Chasing the Eiffel Tower

Here we are on the cusp of May and I have much to tell you, so bare with me as I write a slightly-longer entry about one of my favorite memories of this time abroad and of all my life—my trip to Paris!

My Ekphrastic poetry class ended two Thursdays ago, and as soon as class concluded at noon I, and four of my classmates headed through Orvieto to catch a ride down the mountain, to catch a train to Rome, to catch a bus to the airport, to catch a flight to the outskirts Paris, to catch a bus to a main port IN Paris, to catch a metro to our hotel in Paris. Needless to say, it was a very busy afternoon of travel and we all collapsed into bed Thursday night and woke up bright and early Friday morning to begin our weekend!

Friday morning began with a search for croissants (sidenote: French croissants are better than Italian ones, but Italian cappuccinos far outweigh the French). Next we spent about four hours in the Museo de Louvre. Aside from housing some of the world’s most famous art pieces, some great book stores and two beloved Starbucks shops (where I had possibly the best latte of my life), the Louvre is the most interesting and beautiful museum I’ve ever been to. Because of the overwhelming amount of art, we followed our map to some of the most famous pieces, including the Mona Lisa! Seeing Da Vinci’s most famous painting is an interesting experience because the painting itself is probably only a little over a foot in height, incased in glass and completely surrounded by eager tourists. To even see the painting I had to fight my way through about a hundred people to the front of the roped off space in front of Mona Lisa and her curious smile. My favorite moment of the morning was seeing a statue called “Cupid Kissing Psyche”, its marble is so smooth and beautiful, but the figures’ flesh looks as soft as ours and it captures a beautiful embrace between lovers.

We spent the afternoon walking through gardens and along the Sine River, eating crepes and stopping in shops and at vendors’ stands. We went into Notre Dame which is an absolutely gorgeous cathedral. The inside fulfills the very definition of gothic style with smooth, gray arches and stain glass full of yellow, blue and red. It was beautiful and I just kept thinking that the cartoon, The Hunchback of Notre Dame portrays the building really well, so good job Disney!

The evening was spent at my favorite spot in all of Paris, possibly all of the world—the Eiffel tower! Our method all weekend long was to spot a main attraction from across the river and walk towards it until we found it, so that’s precisely what we did with the Eiffel Tower. The closer we got to it, the more difficult it became to find because buildings and trees blocked its view. All of a sudden we turned around a random corner and the tower was standing right in front of us. Framed by the quaint cobblestone street and a few green trees, all the posters and pictures I’ve looked at of this magnificent structure came alive. I realized I’ve been wishing and waiting for soooo long to be able to see this beautiful tower up close and was so caught in a moment of joy I screamed and probably could have cried too! We first came across the tower in daylight, began to climb the first two levels it in dusk and by the time we caught an elevator all the way to the top, evening had fallen and all the lights throughout the city were turned on and the Eiffel tower was glowing in brilliant yellow against a velvet black sky. We spent hours walking around each lookout on the tower, trying to find all the spots we’d walked throughout the city during the day, taking in the beauty that is Paris. As we descended the tower, it began to mist and rain and as we walked to find a restaurant to eat dinner, the tower sparkled. We had a fancy dinner at a French restaurant, including dessert and wine and walked around Paris at midnight before getting on a metro and heading back to our hotel. It was the perfect day, one I’ll remember forever as one of my favorite!

Saturday morning we went to the Museo d’Orsay, which was filled with impressionist art and a lot more specified than the Louvre. I enjoyed the museum because each room was organized by artist and time period, moving from neo-impressionist all the way to post-impressionist artists. We saw tons of Tolousse LeTrec, Serat, Luce, VanGogh, Degat, Monet and Renoir paintings. They were so beautiful and particularly meaningful because so many of these artists spent time in France; when I looked at VanGogh’s painting of a river at night I felt like I was looking at the exact spot of where I was the evening before, the colors as magical in the painting as the felt in real life.

