Leaving Southern Italy for Holland

Ciao a tutti il mio amici,
I went on one last photo expedition around Otranto the morning before I left, just in case I had missed something I wanted to memorialize. Then I muscled my luggage down 4 flights of stairs and down the hill to the bus stop to catch the bus from Otranto to Bari.
Darned good thing it was all downhill! I am still sore. I did not sleep well the last several nights before I left Otranto. One reason being the heat and another reason was "attacco della zanzare"! Because of the heat I left my window open one night and in my sleep I kicked off my covers. I became the feast of many mosquitoes and have at least, oh probably 50 bites on my backside. I think I may be a little anemic. The mosquitoes here are buff. They remind me of horses, LARGE and sort of broad-chested! Their bites are extremely itchy, painful and long-lasting too. I usually don’t get bothered much by mosquitoes. I had a theory that I ate so much garlic that they did not like the taste of my blood.
I think that Italian mosquitoes must love the taste of garlic, hahahaha.
The heat is really starting to set in here in Bari too. After resting up for a day from moving my luggage, I spent my last two days at an art exhibit at the convention center "Fiera del Levante". This is the same place where Mediterre was held. The name of the art show is "XIII Biennial of Youth Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean" I saw a few artists from America here to. It is amazing how much talent is gathered here. There is art of every possible medium, and a few mediums I did not know were possible too! I am actually posting this blog from the internet café and gaming pavilion that is set up here at the convention center. I walked for miles it seems around 3 huge pavilions, looking at the art installments. I actually have blisters from doing it. I took photos until my camera battery went dead. That made me sooooo sad.

People kept staring at me and it made me worry and feel very self conscious. I thought… hmmm are my shoes too funky? Maybe I look too strange and stand out. I wonder if these are the wrong clothes to wear? I was standing near a group of people who kept giving me funny looks. So I finally had to ask. "Parla Englese?" They all pointed to one man in their group and he stepped forward with a big smile. "Yes I do!"

"Can I ask you a question?" He says "of course". I say "I keep getting stares and funny looks. What is it? I mean do I look strange or something? Is it my shoes?". He says to me " Well, I think it must be because you are so beautiful." I CHOKED! Then his lady friend taps him on the shoulder and says something I don’t understand. He says "My friend wants to know if you are a celebrity?" Another man he is with also tells him something, then he says "Yeah, my friend here asked me to tell you, he thinks you are beautiful too". I laughed and said "Thank you!". We talked and laughed for a while. I turned down his "invitation" though! hehehe.
After that I did not feel so bad when people stared lol. I would have a very hard time choosing which art exhibits I thought were the best. So many were startlingly amazing. I really enjoyed the clothing design exhibits and the video art projects. I especially enjoyed some very funny videos that were made in Israel, with English subtitles.
I fell in with a group of young people at the café who were speaking English. We spent a few hours together at lunch time eating, drinking espresso, chatting and laughing. Some were Italian, some French, a German boy and two boys from Israel. It turned out that the two boys from Israel were the ones that made the videos I liked so much. You must see their videos. Awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/user/itamarrose



I saw a band that was especially hot called Toen. They were a hard rock band from Bari and included an electric violin with heavy metal folk riffs. WOW! I danced and danced. But there were only 5 of us dancing out of hundreds attending. I asked a new friend, Emilio why people from Bari were not dancing to such hot dance music. He says "oh it’s much too early (10pm) and they have not had enough wine yet". Hahaha "So let’s go get some" and we did. We went to an "Italian Party" with food, wine and poetry flash readings.

One really amazing thing about this event… every thing was free. Well except for the water, espresso and souvenirs. The shuttle bus, entrance, exhibits, video games, internet café, shows (fashion, dance, bands, poetry readings, movies etc) food and wine were all free! This made for a VERY happy Mama Bear. I think I had a little too much of the Negromaro Wine, green olives and the Barley w/Zucchini Pilaf though. Mmmmmmm. I arrived at 9:30 am and caught the shuttle bus back to town at 11:30 pm and fell into bed exhausted around midnight. What a day!
I did not see everything yet, so I recharged myself and my camera batteries and I am back for more today! I am pretty worn out though and I still have 12 days remaining on this trip! I better drink less wine and leave earlier tonight. I will have to move my luggage again tomorrow.
OH NO!

Jozè: I hope you will understand if I sleep a lot… and cry for Italy… for a day or two after I arrive in Holland.

Wishing you were all here with me to experience this (and help me move my luggage hehehe). I think my next blog post will be mostly photos of this event.

My love goes out to all of you.

Io Dovrò Partire Otranto, a Domani!

Ciao a tutti il mio amici

The spring flowers are starting to fade, the grains are starting to ripen, it’s starting to get hot and you can smell summer coming. I was lying on the beach yesterday, soaking in the sun with my eyes closed and I heard a cute little girls voice say “Ecco la bella vita!” (Here is the beautiful life!).

It’s my last day in Otranto! Damned tears again…

I have been exchanging e-mail addresses with some of the friends I have made here. Teresa my friend who works at the local supermercato says she wants to come to San Francisco and I have promised her a tour of the redwoods. Rosa, I don’t think will ever leave Otranto, but I have told her I will try to come back again next spring. I want to continue my education here… for a few years, if the fates provide. I will research other places and there are other areas of Southern Italy I want to explore in the future. I don’t think I will be able to stay so long here next time. Maybe only 1 month, or maybe I will stay even longer, who knows. Only ‘Providence’.

I LOVE Otranto!

I hope to bring others from California to Otranto to take classes. Maybe even someone who would be able to drive. I would pay part of the car rental and gas if that could happen. I had only one opportunity to tour the local countryside by car. I have taken many long hikes and a few train and bus rides around to explore though. It is so beautiful here. Porto Badisco, Lecce, Porto de Leuca, Gallipoli, grottos in abundance… There is so much more to see and experience by car.

Italy is smaller than California in size, but much larger in… many other ways.

There have been several long periods of time I have spoken only in Italian. I am improving at a reasonable rate, but I have a very long way to go. This has not been an absolute full immersion experience. I am very glad for that. Absolute full immersion at the pace I have been learning Italian would have been too lonely for me. My roommates, except Rhiannon, seemed to prefer to speak to me in English much of the time. I hope I did not ruin the ‘full immersion’ experience for them.

