Parlano Italiano? ..No, in fact little or none. This is maybe an overlooked aspect of my trip to Italy; yes they do actually speak Italian here, and my English language suave is not carrying me the whole way. But, details, details....the good thing about Italy is that these folks are fluent in hand gesture, which I can certainly speak myself.

Now, to get down to it. I came in around 3pm sunday afternoon and was picked up at the airport by a woman who works at our company. We found our way to Saviano, which is where I'm now living. Saviano is a small town that is about a 40 minute train ride from Naples, and it is about 20 minutes by public transport from our workplace. The trains and busses are no where near as good as the system in Canada (for instance, there are no bus schedules or route maps, it just comes when it comes...usually around the same time each day, but this type of variability is something you just have to get used to expecting....). I think Saviano is beautiful, but I guess if you've been living there long enough, like the people I have spoken with, you end up seeing it differently....but for me, four months will probally not taint my image of this wonderful place.

I live in an apartment/villa with my Manal, my coworker from Canadia; the apartment is owned by a family whose house is attached to the place...I would describe the whole deal more accurately as a compound...theres a gate at the front for cars and people, there are three muts who 'guard' the place (loosely using guard because they run away if you yell at them, so they're only really there for barking) and the total of the three apartments/houses is one huge building (one section is lived in by the grandfather/grandmother/greataunt, one is lived in by the daughter, and one by Manal and I). We all share a garden which has orange trees, lemon trees, and a walnut tree. The family is terrific and really old school Italian….by which mean when Manal and I came home one day at 9pm, the whole family was outside wondering where we were and waiting for us…grandma (‘Dia’), pleaded with us that we call next time we’re late…so now we have a cell phone (given to us by our landlord, the son, Antonio) so that we can call when we’re going to be home later……Really, I feel blessed to be in such good, loving hands….even though I can’t understand much that is said, both Manal and I have been accepted wholeheartedly.

I have infact taken some pictures, and I will be sharing them as soon as I get the chance. It will really help to understand where I live. But for now, I’m at work and should get back to doing things. This weekend, I plan to head out to Naples and to see the Mediteranian. I also want to climb up Mt. Vesuvio and travel to Sorrento and Amalfi….but there is still a lot of time left for me here…

Ciao from Italy,
P  ¶ 02:42