Ciao Italy!

What. The. Hell.
Where did the last nine weeks go, and how did they go by so quickly?
I'm currently laying in my Rome hostel after a long day of travel. YOU CAN NEVER TRUST AN ITALIAN TRAIN...but more on this later.

I have learned so much in the past nine weeks--most importantly, the importance (what) of keeping a daily journal. THANK YOU KATHY. Change and awareness can most definitely occur in a short amount of time.  I have learned that people you barely know can treat you with the most kindness THERE IS HOPE WORLD...whether it's a night shirt when you have lost all of your clothing (Thank you Meg :) ) or a pair of sandals when you haven't got a pair (Thank you Mary,) or a tube of toothpaste when you have run out (Thank you Lisa :D ) orrrr a place to stay and good company (Melanie, and Zack) or a free haircut...gosh there are so many thanks to be given.

I learned that I do in fact have the ability to be a good teacher--I just need to stop doubting myself, and realize that this is one big process. I can't know everything, and some days...just...suck. (Most of this realization came from Sophie. Because well, she is awesome--and helped me destroy most of my negativity)

I have also learned that even in Italy you can have shit days, despite the typical "LIKEomGzzzz you are in Italy, stop complaining!!!" This is bullshit. Things can suck anywhere, BUT it is important to remember that the cure can be as simple as a sunset, or a mountain. You can choose to change your outlook.

I've learned to enjoy taking my time--something I don't think happens very often in America. No wonder everyone is getting fat. Whether peeling a peach with a knife (and failing about 30 times,) or handwashing all my clothing, or simply breathing in my surrounds...like I said earlier...you don't have to go to Chine to see the sky...

I have also realized that I am so ready for LA. My host mom confirmed this as well. It's funny to look back at one of my first posts of the summer where I am clearly LOOSING MY MIND about the future. I was considering going to Thailand. What? Me? No. There is still time to see the world, and I have seen more than I ever thought I'd be able to. It's time to finally, and seriously pursue what I know I love. This comedy bullshit ;) with my best friend. I'm thinking of it like an Italian train, if you miss it (and you will,) figure out your next move, and get to where you need to be. 

So, tomorrow I head to Copenhagen for a few days, then a very random, and hopefully awesome Hippie Adventure with 15 people I don't know, that may or may not kidnap me and make me live with elves in the Norwegian mountains. I'm ready for life, and actually very excited about this trip. I decided to say HELL YES to the opportunity, because when else will I be able to camp on the tallest peak in Norway? Hmm? HMM? Call me crazy, and I am--but this is so happening. 

I would like to do a short summer recap, followed by some Italian tips:

Things I am thankful for:

My first gelato of the summer, with my new friend Meg :)

Sicily 

Meg

Cheese. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD CHEESE.

Sophie. I owe you so much, you don't even know. The laughs, the realness--I love you. 

That one time I learned an Italian dance. 

* Everyone I worked with during the first week of camp

* Singing "Hit me baby one more time," for a ton of Italian's. What?

* The insanely loud toilet. I still miss it

* A really long and awkward attempt at ordering a white russian

* GLUTEN FREE PIZZA

* MELENZANE mmm.....

* Free gelato, and sweets, and almond milk

* Cheap fruit. Cheap Cheese. Cheap coffee. 

* Tequilla boom boom 

* The girls from sardinia

* Lion King dating show, Pirate show, Peterpan show

* Salerno shopping sales

* The kid that wrote me a love letter

* Food in Sicily. GRANITAS IN SICILY, really, ANYTHING in Sicily

* Sabaudia--the sea, the hills, the mojito parties

* My host dads brother that tried to hook me up with the chef "He is an artist--of the chicken"

* SO MUCH MORE

And Now for some tips, based on my travels these past couple of weeks:

 1. Please learn the basics. Don't be caught saying "Dove Banjo" see below

 

                                                      

2. You will stick out as an American, so PLEASE DO NOT MAKE IT WORSE by wearing your 

red/white/blue walmart eagle shirt. Or your "I HEART ROME," sweatshirt, IN ROME.

3. Coffee is fantastic, and so is Gelato--but for the love of god, if you are in a touristy area, GET IT TO GO.

4. Italian's currently have a very strange addiction to tacky neon clothing. 

5. If you are in a place that serves fresh almond milk ORDER IT PRONTO

6. There is NO NEED to worry about your body image while at the beach. Seriously. You will see a whole lot more than you have ever wanted to see. 

7. Don't confuse pazzo and cazzo. One is crazy. One is dick. I'll let you figure it out. 

8. Please don't complain about the lack of Chinese restaurants. AND PLEASE DO NOT GO TO McDONLANDS! YOU ARE IN ITALY. EAT ITALIAN FOOD. 

