10 Things

The Morning
Inspiration is a hard thing to come by; it either comes naturally or sometimes it’s artificially induced. I don’t have any of those artificial enhancers nor have I ever taken them. So, I’m stuck with hoping that something comes naturally Today is my last official day in Siena and the only thing that I am wishing is that time stops or even slows down. I’m almost uninspired today because I’m not happy with leaving.

I’m up pretty early today because, amongst other things, I have to do some last minute packing. Most of it is actually done, but there are some last minute items that need to be packed away at the last minute like all the bathroom items. I’m remembering the Easter weekend, it started with the dinner on Friday night, Florence and Gli Uffizi on Saturday, culminating with Easter Vigil on Saturday night. Easter itself was relaxing and I spent part of the day doing some very last minute shopping for my grandma, my host family, the Gorla family, who will be my unofficial hosts for the next few days, and one very important thing for me. Pesto, my favorite of all the Italian sauces (it tastes amazing in Italy) is one thing that I absolutely must take back with me. It’s the only thing that is extremely important for me to bring back. In a few minutes I’m off to meet with Caitlin for one final breakfast in Siena. I’ll have to wake her up first though with the rude morning phone call.

Mid Morning to Afternoon, Part 1
When I arrived at Piazza del Campo, I couldn’t believe just how great the day was looking. The sun was out but it was still a little chilly. This means that I still had my winter coat on. I have become accustomed to describing these conditions as “C’è il sole però un po’ di fresco”. I deviated from our morning meeting point so that I could stand in the sun and soak in as much radiation as possible. Somehow, Caitlin found me without any use of our mobiles or SMS. After our first cappuccino and brioche, the weather took a turn for nasty. Within seconds of finishing the first part of our breakfast, rain started pouring, the wind was blowing, and stuff was everywhere. The waiters were scrambling to get everything buttoned down. Caitlin and I were absolutely beside ourselves and really could not believe how quickly the weather had turned. After trying to grin and bear it for a few, we decided to take our breakfast inside and continue there.

The Afternoon, Part 2
After moving ourselves inside, we treated ourselves to another cappuccino and brioche and conquered a variety of topics. As some folks might remember, it was my intention to stay completely away from native English speakers and in particular Americans. Nothing against Americans or native English speakers; it’s just that I have ample opportunities to meet them in America and, actually, I have ample opportunities to meet them in many other countries too. I’m also trying to perfect my accent and it’s especially hard to do that around Americans because the Italian accent isn’t something that they can quite master. Although, I’ve decided that the Portugese and British accents are MUCH worse. About four or so weeks prior to today, Caitlin and I met each other in the internet point (we also go to the same school) and after hanging out for the next four weeks together, we found that we had plenty of things to talk about in both English and Italian. So, today, this afternoon I was not only saying farewell to a city that I have fallen for, but I was also, sadly, saying farewell to my best friend of four weeks. E-mails, our blogs, and the occasional phone call will be our means of contact from this point on.

The afternoon took an interesting turn when about four tables worth of American tourists sat next to us. Four tables, in case anyone is wondering, is the equivalent of about 16 Italians or 10 Americans. Yes, we are a portly population, but we also take up a lot of space. I do it too, I find myself taking up a lot of space when I sit down at a table, on the train, or anywhere else for that matter. I had disappeared off to the bathroom and when I came back, Caitlin was in full swing with them. I’m exaggerating a little when I say that they had already covered life, death, and miracles (vita, morte, e miracoli), but in summary, they were already talking about each other’s future life plans. Was I really gone that long? Caitlin gave them an expert explanation of Siena (it’s hard to resist selling a product that you truly believe in), the Palio, Contrade, and even a short lesson on how to hail a taxi. After talks of philosophy, life, economy, school, relationships, and even business, it was just as fun to chat with a table full of mature Americans (40 and over that is...they were all well over 55 actually) who, strangely, hailed from the South and California. Doesn’t this always happen? For her efforts, Caitlin earned herself a 5€ stipend (don’t forget to report this to the IRS) from Bill (one of the guys in the group who was particularly interested in how to hail a taxi), and, most importantly, a bevy of well deserved and merited comments that ranged from how pretty she was to how impressed they were of her extensive knowledge of Siena. Fastidiosamente brava e bella.

Farewell, Conclusion
Before leaving, we rewarded ourselves with beer and potato chips. Yes, breakfast started at 9 but it was ending at around noon. I guess potato chips have become a lot more popular because I don’t remember eating a lot of them a few years ago when I was in Italy. We walked back to my apartment and after some brief introductions with Carla, Caitlin helped me collect my bags. My taxi arrived immediately, I jumped in and the taxi driver and I sped off to the train station.

A quick explanation on the title of this entry: 10 Things. At breakfast, Caitlin and I discussed Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You. I won’t introduce it any further except to say that there was a poem in the movie. So, with that, here is my poem:

I hate that, today, I must leave a city and a friend
It’s the natural order, all good things come to an end
Still, I couldn’t have asked for anything more
Memories and experiences that I will always adore

I leave Siena today, knowing that I will return
For this desire I will remain steadfast and stern
I know that the next time won’t be the same
It’s tough to match the first, with similar acclaim

Still, I will always have this treasure
And lots of photos for good measure
In case I forget, I now know who to seek
Someone down for whatever and very unique

I close with gratitude for everything and everyone
I enjoyed every minute and it was all great fun