living independently...

This week I am living in San Marcello in Toscana. It is an extremely SMALL town in the mountains where everyone knows everyone. Walking down the street everyone greets one another, and, being an outsider, I get a lot of stares because people do not know who I am!

Let me count the ways in which I love this town…

There are 3 tutors because it is a small town. Mark, Sara and myself. Our house families are all friends, and their children (our house brothers and sisters) are the same age and are friends. Everyday after camp we go to the gelatteria all together and get a gelato. Then, we usually go for a walk and head back to our homes which are all within a 2 minute walk of each other. We are forming such a strong bond with the house siblings and the tutors very quickly. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with them after camp.

The families are amazing! They’ve organized things for every night! Monday we all went to Marks house to hang out. Tuesday night Mark and Sara came to my place after dinner to watch a movie, tonight we’re all going to Pizza with the families and camp directors, tomorrow we’re going to a Medieval Festival in a nearby town, and Friday we’re going to Pistoia! It’s an action packed week. I basically only have time to shower, eat and hang out! There isn’t really any spare time which is kind of crappy because I haven’t been lesson planning as much, but at the stage I am so content that Im not too preoccupied about it.

The town is amazing. Everywhere you look there are mountains. The school is on a hill and the outside area overlooks the town and the mountains. It’s like a picture perfect town where you could snap a shot anywhere and it would look like a postcard. This is the first small town I’ve been to and I am so happy here. It’s quaint and cute, the main Piazza looks like something from a Disney Theme Park with the buildings, bar’s and little fountain in the middle. Very cute!

For the first time I am living on my own! I have the whole upstairs on a house to myself. The Nonno lives downstairs but he is quiet and keeps to himself. I only see him at dinnertime. Actually, he left today for a few days so I have the house to myself until Thursday evening! Not too shabby. I’m only ever alone at night before bed so it isn’t too bad. I do feel like an adult though, I cook myself breakfast, do my laundry and hang it to dry. Feels like I am living on my own hehehe

So far I love this town! I don’t leave until Sunday for Belluno so I am excited to see what the family has planned for me on Saturday! It is Ferragosto so it is a big holiday but I hope they do something with me. Take me to Lucca or Florence or something!? Stay tuned and I will keep you posted….

nostalgia for the world I live in...

I am sitting here in a lovely family room in Calcio Bergamo, Italy. A little over a month left and my adventure is coming to an end. I cannot believe that I can see the Windsor light…. It came so quickly and I am sad to think my time is almost over. Being in Italy has taught me so much already. I have been so fortunate in my experiences, with Italian families, the scenery, fellow tutors and camp directors, and of course, the children.

This has been an adventure to remember. Looking at pictures from Paris which wasn’t long ago, I feel like it was a dream. Someone else’s life. I feel like I am living some else’s life everyday actually. The role of a lifetime doesn’t usually come my way. However, I sought out this role and am so glad I had the courage to leave behind a life I adored for ¼ of a year. Leaving behind family, friends, a boyfriend, work and comfort was extremely difficult for me. I always wanted to travel and see the world, but when it came down to it, I feared I was more of a talker than a doer. Turns out, I am a doer and want to continue this life. As many of you know I am going to audition for Theatrino which is an acting troupe based out of the same company I am working for now. They travel in groups of 3 to different schools all over the country doing hour shows in English, promoting the English language. It would be a great opportunity and I am so happy for all the support I am receiving from the people in my life about persuing this goal. I would be gone for 6-8 months, and only home for about 3.5 before I would leave again. It’s a big step but I know I am ready to take it. Unfortunately, I’ll have had to make sacrifices if I get accepted, and that isn’t easy either. Letting go of people I loved is never easy, and I wish life could just work out amazingly. Unfortunately, life never works out how we want it to. But we plan and hope for the best regardless. I am trying to take things day by day and deal with the circumstances right in front of me instead of trying to conquer the world.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a life. So I am taking this opportunity to explore the European life as much as possible before I return to the life I know and love. The way of life here is so different. Laid back and positive. People work hard and enjoy their days off but its just different. Everything is no problem and people genuinely seem to care about one another. The language is beautiful and even though there are days where my brain is exhausted from translating, I am still in love with it.

So here’s to Europe- the adventure of a lifetime, the adventure I love, the adventure I wish to continue in the near future!