I started writing this post while in quarantine. And, as you may be able to imagine, felt rather uninspired to finish it once I had finished my 14 days of isolation and moved onto "freedom". However, now things have come (almost) full circle, which has prompted me to pick up this draft again and to finish it.
Before... ~3 weeks ago:
I am writing this 13 days into quarantine - my current status: pajamas as "presentable", three days into a Harry Potter marathon, and intermittent Duolingo usage. Needless to say, I am excited to start classes.
But these days have been filled with their own joyful moments. And the slow pace to start off life in a new place has definitely been a blessing.
It has given me time to notice the little things - for example, the fact that Hulu doesn't work internationally. Thankfully, Netflix is international, the options just vary depending on location. Lucky for me, Friends is available in Italy, which means I've been able to laugh at the episodes all over again - a very satisfying situation given the show was taken off of Netflix in America (information for all "non-fans").
But, more seriously, I have been able to better engage with the present. I've had the mental space to allot full focus on different tasks, and have had a few mishaps that have turned into learning moments.
For instance, I've been able to buff up my Italian (at least the bureaucratic words) while working on my permesso di soggiorno (PdS) - Italian for permit of stay; it is what is needed for me to be a legal resident here in Italy - application. I've acquired some new words in my vocabulary while filling it out:
Indirizzo - address (which I have memorized, CAP and all from filling it out repeatedly)
CAP - no idea what it stands for, but it's the equivalent of a zip code
Codice fiscale - fiscal code (an individual code based off of some formula which seems to be needed for just about everything - imagine the importance of a social security number, with the "security" of a cell phone number)
Marca da bollo - Italian tax stamp of a specified monetary amount (strangely, you cannot buy this at the post office, where you need to submit the application at - instead, you can buy it at the tobacco shop! There are as many here as there are gas stations in the States)
Passaporto - just kidding, that one's fairly obvious
Working my way around a PdS application - with the gracious help and advice of others who have been through the process before - taught me both Italian language and Italian bureaucracy. Some of the words may or may not be useful in the future, but overall it has allowed me to dip my toes into the pool of Italian governmental procedures - it seems to be olympic-sized.
I have also learned how to successfully remove oil stains - a hurdle I was forced to face when I decided to use pesto in my dinner one night. The stain produced on my shirt - after an inevitably clumsy moment involving some pasta falling off of my fork - was eliminated with some dish soap and a few wash cycles. Thank goodness we don't use dryers here, or that stain would have been with me for my entire stay in this country, maybe even longer.
Of course, extra time has meant cooking, baking, and pasta making. I've still been able to take part in adventures while confined to the apartment, most of which happen in the kitchen with my roommate(s) who are inspiring me to cook more and more. My taste buds have rarely been happier. A slideshow to follow below - the flavor, unfortunately, is more difficult to capture on camera.
Pictured above:
A simple parfait with yogurt, granola, bananas, and cinnamon ~ cannella. Nothing masterchef about this, it simply looked pretty in the sunlight.
Lemon bars - a light balance of lemon and sugar. The powdered sugar on top ended up being quite the challenge to make. As we only had normal sugar, we tried putting it in a food processor to make it finer. However, the granules would not blend, but stuck to the sides of the food processor because of residual water from handwashing. Hygroscopic much? This problem was solved with a mortar and pestle and a little elbow grease.
Saffron risotto - made by my Italian roommates, I had the pleasure to partake (mostly watch in awe) in the authentic process. A lovely combination of flavors, some more subtle than others. The taste of the celery, onion, and carrot that were used to make the vegetable broth which the risotto was cooked in all came through in the final dish. What a wonderful reminder that the ingredients we use truly matter.
Pasta frolla - a sweet dough that creates biscotti (cookies) that make you feel like the queen when eating them with sips of tea. Topped with cinnamon sugar and assumed etiquette.
Handmade orecchiette - a kind of pasta that means "small ears". I have found that making things like pasta and bread are not so complex when it comes to ingredients, but they require time and engagement to create. Feeling for the right texture is important - your fingers know the dough is ready before your brain does. It requires an awareness outside of the mind, onto the flour-covered table where the kneading happens.
Nutella cupcakes - of course, garnished with the creamy hazelnut and chocolate spread, but the real treat was the nutella filling inside of the confection. A process that required us to first freeze spoonfuls of nutella so they would remain intact when baking inside of cupcake batter. Can you tell we like dessert in this apartment?
I think some of my favorite moments so far have been in the kitchen. Above gustation, food and I have gotten to know each other much better. I've learned Italian cooking terms and techniques by witnessing them in action. And I've learned some things not to do. For example:
An Italian faux pas: pouring oil in the water used to cook pasta (!!). I'm going to be honest here, thanks to advice from Americans, I really thought that was a technique until a day or two ago. So I am glad I learned this early on - hopefully I will now avoid future humiliation.
I have even more recently learned that adding salt to the water should be done once it is already boiling, not in the beginning to "help it boil faster". I have learned that even my simplest ideas are often wrong. At least here. What better way to learn than in the Italian kitchen?
All of these experiences have made time spent inside sweeter. I am becoming a student of the moment, where there is usually something to learn whether it's related to food, language, or anything else.