My Roommates.

Agnès (France)

Rhiannon (Australia)

Jozè (Holland)

Claudia (Germany)

Even though 3 out of 4 of my roommates were not native English speakers, they had excellent skills with it. Better than most Americans even! ha ha ha Especially Agnès (sends smile and waves), who speaks 7 languages (inc Hindi and Chinese!) and teaches English to French high school students. I was so lucky to have the roommates that I did. They were all amazing and wonderful women. I had a week or two with each one. That was plenty of time to get to know them (I did their birth star charts for them), make friends of them and I hope to stay in contact with them all. I will stay with Jozè for 5 days in Holland next week. I have invited everyone to Northern California for a tour. After I get home, I will prepare a comfortable place in my home for ‘visitors’ and be ready to greet them anytime they are ready to come. Only Claudia has been to America. She has been there 4 times. New York City, New England and Texas. She has never been to California. I told her that Northern California is the best part of America. I may be biased though. lol

I don’t think my So Hum/Mendo friends will be too surprised if my new friends start showing up from Italy, France, Germany, Australia, Holland or other far away places. I sure you will enjoy meeting them as much as I have. I intend to visit France, Germany and maybe Holland again. I don’t know about Australia. I would love to go, but it seems… so far away… from Italy. lol lol

Like the poem I wrote a few weeks ago said, I do not know what the future holds for me. With a halter and lead rope on my wild heart… I think I can say that the future is a little safer for me now. I do not have (as many of) the fears or the expectations I once had. This makes me happy. I do have things I want to follow up on, inner work I need to do and places I want to explore.

Along with all the other bird songs during this mornings sunrise, I heard some hens very loudly… laying eggs. That made me think, with the exception of having a few small debts to pay off as soon as possible, and a few physical limitations, I am FREE, with many possibilities (eggs to hatch?).

Lucky me.

Some of the possibilities (eggs I could hatch, but I’m NOT counting them) include… writing a book, sharing my new skills, enjoying my friendships, exploring the world, finding love, doing intensive research, teaching Yota new tricks, creating a masterpiece, learning to speak French, German, Spanish and who knows, maybe even Dutch, finding inner peace, starting a business, getting in the best possible physical shape, meeting new people, redecorating my bathroom and bedroom, teaching and learning more about… oh the possibilities are endless, but I will stop here. Per ora, io dovrò praticare la lingua l’Italiano molto! My next blog post will be from Bari. I will spend 4 days there before I’m off to Holland for 10 days

Words… are a very powerful force, only mastered by our perception of them. Perceive yourself to be ‘powerful’ and ‘good’.

Blessed be

My love goes out to all of you… around the world!

Another Beautiful Day in Paradise

Ciao a tutti il mio amici,

As much as think of the things I will miss here and the things I look forward to at home, I can’t help but notice… the similarities. Northern California and Southern Italy have many things in common. As I get older and as each winter starts in Southern Humboldt I think more and about having to find another place to spend my winters. I have pretty severe arthritis. Mostly due to the many broken bones I have had. The cold and wet weather in Southern Humboldt have started to bring on more and more pain.

At this point the pain is not severe enough for me to accept the idea I have to live somewhere where it is desert. I hate the idea of living in a place without trees. But I do keep thinking I will need a bit warmer and dryer retreat for the winter/spring… as I get older… if the pain persists or gets any worse. I break down into tears at the idea of leaving Southern Humboldt and my community there for good.

So part of being here has been a kind of exploration into the idea of finding a winter retreat. Many So Hum residents leave for some period of time each winter. Some even have homes elsewhere in places like Mexico, Chile, or Equador. Some just take the cold winter months as an opportunity to visit a variety of warmer, less rainy places. Like I said before, this past winter in So Hum it seemed like the sun did not come out for almost 90 days and it made me crazy. So getting away for a while to a place where the sun shines was a very attractive thought.

The Similarities
The fact that so many Italian families came to our region of Northern California speaks to the fact there are many similarities. I know many Italian American families in the region, and once when I was looking for the grave of an ancestor in Fort Bragg I found an all Italian Catholic cemetery there. I was amazed. According linguistics maps, our region has one of the highest percentages of Italian speakers in the US. Somewhere between 4% (in San Francisco) and .20% (in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino Co).

We are at basically the same degree of latitude, early 40°. This means that our seasons are the same. Depending on precise location the weather and temperatures vary within similar ranges. The grapes growing in our region are another indicator of similar climate and soil types. The landscape is similar in some ways with the coastline effects, but varies widely with other features.

We have some of the same flora and fauna. When I see this I always wonder… is this a widespread plant/animal or is it introduced in Northern California? I think there are some of each. Sometimes I am surprised to find out that a plant is introduced and sometimes not. For example (Per esempio), The hypericum species St. Johnswort, one of my favorite plants, is introduced by humans, but very common in our region. But then dandelion is native in both regions, I think. Another example is the cottonwood trees. They are here and at the moment they are sending out their cotton balls. I wonder… are they introduced here? at home? or are they native to both regions? I could learn more with the ID books and intend to do more research on this.
The Differences
Our temperatures in So Hum vary to a wider degree. In Garberville I have seen the Temps vary from day to night by 40-50°. In this part of Southern Italy temps usually vary only 10-15°. We have more fog and it lasts longer into the day. We have earth movement. This part of Southern Italy does not move much, but other areas of Southern Italy, like the regions surrounding Mt. Etna and Vesuvius do have some pretty frequent movement.


The Catholic Church pervades here and we have the Native American culture. We have rainforest and salmon. Our landscape is much younger and shows much more activity of youth. This is shown by our rivers and some natural lakes. They have small creeks, but no rivers here in Southern Italy. They seem to have plenty of water and a similar amount of rain in the spring, but the rivers areunderground. The hills here are very old and stable unlike our steep and constantly shifting slopes.

The historical civilizations, the presence of Castles and Ruins, ancient art and a more sustainable style of living makes for some pretty big differences between the two places! We have much to learn in that aspect in Northern California.

One thing I have found personally… My arthritis pain is the same here. Darn it. But there are other places that are dryer and warmer in both Northern California and Southern Italy I have yet to explore. And other variables like needing more time to heal from my back surgery, and alternative dietary and medicinal remedies etc. So I still do not have to consider moving to the desert yet.

