Long over due for a blog entry! I got lazy what can I say? Anyway, as you can see I am not longer in Napoli, but in Salerno since Sept. Let me explain how this came about.
I went back to America in Aug after my awesome experience as an ESL teacher/summer camp staff in Reading, England in July. I didn't want to go back to making chicken feed in Napoli and paying nearly 400€ in rent for a tiny, yet modest and comfortable apt (Although living in the centro storico was fantastic!). I was paid by the hour at the British Institutes in Marano (NA) with no real certainty that they were gonna offer me in Sept the guaranteed monthly salary that I had been accustomed to when I was with Inlingua (like I real job dare I say!) Feast or famine in other words. Decent when there are students, horrible in the summer and slow periods.
So back at casa mia in Tolland, in my "beloved" CT, I decided to look at other possibilities and even the idea of leaving Napoli, a city that for as chaotic as it is, it was my version of Italy. I applied to various schools, mostly in the South, but also Rome which would have put me closer with a girl I was seeing last summer. Unfortunately it wasnt to be, but that is another story!
I saw an ad for a small school near Salerno and it seemed decent but what caught my eye was the fact that it was indeed Salerno, close enough to Napoli and it had the guaranteed salary which is such a mental cushion especially when you are getting paid per hour. So I applied not really thinking much about it. I get a response back a few days later asking me for a skype interview. I was a little hesistant to accept the first offer I got; murphies law, you accept one job and another paying double wants to hire you the next week. That wasn't the case fortunately. I thought about it and I decided I needed a break from the uncertainty, the trash, the smallness and solitude in my Napoli studio (more like a hotel room) apt.
I had been to Salerno 3-4 times prior so I had an idea of what the town was like and I always liked it here, thus my thought process when I applied. My now boss, Andrea was impressed with me and offered me the job right then and there. He liked a few things about me. 1. I spoke Italian 2. I had been in Napoli for 2 years so coming to Salerno would have been easy for me, and it really was when you compare it to my arrival in Napoli in Sept 2009. 3. I'm a straight forward person and I think he picked up on it. 4. This blog caught his attention, I dont hide anything on here so I don't mind if anyone looks at it. Ciao Andrea! mo sei famoso!!
Thought about the offer which was not an easy thing mind you, and I said, well why not? I was nervous though to start over again in a new city with no friends, and the idea of living with roommates again. So I came back to Napoli on Sept 6th and on the 15th I moved out with the help of Andrea and his gf. I now live in a house/apt in Torrione, a section of Salerno 1.5km from the center and a 5 min walk from the sea. It is a calm area with no trash or chaos, so it is nice rather nice. My only complaint is that it's hot in the warm months, and the walls are too thin where I can hear the germophobic mother above me every morning with her damn vacuum cleaner and her little brat son who runs marathons! My roommates are Pino from Calabria and Christian from NJ. We all get along, we're certaintly not buddies but there really isnt any friction between us, thank God. Everyone has their own private lives and we occasionaly go out on the town together.
The school is in San Cipriano Picentino in the province of Salerno, about 11 miles from my apt. There is one bus company that takes me out there, SITA, and the only thing good about them are their comfy buses. How I long for linea 1 of Napoli's metro!! I hate the bus! But I have no choice since I can't afford anything with a motor.......yet ;) I did buy a bike which is great for zooming around the area here but not feasable for going to work. (I trekked out there once for the hell of it on halloween night!)
I teach children and also adults, most who are looking to take the Cambridge exam eventually. I am certainly not rich by any means but with lower rent and the low cost of food in Campania I do alright. In fact next month I am returning to Firenze for a visit after 3 + years of not going there!
Andrea is by far the best added perk to my whole experience here. Contrary to so many napoletani who are sneaky and have ulterior intentions, especially with money, Andrea is a down to earth guy who does what he says he's going to do and can detect dishonesty in a person rather easily. As long as you are honest with him and humble, he does anything he can to help. So this has been a breath of fresh air considering the turbulent times I had in Napoli which where the following: the first landlady who was pissed that I left early and invented some fucked up excuse to not give me back my money, Inlingua giving me the ax bell'e buono (all of a sudden), and Wall street Institute closing for fraudulent bankruptcy. Ecco :)
I can honestly say that my life has improved since I came here. Here's why: I've learned to cook better and therefore eat out less 2. I bought a bike and that feeling of mobility is mental happiness after always being on foot in Napoli 3. I have a real bedroom again and place to hang my wet clothing 4. free gym as the owner is Andrea's brother and I feel great now that I work out 3 times a week 5. NO TRASH!!!
Also I've recently started hanging out with one of my students and his friends. Gianluigi. He's a great guy and an awesome person from which I have detected no deception or really anything negative when it comes to his friends. He's a dude with a big heart and someone I am happy to have in my life.
I am rather fortunate to be in this postion here in Italy as these are very turbulent times for the country. I speak English and I can always find work here. But if I didn't, getting a job, a decent one would be rather hard. There is a lot of unemployment here and this Euro debt crisis doesn't help. Italy in my opinion is in rather bad shape and many young people are frustrated here and I dont blame them. But it has potential and I think this is what people cling on to. I have no plans to go back to America but I would entertain the idea of living in Boston or NY if I had the chance. But that is on the backburner for now.
