This afternoon I went for a walk. There is a park not too far from our hotel in Vienna, just south of the Belvedere, and for some unknown reason I had yet to visit it over the months/years I've been around. I sat on a bench, Henri Nouwen in hand, and kept being interrupted by fall. The tree in front of me wore mustard yellow leaves burnt around the edges as if they were carefully dipped in dark chocolate. As I listened to the Amelie soundtrack and watched the tree, the bouncing accordion music made me dance from one leaf to the next and with the couple sitting across the pond, and the woman walking her dog. So many things were happening at once: autumn, words, sounds. Therefore, I practiced the only true skill I've somewhat honed over the years, observing. It's the closest thing I have to a vocation. And as I observed my surroundings, the Spirit ended up observing me.
(Nouwen's The Inner Voice of Love)
'Acknowledge Your Powerless'
"One way you keep holding on to an imaginary power is by expecting something from outside gratifications or future events. As long as you run from where you are and distract yourself, you cannot fully let yourself be healed. A seed only flourishes by staying in the ground in which it is sown. When you keep digging the seed up to check whether it is growing, it will never bear fruit. Think about yourself as a little seed planted in rich soil. All you have to do is stay there and trust that the soil contains everything you need to grow. This growth takes place even when you do not feel it. Be quiet, acknowledge your powerlessness, and have faith that one day you will know how much you have received."
____
Two weeks ago I wrote about travels in Cheb with Sarah, the closing of Tichy, and the hospitalization of one of our students...well, that week turned out to be our very own mini-plague. I spent the vast majority of my time at the hospital, fixing soup for the ill in my Harry Potter cup purchased at a thrift store down the road, and passing along a well-tested thermometer. And then I fled to Budapest....with about a dozen (healthy) students the day before we left for Italy. I had spent a rather humorous 4 hours in the Hungarian capital 6 years ago with Holly, Hunter and Austin. We arrived just in time to miss the spas (our main objective), grab a meal, and run to the last train leaving for Vienna. This time, we started out in similar fashion. We all literally ran to grab the earliest train out of Vienna to have optimum time in Buda and Pest. The adrenaline rush lasted most of the night as Chelsea, Bintu and I had the best meal thus far (even when comparing to Italy) in Europe, and meandered down to Hero's Square with its castles, museums, statues, and climbable trees. Since our earlier meal had given us wings, we walked the streets back toward the river. The weather could not have been more pleasant and I could not have been more taken with Budapest. The pleasantness turned to rain by morning, but we got up early enough to soak our sore bodies in the best Hungarian baths there were to offer. Eleven girls and one speedo-renting Matt giggled and sighed as our skin was smoothed and muscles relaxed. Our train got us home with just enough time to nap, pack, and pile in a night train to Rome.
hero's square-budapest
Similar to the Prague weekend one month ago, our week in Italy was a 32-member event (28 Studentin, 3 faculty [that includes me...yes, faculty], and one Daniel Kravina). It is our second, last, and greatest group affair with 4 days in Rome, 3 in Florence and 2 in transit. The way the week itinerary is prepared by Daniel, our week is non-stop from start to finish--a kind of baptism by fire. Just an hour or two after we'd awoken from a restless night on the train, we were whisked away by 4'10" Roberta for the grand tour of Roman Ruins which is, essentially, the entire city. From the Coliseum, Forum, and Arches to the remnants of where they (who 'they' is, I'm not really sure) say Paul was imprisoned while in Rome, it was an exhausting day (first of many) filled with floods of historical and artistic education (again, first of many).
roman coliseum
We stayed in a Catholic monastery for our entire time in Rome. Some of the nuns were crabby, but it was a delightful experience with a large garden, chicken coop, and a fancy crucifix above the front door on which Jesus was wearing a neon halo. Pretty impressive. Foodwise, Daniel never failed with our scheduled dinners one of which was a kind of international mission--the waitresses were missionaries from South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, etc, with wide smiles, the peace of God, and the mandatory task to lead each guest in Ave Maria. (oh, and the best gnocchi I've ever had came from the missionaries) Then there was pizza, pizza, pizza and gelato 3 times emphasized as well. Just stick around the Pantheon and you can not only find 101 flavors of gelato, but about the same amount for pizza. One night, a small group of us wondered to a pub down the street from our convent (which a pub in Rome is strange anyway), and just so happened to sit at the booth where a large Jack Daniels sign decorated the wall. And just so you know, whenever any European asks where you're from, the response to Tennessee never gets Elvis or music in general, but Jack Daniels. International fame. It was there I had my curry risotto...yum...and per usual, the deliciousness made me think of my Asian meals...I'm pretty sure my students are tired of hearing me talk about Nepal. I stuck my hand in the Mouth of Truth for my love of Audrey and Gregory, and spent a long time in the small apartment of John Keats's memorial. In 1820, he came with his friend to Rome. One year later, at the age of 25, tuberculosis killed his genius. And so, perhaps poetically, at the age of 25 I walked into his bedroom and thanked his tragic life for giving us 'Ode to Autumn' among others. Young brilliance is confounding.
Then we were off to Florence where 25% of the World Heritage Masterpieces are nestled into one tiny town filled with Americans. Daniel calls it the Disneyland of Italy. In just two days we went to 7 museums, among of course, the Academy in which stands Michelangelo's glorious David, and the Ufizzi Gallery that holds Bonticelli, Da Vinci, and Caravaggio.
ponte vecchio-florence
In the midst of trying to absorb at least a pinch of the Renaissance explosion, some of us went to Pisa for dinner. Honestly, I think most of the time there was spent trying to think of creative ways to 'hold up' the Leaning Tower with both legs, or 'push it over' with an effortless pinky. It is a strange existence.
when in pisa...
I might have to say that I even enjoyed this long week to Italy even more than 6 years ago. Most of that reaction is because of Rome. It was just far too overwhelming to me back then with it's 2 lines of a Metro, but now, maybe after living in more chaotic cities than itself, I loved Rome. Loved it. Also, I felt this trip allowed me to get to know the group so much better. Through girl talk, cultural observations, a common love for the man below, and thoughts of God and our response as his servants, last week was a perfect example of what makes this program in Europe so indispensable: community.
the one, the only, daniel kravina
With only a couple days of recoop time here in Wien, I'm off again in just an hour...to Slovenia and Croatia! Two of the three Allisons, Matt and I will be exploring three different towns over the weekend (2 being on the coast!). I'll have stories and pictures soon and very soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment