Something special.....

On Dece,mber the 9th 2010 I offically became a resident of Reggio Nell Emilia in Italy!!! I now have an Identity card and everything!!! I was so excited i keep showing it to people, and today i bought a little plastic cve to keep it warm and dry and not crumpled!!!! Small things.......
I went and did a spot of xmas shopping today- the weather was glorious, xmas shopping with my sunglasses on!
I'm lookin forward to coming back to Blighty for a couple of weeks, it'll be nice to see everyone and of course to meet William! It's Amy's birthday on Monday (she'll be 29, and possibly not thank me for broadcasting that but....I figure as i'm always going to be older..) Therefore, as surely as day follows night it'll be my birthday at the end of next week. I'm determind not to be as down about it as i was last year and things are going well at the moment, jobs ok, i'm painting alot which always makes a difference- looking in to ways of exhibiting, different places an such like. Nick has been amazing- we went around several galleries in RE last week and he was there asking all the right questions when i got all shy and lost my nerve....he wants to help me put on an exhibition, which would be great. I dont want to hire a space until i know more about the audience here an dhow my work will be received. We'll have to see.
I havent got any further with the Italian exam cos i've been so busy painting, but my confidence is growing and thats the biggest problem i have with it.
ok tonight, off to Leo's for sing star and games and munch! Lats week we went to Giovanni's place in Carpi for sing star and pizza, was good times!

Dec the halls.....

Sorry- yes its been a while. Rubbish, I know. Well Seville was awesome- 25 degrees!!!! A last grab at sunshine before the dreaded winter Fog in Reggio (frankly it deserves a capital F), we've already had a spot of snow but if you in blighty are reading this then i'm sorry- nothing like the scale you've had it! (although it is forecast for the weekend eeeeeek!)
It was Sils birthday at the weekend, we had a costume party and most folks really got into the spirit, i was wthe statue of liberty, complete with book and torch! We sang, we drank and we chatted and also ate a bit too. Good times.
Before the party i went to Bologna shopping with Luca (yes, the one and the same)(we both have big feet- he knew a boat shop!) I decided to stop thinking so much (shock horror i hear you cry!) A good friend of my mums came over with her a few weeks ago and we talked a bit- she said some stuff that kind of changed the way i was thinking about things. I'm going to ....I AM GOING TO go with the flow and not over think. (If you've met me then you are probably wishing me good luck, probably with raised eyebrows right now.......Ta!) So far, so good.
Amy had her baby!!!!! I am now the proud Aunty of young William Roland Spencer. We were introduced on skype but i cant wait to meet him in real life- his mother says he looks like Winston churchil.......
Oh and i've started drawing/painting again!!!!! going into town tomorrow to try and find out how things work here and if i could potentially exhibit something next year........Wish me luck (again!)

Gay Paris!

I just got back from Paris (if at first you dont succeed...) it was great! Christen and landed and arrived in \Paris about 2pm (its so nice not to have to think about time differences and changing money) the weather was grey but it stopped raining and so we did what we do best- we walked! We saw Place du concorde, The obelisk ( i have no idea how i should spell that) the arc du triumphe in the distance at the other end of the champs elysees. We also went to the jewish quarter and ate Falafel, which was awesome and then some pastries we were stuffed and shattered.
We took the metro back to christens apartment and collapsed. Christens Grandmother live in the building next door and so we went to see her around 7- she warned me- she will talk at you and she did!
Georgette Dupont is a 90year old Parisen who has lived in the same apartment since the war, both apartments date form the 40's and the character of the place is unmistakeable and fabulous! Her appartment still has the 40's blue shiny paint on the kitchen walls and knick knacks of every concievable variety on every surface. She was an artist before christens mother was born and her husbands paintings cover every wall in the living room and then in stacks- they are amazing all in oils, mostly of Paris and Venice. There are several busts dotted around the place- all done by Madame Dupont herself, friends from art school and even her teacher! So i find myself sitting in an apartment on the edge of Paris listening to a Parisienne, answering in Italian (my head said foriegn language-italian was the response) and having an American translate. She asked lots of questions about the Queen (a big fan- especially Princess Di) and we managed to work it out with lots of help from Christen. She is brilliant- well both of them actually! I'm not really doing the experience justice, but its only because i'm so tired. I've had a fab weekend. Before we caught the plane back we went to see the Eiffel tower and i took loads of photos- the weather today was cold but sunny- gloriously sunny with clouds billowing across the sky. I'll try to post them on facebook this week. Now i've got to go to bed- i'm done in and this at work will i suspect be hard. But next weekend is a long weekend off, and so Chris and I are off to Seville!

