Spring is Here!

After a more-than-a-little-slow start to the spring, and a massive hiatus from yours truly from blogging, it seems that the famous Roman weather is finally in swing. That Icelandic volcano has apparently been behind the poor weather, which will probably continue to be gross through at least August, but at least for now (and the last couple of days) it's sunny. Nothing too new has happened in the last few weeks, we've just been enjoying the spring. Our team finished 2nd place at the last Pub Quiz, and fourth in the league overall, which we're pretty proud of. The picture up top is of me and my team. Work is going well, it's nice to have a source of income, at least! I have 2 weeks off in August, and we are planning a little trip around Tuscany, for which I am so excited. We stayed in Tuscany 3 years ago as a family, and I can't wait to revisit all the little hill towns and eat the delicious food. Even though Rome is in Italy, it is such a tourist city and the food is not as great as in the rest of the country. Which is not to say that I haven't had some fantastic meals. We had dinner the other night, 5 of us, and went to a little place in Trastevere that I've been to before, but the gnocchi was just fantastic. You can really ruin gnocchi. If it's too dense, it's really bad, but these were perfect fluffy pillows covered in a tomato sauce with mozzarella. Fantastic. On another note, today I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Rosetta Stone language software. After visiting me here, and seeing how poorly my Italian has been progressing, my dad generously offered to foot the bill for the program, and I'm so excited. It's my summer project, to become at least functional by the fall. I'd like to be able to get myself around by the time we go on holiday, because I don't like having to have someone always speak for me, so here's hoping. I'm sorry I've been so lazy in posting, maybe the Italian lackadaisical quality has rubbed off on me!!! Much love to all.

Senioritis

I feel like I owe it to the elderly of Italy to give them a shoutout. For a country that so values physical appearance, "La Bella Figura," it is more than marginally shocking that people age the way they do here. It's as though all of a sudden they reach a threshold, say at 60 or so, and all of their prior careful primping and coiffing and meticulously chosen wardrobes go flying out the window. To put it bluntly, the old people here look, well, OLD. It's like they wake up one morning and acknowledge the passing of time, and resign themselves to spending their twilight years in a world of shapeless, blandly colored outfits and orthopedic shoes. My mother has always believed that age is nothing but a state of mind, and that you are only as old as you feel, and I agree with her. I don't think I would be alone in giving a nod to my parents, who are in their 60s and could run circles around most people in their 50s, and probably some in their 40s (and me, in my 20s, but that's another tale). What, then, has caused the decline of Italy's elderly? Should this even be worth mentioning? Or are Americans conditioned to fear old age? Popular celebrity culture, most rampantly prevalent in the United States, has essentially made aging a cultural faux pas. Botox, collagen injections, and face creams made from placenta are all footsoldiers in the army against Mother Nature. And maybe that's not right, either. There is certainly something to be said for aging gracefully, but what about the sunset of life screams, "MY OUTFITS MUST BE DRAB AND MY SHOES PRACTICAL?" Granted, I understand the need for the shoes, but the kind favored by the Italian grannies is the kind that gives people cankles. For those who don't know, a cankle occurs when there is no distinction between the calf and the ankle- they are one and the same. And orthopedic shoes cause cankles. Alright, there are a few resilient members of the Golden Girls set who simply refuse to don the uniform of seniority, and instead still flaunt their "Golden Girls" in tight sweater sets and short skirts with fishnet stockings, as though they were teenagers on their way to the sock hop. But that's not graceful either. I guess you just have to know when to say when, but I sincerely hope that when I get to the magic age of dressing 'old,' that I have the strength and courage of conviction to throw on a pair of jeans now and again.

Toilet Humor

Contrary to what the title may lead you to believe (and given my often crude sense of humor, who could blame you?), this post is not about poop jokes and the like. Rather, it's a bit of a rant on the conditions of toilets, not just in Rome but in the world at large. As part of my Christmas stocking this year, my mom gave me a small box of disposable toilet seat covers. Clearly, I laughed, and she just said knowingly, "you never know when you might need one". Well, I haven't needed one yet, because THERE ARE NO TOILET SEATS IN ROME. Okay, to be fair, there are some, but at a vast majority of places, it's just the bowl. So many things that we in America consider to be necessities (dishwashers, drying machines, triple-grande vanilla soy lattes), are considered mere luxuries here, not for the average Giovanni. This attitude towards certain amenities begs the question in light of today's post: Are toilet seats a luxury? Or are the Italians so lackadaisical about everything that putting a lid on the porcelain throne was too much work? I have this theory that they put in all the toilets in Rome at the same time, and then decided that the effort would be too great to outfit them all with seats, so they just didn't. Am I being too harsh? There is no law anywhere that states that there needs to be a buffer between my derriere and the toilet bowl, it's just something I've become used to. As I write this, however, I think about the benefits of not having a toilet seat. Men don't have to worry about putting it down (not that they do anyway)...women don't have to touch it when men forget to put it down. One of my least favorite things about public restrooms is that space on the U-seats, where you can see the edge of the bowl under the seat, and without a seat, this problem no longer exists. I guess that one of the reasons that I'm baffled by the universality of subpar toilets, is that going to the bathroom is one of the most basic human functions, that all humans must perform in order to survive. Why then, has this necessity been relegated to some of the dankest, most disgusting places? I guess the world may never know.

