Time seems of the essence, yet can move rather slow when concentrating too hard. School has been really...exhausting and stressful since Christmas. My main focus is finishing this course in 5 months. I have (with the help of Marco) coloured and painted over 60 charts and maps which will one day take pride of place in my own classroom, I have written tens of thousands of words and regularly see a Japanese lady who beats all the tension and lumps out of my shoulders and arms. I must say, without her my time at school would be more uncomfortable!!
I recently arrived back from Spain where I did my second set of observations. In this time, we have to focus on one child and analyse based on Montessori psychology. At this latest school I found it increasingly hard to do. After a week in an apartment with a leaky gas boiler, I took a train and met Marco in Barcelona. I was really excited to have a bath for the first time in a year (obviously I've had showers!). We arrived to the hotel and was surprised to find that their was only a about a 2 foot gap between the three sides of the bed and the walls! When we noticed the bathroom we just burst into giggles, the luxurious bath I was hoping for turned out to be more of a bathing in the kitchen sink experience! We live and learn!
That weekend, Marco and I visited a couple of famous sites in Barcelona, the city was beautiful! We went to a market near the main street and while looking at all the fresh fish, we discussed finding a restaurant that would do a good paella. So, we approached one of the fish counters where we soon learnt that the woman could not speak English. We asked in our broken Spanish where we could find a good restaurant for sea food. After a 5 minute one way conversation and nodding our heads in agreement, she lead us out the back of the market. At this point we were getting a little worried, as we stood in the middle of a corridor, we took a gander at the menu. At which point a toothless man approached us, he convinced us to go in to the restaurant...
Once inside, the restaurant was nothin special, bright colours reflected from the walls and there was one table of tourists already sat down eating. We looked at each other and said, 'let's give it a go'. After a starter of steamed muscles and salad, a huge plate of fresh paella reached our table and within 10 minutes we had devoured everything. A small portion of white wine lingered in the bottle as we ate our desserts, when we had finished every last bit, we were even more satisfied when the bill only came to 30euros for everything. It was delicious!! And so cheap!!
Now, we have returned to Bergamo and the thick layer of snow. The people I have met here are wonderful, but I think I can speak for Marco and I in saying that, as soon as this course is over we're outta here! The women in their fur coats, with tiny dogs... crazy vespas that swipe passed you on the sidewalk... people who have perfected the art of eating spaghetti... I think it'll be time to move on and find another culture to delve into!
