Giuliana

Hello everyone and thank you for following us in our journey in Italy.
Not too long ago I gave you the " Benvenuto" to our program and now, I am about to say goodbye. Tempus Fugit as the Romans would put it.

 

I have visited numerous  regions in Italy that have warmed my heart over the last thirty plus years, but I must admit that two places in particular do touch me deeply and resonate with my soul. I speak of Umbria and Tuscany.  Of Umbria most of you have heard me speak before, with Spoleto being my dearest town, but now Tuscany  rivals the stoic gem.  In Tuscany I discovered little jewels, "borghi" that sit atop gentle hills,  intanct medieval villages, pristine churches, kind and passionate people... I could go on and on about this lovely area so well organized and put together by its predeccessor and great leader Leopoldo II.  Beautiful towns such as Anghiari, Lucignano, Sansepolcro, have left imprints in my mind, heart and soul.  I am about to say "arrivederci" to these splendid areas and all I can think is about the time when I will once again walk along the majestic medieval walls of Tuscany.


A presto,
Giuliana

Trudy

The New in the Old

Taking pictures of a castle tower, I saw a strange object which I could not identify completely even using the zoom on my camera. I returned the next day with my binoculars (in part simply to justify hauling the binoculars around Italy with me) and took a closer look at the item. Just as I suspected: it was a satellite dish on the tower.



There was a time when seeing a satellite dish on an ancient structure would have bothered me, but during my time in Italy I have come to appreciate the blending of old and new; and, using old and ancient structures for a purpose other than treating them as a shrine, roped off with velvet cords.

My first clue to this practice was in an apartment in Rome where I stayed with my husband before I started the Italy Internship. In the floor of the apartment was a sheet of glass that allowed us to look below to ancient steps and artifacts—old pottery, ancient coins. We marveled at how we had the privilege to dwell for a few days in what was once an ancient establishment.



Time after time during the Italy Internship, we visited towns where people lived in the old castles, and historic stone buildings. In all fairness, I guess I should consider that if Italians did not live in old buildings, they would probably have to live in a houseboat tethered to the coast, because in truth almost every building in the country is ancient. Still, it amazes me. In America it seems to me like we treat our old buildings in a couple ways…either roping them off and trekking visitors past with instructions to look but not touch, or tearing them down to build something new.



I think of structures I have seen turn into rapid decay when left vacant, and ponder on how the use of old structures surely must breathe life into them. So now as I view the satellite dish on top of a castle tower, or see television antennas on top of old tiled roofs, I think to myself, “Live on Italy, live on!”

Shannon

Have you ever gone to a place and looked around and thought, “This place is just too beautiful and too perfect to be real?” You pinch yourself or perhaps blink repeatedly to check to make sure that what you are seeing is actually real. I know that it has happened to me many times while being here in Italy. But I must say that this moment hit me the strongest when we changed base and arrived in Santa Luce.



Santa Luce has stolen my heart. It is a small town with gorgeous country side everywhere you look. Our view from the apartment consists of miles and miles of rolling hills covered with golden wheat and green grass and sprinkled with various trees. Where out in nature exploring the country-side of Italy. I feel like I’m camping. And if you know me, you know that I love camping. What can beat camping in Italy? Nothing!



So on Saturday, Steve, Mary, Trudy, Michelle and I came back from venturing to find that Giuliana had made us all dinner. I was so excited. My mouth began to water just at the thought of eating her food. We entered through the gate to find a long table set up outside on the patio. As soon as Giuliana brought out some yummy pasta and salad, we dug in. It was amazing! Not only were we able to enjoy great food and great company, but also a perfect view of the sunset. Can I just hire Giuliana to be my personal chef?



After dinner and after we had cake from a mini birthday celebration for Steve, (p.s. Steve Happy Birthday) we walked out into the trees to find fireflies glowing in the bushes. I had never before seen fireflies and have never been more thrilled to see them. I was literally jumping with excitement at the sight of the flickering lights flying around the property. It was just like the twinkling lights you see at Disneyland, but these were real fireflies!! It was magical. I stood there looking at the amazing sight of twinkling fireflies, gorgeous scenery, and people that I have grown to love and thought…

“There is no place I would rather be.”

