Trying to find the leprechaun

Ever since I was a bambino, whenever I heard about Ireland, I thought of leprechauns. Weird, yes. But I used to think these figures of Irish folklore actually existed. So, when I went to Ireland at the end of February, I still had to wonder...where's that pot of gold???

Okay, seriously, this year has been incredible because it has given me not only to opportunity to live in Italian culture and meet so many interesting people, it has also given me the opportunity to travel around Europe. Ireland was always on that agenda and I did it. One of my friends from SJU, Matt, is studying abroad in Ireland this semester so he was able to show me around Cork, Ireland for four days. Here's the story.

The architecture and feel of Cork was nothing like I expected. It's as if the architects and contractors throughout the history of Cork intentionally decided "Let's make everything in this city a different color." I say this not negatively, because I loved it. When looking around Cork, I didn't think it was beautiful like Rome. Cork had its spots of aesthetic appeal, but it was more of an interesting conglomeration than anything.

It was cloudy the entire time too, but again there was a unique vibe in the air.

Also, it was the first time in over six months that I had been in an English-speaking country. The funny thing is that I was actually out of my element. I missed speaking Italian everyday and hearing the local people speak la lingua bella. Yet, the Irish accent is great. If I had one goal in life, it would be to be able to speak English in every accent around the world...perfectly: American (in every region), British, Irish, Scottish, Australian, South African, etc. Okay, so maybe I should reaccess my goals...

The real beauty of Ireland came from two things: the small city of Blarney and the Guinness beer. Primarily the former, although a true pint of Guinness is hard to pint. So Matt and I hopped on a bus to Blarney and toured around the countryside and the Blarney Castle. I kissed the stone so I'm set for life. It's "cards on the table" time and the Blarney Stone can only help my odds.

There's me in the lower portion to show size relativity


Yes, very cliche, I know.

"So that's the Blarney Stoney?? The little gray brick at the bottom of the wall??" Yeah, that's what I said. One of the more awkward experiences of my life, but I'm glad I did it. My Irish ancestry has never been stronger after this.

Blarney territory

Exploring the woods

Ireland also gave me the opportunity to hang out with some fellow Johnnie students for the first time since I began my SJBVC adventure. Quality people indeed. The only weird thing was it hit me that I was the only Johnnie alum in the group. How did that happen so quick???

Bottom line: Ireland was great. Such a different culture and experience than Italy. I still feel "Italian" in my blood for some unexplainable reason, but I had to explore my Irish roots. And even though I didn't see any leprechauns, I'm still convinced they're real. Don't believe me? Watch this news story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8

The Adventure continues...

Now, I should have posted this weeks ago, but I am convinced I must be taking after the Italian laidback lifestyle. When in Rome, right? Two weeks ago, I had the distinguished privilege of traveling to Germany for four great days. Lukas and I left Sant'Anselmo at about 10:30 am in transit to the airport in Rome. After a few delays, we arrived at the airport nearest to Billerbeck, Germany at about 9 or 10 at night. We were planning on getting their around 6pm, but due to a delay in Rome and in our connection flight in Vienna, we arrived a little later. Upon first reaching Germany, I finally felt Old Man Winter in the air after stepping outside. It was quite colder in Germany than in Italy. I have come to the conclusion that I've become a wuss (for lack of a better word) when it comes to cold weather. I've been acclimated to the Mediteranean climate here in Rome and although we have had some chilly days, it is not really "winter" here. I used to be quite strong in the winter after living (and running A LOT) in the Minnesota weather. Even Omaha, Nebraska is the Arctic compared to Rome. But, I digress...

So, we were met at the Dusseldorf airport by Lukas' dad. When we arrived at Lukas' home in Billerbeck, his mom greeted us with a fantastic dinner. I recall we were starving. We had some great conversation about how certain words are translated from English to German (and even to Italian) and then we hit the hay. Lukas and I were dead tired and wanted to do some site seeing the next day.

