Don't they look cute together on our no longer very white couch? Unfortunately this is not going to be a long update because I am way behind on lots of things I have to do. Including updating my blog. So, I'll just stick to the basics and won't start monologuing again - although who knows what happens when I start writing!
Let's start with a little work update. I am a little less swamped this month because I'm trying to avoid another physical breakdown - seriously, I hadn't been ill since high school before last month, and even then it was usually just an excuse not to have to go to school. The last two weeks I've been testing my students at CTL and all of them who were present at the test passed which makes me happy. Mike, the director of studies at that company, is moving to Australia and I'm a bit sad to see him go. He's a nice guy, which is something I can't say for his replacement who is a big, fat, loud Italian with a fake American accent and a horrible use of English. Needless to say, I don't like this person very much but I'm professional enough not to let that get in the way of what needs to be done. And besides, he says he's going to talk to the boss to get us all CELTA courses (official international teaching qualification comparable to TEFL, usually between 1500 and 2500 euros) and seems to value my input and accept most of my suggestions. We'll see what will come of that. I've also started a new course with a woman I like very much, her name is Paola and she works for a cinematographic design firm although she's really an Italian teacher. Even though her lessons are at 9am twice a week, I'm enjoying them very much!
The weekend before last, Olaf went to Izmir for a conference which he enjoyed very much. I had deliberately kept this weekend to myself in order to be able to do some thinking and relaxing. And it was good. I'd really been looking forward to my own personal Pride & Prejudice marathon, which is a miniseries Olaf doesn't like very much even though it has much to be appreciated. On Saturday, I met up with Nina and Antonio and we went for a lovely aperitivo at Yguana where I'd never been before. After some good food and interesting conversations, we met up with Belinda and Melina at a live TRL concert at Piazza Duomo. The concert sucked but we enjoyed some cocktails in a far too expensive bar. The rest of the weekend I spent in bed, on the couch, working out and eating the way I like to eat. I love Olaf's cooking, but I sort of did miss my own traditional penne with red sauce. Belinda also asked me to be her 'Matron of Honour' for her wedding next week. I am obviously extremely honoured to do this and am very happy that Belinda considers me to be matron-like! No seriously, am I???
Last weekend was our free weekend (we keep one weekend a month to ourselves, that is without visitors, to be able to spend some quality time together as this still is the only time we get to see each other), so of course we planned lots of things with other people. On Friday we went to Mike's goodbye party, which also turned out to be Becks' (his wife's) birthday party. It was dress to impress but we didn't really want to dress up. So I wore my grey 70s porn trousers with a white shirt and a grey tie and Olaf wore his black trousers, a white shirt and a black tie. This way we looked like 'Jut and Jul' - for which there is no good English translation, as it turns out - and told people we were a Dutch proverb. There was a guy who had just come back from Russia and who had brought a gigantic bottle of vodka which really needed to be finished that evening. Obviously, I felt called upon and drank way too much. I got the scare of my life at that party when Caroline (my boss at Corporate English and a friend of Mike and Becks') walked in - she was dressed as a bum with a dirty beard, old glasses and was wearing this big raincoat. I didn't recognise her but then she walked up to me and suddenly opened her raincoat. Underneath she was wearing nothing but a small shirt and hotpants with a fake dick attached to it. I swear I almost puked right then and there. We obviously went home way too late and way too drunk. The next day we were invited to Astrid's birthday party in her oversized villa in Brescia, which her family apparently only uses once in a while. You can find more pictures on Olaf's weblog, I was just amazed and jealous. The party was lovely but I was still a bit hungover from the day before and we hitched a ride home with people at 10.30 pm. We tried to stay up for a little while when we arrived home but couldn't keep our eyes open anymore.
The view from Astrid's garden (on the outskirts of Brescia, near the Alps)
Astrid and her mother, a lovely woman and had done all the cooking herself
Olaf and me with Fernanda, one of Olaf's colleagues
The day after that Olaf spent the whole day in the kitchen preparing sushi for the both of us and for Felix and Annaig, two friends who were coming over that Sunday evening. Thus, our weekend to ourselves was filled with lots of people anyway.
April consists of too many public holidays which only cost me money (as I get paid by the hour, I don't get paid when I can't work because all companies are closed). First it was Easter, Tuesday is Labour Day (as far as I remember we used to work on Labour Day in Holland, but I'm not sure) and today it's Liberation Day. As a result of having so many public holidays close to each other, many people take the rest of the time off and go on a short holiday to enjoy the spring sun. Which means that many of my courses on the days between these holidays get cancelled and I don't get paid for those either! And seriously, why do the Italians needs a Liberation Day? In case this wasn't clear yet, this is the day when Italy celebrates their liberation from the Germans and fascists at the end of World War II. Apparently, the official version of history being taught in this country is that Italy was invaded by the Germans and fascists and liberated by the allied forces. That's not how I remember it from my history lessons... The Nile certainly isn't just a river in Egypt!!!!
Ciao, Fe
PS I'm going to be in Nijmegen the weekend of 12th and 13th May and I hope to see a lot of you then!
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