I am feeling in a happy mood, loving everything, the sun is shinng and Stuart is coming to stay next week... I feel happy and as I was lying in bed last night I was thinking of things we take for granted that make us happy, I had planned to go feed the ducks with Mam and Tara today and those sort of things are just so simple and enjoyable and make us happy.
So, some things that make me happy (please note this list is not exhaustive and is subject to change at any time):
laughter - I like to laugh of course, we all do, there is some medical reason that when weare already happy and smiling and laughing it releases a chemical or something to make us happier, but I just do love laughing, and just as much, if not more I love the laughter of other people, in particular children. Oh babies gurgles and toddlers chuckles just make me so happy! And laughing so much you cry, that is the best... did that this morning actually as I was being chased by a butterfy!
bed - love my bed, I love being all snug and warm, I love being lazy! I love the various things that you can get up to in bed(with another person preferably!) I love being comfortable and feeling relaxed. Yes, bed is a great place and getting into your own bed after a holiay or something is just such a nice feeling, I love it!
food -mmmm,crisps, bread, cheese, cake, trifle.... the list could go on and on! OK we all love food, nothing weird or wonderful or exciting about that but I just have to put it on the list. I am not a person who eats to be happy, or to be comforted really but there is something about good food that just makes us happy. Also, love, love, love food programmes like Come in with Me, Masterchef and the Hairy Bikers... not as much as my stepdad who watches millions of food prgrammes (Nigella a fave, I wonder why!) but food leads to these funny programmes and especially now I am not working these programmes are a welcome distraction!
people - obviously I love my family and friends! But I love the crazy randomness of folk! I love to meet new people, talk to people from different places and culures and I love to people watch! A great hobby, I trained hard in the art of people watching in Greece and Italy and now feel at home watching people wherever I go! I love to look at what people wear, what they do and how they react to things! yes, nothing more entertaining than watching people (also why I love Come Dine with Me, jut as much about people as food if not more so!)
being pregnant (most of the time) - being pregnant so far is a pretty enjoable experience, somehing so new and different and each week something new is happening. I am finding out so much, about my body and my baby and it is fascinating.I am also just so excited about the end product of these nine months that even the bad parts, like heartburn, are fine because I know I am going to be a mammy in a few months and that just makes me happy and I love the thought of having a baby, someone to love and take care of. I also love the idea of being part of a family in a new way, as mammy with daddy Stu, we are maing plans and while some of it is stressful we are enjoying our journey. Stu will be such a wonderful dad and that too makes me SO happy, I can't wait to see it all happening. My mam will be a great grandma ( I mean a very good one)and I love thinking how lucky my baby is!
Well, there are lots more things that make me happy, writing this blog included but now I have to go.... love you xxx
Thursday, 26 August 2010
Friday, 13 August 2010
I'm not just fat....
So I am getting my head around being pregnant a lot more now. I saw a midwife this week who let me listen to the heartbeat and although it mostly sounde like noise when tning a TV or Radio, eventually heard it and felt really happy. She told me I am normal which was great!!! I will hopefully feel the baby move in the next few weks, what a strange experience that will be, I know that it is real and there is a baby inside me, I am not just getting randomly fat, but I think feeling it as well as seeing on the screen and hearing it will make it better, more exciting and more real - and only slightly freaky and alien like!!!!
I have another scan in a few weeks and I kind of want to find out the sex, then I can say he/she instead of it. I don't know, I just think it will be nice to know and get used to baby boy or girl and focus a bit more BUT everyone, well almost everyone has said that I shouldn't find out the sex, I should wait and have a surprise... not sure, I think that we each have to make our choices. The only thing is that Stu isn't too keen on fining out, so maybe I will wait.. but I am so impatient! I don't mind if it is a boy or a girl, though me and Stu both have a feeling it is a girl - not sure why - but knowing would be great in my mind. I'll tell you what happens!
I am trying to find job but it is so hard, even if I wasn't pregnant it would be hard, there is a LOT of competition for every job out there and the good ones are all for 2 or 3 year contracts which would be perfect if I wasn't expecting...
I have been looking at temp work but even then I have heard nothing back from the 20+ jobs I have sent my CV to. Well, I am trying and that is all I can do, I am really doing well not getting too stressed about it (well had a few tears over it but that is to be expected!!!) as really ther is nothing I can do but keep applying. If I was an employer and 27 people applied for one job I wouldn't choose the pregnant one either so I have to be realistic and just go with the flow. I was trying hard not to worry about the future too much and I have to continue. Now there is more at stake, I NEED money for this baby but it is not as if I am destitute! Yet! So if anyone out there has any great work for me to do then let me know! All I ask is permission to go to the toilet - frequently!!!
I have another scan in a few weeks and I kind of want to find out the sex, then I can say he/she instead of it. I don't know, I just think it will be nice to know and get used to baby boy or girl and focus a bit more BUT everyone, well almost everyone has said that I shouldn't find out the sex, I should wait and have a surprise... not sure, I think that we each have to make our choices. The only thing is that Stu isn't too keen on fining out, so maybe I will wait.. but I am so impatient! I don't mind if it is a boy or a girl, though me and Stu both have a feeling it is a girl - not sure why - but knowing would be great in my mind. I'll tell you what happens!
I am trying to find job but it is so hard, even if I wasn't pregnant it would be hard, there is a LOT of competition for every job out there and the good ones are all for 2 or 3 year contracts which would be perfect if I wasn't expecting...
I have been looking at temp work but even then I have heard nothing back from the 20+ jobs I have sent my CV to. Well, I am trying and that is all I can do, I am really doing well not getting too stressed about it (well had a few tears over it but that is to be expected!!!) as really ther is nothing I can do but keep applying. If I was an employer and 27 people applied for one job I wouldn't choose the pregnant one either so I have to be realistic and just go with the flow. I was trying hard not to worry about the future too much and I have to continue. Now there is more at stake, I NEED money for this baby but it is not as if I am destitute! Yet! So if anyone out there has any great work for me to do then let me know! All I ask is permission to go to the toilet - frequently!!!
Monday, 2 August 2010
I am having baby!!!!!!!
Well, I have not written for a while, mainly because I have known for about 2 months that I am pregnant (due Jauary 2011) and that is all I wanted to write about but I felt it was too soon to talk about it, and maybe listening to old wives tales you shouldn't tell until after 3 months, so, now I am 15 weeks pregnant and have had a scan which showed that everthing is OK with baby I feel I can talk abut it. Also I have been back in England and busy doing lots of things including looking for a job, catching up with family and friends and Stu came to visit then I went to visit his family in Margate too.
This news has had a huge effect on me, as you might guess, I have been worried, scared and excited but mainly I have felt happy. I know it is a huge, HUGE, lifechanging thing and I know it will be difficult at times (over the next 18 or more years!!!) but it is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced and the greatest feeling, knowing I will be a mammy! I am not sure about many things but I have always wanted chilren and this is a crazy and emotional time which I really want to enjoy as much as possible. The scan made it all so real, me and Stu were sat there looking at our baby, it was jumping around and looked so perfect, I was laughing so much as I just couldn't believe it, that the little person on the screen was inside of me, it is a strange feeling, I cant wait to feel it move so it is even more real.
I started this blog to remind myelf that I have happy things in my life, at a time when I was overwhelmed by sad thoughts and bad experiences and felt a bit lost and very alone. I realised pretty soon that I am NOT alone, I have an amazing family who are so good to me and so supportive of all I do. And I have great friends who I can talk to about everything and make me laugh so much. I feel now even more lucky for having these people in my life so they can now share in my new happiness and also help me out!!!! Now maybe my blog should change as I am not at risk of needing to forget anything, in fact now I want to remember eerything in more detail,record my new journey, we will see, maybe nobody will want to read the blog of nappies and crying! (though my emotions are supposed to be all over the place I haven't cried too much more than usual.... more than most people still though!!!)
Last week I met Stuart's family and they are really nice too, extra lucky there as could have been a bit weird, the first time they meet their sons new girlfriend she is already 3 and a bit months preggers! But I should have known that Stu was such a nice an genuine person because of his family. Stu has been great, maybe more worried abut some things than me (like money) and less interested in some thngs (like baby shoes) and a bit cringy when I talk about tearing and stitches..... hahaha!
He met my family too and it all went really well, he even managed to understand Geordie a few times, he will learn soon enough!
Yes, another blog where as I write I realise that while I am no millionaire, some things are much more important like people you love and who love you and in that I am rich!
This news has had a huge effect on me, as you might guess, I have been worried, scared and excited but mainly I have felt happy. I know it is a huge, HUGE, lifechanging thing and I know it will be difficult at times (over the next 18 or more years!!!) but it is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced and the greatest feeling, knowing I will be a mammy! I am not sure about many things but I have always wanted chilren and this is a crazy and emotional time which I really want to enjoy as much as possible. The scan made it all so real, me and Stu were sat there looking at our baby, it was jumping around and looked so perfect, I was laughing so much as I just couldn't believe it, that the little person on the screen was inside of me, it is a strange feeling, I cant wait to feel it move so it is even more real.
I started this blog to remind myelf that I have happy things in my life, at a time when I was overwhelmed by sad thoughts and bad experiences and felt a bit lost and very alone. I realised pretty soon that I am NOT alone, I have an amazing family who are so good to me and so supportive of all I do. And I have great friends who I can talk to about everything and make me laugh so much. I feel now even more lucky for having these people in my life so they can now share in my new happiness and also help me out!!!! Now maybe my blog should change as I am not at risk of needing to forget anything, in fact now I want to remember eerything in more detail,record my new journey, we will see, maybe nobody will want to read the blog of nappies and crying! (though my emotions are supposed to be all over the place I haven't cried too much more than usual.... more than most people still though!!!)
Last week I met Stuart's family and they are really nice too, extra lucky there as could have been a bit weird, the first time they meet their sons new girlfriend she is already 3 and a bit months preggers! But I should have known that Stu was such a nice an genuine person because of his family. Stu has been great, maybe more worried abut some things than me (like money) and less interested in some thngs (like baby shoes) and a bit cringy when I talk about tearing and stitches..... hahaha!
He met my family too and it all went really well, he even managed to understand Geordie a few times, he will learn soon enough!
