Life is like pizza, When it's good, It's really good. When it's bad, it's still pretty good.

I figured it was about time to write an update about my life here rather than what I think about life here and around the world. But that’s my nature, isn’t it? Make snarky and somewhat cynical and witty remarks about whatever is on my mind and hope I’ve entertained someone (I know my mom is entertained, thus… mission accomplished).

So, life in Italy. Where to begin? I’ve been here two months now, yet it seems like just yesterday I was stepping off the plane and into the Venice airport. I still vividly remember the happiness I felt as my bags were the first to come off the belt (in what screwed up universe does that happen?), the sense of accomplishment I had as I somehow hoisted all three 50+ pound bags onto the cart, all while watching to make sure no one was stealing my purse, and the curiosity I felt as I strolled through the arrivals doors merely being asked only one question by the “customs” agent- “Where are you from?” (he was not behind a desk, instead he stood by the door and briefly looked at the address label on my bags, he could have been anyone actually since he wore no uniform, but I trusted him because he was flanked by two rather large men that looked as if they could have been packing weapons of some sort).

The weather has certainly changed since that warm September day, it was about 30 degrees when I arrived, today the temperature stands at about 8 degrees. The rain has appeared and the fog is usually quite thick and lasts throughout the day. But the thunderstorms are pretty frequent and rather soothing as I sit in the house with my cup of tea with milk (milk in tea is a foreign concept here, everyone thinks I’m strange. They think I’m strange for other reasons, the tea is just one of many).

I’m getting into a routine here, usually during the week I work everyday but Thursday, teaching students in a one-on-one setting. Three of those days I travel into Vicenza by train, unless foiled by train strikes, as I was on Monday, but otherwise the train system here is pretty good and much more comfortable than the Skytrain’s in Vancouver. My students are great, they’re all really talkative and excited to learn, most are either learning because their business is paying for the course, and it’s quite different from teaching in Vancouver actually. Here I am mostly focusing on conversation rather than teaching grammar rules, I’m also working with older students whom are more talkative than the one’s I taught in Vancouver. It’s the cultural differences I suppose, I was told that European and South American students are more talkative and would rather learn through conversation, whereas Asian students, who made up 90% of my classes in Vancouver, would rather learn the rules and practice the language through writing and structurized activities. Neither is better or worse I guess, just different and I’m adapting accordingly.

Having finally mastered the stick shift I drive to the train station on the days that I have to go to Vicenza, on Tuesday I drive to the company that has me teaching one of their employees. It’s nice to be able to get off the mountain and see more of the city, especially as I gain more comfort in the car and with other drivers. Although I spend much of my time in the car hoping that I don’t have to stop at one of those pesky roundabouts, I have this strange hatred towards first gear and try to avoid stopping as much as possible. I still drive more cautiously than I would in Canada, I like to think that it’s because I have to be cautious for the other drivers as well. Italian drivers… it’s an experience that no words can really describe.

I still would rather drive an automatic though, I hate having to change gears, especially when I know a car exists where I don’t have to. But I have drawn some conclusions- the Italians don’t live lives where driving and drinking coffee is normal, and it is illegal to talk on the phone here while driving. Thus, they do not realize that the right hand- the gear shift hand- is better used holding your starbucks or talking on the phone. It is my mission to spread the word.

My Italian- it’s coming along. I’m getting over my initial desire to have to speak everything perfectly. At first I was trying to remember every grammar rule I was taught in university, which is seemingly impossible since there are literally millions of them, don’t even get me started on verb tenses. There is more than I can even try to remember and each subject has their own verb ending.
For example: In English if I wanted to use the verb ‘to go’ in present tense it would be something like this- I go, you go, we go, they go, he goes, she goes. There are two different verb endings to remember there right? (go and goes) Pretty simple. In Italian, if I want to use ‘to go’ in present tense it would be something like this: vado (I), vai (you, singular), va (he/she/it), andiamo (we), andate (you, plural), vanno (they).

Now, think of the 500+ verbs that we have in Italian, and then try to remember all them plus the different endings and rules for the 14 different verb tenses (not to mention the different rules for irregular verbs and spelling for special cases).

It’s a lost cause. Trust.

So, imagine my excitement when my aunt told me that everything I learned in Italian class in university… all that money and time and hard-earned grades… was crap and in actual fact not applicable. I mean of course, if I was doing school here or wanted to talk like I knew what I was doing I could make the effort to do that, but in reality when trying to learn this stuff, I don’t need to worry about all the tenses and rules, instead focus on using the correct verb and sentences structure. In essence, I need to just speak and not worry so much about being right (so hard for me, so very hard).

I think I need to contact my Italian teacher and have a little chat about what he’s been teaching students.

As for my French, well it’s about the same as when I left Canada. Which is next to none. But according to Italians, I should be fluent because I’m Canadian and urban legend says that all Canadians speak French. Mais Non, a Canadian does not a French speaker make.

In other news, I did not vote for Obama. But luckily I did not vote for McCain either. It’s hard to imagine, but as a Canadian I was not able to vote in the American election, something that a few Italian strangers that I encountered on a recent night out had a hard time grasping. (We’re our own nation dammit! With our own stupid Prime Minister! Nor do we have a monarchy!)

Weekends are usually spent with either Christian or Jessica, most often Christian and his friends, some of whom speak English, others whom try when they’ve had a few drinks in them. Oddly enough, my Italian improves if I have a few glasses of wine in me as well.

The questions I’m asked here most often include “how old are you?” “do you have a boyfriend/husband?” and “what pizza is better Italian or North American?” That last one is always said in a voice that means I should say Italian… but I remain neutral and say they are too different to compare, because honestly they are.

And oddly enough, my sarcasm and cynicism, in spite of what you may think while reading this blog, is slowly fading. Or maybe it’s just not as sharp as it once was seeing that Europe offers less to be sarcastic and cynical about… at least to the visitor, I’m sure the native European could find much to complain about.

Sadly, since my initial sighting, I have yet to see Dominique the donkey again. I am hoping he reappears before Christmas, but I have my doubts.

The cat still hates me, even if I have attempted to make amends on more than a few occasions. She’s clawed at me and tried to bite me, I retaliate by refusing to feed her and shutting the garage door on her when I notice her trying to come in.

So I guess that’s it from my side of the Atlantic. I’ve kind of stuck in the same spot for now, but I’m hoping to travel much more in the coming few months, I’m planning a trip to Berlin in late December to visit with Kim, my old roommate, for a New Years version of the “Jen and Kim Show.” Other than that, I’m happy, I’m relishing the Italian culture and I’m enjoying life. Hope everyone else enjoying the rain back home and is excited for the upcoming Christmas season.

Baci!
-j