A or B

Lately I've been thinking about the big question: "What do I want to do for the rest of my life?" (But then again, don't we all?)

Being in Italy has kind of altered my perception on life, school, and money.

The school system here is much more relaxed. School doesn't need to be your life here. It doesn't need to be what you stress over.

Undergraduate classes have optional attendance, and offer reading material to supplement for missed lectures. Graduate classes (which are much smaller) are usually always mandatory, but it's more like a discussion section.

You don't have to worry about tests every week. And sure there are benefits to being quizzed on material, but it's interesting to see something so starkly different from our own school system. 

It makes you think, why do I stress so much? Why don't we focus more on learning. 

And people also aren't as stressed about their jobs here (generally). On a daily basis people are out til 2 or 3 in the morning, socializing, sipping on drinks, and eating. Not worried about getting to bed by 8pm the night before work.

There's always something to do at all hours of the night, except from 6am-8am. 

It's a different life here. With different things being emphasized. Money doesn't seem as emphasized, fashion is slightly relaxed in Bologna (more on that in another blog), and school isn't something to cry over on a daily basis. 

So when a friend and I were talking about what we wanted to do for the rest of our lives last night, we narrowed it down to the two options everyone is torn between: 

A. Let your work be your means.
B. Let your work be your means to an end.

He then showed me this video. And I think it's pretty powerful. Just something to think about.http://www.infinitylist.com/video/what-if-money-was-no-object/

Francese o Spagnola?

So let's just say, upon arriving here, I thought all of my past Italian knowledge, combined with being immersed in Italian was going to make my speaking capabilities flourish.

Well. Let's just say it hasn't entirely. If you want me to talk about my family, feminism, Bologna, history, or my major... I could talk for a very long time, especially if I'm speaking to someone I feel comfortable around.

But throw me into a new environment, with new vocabulary, and I might just sound like Brad Pitt in Inglorious Bastards.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aXIFFaWNjM

Except for the fact that I am not one of the hottest men on the planet. Anddd I don't scalp people.

In the center of Bologna, many would call that area "a tourist trap." It caters to students and tourists, and the food isn't as good as it is farther out in the city, or on cute little side streets (see previous blog about amazing meatballs and pumpkin soup). 

So when I go into stores in the center, there's a lot of business owners and servers who want to get a transaction over with as soon as possible. They can tell I don't originally speak Italian, and they just respond in English.

To me, that's basically just them saying, "Yo. Why you trying?" I still speak Italian back, but it's frustrating, and makes you feel a little weak sauce on your language capabilities. 

Now, at the smaller stores, or different bakeries there have been many people who have been down like funky town to help a Californian out with their Italian. It's great! 

Today I had two interactions with two different people that were a little boost to my language capabilities. Sooo... I don't feel like Brad Pitt as much.

At a flower stand today, I ended up talking with the owner, and he asked where I was from, and he said, but you look like you're Italian! I told him a little bit about my family history, and he said my Italian was beautiful. *SWOON*

Earlier today, I went to go get a kebab wrap... okay Berkeley food I MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY... and the owner asked if I was "Francese o Spagnola." Okay, so he still thought I was foreign. But dude. Getting mistaken for a European. Secret dream of mine.

Current score?

Bologna - 1. Olivia - 2.

Feeling at home

It's hard for me to believe I am in my senior year of college. I feel like time has passed by so fast, but I'm also so disconnected from the person I was freshman year. 

So much has changed since I was that clueless little freshman who woke up terrified by my first day in the dorms -- not knowing what Berkeley, or that day, would bring. 

Freshman year, I thought home was the idea of being tied to a place. "Home" was San Juan, and nowhere else. The thought of trying to make Berkeley my home seemed exciting and yet ridiculous all at once.

I was so tied to high school, to everything I had known the passed 18 years, that moving on seemed impossible. 

Freshman year, I didn't have a job, I had no idea how to deal with all of that "real life" stuff (that was just for people over 25 any way... wasn't it?). I was making completely new friends, figuring out new routines, and trying to discover me.

Fast forward a few years, and I've met more people than I could ever imagine, and now feel completely at "home" at Berkeley. I figured out my routines and sort of discovered me. I got a job, took out student loans, planned out my trip to Bologna, and navigated my way here. 

I've learned that home isn't necessarily a place, but the people who are there with you, the people who make you excited to come to your apartment at the end of the day. I've experienced feeling at home and not feeling at home at a place, and I truly feel that no matter how used you get to a location, it's not going to feel at home until you actually feel welcomed, happy, and comfortable. 

Being here I've definitely learned the difference between home and familiar. My place feels familiar, but as I do more things here with other people it feels like home. Or when I go over to someone's house for dinner, it feels like home, because of who I'm surrounded by. 

Earlier yesterday, I walked around the city with Lara and Jessica, looked at a cute little antique fair, and had really great gelato. We had gelato at a place that reminds me of Ici, and just sat on a curb and chowed down. And I felt at home. The place was so great, that we went back after we ate ice cream and got these little treats. 

And last night my friend Chloe invited us over for dinner, and it was completely on the house. It was her brother's birthday (he's visiting her for the week), and she wanted to make it the best birthday he's ever had. The food was delicious! And we all chatted, sang our favorite songs, ate good food, and drank great wine.

Yes. that is me drinking wine out of a Lion King cup. 