Michelle

Hey every one sorry for not posting sooner but I was having serious problems with the internet here at our Arezzo place. First off Arezzo is definitely bigger than Spoleto! Arezzo is a medieval town and just recently they had their jousting tournament.

That was really cool to see, but I do have to say that the people go nuts for that tradition here. The reason why I say that is because we didn't have tickets for seats, we had tickets to stand and standing in a crowed of all high school kids, some drunk and some not, at an event that they go crazy for like we do football in the states. I was with one of the other girls on the trip and we were literally pressed up against the fence line and could not move even if we tried. That is squished. Out of that whole jousting event my favorite part was the flag throwing at the beginning.



Other than that day we have lost 2 of our members of the internship recently. We were sad to see them go for sure and if you are reading this Hilary or Julia know that we miss you tons and wish that you could have stayed longer. As for work recently we have been to 3 cities in the province of Arezzo and 2 out of the 3 I loved because they were small and quaint and I got to explore them for quite a few hours. The first city that I like was the one we traveled to and a shot at on Monday all day. The name of the city was Anghiari, it is a hilltop town with one main street that splits it down the middle all the way to the bottom.





The other city that I loved was the 2nd one we saw today which starts with an M but I can't think of the name in full. Sorry. This town was also on a hill but it also was smaller than the one on Monday. The reasons why I say that is because the biggest Piazza I saw was at the top and it was like half the size of a Maverick parking lot give or take a foot or so. The city was so beautiful seeing it at some time around 6pm or so because the light was just beautiful and that made it a moment to take your breath away.



Well got to go now but talk to you soon. Buono Notte!!

Steve

LIFE IMITATES ART

They often say that art imitates life, but only occasionally that life imitates art. In act one of this drama, all of the participants of the Italy 2010 internship had traveled to the little town of San Giacomo, a short distance from Spoleto. It was our call to adventure. We were returning to the little bump in the road where we had been a day earlier, in hopes of finding the little girl we had seen playing in the piazza.  She was beautiful and perfect for our yet to be filmed scene.

As was to be witnessed, a casting director or film crew in need of talent, or location, or a dozen other things, is a crew on a mission.

Within minutes of our arrival we had found the little girl, acquired her mothers permission, procured a motorcycle, and the help of a local man who was willing to drive in circles around our camera and had settled in on a filming location. Things were running smoothly, one might even say perfectly.  A screen writer might say, perhaps, “ too perfectly.”

At this moment in our story, an audience might accurately anticipate that misfortune would strike, and  it did. Act II. We were to be challenged by tests, allies and enemies or at least the loss of our rental car keys.

Some might not recognize the seriousness of our dilemma, where in the U.S. a call to the rental car company could  resolve a problem like ours in hours,  if not minutes. But in Italy things work differently, some might even say more slowly or less efficiently.  We began to confront our ordeal. After a call to the rental car company, we learned that they would have to tow the car to a safe location and that someone would have to travel to Rome to pick up a second set of keys. I knew that someone, was going to be me. I didn’t want it to be me!

So I searched everywhere.  I walked back and forth. I covered all my steps  and some I only imagined I had made.  Then everyone covered all my steps. Some twice, all without luck.

Michele made use of her forced car entry skills. SkillsI was afraid to ask where she had perfected.  The flick of a screwdriver and the turn of a hanger and we discovered that the keys had not been left inside.

I solicited support from the local kids to search for my keys with the promise of a 5 Euro note, later increased to 10. 

That is when everyone in the small piazza in San Giacomo stepped into action. Everyone wanted to help find the keys.

Although that garnered support for a short period of time, their interest soon waned. And as the little girl we had meet suggested, “if they were here we would have found them.” For several hours we all searched in vane.

