My First Week (...was long ago, I know)

Sunday, 2 Sept – I arrived in Rome after a very turbulent and unrestful flight.  I successfully retrieved my bag (praise the Lord! I will never let that go for granted) and exchanged my cash to Euros. I took a bus to Termini (a first time experience for me and highly recommended.  The other options are to take an express train which costs 14 euros and takes 30 minutes, or else a combination of local train and metro which costs 9.50 and takes 45 minutes.  The bus, on the other hand, costs 6 euro and on this particular Sunday morning took 45 minutes.  I expect traffic could make travel time a lot worse, but the price is worth it.)  There I was supposed to meet Mariacarla, but when I tried to turn on my phone, I found that my SIM card had expired.  Aiuto!  I had already been nervous because I seemed to have forgotten my battery charger, and now the phone wasn’t working at all!  Priority numero uno was to find a TIM store (that's the cell phone company, but when they text me with annoying offers and deals, I joke that I'm getting messages from "my boyfriend Tim").  Fortunately, I was directed to one on the second floor of Termini station and after a lovely 45 minute wait I was able to update my number.  I hadn’t added any money to my account in a year, hence it had expired.  Oops.

Then and only then I was able to call Mariacarla.  After we agreed on a meeting point, I dashed to the supermarket in the basement of Termini to buy a new battery charger (and of course after I finished unpacking, I discovered that I actually had my old one).  Then I dashed across the street to wait at Bar Trombetta, the exact same place I met another family this spring.  We found each other without problem and she drove me to their apartment, showing me important landmarks (like the zoo) along the way.

I arrived at their house a little after noon, was shown the house and the room I was to share with Anouk, the French au pair.  If I haven’t already explained this to you, it's helpful to know that the family likes to have a French-speaking au pair since their children go to French school, as well as an English-speaking au pair for more practical language skills.  Another enlightening piece of information on this family is that there are very strict rules on cleanliness.  Upon return to the house, one must immediately 1) remove shoes,   2) wash hands, and 3) change into clean pants.  Additionally, suitcases have to remain in the front hallway (not a bad idea, considering where I had dragged mine in the past 24 hours).  So I emptied my suitcases and then they were whisked away to some top-secret suitcase quarantine area (which I later had to locate because I had forgotten something important in the front pocket of my suitcase.  It required the use of a 12-foot ladder to reach that top-secret suitcase quarantine area).  

With the help of my wonderful and wise mother, I had brought several English books for the boys (Pietro is 6 and Emmanuel is 4).  As soon as Pietro saw Experiments with Water he began dancing around the house shouting “experiments! experiments!”  and wanted to do them right away.  He asked his mother, “You can read English, right?  Can we do these?” but he was compelled to wait for me the next day.  In the past week we did most of the accessible experiments in the book, with great success and maybe even some learning.  He still wants to do experiments, but by now the quality has devolved into mixing salt and oil and soap indiscriminately and then blowing bubbles all over the sink.  I think the usefulness of the book has passed, but I appreciated the structured activities to do with him.  I need to find more like it, that are age-appropriate and interesting.  I try to think of things I used to do with babysitters, like playing cards and checkers and reading books.  Reading books are only interesting to them at certain times.  Manuel is more inclined to enjoy that activity, while Pietro needs to be always doing something.  Sports begin in October, and his mother is so relieved that he’ll have a way to release some of his boundless energy.  Really, it’s very hard for two small boys to live in a city apartment, especially when their mother is terrified of dirt and germs.  For example, we stopped in a small park after the dentist yesterday, but after seeing some garbage on the ground she decided to only let them go down the slide a couple times (I was shocked she even let them do that) and we left after five minutes.  Every time we come home from school or an outing, we take off our shoes, wash our hands, and change into house pants.  I’m glad I brought my athletic pants, because they’re comfortable to wear around the house and quite suitable for playing with children on the floor.

Monday, 3 Sept – Anouk was super friendly and made me feel comfortable right away.  Not only did she guide me through the workings of the house and the boys, but she welcomed me into her circle of friends and social outings.  Her boyfriend is from Rome (although he is currently in California studying wine) and so she was connected with a network of his friends, especially one girl who had even spent some time in France with her.  This girl, Elena, was equally nice and welcoming and over the course of the week brought me to several dinners and parties.  Monday night we went out to dinner in Trastevere, a slightly expensive neighborhood which is home, all at the same time, to trendy tourists, very old Roman families, and students from the three American universities located there.  It turned out to be kind of expensive, but I enjoyed experiencing a dining experience from within a group of Italians (to see what they ordered, how they interacted with the staff, etc.)

