Oktoberfest. I love my life.

About a month and a half ago, two of my friends studying here for the semester (Holly and Kara) called me last minute to tell me that there was one seat left on a flight that they were taking to Munich for Oktoberfest, and I told them to book it. I don’t know what it is about me and flying…but I think in the past if it’s been up to me to book a flight, it just never materializes. For me, booking a flight is like making an appointment to get your wisdom teeth taken out…why would anyone want to do that? I have a perfectly good Volvo in my garage at home that I love to drive, and a million trains to choose from when traveling on this side of the Atlantic. I realize that this is highly impractical and in reality not nearly as safe, but there’s just something inside of me that would rather run into something on the ground instead of falling 30,000 feet out of the sky. Nothing about that sounds appealing to me…even with a parachute. So, long story short, I am so glad that Holly and Kara just booked the ticket for me, because not only would I have cringed at the thought of booking a flight on RyanAir myself but I also haven’t been very good about taking time away from work, which our 7am Friday morning departure was going to force me to do.

Finally, the week of our trip arrived, and we were all really looking forward to a weekend away. Kara and I were also really looking forward to seeing Holly in her traditional ‘dirndl’ all weekend (now I want my own!). We spent the night in a hostel in Pisa, and after a loud night and about 20 minutes of sleep, we headed to the Pisa airport around 5:00am. Not surprisingly, we found ourselves in a check-in line full of American college students all ready for a weekend in Germany. Now, normally before I fly, it is nearly impossible to have a real conversation with me….I want to stand in line, walk to the counter, get my tickets, eat something fattening, get to my chair, fasten my seatbelt, and stare at the seat in front of me until we take off and get into the air. My friends and family could share more than a few stories about my ‘flying freak-outs’, but this could possibly have been the best I have ever felt on a flight. Lately, with all of the long international flights I’ve been on, I’ve been learning to actually look out the window and just enjoy the ride. I have no idea how or when this happened, but it is a huge accomplishment for me. Before I knew it, we were flying over the Alps and looking down over the most beautiful green rolling hills…I didn’t really have an idea of what Germany would look like (besides the buildings), and it was truly breathtaking from the plane as we landed. We flew into Memmigen, a little farming town about 2 hours outside of Munich, and I’m so glad that we did because he had the time to take the train and see the scenery. It didn’t hurt that fall was in full swing and the trees were all bright shades of yellow and red. While we were waiting for the train, we stopped into our first little Germany bakery to get a snack, a coffee, and at 9am, our first beer of the weekend. The earliest I have ever had a drink is probably the bloody mary I needed at 10am at the Texas state fair before the OU/TX game last year….and it was not very enjoyable. This, however, was a lot of fun…even if it was just to hold the pretty blue can and take pictures. It may also have had something to do with the fact that for about 2 hours after a flight I am the happiest person in the world, and just thrilled to be alive. I really do have a problem. Granted, most days I am just thankful to be experiencing everything that I’ve been able to do this year while I’ve been abroad.

It was about a two hour train ride into Munich, and it was thoroughly enjoyable to watch more and more people get on at every stop with their traditional dresses and men in knee high socks…all ready to have a good time. We sat next to a nice Germany man who explained some of the history of Oktoberfest to us-I decided that he looked like Billy from Hocus Pocus (the dead zombie from the cemetery….I didn’t tell him as I realize being called a zombie is not flattering but on our train ride home, I also met a boy who looked just like the blonde bully from the same movie..I have no explanation..maybe it was the beer). When we finally arrived, we brought our bags to our hostel, brushed our hair, and turned right back around to explore Munich. It was the perfect fall day, and I loved everything about the city. We were out for most of the afternoon, and on our way home to get ready for the night we stopped by the Hofbrauhaus to take a few pictures and warm up for the real event later on. It reminded me of a warm ski lodge (except enormous), with huge mugs of beer, the best looking comfort food you’ve ever seen, and people dressed casually or in traditional German costumes just enjoying one another’s company. I made sure to pick up a few mugs to bring home (I have no idea how I ended up fitting three into the kindergarten-sized BACKPACK I brought with me for the weekend…but it happened), and we all went back to the hostel to clean up for the night.

