Italy Post #10

Dear Readers,
I'm supposed to be in Florence right now. Probably sitting by myself in some cafe somewhere a few steps from the river Arno, sipping on a sugary cappuccino and sketching in my moleskin.

But I'm not. I'm in Orvieto. As always.

It was the great debate last night as to whether I would go or not. I've been feeling under the weather (and apparently the elements have decided to make that a reality - its been raining for the past 3 days). Not sick; no stuffy nose, no sore throat, not even a small cough or two. My MS has been acting up, making my feel numb and my legs heavy, and that's something I can't cure with a couple of ibuprofens and a hot glass of tea. Unfortunately.

So this morning I woke up after 6 hours of sleep, ate breakfast, packed my bags with every intention of getting on the train with everyone else; I almost made it too, if only Christine (our wonderful RA) hadn't caught me taking the elevator down instead of walking the steps. She questioned me as to why, and when I explained that I didn't feel safe because my feet are numb and I have balance issues, she expressed her concerns with me walking in Florence. I have to admit though, I completely agree with her. MS is always a guessing game - how much should I do, how far can I walk, will this hurt me in the long run? I don't want to miss out on the rushing waters of the Arno (and the Orsanmichele, monastery San Marco, the David, Boboli Gardens, etc.....you get the picture) but I also don't want to end up hurting myself more. Its such a delicate balance that I'm still trying to figure out.

But, as to not add to the seeming dire-ness of this situation, I AM in Orvieto, sitting here at a cafe in the twilight, sipping on my creamy cappuccino while sketching the cobblestone streets and the ancient buildings that surround me. Its wonderful! I could stay in this town forever, but I always think I would feel like a tourist. The people know each other here better than any community I've ever seen. Even the few Italian friends that I've made here (the nuns, Alessandro - our Italian teacher) I can find out and about, always ready to stop for a kiss hello and a few Italian pleasantries. It's so intimate.

(LEXY ALARI: Don't read this!!! I wrote you a letter all about it!) Finally, before my internet time runs out, Story of the Week: last night I decided to take the scenic route back from dinner, which takes a loop up the corso (main street) and around to the duomo, then turns back toward the Monastery San Paolo. I was sitting, staring at the duomo as usual, when the front doors, which must be around 30 ft. tall, opened! I couldn't believe it! So, being the curious pumpkin that I am, I walked inside. Turns out there was a free concert that night that I'd stumbled on to. It wasn't very good, but I was just so excited to participate in something unusual for me, but completely usual for the people of Orvieto. I guess it was the kind of great community-building experience that I was in need of, to remind me of the differences between here and home. And make me grateful for being here, even if I'm not in Florence.