The next day, Lukas and I walked around Billerbeck and checked it out. It is hard to explain but the town looked very "German" (in a good way). I loved it. Billerbeck is a small town of about 12,000 people, but one can cover all the ground in the town in about 15-20 minutes. It actually reminded me of a very very Germanized version of Emmetsberg, Iowa! No joke. Everybody knows eachother and it seems like a nice place to live. Billerbeck below:

When we finished Billerbeck site seeing, we hopped in a car with Lukas' parents and drove 1.5 hours to the city of Cologne. Cologne was great, a really booming metropolitan area of a little over one million people. I took some cool pics of the cathedral, streets, shops, Rhine River, and we even went to a chocolate factory! When in Germany, right? I learned that chocolate actually stimulates postivie feelings and mood in the brain. So, next time you think about passing on that tempting chocolate dessert, think about that, okay? Pics of Cologne below:





We hit the city of Münster the next day. Münster, size-wise, is between Billerbeck and Cologne. Not huge, but not small. I enjoyed Münster the best out of the three cities I was able to see while in Germany. It was beautiful and according to Lukas' parents was voted the best place to live in Germany. I would have to agree. It must be my German blood in agreement. I have a little, you know. The city of Münster is a big college town with a lot of young people. We stayed there that evening and met up with a friend of Lukas' and then some other college-age people. Very lively place. Here are some pics of my thus far favorite place in Germany:

And on our train ride back from Munster to Billerbeck, we missed our stop. So, we had to take the first taxi we saw. This was it. It was slow service, but had a cheap cab fare, about 50 cents.

The final day in Germany, Lukas' parents had a great little house party with family and friends. I was able to meet a lot of great people and try what little German I had learned (about 20 words!). For example, the word squirrel is Eichhornchen. Not very applicable, but I knew the word to say the least. Then, we went out to a nice dinner in Billerbeck. Lukas' parents were among some of the nicest people I have met since being in Europe. The hospitality and generosity was tremendous! I had a great time.

And, I think that some "Brady King" from past generations had left his mark in Germany:

I think I'll go ahead and call it mine too.

I hope I can go back to Germany in the next 5 months. I would like to get to Berlin and/or Munich before it's all said and done. Next on the travel itinerary is Ireland. I'll be going to Cork, Ireland on February 25th and staying until March 1st. Can't wait.

In Rome at Sant'Anselmo: Still gardening, mowing lawns, landscaping, speaking Italian, and running. I really really love Rome and where I live. The people are great and the culture is quite interesting.

Ci vediamo,

Brady

The end of 2008...

Well, after a week of vacation, I'm back working in the portineria. I can't help but think about what a memorable Christmas season it was. It's funny, looking back to last Christmas, I would have never guessed I would be spending Christmas 2008 in Italy. Goes to show that when you try to speculate the future, there are always surprises lying in store. What's next year? Iraq? This was the first time in my 23 years that I spent Christmas outside of home (and outside of the United States for that matter). I was far from alone this Holiday season, though. First of all, I had the people here in Rome: Friends at Sant'Anselmo and people I've met along the way. On top of that, my Dad and his wife, Donna, came along for 8 days over the Holiday. We had an awesome time. Let's recap:

Monday, Dec. 22nd: Tour Around Roma
I met my Dad and Donna at their hotel. Although they were jet-lagged and tired, I showed them around Rome. We walked a lot (you'll get that impression by the end of this re-cap). First, we walked by the Roman Forum and the Colloseum, then along the Tiber River to the Vatican. We strolled around St. Peter's square and went into the Basilica. After that, we took the Metro subway to the Piazza di Spagna (aka the Spanish Steps) where there was an outdoor Christmas concert going on with children singing in both Italian and English. We stayed for a couple of songs, then made our way over to the Trevi Fountain. I took pictures of my Dad and Donna throwing coins in for good luck. We had some authentic Italian pizza and vino, then walked back to their hotel near Termini. They needed to recharge their batteries for the next day. We never really got lost that night, but that would soon change...

Tuesday, Dec. 23rd: Ancient Rome
After meeting Dad and Donna in the morning at their hotel (they slept like babies), we made our way over to the Roman Forum again, except this time we went in and toured around. The Roman Forum is awesome and the best vision of what's left of the ancient city 2000 years ago. Then we toured the ancient Palatino (palatine aka royal palace). We hit the Colloseum next, going inside and walking around the ancient gladiator arena. We then walked by the Circo Massimo (my Dad's a big Ben Hur fan) and I showed them around Central Rome where we ate a late lunch by the Pantheon. We capped off the night at the Campo dei Fiori where we met up with some of my friends and had some vino.

