One Woman's Courage: Time4Life reaches out to Syrian refugees

I met Elisa at a wedding in Rome, and we shared a taxi back to our hotels in the early hours of the morning. As the taxi hurtled across town through the nearly empty streets, Elisa told me her story. Given the fact that it had been a long day, and it was nearing 2 a.m., I don't remember all the details of that conversation. But I clearly remember the passion and commitment that Elisa embodied, and her story has haunted me ever since. I've pieced together information from several sources to share that story here.

Elisa carrying supplies to children in Syria
http://www.lanuovaprimapagina.it/

"A week ago, a child of two months died in my arms. He had a temperature of 94 degrees. He was drenched: his hair and feet were soaked with water." Elisa Fangareggi coughs and tells the story of an ordinary death in the refugee camp in Syria Azzaz. During her last visit to bring medicine and milk powder to the displaced, she contracted pneumonia. But in the words of this 32-year-old attorney from Modena, there is no trace of heroism. Only the concern and indignation of a mother of three girls, determined not to surrender to the horrors of a war that is stealing games, family and the lives of thousands of young Syrians."  Franca Roiatti  (translated from the Italian by blog author)

http://blog.panorama.it/woman-in-web/2013/02/27/siria-i-bambini-affamati-e-il-latte-in-polvere-della-mamma-di-modena/

Elisa with Syrian children helped by Time4Life

At first glance, you would not guess that Elisa would be the type to frequently undertake dangerous missions to deliver medical supplies to children in Syria, victims of the war that is being waged around them. After becoming aware of the situation and the need, Elisa took a leave of absence from her job as a civil lawyer and with the support of her husband (also a lawyer) and three young daughters, she founded a volunteer organization, Time4Life, that is devoted to helping these children. She told me that her role as a mother compelled her to DO something, to be active in  making a difference. She now makes twice-monthly trips to Syria, to deliver in person the medical supplies and food that are necessary for survival.

Elisa surrounded by donated medical supplies.
http://www.modenaonline.info/

David Bianchini, a writer for Modena Online, wrote this about Elisa's work: "A courageous mother returned to Modena after delivering 400 pounds of milk powder and medicines to 200 Syrian children in the refugee camps on the border with Turkey. It is a dangerous experience in the midst of civil war, and it comes with death threats, but also many thanks from the population. Elisa Fangareggi, civil lawyer and mother of three children, is not afraid. Together the friends and activists of the association Time4Life continues its good work." (translated from the Italian by blog author) 

http://www.modenaonline.info/notizie/2013/01/29/mamma-coraggio-in-siria-con-400-kg-di-latte-e-200-di-medicine_27181#.UuSeabTna00

 

The Time4Life mission:

"There are 4 million displaced people in Syria because of the civil war. One cannot count the victims of hunger and poor sanitation in camps where they are lacking food, medicine, clothing, and health care. Those most at risk, as always, are the children. We organize periodic mailings, staff and aid in refugee camps in Syria, delivering directly into the hands of Syrian families powdered milk, medicines and money donated to our collection centers throughout Italy. With the support of specialized volunteers, in addition, we set up medical clinics and dental clinics in the camps to provide assistance to children and their families." (translated from the Italian by blog author)

http://www.time4life.it/

The Time4Life website is in Italian, but donations can be made internationally on the site through Paypal. I urge you to consider supporting this mission, and make a difference, as Elisa and her fellow volunteers continue to do every day.

Museo Ferragamo : The Amazing Shoemaker

One of my favorite fun museums in Florence is Museo Ferragamo, home of the famous shoemaker, Salvatore Ferragamo. I ventured into the museum for the first time in 2010, and have made numerous trips since then to view the creative and interesting exhibits they have. Last year they had an exhibit on Marilyn Monroe on the 50th anniversary of her death that was absolutely fabulous. I spent several hours in the museum viewing shoes, journals, film clips and videos of her life. That exhibit has now moved on to Prague.

This year the focus is on the theme of shoemakers in fairy tales. I picked up a free audio guide at the entrance, and entered a world of fantasy that could have gone on for the entire afternoon, but I only had ninety minutes to spare, as I was meeting a friend for lunch that day.

Entrance to the museo, then down the stairs.

I wasn't allowed to take photos of the exhibit, though I saw many others doing so! To get a glimpse and learn more, here's a review, with many great photos:

Salvatore Ferragamo Presents ‘The Amazing Shoemaker

And here's the link to the Museo:

Museo Ferragamo

The exhibit will be open until March 31, 2014.

Study Roman Architecture online for free!

Coliseum, Rome

I've recently started an online course on Roman Architecture that is being offered by Yale University through Coursera. I've explained Coursera and MOOCs in a previous post. The course is free and lasts for 15 weeks. Each week there are a variety of videos to view, along with quizzes and written assignments for those who wish to receive a certificate of completion. Forum discussions are available for those who wish to participate. Since the course is free and open to anyone, students from all over the world participate.