Dinner in a private medieval tower

So let me speed you up on the happenings of Bologna. 

I officially know who all of my house mates are!

One is Danny. He's the one who is from Valencia, Spain. He speaks Spanish, is learning Italian, and can read a little bit of English. He's an engineering student. 

Next is Camila. She's from a town near Milan. She's Italian. Speaks a little English, and knows French. She's my grammar/Italian coach. She's studying psychology. 

And the last house mate is Stefano. He's Italian. Speaks English, a little bit of German, and Spanish. He's studying business/economics. 

And of course my roommate Nathaly. Who -- just to add -- speaks Spanish, English, and German (fluently) and knows a little bit of Portuguese, and is learning Italian. 

I know... I'm lagging on the whole language thing. Everyone is so sweet and nice! It's such a great mix of people and I love it.

As I said in my last post, this was the last week of my ILP class. Today I had my final oral exam, and kicked booty! 

Basically we picked three topics from a pile of folded topics, and talked about all 3 for 15 minutes, and then we were done! She said "benissimo!" and that I had proved tremendously. My teacher is one of the sweetiest people I've met. (And it's also really weird, because she could easily pass for one of my cousins in the Jensen family) 

The night before the exam, however, we had our "end of ILP dinner" at the top of a medieval tower. The towers in Italy were all built for families to show how much power/money they had. 

All of the towers that were originally built don't exist today (for varying reasons), but there is still a great amount of towers. In the 1700's the tower became a prison, and today it is a bed and breakfast that a couple can stay in for 300 euro a night (kitchen, dining room, comfty bed, and beautiful view included). 

There are 12 stories in the tower, with little tiny stairs you have to climb up. After every flight of stairs there's a floor you can stop on. Some of the stairs are so steep or don't have railings so you have to hold onto a rope that hangs from the ceiling to keep your balance. 

When we got to the top the "golden hour" (as we like to call it Bologna) was just beginning. This is when the sun is starting to set and all of the red/pink/orange buildings in Bologna take on this incredible glow. Well... so did we as the sun was shining in our faces while we were at the top of the tower. 

Everyone took pictures for awhile, and then the owner brought us food. We stayed up there for a couple of hours. Talkin, eating, drinking champagne, wine, and juice. 

It got windy, but no one really cared. It felt great. Some day, I would love to stay there for a night. I think it would be so cool. 

The first floor up is the bedroom, then there is a spiral staircase that takes you to the kitchen, then to the dining room. Then begin the wooden stairs. 

There is one room where the prisoners were held, and the prisoners used the coloring from the bricks in the room to paint pictures on the wall -- or they would carve into the wall. There were pictures of houses, or carvings of dashes -- signifying how many days they had been there. 

SO COOL.

Afterward, it was nearly impossible to focus on studying, but luckily this class was great and had completely prepared us for the final exam. Plus before we went to the tours, a few us went back to the cafe where I had those amazing meatballs, and we studied for a bit.

All in all. Great end to a week. :) 

1 month

1 month. I have been here for one. whole. month. 

Say whatttt? In some ways I feel like I've been here longer, and in other ways, I'm just like wait wait wait.... I just got here, didn't I?

I'm in my final week of my ILP (Intensive Language Program) Course through UCEAP. 

Today I had a final presentation that I gave on eco-cities, and how they relate to European citties.... all in Italian. And this Friday I have my oral exam, and then FINITO (for one week, and then Bologna courses start). 

To celebrate being here for one month, and finishing my presentation, my friend Lara and I went out for lunch. 

Guys. I had one of the best meals of my life today. WAY better than that meal in Ravenna with all of the meat, cheese, and bread. 

Lara and I have passed by this tiny little restaurant multiple times. It seemed small and ecclectic, as it was tucked a way on a little side street, hiding from the tourist traps of Bologna. 

We've been wanting to go there for so long. And today we just went for it. 

The waiter read off what the specials were, and one of the dishes was a meatball dish with pumpkin soup. Obviously we went for it. 

When our dish arrived, my mind was blown. It was so simple, yet so incredible. It has been almost a year since I had a meal that was so good that I had to eat it as slowly as possible, because I didn't want the food to be gone. 

The soup was very thick, and was served on the plate, with the meatballs on top. There was also lettuce served in a light dressing, and grilled zucchini and bell peppers that were slightly aldente at the same time. 

The meatball/soup combination tasted like Fall in a meal. The meatballs reminded me of deer meat, and it tasted like the meatballs were cooked in a little bit of brown sugar, and maybe a dash of nutmeg. 

On the side we were given bread that had a sunflower seed crust. It was served with some of the best olive oil I've had, which once you pour some on your plate, you're supposed to sprinkle sea salt in your olive oil. RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. 

I haven't felt this content/happy since I arrived here. The place is so cute inside, with tons of book shelves, mismatched chairs, jazz music playing in the background, and hipster servers. 

We finished the meal off with an espresso, and it was absolute perfection. AND it was only 10 euro for the meal. This meal, in my opinion, was worth over 20 euro per plate. 

IT WAS JUST. THAT. GOOD. So for any of you who decide to come visit me, I know where I'm taking you for dinner. 

Lara and I plan to become regulars there, and spend our Sunday mornings studying there and sipping on coffee. 

Good food really does make everything better. 

Oh, and speaking of good food. I made this for dinner today. By myself. Yee.