ACT III - At the moment when all hope of ever recovering the keys was lost and the tow truck had been called we had a non-neo-realist  ending to Italian tragedy . A little lady came around the corner, her arm raised in victory, smiling and shouting,  “He found the keys, he found the keys, he found the keys”  It was as if Giuseppe Tornatore had directed the perfect sentimental scene.

With the keys held high above her head the heroes of our story take possession of the famed elixir and begin their return journey home, not in the back of an Italian tow truck, but withe the keys to their journey. Five people cramped into a two door Fiat Punto.

Life imitates Art.

The screen fades to black.

Can I just ask, “how come the cameras weren’t rolling?”

 - Steve

Trudy

The Jousting Tournament

How did a middle aged woman like me end up in a mass of people like this? That’s what crossed my mind as I stood smooshed in the throng. It all started innocently enough. The town was abuzz with the anticipation of the jousting tournament, and our group decided to attend. We learned that Arezzo is divided into four quarters, with colors and flags representing each area. Later, we saw a group from the blue and yellow quarter practicing their parade march. Shannon and Hilary saw some gorgeous guys in the group and pledged their allegiance to their team right then and there. They bought scarves with their colors and symbol. Michelle leaned towards supporting the green and white because she liked the way the scarf looked.



The day of the tournament arrived. The grandstands were sold out so we purchased tickets for standing-room-only, 5 Euro each. The tourist information lady told me to be there by 8:00 p.m. or I would not be able to see. She also showed me on the map the best place to stand. Never once did she warn me of what the standing crowd was like, so I left with the other interns to stake out a spot. We were soon in a massive crowd that resembled a mob rather than a line. When the guard began letting small groups go through, I latched onto Michelle and she led me through the sea of bodies; worming our way to the front.

At last, we were next to the arena area and managed to get right up front with only the barricade between the tournament and me. The crowd continued to gather, cheering and chanting with enthusiasm. I became aware that I was probably the oldest person in the entire mass and wondered if I had mistakenly found myself at a high school sporting event. The group around us cheered for the green and white, so Michelle and I were glad we were not sporting the colors of another team.

The tournament procession in medieval attire filed past: a parade of royalty, flag throwers, drummers, and men with crossbows. I felt transported back in time, and shouted to Michelle over the din, “This is soooo worth it!” She nodded in agreement …or at least her head jostled up and down.



Then the jousting began which sent the crowd into heated frenzy. My feelings of being a sardine turned to feelings of being in a full body mammogram. I have never been so squished in all my life. As the crowd surged forward, a young drunken man began to climb over the top of me. Now I found myself squished from above as well as all sides. After about four jousts, I could no longer breathe, so Michelle helped me weave out of the crowd where we finally found freedom and fresh air.

Now I know why other people my age were not in the throng: they knew better than to stand in a crowd of enthusiastic young Italians cheering for their knight. I am glad I didn’t know about the conditions before I went, or I might not have gone; but I am very glad I went, and would never go again—unless I could get a seat in the stands. What an experience of a lifetime. Today I am sore all over, and happy to learn that the green and white quadrant won.

Go team!

Hilary

19 June 2010



Today we went into Florence to go see Michaelangelo’s David. After waiting in the rain for more than an hour, we finally got in. I had no idea the David was SO BIG!! I looked it up and it’s seventeen feet tall! It was so incredible to see it in real life. The detail in the right arm and hand was my favorite. The veins in his hand and in the crevice of his elbow in particular. The more I see the less I understand how someone can actually sculpt things from a solid block. I don’t think I could ever do it.



After getting back from Florence we went to the Giostra celebration in Arezzo. That was one of the most insane things I have ever been to! It was definitely a once in a lifetime thing. I’ve never seen such loyalty and dedication to a team. It got to a point where it was overwhelming because there were so many people and everyone was taller than me and I couldn’t see or get any fresh air! However, it’s definitely something that I will remember forever and if I ever get a chance to go sitting in the seats, I will do it in a heartbeat.





Hilary Hancock

Shannon

6/11/10

FRIDAY!! Our first day off. The work week had been exciting and we learned a lot, but it was also tiring. We were ready for a rest. Let the shopping begin.