9. Be careful...15 yearolds will mistakenly look like 20something yearolds. 

10. When people say they are "engaged" it doesn't mean he put a ring on it. "I'm single in the summer," is a commonly followed phrase. 

11. Your train will be late. 

12. If you order a mixed drink, I advise packing a container of juice in your bag. The drinks here are way too strong and pretty gross in result.....stick with vino. 

12. Learn to take your time :) Enjoy every moment--it will help you at some point in your life. 

And now...I'm going to enjoy my final gelato. And probably eat a block of cheese. 

Ciao!

Traveling Part 2--One of my student's is a Nazi

I miss Sicily, this whole stay-somewhere-for-a-week-then-leave-thing is difficult. I thought this year would be easier, but somehow I think it's the opposite. So...here it is. This is my public apology to any, and every teacher I was ever a shithead to. Teaching is difficult, and when you are giving it your all, and receiving little to no response--it sucks. Add texting, and talking to friends into the equation, and you really realize just how rude and disrespectful it is. Our culture is not full of multitaskers, it is full of half-assers. It's pretty impossible to listen fully to someone speak, and text at the same time. Maybe you'd like to think you are a master at this, but in reality...really? 

I just completed my third week of camp, and it went pretty well. My host family is wonderful, and once again I am living with Meg haha. We have our own little apartment in the attic  It's really nice, but I think half of it was designed for dwarfs. Our shower/bath situation is kind of funny. I think I have become a master of showering sitting down. The ceiling is too low to stand (Poor Meg. She's like 6 feet tall)--but it's okay. I have a new unique skill ;) This is the view from our flat:

We have a host sister, who upon greeting us could not stop jumping up and down. She communicates through hugs and jumps. It's cute. We also have a little host brother named Constantino. Our host dad owns a plant factory which is attached to the back of their house, and it is amazing. It's nice to be surrounded by so much green.

I decided to take the older group of kids this week, and so far they are pretty cool. Their English is great, and because of this, I've really struggled with my lesson plans. The most beneficial activity for them is to just... well, sit around and talk. They dread book work--they dread writing--I even tried to modify a few drinking games for them, but they bombed.

There is one kid that we call superbad, because he looks JUST LIKE McLovin. Then there is Ciro, who is obsessed with saying BANANA! Oh and we must not forget....The Nazi. 

I have a student who has a notebook covered in swastikas. It wasn't pointed out to me until the 2nd or 3rd day of camp, but yep...there it is. I thought maybe it was just an innocent sketch--but I finally confronted her about it. "What is that?" "Uhh...nothing. Nothing" "It's a swasticka" "Yes I know" "Why do you have it everywhere?" "because I like it..and I think it is a very good thing." She also has drawings of semi-clothed anime girls holding eachother, with jars of nutella between their bodies. Some of the other drawings are pretty interesting as well. It's hard being 12.

She also thought my version of beer pong was boring. "Who's idea was this? Yours? It's boring." Thank you. I appreciate that. She then proceeded to find a razor cutter we use for cardstock, and wouldn't hand it to me. "I know it's dangerous," she said as she opened, and closed the blade. AHH GET ME OUT OF HERE. The camp director spoke with her, and she apologized, but that doesn't change the Nazi thing. We had carnival day on Friday, and during the face painting station, she asked for the German and Japanese flags to be painted on her face. Oh dear. 

Today I explored the Ruins of Pompeii with the other tutors. It was incredible. We went on a free two hour tour, and explored afterward. It's amazing to see what was able to survive after the eruption. Viewing the human casings was a bit intense, because of how clear their facial expressions, and body language was. So sad. It's kind of scary, that the most dangerous volcano in the world is essentially in my backyard. I'm so very thankful for this weekend. It's really the only small break I'll have had since arriving three weeks ago. The heat, and the children are wearing me out. I don't think it helps that my class is outside. 

I'm really struggling right now, and I'm hoping the weekend will help me clear my head.  My future is freaking me out. My next lesson plan is freaking me out. I miss home. It's weird, I never thought I would miss home this early on, but I do. I miss my bed, cat, and friends. I'm not alone right now--but I've been feeling alone. I don't feel myself. I feel boring--and uninteresting--On the other hand, I know that I am way too hard on myself. I also know that I am not a trained teacher. After emailing one of my favorite professors,she told me that teaching is learning--and you never stop learning. We probably learn the most from our failures so it's okay if things don't go to plan. I need to accept that sometimes I won't know what to do, sometimes my ideas won't work out, and sometimes they will. This is going to be one hell of a summer.