SO. MUCH. FOOD.
pickles, olives, nuts, pepperoni and cheddar cheese, shrimp cocktail, hummus, ritz crackers, hot apple cider, turkey, stuffing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, wine, beer, baileys, cream cheese squares, death by chocolate, apple strudel, ice cream, lemon squares, blackberries, pineapple, chinese cookies… pause. repeat. pause. repeat. drink. pause. repeat.
After 6 weeks in San Remo, Italy, it is once again time for me to say my goodbyes, pack up my things, and head on out. Its been a grand old time full of theater production, costumes, prop making, boat parties, bike rides by the sea, espresso martinis, hand rolled cigarettes, caffe machiatos, movie nights at the flat, and some wonderful new friendships.
My street and apartment the last few weeks
But as is life… all things must come to an end. I am off to teach holiday workshops for the next week in a small town about an hour outside of Milan. The irony in me teaching Christmas is pretty severe but after a week of learning Christmas songs from my flat mates, I am ready to go!
I leave Italy in just 1 week! I am heading out on Sunday and spending 24 hrs in Dublin, Ireland before I land in Massachusetts on the 15th. I am thinking Guinness tour….
And for those of you interested in the next step: January 5th 2011, I am flying to Nicaragua to teach english and manage/coordinate the creative arts program for the Barrio Planta Project!!!! I am excited. I hope you are too.
Ciao beautiful people! Until next time….
During my tutor orientation, I was blubbering about my life, work experience, leaving LA, and my future goals to the artistic director of ACLE’s theater in education program when she immediately offered me an internship that included free housing, free food, and a weekly stipend in Italy on the Riviera until my visa runs up mid-November. Yes, please. I am back in production. It may be Italy and it may be theater but it is definitely production. Long days, deadlines… i feel at home and am loving it. I love my new flat, the food, the sea, and the people I spend those long hours with every day cranking out new sketches and fairy tales. Damn good life choices have led me to this moment. this night. this place. in the world.
My Room
My Street 1939 luxury sailboat
My last camp finished September 10th with a hilarious show of ridiculous skits. My class wrote a skit in which Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard are hanging out with some cheerleaders on the court, then a criminal shows up and kills Kobe because he is in love with his girlfriend… then a big chase scene ensues and superwoman and batman catch him and save the day! It was adorable and absolutely absurd.
Following a day of full recovery I set off to explore a little before my new job began on the 18th. My first stop was in Florence to meet up with a friend from orientation. A beautiful city that feels more like an outdoor museum than the real world… I ended up camping right next to the Piazza Michelangelo with a view that overlooked the entire city. Perfect.
Florence is a city one can get lost in for days.
I then took a day trip to Pisa and saw the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa which is basically just a terrible architectural mistake. After an hour in Pisa, realizing there isn’t much and following an unexpected rain storm, I hopped on a train to visit the small little magical town of Lucca. It is the quintessential Tuscan town, still completely surrounded by the walls built centuries ago to protect it from intruders. Even in the rain, the town had a glow about it. I sat in a coffee shop, sipping tea and playing cards while a double rainbow emerged before my eyes. After getting lost in the narrow streets for some time, I hopped back on a late train and headed back to Florence for one more night.
From Florence, I took the train north to La Spezia, the city which would connect me to Cinque Terre National Park. Five, colorful towns built into the cliffs of the Italian Riviera is what connects this preserved park area. For two days I hiked, scribed pages and pages, swam in magnetic blue waters, and treated myself to homemade petso, anchovies, mussels, and white wine. Even though I was staying at a cheap 20 Euro hostel, I felt like a queen.
If you have never traveled alone by train, I highly recommend it. Magic.
Recap…. I left Cles and my mountain people and headed for a two week camp in Bollate. I had teenage boys and who made me smile and laugh, as well as cringe on a daily basis. My host family was wonderful: full of down to earth artists, musicians, and intellectuals. I also spent two weeks re introducing myself to the world of biking. As it turns out, I quite like biking… as long as there aren’t many cars around.
My first weekend was full of Milano outlet shopping and Italian chocolate!
The following weekend, we headed up to Lake Como… which was beautiful. I strolled, got kicked out of a church(3rd church since I got to Italy) for my attire, and bought an old postcard that was 105 years old written from one Italian friend to another.
Between my crashing computer and unavailable internet, it has been hard to keep up with posting. I am in my last week of camp in Bollate (right outside Milano)…. teenagers sure are tough to teach and I am ready for the weekend to come. My internship with the theater education company starts on the 18th so hopefully I will have a computer and some time to update by then. Ciao Bellas!!!
My first week working has been incredible. i was blessed with an amazing host family that has gone above and beyond to treat me like one of the family. They even gave me my own apartment right below theirs. So I have breakfast and dinner with them every day but then I have the luxury of a few hours of peace, quiet, and internet. I have also really enjoyed teaching this week. I have an excellent group of super smart 10 year olds, as well as a very reliable and helpful support staff. I am sad to leave… Tomorrow is our camp’s final show (which is going to be soooooooo cute) and then I am off to teach teenagers in Milan for two weeks. This camp sounds a bit tougher. And in the city… I have been enjoying the quiet mountains. After 10 years of being a city girl, I am ready for a little village living. I am over that whole driving thing. AND… I was offered an internship/job with another program in the same company and have officially decided to take it. I will be working in production for a theater education troupe… a great way to blend my production experience with my new pursuit of art education. Looks like I will be living in Italy until Mid-November. Life is good. Yes, it is.
some home cooked food in the mountains
a slice of heaven
living in the midst of apple valley
sexy tutors getting ready to go canyoning after a 10 hour day of working with 112 children
Orientation is over. TEFL certified and heading to my first placement in the northern mountains of Italy!
This what happens when you have English roommates and warm white wine. Gross but effective.
I like to wander and I like to dream… Can i turn that into a job?
