Mission Accomplished! (. . . I Guess)

This will be my last blog from Naples (at least, for a few months). And, of course, in busy-Andrea fashion, within 36 hours of arriving on American soil this coming week, I'll be jetting off to Tucson with my mother for a bridal shower for my sister and, soon after, heading to D.C. to visit friends and take care of some business. Nevertheless, as I say my temporary farewells to Naples and my friends here, I am terribly excited about coming home!

The last few weeks have provided me a more relaxed schedule, which has fortunately given me time to do some very important things: (1) continue to search for work (opportunities for both summer and fall) and begin to try to figure out some of the bureaucracy and paperwork required to live here, (2) relax and focus on getting more acclimated to Naples, and (3) (last but certainly not least) spend time with my boyfriend and continue to nurture other friendships I have made here.

I must admit, even in my last days here, I am still very undecided on my next steps. As I mentioned in my last blog, I have decided that even though the past few months have been difficult, I believe I owe it to myself (and Naples and my boyfriend) to give it another try. Three months just aren't enough to really experience a place and sense whether you are meant to be there or not (unfortunately!). The current question in my mind, however, is when to come back to Naples. The answer lies in how much (and what kind of) work I can find in Naples for the summer (since the possibilities for teaching English will be more sparse) and, for paperwork, if it would be better for me to stay in the U.S. (not to mention financial concerns).

Regardless of the many questions and unknowns, I am trying to remain optimistic that whatever is supposed to happen will happen and that God will provide the right opportunities and signs for me to follow. :) It is not only a lesson in faith, it is also a lesson for me in patience and tranquility.

Culture Shock

I will soon be entering the last week of my 3-month "experiment" in Naples. When I began to consider moving here several months ago, I opted to, rather than commit to the unknown, do a 3-month "look/see" trip to give myself a chance to decide if moving here were really do-able (and desirable). Well, after almost three months, my results are a bit mixed (unfortunately). I am now very attached to the man I came to "get to know better" and less-attached to the city I came to.

I have tried to be optimistic about living here in Naples, but I must admit that the past 3 months have been quite challenging. Not only is it still very difficult for me to communicate, I have had a little bout of culture shock, getting used to the Italian (and Neapolitan) culture and trying to feel comfortable in such a "foreign" environment.

So, it is not with complete sadness (and, in fact, far more eagerness) that I depart from Naples on May 1st to return to the grand ol' U.S.A. Now those of you who may be hoping that means I've completed my "rebellious stage" and will come home and settle down, I am afraid you may be disappointed. Despite not being crazy about Naples and still being quite uncertain about what I actually do want to do, I will most likely give Naples (and Italy) another try this summer. I felt very strongly that I was making the right decision in January to do this, and I believe I need to give it a fair shot. Plus, I cannot help remember my first few months in Germany also being rocky years ago as an exchange student, and then I fell in love with it! I've been fortunate lately to come into contact with many Americans living in the Naples area, and they assure me that I will love it once the initial shock phase has passed (and that leaving forever now would prevent me from experiencing la bella vita I keep hearing about).

Please don't get me wrong, I have had some good times here and seen some wonderful and interesting things (view my pictures at http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com). It has been a stretching experience for me, which I will be positive in the end. But I do look forward to reuniting with my friends and family and enjoying a hamburger and American-style pizza!

Easter on the Islands

Easter is a holiday Italians take very seriously and one in which many take time from school and work to take a vacation. Being in Italy, my boyfriend and I decided last week to do the same with a little vacation of our own!

The Bay of Naples is home to several beautiful islands, which allow one to connect with nature and enjoy the nice weather of a southern Italian spring! On the morning of Good Friday, we took a 45-minute ferry-ride to Ischia, a volcanic, mountainous island in the northern part of the Bay of Naples. Interestingly, Ischia is a popular vacation destination for Germans, so I found myself translating some signs and menus! We stayed in the town of Forio (one the largest on the island with 20,000 inhabitants), but it only being an island of about 46 sq. km, we were able to easily take buses to other parts of the island for daytrips. We visited the medieval Castello Aragonese, a castle built in 474 B.C. on a rock near the island, and even got some beach time near the port in Forio!

Next, we headed to the island of Capri, a vacation spot for many celebrities (and now I understand why!). Capri is just off the sorrentine coast, a little south of Naples. The town of Capri being ridiculously expensive (a tea was 4.50 Euros on the main piazza!), we luckily found a relatively inexpensive and nice hotel outside of the smaller town of Anacapri. We took a chairlift up to Monte Solaro for some amazing views of the entire island and rode a row-boat into the famous blue grotto, a half-way submerged sea cave of an unusual fluorescent turquoise blue. Luckily, Anacapri is a small, peaceful town, relatively unscathed by tourism despite a few shops along the main street. We passed tiny vineyards and children playing soccer in abandoned piazzas as we wound through the narrow streets. We took a bus to the far corner of the island to watch the sunset near the lighthouse (and almost got stranded) and spent an afternoon braving the more crowded town of Capri to see ritzy hotels and spas and restaurants boasting pictures of celebrities with the staff. Most importantly for both of us, it was quiet and relaxing and completely different from Naples.

View the pictures at http://www.andreasodyssey.shutterfly.com/!

Spring in Napoli

I apologize for not blogging for quite some time, but what can I say, I suppose even la bella vita here in Italy can become busy. I will give an update on how life in Naples has been the past few weeks, and I encourage you to view the photo gallery I've just posted with tons of pics of the city (http://www.andreasodyssey.shutterfly.com/).

This coming Tuesday marks the last day of my Italian class, and Wednesday I will take the final exam to determine if I receive a certificate. I am relieved to see this come to an end although I must admit it has been invaluable in helping me learn Italian, meet new people and, generally, feel more at home here. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to not spending a large chunk of my afternoons sitting in a classroom and fighting the traffic and crowds of central Napoli.

Praise the Lord! I have recently found an organization of American women who live in Naples and the surrounding area called the American Women's Club. I went with them last Sunday to tour a winery owned by one of the members' husband's family. They took us deep down into the cellar to show us how they process the grapes and store them in large barrels and, of course, gave us a little of each kind to taste with bread and cheese. Afterwards, the group of approximately 20 people went to lunch at a restaurant that serves the wine. I had a great time and can already tell that this is going to be a real blessing for me to have some Americans friends, who have experienced some of the same challenges I am now!

After a few weeks of chilly and rainy weather, it is finally beginning to feel like spring! Yesterday, Mohamed and I enjoyed a sunny afternoon walking around the city and pretending to be tourists, taking pictures around town and strolling around the narrow streets of the historic center. We found some great buys on clothes for him (can't beat shirts for 3 Euros and jeans for 10!) and saw bits of a concert being performed on a square. Today, we took the funicular up to Castel Sant'Elmo up on a hilly part of Naples and enjoyed truly breathtaking views of the city (see the pics on http://www.andreasodyssey.shutterfly.com/)!

This Wednesday begins a one-week vacation for Easter, when most Italian take off from work and go on a little vacation. I am so excited . . . Mohamed and I have decided to visit some of the nearby islands that are supposed to be truly wonderful. On Friday, we leave for 3 nights on the island of Ischia followed by 2 nights in Capri! Although I suppose I must admit Naples is growing on me, I am always in favor of some time away from the big city.