Craig in Rome- Part Two

Another picture of Dad and me at Tivoli- this time Villa d'Este!!
Let's see...when I left you last, Dad and I had just gone to Tivoli for the day. On Monday, he braved the half-hour+ tram ride to come out to my area of Rome to see my apartment. What I didn't realize is that, because of track reconstruction, half of the trip out here was given over to a bus, a fact that Dad had to discover on his own, which he did admirably. When he got here, I showed him my apartment, which I was very excited about- I love it. Then we wandered around, looking for a cute little restaurant to have lunch- such a thing apparently does not exist out here in Centocelle. The afternoon was given over to separate endeavors, and that evening we went to Mirabelle for dinner. Located on the 7th floor of a hotel overlooking the Villa Borghese, this one-star Michelin restaurant had the most outstanding views of Rome, especially after the sun went down and St. Peter's was all lit up. The meal was excellent, although I confess to having preferred the one from Il Pagliaccio. But the whole evening was lovely. After dinner, I joined my team at Pub Quiz, which they had lost miserably without me. The next day it was early to rise for the Vatican. It was a rainy day (we've had a lot recently), so being at the Vatican's extensive museums was a good activity. Brandon again did a fantastic job showing us around-- the Vatican is his best tour, so it was really a treat. We've been there before, but the massive collection of art never fails to amaze me. Some highlights: The Laocoon, the Apollo Belvedere, Michelangelo's Pieta, the Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Transfiguration, and my personal favorite- The Raphael Rooms. The School of Athens is my favorite painting, ever. I'd be hard-pressed to tell you why, but it is a truly awesome masterpiece. I had to work that evening, but when I got off we met Brandon and Erin for dinner at a place near the Pantheon that a couple of us had discovered a number of weeks ago. I'm glad Dad got to spend some time with two of my favorite people, and it means so much that he wanted to! Wednesday was Dad's last day, and we met Brandon again for a less structured tour around- we stopped in a few churches that I wouldn't have thought of, which were great, and got to see Bernini's 'The Ecstasy of St. Theresa,' the obviously sexualized, beautifully rendered statue of St. Theresa in the throes of passion, being pierced over and over by an angel's golden arrow. Dan Brown didn't do it justice- it's an incredible piece of work. I had to work again that evening, but Dad and I met again for dinner at a place near his hotel. The dinner was bittersweet. We reflected on the week, and had a lovely time, then parted ways, as he was leaving early the next morning. I returned home and burst into tears when I walked in the door. I had such a great time with my Dad, and it meant so much that he came all the way over here just to spend some time with me. Seeing him made me a little homesick, so when he left I was a little sad, but it was a wonderful week.

Craig in Rome- Part One

As you can probably tell by the picture, my Dad's here in bella Roma! Seeing as how we have already done a lot of things, and still have a lot to do, I figured I would divvy up the blog entries into a couple individual ones, so you weren't all bombarded by a lot of crap at once. Dad got in on Friday, at around 10:30 AM. I was working, and didn't get off until 2, at which point I headed over to his hotel and woke him up from his well-deserved nap. Between leaving Colorado, flying into NYLGA, transferring to JFK and flying to Rome, it took him about 24 hours to get here, a Herculean effort which I hope to reward with fun experiences. We took it relatively easy that evening, just walking over the river to a restaurant which wasn't open, so we wound up going somewhere that neither of us enjoyed, but it was nice catching up. The next day, Saturday, we joined my friend Brandon's tour of some of the underground sites under churches, etc. I had already been on the tour, but it's truly fascinating what is just under our feet as we traipse along the streets of this city. We had to leave the tour a bit early, however, as we had dinner reservations at Il Pagliaccio, the only 2-Michelin-star restaurant in Rome. It was a superlative meal, and I can now say that I have eaten baby goat. Fantastic. When we sat down they presented us with a wine-list-type tome so that we could select...a bottled water. After asking for the waiter's expert recommendation, we settled on the San Faustino, a choice which indeed proved to be an excellent accompaniment to our repast. I mean, it's water, people. Anyway, like I said the meal was just amazing, and what's even better is that Dad and I got to catch up. I hadn't seen him since I left Vail after the holidays, and we always do have such a good time together. Today we went to Tivoli with Brandon, and got to see two UNESCO World Heritage sites (of which there are approximately 500 in Italy alone)- the country villa of the emperor Hadrian (which I'm pretty sure covers more acreage than my college), and the Villa d'Este, a magnificent villa overlooking the Lazio region with about 30 fountains of varying size and impressiveness, the coolest of which was one that, through water pressure alone, played a 16th-century Classical tune on an organ. I much preferred the Villa d'Este, which is from the 16th century, although Hadrian's villa is staggering both in its size and its architectural impressiveness, especially when you consider that it was built in the 2nd century AD. Tomorrow Dad's coming to see my apartment, and on Tuesday we have reservations at the Vatican, so I will post more about that as the time comes. Seeing my Dad reminds me of all the family and friends I miss so much, but I'm so thrilled to be able to share my life here with him, because as the two saccharine-sweet posts prior to this one may have hinted at, I'm kind of happy here. Don't worry to those who only read for my causticity-- I have a rant coming soon. XOXO

Life is Good Today

Me, Becky and Erin at our picnic today.
I've done it again...neglected to post. In all fairness, however, this week has been hectic. In a good way- I started my new job (!) on Monday. I'm working for a school called the Trinity school, and it's teaching English to adults, and it's awesome. There's no lesson planning and no traveling. It takes place at the school, and we basically follow along on the students' learning trajectories. Everyone's very nice, and I really like it so far. We've had a couple of days' wretched weather here, but today was absolutely beautiful. Becky, after being temporarily foiled by the dastardly Icelandic volcano whose name I can't pronounce, let alone spell, has arrived in Rome. She got in on Friday evening, and it's been a wonderful time so far. Today, she, Erin and myself went to the Porta Portese market, which sells everything from clothes to used batteries (really). It was awesome, and so sunny. The market closes at 2, at which point we went and had a picnic in a park somewhere, where various others came and met us. An absolutely perfect day. I have briefly returned back to my apartment to regain my energy and take a shower, then will be heading out to Sunday night karaoke at Scholar's Lounge. I wish I could convey to you all just how great it is here. I am so freaking happy, and for someone who rather cynically has spent the majority of her life waiting for the other shoe to drop, it's a bit unsettling. But in the immortal words of the McDonald's advertising team, I'm Lovin' It. The food is awesome, I finally have a job, and the people have met and exceeded any expectations I had. I miss my family, and my friends in the States, but I'm on this awesome rollercoaster, and I'm going to stay on it for a while. I don't know what each day will bring, but every night I fall asleep smiling, having fallen just a little bit more in love with existence, messy and strange though it may be sometimes.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Wow, I can't believe another week has gone by! I'm having such a great time that every so often I have to step back and wonder if this is really my life. I love Rome, and I love the people I've met so far. I have been offered a job, which I start tomorrow (Monday) so hopefully I'll be able to get some solid hours with them! Becky was supposed to visit this weekend, but the volcano in Iceland foiled those plans, so she's re-booked for next weekend, but I hear that flights might be grounded for a while. I hope she makes it. On another note...Dad's coming! Craig Foley will be in Rome from April 30th-May 6. I'm so excited. We had such a great time when we came here as a family 3 years ago, and I'm planning lots of fun things for us to do. It means the world to me that he's coming, and it's also a great excuse for me to do a bunch of tourist-y things that I might not think of on a day-to-day basis. I can't wait to show him my apartment, and introduce him to some of my friends, and be able to share in some of the excitement I have for my life here. I just re-read this, and realized that I have become one of those people who can talk about nothing but how happy they are. I'll try and throw in some bite next time, but for now it's springtime in Rome. Tonight a bunch of us are going to the Pakistani ambassador's house to watch the Rome soccer game. Should be fun, it's always an experience at Rahim's. Much love to all.