It all needs more exploration and research. This kind of activity makes me very happy!

Blessings:
-la spiaggia qui. The beach here is very close to my apartment and very nice too.

Curses:
- my e-mail server has been down for 2 days not so if you have sent me a message I have not received it.
If it is urgent that I contact you for some reason, leave a message here or in my myspace inbox. www.myspace.com/tracibear. I check them all frequently.

It’s a nice sunny day today… so I am going to the beach for a few hours. This can also be done in So Hum… Both places are “Paradise” and I feel lucky to have experienced and have access to them both.

Like Kim says… have some fun today. My love goes out to all of you!

Homes Without Wood

Ciao a tutti il mio amici,

Like I said in my last post, one of the things I will miss when I leave here are the homes built of stone. Many times when I was protesting the cutting of ancient trees, I would stand with my “amici ambientista” (environmentalist friends) between the loggers and the trees. After the loggers would say “Go get a job”, they would say “so where will you live without wood!”. I would always say… “I will live in a stone and cement house.” They just scoffed at that.

I have always been interested in home designs. When I was a little girl, I would draw pictures of horses and houses, floor plans and tigers. My mom always thought it was funny that in the floor plans I drew of the house I would build when I grew up, I always included a room for her. The houses I drew were made of stone and I would take great amounts of time drawing the details of the stones.

Building a stone house has always been number one on the list of things I wanted to do in my life.

So, when I saw my first Trullo it was love at first sight. I researched them at great length. I knew I wanted to stay in one and booked one for a week on my first trip to Puglia last year. It was incredible. They are small but very sound, and have an alcove for every purpose. They are like a stone tent, but many that were well maintained, still stand in perfect condition after 6-700 years! The temperature stays very stable and the shape is thought to give you a certain… peace within.

Trulli love!

They were built as sort of tax dodge to begin with. The peasants here were only taxed for having permanent structures. So they would collect up the rocks laying around, shape them a little and construct the trulli for shelter. No mortar. When the tax collector would come, to avoid paying the shelter tax, they would pull the key stones and collapse the house into a pile of rubble. Then after the tax collector moved on they would restack the rocks and rebuild their home, in a day.

The Trullo are everywhere here but they change with the territory. In the north of Puglia they have a pinnacle with a special top piece of various shapes. Often pagan symbols of various meanings were painted on the roof to bring luck, health and wealth to the family. The trullo I rented in Alberobello last year, had a symbol of Venus (woman) on the roof, my ruling planet. I felt very much at home there. The symbols eventually evolved into Christian symbols.

As you move south in Puglia, the Trullo evolve and change. First the tops lose their pinnacles. A little further south they become flat. Even further south the walls start to square off and then they become what is called a Pagliari. You see these structures everywhere in various conditions. Often they are converted into a barn or storage building when a new larger modern home was built nearby. The stone types change with the territory as well. In the northern parts of Puglia they use white and gray limestone. Here in the Salento region they use a beautiful golden stone that is less brittle, even slightly soft, making it easy to sculpt into many shapes and adorments.

I also found on the internet that you can buy a trullo on a couple acres of ancient olives and fruit trees, that needs restoration, very cheaply. 50-65,000€. It has become a trend in Britain to buy a trullo here and restore it as a vacation home. Because each original trulli is considered a UNESCO historical monument, you have to adhere to local building ordinance and restore them to their precise original design. There are trulli, masseria and pagliari restoration experts you must call on to make sure it is done correctly. I hear they charge a big price to foreigners for this service too. This usually doubles the original price. Still very cheap!

In Puglia there are no suburbs! There is a defined city and then it is agricultural land outside of that. The cities have NO skyscrapers. I am not sure, but I think there are building codes that require new and restored buildings to blend in with the size and appearance of the surrounding structures. In the bigger city of Bari, the buildings are 8-9 stories. In the smaller cities like Otranto and Valenzano the buildings are 3-4 stories. The first floors (la prima piani) often have shops and businesses and the upper floors are apartments. The penthouses are where the wealthier people live.

At first, I thought that new construction or restoration projects in the old town (il centro storico) brought in salvaged stones that had been collected from dilapidated buildings. But then I watched the restoration workers work on the old Otranto Castle walls one day and realized. They have special tools they use to make the new stones look old. They use drills and small jack hammer tools to give the new stones that aged and eroded look!

Unlike the north of Italy with it’s terracotta tiles, the roofs here in the south are flat and are prime real estate. Unless there is a dome or pinnacle they are used as outdoor dining areas, gardens, playgrounds, dog yards, utility areas or storage spaces. The ground floor apartments often include small garden spaces. Most apartments on the middle floors include balconies and terraces with decorative railings of wrought iron, turned stone or formed concrete with flowering vines cascading down from them. The Italians love their outdoor spaces and if not needed for utility purposes, they often fill them with flowers and fruit trees. I was surprised when I visited the town of Conversano, I noticed dwarf lemon and rubber trees growing on nearly every balcony! I saw on the news the other day that a huge tree uprooted and fell from a rooftop garden into the street and caused an accident with a fatality.

The windows and doors of all homes and businesses are fortified with metal shutters that swing or crank down. This serves the purpose of security and keeping out the heat in the summer months. I wonder why these are not used in hurricane country. Usually the building are white, gray, tan or golden, but the window frames, doors, door frames and shutters are blue, green, brown or black. The windows are treated with sheer lace, appliqué or cutout curtains and instead of screen doors, here they use a device made of metal strands hanging down coated with plastic.

Lichens and mosses grow on all the buildings over time, giving them a stained and blotchy appearance. At first it irritated me and I thought it looked dirty. Why don’t they paint them, I wondered, they keep everything else so clean. But I have always loved lichens so when I realized that is what it was, I started to love it. The stones and plasters start to erode and after a while plants and even trees take root in the cracks and niches. This gives the buildings here a quaint and natural look. If any wood is used at all, it is used in the cabinetry, and very rarely in older buildings, the door, door and window frames, only.

Now I dream of building or restoring a trulli or masseria and maybe I will get the chance some day.

It is my last day of classes here. I made polished stone necklaces to give my teachers and I will also give them my basil plants. I wanted to convey one last thought in this blog piece. I strongly believe that teaching is the most important job anyone can do in this world. And learning is the most important process we can undertake. I value my books more than any other possession. I like to think of myself as a perpetual student in this school of life. So never NEVER take your teachers for granted or underestimate the value of the time you spend learning! Sorry this piece is so long.