Epic Fail

Ok, so September has vanished leaving in it's wake colder weather (needed a coat for the first time today :-() but sunny days and the first yellow and red leaves are floating to the ground.
I had to end things with Luca- i knew we wanted different things but as we were we probably had the shelf life of an egg. I care about him but the difference is insurmountable and so... when the opportunity arose for me to go to Paris for the weekend with Christen I though hurrah! I can get away and clean out the cobwebs- not be mopping around Reggio. Perfect timing! I hurried booked my ticket on friday morning and merrily st off to the airport at some ungodly hour on Saturday morning, only to discover that i had infact, booked my ticket for the 23rd of October not the 9th. Sono Scema. I began to make my way back to Reggio, Via Bologna. I decided to hang around in BLQ for a bit, it was fun, i went to the international bookshop and looked around for some art shops as the art teacher told me to buy some bigger paper- which i successfully found after asking and following directions in italian so i was quite pleased with myself.
There was also the small incident of driving the car out form MaxMara just as it ran out of Petrol..... just not my week

Back to work...

So it's the end of my second day back at work and so far so good. I'm glad to be back at work- stops me thinking too much. I'm enjoying the teaching again an its really nice to catch up with my students. its been great to catch with all the other teachers too and also gli fratelli Angiulli (missed them) we've all slowly been getting back into the groove. Sil's friends Mattie and Loz came for the weekend and we had a blast, went to lake Garda, to a place called Lazise and laid on the worlds smallest beach. Where the boys went swimming, i didn't but i was tempted...maybe next time if i'm feeling brave!

It's Sunday today, I don't feel too good and I'm having second thoughts about committing this to the internet, i hope in a few hours I'll feel distinctly better. So far, I'm here in Italy and so are Katie (teacher form last year) and Giovanni (of Angiulli fame) and my Italian teacher (Paola) and Luca (The Italian of Newquay fame). I went out for dinner with Luca last night- I had sushi for the first time (last time I only ate cooked stuff). It was good, the dinner and the company. Although my stomach is tender this morning, and not generally happy. Other than that it was lovely evening, except at the very end when i needed to establish how we were to be in Italia- Both London and Newquay were fantastic but holidays, small pockets of fantasy. Now we are in Italy and this is real life for both of us....
Unfortunately he can't be what I want him to be, and I can't be what he want's me to be and so abbiamo fatto. I know this is the safest decision for me, (If i don't look after me, who else will?) but that is my head talking, everything else however....
I'm sure i'll feel better tomorrow.

Sonambulo....

Steve went to V festival this weekend and arrived home late last night....the sounds of the front door dimly registered as I tried to stand up and hit my head on the ceiling, which in itself, was a shock. Then he turned on the light in the hall....I woke up standing on my bed with my duvet gathered up in my arms ( I was trying to move it out of the way of the pink and yellow striped rats that could jump.....no, really!)
Today is my last day in 27a, I do feel really sad today. The last solid thing (other than friendships) linking me to Stansted ends today, only my life in Italy remains.

Newquay...