Money Talks

So I've been constantly applying for jobs since being here, and since nobody ever responds to emails in Italy, the search has been somewhat disheartening. However, I know that something will come up, and in the meantime, I have started advertising for private lessons. When you learn how to teach English, you go into it with the knowledge that you will never get rich doing it. This is a vocation for those who love interacting with people, and who have a desire to subsidize a life of minimalism. Basically, we just need to cover the rent and maybe some food. English teachers are typically paid very poorly, so most go into private lessons as a way of earning some extra cash. Now, I just had my first private lesson this morning, and I can say that aside from the potential for gratification by watching one person improve before your eyes, another positive to this endeavor is the instant, off-the-books gratification of cash. I have heard horror stories of people who work for companies and schools having to literally beg to be paid, and I'm sure at some point I too will encounter such joys, but in the meantime I am jumping up and down with joy over having received my first payment for anything in Europe (I have yet to be paid for my part-time work with the kids). It seems so silly, to get excited about a little thing like this, but it gives me some modicum of hope that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to support myself here. Or at least cover my rent.

The Animals of Rome

Although I'm in a major city, and encounters with dangerous animals are few, there are still a couple of notable experiences that I would like to share with you all today. First of all, the pigeons. Being a New Yorker, I am used to pigeons, or as I like to call them, "rats with wings". How they are of the same family as the elegant dove is beyond me. Pigeons are pestilent, unfortunate creatures that travel in herds and detract from the scenery wherever they go. That being said, the pigeons in Rome are also BOLD. At least in New York, when you walk towards a pigeon, they usually fly away. Not here! The pigeons here will stand their ground, engaging you in a perverse game of 'chicken' to see who moves first. NB: The pigeon will not move first. You have to get out of the way or risk actually touching one of these foul things. This was not supposed to be a rant, but I decided to write this post due to the fact that A PIGEON ALMOST LANDED ON MY HEAD YESTERDAY. I was walking down the street, I saw a pigeon flying towards me, I figured it would move, and...it did, but only at the last minute. It was such a close call that I wondered if pigeons don't harbor some sort of advanced pre-cognitive capabilities specifically honed to the detection of human fear and disgust. I imagine it's similar to the thought process of the budding serial killer who tortures cute animals for fun. FYI: The picture above is of a pigeon who seems to be suffering for the sins of his brethren- probably diseased and with only one leg. It would be heart-wrenching if I hadn't met the others first.
My other animal experience was less death-defying, and actually kind of funny, with only a small margin of annoying thrown in there. After I wrote my post yesterday, waxing poetic about how fantastic my new apartment is, night fell...and the cats came out. Anyone who's ever read a Garfield comic strip knows that Garfield spends a fair amount of his time caterwauling on some poor neighbor's fence. Not until last night did I know that these entertaining comics had some basis in fact. At first I thought a child was making some sort of noise indicating pain, but then I remembered my old cat, Buster. Buster made a noise like this once, and Mom thought one of us was hurt. If you've seen the South Park movie, it's sort of like the sound of a dying giraffe, but in a higher register. Anyway, I digress. A number of the neighborhood cats started in on this strange symphony, until the only sound I could hear over the cacophony was the intermittent sounds of my own hysterical laughter. Should this continue to occur, I'm sure it will become much less entertaining, but for the time being, it's still pretty funny.

Happy April!

Hi everybody, sorry I've been so remiss in writing...things have been pretty much the same here, although I can't complain because I'm in ROME! On Monday I went to the necropolis under St. Peter's Basilica, which was the coolest thing ever. Literally a city of the dead right under the basilica. Below even the grottoes, where the popes are buried. The highlight of the tour was of course seeing the tomb of St. Peter, as well as some bones which may or may not be his, but I've chosen to believe they are his, because that's so much cooler. As I write this, I am sitting at my desk in my new bedroom! I moved in yesterday, and it's great. My computer is right in front of a window, where I can look out the open window because it's a beautiful day, and see...mostly other buildings, but also lemon trees! It's amazing, and in a beautiful residential area called Centocelle, which is pretty far from the center, but it's so peaceful. And my room is huge. Like, legitimately huge. I have a queen-sized bed, and a closet that New Yorkers could only dream of. I can't fill it, it's amazing! The only thing wrong with the room is that it is poorly lit at night, but that doesn't even matter because during the day it's so bright! My roommates are nice, I haven't really spent much time with Natalie, but she is a student from Pennsylvania. Joseph is great, he's from Egypt, and very nice. We have a kitchen, which is small but very functional, and a washing machine but no dryer. People here don't use dryers. Apparently that's a luxury, and it's taken some getting used to, seeing people's clothing and sheets hanging out of windows all over the place. You can learn a lot about people from their clothes. For example, I can tell that the lady across the way and two floors up is kind of hefty because there are a couple of voluminous undershirts hanging out the window...better than her knickers, I guess!!! The job hunt is still pretty stagnant, I still have the part-time job, and apply for everything that I can, but nothing seems to be coming back. Just have to keep my chin up and hope something comes along! Hope everyone's enjoying good weather everywhere and Happy Easter! The picture is of my desk and window!