Wednesday, Dec. 24th: Mass, Christmas Carols, and more Mass
I let my Dad and Donna sleep-in today. I met them at their hotel at 3:00 pm. We were planning on grabbing an early dinner and then going to a Christmas mass in English at 6:00 pm. A friend of mine who I had met here in Rome, Todd from Australia, joined us. He needed a family on Christmas, of course. Another friend of mine from Australia, Paul who is a student at Sant'Anselmo, was singing at the Christmas mass, so we had to check it out and get our Christmas Carols' fix for the year. We got on the wrong bus heading over towards the church, but thanks to the patience of my Dad and Donna, I finally got us all to a restaurant where we had a great meal, then to the church for mass. After mass ended at about 8:00pm, we headed over to St. Peter's square to stand in line for the midnight mass with the Pope. Did I mention I got tickets? Lukas, my German comrade, was already holding a place in line for us. What a saint. They started letting people in at about 10:30 pm. We found some seats about halfway back from the main altar (St. Peter's Basillica is massive), and settled in until mass started at midnight. It was a pretty interesting Christmas mass. Many parts of the mass were in Latin, but the readings and such were in a wide variety of languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and more). The homily was in Italian. It was really cool. The mass ended at 2:00am. It was th first time I had ever gone to more than one mass on Christmas, let alone in one day. Lukas and I hopped in a cab and Dad and Donna decided to walk back to their hotel (all the way across town!). I was hesitant to let them do it, but they insisted. Map in hand, they treked back to their hotel. They made it.

Thursday, Dec. 25th: The Meal of All Meals
Dad and Donna met me at the Metro stop near Sant'Anselmo. We walked up the Aventino Hill to the university and had a small little Christmas pre-game in my room. Nothing crazy. We listened to Christmas music and I opened a few gifts. Then, at 1:00, it was time for pranzo (lunch). This was no ordinary meal for the faint-of-heart. This was the mega meal of all meals - The Big Kahuna. Before the meal began, we had an apperitivo (pre-dinner drink of champagne, gin and tonics, etc.). We stood around in the refectory, chatted in many languages, and I was able to introduce my Dad and Donna to the friends I had met since being here. Then, we settled down at the table and ate food for an hour and a half, probably longer:

Starter Course: Various cheeses, thinly sliced meets, artichokes, and olives. Also, there was this delicious fried dough I couldn't get enough of.
First Plate: Two kinds of pasta (I had both). One was a spaghetti with pesto and the other was a canneloni dish (long thick rolled pasta stuffed with cheeses) with marinara. Insanely good!
Second Plate: The biggest hunk of meat I've ever had in my life. An Italian version of a midwest steak. Seasoned Potatoes as a side.
Dulce (Dessert). Two kinds of cake, can't remember what they're called but both were phenomenal.

After Pranzo, we stood around again for a half hour drinking post-meal liqueurs and caffe. People broke out into Christmas Carols and we all laughed constantly while talking. Then my Dad and Donna showed me their wedding video in my room (since I couldn't be there) from last September. I walked my Dad and Donna down to the Metro stop and planned to meet them in the morning. We all vowed to never eat again...

Friday, Dec. 26th: Picasso and Exploring
It was a rainy day, so we decided to hit an art exhibit nearby. The exhibit was exclusively Picasso and it was incredible! It inspired me to a whole new level. Then we had lunch by the Pantheon again...yeah we were finally hungry 24 hours post-Christmas pranzo. Next, we went back to St. Peter's Basillica, then walked to the Villa Borguese which is a big park in the norther part of Rome. We caught a Metro from the Spanish Steps down to my neck of the woods in an attempt to find a place with good vino and Italian food. However, there is apparently this British/Australian holiday called Boxing Day that the Italians must celebrate. Boxing Day is the day after Christmas and things kind of just shut down for a day. We walked around for about two miles before finally finding a good Italian restaurant in Trastevere. I might have gotten us lost. We almost ate at this Indian restaurant, but my Dad put his foot down. The Italian restaurant was hoppin' at the end of the night and we left happy.