From the Coursera site:
"This course is an introduction to the great buildings and engineering marvels of Rome and its empire, with an emphasis on urban planning and individual monuments and their decoration, including mural painting. While architectural developments in Rome, Pompeii, and Central Italy are highlighted, the course also provides a survey of sites and structures in what are now North Italy, Sicily, France, Spain, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, and North Africa." 

For anyone who is interested in Roman architecture, I'd highly recommend this class!

Pantheon, Rome

I'm particularly excited about this course because it covers many places and ruins I've seen in Italy, including those I've visited recently in Rome, Tivoli, Ostia Antica, Ercolano and Pompeii. Since my travels to these places are still fresh in my mind, I'm excited about this opportunity to learn more about them. I'll also be learning more about the Pantheon, one of my all time favorite places to visit in Rome.  Since I'm also enrolled in several other Coursera classes, I'm mainly interested in learning what I can from the videos.

For more information, check out this link:
 https://www.coursera.org/course/romanarchitecture

What's more, this course is compiled from a more complete online course, also free, that is offered by the Open Yale Course site, which can be accessed at any time from this link:
http://oyc.yale.edu/history-art/hsar-252

Sunshine and MOOCs

One of the things that I love about winters in Kansas is that we always have a lot of sun. Nearly every day the sun shines, filling the rooms on the south side of my house with an abundance of light. Regardless of the cold weather outside, it's warm, cozy and green inside. I have large bay windows in my dining room, which is filled with trees and plants of various sizes, and with the sun shining in, it feels like a small jungle of green.

the dining room, where I also have my computer, so I spend a lot of time here

Another aspect of winter is that it provides more time for introspection and study. I have several months where my work load is low, which frees me to pursue other interests. In the past, some of my best creative efforts have come about during winter. More recently, when the cold weather inhibits outdoor activities, I've developed the habit of learning something new, and online courses have become the venue of choice for my learning.  Last year I introduced the topic of MOOCs in my February and March posts. MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Course, and these courses are offered free of charge.

My jasmine plant can be seen in front of the window on the right, with a fig tree behind it.

There are several sites that offer MOOCs, including Coursera, Udacity, Khan Academy and EdX. I've only taken classes from Coursera, which last year included courses on Digital Learning, Philosophy, Social Psychology, Greek and Roman Mythology, and the History of Rock. I've completed some of them, but mostly I enjoy learning from the video lectures that are presented in each class. A certificate of completion is offered to students who complete quizzes and written assignments. Completing the course on Digital Learning provided a certificate that was accepted as a professional development requirement for my job as an adjunct professor.

Coursera offers free classes from more than 100 universities that span 16 countries. At present, there are more than 500 courses available in 20 categories. For instance, I've signed up for several classes that start this month:


Roman Architecture, taught by Yale University
https://www.coursera.org/course/romanarchitecture

Early Renaissance Architecture in Italy, from Alberti to Bramante, offered by Sapienza University in Rome
https://www.coursera.org/course/renaissancearchitect

Moralities of Everyday Life, from Yale University
https://www.coursera.org/course/moralities

I'm eager to see what develops with these courses. The two courses on architecture will cover many of the buildings I've seen on my travels in Italy, so it will be a great way to learn more about them while also reminiscing. It's amazing that I can take courses that are taught by leaders in their field from renowned universities, for free, in the comfort of my home. I feel so fortunate to have the time to take advantage of these learning opportunities!

In March, I've signed up for a short class on Digital Cameras, which is offered by the university in my town, to learn more about my new camera. I've also found two Coursera classes on Buddhism that interest me. All in all, I'll be busy learning until spring!

Autumn Splendor

The fall colors in Lawrence have been truly spectacular this year. Someone said it's due to the wet weather we've had off and on all year long. On long walks through my neighborhood, I've felt as if I were in a painting, or on a palette of colors, waiting to grace a blank canvas. Alas, my camera has gone full tilt and I've tried taking photos with my tablet and my son's camera, but none seem to capture the full splendor of the fall colors, sometimes ten different shades all in one tree. But here are a few attempts that I made. Be sure to click on the photos for a closer view!

This Japanese maple is in my yard.

 

 

Bronze and gold.

National Novel Writing Month

November 1-30 • The world needs your novel.

Now that I'm home again, and working at my two jobs, I've also taken on a new challenge for the month of November: to write 50,000 words in 30 days. That's right! It's National Novel Writing Month again, affectionately known as NaNoWriMo, and I'm going to focus my writing on recreating, with a creative flair, the journal of my travels in Italy this fall. Writing about my travels is one of  the best ways I know to stay in an Italian mindset.

