Tranquilo
I’m here- in Bologna, Italy- and everything is beautiful. The city, built by the pope in the 1000’s (yes, the 11th century), is nicknamed La Rossa- because everything is red from the bricks to the roofs (photo below). I’ve looked pretty idiotic so far- mostly because as far as the natives can tell, my Italian is nonexistent- and when I don’t know a word I go ahead and fill it in with the English word in a southern draw- the opposite of what my program is going for. Other embarrassing things: Busting my butt as I slipped and fell in a puddle the other night; Asking the Italian on the other side of the phone “is the bed still dead?” instead of “is the bed still open?”… I didn’t end up going to that appointment out of embarrassment…
I can only speak Italian here, except I cheat out of my craving for comfort with my AMAZING new American friends that live in my hotel with me (4 girls, 1 room- sup sup project). I don’t understand many natives, but the Italian hand gestures help molto. Allora, as I recount the rest of my tales this semester, keep in mind that I am interacting with natives, thus only inferring what my conversations are actually translating to.
Upon arrival in Bologna, Italy, I immediately bought my phone and started making appointments to see apartments. I found some with a really good location, another for a great price, but after seeing 5, I hadn’t had the glitter-in-my-heartfeeling that I was looking for. Then, it happened. I went to my next appointment and it was a gated community with trees. Both of these qualities are unheard of. After getting lost in the building (the floor layouts are numbered very different- but I haven’t figured out the system yet), I found my blind date with the door open. I tried to apologize for getting lost and he said, “tranquillo, tranquillo”– an idiomatic saying that is the theme of Italy: to be peaceful, calm, not to worry about the time or the hour. All of the inhabitants greeted me with smiles and buongiornos- 3 girls and 2 boys. I fell in love. I saw my room- a small rectangle with large closets, 2 desks, and two 90 cm single beds cheek to cheek. After seeing the rooms of the apartment (in total: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 hall, 1 kitchen) we went on a date- or that is what it felt like. They said they were hungry and wanted to make (delicious) pasta for me, so we went to the kitchen- which is the size of a walk in closet in America. We ate and then lounged (since the kitchen is also the living room) and watched an Italian cop show on crime in LA (on an ipad, no TV). The date was fun and I returned to the hotel where I am staying- but I couldn’t stop thinking about how perfect it was. So, I ignored the 3-day rule and called the roommates back and said I wanted the room if they would have me- and they did! So now, we are all planning to sleep together… under the same roof. Courtship at it’s finest.
The phrase “tranquillo” has really stuck with me- it has taught me a lot about not putting such a pressure on myself to perform and get things done. In 1 Samuel 17:41-52 David faces Goliath, a huge trial that all of Israel feared. But I am not David, I am part of Israel- because David defeated Goliath, Israel trusted that it was finished and in their response, they rose with a shout and pursued the enemy’s camps (v. 52). In my discomfort and doubt here, I have only to trust that because I am in Christ, I can say with confidence that the battle has already been won through Christ. My mission in Bologna it is to understand my tranquillo in Christ and to respond with a rise and a shout to go and tell the bolognese of this greater tranquillo that he provides in me.
Sunday has been the best day so far. Every other day is bellissimo, but I’ve really missed community and the Church. Kiki and I (the two UNC people here) went to Nuova Vita– Chiesa Evangelica, an Acts 29 church plant here. It was a 25-minute bus ride away, but the people were so welcoming. We bought Bibles written in Italian, and in God’s sovereignty, my first Sunday wasn’t too stressful because they had a guest English preacher that was translated about every 5 words. What a gift. The worship was exciting- some of songs I was trying to translate but others were American worship songs sung in Italian like “Blessed be your Name” (Matt Redman), “How Great is Our God” (Bethany Dillon), “Your Name” (vertical church band). After, I met the CRU college ministry staff, and talked with them about and what their day looks like on the campus in centro around me. It was so encouraging to see that there are laborers here that care for such a lost city.
My intensive Italian grammar classes start tomorrow; I guess classes are kind of required since that is what I am here for?! Arrivederci!