Day 6: Italian Church

Today was Sunday.. we actually did not have to get up until 8 or so for showers and breakfast. we then learned a two bus ride to th Church in downtown Lorence... whcih by the way was a very cool building. It was patterned after the pantheon with the down and Corinthian pillars and everything! the servie was mostly in Italian tho they did help us through some of it with some English cues and explanations. and we also had bilingual communion which was cool. after that we got the chance to hang out for a whiel and talk to a few of the local before heading back to the villa. we then proceeded to eat a more american meal with green beans, mash potatoes (which I did not have), and other things. after that we took a break and rested before some classes, though I only had bible at 5. So after that we had a devo in the basement with more of the locals and also the avanti teachers. we then had pizza, and amazingly chips and salsa for dinner!!! they sure know how to fed me! also met a new person that kyle just happened to meet the other day that wanted to practice her Italian. It was very interesting hearing about the differences in the Italian school system and just differences in many things. then I played some cards with some people before heading up here before doing homework and heading to bed!

one thing that I've really started to notice is my love for this culture, and my love of the Italian Language. the more i hear it the more I become fond and intrigued by just hte way in sounds and rolls off the tongue. It is a very interesting society of which I think i could grow to enjoy being apart of for a time. I feel that possibly after this trip I may want to continue ome Italian classes or at least possibly try to keep learning it on my own, for possibly a future visit, or to at least help with art research. but with that said there are many things I still prefer in america over the Italians. I dislike the dirtyness, while yes america isnt the cleanest, but its sitll cleaner that atleast much of what I've seen. I very much enjoy free bathrooms... tho I do see it's purpose and it does make a lot of sense. However, I love the small shows and the smaller feel of everything, because you must go shop to shop to get things you need for even just dinner. I also love the cars. and while much of it has to do with necessity (gas is like 10 euros a liter possibly more not exactly sure...) but also the roads are very small and for those who have driven in these towns know... lines and rules of hte roads are more optional than required.

So all in all it's been a great visit thus far and tho I am so little into the experience It feel like so less time than it really has been. but I'm trying my best to absorb as much as I can and make it a point to really do and see what I can, even tho I really do planing coming back and maybe even staying for an extended amount of time one day, if only just for study or maybe even possibly work.

but for me my favorite moment of the day was church. sitting and listening to the beautiful Italian voices and our groups attempts at the songs we know, only in another language. It sounded wonderful, beautiful, and really gave me another perspective on stories int he gospel. first off Jesus spoke in another language and thus we can't fully grasp everything he really meant or how he meant it. also I can only image the chaos and beauty of the day of Pentecost with many languages being spoken at once so all could here. O what a sound that must have been!