Week 8 (and all up to date!)

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Week 8
March 9-March 15 ~ Group B with Vic, Sophie, and Eoghan

On Sunday I got an e-mail from my father loving poking fun at my lack of formatting in these entries. I believe he put it as “working my way though possibly the worlds longest paragraph”. So I will do my best this week to break up my thoughts for your reading comfort.

Monday: everyone slept well and we enjoyed having a self catering flat where we could cook a warm breakfast. Yes I also eat breakfast now, changes changes. Made myself a lovely egg white omelet, and a cup of tea. Slightly nicer then my usual: yogart, cerial bar, and piece of fruit. Had a nice, though slightly disorganized day at a school in Vechenza. The hallways were full of crafts, newspaper articles, and murals. It was a very happy building. The show went well. The teachers seemed a little flustered trying to organize all the children. But for the most part everyone was lovely. The only annoying kid, wouldn’t you believe it was a little American girl, Julia. She just would not be quiet, Vic and I had to keep asking her not to translate for the others, and when she wasn’t talking she was clinging to me. Not in a cute was. The teachers got us a lovely little snack. Around 1pm/13:00 we left for Ordezo. However, there is a new highway that TomTom doesn’t know so we spent a little while with a good ol’ fashioned map trying to figure out what direction to head in until TomTom came back on line. We found the B&B quite easily. Two rooms on the second floor of a strange middle aged women’s house, with all the typical pluses and minuses. Chocolates on our pillows and lots of nice extras in the bathroom, but creepy dolls mounted on the walls as decoration and a general since that you were always being listened to and watched. Not really sure if you should feel like a guest or a customer. She made her own clothes and despite the décor was generally quite a nice lady. Chilled out for a little bit - I, feeling hormonal, eat WAY too much. It all started with the one chocolate on my pillow, which would have been fine had I not then notice that entire dish of chocolates next to the bed. Sophie, Vic and I walked into Ordezo later in the afternoon. We saw the “fine bell tower” as described in Lonely Planet, and got gelato, which I wanted and enjoyed but certainly did not need. This is Vic’s and my third time in Ordezo, so we were starting to remember where things were. It was kind of nice for a change. Started to get cold and walked back to the B&B. As we did we started planning all the food we wanted to cook next week as we will be in the flat everyday. After deciding to have a sushi (which Vic has never tried) and smoothie (which Vic, Katie, and I got last time we were in Vechenza, as the Brits would say, “they were just lush!”) day tomorrow in Vechenza, which I don’t think I will participate in for financial purposes. We decided that: Hummus, Falafel, Leek and Potato Soup, Fajitas, and Curry have all made the list. Watched an episode of Family Guy, thank you to Eoghan and Vic for bringing them along. Vic and I then when out to barrow the wireless signal from Al Gallo, as the password is still programmed onto our computers. When I checked my e-mail Saul (the Mexican marathon runner, I eat dinner with last Friday) had sent me a message on Couch Surfing saying that he was looking for a kitchen to make a big Mexican dinner in for him, his friend, and five other people). So maybe that will not only take care of fajitas but get all four of us fed one evening. Haven’t had a chance to see his reply but hoping that Mexican is in the cards for next week. Went back to the B&B, another drawback with staying in people’s homes is that often you don’t get a key, so you don’t really feel comfortable staying out late. So just had a little chat with Vic and worked my way through a little more of “Waiting for Godot”.