Yes, another blog where as I write I realise that while I am no millionaire, some things are much more important like people you love and who love you and in that I am rich!
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Home Sweet Home
I have been away from my computer for a while now, first because I finished school and then went on a little holiday with Steph before coming home and then because I have been busy seeing people, washing clothes, unpacking and getting used to being back! Now I am here, hme in Winlaton and can relate to you my adventures getting here!
After school finished I spent some time at the beach and then Steph arrived in Catania, just in time to watch the England match (not the last one, we won't mention that!!!) and to catch some sun before a few cloudy days (me and Stuart both burnt but Steph didn't, typical!)
Then it was time to say goodbye to Catania and to my friends I am sorry to anyone I didn't see, it was all so sudden in the end it seemed! I had a few tears, saying bye to Luisa and Diana and of course Stuart were the worst, but I will see them all again so it was not too bad and not really goodbye!
Steph and I went to Rome first and spend a lovely few days being wowed by the sites, we had some rain but it coudn't spoil our time. Our hotel was lush and the ancient lift gave us a few laughs as well as scares! We took the open top bus to try and see as much as possible in our short time and it was really good fun, with lots of info and it made our legs happier too! Maybe best for me was the Coleseum, I have been before but it is majestic, even when full of tourists there is something of the past which hangs in the air and makes you stop and think of all that went on there, I loved it. Didn't love the theiving Gladiators outside who charged us a fortune for photos with them!!!!!
Then we were off to Florence, we left the rain behind and had glorious sunshine there and it was also the feast of San Giovanni (St John the Baptist) so we were lucky to see a fantastic fireworks display one evening.
We saw David, and the fake David and the bronze David, and we saw a LOT of churches! I loved the atmosphere, the narrow streets, the beautiful buildings, the lamps which rekindled my love of taking photos of lamps (started in Prague last year!)the river and the views of the city from the hill abouve. I loved it all.
A few crazy moments, first our room was on the third floor, up 6 flights of steps, nightmare! A man helped me carry my bag up and I just threw it down, much to Steph's amusement! Nothing broke!
There was the cape incident which I think will make me cry with laughter for years, but probably you had to be there... Steph had to cover her shoulders in a church and though the nice robe they gave her was a cape with a hood, then she found one arm hole, it has one arm she said, where is the other... on your head was my reply! Oh, you had to be there it was so funny, unfortunately no cameras in the church but the recreation in the hotel had us crying again! Oh Steph, thanks for that memory!
We only had a short time in each place and so it was off to our next destination which was Treviso for Venice, Davide (Luisa's brother) was kind enough to offer us a room in his appartment for our visit to Venice as Treviso is not far at all, it was great, he really looked after us and we had nice comfy beds and lovely shower...
We got the train to Venice and spent a lovely day there complete with a gondola ride (don't ask how expesive, it was worth it!!!) Definately a great exprience, greatvies and a cool breeze on a very hot day in Venice. We sampled our last ice-cream, I am going to miss Italian ice-cream (maybe I can find some here..)
Finally it was time to come home, only a little bit delayed and we got back to Winlaton at midnight after a KFC (left overs as they were technically closed when we stopped!!!) and I climbed into my own bed on Sunday night and fell fast asleep, excited for the mrning when I would see my family!
Now it is Tuesday and I have been settling back in nicely, almost feels like I have never been away now.... Not quite sure what the next move is, need a bit of time to decide, but I am sure there will be more adventures coming soon!!!!
After school finished I spent some time at the beach and then Steph arrived in Catania, just in time to watch the England match (not the last one, we won't mention that!!!) and to catch some sun before a few cloudy days (me and Stuart both burnt but Steph didn't, typical!)
Then it was time to say goodbye to Catania and to my friends I am sorry to anyone I didn't see, it was all so sudden in the end it seemed! I had a few tears, saying bye to Luisa and Diana and of course Stuart were the worst, but I will see them all again so it was not too bad and not really goodbye!
Steph and I went to Rome first and spend a lovely few days being wowed by the sites, we had some rain but it coudn't spoil our time. Our hotel was lush and the ancient lift gave us a few laughs as well as scares! We took the open top bus to try and see as much as possible in our short time and it was really good fun, with lots of info and it made our legs happier too! Maybe best for me was the Coleseum, I have been before but it is majestic, even when full of tourists there is something of the past which hangs in the air and makes you stop and think of all that went on there, I loved it. Didn't love the theiving Gladiators outside who charged us a fortune for photos with them!!!!!
Then we were off to Florence, we left the rain behind and had glorious sunshine there and it was also the feast of San Giovanni (St John the Baptist) so we were lucky to see a fantastic fireworks display one evening.
We saw David, and the fake David and the bronze David, and we saw a LOT of churches! I loved the atmosphere, the narrow streets, the beautiful buildings, the lamps which rekindled my love of taking photos of lamps (started in Prague last year!)the river and the views of the city from the hill abouve. I loved it all.
A few crazy moments, first our room was on the third floor, up 6 flights of steps, nightmare! A man helped me carry my bag up and I just threw it down, much to Steph's amusement! Nothing broke!
There was the cape incident which I think will make me cry with laughter for years, but probably you had to be there... Steph had to cover her shoulders in a church and though the nice robe they gave her was a cape with a hood, then she found one arm hole, it has one arm she said, where is the other... on your head was my reply! Oh, you had to be there it was so funny, unfortunately no cameras in the church but the recreation in the hotel had us crying again! Oh Steph, thanks for that memory!
We only had a short time in each place and so it was off to our next destination which was Treviso for Venice, Davide (Luisa's brother) was kind enough to offer us a room in his appartment for our visit to Venice as Treviso is not far at all, it was great, he really looked after us and we had nice comfy beds and lovely shower...
We got the train to Venice and spent a lovely day there complete with a gondola ride (don't ask how expesive, it was worth it!!!) Definately a great exprience, greatvies and a cool breeze on a very hot day in Venice. We sampled our last ice-cream, I am going to miss Italian ice-cream (maybe I can find some here..)
Finally it was time to come home, only a little bit delayed and we got back to Winlaton at midnight after a KFC (left overs as they were technically closed when we stopped!!!) and I climbed into my own bed on Sunday night and fell fast asleep, excited for the mrning when I would see my family!
Now it is Tuesday and I have been settling back in nicely, almost feels like I have never been away now.... Not quite sure what the next move is, need a bit of time to decide, but I am sure there will be more adventures coming soon!!!!
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
some random thoughts!
I have so much to say but I can't say any of it yet, I am full of so many emotions I want to spill them out onto this page and maybe then they will make sense, but not yet!
I have only 2 weeks left in Catania and I am sorry to say (to my Italian friends) that I am glad it is almost time to go home. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, I am ready to go home.
I am starting to miss things now, I want to eat Walkers crisps and Warburtons bread (hope I can advertise on here!!!) and of course, much more importantly I want to see 'me mam'! and Aunty Janet, Tara, Louise and her bump, Kath, Rich and William (not so much Eric - sorry) and Phil! ALL of my family and friends who I have not seen now for so many months.
I know it will not be hot (I can cope with a drop from 40 degrees) and I know I won't be able to do some of the things I love doing here, I know I will miss some people I have met here (but I know I can't get rid of you so that is good!!!), but, although I really love to travel, I love home too!
I am looking forward to the future with a new perspective which I have found here in Sunny Sicily, with the help of Stuart. And hopefully my new future will not be without him. Stuart has made my stay here more than memorable and I want to thank him, though I have thanked him a few times already, for being the wonderful, genuine, kind and caring person that he is, for making me laugh, putting up with me crying and generally being the best friend a girl could have wished to find here! Hope you read this and blush Mr Fassam!!!
Back to work for another afternoon of crazy Italian fun with my classes!
XXX
I have only 2 weeks left in Catania and I am sorry to say (to my Italian friends) that I am glad it is almost time to go home. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, I am ready to go home.
I am starting to miss things now, I want to eat Walkers crisps and Warburtons bread (hope I can advertise on here!!!) and of course, much more importantly I want to see 'me mam'! and Aunty Janet, Tara, Louise and her bump, Kath, Rich and William (not so much Eric - sorry) and Phil! ALL of my family and friends who I have not seen now for so many months.
I know it will not be hot (I can cope with a drop from 40 degrees) and I know I won't be able to do some of the things I love doing here, I know I will miss some people I have met here (but I know I can't get rid of you so that is good!!!), but, although I really love to travel, I love home too!
I am looking forward to the future with a new perspective which I have found here in Sunny Sicily, with the help of Stuart. And hopefully my new future will not be without him. Stuart has made my stay here more than memorable and I want to thank him, though I have thanked him a few times already, for being the wonderful, genuine, kind and caring person that he is, for making me laugh, putting up with me crying and generally being the best friend a girl could have wished to find here! Hope you read this and blush Mr Fassam!!!
Back to work for another afternoon of crazy Italian fun with my classes!
XXX
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
the search for the future has begun
So, I have started to really think about what happens after Catania, these last few months have been so wonderful in so many ways but I know that this fun time must end soon, in fact in only 4 weeks time!
I have been looking for jobs, which is a nightmare as I am still totally torn between travelling more and going home!
I have had two interviews, one for the sunny Maldives and one for sunny Scarborough! Not too different really except one is on the equator.
I have also been applying for other things, trying to keep my options open!
I have also started to get into exam mode for the end of term, my students are all feeling a bit stressed now and we really have to work hard to make sure we give them as much practice as possible so been really busy with that, though I have no students who I am terrified will fail their test! I want them all to do well and to succeed in their futures, I want to help them pass and then they too can move on to bigger better things.
What will the future hold for me? I know that I want to continue to be happy as I am now, I want to pursue things which are interesting, inspiring and exciting and never settle for things. I know I want to keep in touch with all of my wonderful friends from around the world as they have the power to make me smile and keep me laughing.
I know now that I have been untrue to myself in the past and it has led to nothing but pain and heartbreak, I know I can be better to myself and to others and only in this way can I be happy and that is my plan for the future, wherevever I go and whoever I meet along the way.
I hope you will all stay with me on this journey.... until next time x
I have been looking for jobs, which is a nightmare as I am still totally torn between travelling more and going home!
I have had two interviews, one for the sunny Maldives and one for sunny Scarborough! Not too different really except one is on the equator.
