11 days left

The countdown continues on my departure from Florence and it's filled with happiness, sadness and apprehension. I don't have a job, or a place to live but I am trying to have some faith in the skills of the Universe to guide me to the right place.
So much has happened since I left California that I'm not sure how bad the culture shock is going to be. I find myself a bit slow on the uptake when someone is speaking english to me in public that I come off as kinda daft. I can understand Italian pretty well now, but speaking it is still hit and miss. The most dramatic part in all this for me is amount I've learned is such a short period of time, personally and about art. A friend told me the other day that I won't fully understand how I've changed and how this experience has effected my perception for a while and I think he is right. Florence has been such an intense experience and even before I've left I reflect on it constantly.
I have so much to be grateful for, so many wonderful people have come into my life because of it that in some ways it feels surreal. I leave behind here in Florence 2 wonderful people that I wish I had more time with, Nenad and Camilla. Both are art restorers and I have learned so much from them and enjoyed their company as people beyond words.
One of the most important parts of this experience is one relationship in particular. When I left California, Mike and I were part time lovers and friends. Since I've been in Florence he has stuck by me through the whole thing and our relationship has developed into something really wonderful. I don't know what will happen when I get back but I am hopeful that closing the distance will bring about an even richer experience of love.
These days I sigh deeply, taking in the sights, sounds (often construction and sirens) and tastes of Florence. I will miss living in this city of beauty even if it does often smell kinda nasty. Every corner here offers a surprise, an opportunity to look and celebrate.

The job hunt

I has begun.

I am finding that the conservation field is like some secret society and I haven't learned the hand shake! It isn't like restoration studios utilize web sites like so many other professions, in fact there is almost none considering how many places are probably out there. And it seems like they are very interested in keep the gate keepers of information firmly in place.
So we are all writing emails, sending out applications but then...we wait and there isn't even a courtesy reply. It is all yet another learning experience.
I started looking in the Bay Area but quickly realized that I might need to seriously consider living in whatever state I can get a job in. Not really what I had hoped for because I was hoping to live within driving range of the kids but since I have such an enormous student loan to pay off, I might not have a choice.

No wonder people continue at school into their Phd...it is comfortable to stay at school and not enter the work force.

45

I almost forgot...I turned 45!

Some age changes hit you and other go unnoticed. This one is coming at a time of complete transition and seems to be effecting my self perception. I am having little pods of self doubt that are actually effecting how I interact with the world. I find myself "pondering" those unproductive and destructive questions..."why would anyone hire you? why would anyone date you?" I fully know its is the side effect of so much transition and I can't say that it is completely unhelpful but...arrrrggghhh....it might not be the healthiest mind loop to ever play in my head.

I might not fully understand what this experience, and birthday have done to me until I can stand in front of my friends back in CA. Sometimes the best mirror is a friend. Here is the fantastic birthday dessert that they made me...

Job Hunting

I know that it feels like half of the US is job hunting right now and the economy sucks but I am finding that the restoration and conservation community is much more secretive then I anticipated. They don't advertise or have a web presence. They don't post jobs on regular sites and even the official organizations have outdated information on their websites!

How is a person supposed to infiltrate the system I ask? I have now started to systematically email strangers in hopes of a response! I had to create a table in a word document to keep track of who I send what because it seems so abstract. I've now read how to write every kind of resume and cover letter that is posted in every how to website and I feel like a cartoon character that has all those lovely symbols floating over their head as they lay slumped.

But I will continue to try...like everyone else...and maybe I'll be able to slip in under the barbed wire fence, avoid the motion detectors and run past the snarling dogs to enter the sacred kingdom of restoration!

All Pau!

School is done, in the bag, finished....phew...that was intense.

For 8 months I have spent almost all my time with the same 9 people. It wasn't like the standard friendships formed during the normal academic course because you took every class together. We ate together, studied together and occasionally when time allowed hung out together. Normal academic life is so different than what I experienced here. The semester is a nice pace, and you see your friends occasionally in some of your classes...not here. Here it is a tiny room where all your classes are, the same 10 people from 9-7pm some days, 5 days a week and the other 2 days you are in the library with some of your classmates working.

Not sure if I'd really driven the concept home but I'll try one more time...together in very close quarters for 8 months! There enough said in an attempt to build the context.

I haven't posted any photos of them here on my blog because I do respect their privacy, but I did want to make mention of their brilliance. Of course I didn't get along with everyone, but the half of the class that I spent my time with are fantastic. One in fact is spending the next 2 weeks here in my little studio before she goes off to France.

So for the record, my experience was made up of not only an education in restoration but also shaped by a dedicated and over achieving (in a good way) group of individuals that I will always remember with warmth and fondness. Some I hope to keep in close touch with and others I will be happy to see at events and conferences. But they have been such a big part of my experience here that it would be remiss of me not to mention them and I will miss them.

Thanks fellow Post-Bacc Conservation students 2009/2010...

Siena

I finally got to take a day trip to Siena. I have many of the photos posted on my Flickr account and still doing some editing on others.

Siena is magic. There is no other way to describe it. It is a frozen moment in time in many ways. No high tech antennas sticking off roof tops, no zooming cars moving down the streets, and even not much public transportation. Every corner you turn is a gift from the city, and in many ways it is much more beautiful than Florence.

Can you tell I fell in love with Siena. I do wish I had more time there because it is more than one full day of sight seeing. So if I return to Italy some day I hope I can spend more time there and maybe even make it to Venice...Venice is waiting for a time I can travel with someone romantic I think.

I'll patiently wait.

entertainment

There is a fantastic theater here that plays english language movies that is extremely beautiful. I haven't much of an opportunity to go, but when you do it seems like quite the event just because of the atmosphere. I did see "the Adventures of Mr. Fox" there a few days ago with a few friends. A great movie with witty and cunning dialog but I'm not sure most kids get the majority of what is being said.

Here is the link to the fantastic and very unique movie house...

http://www.cinehall.it/pagine/congressi.html