Saturday, Dec. 27th: Firenze aka Florence
Dad, Donna, and I all met at the train station to make our excursion to Florence. We bought the cheap tickets (not the Express) and after four unnecessary hours, we arrived in Florence. It was a lot colder in Florence than Rome. Florence is farther north and sits on higher elevation. I could feel my ears pop as we were in the train traveling. I had been to Florence before, so I was able to guide us a little bit. We spent the day in Florence walking around, going in churches, buildings, exploring piazzas and markets, and hanging out by the Arno River. We had a nice dinner then headed to the train station at 8:00 pm to head back to Rome. We took the express train and were back in less than two hours. It was a bold move, but we did it.

Sunday, Dec. 28th: Market and revisiting favorite sites
I took my Dad and Donna to the big Sunday morning market today. It's a market stretching for more than half a mile with everything you could possibly think of to purchase (clothes, electronics, crap, and more crap). It's quality crap, though. I've bought a nice running watch for 3 euro and a hoody sweatshirt for 10. Solid. Then we walked around the center of the city and hit some of our favorite sites: Piazza Navona, the Pantheon (not the Parthenon, Dad), Trevi Fountain, and more. Good day to take it all in again. We ate at an Irish pub that night...for the second time! I had forgotten what an American steak tasted like. It still tasted Italian.

Monday, Dec. 29th: The Final Day
There was still one, correction, TWO important things Dad and Donna hadn't yet seen in Rome: The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Today was the day to do it and it would be the perfect final day activity. The Sistine Chapel is probably one of my more favorite things to see in Rome. Word's can't describe. So, we waited in line for an hour and got in to the museums. After spending a couple of hours walking through the museums, it culminates with the Sistine Chapel. We spent some time in La Cappella Sistina and soaked it all in. Even after the third time I've been there, it still amazes me. We grabbed a quick caffe and dulce, then Dad and Donna went back to their hotel to organize things for their departure. I went back to Sant'Anselmo for a quick nap and shower. We met up again at 7:30 pm for dinner. Some friends of mine joined us at this Chinese restaurant with an Italian twist. Great food. We then headed over to Campo dei Fiori and enjoyed some Italian cigars and vino. First time I had ever had a cigar with my Pops. After some good conversation and a lot of laughs, I walked my Dad and Donna to the bus stop that would get them back to their hotel. We said our goodbyes and I promised to give them an in-depth blog post after such a great week. Ecco. Thanks for a great week, Dad and Donna. It went by way too fast!

So, now I'm back to my routine, which is good. Work will begin again and I couldn't be more excited for the next six months I still have in Rome. I sit here, on the last day of 2008 thinking about all that's led me here. Wow, what a ride. Here's to all of you readers out there. I miss you all and wish you the best in 2009!

Much love,

Brady

Immagini da Spagna e Buon Natale!

Woah, it's been over a month since I last updated this bad boy. This is not because there has been nothing new to report. The main reason I haven't updated lately is because my computer is ungodly slow when uploading images. I'm just going to be patient with it today and give it an update before Christmas. Ho pazienza adesso.

So, first thing's first: At the end of November, I traveled to Madrid, Spain for four days to visit a couple of friends. One friend is studying Spanish there for the semester and the other was visiting as well from the States. It was the first time I had traveled outside of Italy since arriving to Europe last August. Madrid was awesome! In comparing it to Rome, I definitely think Rome has a lot more to see and experience. The history here in Rome spans much farther back. But even though there is more to see and do in Rome, the nightlife of Madrid was second to none...feel free to draw your own conclusions.

During one day, I took a 3.5 hour walking tour (for free!) around Madrid one afternoon and saw a lot of cool things: churches (that used to be burlesque houses), palaces, famous statues and plazas, and places of executions during the Spanish inquisition. The one complaint about the tour...the weather was bad. It was rainy and windy the entire time, yet it was still worth it! Pics from the trip below:

A place where a ton of drummers play every Sunday night, people sit around enjoying the beats while drinking Spanish wine.

The big Christmas tree getting Madrid ready for Navidad.


A famous bear statue at "El Sol." It's said that the berries from the tree he's eating are a potent aphrodisiac...used to make a fine wine. It would have been interesting to buy some...

