Expectations vs. Reality
So far my expectations of the city have not let me down. It's beautiful here! Today is meet the teacher(s) ie: me. I am looking forward to it and will probably feel a little overwhelmed at first, but I think it will be a good meet and greet. I am also looking forward to moving in with my host, Elisabetta on Friday morning! I'll get to meet her daughter Agnese for the first time who is 11 and who I will be teaching English to.
For my expectations, it is really hard to know what all I will be experiencing for the first time before actually getting to the location. From 3 months worth of emails, I had the idea in my head of where I would be living and what I would be surrounded by. In reality, I had to forgo where I was originally planning on living with a room mate and am staying for the first couple of days with the missionaries family. Then on Friday I will be moving in with my host, Elisabetta. She is a single mother who is also a freelance writer. She also manages social projects for companies or public businesses. I got to talking to her a little bit about her and Agnese's everyday routine and I'm really excited about the relationship I will get to build with her. So I will be living right in the city of Chiavari. Pretty much all of it is made up 4 and 5 story apartments. Just a bit of description for those that are wondering. I just found out there are open markets every Friday's in the piazza which I am more than excited for. There is literally a pizza parlour and gelato shop on almost every corner, a lot like the over use of Starbuck's on every block. :)
I got to walk around the area with Mrs. Walti and her friend Johanna, who happens to be from Poland, but has lived here in Chiavari for 15 years. We went into the post office, and then stopped into a butcher/meat shop where I met a friendly shop woman by the name of Anna who pleasantly greeted us, and blew a signature Italian kiss to her friend Johanna. Everyone so far has been very polite and cheerful even though all I can seem to mutter is "Ciao!" I have been able to pick up on bits and bobs of conversations, but weirdly have been wanting to respond in Spanish to everything. I am saying basic phrases when I can. Utilizing my Italian apps on my phone and waking up at 6am to do so. (The 6am wake up is not by choice, but because I had trouble getting to sleep at a reasonable hour, the 3am sleep time in Orlando has transferred me to the 6am wake up time.
Later after the walk about the town, we came home for lunch. Yes, you guessed it. Pasta. I love pasta, the whole world will probably learn that I love pasta, but I can assure you, it is one of my ultimate goals to not gain any weight while I'm here. The more I can walk around everywhere, the more I can enjoy what I'm eating.
Anyways my friends, I hope you enjoy the read. I'll be posting again this weekend. I don't have any pictures on my DSLR yet because I have only been using film. So whenever I get out and about, maybe on my own, I'll try to get some pictures of my day and post them on Saturday or Sunday. I am going to try to post some on YouTube, but we'll see... I don't care for seeing videos of myself. :)
Lastly, anyone who is interested in donating a little bit while I'm here would be greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately, our American dollar doesn't hold much here in Euro form. But because I was informed the other night after arriving that some of the money that I have raised will most likely be apart of fellowship with some of the students, it entails me sometimes paying to take them out to pizza, or ice cream, or other ministry opportunities we go on out of the city, extra money helps out. If you would like to more on that, I would be glad to answer any questions in a personal email either on Facebook or my personal email.
You can still pay through Paypal at wanderlustnomaad@gmail.com
Venmo: Ashante Greenlee
Pay through check: mail it to my personal address and my sister will deposit it into my account for me. (I can send you my personal address in a private message)
Pay in cash: my sister Andia, is also available to receive any donations to deposit into my account
So if you happen to see my sister at church and you would like to give her the money she will make sure to take care of it getting to me. The easier ways for a direct transfer will probably be Venmo and Paypal.
For my expectations, it is really hard to know what all I will be experiencing for the first time before actually getting to the location. From 3 months worth of emails, I had the idea in my head of where I would be living and what I would be surrounded by. In reality, I had to forgo where I was originally planning on living with a room mate and am staying for the first couple of days with the missionaries family. Then on Friday I will be moving in with my host, Elisabetta. She is a single mother who is also a freelance writer. She also manages social projects for companies or public businesses. I got to talking to her a little bit about her and Agnese's everyday routine and I'm really excited about the relationship I will get to build with her. So I will be living right in the city of Chiavari. Pretty much all of it is made up 4 and 5 story apartments. Just a bit of description for those that are wondering. I just found out there are open markets every Friday's in the piazza which I am more than excited for. There is literally a pizza parlour and gelato shop on almost every corner, a lot like the over use of Starbuck's on every block. :)
I got to walk around the area with Mrs. Walti and her friend Johanna, who happens to be from Poland, but has lived here in Chiavari for 15 years. We went into the post office, and then stopped into a butcher/meat shop where I met a friendly shop woman by the name of Anna who pleasantly greeted us, and blew a signature Italian kiss to her friend Johanna. Everyone so far has been very polite and cheerful even though all I can seem to mutter is "Ciao!" I have been able to pick up on bits and bobs of conversations, but weirdly have been wanting to respond in Spanish to everything. I am saying basic phrases when I can. Utilizing my Italian apps on my phone and waking up at 6am to do so. (The 6am wake up is not by choice, but because I had trouble getting to sleep at a reasonable hour, the 3am sleep time in Orlando has transferred me to the 6am wake up time.
Later after the walk about the town, we came home for lunch. Yes, you guessed it. Pasta. I love pasta, the whole world will probably learn that I love pasta, but I can assure you, it is one of my ultimate goals to not gain any weight while I'm here. The more I can walk around everywhere, the more I can enjoy what I'm eating.
Anyways my friends, I hope you enjoy the read. I'll be posting again this weekend. I don't have any pictures on my DSLR yet because I have only been using film. So whenever I get out and about, maybe on my own, I'll try to get some pictures of my day and post them on Saturday or Sunday. I am going to try to post some on YouTube, but we'll see... I don't care for seeing videos of myself. :)
Lastly, anyone who is interested in donating a little bit while I'm here would be greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately, our American dollar doesn't hold much here in Euro form. But because I was informed the other night after arriving that some of the money that I have raised will most likely be apart of fellowship with some of the students, it entails me sometimes paying to take them out to pizza, or ice cream, or other ministry opportunities we go on out of the city, extra money helps out. If you would like to more on that, I would be glad to answer any questions in a personal email either on Facebook or my personal email.
You can still pay through Paypal at wanderlustnomaad@gmail.com
Venmo: Ashante Greenlee
Pay through check: mail it to my personal address and my sister will deposit it into my account for me. (I can send you my personal address in a private message)
Pay in cash: my sister Andia, is also available to receive any donations to deposit into my account
So if you happen to see my sister at church and you would like to give her the money she will make sure to take care of it getting to me. The easier ways for a direct transfer will probably be Venmo and Paypal.
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