Buon Natale di Firenze!
December 13, 2009
A few weeks ago, I felt as nervous about my lack of Christmas spirit as Charlie Brown. Italians don’t get excited about Christmas spirit in October the way we Americans do, so I was forcing it. I was caroling in the shower and wearing red and green a lot, but something just felt off. And then, by December 1 it was like living in a winter wonderland. It got a lot colder, they turned on all the cute light displays in the center, and then the Christmas Markets opened! I went on a little day trip with Aria (our intrepid leader) and Kelsey to this village called Palazzuolo Sul Senio for our first Italian Mercato Natale experience. We were the only Americans in the village (it was a small enough place for me to comfortably say that I saw every resident and tourist to be seen), which is a truly rare find in Tuscany. There was great food, a polka band, and lots of cute families. I thought this was the pinnacle of Christmas cheer until we got back to Florence and I saw all the lights and the German-style Christmas market in Piazza Santa Croce. Baked goods, hot wine, and crafts galore! I bought some slippers there the other day, and I’ve been wearing them pretty much ever since. Embarrassing confession time: I turned down a social engagement because it didn’t sound fun enough to warrant taking off said slippers and putting on real shoes. I am becoming Liz Lemon, and I think I like it.
Anyway, now I am full of Christmas cheer, even if it is mostly of a hermit variety. Now I belt Christmas carols all the time, I have an uncontrollable urge to bake, every item seems like a gift potentiality, and I miss my family.
Riding the carousel in Piazza della Repubblica
Florence got a little less fun sometime around 5 am on Saturday morning because all of my dear amici from UConn headed to the airport to go home. I had a great semester with them, and now I have a strong desire to visit Connecticut, a place that once seemed boring and undesirable. For a while the semester seemed condemned to loneliness because many of my Vanderbilt peers came here in friend groups already or, in a select few cases, seemed like monstrous bitches. Then I went along on a CET-sponsored outing for the Festa della Rificolona and met these social saviors. (A recommendation to future students abroad: go along on program activities! They’re always fun and usually free!) Both individually and collectively, they exhibit that winning mixture of charm, cleverness, and fun that you’re a fool not to try to befriend. Plus they laughed at my jokes. I miss them already.
We had a great last night, though: the single most delicious, decadent, and “Italian-feeling” (we were there for hourrrs) dinner I’ve had all semester, riding the fabled carousel in Piazza della Repubblica, gelato, parlor games, sparklers (!), and nearly-teary goodbye hugs in the street.
Their departure and the sudden influx of schoolwork for final exams has suddenly made my impending obligation to leave this perfect place feel frighteningly real. But I’ll save that emotional land mine for a different entry.
