Neither Here Nor There

Verona from my castle window

With my new niece Capri!

I've been back in San Diego for the holidays, which has meant lots of much-needed family & friend time, amazing weather & sunshine, delicious non-Italian cuisine, hikes with views of the Pacific Ocean, and trips to Target. It probably goes without saying that I'm staying at my mother's house, in the bedroom I've slept in for most of my life. This is my home. Sort of. My possessions are dispersed among here, my apartment in Verona, and my storage unit (yes, I am still paying for that space!). It's a strange feeling to be on vacation at home and then return "home" to Italy. It's all backwards. Sometimes home feels like nowhere, and I guess that's OK. 

I keep getting asked a lot of the same questions, so here they are along with my responses:
So, how is it? Fine.
Do you like living in Verona? Yes, sort of. Usually. More now than in the beginning.
What's it like? Expensive.
How are the people? The Veronese refer to themselves as being "closed." At first I took their unfriendliness personally, but now I just find it odd. 
Do you like your job? Yes, sort of. Usually. More now than in the beginning. 
What's it like? My classes are spread throughout Verona, so I spend just as much time speedwalking as I do teaching. My more advanced students know English grammar better than I do and I'm constantly second guessing whether or not I should be teaching English. I'm the Queen of the Dangling Preposition so what am I doing trying to teach grammar?!
What are your students like? Almost all are adults and range from beginning English learners to conversational speakers; from military personnel to college students.  They've reminded me of how important interpersonal connections are to my happiness. 
What do you miss most? Cilantro. 
Don't you just love Italian men? Not so much.
(gasp) Why not? In general, they epitomize metrosexuality and are more concerned with their designer labels than anything else. And quite honestly, they're not into me either. 
Are you going back? Yes, definitely. My job commitment and apartment lease are both through June. And more importantly, I have tentative plans to go to a Wilco concert in Bologna in March! 

Living in Verona is kind of like dating someone who you're not that into. Someone who sounds like a great catch, but who is missing that special something.  Verona is quite possibly the most handsome city I’ve ever dated. It’s very sophisticated (some might say pretentious) and has an impressive capacity for food, wine, art and architecture. But despite its attractiveness and wealth of knowledge, I know this will just be a temporary relationship. 

While walking down the street, a Veronese will probably look at you while you pass, but in a disgusted “Linen in winter!” sort of way. When I smile at a passerby, the other person looks at me like I'm crazily skipping along and singing “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.” I've been told that this "closed" behavior is common in colder climates, but I don't believe that's the correct explanation because Minnesotans are some of the friendliest folks I know. However, now that I've penetrated the invisible xenophobic membrane of many Veronese, I can say with certainty that they are wonderfully warm and friendly people once you get to know them. 

Rainy but magical visit to Venice

Even though Verona is situated in an ideal spot that allows one to easily reach another region of Italy or a different country altogether, I haven't traveled much farther than Olfino. To travel around costs money and this vagabond is on a strict budget. I make just enough money to cover rent and food, so planning little getaways hasn't been a possibility. But then Natcho came to visit, which meant weekend trips were in my destiny. Once my Sugar Daddy rolled into town, I was whisked away to Venice, Florence, Siena, Milan & then NYC before my final flight home. It's amazing to me how much ground we covered during his three week visit, but this will probably come as no surprise for those of you who know him. Highlights included possibly the best risotto of my life on the Venetian island of Burano, sunset picnics everywhere, climbing to the top of the duomos in Florence & Milan, and the ignition of a spark inside of me to learn more about Renaissance art. 


People keep asking me about my post-Italy plan like I'm supposed to have one. That's like six months away! I think I have plenty of time to figure things out and I'm confident that my next "move" will be the right one, whether it leads to another temporary home or finding a more permanent one. Either way, I'm excited to see where 2012 takes me!

Burano Island, home of the famous fish risotto found at Trattoria Da Romano

"That's Amore"
Young Italian stallion seducing one of the many American college girls in Florence.
(Best eavesdropping of my life.)

Inside the duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.

Siena...Wow, wow, wow! 
This is a glimpse into the piazza where they have the Il Palio horse races.

Milan's Duomo, which took over 500 years to complete!