The Royal Palace of the Monarchy

Notice the lovely weather...

I got lost, so I had to get in my map. Always been a visual learner.

One of the oldest parts of Madrid...the wall located in the lower portion

After returning from Madrid, I went back to work doing the usual: working outside in the morning and in the portineria in the afternoons. We installed a path in the gardens here that leads down the big olive tree hill I had mentioned in a previous blog post. We installed this stradina (little road) so that we could bring gardening tools and the lawn mower down there (the massive staircase wouldn't work so well). This was a fun project. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures at this time. Hopefully soon!

Then, just last week, the friends who I visited in Madrid came by Rome for a three day visit. It was fun being the tour guide. And next week, my dad and his wife are coming for a visit, so I got some nice practice in showing people around Rome. I'm excited to have some family here for the first time since coming here and showing them my life for the last five months.

I probably won't make another post until after the New Year. So, I wish everybody a Buon Natale (Merry Christmas) and an awesome Nuovo Anno (New Year)! Here's to 2009...the best year yet! Salute!

Coming soon:
Trip to Germany, January 2009

Ciao amici,

BK

Sant'Anselmo Demographics and Chainsaw Skills

Sant'Anselmo is truly a remarkable institution. There is such a diverse population of people from around the globe living here. As I've said before, one can see the world while sitting in the refectory eating a meal or walking around the main cloister. I thought I would analyze the data to let you all see how diverse a global community there is here.

The following is a breakdown of the number of people (students, faculty, staff, volunteers, etc.) who live here according to their countries of origin:

Argentina: 1
Armenia: 1
Australia: 1
Austria: 1
Belarus: 1
Benin: 1
Brazil: 3
China: 3
Congo: 2
Croatia: 1
Egypt: 1
France: 5
Germany: 8
Hungary: 2
India: 6
Iraq: 1
Ireland: 2
Italy: 7
Japan: 1
Kenya: 1
Lebanon: 3
Macedonia: 1
Mexico: 1
Nigeria: 3
Philippines: 2
Romania: 2
Senegal: 1
Slovakia: 1
South Korea: 5
Spain: 6
Switzerland: 1
Syria: 1
Tanzania: 4
Ukraine: 1
UK: 5
USA: 16
Venezuela: 2
Vietnam: 2

Total Residents: 115

It wasn't until I received the 2008-09 edition of the Collegio Sant'Anselmo facebook directory that I was able to see all of this. I knew we represented a lot of countries here, but it is pretty neat to see it all laid out in numbers. Keep in mind that these numbers represent only the people living here. There are other students, faculty, and staff who live elsewhere but still attend classes and work here.

In other news, work has been a bit wet lately. It's been raining almost every other day for the past couple of weeks here. There is sunshine and great temperatures one day then the next is forceful winds and lightning of the likes I've never seen before. It's kept the grass wet and work soggy, but still enjoyable. I am still working outside every morning mowing the lawns and doing my best to help keep this place beautiful. Lately, though, I've been using the killer chainsaw! Here's why: Sant'Anselmo sits on a high hill in Rome called the Aventino. There is a long cobblestone staircase that allows one passage to the street below. I mean it's really long with a bench halfway up for a quick rest for those who may be short of breath. In the vicinity of the staircase sits a ton of olive trees that tower high above the street and provide shade and shelter for the long staircase.

Here are the olive trees in the upper portion of the picture. The staircase begins where that building is to the left. The stairs wind down to the Via Marmorata down the hill.

These trees get cluttered every couple of years and it is necessary to cut some of the branches off to allow more sunlight to reach more of the trees, so that's where I've come in lately. It's fun cutting with the chainsaw; however, it's when I lug the branches up the massive staircase that things are a little less enjoyable. On the upside, it gives me a nice workout. I must have made 30 trips up and down that staircase today hauling logs and branches. There are olives all over the stairs now. I'll probably have to clean that up later. Hope nobody slips on an olive in the meantime.