After the Orsay, we set out on a quest for more crepes, baguettes and the Luxemberg gardens. The gardens were beautiful and we spent a good amount of time there taking pictures, drawing and writing. Then we headed back to the Louvre and walked from there all the way down the Chams Elyssey  to the Arc di Triomphe. Once again we hit this beautiful monument right at dusk and saw it change from the colors of daylight to being lit up with a glowing orange. We went back to the Eiffel tower to see it one more time and watch it sparkle again (which happens every hour on the hour). Another perfect day was topped off with a Nutella and banana crepe before heading back to our hotel. Sunday began at 430 and was a hectic day of travel—we almost missed our bus to the airport because of some transportation mishaps at the hotel, but our concierge was very accommodating and even though we had some bumpy and terrifying rides, we all made it back to Orvieto in one piece! So thank you for all of your prayers.

In a few days I’ll tell you about Florence and all I’m learning in class #3: Renaissance Narrative.

inside the Louvre  

Cupid kissing Psyche 

on the Seine river 

a lock bridge where engaged couples leave a lock and throw away the key into the river! 

savoury crepes 

Notre Dame 

first encounter with the Eiffel tower 

Evening Paris from the top of the tower

Parisian baguettes :) 

inside the Orsay

Luxemberg Gardens 

 outside the Louvre at twilight

the arc di Triomphe

the magical Eiffel Tower

2 months in!

Tomorrow I finish my second month of classes! I will be finished with Ekphrasic Poetry and begin Renaissance Narrative on Monday morning.

I've had some amazing moments in class and out...learning about the process of poetry and the weight of words. Throughout the class I've written poems about famous paintings as well as encounters I've had with the art and life in Orvieto. The "Orvieto" ones were a really great and unique way for me to process the things I've been learning and the things that have impacted me most throughout my time here.

We're halfway through life in Orvieto which is absolutely crazy! I've definitely been hitting more moments of homesickness and feeling overwhelmed with how much is left to go. But the next two months are the busiest, so I'm pretty positive the time will fly by and June 16th will be here before I know it.

As a program we've had some beautiful moments this week. For the past month we've been split into two classes: Painting and poetry. Monday morning we came together to share some of what we've learned since arriving in Orvieto and more specifically in the last month of classes. It's amazing how much we can all relate to each other, on both personal and academic levels. On Tuesday night we had a poetry reading and art exhibition. I've never read my poetry out loud (well probably because I've never written poetry before!), so that was a strange and rewarding experience, but it was great to read in the context of everyone I've been learning with. After the reading all the art students displayed the Stations of the Cross paintings they've been working on. It was such a beautiful and rewarding evening. These are the moments when I feel most excited about the work I'm doing here and most secure about my place her in Italy for this semester. I'm already excited to begin another round of classes!

So, my next step is...PARIS! One of the perks of living in Europe is the fact that I can take a weekend trip to France :) Okay, so its not that easy, we've had lots of stressful planning to make sure buses, trains and planes all connect and that we have a place to stay. I hope to see all the typical Paris attractions, but its a short trip so I'm just going to do what I can. I and four of my classmates leave tomorrow night and will fly back to Orvieto early Sunday morning. Any prayers you can send our way for traveling mercies are MUCH appreciated!

For now, I will leave you with the two poems I read on Tuesday night.

The first is based on the still life below, entitled Arezzo. Each of us wrote a somewhat humorous response and read them as a collection.

Arrezzo Still Life

Perhaps it was late afternoon,

Or I suppose they could have positioned

The fluorescent light just-so. It was, after all,

1979—no lack of electricity

like the Dutch fruit masterpieces.

Was it always the plan to place

Orange pots on a wooden table,

In front of an orange wall?

The colors, though all in the same palate, are nice,

so someone did their homework.

We might call it ‘kitchen necessities’, I can hear them say.

But what of the egg? And salt but no pepper?

OH! I get it—those could be representations of all

Food and spice. See, the artist did make

Compositional decisions. It’s not that I don’t like it,

Because I do, its aesthetically pleasing. But what

Can it teach me? Please, tell me the thought

Behind these choices. I want to convey the access

We all have to simple, beautiful life. Escape the wars

And post-modern confusion and get lost in the

Peaceful orange. Oh, I say, thank you.

