In case you didn't know

A few hours ago I was playing soccer with 9 kids that had an average age half of mine as well as a religious man named Padre Marco Giuseppe with a long gray beard and a sports whistle. Can you imagine that the girl with 20 years and red hair was the odd man out? One of the girls asked if I was German. The other looked pretty confused when I told her that I live with Francesco. For some of the other games we played, the brown cloaked, white cord belted, rosary toting Padre was the official and master gamer. His explanations were only half clear to me, the other half coming after I watched the kids and I looked pretty stupid for the first few rounds. We all played together as the sky began to grow dark and until everyone left the playground for their afternoon snack, including Padre. Francesco and I stayed in the playground to play. I, with a basketball and him, obviously, with the soccer ball. No matter how much time passes, I still love to shoot. Getting frustrated with my missed shots and exalted with the best ones, somehow helps in the thinking process. First off, even though the playground environment is very unassuming, it is still always difficult when Italians (children, bearded, whomever) speak to you in english when you are trying to communicate and form coherent sentences. I always get the "what's the point" feeling when the other can speak english. Also, when you listen very intently to someone, trying to understand and ultimately don't, it can be really hard not to feel stupid or that you are somehow incapable. This was all on my mind while I was missing most and making a few of my shots. Even on the playground it can be hard to feel ok. Probably after I had a few "makes" I remembered that the situation itself was pretty awesome and rather funny. Whether I understood every dialogue or not, I had still played freeze tag, Padre style. If I had a picture of it, I know I would laugh.

Also while gettin' my game on, I thought about the week altogether and realized that my experiences and how I felt about them through the week really illustrated who I am and what this adventure is to me. To begin. I found the geology buildings and saw the dinosaur posters, hand specimen cabinets and geologic time scale...it was the most fulfilling and excited feeling I had had all day - I will visit the department's museum of minerals before I go to any art museum. A less exciting experience... sitting in my vulcanology class with a room full or people who know eachother and not me. It was the same as being the new kid in shool, but in the new school, everyone speaks with their hands and you don't understand hand speak. Once the professor began about granites and magmas, I could not have been happier.

Last night I saw a concert performed. It soothed this inner nagging I had had for so long to go watch music performed. Music doesn't require conversational comprehension. Being able to understand the titles of the movements was only an added bonus. I remember feeling that the price of the ticket was so worth it, and if I had to choose between paying for a meal or paying for my ticket I would choose the music. My eye was always fixed on the cellist. It was impossible not to notice even how syncronized he was with the violist with the sway of his body, the nodding of his head, the intensity of stare.

Indeed, I also made bronwnies this week.

So. I dig geology, basketball, musical performances and brownies. Who knew?