I have also been applying for other things, trying to keep my options open!
I have also started to get into exam mode for the end of term, my students are all feeling a bit stressed now and we really have to work hard to make sure we give them as much practice as possible so been really busy with that, though I have no students who I am terrified will fail their test! I want them all to do well and to succeed in their futures, I want to help them pass and then they too can move on to bigger better things.
What will the future hold for me? I know that I want to continue to be happy as I am now, I want to pursue things which are interesting, inspiring and exciting and never settle for things. I know I want to keep in touch with all of my wonderful friends from around the world as they have the power to make me smile and keep me laughing.
I know now that I have been untrue to myself in the past and it has led to nothing but pain and heartbreak, I know I can be better to myself and to others and only in this way can I be happy and that is my plan for the future, wherevever I go and whoever I meet along the way.
I hope you will all stay with me on this journey.... until next time x
Sunday, 9 May 2010
My good friends and my new friends
I have had a very interesting week, with some drama, lots of sunshine and of course - drinking! (Those of you who know me well know my drama but I am not going to talk about that!) Man, I sound like such an alcoholic, maybe I have a problem and need some rehab! Somewhere hot please!
I have made some very good friends here in Catania and have lots of great friends back home and around the world and this week I was lucy enough to meet lots of nice new people and make some new friends....
On Wednsday Mark suggested a midweek drink somewhere new so we went to bar called Bonu which really like as it is very different (lots of kitch) and good food. Jacqueline, Lisa, Mark, Stuart and I were joined by one of Mark's students. The bar was good but the most fun was had on the way home with Jacs and I being a bit crazy as usual, she makes me laugh so much!
On Thursday I went to the English Conversation Club (it does exactly what it says on the tin) and had a really nice time meeting some new people, lots of friendly Italians who want to practice and/or improve their English and a lot of English teachers too. Also many Americans and a few English/British (The English Study Centre staff made the English count go up a bit)and a token German! I met a girl called Lauren from London and we became fast friends, we had a real laugh together about the idea of making everyone at the conversation club queue up for their food (as it was all gone by the time we got there)and this turned into quite a debate! Valerio, Lauren's boyfriend, stated that queueing is a form of slavey! If you are interested there is a video of part of the conversation somewhere on Facebook! Funny! I don't think it will work, only the English form a queue for everything!
This weekly get together is now definately on my list of priorites for the week, I will be trying to get there earlier whenever possible to actually get some food and to meet some more lovely people.
I also went to a few new places this week, a nice bar near the port and a club in a different part of town which led to a mini adventure! Pippi was driving and somehow,he may have haad some alcohol.... when reversing down a hill, managed to get his car stuck up on a wall, so that the car was leaning over to the side and only two wheels were on the ground. Pippi, then decided to reverse more and gt it well and trully stuck! Now, I am no stranger to being in a car tilted on its side and being completely stuck, but I was lucky enough to be stuck on a country road where a farmer passed by with a tractor to tow me out! Pippi's car was in a quiet street at about midnight! (no tractors around - haven't seen any tractors here at all)
So, we got out, looked at the car, tried a bit of pushing, a lot of revving the engine and a few swear words, nothing helped! Then it started to rain!
Mark and Pippi eventually decided the only way to move the car was to lift the back up, Luisa took the driver seat, Mark and Pippi took their positions at the rear of the vehicle and I stood well back and supervised! They lifted the car, it moved, all was well!!!! We went to the club laughing at Pippi and worrying a little about getting home.
The club was very full and the DJ's were loving random English music, playing everything from Shout to Losing my Religion and Baggy Trousers and everyone was singing along and dancing like mad, it was fun.
Last night I went to Taormina with Luisa, Sturt and Pippi and some of Luisa's friends, Lauren and Valerio met us later. I had the BEST night!
Taormina is so beautiful, really touristy in some ways and really Italian in others, I had some fun spotting tourists and then being a big loser and posing for touristy photos (loved it! British Pharmacy!)We went to an Irish bar and then to a REALLY expensive bar to drink a REALLY terrible cocktail and then Lauren and Valerio took Stuart and I to a bar called Deja Vu wile Luisa and Pippi went to some other club... we danced and drank more, I enjoyed myself so much!
Then we went to meet Luisa and Pippi and had a random 'discussion' with some Sicilians about somehing I don't remember, along the lines of Taormina is part of Messina... Lauren and Valerio left ad we went to to find food and more drinks until Luisa was ready then we made our way back to the car with some more fun photo stops on the way, oh, and I may have fallen over, three times!
Stuart and I feel asleep on the way back and got home at around 5 to a beautiful sunny day! (I didn't see much of the day to be honest....) All in all a very good time!
I love Sundays when I get to speak to 'me Mam', and do my blog, it makes me realise how lucky I am, I have such a great family and such lovely friends at home in the UK and so many great friends here too. Thanks Mammy for being so wonderful and thanks to everyone who makes me smile...
I have made some very good friends here in Catania and have lots of great friends back home and around the world and this week I was lucy enough to meet lots of nice new people and make some new friends....
On Wednsday Mark suggested a midweek drink somewhere new so we went to bar called Bonu which really like as it is very different (lots of kitch) and good food. Jacqueline, Lisa, Mark, Stuart and I were joined by one of Mark's students. The bar was good but the most fun was had on the way home with Jacs and I being a bit crazy as usual, she makes me laugh so much!
On Thursday I went to the English Conversation Club (it does exactly what it says on the tin) and had a really nice time meeting some new people, lots of friendly Italians who want to practice and/or improve their English and a lot of English teachers too. Also many Americans and a few English/British (The English Study Centre staff made the English count go up a bit)and a token German! I met a girl called Lauren from London and we became fast friends, we had a real laugh together about the idea of making everyone at the conversation club queue up for their food (as it was all gone by the time we got there)and this turned into quite a debate! Valerio, Lauren's boyfriend, stated that queueing is a form of slavey! If you are interested there is a video of part of the conversation somewhere on Facebook! Funny! I don't think it will work, only the English form a queue for everything!
This weekly get together is now definately on my list of priorites for the week, I will be trying to get there earlier whenever possible to actually get some food and to meet some more lovely people.
I also went to a few new places this week, a nice bar near the port and a club in a different part of town which led to a mini adventure! Pippi was driving and somehow,he may have haad some alcohol.... when reversing down a hill, managed to get his car stuck up on a wall, so that the car was leaning over to the side and only two wheels were on the ground. Pippi, then decided to reverse more and gt it well and trully stuck! Now, I am no stranger to being in a car tilted on its side and being completely stuck, but I was lucky enough to be stuck on a country road where a farmer passed by with a tractor to tow me out! Pippi's car was in a quiet street at about midnight! (no tractors around - haven't seen any tractors here at all)
So, we got out, looked at the car, tried a bit of pushing, a lot of revving the engine and a few swear words, nothing helped! Then it started to rain!
Mark and Pippi eventually decided the only way to move the car was to lift the back up, Luisa took the driver seat, Mark and Pippi took their positions at the rear of the vehicle and I stood well back and supervised! They lifted the car, it moved, all was well!!!! We went to the club laughing at Pippi and worrying a little about getting home.
The club was very full and the DJ's were loving random English music, playing everything from Shout to Losing my Religion and Baggy Trousers and everyone was singing along and dancing like mad, it was fun.
Last night I went to Taormina with Luisa, Sturt and Pippi and some of Luisa's friends, Lauren and Valerio met us later. I had the BEST night!
Taormina is so beautiful, really touristy in some ways and really Italian in others, I had some fun spotting tourists and then being a big loser and posing for touristy photos (loved it! British Pharmacy!)We went to an Irish bar and then to a REALLY expensive bar to drink a REALLY terrible cocktail and then Lauren and Valerio took Stuart and I to a bar called Deja Vu wile Luisa and Pippi went to some other club... we danced and drank more, I enjoyed myself so much!
Then we went to meet Luisa and Pippi and had a random 'discussion' with some Sicilians about somehing I don't remember, along the lines of Taormina is part of Messina... Lauren and Valerio left ad we went to to find food and more drinks until Luisa was ready then we made our way back to the car with some more fun photo stops on the way, oh, and I may have fallen over, three times!
Stuart and I feel asleep on the way back and got home at around 5 to a beautiful sunny day! (I didn't see much of the day to be honest....) All in all a very good time!
I love Sundays when I get to speak to 'me Mam', and do my blog, it makes me realise how lucky I am, I have such a great family and such lovely friends at home in the UK and so many great friends here too. Thanks Mammy for being so wonderful and thanks to everyone who makes me smile...
Sunday, 2 May 2010
frogs legs, fish and chips and fish bones
I've had a good week this week, some rain, some thunder, mostly hot days and nights and no working in the mornings! I had some good and strange eating experiences this week...
Last Saturday I went to a Chinese restaurant, I was firstly surprised that they didn't sell pizza OR pasta and then moved on to order some food including spring rolls, beef and bamboo and of course, a must when visiting a Chinese restaurant in Sicily, deep fried frogs legs! We got these to share; I was there with Luisa, Pippi, Stuart, Mark and Lisa, but the others were less eager to eat them. I thought they tasted mostly of the batter they were fried in, were a bit boney for my liking but the meat tasted of nothing realy... just like chicken!!! We had deep fried ice cream for desert and I couldn't really tell the difference!
The week at work was really good, we have finished working in the state schools now so my mornings are free, I have slept, been shopping, gone for 'coffee': which for me means tea and been out in the sun in the mornings this week instead of walking for an hour to have large groups of teenagers ignore me (actually I miss some of them, they were interesting and some classes were a pleasure to teach).
On Friday we went, as usual, to Ligresti bar and I had a few drinks (Southern Comfort not gin this weekend) and then we (Stuart, Mark and I) decided to go into the town centre for food and more drinks, we were a bit too late to go to a restaurant and I fancied a kebab (they are nice here, not like in England!)but instead we went to a small place which sells fish and chips! Yes, we ate fish and chips with salt, vinegar and ketchup in Catania! We then met some Italians, one of who is Stuart's student and they took us to a nice bar where we had cocktails.