So i've just arrived back from Newquay...i'm fair shattered! It was a really good holiday- a proper adventure- I had intended to to take 3 surf lessons but sadly my fear of water got the better of me. I was so scared! For the last week i kept thinking..'but on Thursday i have to surf..eeeeek' It was my challenge, no on emade me do it and i wasn't sure how i would feel it has been many years since i tried to conquer this and i've done so much scary stuff in the last year thought maybe my new found balls would carry me through. However, by the time we reached the beach i was shaking...the instructors were two brothers who were both very nice and understood as i explained why i was there. The first time i went under the water, the panic ran through me and i almost left there and then. I didn't though, i continued to try but the fear of going under was huge. I didn't stand up, which i would have liked to have done- if only for a few seconds!
The Italian surfed really well though- He didn't understand at first- i hadn't told him, something i had to do by myself, for myself. He understood when i explained and tried to gently convince me to go back for another try- he may have been right but on the first day, i didn't sleep or eat and i was so nervous my stomach was upset. I didn't want to spend the entire time worrying about the next morning- not really the point of a holiday! And also not really fair on him- being so nervous i was very distant after the first lesson. Maybe in the future I can try again....
We walked to Crantock beach which was beautiful- very few people were there and the waves were wild. It was a long walk but totally worth it. We found a local pub and sampled many ales.....The weather was minging! but it didn't detract from the holiday we had a lot of fun. I did some drawing while he surfed. and spent some time wandering along the beaches. I introduced him to cornish pasties and the concept of pie, we tried cornish ice cream and i explained the difference between jam and marmalade. the tiny things we take for granted are usually the things that foreigners overlook- are are astounded by (It's the same for me in Reggio)
Tonight i meet Bex, Al. Chris and Debs for a farewell drink before I go back to Italy for the next year, on Tuesday. This time I'll truly be saying goodbye to 27a and my old life.....and when i reach Bologna, I'll say goodbye to the Italian.....da sola ancora

27a

I'm sitting on Chris's sofa in the flat watching tv when I really should be tidying and cleaning. I go back to Reggio next after a summer of working at studio cambridge and seeing friends. It's been alot of fun- working at Hockerill summer camp again was fun- always tiring but easier this year having worked at the same place last summer and also with alot of the same people. It was good to see how my confidence has improved in teaching.
I spent a week playing tour guide in London with a friend who came over from Italy- thatw as alot of fun, i wanted to spend more time in London this time- always used to be intimidated by the big city, funny how things change! We saw 'We will rock you' the Queen musical which was fabulous! We walked in St James park, saw the sights and went back to the Cabinet war rooms.
I don't know what will happen next time i come back, the flat is up for rent and so i will have nowhere to hang my hat, but i have been ridiculously lucky to have the possibilty of coming back to the flat for the last year, the rest i'll figure out!
I went back up north for a week, saw my family and Lil'Sis although- she's not so little at the moment! She's 22 weeks gone and looks fabulous. I won't see her now until after William is born...:-(
It's been a great week, had a picnic with Sarah and spend some quality time with Steve, Bex, Christophe and Mike and Nik. I can't believe how big Harry is getting!, Cutest little ginger in the world, he was just starting to get over his shyness with me too. The saddest part of living abroad is the constant Goodbyes, and the easier they get, the sadder it becomes.
Next week I'm off the Newquay for a few days - with the Italian. I'm going to attempt to learn to surf! It's something i've wanted to do for a while but didn't know where to start and then figured when i came back for the summer i could give it a go- and Newquay is the only place to go! I haven't mentioned the water will be damn cold to him yet.....
I'm really looking forward to the new term and new adventures. I'm doing a language course before term starts to improve my confidence, which as i think i have said before, is my biggest problem..pian piano

The final week.

My year here is almost finished, i fly back to the UK on Friday 2 July. I'm sad to leave but as i'm lucky enough to be able to come back in September, I know this is not goodbye.
This has been the hardest thing i have ever done but by far the most rewarding. In a lot of ways much of it has been luck- being the right place at the right time- like seeing the job advertised on the internet and taking over the appartment from another teacher.

I have met a massively diverse range of people- from the retired school teacher who loves langugaes and already speaks French, Spanish and Russian, to the engineers who build tractor engines to a metalhead who works for a fashion house! Thats one of the best parts of my job and the reason its always so varied.
I've learned so much this year,( not just how to drive like an Italian!) about people, about myself and thats why i dont want it to end.

