daniele [elian] cohen : an open journal: La Prima Settimana

Lunedi
Filiberto took us up into the Clock tower, sadly I forgot my camera...but take my word for it, it's quite a view.

Martedi.
Started language class – it’s a strange feeling to be at the beginning of so many things – especially a language. What an incredible concept that by studying and repeating and practicing – in a few weeks – ill be able to understand (hopefully) a completely new language and a whole different group of people

Also, we had our first group dinner at La Volpe e l’uva (the wolf and the grape).
What a production: antipasta, homemade pasta, meat, and desert – I thought I was going to explode but I was so happy I couldn’t complain. The owners, an elderly couple who have the kind of back and forth dynamic that can only develop during many many years of good natured bickering, made fun of our pathetic Italian skills…a game which ended with the husband coming out of the kitchen buried under a mountain of pasta plates and saying/yelling CIAO! PREGO! GRATZI! PREGO! CIAO! …essentially the extent of our knowledge of the Italian language.

Mercoledi
Had our first taste of the Wednesday market today. White vans with the most elaborate cantilevered awnings you’ve ever seen fill the town from outside the walls, through the gate to Piazza Manzini, and all the way up to Piazza de la Liberta – mostly junky, lots of purple (color of the season I'm told), and more than enough lingerie to go around.

After class, went home for a quick nap and went straight back out – ended up at the Quattro Porte pub (which is conviently located directly beneath our studio), made friends with the band who was playing there, started a dance party – danced till 2 in the morning – and went home. Solid evening.

Giovedi
Needless to say it was a struggle to get out of bed.
Had another language class – still speaking at the level of a one year old baby – but it is getting better…I think.

Angelica (Filiberto’s wife) gave us an Italian cooking lesson – who knew you should use the water from your pasta to flavor your pasta sauce – and our own personalized Italian cookbook filled with all the basics and some of her favorites. AMAZING

Met my Italian tandem partner today – a guy who is also named Daniele…what are the chances. We got kebabs with the other Danielle (which as might be expected quickly got confusing). Decided to hit up the pub Daniele works at (he’s a magician) then met up with Sam, Jessica and Michelle and wandered around the city looking for the disco – which we eventually found after a group of Italians sang us 'American Boy." Sadly though, I ended up going home because I still had all my school bags and no money.

Venerdi

Turns out going home was a good call – the disco goers looked a bit haggard on the bus this morning to say the least.

Anyways, we had an all day field trip to the Roman ruins at Urbs-Salvia, the church of San Claudio/Maria, and the medieval town of Urbisaglia, which was built on the ridge above the ruins (hence the name).

Despite being half awake, the church left its mark on me. From the second you step inside its enormous wooden doors you are aware the space has been sacred for a very long time. It takes a few minutes to get used to the darkness since the tiny alabaster windows let in barely enough light to see, but when you do, its quite stunning.

The ruins were intense – standing in the middle of a gladiator ring is intimidating, and it will certainly make you think about the incredible history you are in the presence of. People were brought here from all over the known world – in fact the Roman general who built the ring (or funded it) made all his money putting down the Jewish rebellion and destroying the temple. Today the town has a sister city/peace program with Jerusalem – what an interesting time we live in.

Finally, climbing the ridge of the hill, the medieval town of Urbisaglia may be the most picturesque place I have ever seen. The colored stucco houses with their wood shutters, the castle, the piazzas, the gates, and the tiny medieval streets made it feel like we had just walked into the middle of a fairy tale. Today was also our first (informal) town form study/treasure hunt - which was fun though we were all a bit out of steam - a fact proven by how quickly we all passed out on the bus ride home.