~Menander
Although I do not always recognise them, I am a great believer of coincidences. The last couple of weeks have solidified my beliefs with many people coming into my life for a reason. The only way to describe the way I feel is to compare myself to a flower (or a weed as my mum would say, in her best Bill and Ben impersonation). Over the last few weeks the people that have come into my life have supplied me sunlight and water, gradually my roots are growing and I am beginning to shoot up out of my pot and into the world.
When I left the family, I found it hard, mentally and emotionally, to become accustom to the idea that I had no work and support of money. The au pair job was my security for the summer and would keep me up until I started studying in September. However with the circumstances, I found myself habiting at a friends’ house after a desperate get away from the family situation. My friend asks me sometimes, ‘Do you regret leaving? If it wasn’t for me, what would you be doing?’ I have to reiterate to them that there is no way I regret leaving. The last three weeks have given me the time to find myself again, realise what on earth I am doing and allowed me to adjust. After a week of sickness and the feeling of being lost, I got kicked into gear when I visited Bergamo for a day looking for work. Upon arrival back to Brescia, I felt overwhelmingly positive and happy knowing that my independence was returning.
It became very clear to me one evening that my security very much lay in the hands of my friend who had rescued me from the family. This is when I started to fall again, witnessing my weakness I became annoyed that I had let myself live a very familiar viscous circle. It’s far too easy to depend on people and I realised it was time I had to get away and find myself again, not just for a day trip to Bergamo though. Instead, my kiwi friend suggested I joined her for a weekend out in the countryside. I have to say, I miss the New Zealand countryside, especially my parents place. The opportunity couldn’t be missed, on Friday last week; I was taken to Brescia station bright and early. I had booked into a hostel in Bergamo for one night, to give me the opportunity to visit my prospective work place and to generally get a feel of the city.
After a morning of observing lessons and making notes at the English language school, I joined one of the teachers and the boss for lunch. It was great to have some true Kiwi conversation with one of the guys that work there and for the best part of it, we had to translate a lot of the phrases and words to our fluent English speaking Italian boss, so she could understand! It’s amazing just how valuable it is being able to reminisce with someone about home. Having had a good morning and the news of a job for September lightening up my day, I went to the hostel for a siesta in the afternoon. Which is when I met Alex, a girl from Andorra, no, Spain, no, Costa Rica? The story was always different, but she had a wicked giggle. With the idea of eating alone creeping up in my head, I asked if she wanted to grab some dinner with me that night.
Later that evening, after a bottle of wine, two limoncellos and half a bottle of some kind of Sicilian alcoholic beverage, we found ourselves sat in a closed restaurant with the waiter and his friend. It was a strange situation to be in with people I hardly knew, but it was certainly an experience. We stayed out until two in the morning, chatting and giggling. For me it was a great opportunity to get an insight on the people in Bergamo. Having exchanged numbers, we went our separate ways.
The next morning, I was up at the bright and early time of seven, feeling rather hung over, I clambered out of bed suddenly aware of the fact that I was in a shared room of a hostel. After a bowl of coco pops and yoghurt, I left for the train station. My destination was a little town called Chivasso, which is on the way to Torino. The train ride was a challenge and I forbid myself from reading in case it made me feel sick. Once in Milano, I took in the greatness of the manic crowds and jumped onto my next train. Here, while sat on this train, I witnessed my first Italian crazy fight between the conductor and a woman. Most people were looking over their shoulders with shocked expressions on their faces, whereas I was trying to hold back the laughter. From someone who understands very little Italian, what I could understand made me giggle, “Stupido! Bruto!” After a good two hour journey, I arrived in Chivasso.
I had planned to spend a few nights with Hope, a friend from university who will be studying with me in September (I think I’ve probably mentioned it before, but thought I would add it in again), she was ‘woofing’ (Working On Organic Farms) out in the countryside at the most beautiful country house that had been renovated by the owners into an environmental paradise, set up for education or simply accommodation. With honey bees, an orchard, a vegetable garden, donkey, chickens, you name it, they had it. It was so refreshing to be required to do some hands on work, with our first job of sorting through a harvest of potatoes. I have to say, it was fun at first, until a storm blew over and turned it all to mud. It took us many gruelling hours; in fact I think the sun had gone down by the time we finished. But we used the time for a good girls catch up, often questioning our motive to come to Italy and also breeching the subject of how much we miss New Zealand.
The time I spent with Hope in the country will hold lovely memories for me. It gave me some liberating time away to a supportive environment allowing me to relax and enjoy myself for…perhaps the first time in Italy. I returned to Bergamo on Tuesday and met the waiter from the restaurant for a guided tour of Citta Alta. Although he had an understanding of English, he was lacking in vocabulary, which helped me use more of my Italian that I have stashed away in my head (somewhere).
I returned to Brescia on Wednesday after a good five nights away, I felt refreshed, ready to crack on with some work and assertive on the mission to find a flat. On my journey through the week it became apparent just how awesome the coincidences are that pop up. My friend is right, if it wasn’t for them, I would probably still be with the family grinding my teeth and going out of my mind. Instead, with their help, I have reached out and found work, friends and my confidence again.
P.S. I went on my first autobus in Italy this morning…and I didn’t end up in Rome. Phew!
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