Okay, yes, I'm still here. Two weeks ago we had our week-long trip to Campania, and this past week was the last week of the seminar. Almost everyone left yesterday or this morning - hard to believe it's over!
Lately I haven't been blogging because Dr. Leach has been putting so much pressure on me to start dissertation work that it's just easier to avoid being in the library (and thus on the internet) to begin with. She is just tickled pink to have all this time to do work, whereas I would really rather be enjoying my last few days in Rome. A direct quote "It's just so hard to make myself go down the hill [to Trastevere and the rest of Rome] when I could be in the library!" Funny, I'm having the exact opposite problem!
My irritation kind of hit a high point the other night when I was talking to someone about a chapter she had me read. I said something about wanting to make a copy of it before I left so that I could take it home, and she squawked "Oh, but we have that at Indiana!" Then why is it so damn important that I read it here?!
I know that it's important to get started on a dissertation as soon as possible. I know that. People keep telling me that "the best dissertation is a done dissertation" and "work on it every day for at least a few minutes" and other well meaning advice, but I'm not going to have a brilliant brainstorm in a single week, especially when I don't want to be reading in the first place.
One lousy week of vacation is not going to keep me from finishing.
I feel like sometimes she is trying to remold me in her own image and it makes me want to scream, "I am not you! I have a life! I have a family that matters! I like to eat chocolate and olive oil and the occasional donut!"
Anyway, enough with the rant. I think I need a vacation from my vacation, and I definitely need one from my advisor.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
There are rules, and then there are "rules"
That's this week's lesson from Italy.
One example: no swimming in the fountain. But the "rule" is that you can do it after 6, if there are no important guests around, and you don't drip chlorinated water on the grass when you're drying off.
Another one at the Academy: there's a rule that, in order to use the computer room, you have to put down a 26 Euro deposit. But Gianpaolo, the administrative assistant, will give out the computer password to anyone who asks.
Then yesterday, when we went to Ostia, we asked in advance to get into one of the warehouses. Now, the sopretendenza said that it absolutely was not possible - they store stuff in there, and absolutely don't want tourists poking around. Then, while we were at the site, Eve asked the guard who opened up one place for us, and she said something to the effect of "Oh, sure! I know the person who works over there - I'll call him and tell him you're coming!" So we got in. Another house worked exactly the same way.
So it all goes to show that, especially in Italy, it doesn't hurt to keep asking, push the limits, and generally see what you can get away with.
One example: no swimming in the fountain. But the "rule" is that you can do it after 6, if there are no important guests around, and you don't drip chlorinated water on the grass when you're drying off.
Another one at the Academy: there's a rule that, in order to use the computer room, you have to put down a 26 Euro deposit. But Gianpaolo, the administrative assistant, will give out the computer password to anyone who asks.
Then yesterday, when we went to Ostia, we asked in advance to get into one of the warehouses. Now, the sopretendenza said that it absolutely was not possible - they store stuff in there, and absolutely don't want tourists poking around. Then, while we were at the site, Eve asked the guard who opened up one place for us, and she said something to the effect of "Oh, sure! I know the person who works over there - I'll call him and tell him you're coming!" So we got in. Another house worked exactly the same way.
So it all goes to show that, especially in Italy, it doesn't hurt to keep asking, push the limits, and generally see what you can get away with.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Instead of giving you a list of places I've been (you can look at my pictures for that), instead I present you with a few other lists.
New favorite Italian Words:
zazzera (mosquito)
telefonino (cellphone, literally "little phone")
sta guardando (I'm just looking. Okay, not really one of my favorites, but one that I'm glad I know how to say now)
Favorite new shop:
A fancy-schmancy restaurant called 'Gusto has a cooking shop attached with a massive selection of lovely cookbooks in both Italian and English. I will definitely be there to buy one before I leave.
Things I'm missing:
a washing machine - doing laundry in the sink takes so long!
breakfast - Italians typically have a croissant and an espresso for breakfast. I'm missing cereal, bacon, eggs, oatmeal. Stuff that's more substantial, and won't leave me hungry in 2 hours.
big glasses - the only ones in my kitchen are tiny juice glasses, barely enough for a few swallows of water.
Most hilarious anachronism:
A gladiator (or a legionary, it's hard to tell with these guys) harassing tourists in front of the Trevi Fountain. Missed the mark there by about a thousand years, buddy.
Worst realization:
The exchange rate sucks. I mean, I sort of knew that in my head, but it hadn't really sunk in til I realized yesterday that my 10 Euro soup was more like $16 than the $12 I had originally thought. Plus, although all the stores are having their July sales events (Saldi! Saldi! Saldi!) I still can't afford to actually buy anything.