On Saturday, I went to the beach, the local black, rocky beach where there is more dog shit than sand, but it is the closest place to go and enjoy the sun so we went there! It was relaxing and so lovely to be sunbathing in a bikini on the 1st of May! After the beach Stuart and I went out for dinner, we went to a fish restaurant where the first thing the waiter said to us when we entered was 'only fish' (in Italian), we had understood that it was a fish restaurant so we continued..
We had an antipasta of fish, squid, octopus, prawns and bread (lush) and then I had spaghetti with clams, prawns, tomato and zucchini (amazing but too much). However, there was a bit of a problem I got a fish bone stuck in my throat, right in the back of my throat. I was coughing and it really hurt, I went to the toilet to see if I could do something about it, like maybe make myself sick (which I can't and couldn't do!) but it wouldn't move, I tried to gargle with water and wine, I tried to swallow huge mouthfulls of spaghetti to dislodge it but nothing worked at all (poor Stuart, he offered to try and get it out too), anyway, I left it and hoped for the best. I woke up this morning and it is fine! I did however dream that my garden was flooded with water and loads of sea creatures were stranded there, octopus', fish and stuff and I had to rescue them! Never had a fish dream before!
Today, Sunday, I have been to the beach for most of the day, I enjoyed looking at the people there, one man in particular who obviously didn't want white marks from his small, small trunks so had them rolled down exposing most of his ass! And one woman who had a similar problem to one I had at Easter, she was at the beach in the boiling sun with no bikini, so she just stripped down to her underwear... I was pleased it is not just me!
All in all a good week full of sun and seafood (do frogs count as seafood?)
Last Saturday I went to a Chinese restaurant, I was firstly surprised that they didn't sell pizza OR pasta and then moved on to order some food including spring rolls, beef and bamboo and of course, a must when visiting a Chinese restaurant in Sicily, deep fried frogs legs! We got these to share; I was there with Luisa, Pippi, Stuart, Mark and Lisa, but the others were less eager to eat them. I thought they tasted mostly of the batter they were fried in, were a bit boney for my liking but the meat tasted of nothing realy... just like chicken!!! We had deep fried ice cream for desert and I couldn't really tell the difference!
The week at work was really good, we have finished working in the state schools now so my mornings are free, I have slept, been shopping, gone for 'coffee': which for me means tea and been out in the sun in the mornings this week instead of walking for an hour to have large groups of teenagers ignore me (actually I miss some of them, they were interesting and some classes were a pleasure to teach).
On Friday we went, as usual, to Ligresti bar and I had a few drinks (Southern Comfort not gin this weekend) and then we (Stuart, Mark and I) decided to go into the town centre for food and more drinks, we were a bit too late to go to a restaurant and I fancied a kebab (they are nice here, not like in England!)but instead we went to a small place which sells fish and chips! Yes, we ate fish and chips with salt, vinegar and ketchup in Catania! We then met some Italians, one of who is Stuart's student and they took us to a nice bar where we had cocktails.
On Saturday, I went to the beach, the local black, rocky beach where there is more dog shit than sand, but it is the closest place to go and enjoy the sun so we went there! It was relaxing and so lovely to be sunbathing in a bikini on the 1st of May! After the beach Stuart and I went out for dinner, we went to a fish restaurant where the first thing the waiter said to us when we entered was 'only fish' (in Italian), we had understood that it was a fish restaurant so we continued..
We had an antipasta of fish, squid, octopus, prawns and bread (lush) and then I had spaghetti with clams, prawns, tomato and zucchini (amazing but too much). However, there was a bit of a problem I got a fish bone stuck in my throat, right in the back of my throat. I was coughing and it really hurt, I went to the toilet to see if I could do something about it, like maybe make myself sick (which I can't and couldn't do!) but it wouldn't move, I tried to gargle with water and wine, I tried to swallow huge mouthfulls of spaghetti to dislodge it but nothing worked at all (poor Stuart, he offered to try and get it out too), anyway, I left it and hoped for the best. I woke up this morning and it is fine! I did however dream that my garden was flooded with water and loads of sea creatures were stranded there, octopus', fish and stuff and I had to rescue them! Never had a fish dream before!
Today, Sunday, I have been to the beach for most of the day, I enjoyed looking at the people there, one man in particular who obviously didn't want white marks from his small, small trunks so had them rolled down exposing most of his ass! And one woman who had a similar problem to one I had at Easter, she was at the beach in the boiling sun with no bikini, so she just stripped down to her underwear... I was pleased it is not just me!
All in all a good week full of sun and seafood (do frogs count as seafood?)
Saturday, 24 April 2010
brief update
Where does time go, I feel like it was just a short time since I was last writing my blog but I realise now that it has been almost two weeks! That is the problem with not having the internet at home...
So, what has been happening in my life these last two weeks? Not too much really, I have been working, enjoying my classes loads actually, all of my students are so nice, even the crazy children! My kids classes over the last two weeks have been a bit mad as I have been giving them tests, but then I feel bad so the next lesson we play games and then they get too noisey so I think next time I will give them a test, and so on! They seem to be understanding me more which is a bonus! And, I am starting to understand them more too, my Italian is still terrible but now when people speak I can often understand what they mean or at least some of what was said, but I still can't answer them or join in!
I have a new flatmate, she is also Italian and we can't communicate with each other but she is very loud, together with my other housemates she is helping me understand Italian while I try to sleep! Her sister came to visit today and I had just had a shower, my door started rattling and I went to see if I was needed but there were about five Italians staring at me and then they all laughed and were embarassed as they were just trying all of the doors, I quickly got ready (had been in my towel) and then went to see who they were and the sister spoke to me in English which was good, wish she was living with me!!! My Romanian flatmate is still very odd, she opens her door and peers out when I walk past and she talks to me all the time about her illnesses and has kissed me twice since last time I wrote, once on my shoulder randomly after we had a long but barely understood conversation when I was trying to go to bed, the second when she shouted at me for walking around in bare feet when it was 'cold' so I put some shoes on and she was really happy!
Well, going now, we are off for a chinese meal tonight, should be nice. A change from pizza and pasta, though I have been eating some different things recently, including horse meat, which got a big reaction on Facebook. It was actually nice, sweet and sort of juicy, nothing like any other meat, it is a local speciality so I had to try it! I also ate a delicious meal last weekend of swordfish and prawns, the seafood season is here and everywhere is serving fish dishes, which I love! mmmmm hungry....
So, what has been happening in my life these last two weeks? Not too much really, I have been working, enjoying my classes loads actually, all of my students are so nice, even the crazy children! My kids classes over the last two weeks have been a bit mad as I have been giving them tests, but then I feel bad so the next lesson we play games and then they get too noisey so I think next time I will give them a test, and so on! They seem to be understanding me more which is a bonus! And, I am starting to understand them more too, my Italian is still terrible but now when people speak I can often understand what they mean or at least some of what was said, but I still can't answer them or join in!
I have a new flatmate, she is also Italian and we can't communicate with each other but she is very loud, together with my other housemates she is helping me understand Italian while I try to sleep! Her sister came to visit today and I had just had a shower, my door started rattling and I went to see if I was needed but there were about five Italians staring at me and then they all laughed and were embarassed as they were just trying all of the doors, I quickly got ready (had been in my towel) and then went to see who they were and the sister spoke to me in English which was good, wish she was living with me!!! My Romanian flatmate is still very odd, she opens her door and peers out when I walk past and she talks to me all the time about her illnesses and has kissed me twice since last time I wrote, once on my shoulder randomly after we had a long but barely understood conversation when I was trying to go to bed, the second when she shouted at me for walking around in bare feet when it was 'cold' so I put some shoes on and she was really happy!
Well, going now, we are off for a chinese meal tonight, should be nice. A change from pizza and pasta, though I have been eating some different things recently, including horse meat, which got a big reaction on Facebook. It was actually nice, sweet and sort of juicy, nothing like any other meat, it is a local speciality so I had to try it! I also ate a delicious meal last weekend of swordfish and prawns, the seafood season is here and everywhere is serving fish dishes, which I love! mmmmm hungry....
Sunday, 11 April 2010
a midpoint update
So, I have now been in Catania for 10 weeks and in 10 weeks time it will be my last Sunday here, I have reched the halfway point of my stay here!
I a feeling kind of pleased about it, because that means in only 10 weeks I can go on my exciting trip with Stephanie, to Rome, Florence and Venice, and in 11 weeks I will be back home in Winlaton and will get to see everyone who I am missing.
I am also happy because the next 10 weeks are going to be great, I have had such fun here and am looking forward to having even more good times with my friends here, and the weather is improving all the time so now I can spend my free time sunbathing!
Last weekend was Easter so we had some time off work which was great, I needed a break as had been sick and still wasn't feeling my best. I went to a gorgeous beach on Thursday, a place called Gardini Naxos and relaxed all day in the sun, it was really hot, the only problem was that I have not got a bikini, my mam has sent me a parcel now with some more suitable beach clothing. When I got there and it was really hot I just took off my jeans and sunbathed in my vest and knickers! Well, nobody knew me there! I tried to shop for a bikini here but the weather isn't quite hot enough for the shops to be full of summer clothes and there were none in the shops I went to that fit...
I also went to Siracusa, a town not far from Catania and went to some Roman and Greek ruins, the wather was fantastic again and I was really sad that I didn't have my camera to take lots of pictures of me doing things that did not involve gin! I also took a little detour off the marked path and stole and orange and a lemon from the massive garden near the ruins! I didn't realise, however, that orange trees have thorns!!! I got a huge thorn stuck in my arm and still have a big mark on my arm from it!
I spend the next 2 days eating! On Easter Sunday (Pasqua) I went to my boss' house and had lots of lovely food and on Easter Monday (Pasquetta) I went to an agroturismo, a diversified farm, we ate for hours and dranks some delicious limoncello and then I watched the others ride horses (I don't really like horses) and we went shooting - however, we were the last group of the day and there were only 15 pellets left for us to use, so we had 3 shots each. I managed to hit 2 out of 3 so was pretty pleased with that! Then we played football but I had to sit out in the end as had totally innappropriate shoes on (pretty, silver shoes)and every time I kicked the ball my shoe flew off! I did score a few goals, with the ball and the shoe! All in all a very enjoyable day, and a really relaxing and lovely holiday.
