What I Know Now

I did a previous post about a change in perspective – how the little things in life can change for you when you’re in a new country and the luxury of convenience is no longer.

As I was pondering this, it hit me….. the realization that there are many similarities and differences that I’m experiencing both for the better and, not for the worse, for the different.

As I was sitting in the cafeteria at lunch today eating my bowl of pasta, slices of meat, salad, bread, and fruit cup, all for only 3 euro, I realized: Hey! I didn’t have to pack a lunch, buy groceries for lunch or take any time out of my day to prepare a meal for myself.  No, I had the CONVENIENCE of a cafeteria where I could buy a lunch ticket, pick up a meal and eat without any trouble to myself.  Hmmmm… couldn’t do that back home.  If I didn’t have a lunch and couldn’t go out, then I didn’t eat.   The system here has definitely meant I’m more healthy.  Plus the food is REALLY GOOD! (Although I sometimes need a variation from pasta once in awhile - hence the grocery store just a 5 minute walk away).

The bathrooms are another interesting factor here.  Every stall in school has a sink in it.  Therefore, students wash their hands before they leave their “cubicle”.  However, there are no water fountains so they fill their water bottles and drink from the taps in the main area of the bathroom.  Saves on line-ups since hand washers do so in the cubicles and there are 3 taps in each bathroom for drinks and other washing opportunities. 

Also, ALL bathrooms I’ve encountered so far in Genoa have the double flush water saving system.  I have yet to come across the usual handle flush that Canada has everywhere.  Interesting that they’re just starting to adopt this in many places in Canada (again from what I know) but in Italy it’s the going thing.  However Italy is still having issues with paper work procedures, timely manner to do things, regular working hours and cleanliness.  Each to their own I guess. ;)

Walking.  Things really aren’t that far away from each other.  I would’ve scoffed, loudly, last year if someone had said I could walk to school and back every day.  It’s too far, I’d say.  Now while weather can definitely be a factor back in Saskatchewan, I now have a different thought on the walking.  It’s great!  My body is much healthier, my legs are stronger (and look pretty amazing if I do say so myself), and things really aren’t that much farther.  I think it’s deceiving here.  Where I came from, there was much space between buildings so everything seemed more spread out.  Here, the buildings are close so the space wise and time factor seem to meld and become unknown (unless of course you’re doing a mad dash to catch the bus).  Also, the culture of walking is so prevalent here.  I love that!  To walk back home, was not seem as a norm or usual for the culture.  It was more of a lack of convenience (especially if taking stuff home to work on) or lack of monetary gain.  I’m really hoping that I’ll keep up this culture of walking everywhere as I’m liking the health benefits it’s having on me.  Perhaps it’s also the laid back culture that helps to promote this here.

Did you know that I don’t have a school key?  Nope!  Can’t go to the school when I want, only when it’s open.  Now there are some teachers with a key (who’ve been here many years) but they’re not given out to anyone, or many people for that matter.  At first I was a little uneasy with this.  It was almost like a loss of control.  Can’t go to work when I want?  Must only work during certain hours?  (Remember: have to walk home so too far to carry home loads of marking and no Internet yet so can’t do too much work/research) How many teachers can fall into that category – only work within certain hours?  That’s TOTALLY a new change of pace for me.  But a good one! Now I can start to live my life and not just work, work, work.  Especially here.  That’s why I needed a change in my career – to get balance back in my life between work and “play”.  I definitely utilize time more wisely and am spending more time enjoying life and taking time for myself.

I just find it interesting that things I’ve done without, and felt I could do without, that are now a definite part of my life are things that are changing me for the better.  Would I have done them on my own?  Probably not.  But since I’ve been forced to accept them I can say this for certain: change has its benefits and I’m going to be more open to it in the future.