Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sharing some excitement about a fresh start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1l4pDXbkic&feature=related

Almost back to the usual rut! Exams are approaching and I must say I'm pretty terrified, but more in a paralyzed way than in a stressful one. Also, my thoughts tend to be mainly about the start of a new academic year and my comeback to Venice, my lovely Venice. Moving has definitely been one of the best decisions of my life, not only because living on my own has given me much more freedom (not only in a concrete way- I also feel lighter, as if I was deprived of a heavy burden), but also because I've been given the privilege to explore and get to know a wonderful place which never ceases to amaze me. So, even though I can't stand the word "study" anymore, I am very excited by the start of the new year! There are some things I'm particularly looking forward to:

-Seeing the friends I made last year and this summer: unlikely last year, when I didn't know a single person, I already have some friends I can talk to and spend time with! Being a freshman is pretty exciting but also a bit scary; this year I'm definitely more confident and less in desperate need of friends, although I'm always happy to meet interesting, like-minded people! I miss my flatmates a lot and I can't wait to laugh again with them (I really think I've never laughed so much with anyone else... They're great, really.). I also miss my classmates, of whom I haven't heard for ages. Can't wait to share with them again interminable walks through Venice inbetween classes!

-Be back in a beautiful place with a great environment. Having the chance to go for a walk for me is amazing, since I don't have it where I usually live: whenever I leave my house on foot I have to bear with chaos, loads and loads of cars going very fast, no sidewalks, pollution and general squalor. When I'm in Venice, whenever I feel like walking I just put my shoes on and ask myself: "Which sestiere (venetian word for neighbourhood) I shall explore today?". I can just bring a book and sit on the edge of a canal... It's a dream.

-Having a routine. As all human beings, I hate having a routine when I have to stick to it but I do long for it when I'm free for too much time. I did have a routine to follow when I was in Moscow, but since I came back from Prague it's been a mess: waking up very late, feeling too lazy to do anything, hating the hot weather... And then realizing I've got exams to pass and I must study, study, study!

-Fall getting closer. I'm one of these people who never understood the charm of summer. I like being on vacation, I like nice weather but I loathe being all sticky and sweaty. I know we should embrace Mother Nature... but I can't deny I prefer lower temperatures, being able to drink tea and wearing some sweater or jacket. Summer is good when you're on vacation, but when you come home, unless you live in a Cohen-esque villa (O.C. reference!), it just sucks.

-New courses to attend! This year I have very interesting ones, such as Czech literature (twice the lessons as last year! I'm really happy, since at a certain point of last year I was so fed up with my other courses that this was the only one that kept me interested and awake. The professor is great, and the whole atmosphere is very stimulating- no people complaining or not caring about the subject, just a little bunch of interested students), Russian literature (we have six, and I repeat, six books to read before the start of the lessons, which will be in february. Help me! Otherwise, I'm pretty excited about eventually studying Anna Karenina, Crime and Punishment, Dead Souls...) and Slavonic Philology: it sounds difficult and hard and it's probably going to be like this, but the professor seems great.

-New opportunities and new ways to spend my spare time! Last year I realized that, even though I have to study a lot, living in the same city of my university provides me a lot of spare time (also because I just have to walk 10-20 minutes to go to lessons- no public transport, baby!- and sometimes I can just wake up forty minutes before the lesson start. Ahh!), so this year I want to use it in a better way. I'd like to find a job, and I also want to exercise e bit- maybe go running, but I'll probably choose yoga or swimming. There is a great swimming pool in Venice and I know swimming it would be really good to my body and mind. Running in Venice, on the contrary, is a very peculiar experience... Also, this year I'd like to get involved in something: being a volunteer or join some associations. Going to the theatre is on my list, too: I've already checked the schedules and I really want to see Macbeth and The Nutcracker.

Ok, so my endless list is over! I haven't mentioned the film festival that takes place in Venice every year and that is going to start in some days: the Festival del Cinema di Venezia. I haven't mentioned it because it's very elitarian and I definitely won't experience it, but I'm still pretty excited about it. Who knows if I will run into some famous director along the calli!

Camilla

1 comment:

  1. oh dear this sounds so exciting! I love Venice so I can relate to most of things you have written about it. Haha I can´t really imagine running in Venice, especially not in the tourist season :) I totally agree with loathing the summer (though I´ve improved a lot this year, I don´t seem to mind the weather so much anymore as the fact that I´m always stuck at home with nothing to do) and missing the routine - I feel much better while at school, it gives me a sense of order... let us know then how your courses are, they sound very interesting! You´ll probably find Slavonic philology hard but the great thing is that Slavonic language sounds very similar, so e.g. me, I´m from Slovakia, I can understand Czech, Polish people and even in other countries like Croatia or Russia I would be quite fine. That´s an amazing feeling that you can travel half a Europe and still get away with some universal vocabulary :) Good luck! xx

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