An Ode to Italian Efficiency

A lot of what I have learned during my short time in Rome is how to deal with the pace of the country. Every time something happens (or doesn't happen) to this effect, I am told, "that's just Italy". Italian inefficiency is seemingly legendary. Take the Carabinieri for example, the police. I have yet to see the police here actually doing anything. Whenever I do see them, they are in groups of 3 or more, standing around and talking. I was informed that this is normal. I have this vision of a massive crime scene where criminals are escaping because the Carabinieri are just standing around, discussing what to do. This also seems to be an Italian affliction in general. There is a lot of discussion about 'what to do,' and 'when to do it,' but little definitive decision-making actually occurring. It's kind of funny usually. And then there's my boss. As I think you know, I am working part-time for an English-teaching company that sends teachers to private homes to teach. I am working with children. The lessons come from some mother-ship entity and are sent to my boss, who is then responsible for giving them to the teachers. This job is also intended to be done at day cares and preschools, for the most part, at intervals of about 20 minutes, especially for the younger kids. Every time I go to the office to pick up materials for lessons, I am treated to an hour-and-a-half-long experience of Daniel looking through the many boxes piled up around the office, forgetting what I am there for in the first place, getting sidetracked by his own thought processes, and ultimately giving me about half of what I need to do my lessons. I use the word lesson loosely here, as I am working with children. One of my groups is full of 2-year-olds, who do not speak their own language, let alone harbor some internal burning desire to learn mine. I cannot do lessons with them, and am supposed to teach them for about an hour. They are cute, but it's incredibly frustrating. Another group is 4 4-year-olds, who have already been in school all day, and have no desire to learn any more. I understand enough Italian to know when they tell each other to ignore me, and just keep playing. After that experience (last Monday), I told the parents, and they said that their old English teacher just played with them and talked English. I'm fine being a babysitter, as long as that is what I'm hired for. Daniel thinks there's something wrong with me, and asks what I plan to do about it, and my only response is that I can only think to just play with them, so that's that. Another example of things we learn to deal with here: I went to pick up materials from Daniel yesterday, and he called to say that he had stepped out, but that he left the materials with Lucia, the old, hard-of-hearing woman who manages the building. After 15 minutes of leaning on her doorbell, banging on her door, and searching the two buildings she could have been in, I left for my lesson without the materials, and basically just colored with the kids. Still actively looking for something else, and will let everyone know when that happens! Miss everyone!

Food for Thought

The food culture here is awesome. There is no other way to put it. Italians really don't eat breakfast like we do- they just have a cafe and cornetto (coffee and a pastry), usually at the local coffee bar. Oh, and don't order a cappuccino after like, 11 am here- they think it's weird. Lunchtime is amazing. Today I went to lunch at a real Italian home. BACKSTORY: When my mother was 20 she moved to Rome and worked for a period of time as an au pair for a Roman family with 5 children. She has kept in touch with the mother, Francesca, and now the children are all grown up with their own families. We met them a few years ago when we were here on vacation, and mom contacted one of the 'children' (now adults) and told her that I would be here. Sabina is lovely, she had me over to her house today for lunch, and it was amazing. I met her two older children, twins named Elena and Oliver(!). They are 19, and really great kids. Anyway, we had a pasta with meat sauce, which was amazing, then a salad (so simple, just mache with salt, oil and vinegar), and thinly sliced beef that she cooked in oil with some lemon, red wine and a tiny bit of flour. SO GOOD. Then ice cream and coffee. It's such a nice change from just grabbing a sandwich. America doesn't really have a defined lunch culture like that. Sabina told me that Italians like to have at least 2 meals a day like that, family all together eating. And the food is so simple. They eat a lot, but it's good food. Not covered in preservatives, just food. I love food, everyone knows that, so I think this is a good place for me! Miss everyone.

When in Rome...

...walk at a glacial pace, apparently. Seriously, if I did as the Romans do, it would take me twice as long to get anywhere! Now, I'm not saying that I like to sprint from point A to point B, and I'm all for a leisurely stroll to enjoy the view, but for Romans, every time they leave the house seems to be a quiet walk down a country lane!!! It's so funny, they walk sooo slowly, and will then stop. right. in. the. middle. of. the. sidewalk. It's one of the many unique and wonderful things about Italy that I have and will come to appreciate for what it is. Another funny thing is that Italians won't leave their houses, even just to run to the store for a jug of milk, unless they are fully coiffed and blinged out. Seriously, where in New York I would run out wearing my glasses and a ratty pair of jeans, here I get strange looks, like who is the new homeless woman on the block? I love finding out these cultural strangenesses, it's part of the fun of going to different countries. One of the things I love most about Italy is the food (obviously). It is fresh, it is simple, and it is delicious. I can't wait to travel around the country and sample some of the more region-specific food, but in Rome there are a plethora of markets to choose from, and fresh food available. I am still at Erin's apartment, but am looking at another one this weekend. I checked one out today, and it was right near the Vatican, had a private balcony in the room I would have, and was pretty well-connected, but...had no kitchen. OOF. That hit hard, especially because I had already fantasized about being able to see St. Peters every time I left the house, but alas, I will press on. Still looking for another job. Right now I'm still doing the part-time thing, a few hours a week, with children. I really prefer adults, so I'm still searching for something else. Today was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, and I fell a little bit more in love with the city, so I'm really hoping I can make this work. The picture above is of me, Erin and her friend Carly at a cocktail party at the Pakistani ambassador's house last weekend. Great experience! Love to all.

