#my little greek-latin obsessed me would be screaming crying

[persephoneflouwers]

Friendly reminder Louis is performing here in 30 days.

Now since I’m a geek, let me rant about some ancient history and… 🥁 🥁 mythology! It never happens that international artists come to the South. This is huuuuuge for me and I am very proud (I don’t live in Sicily, I’m the friendly neighbour i guess, but I love it!).

Anyway.

The building dates back to III century b.C. Presumably the theater is of Hellenistic origin, as suggested by some stone blocks from Taormina and the inscriptions in Greek on some steps with the name of Philistis, wife of Hieron II and probable commissioner of the building, preserved in the western versure.

It was rebuild by the Emperor Augustus in the II a.C. and they used it for venationes, spectacles including gladiators fights against ferocious beasts. It was partially destroyed by the Vandals and later abandoned after the end of the roman empire.

The Theater has once again become a true protagonist with the romantic rediscovery linked to the Grand Tour. Starting from the XVII century, Taormina and above all its theater represent a must for every traveler who is passionate about history and culture. In 1978, Goethe visited the theatre and wrote a cute rec in one of his letters, describing the Theatre sublime for the decadency and the breathtaking view.

The viewpoints that the theater offers allow you to admire Etna Volcano and the bay of Naxos and Taormina to the south or the Calabrian coast with the Strait of Messina to the north. A spectacular natural setting. The scene partly retains its original form, thanks to a controversial nineteenth-century restoration. Two large side rooms (versurae) closed the stage and the stalls. Consisting of the steps, the auditorium has a diameter of 109 meters. It is subdivided into nine sectors or "wedges" by eight ladders and could hold at least 10,000 spectators (today 4,500).

Don’t let me even mention the acoustic. It’s gonna be sick, I promise you. These buildings were purposely built for theatrical acts. The actors used to speak without microphones and stereos. The geometry of the theatre allow the perfect resonance for the voices and instruments.

What we need is a cool fan project. Roses, laurels leaves, buttercups. White dress code, it’s theatre night after all 😌

[myveryownopinion]

What is a sorority girl?

A sorority girl to you is one that parties constantly, solely talks about boys, screams too loud when she sees her friends, talks behind her friends’ backs, obsesses about her looks and social media, is so damned basic that she only drinks iced vanilla lattes from Starbucks, and is someone people don’t respect. 

And reading that description, I’m not sure if I would want to be friends with her. Yet, my issue with the above description is that, although many parts may ring true (yes, I do enjoy my lattes very much and sometimes I worry about my posts on instagram) that stereotype is just that: a generalization about a group of people who have typically been seen as shallow, brainless, and unmotivated to do anything other than get up and party. 

And I’m ready for the argument you’re about to pose: “You’re just paying for friends! They’re so soulless and hazing is a problem! It’s so cult-y! All you’re going to say is that you do Philanthropy but we all know its just so you can party! Ohmigod don’t you just love your big?! You’re all sisters now!” etc.

Can I just take a minute to say how tired I am of answering those questions. In particular, my ex-boyfriend and his friends, loved to ask me “Wait are you, like, in a sorority or something??” when I would wear my Greek letters (which was most days because of the ease of throwing on those shirts - they were seriously so comfortable though). 

Yes, I pay quarterly dues to be a part of this organization, those dues go toward membership, living in the house, maintenance, and a variety of other things. One category it is not going to is “making people like me”. Shocking, right? Yes, I may pay to be a part of this organization, but these girls are absolutely not required to be my friend. I am not friends with everyone in the sorority, there are some girls I don’t know very well, and others who I don’t know at all. Yet, I honestly have no strong desire to get to know everyone here on a personal level because that would be exhausting. 

When girls don’t make friends in their sorority, normally they drop. It isn’t because of money that I am making friends. Money didn’t get me out of my comfort zone to walk up to these girls and introduce myself, money didn’t force me to find random hobbies in common with them, money didn’t tell me to go to lunch with the girl who is now my roommate. So, I find that an invalid block. Some girls actually try to embrace it and say “Yeah I’m paying for friends to not be shitty like you” when they’re told that. I personally don’t believe in initiating a fight. Even when my friends rag on Greek Life in front of me, well-knowing that I won’t say much other than trying to defend it to an audience who I know is committed to not changing their minds. 

Soulless you say? Nope. Not a single girl that I’ve met in this process is soulless. This doesn’t mean I’m in love with every girl I meet who is involved in an organization, it just means that we all do feel emotions, as flabbergasting as that may seem. In terms of hazing, read my words: Fuck. That. 

There are always rumors of different types of hazing, and a lot of the time (at least where I am), that is all it is: a rumor. Yet, the actual hazing that seems to occur in sororities is discussed so often (as it should be because hazing is truly awful) that people seem to think we throw girls on top of a dryer every week to see which part of them jiggles. Newsflash, unless you’re literally a skeleton with no skin, you’re always going to jiggle. And there is literally nothing wrong with that if you’re 120 lbs or 220 lbs - you are all beautiful.

Cult-like? Yep. But it’s fun as hell to chant some weird latin words that you have very little clue the meaning to. And personally, we sing a prayer before formal dinners and although our school is not affiliated with religion (and most of the girls don’t believe in God), it makes me nostalgic for when I used to go to church at home. I think its fun, sue me. 

We have a kick-ass philanthropy and there’s nothing you can do to convince me otherwise. We support survivors of domestic violence in our local community as well as donating to national foundations. Literally there are so many people affected by domestic violence and if I could personally try to help every single one of them I would. I sincerely hope you, reader, feel the same because no one (man, woman, or non-binary person) should ever be subjected to domestic violence in any way, shape, or form. Ever. Enough said. 

Yeah, my big is pretty great. She is involved in our student government on campus as a Senator, is incredibly stylish, and will drop anything to help you if necessary. So yeah, I adore her because she is a good person, I picked her because we are similarly attached to our academics, and enjoy each other’s company. 

Yep, these girls are my “sisters” now. And thank God they are. I wouldn’t pick anyone else to be next to me for this ride. When I come home crying because it’s been a terrible day, or I’m so stressed that all I want to do is drive away from campus and go anywhere other than here, or just generally feel terrible about myself, these are the girls that I will turn to because they love me unconditionally. 

A sorority girl is one that parties constantly but studies harder and longer for her upcoming exams, talks about boys but also her passions in music, politics, and art, screams too loud when she sees her friends because they really just make her that happy, talks behind her friends’ backs to compliment them and say how much she admires them, worries about her looks and social media because because there is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel your best, is so basic that she only drinks iced vanilla lattes from Starbucks which gets her going for her early-morning job or 8am class.

She is someone you should respect, not belittle.

Believe me or stick to your biases, I’m just trying to open your eyes to a new perspective. 

Because, to me, that is what a sorority girl is.