picture I actually took. Because taking pictures in the museum is prohibited. Which doesn't necessarily mean I don't have a picture...it just means blogosphere doesn't get to see it. But I can tell you this: the replicas of this statue - even the full scale replicas - don't hold a candle to Michelangelo's masterpiece. Seeing the original in person is an awe-inspiring experience. You can feel the pain and effort that went into this statue. You can see the veins, tendons, and muscles posed for battle. You can sense the artistic genius. And that's not even mentioning the hallway leading to the statue. It is filed with Michelangelo's unfinished prisoners. They, quite literally, seem to be charging and fighting their way out of the marble block. If you have any interest or connection to any kind of art, I highly HIGHLY recommend you get your but to Florence to see these works. They are astounding.

After coming up on art (and causing an empty stomach), I took Rick Steve's advice for a nearby lunch stop. In an absolutely adorable cafe, I had my very first real Italian spaghetti pomodoro.

Spaghetti, bread, and wine cost me under 8 Euro. Not too shabby!!

After coming up on pasta, the next order of business was getting lost in Florence. I know. That sounds crazy. But I'm a firm believer that you can't really know a city until you've gone off the beaten path. So of the beaten path went. Luckily, I found my way back before dehydration and overheating took over. I, after all, had to prepare for the next day!

Today (before it got TOO hot outside), I set out on my last adventure in Florence. One of the places I really wanted to see before I left was Piazza de Michelangelo and San Minato church. So I hiked my way up the massive staircases and reached my goal.

Then, headed back into the town for lunch, I ran into a string instrument flash mob!!

Jeez!! Chalk that up to things that probably only happen to you in European cities dating back to Roman times...

Finally, before heading home to get out of the heat (and the impending rain), I popped by Santo Spirito check and piazza (one of the only big places in Florence I hadn't seen) to say hello. It was beautiful, but not terribly exciting. I'm told it is much more exciting in the evening.

But alas, that will have to wait for my next trip to Florence. Tomorrow I will head back to the beautiful Dynamo Camp for another 9 day session. I look forward to more humbling experiences with talented, beautiful kids.

Ciao until next time, friends!!

Città in collina e di più!

Hill towns and more!

I feel a tad bit behind on my blogging, but only because SO much has been happening in the last few days. Let's start at the beginning.

Saturday was our last day of the Dynamo session. Since the evening performance was no doubt going to be hectic, I took the opportunity after breakfast to lounge beneath the villa's linden tree. I doubt I'll ever be able to recreate the peace and calm of that morning. The wind was rustling ever so gently through the tree, I had Jim Brickman playing softly in my headphones, The Princess Bride open in front of me, and a rumbling thunderstorm rolling over the mountains.

That evening, our wonderful theatre kids put on their performance of a Macbeth-Grease mashup (we lovingly called it "Greasy Macbeth"). Of course, I still couldn't take photos...but I was so proud of all those teenagers!! A special kudos goes out to our Macbeth (Christiano) for jumping onstage and improvising when Lady Macbeth wasn't ready for her entrance. And also a shout out to Wanda (aka Francesca) who was our main contact and theatre person at the camp.

Wanda and company.

I feel incredibly honored to get to work with the kids at Dynamo. It is very easy to forget that all of them have battled, or are still battling, horrible chronic illnesses or cancers. It is very humbling tho be a part of a camp where they can simply be kids again. I'm also happy to say that the big wigs in charge of the camp loved us and already want us back for next year!

On Sunday, we packed up our bags and headed back to Florence. The first thing we did upon arrival was hit the Stibbert museum. For those who don't know, the Stibbert is the largest weapons/armour collection in the world. A sword dork's DREAM! Unfortunately, photos are not allowed...so I cannot show you any of the thousands of swords/weapons/armour/artifacts that we saw. But here is an exterior photo that represents the Stibbert well:

Heraldry on every wall!

Since it was Ron's last night in Italy, we all decided to take a little road trip for dinner. We ventured slightly west to the little town of Lucca. Lucca is one of the Tuscan towns that still have medieval walls around the city center!

It has a "moat", too!

In its heyday, Lucca boasted 160 privately owned towers and 70 churches inside the walls. Today, the ramparts around the city are a walkable city park. Inside the walls, Lucca still retains most of its medieval charm.

On Monday morning, we said goodbye to Ron. Joseph (my fellow foodie and wino on this adventure) and I decided to take off to the heart of Tuscany for a little more adventure. We hopped in the car and headed for Siena...an even more beautifully medieval town! Siena is a classic Tuscan hill town.

In Siena, we found loads of history and quaint cityscapes. But most importantly, we found wine! We lucked into a pretty inexpensive class at the Tuscan Wine School, where we learned about the wine making and categorizing process in Italy. And we got to drink wine. And we got diplomas for it!

After coming up on wine and knowledge (and buying more wine to take home), we headed back to Florence on winding Tuscan roads. A surprising fact about Tuscany: There are a lot more trees than you expect. Which is great! Until you want to take a picture of the countryside and all you can get are trees zipping by. We did pull off the road a few times and named to get a couple good shots.

Back in Florence, it was time to say goodbye to Joseph so he could make his way back to America. This meant today (Tuesday) I was all on my own!

Now, I adored exploring Tuscany with Ron and Joseph. It was like having 2 big brothers around all the time to mess with. But I'm really glad I finally got a day to wander around by myself.