Everyone had told us that it would be almost impossible to get inside of one of the many beer tents (as they are reserved months and months ahead of time), but on our 2nd attempt, we met two great guys who had been working inside who pulled a few strings with security. Christian is officially my favorite person from Oktoberfest….he brought us right inside, got us 3 huge mugs of beer, and let us sit with a table of his friends. It could not have been a better night-we realized later that we had found the locals tent, which made it that much better. Everyone was so welcoming and fun. There was a traditional German band playing, tables and tables and tables full of people standing on the benches singing at the top of their lungs, dancing, and stopping every .2 seconds to say ‘Prost!!!’ and take a drink. We only drank one beer that night and it was more than enough. The tents close around 11pm, and after a night of no sleep, traveling, exploring Munich and experiencing Oktoberfest, that was late enough for everyone. We went back to the hostel, talked about how awesome our night was, and fell right to sleep.

We woke up to dark skies and pouring rain, but that wasn’t about to stop us! Holly put her dirndl right back on and Kara and I layered up to go back to the tents around 10. We stopped at a little coffee shop for some breakfast, and it was AMAZING. German pastries need to win some award…because they are the best. After all things apple and sweet and a cup of coffee…Kara was on a mission for a little more sugar for her drink and on her way, stopped abruptly to look to her left as the woman behind the bar was pulling a fresh batch of chocolate croissants from the oven. “Are those hot…….can I have one???”….the second round of breakfast was well worth it…even for the new profile picture alone, Kara!

We made our way over to the tents, but knew it would be more difficult to get inside today considering we were later than most and it had been cold and rainy. After a few unsuccessful attempts (German security guards are scary)…we first found a smaller tent serving only mixed drinks and desserts. We figured we’d stop in to warm up and then move on. It was like walking into a gingerbread house-it’s amazing to think that they build these incredible ‘tents’ (houses with real walls and a roof) only for a few weeks, and then tear them down. Nothing looks make-shift about them! After having a drink, we wanted to give getting into a more tradition and bigger tent one more shot. We found a younger, warmer looking security guard, and after getting the feeling like we were not going to make it in…I sunk to the level of pulling out a CD and signing it for him (after having him spell his own name because I had no idea how to pronounce it). Naturally, he made me sing first to make sure we weren’t lying…but it worked!! In we went and had beers in our hands within 5 minutes. Longer details aside, we mingled, met tons of friendly people, and had another awesome day. At about 5pm, after a beer and a half, we waved goodbye to Oktoberfest, enjoyed more German food, and went back to the hostel to pick up our things to head back to Memmigen for the night so we could catch our flight in the morning. The weekend went by so quickly, but was absolutely one of the best things I have ever done (and I don’t even love beer!). I will absolutely be picking up a Lowenbrau the next time I am home…I can add it to the list of beer I actually enjoy.

I wish we were able to stay in Memmigen for one extra night, as the town was so quaint. This trip made me realize just how close I am to all of these amazing places (it was only an hour flight), and that I need to try to keep taking advantage of it while I can over these next few months. It is difficult to leave for just two days with work, but I’m thinking over Thanksgiving I’m going to head to Brussels to visit one of my very best long-lost friends from Minnesota (she is coming here at the end of October!) and then spend a night in London before coming back to Italy. It is also a little difficult to keep planning weekend trips when I really want to spend time with the amazing friends that I’ve made here in Italy while I am still able to see them. I can’t believe sometimes that I will be home in less than three months. This has been such an incredible experience, and I have been thankful for every minute of it. Alright…I think I could have written a book about Oktoberfest…hope that this gives you all an idea and sparks an interest to go someday! When you do, take me with you…just book the flight first : ) Prost!!!!

A Day In The Life

So lately I've really only been blogging about specific events, but I thought it would be easier to keep up with posts if there were also just some normal, wonderful Tuscan days and their events involved. True, over the summer and occasionally now there were days when Italy didn't feel quite as beautiful (or rather, didn't smell that way...aka travel days full of ripe trains)....but when I am back in Arezzo, I am always able to find a quiet spot in one of the several parks to remind myself why I love this place so much.

I spent the afternoon yesterday at the US Consulate in Florence, which is a pretty impressive building. The fall group had a meeting there for a tour and to briefly discuss security, and I was very happy to join them. I think that because this September 11th has been particularly sensitive due to things currently going on in the States, the security around the offices was pretty heavy. I arrived about 45 minutes early, but was asked to sit along the part of the city wall that wasn't immediately in front of the Consulate, as traffic was not allowed to stop there. It was a strange feeling, actually, to see our flag waving above the street so isolated from everything else, when all of the other consulates on the same street were surrounded by people just casually walking by.