New discoveries
Yogurt flavored gelato - just barely sweet and very tangy, it's a great combo with any of the fruit flavors. My current favorite is A.C.E, which is Arancia (orange), Carrot, and Limone (lemon) juice made into a sorbet.
A cheese grater also doubles as an easy way to deal with garlic - much faster than chopping. Now literally everything in my kitchen is multi-purpose!
New favorite Italian Words:
zazzera (mosquito)
telefonino (cellphone, literally "little phone")
sta guardando (I'm just looking. Okay, not really one of my favorites, but one that I'm glad I know how to say now)
Favorite new shop:
A fancy-schmancy restaurant called 'Gusto has a cooking shop attached with a massive selection of lovely cookbooks in both Italian and English. I will definitely be there to buy one before I leave.
Things I'm missing:
a washing machine - doing laundry in the sink takes so long!
breakfast - Italians typically have a croissant and an espresso for breakfast. I'm missing cereal, bacon, eggs, oatmeal. Stuff that's more substantial, and won't leave me hungry in 2 hours.
big glasses - the only ones in my kitchen are tiny juice glasses, barely enough for a few swallows of water.
Most hilarious anachronism:
A gladiator (or a legionary, it's hard to tell with these guys) harassing tourists in front of the Trevi Fountain. Missed the mark there by about a thousand years, buddy.
Worst realization:
The exchange rate sucks. I mean, I sort of knew that in my head, but it hadn't really sunk in til I realized yesterday that my 10 Euro soup was more like $16 than the $12 I had originally thought. Plus, although all the stores are having their July sales events (Saldi! Saldi! Saldi!) I still can't afford to actually buy anything.
New discoveries
Yogurt flavored gelato - just barely sweet and very tangy, it's a great combo with any of the fruit flavors. My current favorite is A.C.E, which is Arancia (orange), Carrot, and Limone (lemon) juice made into a sorbet.
A cheese grater also doubles as an easy way to deal with garlic - much faster than chopping. Now literally everything in my kitchen is multi-purpose!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
I'm melllllllllllting....
I'm not sure that I've ever been more grateful for air conditioning. It is really, really hot here. The portiere at the academy keeps insisting that it is supposed to cool off soon, but the Weather Channel says only by a single degree a day. Hah.
I haven't been going out ane exploring all that much, definitely less than I would want, just because it's so hard to make myself leave the nice cool apartment. I can really see why the Italians have their riposo - it is absolutely too hot from 1-4 to be doing anything. So they have a long leisurely lunch and maybe a nap.
I got a bit dehydrated today, I think. The Classical Summer School group was going to the Palatine, and their leader asked Dr. Leach to lead them around, and she agreed on the condition that Eve and I could come too. It was really neat, and I saw a whole lot of things that I had never seen before (pictures soon), but by the end of it I was really dragging. By the time I got back close to my apartment, I realized in kind of a vague way that I had gotten a little tunnel-visiony, but instead of doing the smart thing and stopping to buy a bottle of water, I just kept thinking that once I got back to my apartment, I would get a drink and rest. Obviously not a good idea, but I learned my lesson. At least it's good to know that I can find my way back to my apartment on autopilot, but I need to carry a larger bottle of water. Needless to say, 500ml for 5 hours in the sun is not enough.
I really meant to go back out this afternoon once it cooled off a bit, but again the AC got the better of me. Before dinner I ducked down to the little grocery story across from my apartment, but immediately came back and fixed myself a nice cool salad for dinner.
I haven't been going out ane exploring all that much, definitely less than I would want, just because it's so hard to make myself leave the nice cool apartment. I can really see why the Italians have their riposo - it is absolutely too hot from 1-4 to be doing anything. So they have a long leisurely lunch and maybe a nap.
I got a bit dehydrated today, I think. The Classical Summer School group was going to the Palatine, and their leader asked Dr. Leach to lead them around, and she agreed on the condition that Eve and I could come too. It was really neat, and I saw a whole lot of things that I had never seen before (pictures soon), but by the end of it I was really dragging. By the time I got back close to my apartment, I realized in kind of a vague way that I had gotten a little tunnel-visiony, but instead of doing the smart thing and stopping to buy a bottle of water, I just kept thinking that once I got back to my apartment, I would get a drink and rest. Obviously not a good idea, but I learned my lesson. At least it's good to know that I can find my way back to my apartment on autopilot, but I need to carry a larger bottle of water. Needless to say, 500ml for 5 hours in the sun is not enough.
I really meant to go back out this afternoon once it cooled off a bit, but again the AC got the better of me. Before dinner I ducked down to the little grocery story across from my apartment, but immediately came back and fixed myself a nice cool salad for dinner.
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