(image by Paolo Margari on Flickr) It’s a day for an adventure. Buying the train ticket is the first challenge, at which I almost fail. ‘Biglietta?’ asks the station attendant, as he walks past me. I nod and reply in … Continue reading
(image by ilmungo on Flickr) Friday night was almost like being back in the UK: getting drunk, staying up until 7am and eating kebabs. In a twist to the story, however, the kebabs were the first thing on the menu … Continue reading
(image by Kate Bailward) Dictionaries are wonderful things. I love them. My Collins English dictionary has served me very well over the years, although it’s pretty battered now. Unfortunately I don’t have it with me in Italy, as it was … Continue reading
(image by Kate Bailward) My name is Katja, and living in Italy has turned me into a pretentious twat. Back in my teenage years, reading all the big travel memoirs (you know the kind of thing – Londoner creative-type becomes … Continue reading
(image by hodgers on Flickr) After the disastrous meal on Saturday, there was a rather more cheerful outing on Monday, when I met up with Claire, who runs one of the boards that keeps me sane here. She’s resident in … Continue reading
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach a group of five 15- to 18-year-olds. They may know the language of grammar (auxiliary/modal/state verbs, adjectives, subject/object/pronoun etc), but putting the rules into practice is an entirely different matter. They’re a really entertaining … Continue reading
(image by Whisperwolf on Flickr) Learning Italian is a bit of a hit and miss affair with me. I have neither the time nor the inclination to sit down with books and learn by rote, so I tend to pick … Continue reading
(Image by freto78 on Flickr) The first week of November has been beautifully sunny and warm, so it’s a disappointment to wake up on Friday morning, my day off, to find that it’s grey and threatening rain. By Saturday this … Continue reading
(image by Piccolina Photography on Flickr) The next 10 days are quiet. Classes are taking a while to be programmed in – obviously, George’s departure has upset the timetabling a bit. It’s quite a relief to be starting off slowly, … Continue reading
Strangely, with George gone, things begin to get better. Alex comes out of his shell, and we discover that we have a shared sense of humour. I am still homesick, but it’s not quite so overwhelming. Sadness does have a … Continue reading