Tuseday: we did a show two shows in Ordezo. We did not return to the yucky school Vic and I have worked at twice now. We went to an elementary school and did “Three Little Brothers” for the youngest ones, and “Peter Pan”. The little one’s were VERY little and didn’t speak English very well at all. I always find the six, seven year old groups the toughest. I don’t think I have that, I love little kids thing, and I get frustrated that we can’t do more interesting things and I think they since I’m a little unsure of myself with them as I am teaching. Peter Pan was good. Had a HUGE audience again and the workshops were quite large about thirty five kids for each of us, but my group was the highest level. Ten, eleven and twelve years old. They listened well and we had quite a nice fourty five minuets together. The teacher filmed bits of both of the shows which I hope I can get copies of to send to a TIE company in India called Yellow Cat. Got a lovely reply to an inquiry e-mail from them in January and they said that they would love to have someone like me, that my resume looked good and could I please send them some film of my work with children. Lingue had said they would send Jake out to film some of our shows, but don’t really havn’t yet to my knowledge and I do not believe they have any footage of me other than from seminars: in which I am performing to adults. Both shows went well, and around lunch we got back in the car to go back to Vechenza for smoothies, sushi, and sun. The weather has been awesome all week. Tomtom got us a little lost again, but we made it back to the Professors before too late in the day. Shared a pineapple with Vic for lunch. Walked around a bit and sat with everyone for smoothies and ice cream. None for me, no weightwatchers points, thanks to my binge on Monday evening in Ordezo, and trying to stretch my last ten euro’s and the change jingling around in the bottom of my bag (which in euro’s can be a little bit and 1 and 2 euro’s are in coin form, just now getting use to thinking of coins as real money) out until Friday pay day. Walked back to the hotel. Feeling a little off today, not living up to my goal of being in the moment and sharp all week, which I told Vic was what I wanted to concentrate on this week. Had a little nap. Served as a sushi consultant and then made some pasta for dinner and Wednesday while the girls went to Zushi. There are only three sushi restaurants in Vechenza. We happened to be staying about 500meters from one of them. After dinner took myself for a fourty minuet run/fast walk. My knee’s have been hurting and I don’t want to push them too hard, especially on concrete and in a place as hilly as Vechenza. After everyone was done cooking food for the rest of the week, when you are on tour and you have a self catering flat you take advantage. All of us cuddled up on Sophie’s and my bed and watched “The King of Comedy” a Martin Scorzaie (probably not spelled correctly) with Robert Deniro. Hadn’t seen it. It’s no “Taxi Driver” but it was still good.

Wednesday: We went to the other Vechenza school. Also had lovely morals on the outside and lovely kids. Like on Monday we did one show, “The Gift” and did three workshops for pretty large groups of kids. Vic and I worked together as they preferred to divide the groups into three’s rather than fours. Nice groups of kids: my favorite kid was a little boy named “Illya” who spoke really good English (even though he and both his parents are Italian). His favorite sport was mini golf, he wore little blue glasses, and he was SO excited about the whole day, he told us Thank you Thank you Thank you, and said “you are a real show girl” - I didn’t explain the double meaning of show girl. There was also a special needs student in our third group and without asking and without seeming to mind in the slightest two of the older girl students helped the special needs kid the entire time. Helping her with running across the room, letting her sit on their lap when we were playing a game called fruit salad, which involves switching chairs and trying not to be the last person left without a chair. Two of them helped so that it odiously something that at least several of the kids did. They held her hand throughout all of Simon Says, which I play as Please. It was really really heart warming. They school fed us lunch. School pizza, which I skipped, ham and carrots. After lunch we drove two hours and forty minutes to a little no wear town called Savignano sul Rubicone. Did the first half of the driving and while Sophie did the second half I started catching up with my blogging. No internet at the hotel. But hoping to steal some of Sophies pictures tonight (the new photo’s I stole from Eoghan on Monday and uploaded outside Al Gallo), and getting some iTunes off Vic’s computer. I can’t believe it. I’m actually caught up! Date: March 11, 2009 Time: 6:34pm/18:34. WOW! Been trying to get to this spot for over three months! Feels good to be getting things done! Going to take myself out for a walk now, maybe start Alice In Wonderland on my iPod and see what’s doin in the fields and on the one street here. It’s been a very very nice day. I am having such a nice time with everyone and enjoying myself and how much everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves. Correction: this is not a little hick town. My six chapters of “Alice and Wonderland” long walk, I would guess about an hour, has taken me past a circus tent, lots of churches, lovely homes, shops, cobblestone walkways, it’s quite a lovely town - we just seemed to drive in from the rural end.

Thursday: Had a lovely normal day. Had a really cake-a-luscious breakfast. The teachers at the school were quite nice. One of them spoke with an American accent because her fella is from Chicago! We did two shows of Addams Family for third media student s (13-15 year olds). Both groups I did workshops with were really nice. After had a three and some hour drive to Atri. On the way we discovered that F did not let us know that we weren’t supposed to arrive at 5pm/17:00. So we decided to stop in Senigallia. We stopped and had our lunch on the beach. Still have sand in my shoes but it’s more of a nice reminder then a bother. Around three we left and drove the rest of the way to Atri. Then after another hour of trying to figure out where to meet the owner of the B&B and driving on and off crazy unpaved country roads. After all the rigmarole was sorted out, where we were staying, where to meet the women who owned the B&B we finally arrived at Rifugio del Falcon. A beautiful B&B set back in the hills, on an organic farm. The owner, Rafiella, served us organic homemade fruit tea. We all got a good evenings practice in with our Italian as she patently spoke with all of using very very little English next to the fire. Her and her husband were very interested in all of us. She is a artist, farmer, music therapist, teacher, B&B owner and her husband sells olive oil and helps run the B&B. She invited all of us to come back and do English Teaching/Theatre for a summer camp her university students are having in Atri. I would lie if I said I wasn’t thinking about it. In the summer the B&B is quite a happening spot, lots of art collaborations and shows. Guest pay a pretty penny to live and relax in the country for a little while. I can see why -the landscape was amazing. In the city of Atri you can stand on one end of town and in the same panorama snowy mountains, rolling hills, city, farms, and the sea.

