Ciao! Come va?
On Thursday morning I took a train to Venice for my Italian friends' graduation, and arrived around 11:30 with 4 hours to explore the city alone. I bought a map outside the train station for emergencies only, tucked it away in my purse, and set out to discover the sights and sounds of this beautiful city. I veered away from the tourists-oh there are so, so many as this is the height of the season-and ventured down the quieter, narrow streets away from the references advertisting San Marco square for example, because I wanted to meet Venice first as a friend. I discovered alleys so narrow, you almost had to walk sideways to get through. I came to many dead-ends along the way, as random corridors would often lead me to a small canal that the citizens use to arrive to their homes. I stumbled upon waterways that held private boats-the cars of Venice- waiting patiently for her owner while above the clothes dried peacefully in the wind and the occasional Italian flag flowed freely.
I walked for 2 hours in this way, finding the fish market-a popular seagull hangout, observing a few private Venetian gardens, as having the space and money for this is a luxury in Venice, and getting a feel of perhaps the reality of life outside tourist season for those who call Venice home. I take pride in my natural tendancy to stray away from the superficial facades of a city and locate the heart. Upon viewing the pictures of the day, my Italian friends commented I was an "atypical tourist".
The graduation! Tiziana and Flaminia graduated with a doctorate in architecture. The presentation was set for 4:30, however when I arrived at the Institute of Architecture at 4:00, they were official graduates. Their professor had called at 10:00 am that very morning to annouce their presentation was changed from 4:30 to 1:30. Tiziana explained that in Venice there is not a conciousness of time. As there are no cars, buses, and subways, the professors are often late and change appointments. Even Tiziana thinks this is very strange, and said this is only in Venice. She commented "especially for you, I am sure you think this is very, very strange". I was disappointed to miss their presentation but I was just in time for the 400 year-old tradition, born in Padova, called "Festa di Laurea". This way of celebrating a graduation started in the 2nd oldest university in all of Italy, in Padova. Prior to the celebration the family and friends prepare a "Papiro" or an poster made from Eygptian paper with exagerrated stories of the graduate's life written in rhyme. Tiziana and Flaminia stood before these posters in a square outside the university, Tiziana in her bra and underwear, Flaminia in a short skirt and shirt, to read these papers as family and friends threw eggs, flour, tomatos, water balloons, gelato and what not their way. Each time the graduate stumbles in their reading of the rhyming story, he or she must drink. By the end of the ceremony the graduate is often drunk! With a bottle of wine in hand for Tiziana, and vodka with pineapple juice in Flaminia's hand, they would drink upon the spectators yelling in Italian "dolche" or something else I did not understand. Also they would sing a song in dialect, "Dottore, dottore, dottore del buso del cul!" Translation-"Doctor, doctor, doctor of asshole." During this reading which lasted about an hour, tourists who would stop and stare with eyes wide, sometimes taking pictures, other graduates would walk by on the way to their celebration yelling perhaps encouraging words, and the family and friends all the while laughing and enjoying the time. Tiziana and Flaminia were quite a sight and smell at the conclusion of this ceremony.
After leaving Venice, I went with Tiziana to her home and then to her family graduation dinner. We had dinner at a beautiful vineyard on top of a mountain overlooking her hometown of Monselice. This time was very nice, as we ate and ate, drank and drank, and at times left the table to sit in rocking type chairs to look at the lights below. Her family was very welcoming and I only wish I could have spoken or understood more Italian so I could know what all they were saying. Tiziana's brother, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend's brother spoke English well so this was enjoyable for me but again if I knew Italian I would be able to understand everyone!
Friday Tiziana and I took a short tour of the ancient Monselice, and then met Flaminia for lunch and an afternoon of talking and laughing at Tiziana's house. I feel so lucky to have these friends. They are very welcoming, giving, and FUN!
I will spend the weekend at the lake here with the Materossi family. I have only a few more days here, as we leave for Croatia around August 11th. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Love, Natalie