I a feeling kind of pleased about it, because that means in only 10 weeks I can go on my exciting trip with Stephanie, to Rome, Florence and Venice, and in 11 weeks I will be back home in Winlaton and will get to see everyone who I am missing.
I am also happy because the next 10 weeks are going to be great, I have had such fun here and am looking forward to having even more good times with my friends here, and the weather is improving all the time so now I can spend my free time sunbathing!
Last weekend was Easter so we had some time off work which was great, I needed a break as had been sick and still wasn't feeling my best. I went to a gorgeous beach on Thursday, a place called Gardini Naxos and relaxed all day in the sun, it was really hot, the only problem was that I have not got a bikini, my mam has sent me a parcel now with some more suitable beach clothing. When I got there and it was really hot I just took off my jeans and sunbathed in my vest and knickers! Well, nobody knew me there! I tried to shop for a bikini here but the weather isn't quite hot enough for the shops to be full of summer clothes and there were none in the shops I went to that fit...
I also went to Siracusa, a town not far from Catania and went to some Roman and Greek ruins, the wather was fantastic again and I was really sad that I didn't have my camera to take lots of pictures of me doing things that did not involve gin! I also took a little detour off the marked path and stole and orange and a lemon from the massive garden near the ruins! I didn't realise, however, that orange trees have thorns!!! I got a huge thorn stuck in my arm and still have a big mark on my arm from it!
I spend the next 2 days eating! On Easter Sunday (Pasqua) I went to my boss' house and had lots of lovely food and on Easter Monday (Pasquetta) I went to an agroturismo, a diversified farm, we ate for hours and dranks some delicious limoncello and then I watched the others ride horses (I don't really like horses) and we went shooting - however, we were the last group of the day and there were only 15 pellets left for us to use, so we had 3 shots each. I managed to hit 2 out of 3 so was pretty pleased with that! Then we played football but I had to sit out in the end as had totally innappropriate shoes on (pretty, silver shoes)and every time I kicked the ball my shoe flew off! I did score a few goals, with the ball and the shoe! All in all a very enjoyable day, and a really relaxing and lovely holiday.
Saturday, 27 March 2010
oh I love sunshine!!!!
I love sunshine and I love everything that goes with it! I love being warm, I love lying on a beach, I love eating ice cream, I love being able to wear pretty summer clothes (not that I have any),I love the sea; watching the sea, listening to the sea, smelling the sea and going in the sea (haven't done that yet but I will) and I love the way people are when it is sunny, they seem more cheerful, more hopeful and more likable and I feel more cheerful too! Oh and I love getting a tan, but the freckles are a bit annoying, I look really young with freckles, which I suppose at 28 is a good thing and I should be pleased... also tanning gives you wrinkles which is not good but I have loads already and I am learning to live with them! OK, maybe I am stil a little bit freaked out by wrinkles, especially ones that used to only appear when I laughed and now never dissapear... oh, life!
So, yes, it has been sunny here for a while now, with a few days of haze and cloud but generally really nice and I am really happy about it! Can you tell?! I like the way that I am really talking about weather as a typical English girl, but also that the Italians are not yet as excited as me, though when I went to the beach the last two weekends there were some in bikinis and shorts, but the vast majority were in coats and scarves but at the beach and eating icecream and sitting in cafes outside in the sun. My students keep telling me that soon it will be even hotter and though they tell me off for wearing t-shirts when it is 22 degrees they are all really pleased that I like their weather and enjoy their lifestlye. They enjoy it too and are proud of their culture, and their weather, so it makes me happy to make them happy...
Next week is Easter and as a good catholic girl I will not be working for 5 days and instead will be off trying to see some more of Sicily! Yes, I am a Catholic really, but, no, NOT a good one! I am not sure what will happen yet, but I am sure I will have fun!
I'll keep you posted...
So, yes, it has been sunny here for a while now, with a few days of haze and cloud but generally really nice and I am really happy about it! Can you tell?! I like the way that I am really talking about weather as a typical English girl, but also that the Italians are not yet as excited as me, though when I went to the beach the last two weekends there were some in bikinis and shorts, but the vast majority were in coats and scarves but at the beach and eating icecream and sitting in cafes outside in the sun. My students keep telling me that soon it will be even hotter and though they tell me off for wearing t-shirts when it is 22 degrees they are all really pleased that I like their weather and enjoy their lifestlye. They enjoy it too and are proud of their culture, and their weather, so it makes me happy to make them happy...
Next week is Easter and as a good catholic girl I will not be working for 5 days and instead will be off trying to see some more of Sicily! Yes, I am a Catholic really, but, no, NOT a good one! I am not sure what will happen yet, but I am sure I will have fun!
I'll keep you posted...
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
The Future
This week I have been thinking a lot about the future, although I kind of don't want to! I am really enjoying living for now and doing what I want to do now without a care for what will happen next week or month or year, it is refreshing and not nearly as scary as I thought it would be!
I have always been a worrier and a planner, I liked to have an idea of where I was heading, but then that led to worry when things didn't go as planned! I thought I had my life sorted on more than one occasion, only to find out that things change, I changed, my circumstances changed and I know now that nothing is certain and moreover that lfe is short; I need to make the most of now and worry less about the future. I decided to come here to Catania on a total whim, I saw the advert, applied and decided that if they offered me the job I would take it and they did. Now I am here having a whale of a time!
I am planning ahead for a big trip with Steph, she is flying to Catania and we are spending the weekend here before heading to Rome and then leaving from Venice to get home, and in between maybe Florence and Milan or somewhere else, it will be awesome!!! I am looking forward to it SO much and so thinking of the future in terms of this trip has been really exciting.
But what about the future after June...? I know that I can't wait to get home and see everyone, my famly especially! I can't wait to see Tara walking, see all of my friends and their families... I know it will be great to be home, in my house with all the home comforts I don't have here; like an oven and carpets - I miss carpets!!!!
After that, well who knows, I have so many options and lots of time of time to think about it. I will not waste more time planning and stressing and worrying about what I can't control, I will make my decisions when I need to and try to enjoy the moment. I said TRY!
So, I am off now to eat lots of delicious Italian food as I am hungry!
I have always been a worrier and a planner, I liked to have an idea of where I was heading, but then that led to worry when things didn't go as planned! I thought I had my life sorted on more than one occasion, only to find out that things change, I changed, my circumstances changed and I know now that nothing is certain and moreover that lfe is short; I need to make the most of now and worry less about the future. I decided to come here to Catania on a total whim, I saw the advert, applied and decided that if they offered me the job I would take it and they did. Now I am here having a whale of a time!
I am planning ahead for a big trip with Steph, she is flying to Catania and we are spending the weekend here before heading to Rome and then leaving from Venice to get home, and in between maybe Florence and Milan or somewhere else, it will be awesome!!! I am looking forward to it SO much and so thinking of the future in terms of this trip has been really exciting.
But what about the future after June...? I know that I can't wait to get home and see everyone, my famly especially! I can't wait to see Tara walking, see all of my friends and their families... I know it will be great to be home, in my house with all the home comforts I don't have here; like an oven and carpets - I miss carpets!!!!
After that, well who knows, I have so many options and lots of time of time to think about it. I will not waste more time planning and stressing and worrying about what I can't control, I will make my decisions when I need to and try to enjoy the moment. I said TRY!
So, I am off now to eat lots of delicious Italian food as I am hungry!
Monday, 8 March 2010
never have I ever....
Well, another week has gone by, so quickly it seems! They say time flies when you are having fun, or maybe when you work loads! Last week was a very busy week, the first since I got here that I taught every lesson I was supposed to, oh, apart from on Monday when me and Mark got to go to the beach in the sun instead of one of our lessons... hahaha! It was also the week when I gave out my reports to my students and met the parents of my young learners - scary experience! Only one of the adults cried and no children, I am loosing my touch, once I held a record for making the most children cry in one lesson, but I suppose I was a Victorian then!!!
The weekend, was wet and rainy but full of fun as usual!
We have been playing a game, never have I ever, you know the one, you probably played it in school! Well, I have been thinking that Italian life has changed me a lot and now I have done a lot of things I never ever did at home.... not in a bad or naughty way (I was always bad and naughty!!!) but here I have been doing lots of things I have not done before, including a lot of drinking of new drinks. It is not my fault that they don't have Blue WKD here, so I have had to turn to alternative sources, including, amongst other things red wine! I hated red wine all my life, the smell gives me a headache, usually! But here I have been drinking it with my pizza quite happily! Gin, oh my new frend gin, introduced to me by Luisa! I love it now, it goes down like pop (dangerous!)but when I used to work in a bar I hated it, especially with tonic which I still do not like! Weird how things change!
I have changed my bodyclock too though, I used to be in bed by 10.30 every night and although I still love my sleep I have managed to change here to work until 9.30 and stay out til midnight before getting up to work at 9 in the morning, I could never do it before except for quiz night Wednesdays, at the Shep (miss you Tommy)and even then I was always really tired on Thursdays... It is a change for the better obviously, means I can do more, enjoy a life outside of school, otherwise I would only sleep and work.
I Had better go do more work now....
The weekend, was wet and rainy but full of fun as usual!
We have been playing a game, never have I ever, you know the one, you probably played it in school! Well, I have been thinking that Italian life has changed me a lot and now I have done a lot of things I never ever did at home.... not in a bad or naughty way (I was always bad and naughty!!!) but here I have been doing lots of things I have not done before, including a lot of drinking of new drinks. It is not my fault that they don't have Blue WKD here, so I have had to turn to alternative sources, including, amongst other things red wine! I hated red wine all my life, the smell gives me a headache, usually! But here I have been drinking it with my pizza quite happily! Gin, oh my new frend gin, introduced to me by Luisa! I love it now, it goes down like pop (dangerous!)but when I used to work in a bar I hated it, especially with tonic which I still do not like! Weird how things change!
I have changed my bodyclock too though, I used to be in bed by 10.30 every night and although I still love my sleep I have managed to change here to work until 9.30 and stay out til midnight before getting up to work at 9 in the morning, I could never do it before except for quiz night Wednesdays, at the Shep (miss you Tommy)and even then I was always really tired on Thursdays... It is a change for the better obviously, means I can do more, enjoy a life outside of school, otherwise I would only sleep and work.
I Had better go do more work now....
