Venice Realized

My trip to Venice was more than I ever imagined it could be. The best part being the fact that I wasn’t just on a vacation I was on an experience filled with more than I could have hoped for. The entire week taught me to look at not only what’s placed directly in front of me but also remember everything that was surrounding it and its creation. I hope to put this into practice here at home as well in order to better understand any environment I may be in.

                The first example of this was demonstrated in my first formal assignment detailing what I believed Venice would be like. After reading de Botton’s book I was reminded that when I travel it may not end up being exactly like what I read about in guidebooks or on travel websites. I was forced to think past the list of sights we would be seeing and remember the lines, crowds, and jet lag that would accompany my journey. Since I traveled with this idea in mind I wasn’t completely disappointed when I encountered these annoying disturbances and I was able to step back and experience Venice as more than just a tourist.

                On our very first day we all took a detail around the Piazza San Marco and researched the history and significance surrounding it and created presentations from the information we collected. This assignment was my very first time in Venice practicing the idea of looking beyond the frame. It was interesting to examine an object that to most is just seen as another sight and understand it has more value than that. It helped remind us all that even though Venice is a huge place, even the smallest details have an important significance to the city and its people and that we should keep these in mind in order to fully experience the city.

                Throughout the week we saw several famous paintings and analyzed the different aspects that identified them as either medieval, renaissance, or modern art. During these tours we had to think about what went on beyond the frame as we discussed the motivations and influences the artists could have been facing when they painted them. In this sense we gained more than the average observer because we viewed the paintings as a window into our history instead of just a bunch of colors on the wall. These types of discussion also carried into our lectures as we also examined changes present in architecture, science, and religion. We also carried these ideas with us as we traveled throughout the city. Due to this we were able to experience Venice as an example of this transition giving more to our experience overall.

                Overall I was grateful for all the experiences this trip allowed me to have. It got me out of my comfort zone by challenging me to focus on something other than a math or science class. I did face difficulties throughout the week but with persistence I was able to overcome them and looking back I feel like I have grown as a student because of this trip.

                One thing I didn’t anticipate was how a limited use of my cell phone would affect me. Even though it threw me at first it was an interesting experience to spend a week without constant cell coverage. It helped remind me why I was really there and to focus on the moment. Having access to my phone the entire time would have distracted me from everything we were seeing. Without it I was able to fully experience all that Venice had to offer. By looking beyond my ordinary attachment to it, I was able to see how it would have been unnecessary and unhelpful on my trip.

                It was also very interesting to experience a new city as a student. Normally when I travel I travel as a tourist and due to this I miss out on many of the little details my destination has to offer. Even though my day consisted of classes instead of non-stop vacation I felt like I had plenty of time in the city. The way our week was laid out allowed me to experience all the sights I hoped too as well as a few others I may not have considered if I were on my own. Fully opening my eyes and looking beyond what is right in front of me allowed me to take advantage of everything Venice had to offer and made my trip all the more memorable.

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                When travelling to Venice one of the biggest differences I noticed was the absence of cars. However their absence had more of an impact than just the few differences I discussed in my A Reminder of Reality blog. Their absence impacted how life works in general not just how everyone gets around. The biggest example of this I saw was how school pick up functioned differently than here in the states.

                Where I grew up pick up was a staggered and rushed event. There were essentially three groups of students. Walkers, bus riders, and parent pickups. The first group that was released was those whose parents were picking them up. To make the parking lot less crowded this group was broken into three subgroups depending on how far away you lived from school. Looking back it operated almost like a drive through. Parents would pull up to the curb, wait for their child to come, and pull away once they got in. The walkers and bus riders also operated with the same kind of disconnected feeling. Waiting for the group of kids you walked home with or waiting in lines for the buses to get there was a daily event that was retaught since the first day of school. Every day was the same cookie cutter routine that operated with optimum efficiency. To sum it up picking your kid up from school was a success if you got in and out as fast as possible and moved on with your day.