This morning, my first stop was the Tuesday market aft Cashina park. This, I'm told, is where the locals ACTUALLY shop. The energy was incredible! There were vendors for clothing, kitchen tools, makeup, flowers, produce, food, bags, sunglasses, etc. It was a very vibrant atmosphere.

After checking out the market and grabbing a pastry and cappuccino...I set of to the city centre. My next stop was the Galileo museum. Quite honestly, the name is a tad bit misleading. It is not, strictly speaking, a museum dedicated to Galileo. It is a museum dedicated to all renaissance scientists from Galileo and beyond!

One of Galileo's contraptions for measuring time/distance/angle ratios

Book written by Galileo for the Medici family 

Telescopes!

Science is cool!

So, I have a few more days here in Florence before I go back for the second session of Dynamo Camp. I'm sure I will fill the time with museums, exploring and (of course) gelato! I'll let you know all about it!

Ciao!!

Tutto Risale al Culo!!

Lesson learned this week: many Italian hand gestures derive from metaphors of the backside. Tutto risale al culo! (Everything goes back to the a$*)

Last night was our dynamo theatre leader's birthday. Since drinking while camp is running is heavily discouraged, many of us counselors went out for celebratory gelato. During this educational and fun evening, there was a rich cultural exchange of rude, crude, and useful hand gestures. I'm proud to say I could now have a lengthy, meaningful Italian conversation with only my hands. And many of my new Italian friends will be able to communicate the crude necessities of American life. All in all, it was a highly entertaining evening! And true to "tutto risale al culo"...we hijacked a toilet on the way home.

This will supposedly become a theatre prop...

We, of course, continue to do more meaningful things than gesticulate wildly and steal toilets. We teach young, impressionable children! I'm happy to say that we now have a cast of 19 teenagers...and 3 days to produce a mini version of Macbeth. The production will be set in New York and will be complete with gypsy/belly dancer/witches, a fashionista Lady Macbeth, and rival gangs. (P.S. the kids created this concept on their own!) There will be sword fighting, dancing, singing, comedy, and dramatic death scenes (probably also comic). I'm very excited...and a wee bit trepidatious about it all coming together. But I know it will be fun!!

In our free time, we continue to explore the Italian mountains and countryside. A couple days ago, we hiked a few miles up the mountain to the sweet, idealistic mountain town of Gavinana.

Gavinana was once a medieval fortress! This statue is a knight who led the town against the Florentine Republic army. The town center consists of this statue, the 15th century church, an ancient palace-turned-museum, a pharmacy, a bar, and a fountain (with water for general purpose usage).  The little town itself was a hotbed of classic Italian life. There were roosters.

There were kitties.

There were undergarments hanging on every clothesline. (I don't want my undergarments posted online, so I did not take pictures of any of theirs!)

And, as always, there were sensational mountain views everywhere we looked. Speaking of great views, I leave you with some beautiful ones of the dynamo campus:

A panorama of our villa and surrounding landscape

Mossy staircase

A peek of the villa through the trees

In Italy, even the purposefully planted flowers end up wild

Dynamo Camp!!

(This title isn't in Italian because the camps name is simply Dynamo Camp!)

First off, for anyone who doesn't know what Dynamo Camp is...it is a summer camp sponsored by the Paul Newman Foundation for kids with severe and/or terminal illness or disabilities. It's a camp designed to give them a classic summer camp experience in a safe environment that doesn't make them feel like "handicapped" outsiders. This particular camp is tucked away in the Tuscan mountains near the town of San Marcello. It boasts state of the art medical facilities, camp activities and beautiful surroundings. If you want to find out more about it, check out http://www.dynamocamp.org/en/the-camp/

Now...to get on with cool stories! Perhaps the coolest part about Dynamo is the setting. Everywhere you look you see picturesque mountain views.

Since we are volunteer teachers at the camp, they give us some seriously swanky housing. We're staying in a luxury villa on campus that normally rents out for 460 euros a night!! Our room is complete with a veranda, fluffy robes, and a shower that can apparently fit twelve people (so I've been told).

The other parts of this villa are equipped with a baby grand piano, a beautiful old fashioned billiards table, and a fireplace that could probably also hold twelve people.

Besides exploring our sweet temporary home, we've gone on a few walking/hiking adventures in the last few days. Yesterday, we hiked a trail converted from an old railroad. We're told this railroad was built in the early 20th century to export goods from the original farm on Dynamo's property. We found many exciting treasures like an old railroad depot, a secret tunnel, and scattered bits of marble and ceramic in the road.

Today, we used some of our free time to hike into San Marcello for more picture perfect views and a taste of hill town Italian life.

Of course, we are here for a lot more than traipsing around the Italian countryside and sitting in fancy villas. We have the amazing opportunity to share acting, improv, and sword fighting with tons of teenagers! Now, I can't really take and share photos of all the kids and the happenings around here (to protect their privacy), but I can tell you so far that the camp here has been amazing! We've taught a few classes, seen artwork that has been made in the art classes, witnessed superheroes made for each cabin, and learned many silly dances (we all dance for about 10 minutes after lunch AND dinner). We've also been able to eat some pretty tasty foods. Granted, it IS still camp food (there was a slight hotdog and fries fiasco last night), but some of it is pretty darn tasty. Much of the food (meats and vegetables particularly) come directly from this mountain property. And yesterday, I had some fresh ricotta cheese that flat out shames any ricotta I've had in my whole life.

As the week progresses, we'll start developing a show that our campers will perform on Saturday. I'm sure there will be many interesting stories to come!