Gli Ultimi Giorni

Ciao a tutti!

I finished my exams, as you all know! But now I'm kind of confused as to what to do. I have no work to do, no studying... it's kind of weird. So I just take every opportunity to walk around in Venice, knowing that these last days are important. Yesterday I ate lunch with my Italian friends and chatted with them before they had to go upstairs for their final class. I then saw my Shakespeare professor, Prof. Doering from Munich. He liked my paper, which made me feel really good.

After wasting a lot of time on the computer, I took the vaporetto at 4:50 with the Italian students. I had actually had nothing better to do so I decided to walk with Laura Meggetto and Laura Brandolin to the train station, as they had to go home to Castelfranco and Treviso. So after they got on the train, I just started walking, wondering where the street would take me.

I actually ran into Anthony's dad! Just by chance, and I explained to him how cool it is that you can run into people you know after just five minutes of walking in Venice. Anyway, Mr. Dragotto asked if I wanted to join him and Anthony for dinner. Of course I did, I said, especially after missing out on the last time. So right after I was walking away I got a text from Anthony, and he said 9:15 at Taverna San Trovaso, one of our favorite spots. But I planned on walking slowly toward Campo Santa Margherita, just taking in the last of Venice.

I ran into Stella on the way, she was taking the bus to Mestre, where her home is. I just love it, it's so easy to see friends while walking in Venice! When I got to Campo Santa Margherita, I saw Sarah and Judith, my German friends, and we sat and talked for a while. It was actually a little chilly temperature wise. As we kept talking a group began to gather at the center of the campo... they were having a silent rave, everyone listening to the same MP3 track and dancing, listening to their iPods. And we saw some of the other American students there too, listening and dancing. So we got a spritz and enjoyed the atmosphere.

I kind of stood off to the side and started talking to a few Italian engineering students. This one guy, Fabrizio, had been talking to some of my American friends and then I started talking with him. So he told me about this party, planned by Ca' Foscari, like the other party at San Giobbe which was a lot of fun! Anyway, this one was at San Basilio, which I had never heard of actually but he told me it was down by Zattere and the Stazione Marittima. So I was kind of interested.

But at this time, it was getting close to 9, so I got in touch with Anthony. I met up with Anna and went to Piazzale Roma, unfortunately Anthony and his dad somehow were close to the taverna already. So we turned back and went through Campo Santa Margherita, where we saw some of the other Italian students who were planning on going home soon to start studying for their last presentation. We got to Taverna San Trovaso, where Anthony, Mr. Dragotto and Juliana were waiting. Dinner was really nice -- I ordered the lasagne con ricotta e spinaci. We also got some prosecco, which was particularly nice. We were there for a couple hours, mostly just chatting about similarities and differences between cultures. A lot of fun.

So after this, I went back to Campo Santa Margherita. It was a really big group of friends, and I love hanging out with them of course, but this time it was just a little overwhelming. I used up the rest of my calling card to call Vittoria for her birthday. I went back to my friends in the campo after the call but I felt kind of tired and a little overwhelmed by the number of people... so I walked by myself to San Basilio, where the Ca' Foscari party was. I found it easily enough, so that was good. I even saw the guys I saw before, Fabrizio and company. But I didn't go up to them, I just kind of walked around, maybe I would see some friends from VIU. But I didn't. And that's ok... but it was really an incredible party... all these Ca' Foscari students absolutely going crazy dancing to this euromix music, which I really like but the other American students don't care for too much. But I just kind of felt left out or in the middle, I don't know, because I wanted to be in both of these places, but at the same time I didn't really feel like I belonged. Whatever. Being at the Ca' Foscari party at San Basilio, I didn't feel odd or out of place because of cultural differences, I realized, but because I just didn't know anyone. It would be the same thing going to a party in the US where you don't know anyone.

So I've been trying to figure out why I walked by myself to San Basilio, and I don't really know why. I think it may be a sign that I'm ready to go home. At least, that's how I have to interpret this. It's kind of like interpreting a dream in a way. But it was really strange.

I ended up staying up really late last night talking to my sister and Vittoria on the phone since it's both of their birthdays. I didn't go to bed before 3 and I had to wake up at 8:15 so I could catch a vaporetto into Venice. I met Elena this morning to go buy plates and forks for the VIU picnic that they were planning. So whatever. I'm pretty hungry now, actually, even if I am dead tired. I don't know where many of the students are right now: there are two Israelis here in here, both Elena and Stella, the two Italians, and a couple German students I don't know who are here for a conference.

HOURS LATER
I have to say, I've been feeling really bad recently. I don't know what it is... I guess I kind of feel in the middle... which is pretty usual, but this is different since I feel in the middle between Italy and the US as places, not cultures. I really, really, really want to be home right now, that is, in Boston, with all the people I care about and have been missing so much. But I feel connected to this city and this region of Italy, especially from the friends I've made, and so it'll be hard for me to leave too. It's hard to explain right now, but even though I should be celebrating with the others I have a different mindset for most people. I'm just stuck... it's really like I can see something at the end of the tunnel that I really want, but I don't want to walk to it, I just want to be there. Oh yeah, that makes sense too, because I've figured out I hate traveling, I just like living and being. Haha.

So our "picnic" went off fine. Of course, not everyone came but that was fine. Really, it was most of the Italians who just came out of class, the last one! And it was also me, Anthony, and Anthony's dad. That's it. But Elena made an insalata di riso (rice salad... she made it herself) as well as an amazing torta di mele. So good. And after the lunch we just sat around and talked. It was great, really relaxing. I don't really know what the other BC students were up to but I wanted to spend as much time as I could with my Italian friends in these last few days... after all, American culture won't be in short supply when I go back to Boston.

I took a nap this afternoon. Waking up early to go into Venice was rough, I have to say. But anyway, I woke up and it was time for the "VIU closing ceremony." This was a time for picture slideshows that were made by some of the VIU students (foremost Elena and Stella) and then Prof. Luca Pes announced the winners of some academic awards. There were maybe seven or eight winners total... and I'm maybe a little embarrassed to say I won one (secchione is the Italian word for someone who studies too much). But, on the other hand, I won a really nice book which is a collection of English literature written in Venice during the 20th century. Lauren Mastronardi, who toughed it out with me in Prof. Northrup's Islamic Africa course, also won, and so did my Italian friend Francesca.

So after this ceremony there was a reception with things to eat and drink, of course. So we had some spritz, some prosecco and some panini. It was a little formal at first with all the professors present, and I got a chance to talk to some of them. It was actually really nice. And of course all of us, the students, took photos. There was also a DJ and so music was going, and eventually we all went up onto the porch where there's an unreal view of the Lago di Venezia that we've been taking for granted... up until now, maybe. It was great to just be together with everyone, Italians, Americans, Japanese, Israelis, Germans. Again, I can't stress how excited I am to get back to Boston!!!!! I am really just jumping out of my skin with excitement. But it's going to be hard to say goodbye to this environment, this city, and especially these people. And not speaking Italian on a daily basis will probably make a small part of me die each day until I come back to this country, most beautiful of all.

Andrew