Tuesday, 4 Sept – Today was the first day of school at Rockbridge Academy, so my thoughts were in Maryland for a lot of the day.  It was also the first day of school for the boys.  And it was raining.  Anouk, being more useful as a speaker of French, accompanied them for the half day.  Then we ate lunch and played with them for the rest of the day.  Monday through Saturday we work for five hours, Sunday we are off.  That evening, Anouk and I went to Castel Sant’Angelo for a special night time opening called Notti dell’Estate (Summer Nights).  As summer is almost over, this was the last week, and I’m so glad we went.  It was my first visit, which was exciting enough, but it also provided gorgeous views of Rome lit up at night.  We got to explore the walls, rooms, and passageways and I learned a lot about its history.  Got a lot of good pictures too, after I figured out the night setting on the camera.

Wednesday, 5 Sept – Wednesday was another half day for the boys (and will continue to be, I think).  The advantage of half days and Saturdays is that we can begin sooner and finish sooner.  I love having mornings free since it is just about my favorite part of the day, but I can see the advantage of having working out of the way early.  So that’s what we did today.  Afterwards, we walked around the city looking for a gifts.  Anouk was having dinner with her boyfriend’s mother and wanted to get her something nice.  That afternoon I learned about the French area of the city, around Piazza San Luigi dei Francesi, where there is a church dedicated (according to Wikipedia) to the Virgin Mary, to St. Denis the Areopagite and St. Louis IX, king of France.  There is also a nice French bookstore where Anouk found her gift (later she got some sticker books as a parting gift for the boys).  That night I stayed home and got to talk to Daddy and Julie!  Then I ate dinner and had a great conversation with Mariacarla and Pasquale.

Thursday, 6 Sept – We went to the park after school today.  It was a great way to let the boys run around and release some energy.  That evening, Anouk went to Elena’s for dinner, and afterwards they took me out to the young, hip part of town – it’s just north of our neighborhood, actually, by Ponte Milvio.  It’s so strange to think that this really important historic site, the Milvian Bridge, is now just a place for young people to mill about and drink and smoke and socialize.  A feature of living such an old town, I guess.  I suppose there’s nowhere in this city that doesn’t have some significance.

Friday, 7 Sept – Anouk and I got the boys from school and went to the children’s museum.  I was astounded at how distractible the boys can be.  It was hard for them to focus on one thing for very long, especially Pietro (not that he isn’t intelligent; he has a huge gift for languages and perhaps this is why he has trouble focusing and working at something: some things just come too easily for him, so he doesn’t understand how to persevere through more difficult things.)  It was a lot of fun at first, but then Pietro didn’t listen to me when I told him to wash his hands after the bathroom (imagine what his mother would say!)  I held him in place and wouldn’t let him go back to play until he did so, and he let out several shrieks before realizing he had no choice and stomped off to the bathroom saying “This isn’t an education!”  Well!  I was quite indignant, and so was he, and he rather avoided me the rest of the day.  I was a little bit sad about that, but the next day all was forgotten.  Well, hopefully not all.  I hope he knows now that I am serious about some things.  That evening, I don’t remember what we did.

Saturday, 8 Sept – We worked in the morning and had plenty of time in the afternoon free.  The evening was crazy.  We went to a birthday party for Giuliano, one of Elena’s friends, at the chic bar of MAXXI (Modern Art of the 21^st century, clever, huh?)  There was nice party food and even better, free wine and cocktails!  Then, after a brief interlude at Ponte Milvio, we were off to the discoteca.  Oh my.  What an unbelievable experience.  There were swarms of kids trying to get in, but it was already full.  Still, they just hung around outside, waiting for a chance.  Unbelievable.  SO not worth it to me.  I was just along for the ride (literally, since we were driven there by a friend of a friend of a friend) so when Elena said there was and “understanding” and we were going to get in for free, I was like “okay, cool, I guess”.  Then it turned out to be 30 euros per person and I was like “okay, I guess”.  But there I was, so I made the most of it.  I drank the fancy vodka and tonic and danced in my little spot on the floor and sang along to the horrid dance mixes and cheered when they threw confetti and tried to avoid getting vomited on.  We didn’t leave until they closed at 4:15.  It was hardcore.  I was happy to have the experience, but even with such exclusivity I was NOT especially impressed.  I just don’t get the appeal.  At all.

