photo link

I tried to find a way to add links but couldn't so would someone please tell me? In the meantime, one of my new friends is a semi-amateur photographer and her pictures of Sicily are beautiful. If you would like to look, her website is www.capturephotoart.com Well worth the look.

House hunting

While I've been at work Bob's been traveling with the housing office looking at possible places for us to live. Many are nice. Almost all apartments. Many people who have any money will buy a multi-family unit so their married sons and daughters will have a place to live. There is much unemployment so security is very high and all places (that have approval of the US military) have gated parking, walls or security fencing around the property and security doors. Parking in these tiny lots is very difficult. Cars in tiny spaces the size of ...well, I have no comparison. Just picture sardines.

Bob thought about a House Boat ..... it will need a little work .. but, who knows....it might be fun.

Today on my lunch/planning period we went out to meet a young man who took us to see a duplex. His parents live on one side and the other side (the Main side) is for rent. There's a big gate going into the property and another into the drive. A brother lives in the only other house on the many acres of land.

There is a lot of good things about this place. It's quiet and clean, in an orange grove and has Olive trees, easy access to the base, an above ground pool in the summer and even a gardener. A fireplace, big kitchen, wonderful large doors for great summer breezes. The father and mother who live in the other side are only a bit older than us, they say they would gladly trade Italian lessons for English.

What really got Bob interested was when the father, Giuseppe, walked over and picked a couple of olives off a tree and by gestures and Italian (we could understand a few words........amazing since yesterday it was a week since we landed) that if you squash them and soak them in water for two or three weeks you have a great oil. Okay...so we understood water and oil and the number 2. We really need those lessons.

He also indicated we would be welcome to pick some olives or oranges when we wanted. By the way, the oranges will be ripe in a few weeks. They're just beginning to turn orange.

The minuses are that the bedrooms are a little small. One of the three would only fit a twin-sized bed. We also wouldn't be near other Americans to walk up and meet for Saturday breakfast (but it's only a ten minute drive). The worst part is that it's been really nice to have the little shops right there to pick up meat, bread and produce for dinner or run downstairs to the store right below us to get some of that wonderful orange juice.

We are also a little hesitant because we just got here and know so little we don't know anything about getting a place. (I guess we have to learn sometime) We're really just in the looking stage and have seven more weeks that we could look before we have to get out of the temporary housing.

So.......look at the pictures and tell us what you think.

Something's missing from my book

If you are coming to Italy I would highly recommend Rick Steves' book on Italian phrases and important words. It is compact, inexpensive, and has just about anything you would need to ask........what more could you need?..................An interpretation for the answers you'll get.

When you ask "Quanto costa?" (how much does it cost?) you'd better have your finger on the money or counting page because you won't understand "Cinque novanta." (5.90) pronounced "cheenkway novahntah". It gets even worse when you ask the Rick Steves phrase "Is there a good restaurant nearby?" You'll never understand the answer.

It doesn't really matter, though. If you're trying, the folks here are very gracious and most things can be communicated through a combination of choppy Italian and gestures. We are very thankful for those gracious Italians.

By the way, here's a picture of the "giardino" (garden) of one of the possible places to live where Bob looked today. Those fruits are pomegranates (sp) and the owner picked one (actually, the one at the top of the three in front)and gave it to Bob. We're eating fresh pome....., fresh fish, and bakery fresh bread for dinner tonight. Each bought from a local shop. I love Italy.

New story

OK . I got the pics to post .. so you can read the next post ... and it will be new to you ..

Dad


Blogger isn't allowing me to upload images right now so I'll tell a non-photo story for now and save the one I just wrote as a draft to send later.

In Sicily, there isn't a lot of wood but there's a lot of stone and marble so that's what the floors are made of. Since Americans are used to carpet there is (of course) a little guy with a truck of carpets stationed at the corner outside the gates of the Naval Base.

Just for the experience of buying from a guy with a truck, Bob and I stopped to look. After finding just the right 6' X 10' rug, we did a little dickering on the price. He started at 150, we started at 80 Euros. Got him to 85 Euros and were so proud. So....... I went back to the car to get the money. Between the time I left him and got to the car to get the money out, I forgot the price and handed him 95 Euros. That's some rug!! Or some tip!! Today we checked the price of rugs at the NEX (Naval Exchange)......let's just say I really love that rug.

Miss you greatly. I find myself having a difficult time emotionally just now but I think that will change when we can talk to the kids and grandkids.

Pictures of our adventure driving in Sicily

First of all, anyone will tell you Sicily is not Italy. Both sides of the mainland agree. Second of all, road maps for Sicily are totally useless as the roads rarely have identification signs.

So, that said, Bob and I took off on Saturday morning to go to the beach...how hard can that be--we're on an island. No map mentioned a beach so we just headed toward Catania then planned to turn south on the road that skirted the water. Found Catania---did not find "beach road". After driving around for quite awhile not knowing where we were going, we decided to wait until someone could show us or tell us where to find a beach. So we headed back toward Motta. And we headed back. And we headed back. We soon learned that in this part of the country all roads lead to Catania.

