Today (yesterday now that I'm posting this, internet was broken, still is) was most likely the single best day of my Italian life thus far. This one is for the story books.
The day began as an average day, I took my time with breakfast, studied a bit and passed time before going for a ride. Today was said to be a bellisima day in the Giro d'Italia...one not to miss. I'd had a ride planned with a friend, but he was tired and interested in watching today's stage of the giro...and it was supposed to rain as well, so we scrapped the ride.
Hmmm, said I to myself, "Self, what shall I do today?" A full day with nothing scheduled and warm enough that if it does rain, I really don't care too much. It's been a burning priority to get to Bevagna to see my cousin (he's in his upper 80s, I had met him last summer when I came to Italy). It was great last summer, I had Marcello (Ciclismo guide) as a translator so my cousin talked to him and Marcello translated. I couldn't understand anything he said and I knew that when I would return, I'd need to have a certain proficiency in Italian.
Earlier this week, I had a nice conversation with the father of one of my Italian friends. Considering the ease of that exchange, I decided that the time had come, it would be okay for me to pay a visit to my cousin.
It's not a long ride to Bevagna, but I felt like I couldn't go fast today. The big discovery of the day was an Italian school bus. It looks fairly different from a school bus in the states (though yes, it's yellow), but the children waving in the back window gave away the vechicle's purpose. For a few moments, I decided it would be totally cool to chase after the bus and wave to the kids. That was the first magic moment of the day. I laughed outloud from the joy of watching those kids as they kept waving. I waved back and gave it everything I had to stay in the draft of the bus. For all I know, one of those little girls will be inspired and ride a bike when she grows up.
A few minutes later I was in Bevagna. I got there during siesta and this is a town that takes its siesta time very seriously so the place was quiet. Seemed to make sense to ride into town, look for a gift of some sort for my cousin and check the place out. For all I knew, I'd find him sitting on an outside bench as many of the elderly can be seen doing every day. Take note: the elderly here grow old together, in their community, supported by each other and their families. And they live an incredibly long time.
I rode over to the main piazza and saw some people eating lunch at some outside tables. I overheard the conversation and it sounded like American English to me, so I strolled over and asked them where they're from. Tennessee. Really cool couple, they come to Italy a lot, even for the weekend sometimes. I tell them I'm from Colorado and we chat for a moment. They turn and tell me that the couple sitting a few tables down is from Colorado. Ha ha! Two days in a row of Coloradoans and Americans, and in Bevagna.
Then, something happened that was surreal: I looked up and took a closer look. I stammered, "YOU WERE MY PROFESSOR AT CU!!!!!!" The couple from Tenessee enjoyed watching my jaw drop and this reunion of sorts. This was Professor Zable, he was one of my two favorite mechanical engineering professors at CU; I hadn't seen him in 10 years. He and his wife had just sat down for lunch so I joined them for a good conversation. It was a very odd full-circle sort of thing: I told the story of why I came to Italy, how I wished there had been more liberal arts classes and study abroad expereinces as an engineering major, etc. I told him about the Sharp Shooters (senior design group members) and caught him up on what everyone is doing with their professional lives. He told me about what's up with the mechanical engineering program at CU--really sounds like a vastly different (improved) program than when I went there.
He and his wife had gone on the Arnaldo-Caprai winery tour and the owner of the winery happened to be in that restaurant for lunch as well at the time. They introduced us and I explained the random situation to him. He was super sweet. I was glad to be able to thank him for the wonderful wine that we got at the Montefalco Gran Fondo a few weeks ago.
I'll post the picture as soon as I can, the internet is broken yet again so it comes on for 2 seconds and is gone again for 10 minutes...
It was time to part, but not yet the end of siesta so I found one of the only open bars and found bread with salt and rosemary on top. Outside of the bar was a bench with two sweet looking older gentlemen. So I plopped down next to them and started talking. Turns out one is 96...didn't look a day over 80 to me, though. Of course, they're both from Bevagna. I have a hard time finding locals who aren't still living in the same place where they were born.
I bid them a good afternoon, went shopping and then headed to where I was hoping was my cousin's house. He had pointed it out last summer, but you never know if it's really on one side or the other or something...
There were a couple of men working in the front yard putting in a new front porch. I spoke to one who looked to be in his mid-sixties and told him that I was looking for my cousin and did he know where I could find him? He looks up at me, tips his hat back (the same kind of hat my grandpa in the US wears) and it's only then that I realize this IS my cousin! And he realizes that it's me, the girl from last summer! He looked so young to me, I didn't recognize him. It's the hat hiding his gray hair. The hair is the only thing on this man that signifies old age. If I remember correctly, he's almost 90. No possible way.
I was able to talk to him and I could even understand a lot of what he said. He started to go into a story about a thief, but the story got too complicated for me to follow. He asked me about my grandma, I was so happy to be able to tell him that she is in great health and she smiles a lot. He spoke about Dora, he really remembers her well, he also asked about their brother and his children (part of this conversation got lost in translation). I met his son-in-law and we spoke for a few minutes. He invited me to lunch in a few days. He said someone will be there who knows some English. I am willing to bet that the English-speaker will only know the words in English that I have no problems with in Italian (frequent occurrence...actually I prefer when the conversation stays in Italian and people re-word things for me to understand better). I will be there, I can't wait.
I handed my sweet cousin the picture of the two of us together last summer, he took my heart. "Sono molto contento che sei qua." This translates to, "I am very happy that you are here."
I couldn't wait to blog this story, so I tried to make better time getting home. But there was one last stop to make on the way...
Today was the birthday of my friend's mother. She has been so wonderful to me, I wanted to do something for her. It also gives me a bit of heartburn that I'm not around my family for their birthdays and Mother's Day so couldn't do anything for the mothers in my family...I figured a nice bunch of flowers for her would be the equivalent of a gift to all mothers, in general. It was a fun experience of going to the flower shop, telling her what I wanted (very simple) and watching her create this amazing bouquet of yellow and orange roses. And the price was incredibly low compared to American prices.
On my way to the shop, I heard a honk from a car. I looked up and it was my friend's father, smiling and waving. Again, I know I'm repeating myself, but being part of a community is awesome and I feel like I have a place in this one. It's the whole "Cheers" concept.
After delivering the flowers and a short conversation, I made my way back home. On the way I ran into my friend...he had already heard about the flowers. I told him about the visit with my cousin and the small world story of my former professor. He appreciated hearing it. He told me about the Giro (bellisima and Ivan Basso is in the leader's jersey so the stage couldn't have been any better for an Italian). I realized that I'd completely missed it after getting sidetracked in la-la land with all of everything that had happened in Bevagna. We parted and I got home the moment a storm rolled through.
There's actually even more that happened tonight (rock band/huge party in Perugia), but it was insignificant compared with the rest of the day. THIS is what it's all about.
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