                In Venice however there weren’t cars to promote this drive through behavior. Everyone either walked or brought scooters to ride home. Since they weren’t confined to their cars, everyone was able to mingle and chat with the other parents waiting for their kids to come out. It promoted this sense of community that’s strengthened by the interactions the lack of cars create. Watching everyone interact without the feeling of being in a rush to get to their next destination was refreshing to say the least. From what I observed just the act of picking up their children was the priority for that time; not figuring out what’s for dinner, not driving the car pool to soccer practice, not grabbing the dance bag for class. This created an opportunity for variety from day to day. The whole idea seemed very flexible and relaxed and everyone flowed from pick up to their next events when the time suited them.

                After the kids came out they too would gather and talk to everyone for a while before heading out. Then slowly everyone would start to leave travelling in groups because there were a limited number of paths to take. Therefore the sense of togetherness would extend beyond right outside the school building and into the surrounding community, and it had an almost domino effect on the routes they would take home. While I was sitting in my campo observing it for the Campo blog, a group of students came through after they got out of school. Their effect was immediate as they began socializing with various people they knew in the square. It was amazing to see these kids focused on something other than rushing home to watch TV or play video games. This doesn’t mean that they don’t do these things when we get home but it wasn’t on the top of their priority lists.

                These small differences lead me to wonder what it would have been like growing up in that kind of environment, to feel like I should live in the present instead of constantly moving on to the next event on my calendar. It would be interesting to see if I would have the same perspective on what I find most important. I think the main difference I would see would be a greater probability of focusing on the task at hand and the journey instead of the next destination. However I wonder if this could be attained in the United States with only the removal of cars. I don’t believe it is just the lack of cars that makes Venice operate the way it does. I believe it is a learned behavior that comes from not feeling like the next event on your list is the most important. Instead the practiced behavior is to focus on the task at hand and be fully involved in it. School pick up embodies this idea and observing it allowed me to observe an aspect of Venice that tourists don’t always get to see.

Pictures Day 7

A Welcoming City

One thing I’ve noticed during my week in Venice is the genuine welcome feeling the entire city puts out. What’s even more refreshing is that this sense of welcoming doesn’t leave once you stray from the tourist areas. What one would think is just an excellent business plan is actually how Venetians choose to act all the time.

An excellent example of this was the restaurant we journeyed to on Wednesday night. Osteria alla Staffa, which came highly recommended by our professor, was one of my favorite places of the week. The restaurant isn’t large by any means but it has seats for about eighteen people and throughout the night those seats were filled. However they weren’t filled by the quick turnaround of customers we witness in the U.S. They were filled by the same people throughout the night because in Venice dinner is almost a celebration and sometimes can take all night. Upon entering the restaurant and being seated we noticed that the menu was entirely in Italian. Although we had picked up a few phrases here or there none of our group could decipher more than a quarter of that night’s options. Instead of getting upset with us for being unable to interpret our choices our waiter fielded all of our questions throwing in recommendations and further explanations as needed. This process took longer than the usual ordering time but settling in and looking around it was clear that speed was not the desired outcome of the night. As far as I could tell alla Staffa had one waiter and one cook. While the cook prepared our outstanding meals, preparing as much as four courses for a couple of tables, the waiter saw to all the tables and those who walked in for a drink and a chat. Although catching up with a local who walked in may be seen by some as a lack of attention or service to those dining at the tables, it was clear that was not the intent. When walking into alla Staffa, you were walking into an entire evening of friendly service. There was no rush or pressure because speed was not the main goal of the night. Enjoyment was.

Another example of the welcoming environment of Venice was walking by all of the shops. I don’t mean the vendors on the street who try their hardest to catch your eye or ear for a few moments. I mean the shops that are tucked around the corner that carry what I would like to call the unique treasures of Venice. Walking down the street you pass by many shopkeepers who as you pass say “prego” meaning you are welcome. They don’t pressure you to follow them into their store allowing you to look at the window display or merely glance at the prices before making up your mind. Then if you do decide to follow them into their shop they show you around, offering information about different objects and pointing out items that may be of interest to you. Not once did I feel pressured into buying something just because I entered a store and no matter if I made a purchase or not I was given a friendly send off.

These two specific examples helped me realize over the week that Venice really does put up its best front no matter who is looking. Whether it be a trinket store in a highly touristy area or a local restaurant that sees very few tourists, Venetians are highly welcoming and friendly.

Pictures Day 5 and 6