Roma

I didn't think I would have the opportunity to write my first blog entry in Italy so early in our trip. I was sure that I would be far too busy doing things and seeing the sights. However, jetlag has produced a great opportunity to use my morning on blogging, since even in Rome there isn't much to do between 4 am and 7:30.

Besides getting 4 hours of sleep last night,  I am pretty excited! The flight over went better than I may have suspected it would. Our layover in Heathrow was uneventful, and I slept through most of the trip, also the airplane food was nice and kept me alive. 

I knew that Italy, and in particular, Rome was not going to be the cleanest and most orderly place, so I was prepared for the sight that met me at the airport. Don't get me wrong, it's not like there is garbage everywhere, but it's just much more crowded and less of a value is placed on general cleanliness in public areas. However, aside from all that I immediately noticed and began to enjoy the greenery and climate. Few things are as refreshing as seeing plant life that has been allowed to grow for more than 4 months, especially if you have been in Canada for a while. I would also like to note that it is a BEAUTIFUL climate here, its humid, but not uncomfortably so, and I am sitting here writing this blog post on my bed at 6 am with the window open directly beside me, at the perfect temperature.

The drive to our hotel was again proof that this is a very different country, and I was immediately brought back to my childhood in Indonesia when we entered the traffic. Everyone drives here without shame, and if you want a space on the road, you take it. It's a little frightening at times, but I have lived overseas long enough to know that for the most part, people understand this system of driving, and it is nearly as safe as a far more regulated system, just because thats how people in vehicles operate here.

Aside from the motorcycles weaving in and out of cars and lines, it didn't take long for us to drive past our first ancient piece of architecture. I actually cannot remember how many old and decaying gates, hotels, churches and other buildings we passed, however I can recall very clearly the Coliseum.

It was breathtaking, even in the darkness, perhaps even more so because of the lights that were streaming out of the arches on all levels. The stones of this building absorbed the lights of the city and drew all attention to themselves, proving their historical and aesthetic worth beyond any other nearby structure. 

The hotel is not exciting enough to warrant any space here. However, one event of note is that while I was showering our shower stopped working. The bathtub is tiny =[

After becoming clean we went to a restaurante down the street. I had pizza, and it was delicious. It was a very large plate, however it ended up being just right for my appetite since the pizza here has very thin crust. It's crunchy, but not uncomfortably so. I had the 4 cheese pizza, which didn't look like a lot of cheese or even exciting cheese, as it was brought to the table. However I discovered that it was a beautiful blend of flavours, neither boring nor overwhelming! I also had some bread with vinegar and oil, which was delicious. Something else we discovered was that wine is incredibly cheap here in Italy, four of us shared a half litre, and it was only about 6 dollars! It was also very good. I don't pretend to be any kind of expert on wine tasting, but it was far better than cheap wine in Canada. I also had a domestic Italian beer, which was tasty as well, though I still prefer a Guinness or Big Rock.

After our meal I went with a couple people and we walked to a nearby church/monastery/cathedral? we had driven by earlier. It was gorgeous, I won't even try and explain it, but soon I will update my facebook with pictures. 

Its 7 now, and I think its time to get ready before we go for breakfast and get our Roma transit pass. We are going to visit the Coliseum today, and we will be performing in a church tonight. I will do my best to faithfully update this blog.

My little sister graduates!

Okay so I lied. my big sister graduated today, but technically I can call her my little sister, since I am a freak and grew to be 6'8', even though she is only 6'1'.

All height differences aside, I am so so proud of her, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English Literature and she graduated Summa Cum Laude!!! for those of you who don't know that is the highest honors that can be conferred on someone (correct me if I used that word incorrectly) for their grades during their degree.

I just want to take a moment to say how much my sister has inspired me academically and personally in school.

I think there can be a stigma or assumption about academic/hardworking/reallyfrickensmart people, and that stigma is that they are snobbish or perhaps sort people into categories based on their grades, social skills, and/or their academic intelligence. However my sister has exemplified to me and many others at this school how refreshing it is when you look at a person as someone of worth, regardless of what insecurities and/or personal difficulties they are operating out of. She is the first person to try and understand someone when they do or say something that is hurtful or immature instead of simply writing them off, and while she doesn't stand for injustice or abusive behaviours, she always approaches conflict with a willingness to look at where the other person is at and try and communicate any issues with love and respect.

I think this behaviour goes hand in hand with her values when it comes to Christ's approach to community. And I also think that her approach to other people in seeking to understand is something that heightens her ability to learn and be excellent in her studies. This open-mindedness that fosters curiosity and wisdom is something that builds into our faith in God and our wonder at his creation.

This wonder is something that I've seen her acquire and that I've begun to experience myself. The great thing about academics is that it allows us the opportunity to delve so deeply into a subject that we get lost in the infinite complexity and beauty of the subject. As people of faith we need to see how God has created these things to have us lose ourselves in them.

I think that good grades on her part are not a result of needing the highest GPA for prestige or even to open more doors in future education, but instead because of the inspiring beauty of God's creation. I'm not going to pretend that I always do my very best in school to achieve the highest marks, but I think the more I have connected my studies and pursuits in school with the bountiful character of our creator the more excellent I do anyway.

Today after her grad I was reading a book on Vivaldi, and there was a chapter on some background history of Venice, and at that moment I was reading about the art and architecture and literature and music that emerged in the Baroque period. We got talking about the pursuit of understanding and knowledge of that period, and the realization that emerged of the vast incomprehensible scope of God's intricate creation. Art in the church was considered worship simply because it was becoming more and more complex, a reflection of God's glory and power. I say that this is still true today, that in music and literature and other forms of art it should be less important perhaps what the logical message is that is being communicated; and more important what the beauty and excellence of the art is communicating about the character of God. This is why I don't understand it when someone says "well how can that genre of music be glorifying God?" or "how can that literature which has nothing to do with Christian beliefs be glorifying God?". I am not saying that all paths lead to God, but that all things that are excellent in some way represent his characters, and that he is in the business of redeeming those things that have been twisted or perverted, even in their excellence.

Thank you Celine, for in a sense paving the way for some of my thought patterns and goals and ambitions, and I wish you well in your future studies and what God has for you.