This next one is based off an assignment I had, "7 ways to view a wall" and since then has morphed into a more personal response to Orvieto as a city.

Ways to view a wall

Upon this vast wall stands

the weight of a city.

A place to visit that in a few months, becomes home.

Layers of brick support ancient stone.

Scales of gray and brown leave a record of the

millennium that has passed here.

Standing in the olive groves of the valley,

the town could be held in a human hand,

the Duomo balanced on fingertips.

But walk back up the hilly paths

and its two miles of cobblestone and the

sweeping mosaic will leave you breathless.

This fortress was home to a temple,

And a cellar to ferment wine,

And a site for Etruscan battles

And Roman invasions.

We’ve seen it on a thousand postcards,

but inside these walls we find

cafes on every corner, old stone

churches in every quarter, shops to

accommodate locals and tourists alike,

And food.

Restaurants serve at one and at eight.

Each baker an artist, their medium a croissant,

Each chef a master of pizza and pasta.

Fresh tomatoes and olives on every

plate, oil drenches each bite. All served best

with a glass of wine.

Under the shadow of this wall, the Earth comes alive.

Plants grow from Tufa

Birds chirp, salamanders slither

Wind blows through the grasses.

The wall grants permission to travelers

Who leave only to reflect, renew, respond.

Then pass back through to be challenged

By community formed in the classroom

of an old Palazzo.

Welcome to Orvieto.

Good Friday Reflections

In preparation for Holy Week, we spent some time in class talking about the Via Crucis, or Stations of the Cross. Drawing students worked on paintings and my class worked on poems. On Thursday in class we spent the morning sharing our work with one another, and it was such a blessed time.

Thursday evening I attended a service during which the main event was a foot washing done by the priests for twelve men from the community (one of which was a guy from my program who has been singing in the choir with me).

Tonight members of Orvieto took a "Via Crucis" around the town. We held candles and walked through the streets to places that represent the fourteen stations Jesus took from the moment of conviction until his burial. This was such a beautiful thing to be a part of.

I want to share with you two poems that are a meditation on the Passion and all that Holy Week represents.

A Maundy Thursday Service

Gray sky about to burst into a violent storm,

It is just as I imagine it to be in Gethsemane

And later at Golgotha.

I enter sacred space.

Carved Via Crucis line the walls,

The choir sings “Hosanna,”

Priests wear gold robes.

Old friends embrace, a past of

Shared struggles in their eyes,

Shared comfort in each touch.

How difficult it must be for frail bones

to maneuver these pews.

But faithfully, they receive the elements.

Water is consecrated to clean the feet of twelve unworthy men.

The priest begins. Every kneel, every limb extended,

A sacrifice. The stench of freshly removed boots,

Like dusty feet that have traversed all Jerusalem.

There is no glory in washing another’s feet.

A kiss on the foot,

A reminder of how unworthy the apostles were,

How unworthy we all are,

To receive the gift of a King.

Eager children pass out bread and flowers:

His body, broken,

Hope in its redemption,

Accessible to all.

I want to weep.

I think of You.

How did you remain composed that night?

When you knew

How your body really would be broken like the bread in your hand,

How your blood would spill, like wine burst from its sack,

How your faithful disciples would be driven by fear and

Hand you over for gold,

Attack the soldiers with violence,

Deny you.

You spoke to them, but they did not understand,
You really are the Holy Prophet.

On that eve of darkness, could you see the light?

At the table you spoke those timeless words,

But in the garden you wept,

sweat and tears, you wept.

This is a drawing in the chapel at the Palazzo where I take classes. This is a depiction of the Eleventh Station of the cross, Jesus being nailed to the cross, and is the inspiration for my poem.

The Eleventh Station

It has been a long journey already.

This is the beginning of the end.

Jerusalem fades behind him now,

None of them knows the temple is about to be destroyed.

Soldiers hold the on-lookers back.

We have captured the “King of Israel,”

The Pharisees supervise, arms crossed in disdain.

“Let him save himself now,” they scowl.

“Hold his arm! Grab his leg!”

Laborers lower his body.

