First of, my sincerest thanks to Irenea for helping me get to the Rusticatio, both in terms of organization and transportation. Thank you to she, her husband, and her housemate who opened their home to me for the night before we left and for getting me at the airport. Sei, without you I never would have known about this. You are amazing and an incredibly good mentor and friend. Thank you.
And now, the Rusticatio!
It was bound to be fantastic from the beginning. After a fun ride up on Monday with Irenea and Dido (who we picked up at the airport), we arrived at the Claymont Mansion, checked in, got our nametags (with our Latin names! I was, of course, Aurelia.), chose our beds and unpacked. Each person was given a questionaire to fill out, with questions like, "the most dangerous thing I have ever done was_______" and "I love to _________" that we had to fill out and return before Dinner. We stayed in rooms of five women each, but it was the nicest dorm style accomodations I have ever seen! We found that we were divided up into groups by gender. There were the Ursi (Bears), the Aquilae (Eagles), the Leopardi (Leopards), the Vulpes (Foxes), the Pumae (Pumas), and the Hyaenae (Hyenas). Irenea and I were Hyaenae, along with Amata and Glis.
I was nervous going in, but the first night, when we could still speak English, meeting the Repititores (group leaders) and Annula (the woman who runs it) calmed me down a lot. Although I knew Irenea going in to the Rusticatio, I knew no one else, but quickly felt at home among my 20 fellow Latin Learners. As we relaxed before dinner the first night, I met Glis, who traveled all the way from Australia to come to the workshop; I talked to Amata about JCL (Junior Classical League) and how to get involved with it again; I discussed teaching middle school with Rahel; I chatted with Brennus about how he was moving to Boston to take a job at a school here; and I met Richardus, who informed me that Annula was a Bryn Mawr alum. Wait, WHAT? Irenea and I bounced around and jumped for joy. After telling Annula we, too, had both attended Bryn Mawr, we Annassed Latin. (Anass=Bryn Mawr School Cheer) Suddenly, I was among friends.
Dinner was fantastic. We met by group, so that each group could meet their Repititor/Repititrix, and so that we could meet the members of our group. After dinner, Annula talked to us about how the week was going to work. She explained that our Repetitores would be taking notes for us, so that we didn't have to worry about writing everything down and could focus on learning and listening. She promised us that we would all be alright, no matter how nervous we were. Smart people, she explained, are not used to being unable to communicate. To allay our fears, she did an exercise to show us that communication is not just verbal, but corporeal. Then, to assure us that we would not be put on the spot, she demonstrated her teaching method for us. "That looks like so much FUN!" Irenea commented to me. I agreed.
Then, Andreas (the master chef!) explained to us how the kitchen chores would work. Yup, that's right. We did everything, including cooking. And we did it all in Latin. This, too, sounded like fun.
After much chatter, we headed to bed, all ready to get up the next morning, speaking only Latin for the rest of the week.
It was bound to be fantastic from the beginning. After a fun ride up on Monday with Irenea and Dido (who we picked up at the airport), we arrived at the Claymont Mansion, checked in, got our nametags (with our Latin names! I was, of course, Aurelia.), chose our beds and unpacked. Each person was given a questionaire to fill out, with questions like, "the most dangerous thing I have ever done was_______" and "I love to _________" that we had to fill out and return before Dinner. We stayed in rooms of five women each, but it was the nicest dorm style accomodations I have ever seen! We found that we were divided up into groups by gender. There were the Ursi (Bears), the Aquilae (Eagles), the Leopardi (Leopards), the Vulpes (Foxes), the Pumae (Pumas), and the Hyaenae (Hyenas). Irenea and I were Hyaenae, along with Amata and Glis.
I was nervous going in, but the first night, when we could still speak English, meeting the Repititores (group leaders) and Annula (the woman who runs it) calmed me down a lot. Although I knew Irenea going in to the Rusticatio, I knew no one else, but quickly felt at home among my 20 fellow Latin Learners. As we relaxed before dinner the first night, I met Glis, who traveled all the way from Australia to come to the workshop; I talked to Amata about JCL (Junior Classical League) and how to get involved with it again; I discussed teaching middle school with Rahel; I chatted with Brennus about how he was moving to Boston to take a job at a school here; and I met Richardus, who informed me that Annula was a Bryn Mawr alum. Wait, WHAT? Irenea and I bounced around and jumped for joy. After telling Annula we, too, had both attended Bryn Mawr, we Annassed Latin. (Anass=Bryn Mawr School Cheer) Suddenly, I was among friends.
Dinner was fantastic. We met by group, so that each group could meet their Repititor/Repititrix, and so that we could meet the members of our group. After dinner, Annula talked to us about how the week was going to work. She explained that our Repetitores would be taking notes for us, so that we didn't have to worry about writing everything down and could focus on learning and listening. She promised us that we would all be alright, no matter how nervous we were. Smart people, she explained, are not used to being unable to communicate. To allay our fears, she did an exercise to show us that communication is not just verbal, but corporeal. Then, to assure us that we would not be put on the spot, she demonstrated her teaching method for us. "That looks like so much FUN!" Irenea commented to me. I agreed.
Then, Andreas (the master chef!) explained to us how the kitchen chores would work. Yup, that's right. We did everything, including cooking. And we did it all in Latin. This, too, sounded like fun.