Finally we found a sign that said Misterbianco with an arrow. We knew Misterbianco was close to Motta so we took that road. Found a beautiful, quiet little town with parks, wonderful people, great food and we tasted our first gelate. We were mesmerized. We stayed for a few hours then got in the car to continue on to Motta.

The sign going off the highway said Motta 3 km. (arrow off to right) so we went that way. Not long after turning off the road got a little rough. Bob said, "Are you sure this is a road?" Then it turned to dirt.

But.....we could see Motta in front of us so we continued. The road got rougher and rougher until we felt like we were in the middle of a desert---a desert with VERY BIG ruts in the road....and rivers. We were pretty much laughing hysterically when we saw the "lake" in the road around the bend.

This is how close we got to Motta before we gave up and went back the way we came. Can you see the road? The flat area is actually the road.

We went back to Misterbianco and got lost in the windy (pronounced with a long i), narrow streets for quite awhile before coming out onto a highway again. Problem was it went to......you probably can guess.......Catania. Finally found a road that said Paterno and we thought how can we be more lost. That road actually took us back to an area we recognized and we got back to the apartment none the worse for wear.

Quick note

Today I am going to learn how to drive to the base. Sunday is good because I can worry only about the road and not so much the drivers.

Italian drivers are amazing. They drive and park when and where they want. On either side of narrow streets, on the sidewalk (which are few and far between) or in the middle of the street. I don't know how they do it.

This is short because we can only get a signal standing on the balcony with the computer perched on the corner of the railing--and then only for a moment. We're trying the in and out thing to write.

Learning about Sicily

First of all, we both love it here already. It's crowded, noisy, dirty, grass-less and we love it. The land reminds me of the desert area of Arizona or Utah. But, everywhere you look are olive trees or orange trees. They say the orange trees will be ripe in about two months. Olives are ripe early to mid summer.

We're working hard to learn the language. Going into local shops and trying (emphasis on trying) to ask for things in Italian. Sometimes it turns out pretty funny. Last night the clerk in a store didn't even understand my-- "Parle inglese?" Apparently we don't even speak Italian well enough to be understood. We'll get it, though. We are beginning to be able to order some things and ask a few simple questions.

We headed out this morning for the beach----We're on an island and couldn't find the water. There are no road signs and maps are of little use --- maybe no use at all. We ended up in a very nice little town called Misterbianco--didn't find anyone who spoke English but we did fine. Looked around a little...asked a shopowner to direct us to a nice restaurant and had a great meal. (By the way, we haven't had one morsel of food that we didn't LOVE.)

The adventure (emphasize that last word) in getting back to Motto (the town where we're staying) was something that I just can't tell you about until I can show photos.

Here at the base it is pretty much like being in "little America". You were right, Jae, they have American restaurants here---Taco Bell, Subway, Chinese, AND Applebees. What they don't have right now is a bank. We will have to either get a bank in town or wait two months for the new bank to open on base.

Library closes in ten minutes. I can check email here and get onto the blogs. We start Monday with classes for stuff. Sojourners, driving, etc. For now--bye. We miss you all terribly but it's a great adventure.

We're here--safe and sound

This is my way of letting our family know we got here safely. We dropped off our luggage at the TLQ (apartment) and came directly to the school. When we walked in, everyone cheered and hugged. Made us feel so very welcome. One of the Reading Recovery teachers is letting me use her computer for a moment. Tomorrow we get our paperwork started and ids made so we can come and go freely.

we've taken lots of pictures but will have to put them in later.

I'll write again soon. Love to you all.

Yipee!! (I think)

Well, after "much to do about nothing" the Italian government has granted our visas. At the end the Department of Defense, Superintendent of Mediterranean schools, Admiral of the Naval base and the State Department have all been involved. But, at last, we're told they're on their way and we should have them today--or tomorrow (but that would involve the government transport department issuing us a new airline ticket--the sixth)

It's been a month since we gave up our furniture, home and car and we've been in motels or friends and family homes just waiting...and waiting........and waiting. Bob said we feel like we're pregnant and overdue. Every day, maybe today they'll give us our visas.

Anyway, we now have plane tickets for Wednesday the 20th and should be in Italy on the 21st. I'm not getting excited until I have those visas, passports and tickets in my hand.

Passports? you ask. Well, in order to even consider our visas the Italian consulate in Chicago had to have in their hand our government issued passports and work orders..........as if the American Department of Defense would lie about hiring us. In addition, before they would issue (this was a new demand at the end) they had to have a hand-signed ---not to be faxed or emailed--letter from the state department requesting our visas and vouching for our not being terrorists. What a world we live in.

Here's what we're missing.

One of the Reading Recovery teachers sent me this current picture of Mount Aetna. She had to take it at night so we could see the eruption.

......and...Aetna is in the middle of the island...miles and miles away.

All I have to say is.....I'm glad we packed our dust cloths.

We're still waiting for the visas. There's some problem that has to do with politics, the Department of Defense, the State Department and the Italians. Not with us. Apparently all departments are involved in trying to get our visas.

Meanwhile, we've been spending time with our precious little Sophie. We've taken her swimming (she only liked the warm water of the "hot" tub...that we had to warm up ourselves) and to the art museum. Never too young.

I hope we hear something soon. I love motels but want to get started teaching---and seeing Italy.