We woke up in the morning feeling great after we slept in and had a leisurely breakfast. But we were soon out the door to go check out Spoleto’s local market that’s only Friday mornings from 8:00 to 1:00. We walked around to find fruit stands, shoes stands, clothing stands, and more. Hilary found some amazing gold shoes for only ten euro so she was a happy camper the rest of the day. Before we left we had to buy some of the delicious looking fruit. The stands were so colorful with the many different kinds of produce lined down the streets. We bought grapes, peaches and a kilo of cherries, which was all eaten two days later. It was yummy!

After shopping at the market, we decided to go shopping around town. We took our time wandering the beautiful streets of Spoleto and checking out the various shops. It is amazing what you’ll find. Each shop is so unique from the next.



Now time for pausa. “Pausa” is normally a time of rest, but not for us. We had work to get done. We needed to...clean the apartment. Don don don. We got down and dirty to clean up our beautiful apartment that we are lucky to stay in. After cleaning and having a little rest, we decided we needed to have a nice night out. We cleaned ourselves, got dressed up and went out to dinner at this charming little restaurant called Osteria del Matto. It was a classic Italian dinner that took three hours to eat. I loved it. We were able to relax and talk as we waited for the different delicious courses to be brought to us. It tasted great and we all had a really fun time.

It was a perfect start to a wonderful weekend and I can't wait for a new work week. What a great experience and there is much more to come!!

Hilary

Thursday, 10 June 2010

This morning was one of my favorite filming experiences so far.  We went to a hair salon that is family owned and operated, Gianluca and Enelda.  From the very first sight of the salon I could tell that these were very different than “typical” Italians.  Gianluca and Enelda are obsessed with Western America.  The salon is covered in street signs, bottle caps, route 66 decor, and tons of other quirky American-type things.  I had a chance to look at one of their portfolios and they do the craziest styles.  One of them looked like a conehead.  I have no idea how they did it - it was incredible.  The best thing about the store was how the entire family hangs out there.  The mother and aunt were in there sweeping the floor and serving espresso.  The mother was the cutest lady I had ever seen.  She owned the salon for fifty years until she passed it on to Gianluca.  She seemed so full of joy and energy.  I had what Oprah would call an “Ah-ha” moment about Italian culture when I saw how much Gianluca appreciated his mother helping out.  If my mom was cleaning up behind my work I think it would drive me crazy!



After our afternoon break we went into a town called Amelia, which was a little bit disappointing.  It seemed full of traffic but devoid of people.  However, we had the best pizza and conversation of the entire week there.  We were all cracking each other up and sampling and sharing each others pizzas.  It was definitely a good end to a good week.  It’s been exhausting but so worth it.  I’m learning a lot about other cultures as well as myself.  I’m sure there is more to come!




Ciao,
Hilary Hancock

Trudy

Saturday, June 12, 2010

I awoke feeling excited...well, giddy. Today was the day I would venture to the stairs. Not just any stairs, but a certain majestic flight of rock stairs I had spied from the highway when we returned to Spoleto from Bevagna. In a distance, it looked like a rock wall formation--like a miniature Wall of China--then I realized it was a stairway. From that moment, I wanted to climb them, and now it was time.



Borrowing a trusty map from Michelle (you know...one of those maps that doesn’t show or even name every street) I find the location of the stairs. I don't know the length, but on the map they stretch from my index finger tip to the second knuckle. I start off on my trek, and manage to find my way to the base of the rock stairs, only to discover they were closed off and under repair. A bright orange construction netting stood between me and my goal. (That’s one thing I’ve learned while traveling: construction is universal.) Looking up the hill to the towering cathedral, I decided to take an alternate route which still consisted of stairs, but broken up into segments going this way and that, rather than the immense, long, stairway to heaven.