Here are a couple of pics of me finally reaching manhood:



So, that is in the morning. In the afternoons I work inside in the Portineria or the Front Desk at Sant'Anselmo. I'm being baptized with fire into learning Italian through working here. Lately, I've been learning Italian faster than initially anticipated so I am content. However, here have been my most common responses to the people who come up to the desk or call on the phone seeking answers:

Non lo so = I don't know
Mi dispiace = I'm sorry
I don't understand = Non capisco
One moment please = Un momento per favore
Please repeat = Ripete per favore
Excuse me? = Mi scusi?
I don't speak Italian very well = Non parlo italiano molto benne

The good news is that there is always someone closeby to help me if I am truly at a loss for words. And most of the time, working there is pretty relaxing. My Italian is getting better, I feel. I don't know who said it, but I hope they were right when they said it can only get better from here. There was also someone who said things need to get worse before they get better. Hope that's not the case! I'll try to get a picture of the portineria up here sometime soon. Try not to stay on the edge of your seats for that one. Until then, keep on truckin'.

Salute,

Brady

I almost forgot!

Okay folks, I had forgotten to post this until now. About a month ago, during the Congress of Abbots, I was able to attend a private papal audience and saw the Papa himself, Pope Benedict XVI. I was sitting in the way back of the room and the Pope is a smaller man than I had anticipated, so I could just see the top of his little hat that he wears, but I snapped one picture. You can't really see much, but that is the Pope.

That's him in the white, I promise. Best pic I could get.


This all took place at his summer vacation home Castel Gandolfo, just outside of Rome. Not too shabby a place to have a vacanza...

And some Swiss Guards. I can't help it, but I always chuckle at the uniforms. Props to Michelangelo for the design.

In Italian, the Pope is called "Il Papa," but I kept referring to him as "La Papa" by accident. There are two definitive articles in Italian as opposed to just using "the" in English and depending on the article, the word's meaning can change dramatically to denote masculinity (il) and femininity (la). For instance, "La Papa" means something like "The Potato". Whoops, won't happen again. It's "Il Papa"...the Pope, not Potato. That's it for now. Have a good one.

Firenze, Orientamento, e Nuovi Studenti

What's new? After the end of the Abbot's Congress, I returned to working on the grounds around Sant'Anselmo. The mornings here have become quite nice as the weather started cooling down. I still wear shorts when mowing the lawns and working in the garden. People make fun of me. It has always been my opinion that mowing a lawn can be a work of art. I like to think that the residents here enjoy my straight lines in the grass when I mow. Perfetto. Maybe after my completion of service for the BVC I should start my own lawn service. Something to think about. Besides working on the grounds, I am a server for meals now during pranzo (lunch) and cena (dinner). This reminds me of my days as a waiter at Old Chicago, the only exception being that I can't sign people up for the World Beer Tour here. I enjoy it though. Beginning in November sometime, I am probably going to begin working in the portineria (front desk). The reason for waiting until November is that I need to get my Italian up-to-snuff. Crunch time. I am now at the level of a 4-year old, piu o meno.

I was able to travel to Florence or Firenze, in Italian, this past weekend. It was awesome. Here are some pictures:

Piazza at the Cathedral


pondering life


Okay, this was the highlight of the trip. Climbing to the top of il duomo of the cathedral and looking at the entire city.


anche questo


e nuovamente

Prego. It was quite incredible to be up there. After coming back from Florence, the new students began arriving one-by-one. The new academic year kicked off today. It is pretty neat to sit in the refectory during a meal and look around at how diverse a global population there is here. There are so many countries being represented at Sant'Anselmo. You truly see the whole world during a meal. Being able to meet some of them has been really interesting. Along with the new students there comes a new and positive energy. I had the privilege to join many of them for the orientation activities this past week. One highlight of the orientation last week was going to Subiaco where St. Benedict established his first monastery in the mountains some 1500 years ago. I was honored to get the opportunity to go. The natural beauty of Subiaco was phenomenal. See below.

The cave where Benedict lived

Subiaco was definitely a highlight. Other than that, I am still enjoying very much being in Rome. I discover something new about my time here everyday, both internally and externally. I find that vespers with the community in the evening before dinner is the best time for me to slow-down and reflect about the day.

In short, goals for the future: improve my Italian (a lot), continue to meet new people, challenge myself, explore, and that's good enough for now. I will try to update this blog more often than I have been, even if it's something short and quick. In the meantime, be excellent to eachother.