In a previous post, I explained that in the confusion caused by the transport strike in Italy, I lost my travel journal, which is like losing a part of my soul. I had filled nearly 100 pages of a notebook over a two-month time period, which I figure amounts to about 25,000 words. I'm going to spend the month reminiscing about my travel experiences in creative detail, so there's no gap in the record of the ten trips I've taken to Italy since 2006.

A second objective of being part of the NaNoWriMo is to establish a daily writing discipline that I can maintain every day, despite work obligations, travels and whatever else goes on in my life. A writing discipline is necessary to reach another goal: to write novels based on my travels and experiences in Italy.

Here's Wikipedia's description of NaNoWriMo:

"National Novel Writing Month, shortened as NaNoWriMo is an annual internet-based creative writing project that takes place every November. NaNoWriMo challenges participants to write 50,000 words of a new novel between November 1 and 30. Despite its name, it accepts entries from around the world. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to get people writing, no matter how bad the writing is, through the end of a first draft. The idea is that many people are scared to start writing because it won't be any good, and if there's a time to celebrate length, rather than quality, more people will write an entire first draft, which they can then proceed to edit if they wish.

The project started in July 1999 with just 21 participants, but by the 2010 event over 200,000 people took part – writing a total of over 2.8 billion words.

Writers wishing to participate first register on the project's website, where they can post profiles and information about their novels, including synopsis and excerpts. Word counts are validated on the site, with writers submitting a copy of their novel for automatic counting. Municipal leaders and regional forums help connect local writers with one another for holding writing events and to provide encouragement."

NaNoWriMo

Joining the NaNoWriMo site provides you with numerous writing resources, connection to forums posted by other writers and daily encouraging pep talks and suggestions. In my town, there are also write-ins at the public library every week, for those wishing to be in the company of others working towards the same goal.

Doing the NaNoWriMo project means that I won't be posting often on this blog during the month of November, so I can devote my writing energy to the project. Creating a daily writing discipline is more important to me than reaching the 50,000 word limit, but I'll give it my best effort!

Palazzo Strozzi: "Fire and Ice" and the Russian Avante-Garde

The best mostra, or art exhibit that I went to in Florence this fall, hands down, was at Palazzo Strozzi. It's title: The Russian Avant-Garde. Siberia and the East. I spent three hours viewing this extraordinary exhibit, which included 130 pieces (79 paintings, watercolours and drawings, 15 sculptures and 36 Oriental artefacts and ethnographical objects). I almost skipped it because of the reference to Avante-Garde artists, thinking it was only about radical modern art in Russia. But I read an article about the exhibit by Nina  Lobanov-Rostovsky in the Florentine, which described the exhibit as a "synthesis of the indigenous and the exotic, examining all the elements that went into the works of Russian modernists while simultaneously highlighting the shamanistic roots that are unique to Russian art." I wanted to know more.

The author of the article believed that the title "Avant-Garde" was misleading: "In speaking with all three of the show’s curators, they made it clear that they preferred their original title, ‘Fire and Ice,’ which would have referred to the scorched deserts of the eastern Russian empire, known as Turkestan, and to its frozen Arctic regions. Most of the artists included in the show belonged neither to the early nor to the later Russian Avant-garde, a name assigned to radical, innovative artists and movements that started taking shape between 1907 and 1914."

Artists Léon Bakst, Alexandre Benois, Pavel Filonov, Natalia Gončarova, Wassily Kandinsky, Michail Larionov and Kazimir Malevič were included in the exhibit. Though Kandinsky was the only artist I was familiar with, I found the exhibit to be not only compelling but very moving, as the works portrayed not only the creative process of the artists, but also their spiritual journey. I paid an extra 5 euros to use the audio guide for the exhibit, and am glad I did, as it gave me deeper insight into the artists and the meaning they intended to convey in their works.

From the exhibit, I learned about Kandinsky's interest in theosophy and how he explored and used symbolism in his paintings. Kandinsky believed that the artist has a mission to move others along their spiritual path with his/her work. I was introduced to the work of Natalia Gončarova and her husband, Michail Larionov, who were considered to be at the forefront of Russian art in the early 1900s.

 I viewed Neolithic stone figures, wooden sculptures, reindeer horns and even a shaman's drum. "Siberian shaman rituals, Chinese popular prints, Japanese engravings, theosophical and anthroposophical theories and Indian philosophy are some of the elements that inspired the new Russian artists and writers in the development of their aesthetic and theoretical ideas, just before the October Revolution of 1917." www.firenzeturismo.it

I saw the exhibit on a quiet week day, when there were not many people in attendance. When I left the Palazzo, I discovered it had rained steadily while I was immersed in scenes of Siberia. I felt serene and uplifted by the exhibit, and the rain-washed streets only furthered the sense that I had experienced a watershed moment at Palazzo Strozzi. This exhibit deserves a long, quiet study, and is worthy of more than one visit.