After... ~now:
How could I be back in quarantine?! Well, I'm not, not personally anyways. But things feel very similar. With the COVID situation continuously changing here, the region I am living in has entered a "red zone", which essentially means the only outdoor movement that is allowed is anything that can be proven necessary (i.e. going to the grocery store or the pharmacy, seeing a doctor, taking a walk, going to work, and a few other things).
But even at the grocery store, I have learned that not all things are "necessary". And, further, anything that is "unnecessary" cannot be bought. I learned this the hard way when trying to buy a colander along with my groceries this week.
Apparently I can have my pasta, but I can't strain it too. Oh well.
Dissimilar to quarantining, I have been able to roam outside of my apartment intermittently. For a much needed walk. About once a week for school - although most classes are now online, lab experiences can still be conducted in person. For groceries: the best way I have found being - for both sustainability purposes and for my own sanity - through outdoor markets. Plants, fresh produce, artisanal items like cheese, meat, fish, bread, and more are made available in these wonderful markets held in various piazze throughout town. It is a delightful opportunity to walk around in the sunshine, support the local economy, and to practice Italian when buying items.
Although, somewhat surprisingly to me, living a very online life in the red zone hasn't been all bad. In fact, I have been overwhelmed with what a blessing technology can be. A lot of events can still unfold by computer or phone.
Classes - full clarity here, online classes aren't perfect. Sometimes the sound and/or video cuts out, there can be increased difficulty in understanding what is said, and it is much easier to feel disengaged. But it is really uplifting to see how hard the professors and staff are working to still create a meaningful experience. And I've learned about subjects that really fascinate me.
One of my favorites so far has been a philosophy class on sustainability and the environment. Before taking it, I wondered how these two subjects would intersect. And then, with philosophical guidance, the class led me to continue to wonder.
How do we (humans) perceive our environment? Why? What is our role in it? How can sustainability be defined? Are the definitions we have sufficient? How can they be reformed to not be dominated by human understanding? What does the environment have to say, and to teach? .........
I really enjoyed stretching my understanding in this class. It has helped me to think critically in my other classes instead of falling into the easy pattern of taking things as they are presented without question.
A unique aspect of my program is that we don't have classes scheduled on a semester basis. Instead, we have a constant rotation of sessions with guest speakers and professors on different subjects, so my classes change from week to week. It hit me this week what a true privilege it is to be learning from so many people who are experts in their respective fields. And, it would not be possible to learn from them if technology did not connect us.
FaceTime - I am so very thankful for this. What a joy to be connected with loved ones, and to see their faces! Talking to everyone at home has been made so accessible with this resource. I'm finding that it is much more engaging to be able to see the person I am conversing with - to see the setting they are in, and to show them mine. I've been able to give a few virtual apartment tours, as well as view pieces of home - my parents snuggled up with our dogs in the living room, Isaac walking around his kitchen where we have cooked countless dinners together, Katie showing me her little birds while explaining their personalities that she cares for so well - that remind me I am grateful to have this home to return to.
I am also thankful that this modernity allows me to be a part of events as they happen. The most notable of which, so far, has been Isaac's first sermon (!!) that he was asked to preach a few weeks ago.
Thanks to my mother's willingness to to FaceTime me throughout the service, I was able to watch as Isaac spoke to a congregation about the Lord.
It was an absolute blessing to be connected into the church in those moments. To not only see the humble, beautiful message that was delivered, but also to see the support and the connection that happened around it.
Seeing my parents there to support in person, along with dear friends and church members, sparked so much joy inside of me. While I would've loved nothing more than to be there in person, I saw so clearly how supported Isaac is by so many people. And it because the Lord has blessed him and brought those relationships in his life, which he has welcomed in with open arms.
Being connected over a distance is proving to be a disguised blessing; it grows understanding in me that I wouldn't have just operating in my usual routines at home.
Whatsapp - A messaging app that is the primary platform for most communication here. I particularly appreciate this app because it connects me to the international community that I have become a part of. And so even when we can't be together in person, my classmates, roommates, and other community members can all communicate in this space. I think it's something I often overlook, but that I am starting to really appreciate. Because I can get to know my classmates better even if I cannot physically go to class with them every day. And so these conversations carry on, even in a world where physical isolation is widespread.
I have experienced a bit of degradation here when it comes to COVID regulations. Things have continued to get stricter, which makes it easier to feel disheartened. But what continues to push me forward is the reminder to trust in God, and to cultivate constant gratitude. A devotional Isaac got for me called Jesus Calling has really been encouraging me on this. And I have to admit, it's not always easy. I am in a program where in normal times, I could be traveling to different countries for class trips, making weekend plans to go to restaurants or cooking big dinners with other students. Most of that is limited now. And so the most natural reaction is to be bummed about it. But what can that do? A line from one of the daily devotionals that struck me was:
"... a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life... Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me [Jesus] and fills you with joy."
And so this has been encouraging me to look at things from a perspective of gratitude. I don't always do well with it, but with what I wrote out above, I know have much to be thankful for. God is blessing me above my needs, and I desire more and more to make the effort to see that and to recognize Him in it all.
Verses that have been shaping my perspective of gratitude:
Psalm 59:16, John 16:22, Psalm 84:12, Philippians 4:4, Hebrews 12:28