Dispatch from the Bat Cave

So I've been in Rome for 5 days, and it feels like a lot longer, in a good way. As I mentioned before, on Monday, I interviewed, was hired, and started working for a small language school called Horizons for their children's program. As I also mentioned before, the first experience did not go so well. I've been given 2 more assignments, these two in the 1-3 age range, so yesterday I was to be found at another private home in Rome, teaching English to three of the diaper set. At that age, the first lesson only consists of repeatedly showing them a picture of myself, and reinforcing who I am. One of the kids was really good and stayed with me, but the other two kept running out of the room and going back to their toys and/or moms. I should mention here that when we go to a private home, the parents are told to give us a quiet room with no distractions (toys, moms, etc). I should also mention that it is very clear that it is not my job to discipline the children and make them stay. If the kids stop having fun, they will stop learning, and all that. Anyway, I made it through the hour moving from room to room, following the kids, all the while fighting a nagging suspicion that the mothers thought I was crazy. I'm happy to have this job, but I really would love to hear back from any of the language schools I have applied to. I think this weekend I will print out more copies of my resume and maybe next week just go to the schools. Erin and I have been going out every night, to various social events- dinners, Pub Quiz, and the like. It's been really fun. I have met a lot of very nice and interesting people, some who are doing the same thing I am, others who have 'real' jobs here. I'm enjoying staying with Erin. I call my little part of her room my 'cave' because it's under her lofted bed, and very cozy. I have started looking for an apartment, hopefully something cheap! Miss everyone and much love to all.

Roman...Holiday?

OK so I just finished my 3rd day in Rome. I had an interview this morning with a language school that is hiring for their children's courses. Now, my TEFL certification is for teaching adults, and there's a whole other certificate to get if you want to specialize with kids, but the guy seemed to like me, and I'm not really in a position to turn down work and money. So, when he asked if I was interested, I said yes. Now the next step is to get a codice fiscale (tax code) and get paid. Anyways, I went back to Erin's after the interview, and was just chilling after we made lunch, and I got an email from this guy saying can you work TODAY? I'm like whhahhHHHAAAT? But I went, because again with the not needed to turn down money. I had a group of 6 3-6 year olds at a private home towards the outskirts of Rome. I was 45 minutes late, because he had me leave the office 30 minutes before the lesson was due to start, with only the vaguest directions. I wasn't too fussed about it, however, knowing how arbitrary things like 'start times' are here. After waiting for my bus for 20 minutes near the Vatican wall, it came, I found the place, and sat down to teach the kids...essentially nothing. I was given materials, but not enough to fill the 2 hours I had been assigned. Long story short, I wound up reading to the couple of them who seemed interested, and attempted to teach all of them the words of the day ('soap,' 'wash' and 'hands' being among them). It was certainly an experience, of which I am more than marginally proud, mostly because I found my way there and back and didn't somehow wind up in another city. Amazing. I really think in future, given a choice, I would prefer to teach adults. I loved teaching the people who came into ITC for the courses we taught as part of our training, and hopefully I will get the opportunity to do so sometime. I arrived back at Erin's to be told that I would be changing quickly, because we were running out the door to Pub Quiz at an expat hangout called Scholar's, an endeavor for which I felt completely overtired, but we actually wound up winning 2nd place, which was great for Team What Willis Was Talking About. I just realized this is a very scattered post, but my mind is racing a thousand miles an hour after that very stressful but exhilarating day. Much love to all.

Till Next Time, Praha

Well it's the morning of my last day in Prague. Or rather, I should say, the morning of the day I'm leaving Prague. We finished the course yesterday, and got our certificates, and now it's up to us to find jobs. The above picture is after we all got our certificates- I don't know why I look like such a creeper there. We had a lesson yesterday on using drama and role play in the classroom and we wound up playing a few "Whose Line Is It Anyway"-type games. So funny. I'm flying to Rome and Erin is very sweetly picking me up at the airport. I'm excited- I was in Rome 3 years ago, and loved it, and Italy in general, so I really hope this works out. Will write more later when I'm in Roma. Oh, and it's snowing right now in Prague so cross your fingers for no delays!

I Hope This Works!

This is me trying to upload a video for my cousins.
This video is of my cousin Tom playing the trombone- this kid is adorable. I took this video when I was in London before I came to Prague, and have been trying various ways of uploading video to the interwebs but all of them seem to take so long!!!

The Plague, Round 2

(Me, Becky and Jaclyn at the John Lennon Wall)
This weekend was great. Becky came from London to visit! She arrived early Saturday morning, and we walked around Prague, crossed the Charles Bridge and saw the John Lennon wall, a curious amalgamation of quotes and pictures. It was a beautiful day, almost 50 degrees and gloriously sunny- a rare sighting in February in Prague. Unfortunately, I have been battling the nastiest cough/cold/plague outbreak, so I was probably not much fun. Going to a smoky bar on Saturday until 2 am probably didn't help either, and by the time we left the bar I had essentially lost the will to live. I am so sick of people being able to smoke in bars and cafes here- it's so frustrating, I mean, why should I have to smell like an ashtray just because other people can't step outside!? It's gross. I'm feeling better now, but man! I haven't been this sick since my junior year of college, when I had strep throat for the better part of the year. We went to the store yesterday and I managed to get some cold medicine, so hopefully it'll fix itself soon. On another note...I'm moving to Rome on Saturday! I haven't heard back from many places, which apparently is par for the course, but in Western Europe it's better just to go to the schools, CV in hand and ask for a job. I have a place to stay, at least temporarily (Erin's floor), and I know of some language schools, so hopefully it will work out. I'm excited- it's exhilarating to be 'homeless' in Europe, and be able to go anywhere! Also, it's against the law to smoke in bars, etc in Rome. My flight is booked, I'm leaving at 11 am on Saturday, and here's hoping for the best. Miss everyone and much love to all.

I Can Has Job?

I'm now in my third week of learning how to teach English to speakers of other languages. My comfort level in front of a class has increased exponentially, although that may also be a factor of having the same students week after week. They are a really nice group, all adults who come in the evenings, mostly after work, but there are a few who don't work. They are all eager to learn, and fun to teach, especially at the higher levels where they have learned to express themselves in different ways- a few of them have wicked senses of humor!! As much as I enjoy being here and teaching and learning, the reason for the course is almost upon me: homelessness looms and I need to find a job. A large part of my dwindling spare time these days is spent responding to job postings that are sent to our instructor Kenny, and which he subsequently posts on the job board, but for the most part I have been cold-emailing language schools, mostly in Italy. I really want to go to Western Europe in general, Italy in particular. It's harder to get a job in Western Europe simply because EVERYONE wants to go there! I've applied to some places in Eastern Europe and would consider working for a year there and then going West. If, by the time this course is finished, I still have no job, chances are I will just go to Italy and crash on Erin's couch until I find a job. A lot of places won't consider people who do not live there, so having accommodation is huge. We'll see, hopefully something will come up and within the next week I will be on my way to employment.