Yesterday Sil and I went to St Pietro di Bismantova, which is a giant randomly shaped rock- Sil said it reminded her of Ayres rock except that this one is in the foothils of the Apenini, not desert! It was beautiful, there is a little refuge/church built into the base of the rock. We walked up a it a way and saw some of the most stunning scenery, rolling hills disappearng into the distance behind a blue veil, with patches of cornfields shining in the late afternoon sun.
We chose there because Sil had heard of this place and the night before we went for a meal with a group of my students whose course had come to an end. They took us to a little restaurant in Casina, up in the hills and we ate like Italians- course after course of pasta, meat, gnocco fritto and of course caffe and limcello to finish.
Sil and Nick have both taught me a lot about myself and the things I'd like to change, also the things I'd like to keep. We are all very different I think but somehow it works- maybe we balance each other a little. I have a feeling if i said that to Sil though i think maybe I'd get 'shut up dickhead' :-)
Its had to think of highlights of the year there have been so many, the medivael festival in Quattro Castella, Wandering around a deserted Venice with Daryl (although I dont remember being that cold for a long time!) Sitting in the piazza with Steve gazing at the fountain. Having dinner with Mum and Amy in Condor and bumping into Nick and Sil outside, Mum and Amy coming to stay. Wandering around and around Reggio with Christen, ice cream in hand. Sitting in Pizza Prampolini with friends and drinking spritz and talking the night away. Oh and of course, Singstar.
Reggio, ci vediamo a presto.

Pasqua.

It's Easter Saturday and we've needed the rest from work I think we all got tired beforelast week. Sil and I went to Cinque terra yesterday which was utterly beautiful. I'll post some pics when i can, having some small technical hiccups (nothing new then). Today we went Mantova which is supposed to be amazing but i didnt really see it to be honest maybe partly the weather and maybe one of those places best read up on properly first- after cinqe terra i was too tired to give it the full attention it deserved. I feel really far away today, from home i mean. Everybody here is going back to family for the weekend there are families everywhere and the autostrada was deserted.
Mid blog- got a skype from Mike and Nik and Harry really nice to have a brief chat as we haven't for a while.
Anyway I might go for a walk into town, get and ice cream or sit in the piazza for a while that usually makes me feel better.

La Primavera

Hurrah! Spring is here! Well, creeping in hopefully, today was gorgeous clear blue skies and warm sunshine. I always thought it was vanity, Italians wearing sunglasses all the time but no! It is actually necessary to wear them for two thirds of the year.
I have enrolled in Italian school but the timetable clashes with work so i dont know how to get around that because until i get a decent level of italian i feel like i cant do all the things i want to do- it won't stop me trying but it is frustrating. I found some art classes RE that would'nt class with work but they all started and then duely finished from September onwards- i could even take one in drawing comics! I would love to be able to do that better. So my plan is taking shape like this- I work on my language skills and grammar with the aim of doing the class in Sept.
This weekend we (Sil, Christen and I) were wandering around the centre, ice cream in hand (what did you expect?) an we found 3 different art exhibitions- it was so good to find some a) local artists and b) local gallery spaces. I took their cards with the intention of maybe emailing them at some point and trying to make some connections because i really miss the creative/artistic/musiciany vibe that was going on in Stortford with you guys. I would love to exhibit here, at some point bu there are 2 crucial factors befroe i get that far-1) i dont speak itain well which is surmountable but the contracts etc were hard enough to nderstand in English and 2) I would need to actually paint something ... havent done that for a while!!!!! I'm working on it....

Noooo!

Today was unfortunate for both me and Sil! Our respective favourite students both left. I have eaten alot of chocolate. He was the high point of my week I really liked talking to him not to mention the fact that he is incredibly cute and very talented. Gutted. Actually. We have eaten most of a jar of nutella. Humpf.