Monday, 1 March 2010
Hapiness is ... blues skies and good friends
I am feeling very happy at the moment; the things I am doing here, the people I am spending my time with and the fact that it is 22 degrees on a February morning with lovely blue skies are helping me to achieve my aim of being happier! A lovely Sunday roast yesterday was the icing on the cake of another great weekend in Catania, with shopping for more shoes, drinking a bit too much and lots of fun playing ‘have you ever?’....
I have had a lot of stress here over my washing machine and power cuts – caused by me using the stupid washing machine which seems to love my clothes so much it never wants to let me remove them! (deep breathe) But the biggest problem I have had recently is whether to wear a cardigan to work so that all of my students, who will be wearing several layers and coats and a scarf, won’t be upset with me and warn me I will get ill!
I have been spending a lot of my time laughing, my students make me laugh, especially the kids. I tell them every lesson I don’t speak Italian but still they tell me all sorts of things in Italian! I have been trying to learn some more Italian (not just the swear words which I was fluently using in the first week!) and have been asking my students to help me. I did the same in Greece and it is a good way to learn, each class tell me something useful or something I ask for and they write it for me, I write it phonetically and the next lesson I say it for them... so far I can just about say what is your name, my name is Claire; do you want a cup of tea, how old are you and how are you? I forget the endings a lot but apparently the Northern accent makes my pronunciation quite good! I am not so sure about that! I feel like I sound ridiculous as the Italian language is so beautiful and when Italians say anything they make it sound beautiful, the way they say Claire with a roll of the r is much nicer than when English people say it! The older students at the schools make me laugh, at Lombardo just for their absolute lack of interest and the way many of the girls spend the lesson applying more mascara! My adult learners are so nice and we have a good time even when talking about grammar!
My friends here make me laugh so much too, I am so lucky in that wherever I have worked I have met wonderful people and here it is no different. Everyone is so nice and we have had so many good nights out and break times at school are made even better by the fact we can have a chat and a laugh and more often than not a bit of a moan about the students or our timetables, but we all know we love it! So, to those of you from the English Study Centre who read this, thank you! Thank you for making me feel so welcome and for making me smile, oh yeah and for making me an alcoholic!!!
I am also lucky that my friends from home and my family are so good, making me smile with texts, emails and Facebook chat sessions! I have not forgotten you and I am glad you haven’t forgotten me! Wow, I really feel happy now thinking about all of the wonderful people in my life. I can only wish that this will last, and that everyone who has had a positive influence on my life is also blessed with happiness.
I have had a lot of stress here over my washing machine and power cuts – caused by me using the stupid washing machine which seems to love my clothes so much it never wants to let me remove them! (deep breathe) But the biggest problem I have had recently is whether to wear a cardigan to work so that all of my students, who will be wearing several layers and coats and a scarf, won’t be upset with me and warn me I will get ill!
I have been spending a lot of my time laughing, my students make me laugh, especially the kids. I tell them every lesson I don’t speak Italian but still they tell me all sorts of things in Italian! I have been trying to learn some more Italian (not just the swear words which I was fluently using in the first week!) and have been asking my students to help me. I did the same in Greece and it is a good way to learn, each class tell me something useful or something I ask for and they write it for me, I write it phonetically and the next lesson I say it for them... so far I can just about say what is your name, my name is Claire; do you want a cup of tea, how old are you and how are you? I forget the endings a lot but apparently the Northern accent makes my pronunciation quite good! I am not so sure about that! I feel like I sound ridiculous as the Italian language is so beautiful and when Italians say anything they make it sound beautiful, the way they say Claire with a roll of the r is much nicer than when English people say it! The older students at the schools make me laugh, at Lombardo just for their absolute lack of interest and the way many of the girls spend the lesson applying more mascara! My adult learners are so nice and we have a good time even when talking about grammar!
My friends here make me laugh so much too, I am so lucky in that wherever I have worked I have met wonderful people and here it is no different. Everyone is so nice and we have had so many good nights out and break times at school are made even better by the fact we can have a chat and a laugh and more often than not a bit of a moan about the students or our timetables, but we all know we love it! So, to those of you from the English Study Centre who read this, thank you! Thank you for making me feel so welcome and for making me smile, oh yeah and for making me an alcoholic!!!
I am also lucky that my friends from home and my family are so good, making me smile with texts, emails and Facebook chat sessions! I have not forgotten you and I am glad you haven’t forgotten me! Wow, I really feel happy now thinking about all of the wonderful people in my life. I can only wish that this will last, and that everyone who has had a positive influence on my life is also blessed with happiness.
Monday, 15 February 2010
So, another week in Catania, full of fun and games, gin and playing pool but today I am not going to talk any more about my drunken weekends, instead I will fill you in on my school days! Yes, I do actually do some work here and I am enjoying it almost as much as the time off!
My week is pretty hectic, I work in the mornings except Mon and Wed at state schools, and the afternoons, at the English Study Centre. Most days I work from about 9 or 10 in the morning til 8 or 9.30 at night but I have a break in the middle for lunch and checking Facebook!
I work at two state schools, the first Lombardo only on a Monday, and I am glad about that! The classes I teach have no teacher present just me, and as I speak no Italian and the kids speak little English we have some fun! The Italian schools are nothing like in England, I thought I used to talk a lot in class but they put me to shame, at least I tried to be a bit quiet... they shout! My first lesson in Lombardo was hilarious and the second, terrible but they did manage to speak some English so at least I made an improvement!!!
The second class I have there are better, they don't speak at all so I get over my headache in the hour and a half of painfully drawing teeth - or making them speak English!
The other state school, Galileo is much better, there are teachers in the class who control the noise levels (a bit) and the kids want to learn a bit more so listen to me and speak. I have met all of my classes just once but they are all really nice and have funny kids and some really interested kids too so much more interesting for me.. I can talk about just about anything I want so we will hopefully have some good lessons in the future.
In the afternoons, I teach at the English Study Centre and really like it here, I have a very small classroom so have to swap about a bit for bigger classes, by big I mean more than 6 (I have a few classes of 8 students). I have 4 kids classes and I love them, there are some naughty/cheeky kids but they make it entertaining, my fave kids are always the cheeky ones, I can't help it! Most of them don't speak much/any Enlish and so it is a lot of games and drawing and sign language, but they are all nice kids.
I also have teenagers and adult classes which is when have to be slighly more serious as they want to pass exams, lots of questions aout grammar and pronunciation and I enjoy it as they ask really varied questions and make me use my brain a little bit (so better try not to destroy all of my brain cells at the weekends...)
So, that is my working week, I like it, I like the variety of ages and abilities, the differences between the different places I work, from a class of 28, 14 year olds who can't listen, to a class of 14 girls who won't speak; to teenage boys who ask if I will try on horse masks in class... yes he had a horse mask in his bag!
It has been good so far and now I have met them all I can get down to real work and help them all which is what I love doing.
My week is pretty hectic, I work in the mornings except Mon and Wed at state schools, and the afternoons, at the English Study Centre. Most days I work from about 9 or 10 in the morning til 8 or 9.30 at night but I have a break in the middle for lunch and checking Facebook!
I work at two state schools, the first Lombardo only on a Monday, and I am glad about that! The classes I teach have no teacher present just me, and as I speak no Italian and the kids speak little English we have some fun! The Italian schools are nothing like in England, I thought I used to talk a lot in class but they put me to shame, at least I tried to be a bit quiet... they shout! My first lesson in Lombardo was hilarious and the second, terrible but they did manage to speak some English so at least I made an improvement!!!
The second class I have there are better, they don't speak at all so I get over my headache in the hour and a half of painfully drawing teeth - or making them speak English!
The other state school, Galileo is much better, there are teachers in the class who control the noise levels (a bit) and the kids want to learn a bit more so listen to me and speak. I have met all of my classes just once but they are all really nice and have funny kids and some really interested kids too so much more interesting for me.. I can talk about just about anything I want so we will hopefully have some good lessons in the future.
In the afternoons, I teach at the English Study Centre and really like it here, I have a very small classroom so have to swap about a bit for bigger classes, by big I mean more than 6 (I have a few classes of 8 students). I have 4 kids classes and I love them, there are some naughty/cheeky kids but they make it entertaining, my fave kids are always the cheeky ones, I can't help it! Most of them don't speak much/any Enlish and so it is a lot of games and drawing and sign language, but they are all nice kids.
I also have teenagers and adult classes which is when have to be slighly more serious as they want to pass exams, lots of questions aout grammar and pronunciation and I enjoy it as they ask really varied questions and make me use my brain a little bit (so better try not to destroy all of my brain cells at the weekends...)
So, that is my working week, I like it, I like the variety of ages and abilities, the differences between the different places I work, from a class of 28, 14 year olds who can't listen, to a class of 14 girls who won't speak; to teenage boys who ask if I will try on horse masks in class... yes he had a horse mask in his bag!
It has been good so far and now I have met them all I can get down to real work and help them all which is what I love doing.
Monday, 8 February 2010
my long weekend of festivities
Wow, there is just so much to write about I don't quite know where to start, but I will try and keep it a bit shorter than last time and just write more often! OK Salvo!
I have been here in Catania for 11 days and I have to say they have been 11 brilliant days. I could not have hoped for more from this experience so far, well maybe a bit more sleep! I have had so much fun, and if you have facebook you can see some photographs of some of the fun I have been having...
This weekend was a religious festival in Catania, the feast of Santa Agata (I think that is spelt incorrectly!) the partron saint of the town. The story goes something like she was here in Catania at the time of the Romans, an important Roman 'wanted' her but she would not give in to him, so he cut of her breasts! They sell cakes called Agata's breasts, they are round with cherries on the top!
Her remains are kept in the cathederal and on this festival they are paraded through the town with hundreds if not thousands of followers, many who wear a white outfit which shows they have been helped by the saint. They carry huge candles so the streets are now covered in wax, as are my boots!
As part of the celebrations the state schools were off for 3 days, and we were also off on Friday. That meant Thursday night food and drink and dancing, Friday night food and drink and dancing and watching a big fireworks display at 4 or 5 in the morning and then saturday night food and drink (and then home as too tired for any more celebrations!)