After much chatter, we headed to bed, all ready to get up the next morning, speaking only Latin for the rest of the week.
On Tuesday, I awoke to the word "Stercus!" just before my alarm went off. Glis had dropped her hairbrush in the bathroom. 'Stercus' means "shit." It was really, really hard to remember to speak Latin at first. Irenea, however, was very good at keeping me on task. Marianna, an older woman, was also very good at keeping us all talking. "Good morning" became "Bonum diem!" "Hello" became "Salve." I feared I would be dead silent at meals. However, this was not the case. Irenea, Rahel, and I joined a bunch of people at the Breakfast table, and instantly, we were all talking Latin. How did we sleep? Were we excited for the day? Wasn't breakfast awesome? Which group made it anyway? After breakfast (and downing my tea!) we headed into "Aula Scholastica" (the school room) for our first meeting of the entire group with Annula. Every day, there are two meetings with Annula, where we all learn various words, such as how to say what year something was done in, what sports we play, what languages we speak, what countries we have visited, or what the various foods we eat are. Today, Annula took us on a tour of the house, showing us where everything was, and teaching us its Latin name. I have never seen anyone with Annula's energy. She is goofy, crazy, incredibly intelligent, and I swear to Athena she had the same mannerisms as Eddie Izzard. We were all so engrossed in what she was telling us, that I think our eyes were all wider than they had ever been.
After this "Congressus Omnium" (Meeting of all) there was a 15 minute break, where you could get more tea/coffee, run to the bathroom, or grab a granola bar before heading off to your next activity. Remember, we're still speaking Latin here! This time, The Leopardi and the Vulpes got to stay with Annula for more "exercitiationes", while the Aquillae, Hyaenae, Pumae, and Ursi got to go off with their Repetitores for other exercises. With our Repetitores, we would read poems that we had (hopefully) never read before in Latin and discuss them in Latin. We had to explain what they were about, line by line. It was hard as hell, but damn it was worth it, and even fun! We read funny, sometimes even raunchy poems, different ones each day. The Hyaenae gathering spot was outside on the porch in the beautiful sun, looking out on the lawn. It was the perfect "locus amoenus."
Another break after these exercises, and then we headed in for our exercises with Annula. When we were with Annula, we always had another group with us. This time, it was the Pumae. So, in the room, the "students" were: Myself, Irenea, Amata, Glis, Dido, Ioanna, and Marianna. We learned to say, "give me the _______, please" and rehearsed all that we had learned earlier, in the full session. Annula gave us various animals and had us ask each other for them. I ended up with the chicken and the pig at the end. ("Commoda mihi vinum tuum, quaeso."= "Give me your wine, please.")
After this, we had a break while the Leopardi prepared Lunch, so I grabbed the frisbee that I had packed and played frisbee with Iustus. It is REALLY hard to speak Latin while trying to play frisbee! Nevertheless, it was awesome, and he's really good at frisbee! Lunch was quite good, and there were once again, friends, fun, and good Latin conversation. After lunch, the Aquillae got to clean up, while we all had a break until 3:00, when there was another "Congressus Omnium". This time, we played a game, using associative memory. I was the crazy patient. Annula would say a would. Everyone would write down the first thing that came to their mind, and then Annula would ask me what my word was. She would write it down. If most of the words matched mine, I was cured. Sadly, I was never cured. Guess I'm still crazy! (Then again, I argue that we are ALL CRAZY. After all, we do all study Latin.)
Post Congressu, there was another 15 minute break, and then the Hyaenae and Vulpes headed for the kitchen to work with Andreas, the master chef, before the Hyaenae had to prepare dinner, and the Vulpes had to clean it up. The group was: Glis, Amata, Myself, Irenea, Rahel, Iuliana, and Carola. We went through the various names for pieces of kitchen equipment and learned where everything in the kichen was kept. (Yes, this did take 45 minutes!) Then, the Vulpes left, and the Hyaenae set about preparing dinner. It's hard for me to do this, as I have a zillion allergies. So I ended up being the person who got stuff out of the fridge, or found pieces of equipment, or carried trays up and down stairs. Whatever was needed of me, that didn't require me to cut veggies. I ended up stuffing five chickens with spices. Stuffing a raw chicken? Sucks. Slimy as fuck. Ew.
Anyway, Dinner was a huge hit. Everyone enjoyed it. "Cena est Optima!" (Dinner is Awesome!) Iustus (Ursi) and Brennus (Leopardi) both told me. After this, we were free for the rest of the night. I took a shower, and then Irenea and I joined a group of people who were singing in Latin in "Aula Musica" (the music room). We sang through a renaissance piece and then through one of many Ave Maria-s. The voices that people had! Irenea, I already knew could sing. But Glis' voice was amazing. Marianna, Scotus, Iustus, Iohannes (Repetitor). Brennus has a spectacular voice, and can sing, possibly, higher than I can. I really enjoyed singing with everyone!!
As we wound down for the night, Irenea and I retired to the room we shared with Marianna, Ioanna, and Rahel. We talked about how awesome it is to hear Latin around you. It's a really pretty language, though you would never know this since we do not speak it much anymore!
Vivit Lingua Latina!
Eheu! That was long!
Next: Wednesday and Thursday.
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