The climb was beautiful. Stairs and walkways made of stone and brick, flower boxes, colorful laundry hanging from balconies, all seemed to speak to me with an Italian accent. I passed a salt-and-pepper-haired lady sitting on a bench, sewing. Stepping closer I asked (as best I could in my limited Italian) if I could take her picture. She agreed and I snapped a few photos as she continued to work. Focusing through the lens, I saw her task: she was picking out the stitches. I smiled. Mistakes are universal too.



I reached the top of my climb and looked over the panoramic view of Spoleto, over the top of the tiled roof stops, and cobbled streets. Magnificent! As if on cue, bells started to toll in the background. A dog barked in the distance, matching the barking of my leg muscles. I rested on the cool stone of the ancient Cattedrale di San Maria Assunta, looking out to the Piazza del Duomo.. Content. Reflecting on my climb. Maybe someday I will return to Spoleto and climb the newly constructed stairway, but for now I am happy with the ascent. Life has a way of throwing detours, but the journey is still there, and so are the rewards.

Michelle

Hello all –

My name is Michelle and I am on this fabulous internship in Italy with Guiliana Marple and Steve McCurdy. Just to let you know what happened the first few days in Italy since it is day nine now. Here is what has been going on. June 2nd we left for Italy and it was a pretty smooth flight over with the exception of one of the girls that had four connections just to get to Rome. I will let her tell you about that experience when she gets the chance to blog. Other than that we spent three days in Rome and did the tourist thing - visited the coliseum and the Trevi fountain et al…



After those first 3 days we then headed to our first location in Spoleto and started work. First day in Spoleto we just went to dinner since we didn’t arrive here in Spoleto till about 6pm, but as for the next day there was no hesitation as to when the work would start because we jumped right in to it. So every morning we have a production meeting to go over what we did the previous day as well as to what the plan is for the day. For that day we just pretty much learned about the equipment and scouted the area for places to shoot. That evening we had our first interview with a young store manager named Gianluca. He was amazing! The information and the food he prepared for us at lunch was absolutely fabulous, a great first interview.



The next day we had our morning meeting and then headed to Assisi and I just have to say the architecture there was bellisimo. We filmed and took pictures of the beautiful architecture. Once back in Spoleto we went over the day’s work and learned how to download the footage on to the computer. As for yesterday, Wed the 9th we decided to do what the Italians do and have a nap hour in between jobs. So we had our daily morning meeting and then we walked up to this beautiful church in Spoleto and we shot some footage there. We then came back and reviewed our footage from the previous day. Then it was the nap hours where most the stores and places in Italy shut down for 3 hours or so to go home have some lunch and maybe take a nap. I have to say it was nice to experience that but it was also hard to go back to work after the nap hour, which I believe is called “pausa.”



After that break we packed up the gear and headed to this really small town of Bevagna which has a population of about 3000 people. The really cool thing I thought about Bevagna was that it was flat and for a medieval town in Italy that is sort of rare because it made that place seem really easy to conquer; however, historically they had a pretty great arsenal, so they managed to protect their city. In the next few days here Bevagna is supposed to host a notorious medieval festival. During the celebration, the whole town gets dressed up for the occasion and there will be flag throwers and just the whole deal. I mainly want to see the flag throwers but the festival itself would just be amazing. Well that is pretty much what we did yesterday and I can’t wait to see what we do today. As for now I guess I’ll say what the Italians say when they say goodbye, which is Arrivederci!

Benvenuti

Buon giorno a tutti! Hello everyone!

Dreams do become a reality at times. This is the case with this Internship organized to bring forth the beauty, the magic and the charm of Italy and its people. Together with documentary filmmaker Steve McCurdy, my dream of filming Italy has become true. Life is beautiful here and everywhere, but in Italy life is beautiful even when it rains...
With a great group of six film students from the University of Utah, we venture everyday in the life of the Italians, we go into their homes, into their businesses, into their lives to understand what sets this people apart from the rest of the world. What makes Italian culture the most emulated throughout the Western world? We are here to document the secrets of small and simple pleasure that make life worth living.
Our great group of film students will share with you here their feelings about the experience and their “ah-ha” Italian moments. Follow us in our learning adventure as we share our stories with you.

Arrivederci,
Giuliana