Sunday, March 10, 2013

Con Affetto

Last week, we packed up our things and once again relocated - this time, driving along the coast from Tuscania all the way to Roma - the capital, the eternal city. I wanted to record a few last Tuscania thoughts before starting in on Roma.

My last two weeks in Tuscania were filled with beautiful experiences (but who's surprised?), and I started to realize just how much I would miss this little town and all of the people there who made it feel like home for me. Our advisor, Mei, took us on several outings in our last days - to an agriturismo or farm for wine-tasting and appetizers, to a cabin built in a tree, to a local shop with homemade products and the world's sweetest proprietor, to a gelato place on a lake, and finally, to the thermal baths or terme, where we stayed all day soaking in the sun!

the agriturismo
the house in the tree







We also went on two more day trips - one with our history class to Vulcii, a park with massive Etruscan and Roman archaeological excavations. We saw parts of an Etruscan wall and aqueduct, and also explored the remains of a Roman house - including the creepy crypt beneath it! 
We then went to an Etruscan museum in a medieval castle near the site. Etruscans were fascinating to study because historians are still learning about them. We haven't deciphered their writing, and we really don't know much about their way of life beyond the way that they treated their dead.

Our advisor Massimo took us to Civita di Bagnoregio, a place which seemed extra-strange and haunting due to the fog hanging around the town that day. The Civita sits atop a steep hill, and the sides of the hill are continually eroding from rain and landslides, making the Civita look ever-more precarious and interesting. When we saw it, it seemed to be rising out of the fog, and we seemed to be walking out of the clouds themselves when we came down. Massimo took us to his favorite bruschetteria, where we had amazing bruschetta, sausages, roasted potatoes, and house wine. The restaurant had a big fireplace in the back where they cooked the entire meal.

What I realized I would miss most about Tuscania, though, was the people. I was lucky in Tuscania to have three absolutely amazing (and very different) advisors, who had the time to really teach me about life in general and life in this place in particular. I will also really miss my Italian teacher, who proved to me how easy it can be to communicate with no common language between you if you simply want it enough. Some things are just universal, and friendship is one of those things. On the last day of classes, I wrote my teacher a note in Italian, and had my advisor proofread it. "How should I end my letter?" I asked her. "Con affetto," she responded with certainty. I think this is the perfect phrase to end my stay in Tuscania, too - with affection.





Even though I only knew these people for a little while, their influence on me was pretty significant. I plan to keep in contact with a few of them, which helps me practice my Italian as well. It was a little sad to leave this chapter of my adventure behind... but I think Roma will prove just as much of a beautiful lesson, in a different way.


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