Okay! Go out and learn something today and hug your teacher too.
My love goes out to all of you… my teachers.

Learning to Swim

Ciao a tutti il mio amici,

Pronto! I am halfway through my last week of classes here. Today was the first day that I understood everything that was being said and taught to me. I cried tears of joy about that too.

OK! I am accepting and forgiving myself. It’s not unreasonable barriers in my brain. All the new students that have arrived this past week are at about my level. They have all studied Italian informally at home for about a year. One man, an Italian American from Las Vegas, even used that expensive software “Rosetta Stone”. Another student used a different CD listening and learning tool like myself. They are all of the same opinion…

Learning how to speak the Italian language is extremely complicated and well, just damned hard!

Whew! I am not unreasonably resistant or closed to learning. I believe I am open minded and eager to learn. I think that sometimes they move a little too fast in these classes for the average brain to intercept, and process. I am starting to teach myself in more gentle ways, finding the keys, and the bridges, to help my brain remember the difficult concepts. Also I am starting to accept the fact, that sometimes I cannot take it for 4 hours a day! This intensive language and culture course is just sometimes, too intense for me! Frank, the man from Las Vegas likened being in language class, to being in the dentists chair! PAINFUL! A saving grace… there are two common words that are the same in both languages. Okay and No. I use them both, maybe too much lol lol.

Full immersion without floaters can cause DROWNING!

All this immersing, cracking, expanding, drowning and learning to swim has taught me so much it will take months to process and practice what I have learned. And, it will take years to be proficient. From all the way across seas, I have found a few Italian speakers back home to help me practice. Bellissima! Odd that I could not find them before when I was home, taking my first steps… sola.

I am starting to think a little bit about going home. I definitely have mixed feelings about that. I feel both eager and also have a sense of panic that rises…oh no!

What I will miss:

The beautiful sunrises, my Guardian Angel, the view from my bedroom window (sea, harbor, forest and ruins), the foods (the many cheap plentiful varieties of seafoods, cheeses and wines), the beautiful and kind people, the music, the dances, the church bells ringing, the intensely bright blue of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, the Passeggiata, my teachers and the learning, the scents (the seas, bread and pastries baking, chamomile), Rosa, the bird songs, the quickening, the Tree of Life, euros, the beautiful worked stone buildings, the sunsets and writing this blog. Maybe I will keep it up for a little while.

What I look forward to:

Seeing my girls, Yota and Puma, seeing Holland for the first time with Loes and Jozè, my newly redecorated kitchen, my Humboldt friends, keeping in touch with Agnès, hanging my mosaic, Eternal Lands and my guild mates, the Mateel, my BIG bed, KMUD, teaching how to make pasta and cook southern Italian style, my computer, making a slideshow and showing it, the redwoods, finding more people to speak Italian with, teaching people to dance the Pizzica, picking hypericum on Solstice, suing British Airways, losing the 10lbs I’ve gained, paying my debts and coming back to Southern Italy.

What I am bringing back with me:

New skills in linguistics, cooking, dance and art, The BEST olive oil, some music, memories, Mediterranean sea salt, thousands of photos, a few jars of the big capers, a little more confidence, a few trinkets for family and friends, an espresso pot and Italian caffè, a cookbook, some Italian made clothes, plans and ideas, tarallini, 4 notebooks full of writings, Italian vegetable seeds, and a renewed spirit.

The BIG questions now are… how will I get all that into my luggage, and tote it too? And will my luggage make it home with me?? Say a prayer for me and my luggage please.

My love goes out to you all. See you soon. Presto!

Worldwide OAVB's

Ciao a tutti il mio amici,

Worldwide OAVB’s
One of the best things about this little educational venture of mine has been having the opportunity to have discussions with people from around the world. There has been 16 people that I’ve been able to have discussions with, that have gone deeply into their OAVB’s (opinions, attitudes, values and beliefs). 4 Italians, 3 British, 3 Dutch, 2 French, 2 Australians, 1 German, and 1 Brazilian.

We have had discussions about things like politics, religion, cultural differences and how to live a happy and healthy life. I have tried to feel people out about their impressions of Americans and our culture. I will share with you some of the trends I have picked up on.

The Commonalities
They were all healthy, open-minded, intelligent people. They all love Italy and the Italian language and (duh, that’s why we are all here) and have been here more than once. They all speak more than one language. Anywhere from 2-8 languages usually 3-4. All spoke Italian. All but one spoke English. Most seem to think of English as the “Universal Language”. They all like to drink wine and tea. They all love music and dogs.

About America
None had ever been to America. Only 3 had even met an American before. About half (8) expressed the desire to come to America some day. Most think American culture pervades and infiltrates all other cultures (the Mickey Mouse Syndrome). This infiltration includes some positives (literature, music and movies) and some negatives (foods, television and politics).

There was one item of conversation that kept coming up. Most people wanted to tell me who they favored for the next American President. So if they didn’t offer it up, I started asking. Who do you favor for the next American President? I even asked people who I meet briefly, like people at the Mediterre Conference, and people on the trains I rode. I told them I had not made up my mind yet and needed to know what they thought. This seemed to make people very happy lol lol.

The overwhelming majority of people want Barak Obama. One man I met, as I was working out my introduction in Italian, interrupts me and in English and says “You American? You vote Obama then!”. There were a few people (3) that wanted Hillary. They seemed to think if we elect Hillary, we get Bill too. Everyone seems to love Bill! I am starting to feel that the American president has so much impact on the world, that everyone should get a vote.

Not one person I spoke to wanted to see McCain get elected. They think he is the same as Bush. BAD. I told several of them that I think McCain is different than Bush, but I don’t think they believed me.

This is the perfect place to memorialize my favorite teacher ever, Professor Thomas McMillan. Prof. McMillan taught the class called “Critical Thinking” at Mendocino College. This class woke me up and changed my life for the better. He also taught “World Religions” and had taught at Oxford and Honolulu Universities. Mendocino College was very lucky to have him. He died of cancer a couple years ago and the main building at Mendocino College was renamed McMillan Hall.

He is the one who taught me about my OAVB’s. Everyone has them, they are as individual as our fingerprints, and they are NEVER wrong. His favorite final assignment was 4 questions that brought together with great clarity, a term paper called “My World View”.

