Off to Venezia!

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Hello all!

Well as some of you may already know, I am leaving at the end of this December I will be moving to Venice, Italy to start up the experience of a lifeitme as an Au Pair for two very adorable bambini Italiani! This is why I have decided to unearth this old blog, something I started 2 years ago when I first travelled to magical Europe. I have regrettably not written a blog since, and in fact did not do a very good job of keeping it up the first time around. However, this trip I will be taking my communication devices with me and this should make the writing process alot easier! Basically I really have no more excuses as to why I can't be writing now. The problem for me I find is that sometimes we just get too busy to sit down and record our thoughts & memories. Often the experience itself is so captivating, and even overwhelming, that we forget to slow down and fully embrace the moment for what it is.
As someone who always enjoyed writing as a child, and in school, I have often give myself a hard time for not pursuing this interest further. Many people in my life encouraged me to blog while I was in Spain two years ago, and a part of me really wanted to, but when you are walking the countryside with no form of electronics it can push you to further step away from the 'connectivity' of the world. This time around however, I will actually be jumping off the deep end by fully moving to Italy and immersing myself in the daily life and culture of the Venetian people. This means that I will have alot more time on my hands to fill, and I think that blogging is just the outlet I will need to feel connected and in touch with the rest of you here back at home!
I am fairly unsure of what to expect this time, its not as if I have a pre-planned trip, with a set timeline or schedule of what is about to occur. No, this time I am booking a one-way ticket and taking the leap of faith hoping that this Au Pair experience will be just the thing I need to further my 'work education' outside of the classroom. In fact so far none of it has gone exactly the way I thought it would, seeing as how when I first began the process I was a) looking to go back to Spain and b) was searching for families with mostly little girls who I could easily bond with and become close to.Well it turns out that I was entirely wrong about this.. and the universe had instead a very different idea of what this trip would look like. So how did it all begin? One day I simply had the thought that the best way to go back to Europe on an affordable budget was to work while travelling, and voila the idea to become an Au Pair was born. Ten minutes later I had registered online with an agency and literally the very next day I began receiving emails from Alessia, my future Mama Italiana. The world amazes you sometimes when you stumble upon a 'meant to be' type moment, and for me meeting the familia di Collauto was just that feeling!
Alex (Alessia), Micky (Michele) and their two young sons, Marco (aged 4) and Paolo (aged 1) seem to be just the family I was looking for indeed! Both parents are two of the warmest and loving people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and have already made this experience a joy for me. The process of acquiring a VISA to work in Italy has been no easy task, my first taste of the true slow-natured pace of things in a country lost in the past. The family however has been immensely supportive and helpful and I am ever grateful for this! The real kicker though, Marco their oldest son, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes only 6 months ago, and this is part of why they so desperately wished for me to become their Au Pair. I too have been Diabetic since the young age of 10, and therefore this is a major part of what my future job will entail. I am going to help both Marco and his parents learn the ropes of a life with Diabetes, something that I myself struggle with on a daily basis. But it has never occured to me prior to this how hard it must be for such a young boy to be given such a huge responsibility, especially when he is almost too young to fully grasp what is going on and why it is happening to him. I truly hope that this is a part of the trip which also helps me to grow as a person, and to become a positive and influential role model for Marco in his life.
As you can probably tell I am just a little bit over-excited by all of this. It has happened so quickly and almost without thought that some moments I need to just step back and remind myself that everything is going to be alright. It is a scary thing moving to a foreign country, especially when as of now I speak very little of the language and am completely in the dark with the cultural customs and ways of the Venetian people. I am however beyond optimistic that this journey is going to be a huge motivator for personal growth and education. I may not be in a standard classroom, but I have no doubt I will be learning hundreds of new things each day. And lets be honest, who can complain about living in the cappucino-drinking, Prosecco-loving, easy-going lifestyle that is Italy? The nervousness and anxiety are most definitely outweighed by my sheer curiousity to be immersed in a world that is by far one of the most different than my own. Is it strange that I am even excited to wake up each morning to the slightly stinky smell of the salt water & sea rolling off of the briny waters of the lagoon?

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Photos

Alex & Paolo
Alex & adorable baby Paolo

Paolo & Marco
Paolo & Marco

Mi Famiglia Italia
Alex, Michele, Marco & baby Paolo. Mi famiglia Italia!

P&M
Paolo & Marco. Could these little boys be any cuter?!

Venezia
The rooftops of Venice, what a gorgeous view!

Venezia
The beauty of Serrenissima ("The Serene One") at night!

Comments

[Auntie Sharon]

Venezia! Wow!!
I will be looking forward to all your comments Brittany. I wish you all the very best that this leg of your journey!