With the prospect of finding a flat in mind, I was in good stead for last weekend. While still staying at my friends in Brescia, I spent the day around the house. A few weeks earlier, I had purchased some pencils and charcoals so I could start sketching again and give me something to do. As I sat sketching some pictures on the table outside, I became aware that the 14 year old girl next door was very interested in what I could draw. In my broken Italian, I understood that she wanted me to draw a horse for her. I thought for a moment and considered the fact that I’d never drawn a horse before. My reply was “insegnare tu” which was possibly a bad idea, considering I didn’t know how to draw a horse; I had told the child I’d teach her how to draw one. To cut a long story short, we both drew fantastic horses and I was very impressed with our creativity. It gave me almost two hours with a child that didn’t speak a word of English, my Italian dictionary came in very handy. It reminded me just how awesome children are, when they’re interested in something, they are so eager to learn.I gave Debora my drawing and in return she gave me hers.
It put me in a good mood to go out that evening. I was pleasantly surprised when a couple (friends of a friend) turned up at the bar and the girl almost leaped at the opportunity to sit next to me and speak English. However nice it is to speak English, I still want to learn Italian! Most people are very good with including me into an Italian conversation, I know it’s a pain in the neck trying to translate everything; however my level of Italian has got to the point of being able to understand conversations as long as they speak slowly and pause to explain a new verb! In the end, seven of us went to a pizzeria and sat chatting over a lovely dinner. I was pleased that I was beginning to understand conversations regarding all types of topics, plus with a few girls there, debates were heating up between the sexes!
The next day, I was awake at 5.30am, too excited to sleep! My friend had an extra ticket to join him on Mugello race track in Tuscany for the day. His boss happened to be racing Lamborghini and had asked that we go as visitors for the day. Mugello is famous for being the Ferrari formula 1 test track. We spent the whole day around the track, either watching races or chatting to people in the pit.
I learnt so much from the day, I’d never been to car races before and it was all so exciting! I became aware of the dominant politics within the racing culture. By the end of the day, I was so exhausted, not just by the entertainment of cars but by the energetic people around me. When Italians get into conversations about their passion, everything becomes so animated and their words seem to triple in speed, like bullets they shoot me. I was exhausted and spent the last race slumped in a chair in the stalls.
Monday morning was wasted. I spent the whole morning in bed; by 11 I had my mum yelling at me on Skype, telling me I was a lazy cow. They can be in another country and still tell you what to do? Yes.
I had made arrangements to see the flat on Tuesday afternoon, having arrived in Bergamo; I consulted my battered map to figure out which way I should be going. I turned up at the gate on time and was met by Alfio and Bruno who escorted me through a courtyard of cobblestones and archways to a clearing and towards a big steel door. At this point I giggled and asked if we were going the right way! They apologised for the sight on the outside of the house, truth be told the owner of the house was repairing the outside of the house and ran out of money in the process. I followed them through a room that resembled a garage with bicycles and bits spotted around but without the sliding door. Up some terracotta coloured steps to a large heavy door. The first thing I noticed was that the place was clean, the washing up was done and left in the dryer, it was tidy yet homely. The room was big enough with a few pieces of furniture. It wasn’t anything much, but after living out of a suitcase for so long, I was happy to find a place to lay my hat! I walked away with the keys and a smile on my face. Finally a room of my own!
Having now moved in and spent my first few nights in the house, I’ve become aware of the fact that it has been so long since I have cooked for myself! I have long since forgotten all the yummy dishes I created while living on my own, plus I am lost as to what to buy in the supermarket! Especially when it’s all in a foreign language! But, I am here in Bergamo. Five minutes walking distance to the Montessori centre, 15 minutes to work at the Language School and 10 minutes from the centre of town. There is an English shop, beautician, wine shop and a tattoo parlour on my road! Ideal. However, now I live in the city, I need to find ways of escaping too. Those of you that know me well enough, understand that I can’t be in the city long before I need a dose of fresh air in the countryside. Day trips will be planned…
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