Just Jumping Right In

So there’s no rest for the wicked as day 2 in Genova (it’s know as Genoa internationally but Genova locally/country wise, or so I believe that's how it goes) as we were up and at the school by 9am.  Luckily, I live very close to Ellie and Alex – a couple teaching at the school from Denver.  They are also blogging their adventures and can be read/followed at: http://2teachersabroad.weebly.com/ They are two of THE NICEST people I’ve ever met.  I’m very very lucky to be living so close to them and to have made friends with them.  Quite a few times today they stopped by my place to pick me up.  I’m really liking this system ;)

So we did a tour of the school to start our day and I got to see my classroom. Yay!!  The excitement is just starting to build more and more. 

Next, a couple of last year’s teachers took us on the bus downtown.  This was an amazing experience!  We learned how to buy bus tickets – biglietti and which route to take.  Next, they showed us how to buy train tickets (which we’ll be doing tomorrow).  Then we took an excursion downtown.  We went down a street that had many lovely shops which I know I’ll be utilizing in the near future – Foot Locker, H & M, etc.  as well as other shops where we can buy cheap home and stationary items.  This walk led us to the Pizza de Ferrari - A beautiful fountain downtown that is amidst many historical buildings.  It’s amazing to see all the architecture here and realize that much of it’s been here for longer than Canada has been a country (Christopher Columbus was from Genova by the way – that should tell you something about it’s long line of history). 

Next we headed to a water front area for lunch.  

Can you see Mickey? ;)

Unfortunately, the restaurant was packed and there were too many of us for a table (14 of us were on this excursion as there’s 12 new teachers this year).  So we got to experience authentic Italian food ordering at a place in an alley.  Not just any alley – this one had many shops but definitely wasn’t the sort of shopping area you’d see in North America.  This is also where we learned that lines don’t matter.  Just push to the front and order.  Now, not all people pushed ahead of us but it definitely wasn’t single file line ordering.  I have to say, the outdoor food vendor we were at made me a little skeptical but I had the BEST cured prosciutto ham Panini ever in my life.  The meat was SO good!  I was quite shocked but will definitely be returning there. 

After our delicious meal (eaten standing up as we waited for everyone to order – it’s definitely not fast food here) we got back to the Piazza de Ferrari and then this is where the most important part took place: SIM CARD BUYING!!  It’s amazing how attached to our phones we get and then when separated from friends and family, how reliant we were on that means of daily/minutely communication with them.  I am now a proud customer of WIND (although it’s still not working for text and data – hoping that finally kicks in tomorrow or I’m going to have some problems).  Really hoping that this now opens up my world as an Italian cell phone customer. Lol

Then we headed back to do some more shopping at a couple of places – one for electronics (namely fans as the humidity here is pretty high so many of us have been melting) and the other for bedding and bath materials (I finally got some pillows and towels – quite the highlight I tell you).

Back to the school via bus we went to a school barbeque.  One thing I’ve been deeply appreciative of is the school’s effort to welcome us and help us adjust to Genoa.  It’s been great!  The staff is super helpful and friendly and is making this transition from home much easier.   So you know what a staff school barbeque consists of: hotdogs, hamburgers and …… beer and wine!  One of the best barbeques I’ve been too in a long time. Lol

Next, I got to experience my first grocery store buying experience.  I’m so lucky that the grocery store is just a 5 min walk from the school (10 min from my home).  I’m not in a central area of Genova but I’m definitely in a good location for all the things I need.  Apparently even our school bank (the one I’ll get an account to) is just on top of the grocery store.  So yes, it does not have things I’m used to (dish detergent brands, hand soap is in a bag for refills, produce is pre-packaged – like bananas) but it also wasn’t too hard to navigate.  Kinda gave me a boost of confidence.  Now mind you, I didn’t do this venture alone for the first time.  Alex and Ellie went too, and they’d been there the day before, so it made it way easier on me.  Then, I got to do self-checkout. The BEST part – they have the self-checkouts with an option in English! BONUS!!  The rest was a breeze! 

My pre-packaged bananas.  I couldn't figure out

the glove and code system so just went with these.

My first Italian grocery receipt

Some of my groceries for my first Italian home cooked meal.

EVERYTHING was bought at the grocery store ;)

So I returned to my home, started setting things up only to find…… a gecko on the wall of my kitchen!! I nearly died!!  I’d left some windows open but they have bars (I’m on the ground floor and that seems to be a norm) and a screen but somehow the little bugger had gotten in.  Grrrr!!  Scared the shit out of me when I saw him dart out from behind the fridge, then go back.  So, freaked, I figure I have to do something about this.  So I grabbed a cloth, prepared to catch him.  I moved the fridge but…..he’s gone! I can’t find him anywhere right now!  I’m super hoping he ran back out the way he came upon seeing I was home but I don’t know.  Uuuuuuuuugggghhhhh!  A lizard in my home?  Not that’s not something I’d usually say.  Welcome to Italy!!  Thankfully a cup of tea with my neighbours and a glass of wine while blogging has put me in a mood of acceptance.  Now as I wait for my laundry – of which no clue what I did to wash it as it’s been on for an hour and not close to done but can’t read the Italian settings so gambled with it, I just think: What will tomorrow bring!

The First Few Days

Well, my world changed only 24 hours ago. 