On sunday we, the teachers and staff of the English Study Centre, were invited to a military base, as two students at the school are helicopter pilots... they cooked us lunch, a big affair with meat and cheese, two pasta dishes, a meat dish, fruit, tiramisu and cakes, and a lot, and i mean a lot, of alcohol!! all served by men in uniform! NICE! I mean for most of the day I had no idea what was going on as everyone was talking Italian but I had fun watching the singing and dancing and may have sung a song or two myself, no photographic/video evidence I am glad to say!!!
All in all a VERY good weekend...
I have been here in Catania for 11 days and I have to say they have been 11 brilliant days. I could not have hoped for more from this experience so far, well maybe a bit more sleep! I have had so much fun, and if you have facebook you can see some photographs of some of the fun I have been having...
This weekend was a religious festival in Catania, the feast of Santa Agata (I think that is spelt incorrectly!) the partron saint of the town. The story goes something like she was here in Catania at the time of the Romans, an important Roman 'wanted' her but she would not give in to him, so he cut of her breasts! They sell cakes called Agata's breasts, they are round with cherries on the top!
Her remains are kept in the cathederal and on this festival they are paraded through the town with hundreds if not thousands of followers, many who wear a white outfit which shows they have been helped by the saint. They carry huge candles so the streets are now covered in wax, as are my boots!
As part of the celebrations the state schools were off for 3 days, and we were also off on Friday. That meant Thursday night food and drink and dancing, Friday night food and drink and dancing and watching a big fireworks display at 4 or 5 in the morning and then saturday night food and drink (and then home as too tired for any more celebrations!)
On sunday we, the teachers and staff of the English Study Centre, were invited to a military base, as two students at the school are helicopter pilots... they cooked us lunch, a big affair with meat and cheese, two pasta dishes, a meat dish, fruit, tiramisu and cakes, and a lot, and i mean a lot, of alcohol!! all served by men in uniform! NICE! I mean for most of the day I had no idea what was going on as everyone was talking Italian but I had fun watching the singing and dancing and may have sung a song or two myself, no photographic/video evidence I am glad to say!!!
All in all a VERY good weekend...
Monday, 1 February 2010
Travel update!
Wow, so I am in Sicily! Where do I start to tell you about my adventure so far? It has only been a few days but it feels like so much has happened already, I will give you a quick synopsis of events! Today (Sunday 31.1.10) I am writing at home and will take this to school to post.
My journey here was very smooth; I flew on time from Newcastle and did not have to pay for the extra 8kgs of luggage I had, found out when I got on the plane that was probably because the other 10 or so passengers were all business people with only hand luggage! Arrived in Brussels and eventually found my way to the gate, the airport is like the metrocentre with loads of floors and shops and weird art and sculptures everywhere. I slept most of the way, only waking for food and a lovely view of the Alps and then as we were descending I woke and got a fantastic view of Mount Etna, covered in snow with wisps of smoke coming from a crater! So cool! I am looking forward to being able to see it again close up, you can get a train or a cable car up it and I really want to do that while I am here.
A lady in black came to collect me, she spoke no English but was being very friendly, her car temp said 16.5* so I was happy! Her driving was scary to say the least, my foot was on the brake the whole journey, but, as she was chatting on her phone and overtaking, I noticed that everyone else was worse, cutting each other up, driving over two lanes... but we made it to my new flat in one piece.
At the flat I met Helen, I was to replace Helen at the school and also in the room she was renting, so I was staying in the spare room until she left. The flat is very basic! Photos on Facebook asap! I have a room with two single beds together to make a double, a desk, sort of drawer thing and a wardrobe (a lot more than the flat in Devicka in Prague!) it also has a door out to a large balcony; then I share a bathroom and kitchen (they say kitchen....) with two women. The worst thing about the flat is that the road outside is very noisy, all day and all night with people tooting their horns at every possible opportunity! I am sure I will get used to it, or as Mam suggested, get earplugs!
I then went to the school to meet my colleagues and learnt that another new person was arriving the same day as me, two people are leaving and so two arriving! The school is nice, a lot of classrooms, a listening lab, a staff room and reception with two lovely Italian secretaries. I met a few classes I will be teaching and then headed back to the flat for a sleep! When I returned to the School I met Mark, the other new teacher and we all went out for drinks and food... there is Lisa, Jacqueline, Diana, Stuart, Luisa, Valeria and Tiziana who work at the school and Duncan and Helen who have now left and we met some students, former students, partners and brothers too! It was a great night, we went to a nice little bar which plays English music, serves nice, cheap, white wine and gives us lots of free snacks!!! Then we went to the restaurant next door which called Saloon and had food (more food I should say!).
On Friday Mark and I went to the state school where we will be teaching to meet the staff and get our timetable sorted, it is like any other secondary school except the kids all arrive on mopeds! And have fashion sense! Then we got our timetables and all of the info we need from the teachers who are leaving and then we went out for more drinks and free food! Oh yeah, somewhere in there I also went to get food, tea and a new SIM and number which I have if anyone wants it!
Saturday was a more relaxed day; I swapped rooms and unpacked then I went for lunch and a look around with Lisa - in the rain. We went to the market and we both bought some boots! Well, I was very sad that I couldn’t bring as many pairs of shoes as I wanted!!! Then I went to Lisa’s for a cup of tea! She is from ‘up north’ too, Cumbria, and is pleased to have a fellow Northerner with her at the school!
When I went home my house mate Tamara, who is Romanian but speaks Russian and Italian too (NO English!) tried to have a conversation with me, which, quite frankly, was hilarious! She showed me how to use the cooker and washing machine which I got but then we spent about 20 mins talking to each other and not having any clue what the other was saying! She tried again today and we established each other’s age; she is 47 and has two children, a son in the Military and a daughter in Moldova at university! She is religious and goes to Church! See my Italian is improving already!!! She is very sweet and hugged me lots! I am hoping to learn some Italian anyway and Luisa is going to give me lessons so hopefully by June we can have a conversation that we both understand!!! Maybe....
So, I am having a nice time settling in, I walked to the sea today and it was gorgeous, clear blue and surrounded by volcanic rock! I am looking forward to starting work at the school and the people I have met are all really nice.
I think that I will be ok here.
My journey here was very smooth; I flew on time from Newcastle and did not have to pay for the extra 8kgs of luggage I had, found out when I got on the plane that was probably because the other 10 or so passengers were all business people with only hand luggage! Arrived in Brussels and eventually found my way to the gate, the airport is like the metrocentre with loads of floors and shops and weird art and sculptures everywhere. I slept most of the way, only waking for food and a lovely view of the Alps and then as we were descending I woke and got a fantastic view of Mount Etna, covered in snow with wisps of smoke coming from a crater! So cool! I am looking forward to being able to see it again close up, you can get a train or a cable car up it and I really want to do that while I am here.
A lady in black came to collect me, she spoke no English but was being very friendly, her car temp said 16.5* so I was happy! Her driving was scary to say the least, my foot was on the brake the whole journey, but, as she was chatting on her phone and overtaking, I noticed that everyone else was worse, cutting each other up, driving over two lanes... but we made it to my new flat in one piece.
At the flat I met Helen, I was to replace Helen at the school and also in the room she was renting, so I was staying in the spare room until she left. The flat is very basic! Photos on Facebook asap! I have a room with two single beds together to make a double, a desk, sort of drawer thing and a wardrobe (a lot more than the flat in Devicka in Prague!) it also has a door out to a large balcony; then I share a bathroom and kitchen (they say kitchen....) with two women. The worst thing about the flat is that the road outside is very noisy, all day and all night with people tooting their horns at every possible opportunity! I am sure I will get used to it, or as Mam suggested, get earplugs!
I then went to the school to meet my colleagues and learnt that another new person was arriving the same day as me, two people are leaving and so two arriving! The school is nice, a lot of classrooms, a listening lab, a staff room and reception with two lovely Italian secretaries. I met a few classes I will be teaching and then headed back to the flat for a sleep! When I returned to the School I met Mark, the other new teacher and we all went out for drinks and food... there is Lisa, Jacqueline, Diana, Stuart, Luisa, Valeria and Tiziana who work at the school and Duncan and Helen who have now left and we met some students, former students, partners and brothers too! It was a great night, we went to a nice little bar which plays English music, serves nice, cheap, white wine and gives us lots of free snacks!!! Then we went to the restaurant next door which called Saloon and had food (more food I should say!).
On Friday Mark and I went to the state school where we will be teaching to meet the staff and get our timetable sorted, it is like any other secondary school except the kids all arrive on mopeds! And have fashion sense! Then we got our timetables and all of the info we need from the teachers who are leaving and then we went out for more drinks and free food! Oh yeah, somewhere in there I also went to get food, tea and a new SIM and number which I have if anyone wants it!
Saturday was a more relaxed day; I swapped rooms and unpacked then I went for lunch and a look around with Lisa - in the rain. We went to the market and we both bought some boots! Well, I was very sad that I couldn’t bring as many pairs of shoes as I wanted!!! Then I went to Lisa’s for a cup of tea! She is from ‘up north’ too, Cumbria, and is pleased to have a fellow Northerner with her at the school!
When I went home my house mate Tamara, who is Romanian but speaks Russian and Italian too (NO English!) tried to have a conversation with me, which, quite frankly, was hilarious! She showed me how to use the cooker and washing machine which I got but then we spent about 20 mins talking to each other and not having any clue what the other was saying! She tried again today and we established each other’s age; she is 47 and has two children, a son in the Military and a daughter in Moldova at university! She is religious and goes to Church! See my Italian is improving already!!! She is very sweet and hugged me lots! I am hoping to learn some Italian anyway and Luisa is going to give me lessons so hopefully by June we can have a conversation that we both understand!!! Maybe....
So, I am having a nice time settling in, I walked to the sea today and it was gorgeous, clear blue and surrounded by volcanic rock! I am looking forward to starting work at the school and the people I have met are all really nice.
I think that I will be ok here.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Arrivederci England, Buongiorno Sicily!!!
So, I am just about set for the big trip tomorrow, just a few things to throw into my bulging case in the morning at 4am! Oh my, I do not like early mornings but with luck, my usual little alarm clock Tara will be screaming at 4 as usual, so I will have less difficulty getting up!!! I am going to miss her so, so, so much but I can honestly say the crying in the night phase is one I am hoping is over by the time I come home!!!
