Asia Colombo spent the 2016-2017 school year as a foreign exchange student at Berkeley High. She is from Italy. Her name is not pronounced as we pronounce the name of the continent, but as “Ah-zia.” She was a part of my family for the year.
She took a strong interest in all things Berkeley, all things California, all things America (except soda and all the sugar we eat and red meat and butter). She got the most out of her time here. And she took a strong interest in quirky things.
Even when she first arrived, she had mastered some colloquial English. Each time I pulled over at a quirky manifestation, she said “Oh Wow!”
Her father visited in the winter. We spent a day visiting quirky things, and he appears in many of the photos.
Asia goes back to Italy tomorrow, June 25th. May she always treasure her time in Berkeley – and may she come back soon.
Crying angel, singing dog on Walnut
Mark Bulwinkle’s home, Oakland
Stan Huncilman’s Bullfighting Academy, 5th Street
Brazilian Cultural Center, San Pablo at Hearst
Bear, California Memorial Stadium
Sharing a bench with Les Blank, Summer Street
Les Blank’s camera mailbox, Summer Street
Caboose, 5th Street
Hippie bus, on the road
Bunny topiary, Ward Street
With Clayton Bailey, Crockett
Dragon on Parker Street
Dwight and MLK
Dwight and MLK
Cedar and Scenic, elephant
Eternal house, Cedar at 4th
Eugene Tssui fish (tardigrade) house, Mathew Street
Toot Sweet mural, Gilman Street
Doug Heine’s sculpture, Page Street
Horse topiary,Sacramento
Hundertwasser, Scenic and Cedar
Ledge Liquors, University at Acton
Keeyla Meadows front yard, Albany
Mural over fence
Doug Heine’s OH OH, Page Street
Mark Olivier beach trash art, Colusa
A People’s History of Telegraph Avenue, Haste above Telegraph
People’s Park
Peace pole
Peace flag, Mathews Street
Plane crashing into Doug Heine’s home, Page Street
Clayton Bailey museum, Crockett
Rocks falling up, 5th Street
Solano Stroll
Mural at Trader Joe’s, from photograph by R. Misrach
Stan Huncillman’s house, 5th Street
Willard School, old mural
Willard School, new mural
Really good one, Willard School , Telegraph Avenue
Wonder woman, alley just east of Doug Heine’s studio, Page Street
X’s and O’s from Doug Heine’s studio. Page Street
Zebra car, Ada Street
Zebra garage doors, Ada Street
Hippie van
Eduardo Pineda mural, University at 9th
Juana Alicia mural, Emerson at Adeline
Double V on Vassar
McKinley Street
Doggie Diner head, Harper Street
Patrick Amiot mailbox, Vassar
Bird house, 6th Street
Buldan Seka’s sculptures, Spruce Street
La Pena
Frederic Fierstein’s Buddhist altar, Arch Street
La Pena
Starry Plough
Jumpin’ Java
Giraffe topiary, Berryman
Oh Wow. What a great bunch of quirk.
Asia saw all with the eyes of a beginner. I wish that I had that chance, to see Berkeley and California for the first time. She reminds of just what a special place Berkeley is – the natural beauty, the culture, and the creativity and individualism that we embrace and that is manifested in our material culture. Berkeley is oh wow and may it be so forever.
I asked my friend what he had to say about all these photos of Asia in Berkeley. He said: “In primo logo, voglio dire quanta sia bello avere Asia qui. Vorrei che lei viaggia sicura a casa e spero che tornera presto.” WOW – who knew??????
I asked about the post, thinking that he might say “Che viaggio!” He didn’t. For that, he stuck to English.
