The Town of Cortona

Last time I told you all about the hostel I'm staying in. What you didn't know was that there's actually a whole town outside of the hostel in which I'm staying. Trippy, eh?

First of all, Cortona is absolutely beautiful. It's this little town perched on top of a hill, surrounded by Tuscan countryside. I can look out my window in the morning and see greeen fields and little houses and a lake in the distance. (This is when I look past the little church bell that is right across the narrow street from the hostel.)

The town itself is all made of stone, and built on foundations that are millenia old. Sometimes you can just imagine the life of the town 100 200 or even 2000 years ago. It's actually pretty simple since I imagine it to be very similar to how things are today. I mean, yes, the clothing has changed, and maybe some customs, and some of the things for sale in the windows are different, but the feel of the place, the town disposition seems as settled as the stone walls on which it rests. It like a very old cat, who's spent his life chasing mice, and is now too old, too tired but mostly too dignified to do anything more than sleep on top of the refridgerator and lazily twitch his tail in the early morning sunlight. The people just stand around talking all day, saying hello to old friends, doing some shopping, running some errands (though running is hardly a good description--it's more like a stroll) and peacefully going about their lives.

Below Cortona is another town called Cumucia, which seems a bit younger, a bit more antsy, but in the Italian way. They're like a brisk morning walk instead of a late afternoon stroll. It's a bit bigger, it has more traffic, and it's residents are less familiar. But they have more shops and such.

Us students are settling in, adjusting to this different life, where everything we could possibly imagine wanting is not just a quick drive away. But then you realize that what you thought you needed so badly isn't quite necessary.

I absolutely love not having to bus to school. Instead I can stroll, and greet the townspeople I meet with a smile and a "Bongiorno!" Instead of being stuck at the University all day with nothing to do but eat fast food and scramble to finish my homework, I can pick up a sandwich at the market, or buy some bread and meat and cheese and make my own. The homework load hasn't become daunting yet (though I think I will have more to do in the future), but I think there will be plenty of time for it anyway, since we were all jumping out of our skin with nothing to do yesterday. I love not having tv, or perfect internet, or movies, or other mindless distractions with no end.

That's pretty much it. I pretty much love it, and my desire to live in Italy permanently has only become stronger.