In a Nutshell...

To catch you up in just a few words: as of last Monday, I am now giving private English lessons to Neapolitan students aged 7 to 21!

I really enjoy the work. For the most part, the students are very driven to learn, and they perform at much higher levels than I had anticipated. Additionally, I interact with a lot more locals now: I see the homes of my students and speak with their parents, but most of my Italian comes out at the bus stop when I'm commiserating with fellow travelers. (I have been known to wait forty whole minutes for the bus).

I'm tired and still adjusting to my new workload, but I enjoy having a structured schedule again--not to mention those extrinsic rewards I mentioned in my last post! Most of all, it's refreshing to teach again, especially in such a friendly environment. After little more than a week on the job, I can already see the seeds I've planted sprouting away in my students' brains.

It's not always fun and games, though, to scurry from house to house amid raindrops and Neapolitans who are seemingly incapable of hurrying and/or sharing the sidewalk. But the students have a way of making it all go away: this morning, for instance, I was explaining the idiom "in a nutshell" to one of the more advanced ones. When I asked him if he understood, he said with a serious look, "Yes...I think so. So...when you just want the gist of something, you ask your friend, 'tell me a nutshell.'"

I'm really happy to be teaching again.

Napoli: Year in Review

Oggi stiamo festeggiando un anno a Napoli. Today we celebrate one year in Naples!

A lot has happened since we moved to Italy exactly one year ago:

• After years of dating a Navy boy, and the months upon months of separation that went along with that, I finally felt like I had him all to myself.





• By the same token, I finally joined the good ol' Navy Wives Club. That's not an official term, but I capitalized it anyway because the military is certainly a world unto itself. I still have trouble following along when veteran wives pepper their conversations with military acronyms. And no matter how much people try to push it under the rug, your husband's rank follows you everywhere and influences many an interaction. But, much like a college town, the environment on base is a refreshing cross-section of Americana: underneath that little military bubble that links us all, you are surrounded by people from all parts of the world, from all walks of life--and that is very interesting.


• I enjoyed a much-needed sabbatical from teaching. After only two years in the profession, I did not by any means earn this break. But when the opportunity arose, I welcomed it with open, if tired, arms. This year has allowed me to recharge my batteries, enjoy newfound free time alongside a more relaxed hubby, and reflect on the path ahead.


• I became a stay-at-home wife. I'll admit it: I'd always yearned for this. For one, I admired my stay-at-home Mom for the neat home she kept, the Martha Stewart-grade meals that came out of her kitchen, and the constant care and attention she was able to provide us. (To this day, she always makes time to take a phone call from one of the "kids": at the drop of a hat, we can have that childhood-favorite recipe, that elusive important date she stored in her calendar 10+ years ago, or just an empathetic listening ear.) Second, I kind of envied the low stress levels I noticed in friends who didn't work outside the home.
  
  As is usually the case with greener grass, though, once I got to the other side I discovered it was not always a picnic. Don't get me wrong--this past year I have really enjoyed a slower, calmer pace of life. But I have missed certain things about professional life: routine, regular interaction with others... Not to mention that, for me, motivation to clean house--extrinsic or otherwise--is sometimes lacking. Like I always say, I'm a better chef than housekeeper! That said...





• I am slowly perfecting the art of the picked-up house, the daily-made bed, and the promptly-cleared kitchen sink.


• My culinary skills are improving with each repeated recipe, new technique learned, and improvised dish.


• In exploring Naples, I am chasing away my fear of the unknown. I am far from fearless, but I do feel pretty confident navigating the streets of an unfamiliar European city.


• I learned my fourth modern language! My Italian's far from perfect, but somehow I always get pushed into the role of translator...


• We celebrated our first married Christmas at the Vatican. The multicultural Mass was moving and grandiose, and perhaps best of all, included the same recessional played at our wedding:
  
  



• We celebrated our first anniversary with a simple picnic on the balcony. After a lot of traveling and gourmet eating and romantic European living, it was great to relax at home in each other's company. It was perfect.


• We learned to drive--Neapolitan style, that is.





• We got taken advantage of by Neapolitan scoundrels hoping to make a quick buck. We've since learned to be aware 110% of the time...though as the oven repairman once told me, it happens to everyone here--no matter how Neapolitan you are. That made me feel better.


• We made new friends! They are warm and fun and thoughtful. They invite us over for dinner and introduce us to corners of Naples we didn't know about. They lend us books and give us restaurant recommendations and commiserate with us about the constant stares we attract from the locals. We're all in this together.


• We enjoyed extended vacations in Tunisia and the UK.








• I was thrilled to learn that Easyjet offered a direct flight from Naples to Basel. I've since taken advantage of it multiple times and enjoyed several happy reunions, including in September, when we all got together to celebrate my Grandmother's ninetieth birthday!





• We acquired a second bed for the guest bedroom, and were honored that several friends and family members decided to come all the way out here to break it in. Sara, Mom & Dad, Faye & Christian, David & Debbie, Sam: your visits brought us a lot of joy.









• I watched a lot of Little League baseball and was very proud to point out the coach whenever Moms asked me, "which one's yours?"


• I watched a lot of AFN commercials. For those unfamiliar with AFN (which stands for Armed Forces Network), it broadcasts some of the most popular American shows to soldiers stationed overseas. We don't, however, see the same commercials you do. Instead, we get poorly-produced public service announcements which state the obvious...to say the least. After a few days of these spots, you'd think everyone in the military was a depressed, abusive alcoholic with a gambling problem. Here are a couple of awkward, duh-inducing examples:
  
  
  
  

Yes, we have learned and experienced a lot this year--though clearly, we don't attribute any life lessons to AFN commercials!

There's a lot more excitement in store for us here, especially now that we have fully acclimated to life in Naples. I can't wait to experience it all...though the blog is starting to have some trouble keeping up!