The talk was pretty standard, and afterwards I walked back towards the train station to head home to Arezzo. Not without stopping at my favorite homemade popsicle stand, of course! The weather has been so beautiful lately, though it seems the shift from summer to fall was sudden. In about one week the temperature has dropped a good ten degrees, the wind has picked up, and it's starting to get dark just a little after eight. It seems that no matter where I am, fall is still my favorite time of year. There's something about crisp air, smoke from a fire (no more cigarettes, thanks...I think I smoke about 2 packs of second hand a day), and a comfy sweater. Elisa has been begging to make an apple pie lately, so we're going to find a good recipe and get to work soon. I just love when everything starts to naturally slow down, and it seems more and more evident here that the pace of life is guided by the seasons much more so than at home..hence making everything about fall feel that much more tangible.

When I got off of the train in Arezzo there was a fair going on, and I stopped by to pick up some dessert for Elisa's family. I am fortunate enough to have dinner with them every Friday, which has become my favorite day/tradition. Not only is the food incredible but I love spending that time with her and her family. I cannot wait for Elisa to come home to visit and I can return the hospitality that she has continuously shown me. The first few stands were full of dried fruits, fresh olives, homemade breads, cookies, and...cannoli's. Now, I am not a huge cannoli fan, I must admit. But these were the real deal, ricotta filled, Sicilian masterpieces. I picked up a few of those, some coconut macaroons (also incredible)fresh olives (my new favorite snack!, and headed home to get ready for dinner. I left for dinner around 7:30, just as the sun was setting, and when I got up to the top of the hill that looks over the countryside on my way to Elisa's, I had to stop for a second and just take it in. The green hills with villas and vineyards speckling the landscape against the beautiful orange/pink/purple sky was stunning to say the least. I love how everything just gets quiet around dinner time when you get out of the center, because everyone is at home eating with their families. Our dinner was amazing as usual, and I think I could have eaten an entire second meal of just dessert. Enjoying the Italian 'diet' (it's anything but)has been difficult for me at times, as there is so much to eat that even after the best meals you are too uncomfortable to fully appreciate it. But, I think it has been so great for me to be able to constantly eat so many things that I just wouldn't eat regularly at home-like plates of pasta and heavy desserts. I rarely see anyone terribly overweight here, and though they are also not as thin and 'fit' as some people in the US, the girls and women, especially my age, just usually look so healthy and it makes meal time so much more enjoyable. It has given me more confidence in myself, even with a few extra pounds. The culture here is extremely genuine, and it's refreshing to feel so unconditionaly accepted.

After dinner I came back to the apartment and was a little too full to fall asleep, so I sat down to work on my resume a bit. On my way home from Florence a friend pointed out in one of the local newspapers that Syracuse University was looking for someone to work in their student life offices. I studied with Syracuse over the summer of 2008, and have so much respect for their program. I ended up submitting my application before going to sleep last night, more out of curiosity than anything! Regardless of the direction that opportunity takes, it was good to sit down and really sort through my resume anyway, as I will be applying for jobs when I get back home in December which seems a little surreal! I think I'll enjoy my last 4 months without getting too ahead of myself.

Well...there's a normal day! Some include much, much less productivity but I had to start somewhere : ) I think I'm going to get to bed early tonight...I'm still recovering from the Giostra and my ticket adventures. Arrivederci!

PS..Kara...I think I may have stolen one of your fabulous pictures for this : )!

The Business of Dealing....Giostra Tickets

So it's almost midnight (ignore the time below that logs when this post was submitted...it's still on central time), and I just got back from a successful trip to Porto Santo Spirito to purchase tickets for myself and the fall students to attend the quartieri's dinner Saturday night before the joust on Sunday. I realize that that sentence is loaded with references (seemingly in regard to Medieval Times) that probably mean nothing to just about everyone, so let me explain:

The Giostra del Saracino, or The Saracen Joust, is an event that originated sometime around 1200. Unfortunately, the game does not involve man to man jousting (no Heath Ledger in this town), but rather a man on horseback aiming for a small score-sheet located on the shield of the Saracen (an object that looks like a half armored man that stands across the piazza from where the horsemen begin running). There are 4 'quartieri' or neighborhoods, that compete against one another in the joust which takes place the second to last weekend of June and the first Sunday of September. Think OU vs TX vs Tech vs Chase Daniel. People are extremely loyal to their neighborhoods, and spend the week before the joust (which is the most active I've ever seen Arezzo) trash talking, wearing scarves with their neighborhood colors, and eating and drinking together. This brings me to the point of this particular post, which is the process of buying tickets to attend the official dinner of one of the four quartieri, which takes place the evening before the big event.

