Getting real

Today was our first morning off in a long time, and we all came to class this afternoon feeling a little more tied to the earth. We had an amazing day yesterday, starting with a visit to our future site, Sacca San Matia. It is, I believe, the most recent 'sacca' created in Venice, connected by bridge to Murano, the glass blowing island. As far as I can tell, the definition of sacca is an island walled off and filled in, an interesting reverse process of the Netherlands, in which the land was also walled off, but instead was drained. The similarities end there, however, especially in regards to time. Time does not feel linear here: it sort of surrounds us, like a fog. The mid-day siesta has something to do with this; as Bob told us, the Italians work to live, they do not live to work, like so many in our country. But also there is this sense of going with the flow, of taking the path that comes to you, of spending time taking in experiences. An example of this: we had an appointment at the glass school in Murano, right before lunch time. We were all hungry, but excited to see the artists at work and hear a presentation from...someone. Wasn't clear who. We sat and watched a video on all the different types of glass making through out history before we were led into the studio, an incredible site to watch two old glass-makers work together in such a seamless, wordless way. The best part was afterwards: we were led back to the auditorium, where we listened to an Italian gentlemen, dressed in the finest attire, and who happened to be the president of all things glass in Murano, talk on and on, in translated Italian, about the history of the families and the island. What really came through to me, though, was the intense pride in family, in tradition, in history and a love of stories. By this point I was so hungry I thought I was going to wilt into the floor. He offered us some wine, complete wth gestures and smiles and bravado, then took us into the library to show it off. Then offered to bring us to lunch at the best place in town for a reduced price, where we were promptly served an amazing meal complete with several whole baby octopus, a whole prawn, several fish purees and delicious fish rizotto, endless wine and water 'with gas,' all for a ridiculously cheap price. We were wowed. Turns out he didn't even know our guide, he apparently just liked us. So it all worked out in the end. Stay tuned for more pics soon!