Friday: A pretty good day considering it was Friday the 13th. We woke up early on Friday. I had a little jog/wander around. The frost got my shoes wet. At 7:20 we sat down to an AMAZING organic breakfast. Yogurt, honey, homemade marmalade, lots of biscuits, loose tea to mix yourself (had white, green, red and jasmine -YUM), cheese, salami, wheat bread, olive oil, and a sweet breakfast tort. We rolled away for school at 8:20 and spent the morning in a media school in Atri. Did two shows of the Gift (Blah). After we had a little wander around the city. The weather was beautiful. Looked into the newly restored gothic cathedral. Then Sophie and I split the 3 ½ hour drive to Bologna. We were done with work for the week, but asked for the company to put us up in Bologna for the evening so we didn’t have to drive 5 ½ hours back to Milano on Friday night. Arrived around 6pm/18:00. We stayed at a B&B with the most lovely owner. She was sweet and funny and treated all of us like her children. Originally Sicily and didn’t speak any English. We went out in the evening for a drink and dinner. Bologna is a cool city. Very old. Amazing architecture in the city center. Lots of students, and the city hosts a cool alternative art scene and has the biggest gay Italian community (according to Lonely Planet). We eat Bolognese, which Bologna is famous for. Checked out a couple bars around the Piatza Maggore. No crazy adventures. Not even that much chatting with the locals but great boho sheek fun. Other then eating too much this week and having to stay off my knee (which means not jogging too much) this week has been FAB!

Saturday: Got up around 9 for breakfast. Spent the most of the day in Bologna. Took the bus in together. Walked thought the artist market with Sophie and Vic. Two euro bra’s! Hand crafted leather flower pins! Vintage clothing! Tie Die! Big purple plastic sunglasses! Cheap /possibly stolen makeup! Woopey! Had a lovely salad for lunch at a café and met back up with Eoghan. Did some wandering around on my own. The weather was cloudy in the morning but by noon the sun was out and not a cloud in the sky. Wish I had my own camer back. (Thanks to Eoghan for letting me lift his until mine gets back here to me). Went into the big cathedral. Saw the fountain of Neptune, 300 yrs old. Went into a cool building in the Piatza Maggore and looked at a bunch of art and science exhibits. Got a few “bits and bobs” from shops, just little things I need, glue stick, mascara etc. Probably spent too much money today but as long as I’m carful for the rest of the week, I will be fine. Took the bus back to the car at 4pm/16:00. Driving back to Milano now. Did the first 1 ½ hour leg. I love this group. We travel well together. Hope to return to Bologna. I really like the cities vibe and would be interested in taking a walking tour or something, so I could appreciate everything I was looking at. Lots of people with dreadlocks or carrying instruments. Lots of happy looking people outside just sitting on the sidewalk enjoying the afternoon, and maybe a gelato. Honestly don’t even feel like I have a since of the city I only was in and around Piatza Maggore, but from what I’ve seen I like it! 

UPDATES
Weight: Didn’t do very good sticking to Weight Watchers this week. Hormonally over eat on Monday in Ordezo and spent a lot of the week trying to make up for it. Had lots of good eating though: organic breakfast on Friday, picnic on the Beach, Bolognese in Bologna. Will weigh in tomorrow, but was so excited to be up to date with my blog that I wanted to post tonight. Will be in Milnao all week so hope to have some more time on the interenet.

Fitness: Did some good walking this week. Had a dance session with Vic and Sophie. But I didn’t tire myself our sweat much.

Mood: Told Vic I wanted to be really in the moment this week and to be sharp. Didn’t come close. Been feeling a little sensitive and my mood was up and down. More positive than negative but felt kind of weird all week.

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Photos

Sushi night
in Vechenza on Wednesday

Atri
at sundown

Funny Grafitti
even funnier because the show we did was the gift and the main characters name is Mark

Fridaynight out
me on the bus in Bologna

Beds
in our flat in Milano