At this point, Italian still feels uncomfortable coming out of my mouth, so any time I walk into a store and proudly greet the owner with my horribly accented, poor excuse for Italian, I consider it an adventure.
Spending a night talking to a one-armed bar tender named Francesco about everything from Obama and Bush, to flowers and love was an adventure.
Being really cheesy and just walking around, feeling what there is to feel and learning how to be a part of a different place, even if that place may be extraordinarily uncomfortable at times; and I have felt those times.
But it is not my intention to be overdramatic. Instead, I wish I could run about with a little superhero adventure cape and fly off of walls and go about my little adventurous ways, but for now I must be content to do so in the comfort of “my” own home. I am completely content to run around with a foam sword and shiny plastic coat of armor, attempting to fend off my seven year old Italian brother, Tommasso. With a few quick jabs I am swiftly defeated, and he then elects to scamper about with my kneaded eraser while I try to catch him. The attempt is futile, and with his agile fingers he has quickly rolled it into a toothbrush mustache and is promptly wearing it.
Alas. I have yet to taste victory.
Thus far, my time in Florence has been spent inhabiting a place in my mind that absolutely terrifies me, but has also witnessed some really beautiful moments. I feel a gentle, quiet acceptance amongst Cristiana and Riccardo, my parents, and Tommasso and Giulio, my brothers, as they seem to understand that I am trying and trying; and this is all they ask of me.
It’s this mentality that the boys, Tommasso and Giulio seem to embrace so effortlessly: as long as you pay attention to them, and are willing to spend time with them, they give you their trust, their kindness, and their acceptance. I am really fascinated by their frame of mind so far, and it has continued to inspire me in my art making.
I have been pushed to charge onward having adventures, as long as I am allowed to come home afterwards and run around in a cape for an hour or so, with a family that makes me feel like a mad legit superhero.