Before that assignment I did not even know I had one, or that anyone cared to know what it was.

Blessings:
- picking chamomile among the ancient ruins beside the castle. I was feeling a little low and the chamomile tea is making me feel much better. Besides it is free. And while picking it struck me… I guess I am writing a book. I think I will call it “My Wild Heart”.
- A new roommate! Claudia from Germany. Another beautiful intelligent woman. I have been so lucky. I spent a week alone here in the apartment but this time I did not get depressed. I have the laptop now and I spent the time writing and writing on it.
- The festival of San Francesco. There were so many fun activities.
A carnival on my street.
Folk music and dancing
An orchestra in the Park
A Procession and Mass in the Basilica with the Tree of Life, which I attended.
I cry every time I get near the Tree of Life. This is the third time too and the tears just flow. I can’t seem to help it, it touches my heart so deeply.

Curses:
- I ran into my angel friend Rosa yesterday and instead of telling me I looked beautiful, she said I looked fat! ha ha ha. I told her it was that time of the month and I was just bloated. Maybe it is because I stopped running across town everyday to the post office to check for my package. Or maybe I am just eating too much pasta! So last night I made myself a nice bitter insulate and stuffed calamari risotto for dinner instead. And tonight I made sushi. Two days without pasta or bread must be some kind of record here.

Basta la Pasta! Do me a favor okay? Find some happiness today! Love you all.

My Italian Obsession

Ciao a tutti il mio amici,

My Italian Obsession
I guess I had some predisposition to this “thing” I have for all things Italian. When I was 4 years old I was a very picky eater. There were only 2 things I would eat, bean soup and spaghetti. I had to have it with parmesan cheese on it. My grandfather who died when I was 8, would go out and buy cases of Franco American Spaghetti for me. This drove my mother crazy.

One of my Dad’s best friends, who would visit in our home often was Thomas Botta. They worked together and when not working, they played cribbage endlessly. He talked about his childhood in Sicily and how when he was 15 he was recruited into the mafia. He was a driver and he eventually had to leave the country, or die. He loved to show us his 5 bullet wound scars, and did so many times! He had a flaming red-haired (and hot tempered) Irish wife named Belle. What a pair they were!

When I was in junior high school my first real boyfriend (well he started out as my best friend Brenda’s boyfriend, oops) was Italian. Lawrence Paul Valentino Capitano. It makes me want to slap my forehead like his mom did, anytime she was mad enough to use his whole name. He patiently taught me how to dance, kiss and fight too. He was my karate instructor. Because I was having some trouble with gangs in school, he would meet me after school and walk me home. Then he would drill me for hours on self defense moves, until it became instinctively reactionary.

He stopped seeing me because I was too young, only 14. He was 18 and the temptation to teach me MORE was too much for him. He loved my mother and did not want her mad at him! He found me a few years ago though the website, Classmates. He was a Bush campaigner and we clashed mightily over our politics. He finally gave up on me when he realized he would not win me over to his way of thinking. The only thing he cared about was the TAXES he had to pay.

Seems like almost half the people I have known and loved were full or part Italian American. There is just something so cute and funny about them. Like my friend Joey Racano. He says he wrote the song ‘Glass of Vino’ for me and my Italian obsession. Listen here:
http://www.myspace.com/joeyracano
Is that cute or what! Other things Italian I have loved: Tòpo Gigio, Ancient Roman Culture and Mythology in books and movies, Romeo and Juliet, foods (spaghetti, pizza, lasagne, figs, almost anything with mozzarella or parmesan cheese), Fellini, FF Coppola, the actors and actresses (Robert DiNero, Brigit Bardo, John Travolta, … list is too long), the Art (paintings, sculptures, tile work, mosaic etc). Now the music, the dances, the scents, the wines, the language and bel paese terra madre Italia, the grand old lady herself.

Maybe you should start planning a visit. hehehehe They could use the tourists dollars. And maybe consider buying an Italian car next time you need one! I’m a promoter now can you tell? I am starting as an agent for my school, Porte d’Oriente on the west coast of North America! Contact me when your ready to book your trip here lol.

Today starts the two day festival of Otranto’s Patron saint SAN FRANCESCO! They put up the festival lights on my streets and there will be a procession. My street is the Passeo di Martiri. The street the Turks marched the 800 Christian martyrs down to their execution. I’m making lemon poppyseed cookies for an offering. Maybe It’s a good thing I am leaving soon. They might convert me!
San Francesco Altar in town
Blessings:
Free folk music during the festivities! Time for more dance, dance, dance!

No curses today… it’s a sacred day!

We need a holiday for San Francesco (like St Patty’s Day).
Go out and kiss an Italian today! I think I will lol. Salve!

Mediterre Conference

Mediterre Conference Images

The Elementals, the conference theme.

Here I am learning to dance the Pizzica
I am getting it too, and having a great time!

Everything in this “Eco Fatto” booth is made from recycled materials. Very Impressive!
The Italian Army (Carambieri) and their environmental protection and hazardous material clean up gear.
Here I am kissing my new boyfriend. He’s is just my type, huggable and very quiet. lol

A dancer performs for the children and she was hot, hot, HOT.
A really GREEN car used by the forestry department.

Burros from the wild burro recovery breeding program.

This guy was a real clown.
This band was great. They are called Trìciu. More dancingg!

The Cars and Drivers of Southern Italy

( Georje this image of the gelato is for you)

The Cars (love em) and Drivers (hate em) of Southern Italy

The Cars
There are an amazing number of beautiful small economical cars here that are not offered for sale in America. They are not the boxy cars of the past. They are sleek, stylish and fast too. Fiat is by far the most common make of car here. But there are many Fiats, a wide variety of styles and price ranges, that are not offered for sale in America.

My favourite car here is the Alfa Romeo. There are many models of this car not offered in America. Italian makes of cars I have never seen in America include: Lancia, Taglio, TDC, Piaggio (trucks) and Cresta. You also see other European made models not offered to Americans from Citroën, Peugeot, Renault (French), Opel, Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW, Ford (German), Voxal, and Austin (England). Yes, the Fords here are made in Germany. Instead of being flooded by Japanese cars, Americans should DEMAND access to some of these great gas saving European cars.