EEK! I've been lazy!

Sorry everyone, for the lack of posting recently. They keep us so busy during the week, and I worry about losing people's interest if I just post on the mundane details of daily life. BUT, it occurred to me that some people might be wondering just what goes on in the day-to-day activities of a TEFL student? Well, here goes:
Monday and Tuesday we have what are called "inputs," which are basically classes on topics ranging from different aspects of grammar, to phonology (the phonemic alphabet is based on sounds we make), and teaching methods. These are the days that are most like 'school'. In terms of assignments, we have a grammar test at the end of the course that we must get 100% on in order to get our certificates! It's not grammar in the sense of when to use a comma, etc, but rather how and when to use the past perfect continuous tense, and such. In short, very confusing, and not something I think we ever learned as native speakers. Cross your fingers for me! Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are when good organizational skills come into use, because these are days given over completely to the planning and execution of lessons. Volunteers come to the school at 4 pm to take English lessons given by...US! They are divided into Beginner, pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, and Advanced, although there is some blurring of the lines between the levels. This is great, because we will all leave here not only having taught real people, but also having a number of ready-made lessons that we have already used and been evaluated on. For example, this past week I taught a pre-Intermediate Reading lesson, an Intermediate Speaking lesson, and an Advanced Listening lesson. Next week we will begin teaching Grammar and Writing. Pre-Intermediate is definitely the hardest to teach, as getting them to speak can be like pulling teeth. You have to be comfortable just being stared at blankly sometimes, and I especially have really had to work on SPEAKING SLOWLY, something that does not come naturally to me. A key point to remember when planning lessons is to OVERPLAN, because nothing is worse than finishing everything you had planned for 15 minutes before class is scheduled to end. Believe me, this happened to a classmate of mine, and improvising when you're being stared at by a group of expectant students is m.i.s.e.r.a.b.l.e. I had a similar experience when I spoke too quickly when giving instructions to my pre-Intermediate students on Wednesday, and anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT comfortable being stared at like that, and can probably imagine the candy-apple red shade of my cheeks. I felt like bursting into either flames or tears, but after a deep, calming breath and a conscious missive to SPEAK SLOWLY, I completed the lesson pretty successfully. Whew! that was a lot of information, I hope that helps anyone who's been wondering what exactly I'm doing here. I've been applying to jobs all day today so far- they have a job posting board at the school, and have applied to about 7 so far today. Although I'm actually kind of excited at the prospect of being homeless in Europe after the course ends, I would like to have something lined up as soon as possible, because I'd definitely like to stay for a while. Much love to all- I know my parents have been giving their friends the link to this blog, and I just want to say it's fine with me for anyone who feels so inclined- the more the merrier! Missing everyone but loving every second of this new experience. The picture at the top is me on the roof of our building- amazing views of Prague.

Pay It Forward

(Me and Erin on the Charles Bridge). What a weekend! It was the best kind, exhausting and fun. Saturday we kind of just bummed around during the day. I got to spend some time with Erin, when Simone went to go watch a rugby game at a bar. That night, we all went out to dinner, then I went to some Czech nightclub with my classmates- there was an 80s/90s 'video pop' night, which basically meant that they played things like obscure Queen and ABBA hits while showing the accompanying videos. There was some good dancing, though, and my classmates got to show off their recently acquired knowledge of The Cotton-Eyed Joe (I kid not, they played this in a club). Sunday found me bleary-eyed and on a 4-hour walking tour of Prague with Erin and Simone, which was actually pretty cool- the sun made its first appearance since I've been here, but it was so cold, I was wearing 2 hats. After that tour came the included haunted tour of Prague that night, for which we were the only 3 people. Our guide, Alistair, was really animated and funny, and told some really great stories, not the least of which included a great place to have dinner. We went into the restaurant and while waiting for a table, struck up a conversation with two people from Connecticut (Ed and Jane) who subsequently invited the three of us to dine with them. They insisted on picking up the tab as well, only asking that we 'pay it forward'. I can't get over that kindness. It was unexpected and just amazing. It was such a fun dinner, and felt a little like family, which is nice to find so far from home. Today it was back to business as usual, although I did go grocery shopping after school. I feel most homesick and confused when I'm at the grocery store, because it's something we take for granted at home, being able to go into a store and quickly buy some food. Such a simple thing becomes that much harder when it's in an unfamiliar language, but I managed to buy some rohlicky (mini-baguettes) and pate, and had a wonderful dinner of that. Lots of work to do, hope everyone's Valentine's Day was great!

Everything I Hoped It would be...

...And so much more. The title of this post is of course in reference to the photo above. For a while now, I have been both amused and intrigued by the Czech specialty of beef with whipped cream. I thought to myself, "it can't possibly be what it sounds like...maybe the cream is unsweetened. Maybe it's just a cream sauce, that would be normal". Nope! In this case, the dish turned out to be EXACTLY as it sounded. Two slices of beef in a gravy sauce with dumplings...and sweet whipped cream with cranberries. So funny, and actually really good, I enjoyed the meal. It's very filling though, although I guess it has to be with how cold it is here. People need something to stick to their ribs! The dumplings are fantastic- kind of spongy, like a cross between a crumpet and a loaf of white bread. My friend Erin who lives in Rome is here, with her boyfriend Simone. We had a nice breakfast and dinner yesterday. I haven't seen her in 2 years, and she is so happy living abroad, and is full of great advice and bits of wisdom about making the transition. In other news, we taught our first 2 classes this week, on Thursday and Friday. I thought they both went well, they were just half-hour classes, but the students (who are all adult volunteers of varying levels) seemed to respond well, and do the activities I set them, so I was pleased. For the next three weeks, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will all be given over to planning lessons and teaching them, so we will get a fair amount of practice, which is great. I'm currently trying to do laundry, but our washer has no clear set of instructions, and I opened it when I thought it was done at one point, and half the clothes weren't even wet. So we'll see what happens. I didn't bring that much in the way of clothing, so I hope that it works soon, so I can start leaving them out to dry...This will be my first weekend in Prague- I don't count last weekend, as we were so disoriented and getting settled in. Time to see what the nightlife is all about! Much love to all.

