Dear Daddy,

Living in Italy gives me great opportunities! It also has me missing a year's worth of occasions, moments, and celebrations.

This weekend is Father's Day in the US.  For those who do not know (I have readers in Australia, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Germany, and the Netherlands :D) it is a day to celebrate the specialness of dad's.  I am missing it, however,  I still want to make it special for my old man.

My daddy is pretty much the male version of me.  He has a gypsy spirit, a weird sense of humor, great taste in art, wanderlust heart, and a loving personality.  I miss him already, but thought I would take some time to remember how great he is!

(If you do not enjoy this video, it's because you are not my dad.  Please continue to read. More things about travel, and life in Pisa are soon to be up!)

Oh, the video explanation to everyone who is not my dad, he loves European cars....I'm in Europe.  He loves art...there's plenty here.  He really likes the song from the beginning of a movie no one really cares about called George. Yep, that about sums it up. (Special Note: I know nothing about cars.)

Love you, Daddy!

Florence Forever

After a nice weekend spent in the beautiful city of Florence, I am completely positive, Italy is a lovely, bella, special country.

My friend, Krista, was able to take time from her busy schedule of touring Spain, while on study abroad, to come visit me in my country.  She was the chosen one to be my first guest, (a bit closer than my other guests by a few thousand miles.)  Of course, we decided Pisa was not big enough for the two Americans known as us, so we took on Florence.  After much gelato, a cioccolato stained dress, and many espresso, we boarded the train headed one hour east.

This is the documentary video, that I believe should be on the discovery channel.  Ok...it's more of a music video, so maybe MTV. Hmmm, MTV doesn't really have music videos anymore.  Alright, this video belongs on this blog.

It's a video about Florence, so my small cartoon themed mind decided the best music for this is Florence and the Machine.  So enjoy.

All There is to Know: British English

Here I am living in Italy. A goal of mine is to, without question, learn Italian. Problem, I spend 8 hours of my day teaching English. Therefore, I speak English.

Now, The only real qualification I have to teach English myself, is that I speak it. Anytime I am able to be understood by another human being, it's because I speak English. That's it. The only reason I can teach English to Italians. (Yes, I do have a degree in education, and years of experience in the teaching field, but nonetheless.)

Rather large issue: I speak what my students call American. (Americans speak English, if this gave you pause.) I teach British English. Hmmm...the only time I was ever in Britain, was for the short layover on my way here.  I have to teach students the correct way to speak, while I hail from the land of West Virginia. Perfectto.

Common decoration in my school

Let's go Britian...at work

So, my American friends, the next time you see me, not only will I know how to speak much more Italian, but also a bit of British. (Which is also English, if you are still not following.)

I find it lovely that I will talk so, and if you have a bloody issue with it, cock it up!

Esselunga

Esselunga is a staple here in Pisa.  This is the Kroger of Italy.  Here you are able to become a membro and save soldi on all things supermarket.  I have had a few experiences at Esselunga already, and have already learned much about what it means to be a local here in Italy.

Step one, instead of grabbing a cart, or buggie, I get the small wheeled basket.  This makes much more sense because I have to carry my items to my apartment.  Buying more than 10 euros worth of product at once is a bad decision.

 

The carry cart with wheels.

Meat in the middle of the market for all hands to touch. Never in the US

Step two through produce.  This is my favorite things to eat, yet the most expensive. Why must it be this way.  I step up to the mysterious machine with pictures of produce all over it. What is this? Then I look at others grocery shopping Italians as they place their produce on this machine, push the picture of their item, take the ticket that comes out. Oh, wait....this is a scale. No mystery. In Italy customers must weigh their items before they reach checkout. This may be ok. Plus, I could learn Italian words for produce. Two birds. One stone.

Step three, well, I need toilet paper. So I must search for it. Hmmm....how do you say toilet paper in Italian.  I know carta means paper, so I search in every aisle that says carta. I find paper plates, paper towels, paper cups, and finally 20 minutes later, I find my needed item.

Step four, head to check out.  I feel slightly local, because I do have the membership card, and will save 30% on my items. Go me!  The checker tells me the total in Italian, then she turned the computer because I am obviously not an Italian with my strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. I stumble in wallet to get the correct amount, I am still not used to coins being worth so much.

I have to bag my own items, and because I am not used to bagging everything myself, I have a very slow strategy. First, I didn't have bags. Luckily they asked me if I needed one and I said, "Si."  I received a couple very thin, will definitely break on the way home, plastic bags.  Yes, they did tear on my way home. Walk to the bus stop, get on the bus, walk home from the bus stop, up to the fifth floor which is actually the sixth floor, and right in front of my door, as I struggled with the keys, out came all of my new found groceries. Open the door, kick the food in.  And I'm home.

Lucca: Quiet Tuscan Sophistication

Lucca. Today was the day meant for travel. I started out by sleeping. Pizzas late with the girls makes this girl unwakable. Then it was time to head out. I brushed my teeth, put on some clothes, drank espresso, put on my face and decided my hair was not worth the work. Grabbed a camera and purse crammed an English book and words of the day journal and went on my merry way. On the way to the bus to town to catch a train I walked my normal route. Through a secret path everyone knows about. While walking on this path I stumbled upon a man urinating in the bush. He managed to put everything away and say scusa. Then sorry.  Then he followed me to the bus stop in hopes that this inappropriate time was perfect to hit on me. He asked if I was married, and I very coyly said yes. Surprise!

