FARM. Ecco!
I am unearthing writing and reflections from ten years ago when I had just graduated college. With great fortune, I ended up on a farm in Tuscany for the Fall season of 2014. I had sent out emails while there to my family and my few closest friends that Fall. I just found out these emails I shared had been forwarded and actually inspired someone to come on my first Bella Vita retreat a decade later to this same farm and experience that was so impactful for me ten years ago. In that light, I have found and am sharing my writing from that Fall, as both a reminder to myself and perhaps something of use to others. These posts are unedited - double spacing after periods and all.
Written: September 7, 2014 / Part 4 of working on a Tuscan Farm
Ecco!
The backpack and duffel are empty, photos of family are up over my bed and a variety of books and journals are stacked by my bedside. Seems like I am settling into life at Spannocchia. Jessica’s “orientation” for us this weekend also helped, complete with a scavenger hunt on the property and introducing us to the personnel that help run Spannocchia.
In many ways, these past few days have strongly echoed summer camp. New place, new group, new traditions - it must be what the kids coming into an Overland experience. To come in and not be familiar with anything, and so dependent on strangers to acquaint me and make me feel at ease. It’s like I’m a Freshman all over again; wide-eyed and full of wonder of what will come my way here. Tours, scavenger hunt, rules - it all rings so true of four years ago starting college. It’s strange that I am now thrown into a novel environment after having been the facilitator for this very same type of environment, but its strangely comforting. I am now the one who has the ability to have the fresh start, that rare, wide-eyed wonder and be led around. Not have to answer all the questions, but ask them.
The scavenger hunt, which may sound juvenile to some for 20-25 year olds, was a lot of fun. My partner was Michael, a bike leading, guitar playing, non-gluten and dairy eating 2014 graduate from Williams College. I don’t know whether it’s the bikers in us or the recent high-on-life graduation feeling, but we were going to win this noncompetitive activity.
Though we were the first group to come in by more than a half hour, that’s beside the point. We were able to connect quickly with our common interests and explore the property together - going up to the Piano where the pigs are, looking at the ceramics studio or hunting for the greenhouses in the garden and trying a piece of passion fruit off the vine while searching. Whenever we would find the next clue, we would excitedly proclaim, “Ecco!” (Here it is!).
I continue to experience the food of Italy and discover the property. Last night, with the usual four course meal, we finished with aperitivo - your choice of Grappa, Miele Grappa (honey), Noccino (from chestnuts) or some interesting smelling asparagus variety.
This evening, after a slow afternoon of reading, fixing bikes and a short run, all of us chipped in to make dinner. The butternut squash soup was the standout of the meal, complete with little chunks of apple and finely chopped sprigs of rosemary picked from one of the many bushes five feet outside our door.
All 8 of us interns are trying to find our place for not only our tangible things like workbooks and shower caddy, but also our place with other people. A way to somehow mold our personalities, habits and pasts together to make these next three months great - or at least manageable with one another. It’s almost like a puzzle, us trying to see where we, with our singular piece of the puzzle, fit in the picture of Spannocchia.
Though it may have been orientation, the first day of class (AKA work in the orto, or vegetable garden) begins tomorrow morning at 8. Though it may have felt like a flashback to freshman year, I feel much more confident and at ease than I did four years ago. My wide-eyed wonder is not one out of fear, but rather out of curiosity and hope for what the next three months hold. I am not sure what time will bring, but I hope to have many more moments of exclaiming “Ecco!”