They choose three nails for his hands and feet.

This work is not pleasure, tying down the Son of Man.

They feel the pain pulsating through his veins with each blow

They have no idea how those nails

Will pierce the hearts of generations to come.

“Father, take this cup from me

before the state destroys me.

You could deliver me.

To these nails and to your will, I submit.”

I stand in the chapel and I see my face

in the Pharisees’ pride

in the laborers’ fear.

And I, too, have pierced his hands

and again I will fall and puncture his side.

But in his face, I find comfort.

It is not fair,

but it is grace.

These are moments from the Via Crucis through the streets of Orvieto.

This has been one of the most blessed weeks I’ve spent in Orvieto thus far.

New class began on Monday, which meant delving into the world of Ekphrastic poetry for me! Ekphrasis is the response of art to art, so in my class we spend time responding to works of art with poetry. I was pretty intimidated by this concept because even though I’m studying English Literature, I have not written much of what I would consider to be legitimate poetry. But my professor, Dr. Marilyn McEntyre (formerly of Westmont College, now teaching at UC Davis, I believe) is brilliant, gracious and so helpful. She has exposed us to some beautiful poems and encourages us to begin writing by just putting observations and words to paper and playing around with them. She has taken the weight off of putting “deep meaning” into poems through recognizing that it will come naturally and will look different for each reader and writer. Class lasts from 9 am until noon and we spend the time talking about art and poetry and going through group and individual writing practices. Afternoons are spent various ways: Italian class, film viewings, walks around the town, and going through various poetry-writing exercises. The end project of my course is a 12-poem portfolio, and how I arrive there is more open-ended, and I hope the more open freedom proves to be beneficial to my creativity! I really am enjoying every moment of this class.

This weekend was an extremely relaxing one. It was full of playing soccer, laying in the sun, going for walks/runs, writing poetry and eating gelato. On Friday night six of us joined in on an Italian volleyball league. There were three teams including ours, so we played each other on a rotating basis. I was a little intimidated at first out and we didn’t win any of our games, but it turns out we can really hold our own against the Italians! They seemed to enjoy playing with us and given a little more practice, I think we can beat them this week!

This morning was the Palm Sunday service at church. We joined with another church in the area and began the morning outside with palms. The priests were dressed in their red robes today and began to do some of the liturgy of the service in the piazza outside our church and then processed into the church. I have been practicing to sing with the church’s choir on Easter, but this morning we (unexpectedly) joined the choir for Palm Sunday. Because there were two congregations present the church was more filled than I have ever seen it—every chair and standing space filled. There was also another choir leader and some of his singers/instrumentalists; thankfully, they lead about half of the worship throughout the service so there was less pressure on us! I was pleasantly surprised to find that if I followed the program for the service I could actually follow the scripture readings and liturgy. The priests read the entirety of scripture from the Triumphal entrance all the way until when Christ was buried. As the service went on there were times for congregational response (some of which I could follow, others I could not!) When it came to the choir’s time to sing, the director would whisper the page number in our songbook and we’d quickly flip to the page so we could follow (not as sophisticated of a process as you’d imagine). Turns out, we didn’t actually sing any songs I had practiced before, but it worked out okay! It was such a blessing to be part of such a larger service and to have a greater grasp on what was happening throughout the morning. Though I don’t understand most of the language, attending church each week helps me to become familiar with and appreciate the liturgy and is an eye-opening cultural experience (especially attending choir practices!). In the last couple of weeks, our program has begun meeting together on Sunday nights to read some scripture passages, reflect and worship together (in English!); it’s the perfect preparation for a new week.

The rest of today will be filled with studying…our first Italian exam is tomorrow afternoon, so we’ll see how that goes! Feel free to email me or send me snail mail anytime!

Alyssa Provencher

Gordon College

46 Santo Stefano

Orvieto, TR

Italy 05018

We hiked down the mountain and up to a bed & breakfast that used to be a monastery. This is the view of Orvieto from our picnic spot.

Meaghan (one of my roommates), Audrey & I
a lovely Italian lunch, ingredients bought fresh at the market that morning!