The Drivers
A dire warning! If you come to Italy you must remember… The pedestrian does NOT have the right of way here. This bit of information could save your life. I have know this since the beginning of my stay here. I have kept my eyes open and my ears pealed. But I have still had several close calls. Once a driver going one direction motioned for me to cross in the crosswalk. But a driver came along from the other direction with different ideas. Another time in a place where the sidewalk was too thin with untrimmed bushes, on a blind curve. The car, going VERY fast, brushed me and I screamed!

Jeffo, the man from Ohio who visited me and took me and my roommate Agnes on tour said he was at first shocked at himself when he started running stop signs and passing on the wrong side, like the Italians. Now after 5 years he says he does it everyday with out hesitation or a second thought.

I asked my friend Enzo why these usually very friendly and polite people are such mean and terrible drivers. He said “Well when they get into a car… they change from Hobbits to Orcs.”

Blessings:
- Brenda, my classmate from Texas. She has lived here for a whole year and is at exactly the same level of skill as I am in the language. Only she does not slap her forehead like I do. She just stares with her mouth hanging open like I used to.
- Only seeing ONE (1) American style SUV my whole time in Europe.
- My jewellery making kit. I put together a small package of beads, stones, cord and clasps. I have been able to make gifts for some of the people who have treated me kindly here.

Curses:
- Becoming acutely aware of the COST to live in this world. With every breath… and every tick of the clock. How much are you spending per minute to breathe? I do not think this is how we are supposed to be living.

Odd, suddenly a few homeless people have shown up here in Otranto. I was never aware there were none (duh), until some appeared. Two men with dogs who make balloon sculptures for the children for donations. Also, a woman who wears face paint and juggles for donations.

Happy happy… listening to (free!) music and typing away on this (very cheaply) rented laptop in my (semi cheaply) rented apartment.

Oh and by the way a little progress report. Not only did I get a rope on my wild heart. This week we completed halter training. I may just get a bridle on it next week and who knows… maybe saddle training is in the future!

I am FINALLY growing up.
My unbridled love goes out to you all of you.

"Worlds Best Lovers" The Italians Vs The French

Ciao a tutti amici!

I had to write about this. It does seem to be a popular topic of much discussion and never ending debate among women of the world.

First I have to add a disclaimer. I if have been, or decide to, do actual hands on research on this topic, I WILL NOT be blogging about it. You will have to buy the book! Besides my mom is reading this! I am leaving out any names of actual people, to honor my information sources. Also, I apologize in advance if anyone is offended by this. So sorry.

I do have to admit that the first time I heard about this debate was just last year, when I was planning my first visit here. My youngest daughter Sarah says to me, “You know mom, Italians make the best lovers.” I asked her why this was so and she says “Well I hear that it is because their mothers teach them respect for women AND I hear that they are naturally well equipped!” hahaha.

So me being the curious type, who often does research on the topics of my curiosity, I did an internet search. I found dozens of women’s forums and blogs where this topic was being debated. According to what I read in these forums It seems like the Italians have a close competitor for the title of “Worlds Best Lover” and that is the French. Also I found this debate over “World Best Lovers” among astrologers around the world. In the astrological world, the top competitors are the Scorpio vs the Taurus.

So this has been small a part of the opinion poll I have been doing as I have discussions with women from around the world, and a few men too.

One women I asked about this said that she has had one of each and they were both good. One just smiled that enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa. One of my male Italian friends said that this is “just a myth”. Another women agreed with him and added that despite their reputation, Italian men are all talk! She also added that it was not the Italian men at all that were the best lovers. She claims the title should go to the Greek men. As she explained her reasons for this knowing, she did the dance of the Greek men. I have to admit… it was quite… sensual.

One thing I have to say from personal experience. Italian men are beautiful and very sweet. But I also find them to be, well… a little bit fickle and very late! Example: I was invited for a coffee the other day and I said yes. No harm in that. We decided where to meet later in the day, I showed up a few minutes late myself. I waited 20 minutes and decided that was long enough and left. I saw the man the next day and he apologized for being a half hour late. I threw my hands up and said “oh well, thanks for the invitation anyway” and walked away. I guess it is a mixed bag and the debate will go on.

* I want to say to my Italo-male friends, you better work a little bit harder on this or you will lose this reputation to the French… or the Greek.

** And to my American male friends, I don’t mean to offend you… but it seems that among the women of the world… like in Soccer, you are not even considered a competitor! What’s up with that?!?

Blessings:
- The Laptop has finally arrived!!! Thanks goes AGAIN to my Guardian Angel Enzo! No more Internet Café expense! It only took the Poste Italiane 12 days to get it 100 miles to me by Express Post. Ha ha ha. Twice I have sent packages from Garberville to Bari, 6500 miles and it only took 10 days.
- Mediterra Environmental Conference. The conference was amazing! As soon as I arrived they loved me up and gave me a “Hostess” badge. I learned so much and made many friends and contacts there. I was pulled in by the dancers that were part of the entertainment and taught to dance the traditional dance the “Pizzica”. And no, it has nothing to do with pizza. I was even on the local evening news dancing with them! Great fun!
- The train ride from Lecce to Otranto. Riding mass transit here is a little scary and unsure. But the train from Lecce to Otranto is a beauty. One old car, that crosses over the most beautiful of ancient agricultural landscapes stopping at many tiny towns and remote stations. I took many photos. Otranto by the way, is the end of the line. The tracks stop right outside of town here. The train car, which has a drivers cabin on both ends, just switches direction and goes back the way it came.

Curses:
- No more internet café. I hated the expense, but loved the music and the youthful crowd that hangs out there.
- The economy seems to be taking a major dive… all over the world. Seems it is the major news story here and everywhere. As the rich get even richer! I think I will make it home okay now, but it looks like some hard times for all of us in the coming months.

This is a perfect time to get out in the sun and plant your garden!

I also wanted to note that no one here in Italy uses clothes dryers. Everyone hangs their laundry out. I will continue this practice when I get home. Not only will it save money and make the clothing last longer, it will save energy too. Just think if everyone in America stopped using clothes dryers how good that would be for the environment. One step closer to solving the problem of global warming! Another important lesson that I am learning here has been to use less of everything… less soap, less shampoo, less time online, less coffee, etc… Why did it take me so long to learn this?