I have spent the last few days, quite honestly, packing and unpacking again and again. I am so bad at packing! I have told my mam that if I do ever decide to go away again, she has to persuade me to go to a tropical destination so all I have to pack are flip flops and bikinis- though I am sure I would go over my allowance even then! I have taken drastic measures today- I took loads of stuff out of my case which was weighing in at about 35Kgs and put it in a box and posted it to myself in Italy!! Seriously, I have! I just cannot do without all of my stuff!!! I never knew I was so materialistic until going to Prague when I bought an extra suitcase of luggage not just extra weight! But it is true, I am, I like my home comforts and my own things.
I know when I get to Italy I will have nothing to wear!!! And I will def look terrible in all of my clothes next to Italian women, and men for that matter, and I will be able to buy things in the shops there and so on but I cannot help it, despite telling myself I would be better this time I know I will be standing at the check in trying to chose the aisle with a man or motherly looking woman to plead with that I am going for 6 moths.... and paying £21 for every 3Kgs in excess!!! There goes my spending money!!!
But, I am heading off in the morning, heading off to a new adventure, a new home and a new job. I am a bit nervous but mostly looking forward to it now.
I can't wait to see my new room and meet the teahers at the school, and of course my students! I love teaching so much, it is somethng I really am passionate about and enjoy doing so how can I not be excited! I can't wait to have some fun times to tell you about... I will write again soon to let you know how I am settling in (and how warm it is! I hope).
Until then, goodnight and goodbye, miss you already...
I have spent the last few days, quite honestly, packing and unpacking again and again. I am so bad at packing! I have told my mam that if I do ever decide to go away again, she has to persuade me to go to a tropical destination so all I have to pack are flip flops and bikinis- though I am sure I would go over my allowance even then! I have taken drastic measures today- I took loads of stuff out of my case which was weighing in at about 35Kgs and put it in a box and posted it to myself in Italy!! Seriously, I have! I just cannot do without all of my stuff!!! I never knew I was so materialistic until going to Prague when I bought an extra suitcase of luggage not just extra weight! But it is true, I am, I like my home comforts and my own things.
I know when I get to Italy I will have nothing to wear!!! And I will def look terrible in all of my clothes next to Italian women, and men for that matter, and I will be able to buy things in the shops there and so on but I cannot help it, despite telling myself I would be better this time I know I will be standing at the check in trying to chose the aisle with a man or motherly looking woman to plead with that I am going for 6 moths.... and paying £21 for every 3Kgs in excess!!! There goes my spending money!!!
But, I am heading off in the morning, heading off to a new adventure, a new home and a new job. I am a bit nervous but mostly looking forward to it now.
I can't wait to see my new room and meet the teahers at the school, and of course my students! I love teaching so much, it is somethng I really am passionate about and enjoy doing so how can I not be excited! I can't wait to have some fun times to tell you about... I will write again soon to let you know how I am settling in (and how warm it is! I hope).
Until then, goodnight and goodbye, miss you already...
Sunday, 24 January 2010
In my home town
How can I have a blog which remembers good times and laughs without mentioning crazy nights out in Winlaton? For those of you who have never been, I probably would not reccommend it, seriously I love it but only because I have been going there since before it was legal for me to go there, I have worked in a bar there and when I go I go with a group of friends who just make it great!
Winlaton, to the untrained eye, is a dump! It is full of men who spend more time in the Turf than their own house and girls who seem to have left their clothes in the house (OK now I am old I can say that, once I was one of those half naked girls...)and the streets are full of fighting yobs and screaching girls pulling hair over some boy and left over pizza boxes on the floor... yes, it is a great place! A great night out!
But I really do miss Winlaton when I am away and always yearn for a blue WKD in the Highlander or Queens and to sing along to the Karaoke in the Commercial! I have had SO many fun nights out there it just makes me happy to think about it. Some great times: St George's Day when we stacked up test tube shots, New Years Eve's spent in the Cannon and Queens, birthdays, Karaoke sessions, large spring rolls, curry chips and egg friend rice, last orders and lock ins, fights and kisses and working in the Vulcan!
In recent times I have seen a lot of changes in Winlaton, not to the decor, or the clientele of these wonderful establishments, but to the way we drink now. Phil stll thinks he can drink like when we were 20 but he is ALWAYS asleep by 11.30 and though he still says we should drink all night, he can't sit up straight enough not to spill his drink by midnight! We still occasionally do shots, but I really pay for it the next day now, how I wish I did not get hangovers, like when I was young!!! Now, we are much more sensible, before you know it we will be in the lounge in the Highlander and we already sit on the 'old side' of the Turf from time to time. Yes, we are growing up but we still fit in to Winlaton, where seriously anything goes... as long as you are local!
How funny it was when Paul was asked, seriously, you are not from round here, are you?! He looked scared! I will never forget that!
Winlaton has a specal place in my heart, it is sad to see things change, the bakers is closed, the sandhill chip shop is now Galaxy pizza and there is a huge big CCTV camera set up in the middle of the street but some things will not change; the people, my friends and the fun times we have when we are together, we laugh, we cry, we get take away and we always come back.
Winlaton, to the untrained eye, is a dump! It is full of men who spend more time in the Turf than their own house and girls who seem to have left their clothes in the house (OK now I am old I can say that, once I was one of those half naked girls...)and the streets are full of fighting yobs and screaching girls pulling hair over some boy and left over pizza boxes on the floor... yes, it is a great place! A great night out!
But I really do miss Winlaton when I am away and always yearn for a blue WKD in the Highlander or Queens and to sing along to the Karaoke in the Commercial! I have had SO many fun nights out there it just makes me happy to think about it. Some great times: St George's Day when we stacked up test tube shots, New Years Eve's spent in the Cannon and Queens, birthdays, Karaoke sessions, large spring rolls, curry chips and egg friend rice, last orders and lock ins, fights and kisses and working in the Vulcan!
In recent times I have seen a lot of changes in Winlaton, not to the decor, or the clientele of these wonderful establishments, but to the way we drink now. Phil stll thinks he can drink like when we were 20 but he is ALWAYS asleep by 11.30 and though he still says we should drink all night, he can't sit up straight enough not to spill his drink by midnight! We still occasionally do shots, but I really pay for it the next day now, how I wish I did not get hangovers, like when I was young!!! Now, we are much more sensible, before you know it we will be in the lounge in the Highlander and we already sit on the 'old side' of the Turf from time to time. Yes, we are growing up but we still fit in to Winlaton, where seriously anything goes... as long as you are local!
How funny it was when Paul was asked, seriously, you are not from round here, are you?! He looked scared! I will never forget that!
Winlaton has a specal place in my heart, it is sad to see things change, the bakers is closed, the sandhill chip shop is now Galaxy pizza and there is a huge big CCTV camera set up in the middle of the street but some things will not change; the people, my friends and the fun times we have when we are together, we laugh, we cry, we get take away and we always come back.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
New Year New Adventure
So, welcome to my blog, the Blog of Laughter and Forgetting.
For those of you who know or care I sort of stole the title from one of my current favourite authors, Milan Kundera, a Czech writer I got to know before deciding to go to Prague last year...
I chose the title because this year it feel that it is important for me to get back to my true self. I want to write more, I want to travel more and I want to learn more, and most of all I really, really want to be happy! I have not been laughing as much as I would like to recently, crying way too much and I want that to change! I want to be the carefree, smiling girl I was not so long ago.
To do that I need to let go of so many things in the past. There are memories I will treasure forever, things I wish I could remember more clearly and friends and family who will never ever be erased... however, I need to stop thinking about the past so much, it has tied me up for the last few years and now I need to forget the bad things, the silly things, the insignificant trivial details and memories which have kept me awake one night too many! I want to forget the past that holds me back, or at least learn to live with it.
Through this blog I hope I will be able to share all of the funny things I see and do, share the happy times I have and in doing so remember those things more vividly and, hopefully, I can look back and see the change happen. I hope you are in for the ride! I can't promise I won't go off the rails at times, have a 'rage black out' or two but I am going to try!!!
As I write this I am planning my next big adventure in life, I have a job in Italy, in the town of Catania in Sicily. I will be leaving in only 9 days and have so much to do... it is all very exciting and just a little bit scary! I left Prague thinking I wanted to be home, and I have loved being here with my lovely family and wonderful friends, they have helped me so, so much! But I have learnt some important things since Christmas 2009, most importantly I have learnt that the people who matter, really matter and care about me, will never forget me just as I will never forget them, they will be here when I come back and they will be there for me whenever I need them just as I would be for them. I will be back home because I love it here!
So, I will try to write often and will try to keep laughing but I will always remember you!
Claire x
For those of you who know or care I sort of stole the title from one of my current favourite authors, Milan Kundera, a Czech writer I got to know before deciding to go to Prague last year...
I chose the title because this year it feel that it is important for me to get back to my true self. I want to write more, I want to travel more and I want to learn more, and most of all I really, really want to be happy! I have not been laughing as much as I would like to recently, crying way too much and I want that to change! I want to be the carefree, smiling girl I was not so long ago.
To do that I need to let go of so many things in the past. There are memories I will treasure forever, things I wish I could remember more clearly and friends and family who will never ever be erased... however, I need to stop thinking about the past so much, it has tied me up for the last few years and now I need to forget the bad things, the silly things, the insignificant trivial details and memories which have kept me awake one night too many! I want to forget the past that holds me back, or at least learn to live with it.
Through this blog I hope I will be able to share all of the funny things I see and do, share the happy times I have and in doing so remember those things more vividly and, hopefully, I can look back and see the change happen. I hope you are in for the ride! I can't promise I won't go off the rails at times, have a 'rage black out' or two but I am going to try!!!
As I write this I am planning my next big adventure in life, I have a job in Italy, in the town of Catania in Sicily. I will be leaving in only 9 days and have so much to do... it is all very exciting and just a little bit scary! I left Prague thinking I wanted to be home, and I have loved being here with my lovely family and wonderful friends, they have helped me so, so much! But I have learnt some important things since Christmas 2009, most importantly I have learnt that the people who matter, really matter and care about me, will never forget me just as I will never forget them, they will be here when I come back and they will be there for me whenever I need them just as I would be for them. I will be back home because I love it here!
So, I will try to write often and will try to keep laughing but I will always remember you!
Claire x
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