In June, I was lucky enough to have one of my very best friends, Elisa, make an easy phone call and reserve tickets for a group of students. This still involved some under the table passing of large sums of money, but otherwise the entire thing was quite seamless. We all showed up the evening of the event, Elisa had our tickets, we enjoyed a four course meal served by 20-somethings native to that particular neighborhood and drank endless bottles of wine (See above photo). This time, however, I went off on my own search for dinner tickets, and it went something like this-

1)Tuesday-First stop: Sant'Andrea. This quartieri has not only racked up the most victories at the joust, but has gained the reputation of the 'party' neighborhood with more young people than I have ever seen in Arezzo on every weekend combined since I got here in February. It is also located just outside the main bar, Mr. Blooms, which just happens to be one of the few bars that serves guinness here. Check. I stopped by around 4:00pm (right as things start to pick up again after a little siesta), and I was not surprised to find that there was nobody in the office. So, a nice older man pointed me in the direction of the bar across the street, so I walked over to do some investigating. There is always a point person for these ticket sales, and it is always impossible to find them where they are supposed to be when they say they will be there. I started talking with the group outside of bar and they all just said to come by later (around midnight), and whoever was selling the tickets would most likely be there. Just as I thought I was blending in, one of the guys made sure to let me know there was always an office open in his apartment. I appreciated that.

2)I started heading back towards my apartment, but stopped by another neighborhood, Santo Spirito, to inquire about their tickets as well (I was assuming there was a chance Sant'Andrea was already sold out and needed to be thinking my usual 98 steps ahead). I walked into what looked like an office/kitchen, and was told to come back later on to talk to their ticket dealer..also around 11pm. So at this point I head home, make my usual stop at the grocery store because I'm sure I can find something that I didn't already buy earlier, have a glass of wine and wait. Thank goodness, around 10, I was able to talk to someone via phone that knew finding 15 tickets together would be difficult, so I just decided to shift my focus to Santo Spirito, knowing that we could easily walk over to Sant'Andrea after dinner. So I waited a little while longer and then walked over to SS. After a little searching, I was introduced to Simino, who said 15 should be no problem but I would have to come back tomorrow, after 9pm for the tickets.

3)Santo Spirito 9:30pm Wednesday-after a glass of wine with some friends, I casually walk back over to where I've been spending what seems like the majority of my on and off time the past two days. I think I'm starting to look suspicious. I asked a few boys my age if they new if Simino was there, and they said he would be back around 11pm. So I left, again, but feeling confident that progress was being made.

4)Santo Spirito 11:00pm-Every now and then, after doing so many little things on my own these past few months, I still have this random, brief moment when this wave of shyness (is that a word?) comes over me. Particularly at 11pm, walking into a party alone, and starting to ask people if they'd seen Simino. Well, Simino was still out with friends, but I was given his phone number by about 3 people if I wanted to call him. I'm pretty sure he was probably beginning to think I was stalking him anyways...so I just thought I'd wait it out for a few more minutes. Surprisingly, I wasn't very frustrated. I was kind of enjoying talking to new people, and one of the guys that had been cooking brought me out a great little drink with red wine, lemon soda, and sugar. I realize you're all probably finished with reading this entry so I'll wrap it up! Simino finally walks in and just about everyone at the dinner had been looking for him for me, so I immediately got his attention, and asked him about the tickets. Well, this time he looked a little concerned, which made me a little concerned, and I waited while he shuffled around asking a few questions. Finally, he walked over and told me to follow him. He heads up a dark staircase, right above the small kitchen I had first walked into, and I'm thinking maybe I should have had some pepper spray. But, to my surprise, he opened a heavy wooden door into a huge, bright room with all of the costumes for the joust, and huge table full of tickets, with several people organizing everything. First, I couldn't believe I could have just walked up the stairs and found an office full of people with the tickets I had wanted! But, after I realized that the process was almost finished, I was just appreciating the way that all of this was organized (or unorganized). Simino handed me my fifteen tickets, I handed him an envelope full of cash, and that was that. I even made some new friends! I walked out in my cropped trench coat (it's been unseasonably cool), feeling completely satisfied. I'll be back with more pictures and updates from the real event this weekend! Buonanotte!