Every SINGLE DROP of resources counts.

It is so nice to be able to type this up at home, with more time to choose my words and make corrections. I have been able to write 7 letters already that I needed to write including one to British Airways. They have still not contacted me about the claim I filed (4 weeks now) for reimbursement of the funds I had to put out due to my misplaced luggage.

Una più benedizione. La mia lingua l’italiano é motlo meglio ora, lentamente e veramente.

Io vado per scuola ora! Ti amo a tutti.

Il Sole Italiano or The Italian Sun

Ciao a tutti amici,

First I would like to share with you a poem I wrote at the beginning of last week. This poem was inspired by a beautiful sunrise, my grammer lessons in future tense and beginning my mosaic piece of my favorite form of god... the Sun (Ra, Horus, Re, Helios, Solis, Hyperion, Wadjet, Sehkmet, Hathor, Nut, Bat, Menhit, Hathor, Surya etc... Thank you Agnès for your help correcting my Italian. I finished my mosaic tribute to the Sun today, so it was the right time to finish writing and to post this piece.

La Promessa
Prima...
Mi sono innamorata del uomo, lontano da qui
Poi...
mi sono innamorata della sua musica,
Poi...
mi sono innamorata della sua lingua,
Poi...
mi sono innamorata del suo paese
...e un nuovo mondo si è aperto davanti a me,
...e una nuova vità è cominciata per me.
Dove questo mi portera? Che sara? Non lo so!
Un piccolo bambino sa il futuro?
Soltanto la promessa ...il futuro Farò .

In English.

The Promise
First...
I fell in love with a man, far and away.
Then...
I fell in love with his music.
Then...
I fell in love with his language.
Then...
I fell in love with his country
...and a whole new world opened up for me.
...and a whole new life began for me.
Where will this lead me? What will be? I don't know!
Does a little baby know the future?
Only the promise... the future... to create.

With the sun being my favorite form of God, naturally the science of Astrology and the dance of the planets around the sun is the closest thing I have to a religeon. It affects how I live my life on a daily basis. I went 2 months without seeing the sun this past winter and I was so depressed I thought I would go crazy. I had to start going to a tanning booth for some relief.

The Sunrise.
I have not been able to sleep through the sunrise here it is such an incredible event. So I have been getting up at 5:30am. I throw open the window and the spectacle begins with the rooster crowing. My big bedroom window faces the east and it frames the event like a big movie screen only better. There are usually some clouds on the Albanian coast to catch the colors and bend the light beams. There is a little aspen and pine forest to the east of me so the birds that live there start to sing enmass. So many kinds of birds that the sunrise song is like a chorus. As the light grows and the colors change the song intensifies. There is a climax of the song as the first sunbeams break through the clouds and trees.

Like the ancient temples here, I have my altar in a position to catch the first rays of the Sun. I have many types of crystals both natural and cut placed there. The first sunbeams dance around the room. It is esctasy. wow. Then the day begins, people start coming out, moving around and everyone goes about their day.

I am not the only Sun worshipper here. It is obvious that these Southern Italians are a people of the Sun. There are tributes and artistic renditions of the sun everywhere you look. When the Sun is covered up, so are they, all bundled in their heavy coats with their somber expressions. When the Sun comes out there are happy and smiling. In the hottest part of summer over 100,000 Italians come here to worship. On a vision quest during the summer solstice many years ago, I met the people of the Sun. The ones who actually live there! They were a beautiful and very friendly race of people too, just like southern italians, only more... metallic.

Photosynthesis
When I was in college I took a Botany class and we studied the process of Photosynthesis. This is a two part process with several steps, one in the light of the sun and one in the darkness. In the institutions of higher learning there is a class on this process that lasts a whole semester. This process produces two things that are required for life on this planet. Oxygen, so we can breath and complex sugars for our foods. No matter how long the research has gone on, and no matter how qualified and experienced the scientists, there is still one step in the process that cannot be explained. This is not a myth or a legend. A scientific fact.

This unknown photosynthetic step... this mystery... is the key to all life on our planet.


Love to all and may the Sun shine on you! ciao!

Just Another Victim of Mickey Mouse

Ciao a tutti amici,

I have had a lot of teachers on this educational mission. Not just my language and culture teachers Barbara, Stefania, Teresa and Luciana. I have learned much from my fellow students from around the world and especially the roommates at my apartment.

I was a tiny bit worried about sharing an apartment. So I have been on my best, cleanest and most polite behavior around the house. I have had 3 women come to stay with me in the last 5 weeks. First Agnes. She was there for 2 weeks and taught me so much about the cultures, opinions, differences and attitudes of Europeans and especially the French. Then there was Rhiannon from Australia who stayed for 2 weeks. She taught me much about Australian culture and attitudes and made me work out my Italians skills with so much patience. I learned to love them and was very pained when they left me. Now I have Jozè (pronounced like the spanish name Jose - hose-eh) from Holland.

Jozè came in for one week and on her first day here we were introducing ourselves and she says "Oh, I see! You are a druid witch, how wonderful!". She had me tagged right away, but they say... it takes one to know one. She is such a joy and so much fun. She is a historian, an artist of many mediums (music and sculpture in various materials), a writer/journalist and a great cook too. She holds no punches (an Aries) and she sings in Dutch around the house. WOW!

One day we were having a discussion regarding the horrors of the American television media and of course the topic moved to include the subject of recent fiasco of Brittany Spears. She says "Oh, she's just another victim of Mickey Mouse!" I started laughing and could not stop for a full 10 minutes till I almost collapsed, breathless with tears streaming down my face.

Once I caught my breath, I said " Well that sums it all up. The issues of Americans with their unrealistic expectations, magical thinking and the problems of American culture infiltrating all other cultures around the world. I too am a victim of Mickey Mouse! Can I quote you?" "Sure. " She says. I have had the opportunity to use that term 4 times now (make that 5) Now I can see more clearly all the troubles I have had in my life trying to adjust to the harsh realities of adulthood.