Sick

I'm in bed as i write to you, i have a stinker of a cold, fever and quite possibly a chest infection although kathryn has come up trumps on the medication front i'm not feeling it yet. I apologise in advance for anything that could be construed as whinging, whining or moaning.
I had a fabulous weekend though, on Saturday the weather was glorious, clear blue sky and the sun was shining. Sil had the cracking idea of borrowing a car and exploring a bit we went to a place in the mountains (mountains in and of themselves are amazing for a girl from the flatest part of Yorkshire) called Canossa, a castle built by matilde di Canossa (she is one of very few women who got a solomn burial at St Peters basilica in Rome) beautiful place. We went in the automatica which was a mistake as there were four of us and hills to climb, we narrowly avoided going backwards in some spots- and they say praying is pointless!
Kathryn also very kindly asked if we wanted to use her theatre tickets for saturday evening as she was unable to go. Chriten, Burney and I went to see a spanish troupe perform a piece in Teatro Valli- the third most beautiful theatre in italy, also happens to be in Reggio. It was grand, I'm very glad i got to go and would like to go again.
On Sunday we went to venice for the carinvale- it was the last day and amazing the sun was out and the sky was clear, the streets were packed with people, uncomfortably so in places. Everybody wore masks and some dressed head to toe in costume, amazing intricate costumes. There were stalls set up in the campi selling all kinds of sweets and treats. getting home was a total nightmare becuase there are so many people trying to get on the trains the poice actually were guarding the doors to the traisn and preventing people from getting on already packed trains. We could physically get on the first train and had to wait an hour for another, which was late (you thought british rail was bad) leaving us stranded in Bologna for 2 hours. The train from bologna to Reggio left at 12.46 in the morning. We didnt get into our house until nearly 2.30am. We were all really chipper monday morning!
it was a great weekend though, I was feeling steadily worse and by Tuesday afternoon i came home and slept which is pretty much my plan for the rest of the day. I believe Daryl is coming this weekend which should be good fun, all being well!

January

Ok, I'm sorry i havent updated in a while. After my Nan died there was travelling to do and stuff to sort out. Well, i arrived back in Italy yesterday and started back at work this morning, with Jodi, unfortunatley. Still it's over for another week and then i had the boys at lombardini who are lovely. I can't seem to muster any enthusiasm this week, teaching is enough. Just seem to be carrying this weight around, i know it's cos of Nan and all but still it's making me feel like I'm walking uphill all the time. I know it'll change and it's only been 2 days since the funeral but feeling fragile is difficult enough in a world where you know the language and life isnt such a challenge. My choice, I know.
it was nice to see the family while i was back even in those circumstances. I went out with my cousin on Tuesday it was nice to spend some time with him and remember Nan as she was.
this afternoon I have caterpillars and Magda and lucio. I may go for a bike ride with Nick on saturday and maybe Venice on Sunday or next week because ut's carnivale. it'd be rude not to.

Nan

My Nan died today.

post christmas...

I'm really sorry it's taken me sooo long to update my blog (sorry D)- I saw most of y'all over the christmas break which was fab so i won't tell you about that. It has been a mental first week back. First, I moved, I now live with Sil nearer the school and have somewhere to put people up if they come to visit. It's a great appartment and of course i live with Sil which is fab. Second Cecelia is looking into residency for me, which would be amazing. Third I'm going to shadow Kathryn and become the Business and Individuals co-ordinator at the school!!!!!!!!!!! It'll be a steep learning curve but after the last three months I think I'll be ok with a bit of luck! I'm looking forward to it, we began by testing a student because kathryn tests most of the students herself, but because we have several companies starting at the moment there just aren't enough hours in the day!!!!
last but not least, Alessandro text and we met up on friday- it was really nice to see him again- turns out he's been in London for the last 3 weeks! Curiouser and curiouser...
Last night the language team and some of Fede's friends went out for her birthday. It was great we went to a small restaurant which serves only tigelle and gnocco fritto which are both local dishes, types of bread with hams, salamis and many different cheeses and also erbazzone which is a kind of spinach pie, again local to Reggio. It was really good but we were so tired after that we went straight home.
Today I'm looking forward to chilling out, going for a walk and having a bit of a pamper, ready for the new week- this week will be my first week at Max Mara proper so I need to look the part.