When In Doubt...Do the Cotton-Eyed Joe

(ME ON THE TRAM, FIRST DAY OF CLASS)
In the last couple of years, I have become substantially less extroverted than I used to be. I don't mean among my friends, they will tell you I almost never shut up. I mean in new, unfamiliar situations, and being ready and willing to meet new people and try new things. Part of the impetus behind this trip to Prague (and beyond) was the realization that I used to love to travel. I used to love making new friends, and seeing fun new things. I never stopped liking those things, I just think they went into hiding for a while. Anyway, being here in Prague, where I don't speak the language and know not a soul, is probably the best way to change that. In the last few days, I have relied on two girls in my class that speak Czech to order for me in a restaurant, had to teach my class how to do something I know how to do well (seeing as there was no way to teach 8 people how to bone a chicken, I whipped out my iPod, cranked up the volume, and taught everyone the Cotton-Eyed Joe), and forced myself to go out at night when I really just wanted to stay in. I have had to figure out how to feed myself using only a glorified hotplate and a bar fridge for storage space (boiled lentils it is). Oh, and navigate a city (and public transportation) that makes no logical sense in its layout, and whose street names are not only unpronounceable, but largely unreadable, and therefore not conducive to being committed to memory. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it does to me. And it's been fun, mostly. I say mostly because it can be very disorienting to hear voices around you, not one of which speaks your language. As I walk down the street, my ears prick up at anything that sounds like English, and I instinctively turn towards the sound. I went out last night with some classmates to a known expatriate cafe/bookstore called the Globe, and for a few hours I might have been in New York, or England even. While occasionally isolating, it makes you grab on that much more firmly, and appreciate more, those moments, however brief, where you feel like you know what is going on and that the world isn't in on some joke that's just outside your reach of comprehension.

Starving in Prague

The one thing I have felt almost constantly since being here is hunger. And I'm not alone, my roommates are experiencing the same issue. Our lack of a decent kitchen combined with a desire to not spend all of our money at restaurants has created conditions of extreme hunger pangs. Also, everything that is portable and does not require cooking is bread-based so it is gone and you are hungry again in about an hour after consumption. Desperate for some form of protein, I ventured out and got some red lentils tonight, which when boiled with any number of spices, were actually quite nice. My first lentil soup, very fancy. I think I'll wait for this weekend when Erin comes to visit to try the real Czech food I've been anticipating (beef and whipped cream, MMMMMmmmm). Today was the first day of class. It's intense, we're there from basically 9:30 until 5 or 5:30 M-T, then on W-TH-F we go in a little later, and stay until around 7 in the evening, because that is when we 'practice teach' Czech people who volunteer to be our guinea pigs in exchange for the off-chance that they might actually pick up some English. There are 8 people in my class, 2 men- Lawrence (English), and Patrick (also English), 6 women- the two I live with, Lucie (Czech), Dianne (Slovak), Patricia (English), and me. Everyone seems very nice so far. We had our first lesson of introductory Czech today, which let me tell you, is HARD. J is pronounced like K, and that's the least of my worries. We only have it until Wednesday, just a taste, but enough so that all the shopkeepers in Prague don't blacklist me for not saying hello properly when I walk in the door. We took the tram to and from school today, I felt like such a local. The other two who I live with seem to defer to me when it comes to directions and getting around town, which to me is just hysterical. I don't have any sense of direction, I just read 2 streets ahead on the map, then have to stop and look again. I'm getting lots of use out of my trapper hat that my brother gave me, I fit right in with all the locals, although my roommates told me I looked more Russian. As long as I'm warm. I'm going to bed now, I am exhausted. The church outside our window, while beautiful, tolls its bells at 7 am sharp during the week, at least it did today, so my only defense is going to bed early. Was going to upload a picture of me on the tram, but the internet is slower here in the evenings and uploading seems to be beyond its capabilities right now. Miss everyone.

The basics

So last night my two roommates and I went out for a bite to eat, and after meandering aimlessly for awhile, we settled on a little cafe where I had my first encounter with Czech food. Garlic soup with egg and cheese. It wasn't too bad, but I just wasn't ready for the local favorite of beef with gravy, cranberries and whipped cream. Maybe tonight. After dinner we managed to find an Albert supermarket, buying essentials like yogurt, Nutella, Skippy, and what we decided was milk- didn't know for sure until I put it on my cereal this morning though. After a restless night's sleep (the first night in a new place is always a little unfortunate), we ventured out again, this time with more of a purpose. Save for the one in the bathroom, there are no mirrors in our apartment, so a small mirror was in order, as were some sandals that could be worn in the bathroom post-shower because there is no shower curtain, so if you go in to brush your teeth or wash your face after a shower, your feet get soaked. It's a typical European shower, with the shower head being very low, but it can be taken off its hook and held higher. The toilet paper is purple, which I thought was very strange. Anyway, we walked around the city a little bit, staying mostly within our district of Stare Mesto, or the Old Town. I did note the locations of H&M and Sephora, as well as two separate Starbucks. I know what's important. It was suuuuper cold, although the other two are from Alberta and Winnipeg, so this is pretty standard for them, and I was the only one shivering. It's really difficult to navigate here because the streets are very windy, and all the street signs are posted high up on the sides of buildings, and all the names look the same to me. I guess it'll get easier. We start class tomorrow, and have been given basic instructions on how to use the tram to get there, but it should still be an adventure anyway. There is a little restaurant right outside our building, so we may venture there for dinner tonight, because there is little chance of cooking anything in our kitchen/laundry room. I'm glad to be here, and looking forward to starting class tomorrow. It'll be nice to meet some more people, anyway. The picture above is taken by sticking my head out my skylight and looking left. Beautiful.