Blessings:
- Jozè.
- La Pescheria. This is the fish market. I just bought some fresh calamari for the equivalent of $1.50 a pound.
- La Ducesa. This is my favorite Pizzaria. Jozè offered to buy me lunch a couple days ago so I told her I would show her the best in town. We walked over to the La Ducesa, it is right next to the castel of Otranto. We walked into the outside dining area and she says in her beautiful Dutch accent. Oh! I dont like it here!" The waiter approaches and listens to our very Italian like discussion (argument) that follows: "Why?!?" I say with my mouth hanging open. "I dont like the music" she says. " What! This place not only has the best pizza in town it has the lowest prices too. And WHY DONT YOU LIKE BOB MARLEY! I LOVE Bob Marley! He was a poet, a peacemaker and a prophet! A great man!". She says. "He was abusive to his wife and children and besides the music is too loud too!. " I look over at the waiter... he nods and runs away to change the music and turn it down low. "Hows that?" I say to her. "Thats good. Okay we have lunch now." I went in yesterday and as soon as he saw me, the waiter ran off to turn on Bob Marley and crank it up!. My kind of restaurant! My favorite pizza there is the mushroom, cheese and toasted walnut pizza. awesome!

Curses:
- Il Posto Italiani! (the italian postal service)
- Swelling feet, ankles and one knee.
- Fingers stained purple from pulling black olive pits out of my mouth. You find them hiding in many foods and you must be very careful. I'm afraid I might break a tooth too.
- Still hand washing my clothes. I just did the equivalent of two washing machine loads and I have another soaking. My arms and hands ache yikes. I was very busy and waited too long to do them. One good thing, all that soap, scrubbing and wringing... almost got the purple stains off my fingers, lol lol.

Instead of doing sketching and painting like I had hoped I could do when I was not busy with school, I am writing, writing, writing! I have filled 4 notebooks with written pieces and will have no problem with blog updates till long after I get home. Some of the pieces I have done and will post in the coming days include:
*A piece on the Opinion Poll I have been doing.
*A piece on the Italian Lover vs the French lover.
*Il Sole Italiano, (The Italian Sun.) with pics of my mosaic work of same.
*The piece on Cars and Drivers I have mentioned before and still have not completed.
*The Architecture of Southern Italy.
And I have a long list of topics and incomplete thoughts jotted down i want to write about. Maybe I will get a book out of this afterall. hahahaha.

Good news! With all the money saving things I am doing (faster typing, less cappucino, no wine and no pastries, staying at Jozè's for 4 days while in Holland), and all the love and money people are sending I am about three quarters of the way to my goals!

I love you all sooooo! io vado ora. presto!

Prima La Terra! and il Posto Italiano!

Ciao Amici,

I am very motivated to attend an Environmental Education event next weekend in a town nearby. I think I will learn a lot and make some good contacts. Networking!
http://www.mediterre.it/2008/en/

I have been studying up on all the Italian vocabulary words associated with my conservation work of the past years. After working so many educational booths at events I am a regular documentary on the topics of ancient forests and salmon. I pitched my schpeel to over 1000 people at the last Earthdance in the EPIC/SRF booth. I have done a hundred of these events too.

I can do the whole educational pitch in Italian now so I tried it out for the teacher and students in my mosaic class yesterday. They were very interested and seemed to get excited by my informative presentation. They asked a lot of questions and I was able to answer most of them. I wrote down all the words I could not grasp easily and I am studying up on them. The event is free and I am looking for (a cheap or free) place to stay and a ride over so that I can attend the event. Here's a few terms you may need to know lol lol. Azione diretto (direct action) incartennersia (lockdown), udienza corte (court hearings), globale caldo (global warming), corporazione parlamo bugia (corporations tell lies). I think I am ready.

"il mio lavoro è tutela dell'ambiente. La forests antico e discomparare troppo rapido. Le specie in via d'estinzione. Le salmone bisogno corso d'acqua c'e chiaro e freddo. Noi abbiamo farò restaurazione ora!

Get it? I'll bet you do!

Non Compromesso in Difesa la Terramadre!
Prima La Terra! (fist goes up!)
(Darryl, I need a t-shirt)



I had my first experience with the Italian Postal Service today and I wish I did not ever have to do it again, but I will have to go back tomorrow!

My friend and guardian angel Enzo sent me a laptop by express post on Monday. He said it was supposed to arrive Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. It did not arrive and today (friday I went to the post office to see if they had it there for me. I stood in line for 40 minutes with 6 people in front of me. When it was my turn I approached the man behind the counter. It went like this.

Forse parla englese un po? por favore. (perhaps you speak a little english please?) He said... "a little. Write it down please." and pushed a paper and pen at me. I wrote:

My friend in Bari sent a package to me by express post on Monday. It has been 5 days now and it has not arrived. Could you please check to see if it is here?

He says asks in Italian. " you have a friend in Bari? I say "yes". " he sent you a package when?" I say in Italian. "on Monday". He says " there are two ways to send a package, how did he send it?". I say " by express post". He says "when did he send it?"... I say "Monday." He asks "it was a package?" I says "yes." He asks again. What method did he send it?" . I say ""express post and it has been 5 days now". He says "write down the name and address on the package". I did that and gave him the paper. He asks again "what day did he send it?." people are starting to snicker now. I say "LUNADI" a little louder in case he is hard of hearing. People start laughing now. He asks again... What method did he send it. The man in line behind me says "by EXPRESS POST!" very loudly! Then he asks" what kind of package?" I say "A laptop". Then he says... what is Laptop?" Two men from the line step up and start an animated argument with the man behind the counter. They explained to him, in detail, everything I had said. They went round and round. After several minutes I interupt the argument and I asked "would you just check to see if it is here, please?". This whole scene went on for 10-15 minutes and the post office was closing for lunch. He finally says I just dont understand. Everyone behind the counter was heartily laughing now. "OK!" I said "I WILL RETURN TOMORROW!" and left. Sheeesh!

Seems like my education here has not just been about Italian language and culture (services, art, cooking, history) it has also been about love, separation, spirit and facing fears as well. I am looking forward to learning about the Italian methods of conservation and restoration now too!

My mosaic piece "Il Sole Italiano" or "The Italian Sun" is coming along well and people are very impressed. Everyone is taking pictures of it in it's evolutions and my teacher is calling me a" Maestro" already. hehehehe She has not had to give me any help. Oh and the materials are not ceramic tile as I had thought! They are tiny pieces of cut and polished stone! I will post some pictures of it soon.

I'm starting to get responses for meeting my financial needs, so if you can send something... please do.
Thank you!

Amore, Amore, Love, Love. A piu tardi. (see you later)