Sunday, 9 Sept – Despite a HUGE need to sleep in, my love of mornings won out.  I went to the 10:30 service at an Anglican church I had spotted near the apartment.  Then I met my dear dear friend Anna as she was passing back through Rome from a family reunion in Austria.  Her boyfriend Ezra was also there, and he was super nice.  We walked and talked (and talked and talked) and caught each other up on EVERYTHING.  It was such a good time, really.  We finished up with two flavors of Tiramisu at Il Regno di Tiramisu, then parted ways.  I felt really lonely after she left, but I was consoled 1) she was not far away and I could visit her nay time now and 2) that I had such a nice family to come back to.  I really appreciate sharing a room with another girl, since I am apparently really susceptible to loneliness.  The super-friendliness of Anouk is just a bonus on top of it all.

Monday, 10 Sept – The first good thing to come to an end: Anouk had to go back to France.  In the morning we looked for a gift for the family (books for the boys, flowers for the parents) then she came back to help me get the boys from school, do homework with Pietro, and pack her suitcase.  Then I left with Mariacarla and the boys for the dentist, and she left to go home!  Goodbye, Anouk!  She invited me to visit her in Bordeaux while I am in Europe, and I really hope I can!  I will have to get over my fear of French.  She did help me with  the pronunciation of the French “r” and certain phrases such as “Jes nous comprend pas” – “I don’t understand!”  That night I went out by myself and found the Lutheran church about a half hour away.  It seems to be a German congregation, so I’m not sure if it’s the right fit for me.  I really liked the Anglican church, and there seems to be a great community to get involved in, as much as I have time.

Tuesday, 11 Sept – My first day totally alone.  We’ll see how it goes!  This morning I went to Angelina, a beautiful but rather expensive café near the Trevi Fountain.  I drank a cappuccino and had a tiny little cornetto while read an article about Ann Romney in an Italian magazine.  I meant to read some Latin (that would be more classy, no?  and definitely more useful) but I haven’t acquired one yet.  There are plenty of used book sellers around, so I hope to get one soon.  I just could not bring any more weight in my baggage, or I would have brought one from home.  I have been given a huge and awesome Latin-Italian dictionary to use by Pasquale.  It was so thoughtful of them and such a novelty for me.  I love it.

Lunch

Yesterday I went out to lunch with fellow teachers Carolyn and Hannah.  It was a combination of the past and the future: lovely people from the school I'm leaving and delicious food from the country I'm going to.  We went to Mamma Roma's Italian Restaurant.  I had penne all'amatriciana (a DELICIOUS sauce made with diced tomatoes and guanciale, a type of bacon).  Carolyn and I have been desk-mates, sitting across from each other in the same classroom, for the past two years.  She taught 10th grade biology and 7th grade Latin -- a strange combination, I know, but she is a woman of many talents (and great sense of style!) -- while I, of course, taught 8th-10th grade Latin.  It was great comparing notes with her throughout the year and distracting each other from our grading after the students left each afternoon.  Hannah just started teaching last August, but she has been inspiring in her mastery of the material (and quite literally, since she has a masters in literature) and the respect and admiration she immediately earned from the students.  We talked about summer vacation, plans for next year, and other things like that.  There were a couple of times where Carolyn and I said, "Next year, we..." forgetting that next year we would not be teaching together anymore... :(

It was great to have one last chat with them.  Well, one last chat for a while.  I can definitely imagine coming back for a visit.  I really am leaving a great community.

I'm Back!

School's out!  With the return of summer, I thought it would be the perfect time to revive ye olde blog.  My Adventures in Italy, Part III begin in September, and non vedo l'ora -- I can't wait!  You can see the side bar for a brief summary of my plans.

Until then I expect things to be pretty busy, yet mundane (especially this post), so if you decide to keep reading, consider yourself forewarned!