Goodbye Spork

Sadly for those who have followed the brief and tumultuous life of the titular spork, it is gone. Taken from me at around 10:30 this morning at Heathrow, we weren't together long, but the time we did have was wonderful. I have a memory of being very young and my brother was playing with a ball. The ball either got away from him or was deflated, and my parents would sing this song- Goodbye ball, goodbye happiness (a play on the George Harrison song, I just found out). Anyways- that song ran through my head as I watched my spork get taken away from me. Enough mourning, the reason for my trip is upon me- I have arrived in Prague! I had so much fun in London with Trish, and enjoyed getting to see all of the cousins who stopped by, and talking to Sarah on the phone. I will definitely have to pass through again. No trouble entering the Czech Republic, which was such a relief. I've been up the last 2 nights worrying about that prospect. I didn't even have to fill out one of those damning cards on the airplane- I think that card was at the root of my troubles entering the UK and will refrain from filling one out in future. See how that works for me. Iva from the ITC school came and picked me up, and we were on our way through snowy Prague to the building where I am staying. I guess my year living in NYC was good practice, because I am in another 5-floor walk-up building. There are 4 people living here, one girl from Italy who has been here for about 6 months with a different, EU-sponsored program, and Jaclyn and Erica from Canada, both of whom are in my program. They both seem nice, and Jaclyn is 22, have yet to figure out how old Erica is. I feel old. The flat is sparse, but will serve its purpose. The kitchen is TINY, and kind of gross, lacking even a stove- but we will see how the food situation works itself out. I feel like I'm back in college with the room (shown above), but again it serves its purpose, and had I wanted to stay at the Ritz, I should have signed up for a different program! I think once Erica gets settled in (she arrived last), we are going to maybe venture out for some food because we are all starving. Much love.

London Calling

After my eventful arrival and the warm welcome I receieved from the Welcoming Committee at customs, I woke up at Becky's determined to start my time in London again. She had to work, so Laura (her roommate) and I hung around the flat until I ventured out to Holloway Road to look into changing money and maybe getting a cell phone. My friend Leslie had given me one, but the charger doesn't work and it costs almost £20 to replace it!! Anyway, I didn't get a phone that day, but they are so cheap. The minute I left the house it started to rain, so I got to use the umbrella Becky gave me as part of my "welcome to London" package. After I returned to the flat, we met Becky out for curry in Soho (apparently you can't come to London without getting curry), then wandered around a bit and found this little gallery that showed old neon signs. I got some great pictures, which I will post on facebook when I get to Prague and have wireless for my laptop (I'm using my aunt's computer). Trish picked me up the morning of the 3rd, and we went to her house, then ventured out to the Tate Modern, which is right next to the Millenium bridge, which gets destroyed in the 6th Harry Potter movie. I took pictures. Last night, my cousin Anna, her husband Patrick and their three children, Charlie, Katie and Tom came for dinner. They are so cute, and I took both pictures and video of them. Funny kids. Today, Trish and I walked into Camden and had lunch at Wagamama (Japanese noodle restaurant) and now we are waiting for my cousin Pip and his wife Rachel and their two kids, Freya and Natasha to come by. It's so nice getting to see all this family!

Welcome to London...?

I'm finally here. My trip was pretty uneventful- easy flight, I had an aisle seat and nobody in the middle so me and my row-mate threw all of our stuff there, which is a welcome luxury in economy. The breakfast they served (I took the day flight) was pretty gross, which is weird for me because I usually love airplane food (no sarcasm, I really do). Anyway, we landed early, around 8 pm London time, there was a brief line at customs, and then...I got detained. That's right people, I apparently really am as sketchy as I seem. They held me up because I couldn't give them an adequate answer for why I was there, because my return trip is so far in the future, and I really don't know how I will be occupying my time after the course ends. Anyway, the first person I spoke to was just nasty. It was as though a perfect storm of heinousness had combined to form this one entity made for the express purpose of making my life hell. After reducing me nearly to tears, she left to go "make further inquiries into my trip". About 10 minutes later, during which time images of being strip searched and/or getting back on a plane to America danced in my head, a different customs agent showed up. He was a lot nicer, and actually explained to me why I was being held. My bags were searched, personal items held up for all to see, personal journals and cards read (thank you Mom for the card, it was very nice, and I could tell it made him feel a little bad). After the bag search, I was led back up to customs to wait again, and then I was free to go, a little shaken but otherwise fine. He had apparently called Becky (my friend in London with whom I am staying for 2 nights before going to my aunt's), to verify that she was expecting me, and that we actually knew each other. I found the Underground without event, and got on the Piccadilly Line to Cockfoster's (and laughed inwardly every time the announcer said that). Around South Kensington (10 stops before Caledonian road, where I needed to get off), the train stopped indefinitely and after another 10 minutes of waiting, I got out and paid 30 pounds for a taxi to take me the rest of the way, finally getting to Becky's just before midnight. I guess I'm just starting off with a bang. Miss everyone.
PS- the picture at the top is of the "why you were detained like a criminal" form.

All My Bags Are Packed

This is my first post. I thought it would be poetic to begin the day before my trip begins (or I just put it off until now, whichever). That means my trip begins tomorrow. I leave tomorrow for Prague, via 5 days in London, to take a TEFL course to learn how to teach English to speakers of other languages. I don't know how long I will be gone, but I'm not coming back at the end of the month. I know that much. I will not make bold, inspiring statements about the commencement of a new chapter and the birth of a new person, but I am ready to go. At least I think I am. People keep asking me how I feel about this...trip? Adventure? Post-quarter-life crisis? And I don't know how to answer. I'm at once apprehensive, excited, joyful and terrified. All I know is that all I have to do is get on the plane. The rest will take care of itself. The last couple of weeks have been a blur of packing, errands, dinners and goodbyes, but mostly of waiting. All my life I've been waiting for something to happen, and it seems like now is as good a time as any to make it happen. I can't say I know what to expect, but I do know that I want to travel. I am going to miss so many people, but I'm going to meet new people too. Hopefully this will help me keep a record of my goings-on both for my own record, and for those who care to know what I'm up to. In case anyone was wondering (will anyone read this?) The title comes from the Robert Frost poem, "The Road Not Taken". All right, hopefully this will get easier and I will feel less like I'm typing for an audience, or at least become more comfortable with that audience. I guess when I'm traveling and living life, I'll have a lot more to write about. Until then, I'm out.