I must give Italian men props. The are brave in the very worst ways.

I am starting to recognize this place as home. Not the buildings but the people. I see the same bleach blonde take her child to school the same woman with nice shoes walk to the bus and the same old man ride his bike.

 

A regular site in Pisa

The tain ride was simple and thiugh I wanted to read , I couldn't take my eyes or camera off the scenery. I arrived in a flash and headed to the wall around the city. The 4k walk was short yet long. I stopped to take pictures of everything. Coming off the wall I headed toward a piazza. Went into a cafe because I followed the blonde. Turned out his name is Adrian...like Monk. He is from Hawaii and is in Italy for his brothers wedding in Florence. I love running into Americans

Walking around Lucca helps me fall in love with  Italy. I walk by a pasticceria or a cheese shop. People seem to respect the beauty here. No...I do not mean me. I walked through a street and heard the whistle of a song. I first thought it my phone but realized it was a happy man's song. Old men ride bikes and people surround their lives around the duomo. I walk into it. Silence. Respect. A dead person or saint on display. Ok...somethings I do not understand.

 



I walked into a bookstore to get my first novel in Italian. I approached the vender to ask for a suggestion for someone learning to read Italian.  He immediately took me to the children's section.  I then told him I would like to read something I could show in public.  He showed me a book in the children's section written by an author that also wrote the adult version. Same exact book, just a slightly less colorful cover.  I was sold.  I know will be learning to read Italian with Italo Calvino/II visconte dimezzato.  I have no idea either.

I paid 4 euros to go atop the tower that has the trees...iconic for Lucca.  It was worth every contatti. Check it out for yourself.

I continued to walk through the streets of Lucca. I ran into whiffs of sweet scents carried by the blowing strong wind.  I never wish to leave.

Lofty, yet Semi-Reasonable Goals

As a new arriver in Italy, I have set goals for myself, to well...be better.  Think of it at New Year's that starts at the end of May, and last until next June.  Not like New Years in one way, however, I plan to keep all of these resolutions.

Goal #1: The most important to me right now, is make friends.  This year is a time to be myself without the influence of people who have always had much on me.  Here, I get to be completely who I choose to be, and make friends that are semi to completely ok with that.

Goal #2: Learn Italian.  5 Years of Spanish, I am told is of use here, however, being that I cannot understand a word of what people say to me other than, Ciao or Lei parla Italiano? I really need to work on this.  So my mornings I intend to fill with self guided Italian lessons, along with tandum language exchanges to teach English/learn Italian.

Goal #3:  Yoga and running every morning.  Yoga is awesome, this should not be an issue. Running sucks, so I really must work at this.  I have found a nice place that is a short bus ride away to run along the river.

Goal #4: Improve my Spanish skills. It has come to my attention, not only to I love children and teaching them, but I also love language and culture.  My Master's degree, therefore, when I go home will not only be in Elementary Education, but also, foreign language education.  Spanish is more useful in the USA than Italian, so maybe I will just be a jack of all languages.

Goal #5:  Learn to make really great coffee.  Espresso is a staple to Italian society.  Although, I already have a taste for coffee, I must acquire the bitter liking of espresso.

The final Goal:  Perhaps the best of goals, I need to remember this year will fly by and enjoy the short 12 months I have here.  As an expat hoping to get a following of future or current foreign travelers, I need to remember this culture is here to be appreciated.  This language is one to be loved.  This time is meant to be cherished. Go Globetrotters!

And for a wonderful video, that I did not create, but is my favorite in the world:

 

I will use the blog to report my progress on these goals. So keep coming back to learn more about life in Italy.  Dolce Vita!

The rather ordinary me...

Today, in efforts to feel more positive about living in a new beautiful country, I decided to smile more. Woke up smiling. Ok, that's not completely true, but after I decided not to go running, I was smiling.

I went to my work and was greeted by people happy to see me. This made me feel a little better.  I signed a contract that says, yes, I do work in Pisa, and went on my merry way.  In efforts to be a better expat, I've decided to learn the local language/most beautiful language in the world...Italian.  I went to the local university to find students to work language with in tandum. This means, I will teach English, they will teach Italian. This will of course, be free. That's my price range.

I was invited into come into two English classrooms and let students ask me questions in English.  This happened of course, not before I was hit by a pigeon in the piazza. Yep, a bird flew into me as I ate gelato for the, to many-th time.

After going out with coworkers and students, it is decided, this year will be wonderful.  I am thrilled to learn Italian, joyful over the fact I will work with such great English speakers, and pumped to hear every students iconic story.

 

Some Italian students

Looking forward to hearing the story of every student.  Cannot wait to understand their language.  Pumped to have great friends in a spectacular country.  Hoping to gain more expat experience.  And as the Italians would say:

 



Saluti