Pazzo

Hey people. So, I am ready to kill some Italian children. Seriously, they are driving me INSANE. They have gotten worse as the week goes on. They are a few cute ones, but collectively, they are beyond ridiculous. They just do not shut up. Ever. And when I’m trying to get their attention and I’m literally screaming at them, they just look at me like I’m crazy. So then I try the opposite and just sit there quietly with the be quiet face and they ignore me. I really just can’t win. So I sit at my desk and play music and give them worksheets to do. That works sometimes. Other times I can’t take it and we just go outside and they run around and I sit in the shade for a few minutes and pull myself together. Then we go back inside and try again. The camp has its fun moments, but it’s also super frustrating. Especially because there are forty of them, and only three tutors. And the Italian camp director is no help at all. She speaks less English than some of the kids (I know, wtf? How did she get this job?), and is not much of a disciplinarian. Today I asked her to watch my class for five minutes while I cleaned up after paint time (whoa, bad idea) and I could hear my kids screaming from down the hall. I walked back in the class expecting to see her laying down the law, but she’s just standing there and all the kids are crawling around on the floor, screeching and hiding under the desks. What the hell lady?! So then we had some outside time. And to show them how mad I was, I wouldn’t let them go to the bathroom. I know, so harsh. (Don’t worry, they are not suffering…they all ask to go to the toilet at least 10 times a day).

Anyways, other than the children driving me insane…Italian life is pretty good. The food is fabulous, as always. We went to a tortellini festival last night and it was probably the best pasta I’ve had in my life. And the festival was just so very Italian, I loved it. It was like a church bizarre type of thing, but so fancy and everyone got wine and bread and the food was SO good. We got three types of tortellini for the first course and then rabbit, donkey and polenta for the second course. Polenta is kind of like grits…only better. And, yes, rabbit. And donkey. It was actually good…it was like, BBQ style. Only not actual BBQ, obviously. I don’t know what it was, but it was tasty. I don’t ask questions anymore, I just eat. I found out the other day we had horse for dinner one night. That’s mainly why I don’t ask anymore. No need to know I am eating Black Beauty for dinner and ruin it.

I made another trip to the huge Italian grocery store today. Complete madness. People were everywhere, running other people over with their carts. Italians shop the same way they drive, like crazy people and with no concern with anyone else. The lack of manners here is making me a little frustrated. It’s just their culture, really, but as a proper southerner, I expect an excuse me when you bump into me with your shopping cart. They don’t. They also don’t think twice about cutting people in line. Actually, there is really no concept of a line. It’s a free for all and the pushiest person wins, regardless of who got there first. You better speak up or you will never get anything accomplished. I’m learning. This Italian experience is SO different from last time I was here. Probably because I was with Americans most of the time. And I was more in control of what I did and ate. I was less absorbed in actual Italian life when studying abroad. Here, I work and live with Italians, so I am getting the real deal. It’s exhilarating, frustrating, fascinating, fabulous, ridiculous and exhausting all at one time. If you can even imagine such a thing. It’s a lot to handle.

Oh, and the athlete’s foot is not getting better, in case you were concerned. In fact, it’s worse. And, I now have itchy everything. My hands are the worst. They have all these little bumps on them, like I had an allergic reaction to something. What? Who knows. It’s getting old. I don’t know what to do…cutting off my toes and fingers does not really seem like a viable option, though tempting. I’m still waiting for the “crema vaginale” to work it’s magic.

All in all, things are good. I am really happy here and am looking forward to changing things up next week. I think I am going to Padova, which is near Venice. Things are not certain yet, so we’ll see, but I’m excited about the possibility of going back to Venice. It was one of my favorite places to visit last time. We’ll see.

Keep in touch people! I miss everyone! Ciao ciao!