At the moment I am still in Maryland, finishing my school responsibilities (just turned in the grade finals -- hooray! -- and keys -- how strange! -- yesterday) and working out the final details needed to obtain my study visa.  These details include a letter of invitation from my hosts, two letters of enrollment from the language school, round trip airfare, proof of insurance, proof of financial support...and I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting.

The big thing remaining from that list is proof of insurance.  I do despise insurance.  I guess I'm pretty thankful for auto insurance (had to file a pretty major claim a month ago) but insurance of all types is always so complicated.  I have to find travel/international health insurance with a minimum coverage of $50,000 and while I have found a few options, it's hard to tell whether or not the company is reputable.  Just when I think I've found a good deal, I find several dismal reviews.  If anyone reading this happens to have experience with such insurance, please let me know!

This reminds me -- you don't have to be a registered user to leave comments on this blog.  Just click "anonymous" and then just sign your name at the bottom of your post.

After I assemble all the necessary documents, I will need to go to the consulate in Baltimore to apply for said visa.  I am dreading this SO MUCH.  I called this morning.  (By the way, the Italian consulate is only open until noon.  Just for fun, I checked the hours of the German consulate.  They are open from until 5:30 p.m.  Oh well, I just have to keep reminding myself that the laid-back attitude is just one of the many reasons I love Italy.)  The girl who answered the phone asked for my email address and said she would email me the information.

"Do I need an appointment?"  I asked.

"Yes, but first you need the necessary documents, which I know you don't have because I haven't sent the information to you yet."

Well then.  She didn't consider the fact that I might have been doing my homework and already found the list of 1,000,000,000,000,000,000+ requirements for a long-stay visa.  I suppose it will be nice to have the official word, although I'm slightly concerned that I haven't received the list.  Maybe it was too much for her to muster up in the last 45 minutes of her working day.  I'll be sure to call first thing tomorrow.

**UPDATE**  She DID sent the packet, a little before 1 p.m.  My faith is restored!

After I manage to submit a successful application, which I dearly hope will be next week, I plan to pack as many of my belongings as will fit into my car and return to Tennessee for a few months.  I plan to take the GRE this summer, as well as make application to a number of graduate schools.  My objective right now, after I finish my time as an au pair, is to get a Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Latin.  I'll have one more week of teaching in Maryland (an end-of-summer Latin review class) and then I'll pack up my family's minivan with the rest of my stuff and prepare to leave.  I fly out of Charlotte on Saturday, 1 September.

And there you have it!  Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions, comments, or well-wishes... ;)

In which the introvert has too much alone time...

Today, one of my dreams for Sicily came true! The one problem was that I had nobody with whom to share it, so it wasn't as fulfilling as I had expected. This post is dedicated to my lovely cousins across the globe, especially the ones who are lucky enough to be the family reunion in South Dakota. They are my dearest friends and I missed them a lot today.

Last night, as I was eating my dinner (leftovers from lunch since I had gone to the beach early) Maria came in and said “Stavo pensando…” Actually I can’t remember the whole thing in Italian. She said she had been thinking about my desire to go to Palermo, and though I should take one of the tours promoted by the hostel. It’s a company called Sicilian Airbus Tours, and its acronym SAT does not scare me like it might have in high school. They do guided bus tours to places like Mt. Etna, Palermo, Siracusa, and any other possible day trip. I hadn’t thought about taking one because it’s much cheaper to organize your own trip. Maria, however, said they would pay for my ticket. “Veramente?!” I said. Yes, truly, I was going in less than twelve hours.

The bus departed Taormina at 6 o’clock this morning. I woke up at 5 and hit the snooze button once before I convinced myself that it would be a huge shame (funny story on “shame” later on) if I missed the tour that had been so kindly arranged for me. So I got out of bed, crashed into a few things (which miraculously did not wake up my three roommates) and tried to gather what I needed for this last-minute trip. By 5:30 I was running the first hundred meters down the road, just to make sure I would get to the bus terminal with time to spare. I applied sunscreen as I went. I kicked myself for forgetting a notebook and a hair band. Turns out I didn’t need the hair band (it has remained remarkably cool here for the past week) and I just paid extra-close attention to the tour guide so I could remember everything to share with you here.