24 hours ago I embarked upon a journey that was going to change my life.  Was I ready for it?  Yes and no.  Yes, I needed a change, needed something new, was craving an adventure and ready to leave that which I’d known professionally for many years for something else.  No, I hadn’t been this far away from family in my entire life.  What would’ve made this all perfect?  If I could’ve picked up friends and family and brought them with me.  But I’m ahead of myself.  Let’s discuss the adventure that has led me to sit here at my computer in Genoa, Italy on night #1 – a far cry from where I started.

Tuesday, August 19^th

Today was the day I was leaving for Italy.  I’d accepted a teaching position and after 7 months of paper work, everything was in my hands and the time was finally upon me.  Was I ready? NO!  But who ever is in these situations. 

So my parents, sis and bro took me to the airport where, after a coffee and final Tim Horton’s donut salute, I boarded my plane.  Of course there were tears, heartache and lots of “I’ll miss you”s, but that wasn’t only my dad. ;)

Cheers!! (Mine's the maple dip of course - have to be different lol)

Plane #1 - Delta, Headed to Minneapolis

Occupying myself on the plane - no tv :(

The first leg of my journey took me to Minneapolis.  It still didn’t feel like anything had changed at this point because it was just a blip on my radar to bigger things.  However, I was quite impressed with the use of ipads at restaurants there.  You used them to order them you browsed while you ate/drink.  You definitely paid the price for the use of internet through the prices :O 

Next, I boarded an airbus (and yes, the name definitely speaks for itself) for Paris.  Paris!!  Yippee!! No.  That’s how I initially felt but the culture shock started to set in as everything was said in French first and then English (albeit pretty broken – no fault or blame to anyone, just hard to understand).  That’s when I realized, “Hey!  It’s going to be like this in Italy so you may be oblivious for now, but learn the language quick!”.

Have you ever tried to sleep on an airplane?  It’s not fun!  Luckily it wasn’t full so the girl next to me moved to another vacant spot so I could sprawl out.  Hahahaha sprawl out.  Sorry, I mean crouch into an uncomfortable, small position that would’ve been even smaller or non-existent had she stayed there.  Bonus:  I was fed twice!! Yes!! Supper (which at 9 pm was quite welcome after a long hard time) and breakfast.  Oh, and the “champagne” with supper was free!! Hear that WJ / AC?  Shocking, I know!  I was even lucky enough to meet a girl who had moved to France 9 yrs ago to teach and never returned to the States.  I have hope!

Flying over Europe

So after the long and arduous flight to Paris – I was reprimanded to close my window shade, then a few hours later open it – it was on to Genoa.  This of course brings me to Wednesday, August 20th. After a 4 hour layover of course.  This flight was actually kinda cool because it was my first, leave the airport to board the plane from the ground, type of flight.  Yes, you heard right!  I`d always seen that in the movies, but today it was me. 

It was a pretty uneventful flight except for the fact that we were flying over the Ligurian sea with waves rippling.  Then I spotted it……..GENOA!!

  

 WOW!! That’s all I could think of when I saw this beautiful port city built into the hills.  Old historical buildings, homes, apartments, etc covered the hills and along the sea.  It took my breath away and I could help but think: I’m going to be living here!  This will be home! Also, when we were landing, on my side of the plane all you could see was the sea so I wasn’t quite sure if we really did have a landing strip beneath us or just developed water wings. LOL

It was quite surreal. 

So boring parts next – my luggage did arrive, a driver and the admin guy from the school met me at the airport and took me straight away (a term from my new Aussie friends) to the school.  It was here that I found the package I’d sent myself the week before had already arrived.  Go Purolator!!  Next I made the eventful call home.  You know the one so mixed with emotion – happy to be there, excited to be there and start the new journey, but absolutely missing those left back at home.  I have to admit, it was everything I could do to not break down and bawl in front of my new director and staff members right there in his office.

Next, we went off to my apartment.  Me and my two suitcases, and George with the bag of groceries they bought me. Best part: it’s a 5 min walk to school.  Not so good part: it’s hilly so I’m going to have AMAZING legs in no time ;)  Now I was a little skeptical about my apartment just because I couldn’t see too much from the photos I’d seen but let me tell you………..It is SO cute!  I absolutely fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.  It is a very quirky, Italian style apartment – with a mini courtyard. :O  I was very happy with the choice I’d made in taking this one right then and there.

So I got to quickly set my stuff in, get a tour and then back to the school I went as we were heading to Nervi for supper. 

Nervi is a beautiful community.  It was originally it’s own town, as many parts of Genova are, but have congregated into one city now. 

Our supper place was right on the sea so we had a gorgeous view as we ate.  Culture shock #2 – the menu was ALL in Italian. :s Not surprising or unexpected, just put my language difficulties up front and centre right on the first night.  Luckily all the new staff and some returning staff and the leaders (aka admin) were all there so we were in good hands with translation.  What did I order?  Well my lovely lactose intolerance was in mind but I still ordered an authentic marinara pizza (apparently we all just order our own pizzas – no sharesies).  Yum!  It was SO GOOD!!  Handmade thin crust and the best marinara sauce I’ve ever tasted.  To drink?  You guessed it! Wine!!  Hahaha First staff event, paid for by the school, and wine was a must have with bottles flowing freely at the table. 

Then we returned home, after our night of fun and frivolity, to try and battle the jet lag.  It was 11pm here but only 3pm back in Saskatchewan so what’s a girl to do?!  Well open one of the bottles of wine from my care package and unpack a little, write a little, and find an Italian station on the radio to listen to.

One thing is for sure: I’ve arrived and am ready for the adventure of a lifetime!!