Despite the drawbacks (limited time frame, pre-selected activities, blatant identification as a tourist) there is something so relaxing about being on a guided bus tour. It nice to be driven around and told what to do, rather than stressing about making a train or bus connection. It’s like being a kid again. Also, it limited my chances of run-ins with men I would rather not have run-ins with. Oh, yes, that keeps happening. Just the other day I was innocently eating a peach, admiring the view of Isola Bella from the top of the long staircase. This guy’s pickup line was “un bel posto, vero?” – “ a beautiful spot, isn’t it?” but unluckily for him, I was running out of patience for such behavior and soon excused myself with “I have to go – ciao!” and scurried off down the stairs. If he were cuter, maybe I would have kept up the conversation longer. JUST KIDDING, MOM!

So anyway, at 6 o’clock this morning I handed my ticket to the lady who turned out to be our tour leader. She was a very impressive lady who, for the entire 14-hour day, made every single announcement and explained every single site in three languages: Italian, English, and German. I think, from her accent, that she herself was German. We had a local guide in Palermo who also accomplished that tri-lingual feat. He was an older Italian man named Pietro and he reminded me of Grandpa Heckmann. Oh, I forgot to mention that our bus driver’s name was Nino. I really need to make a list of all the Italian names I hear. They can be so funny.

We got to visit three towns today, actually. Besides Palermo, we visited an amazing cathedral in Monreale as well as the beautiful seaside town of Cefalù. Monreale was a bonus, actually just a replacement for another church in Palermo that was closed for renovations, and I am so thankful we got to visit. After our brief tour of Europe at Christmas time, my friends and I were trying to decide our favorite church. Mine was either St. Mark’s in Venice or Notre Dame in Paris, but after today I think it is the cathedral of Monreale. I can’t imagine any other church being better.

Oh darn, I really have to go to bed. I'm going to post this anyway, so I apologize for leaving you hanging. Tomorrow I will share everything I remember about the sites. They were all SO beautiful. But my closing thought is something that I questioned on the way home, looking out on the gorgeous blue Mediterranean Sea with the Aeolian Islands on the horizon. Can beauty, all on its own, make a person happy? After today, I think it cannot. (Does that have something to do with why God created the world? Is that why God created Eve? Is this all too deep for me to be thinking about at midnight? Undoubtedly.) I would like to explore that thought someday, but tonight I will just say that I wish you were here!

Update

It is lame, but I have to post something. Today I am going to Palermo, and I've barely known for 12 hours. The family just sprang it on me. It is a lovely surprise, though, because they're buying my ticket! I have to run, but I'll definitely have something to write about tonight. Ciao!

Granita

I almost went to bed without posting, but I can't sleep so you all are in luck! Today I caught up on sleep (maybe too much? no, impossible) and took another walk around Taormina. It is has become my unofficial mission to find the best granita in the town, taking prices into consideration, and today I had a breakthrough. (If you are unfamiliar with this delicious alternative to gelato, maybe you know Italian ice. I'd say they're similar, if not the same thing. Granita comes in all sorts of flavors from almond and coffee to strawberry and kiwi.)

The place for granita that we at Taormina's Odyssey recommend to everyone is called "Bam Bar" which specializes in all kinds of granite (that's the plural...I'm not really sure when to use the singular and when to use the plural). They make all different varieties from scratch, right there. The granita experience, I am told, is made complete with panna (whipped cream) and brioche (a big, fluffy, golden brown pastry roll) but so far I've just enjoyed it in its simplest form: from a plastic cup, whilst walking down the street. It doesn't take much more than that to make it one of my favorite things. To me, coffee flavored is best.

Above: an example of the ultimate granita experience -- maybe I am missing out!

Below: lemon granita, the way I normally consume it.

Anyway, a little take-away plastic cup of granita di caffè costs €2,50 at most places along the main pedestrian tourist street. Once before I found it for €2 but it was disgusting and old. Last week I was rather shocked when I finally made it to Bam Bar and had to pay €3,50. That's approximately $5! Eeep. So today I was excited to find, not more than 300 meters down that same street, a place with equally good granita for only €2. Victory! Still not an everyday indulgence, but much more affordable, don't you agree? And it's impossible to beat on a hot day. Saturday it's supposed to reach 99º F, so I think some more granita is in my immediate future.

A (Can't Really Define It As) Typical Day

7:30 I wake up, not having slept well. One of the Italian girls was talking to one of the Italian boys outside the dorm window at 3:30 a.m. and I oddly woke up. I'm normally such a good sleeper, but I think I was worried about the day, since we had a lot of last-minute arrivals and more people than I was expecting. Too many people for this introvert, perhaps.

7:45 I'm dressed and preparing for breakfast.

8 The American woman who lives in Holland is at the table, since she has to catch a bus at 9. Two noisy but extremely nice French girls complete the group of early risers. The American couple from New York City (who are nearly my grandparents' age) come down next. There is a French couple who needs change for their payment the day before, and couple of German guys who ask me a question about renting a scooter. In the midst of all this, I keep the stove on for coffee and tea as desired, heat up pane in the microwave, and wash dishes and utensils as soon as they are used so that I can re-set places at the table which only seats 8. This morning we have 12 guests, I believe, but the Italians don't come down for breakfast (they were the ones up in the wee small hours of the morning, remember).

10 Breakfast goes until 9:30, and so by this time I have had a chance to finish all the dishes and clear the table and counters. I start taking sheets off the beds which have been vacated, but can't start the laundry because we're currently out of detergent. So I re-make the beds with new clean sheets and begin cleaning the bathrooms. Maria arrives and continues the laundry, then ever-so-swiftly helps me finish the cleaning. She says we can go to the market this morning, which in Taormina is held every Wednesday just up the street.

11:30 We are at the market, looking at jewelry and dresses, produce and plants. Maria is looking for a certain kind of flower, but they have sold out. She buys a swimsuit because they are much less expensive here than in a regular shop. They are made in China (interesting that the labels don't say "Made in China" but "Made in P.R.C.") or other such places, but she and I agree that swimsuits don't necessarily have to be high quality if one doesn't go swimming that often. I run back later and buy a strapless one, because avoiding tan lines is a never-ending challenge for me.

12:30 I read a little bit and take a short nap, but before I truly fall asleep I hear Maria outside my door saying "Katie! Pronto!" which just means that lunch is ready, not that she's rushing me. (That's what all Italians say when they're answering the phone, actually..."Pronto!")

2 We are eating without Piero this afternoon, which happens from time to time when he makes a trip to Messina or Catania. Ruggero has eaten already. He wanted so on the way home from the market his mother stopped at a Macelleria to buy hamburgers. She and I are having pasta con lenticchie and when I say that I enjoy lentils, Maria comments that they are good for you because they have lots of iron. Piero arrives then, with his cousin Sandro, and proceeds to make his own pasta with fish they had purchased that morning. They save me some so I can have it for dinner.

3 I go to get some ice cream, and later wish I hadn't.

3:30 I am still tired from the night before, so I stay in my room all afternoon. I can't sleep, so I read. I also poke around online, reading things about Italian soccer and Italian dialects. I discover a movie set in the region near Via Piana called La Cioceria. It's also dubbed in English under the the Two Women and stars Sofia Lauren. I start to watch that.

6 My evening shift starts, beginning with a request from Piero to email Hostel Bookers. They have a lot of problems with that agency: bad search results, bad reviews...most recently, the website allowed a same-day reservation which apparently is no good. So, being the English expert around here, I get to write the angry email. Well, I try to be polite but forcefull.

7 Even though we have no more reservations, it's good to have someone sitting in reception tonight because in walk two Belgian guys looking for beds for one night. I put them in the 6-bed dorm, give them their 40% discount coupon for the parking garage, and get them towels. I make sure they have keys and maps and the standard restaurant recommendations. I make mental note that I need to boil two more eggs tonight. I sit down to watch a little more of the Italian film and people start to come down to the kitchen.

9:11 As I write this, the Italian girls, the Italian guys, and the older American couple are sitting down to their evening meal. I'm only obliged to stay here until 9, but the couple cleverly came down to cook at 8:50 and of course I couldn't turn them away. Fortunately, I wasn't counting on an evening passeggiata but I could actually go out any time before mid-night and Taormina will still be bustling. So maybe I will.

Buona Sera!

P.S. I know this sounds very glum, but it was just a low-key day.