)(( hannah mello ))(

(( The 35. ))

A week of 35 is complete.

The normal full-time schedule for teaching English overseas is 25 hours.
This week was my second week of 35.
Tonight, with a modest glass of Lambrusco beside me, I'm penning this post full of gratitude.

I have a feeling that my blog gives off the impression that I leave a frivolous life of adventure. Acutally, to be honest, it seeps with the contrary. My days are full of Italian cobblestones, yes, but they are jam packed with challenges to be honest and wise in relationships with co-workers, students, and housemates. -- Life stuff that's the same regardless of geography.-- They're jam packed with ordinary, boring responsibilities-- with to-do lists and lesson plans. They're rich with gorgeous Italian words wafting through the air, yes, but also with the challenges of acculturation and not-yet-acculturated-ness and with personal wrestlings in this in-between segment of life.

"Continuum" entered my iTunes this week after a download investment and what an investment it was.

Every day a different song was spotlighted in my soul. Every quarter of an hour trekking from one side of Modena to another was accompanied by its melodies-- every lyric flowed through my bloodstream. Lyrics like: "When you're dreaming with a broken heart, the waking is the hardest part" and "I'm so afraid of growing older-- I'm only good at being young" and "Who do you love? I see through your love-- Who do you love? me or the thought of me?" and "We're slow dancing in a burning room" ... all of them. The intentionality of the musical and vocal production/execution. It's incredible. My soul was coming alive with every moment of earphones in ears on my black-basket-ed, white bike. Maybe it's because Mayer's in the same lifestage that I feel so parallel to his emotions...

Along with Mayer, a few moments of calm have woven themselves through my 35 (my 35 hour week, that is).

I found FINALLY a photo exhibition I've seen advertised.

I was early for a class I was teaching, and instead of standing around in the cold, I decided to take a walk to the end of the street. At the end of the street, I found a bigger street, and on that street (via Giardini si chiama = it's called), there it was. I was unwelcomed by the too-busy secretary and found my way through the 5 rooms of Modenese moments at the turn of the century. I was shaken by familiar-looking Italian faces atop 1900's garb and in black and white. It's funny how the past and present people are so the same. We're all the same species consistently I guess. Yep, so there was this one photo that rocked me. It's not this one here, but this photo here (in black and white) was taken of the same people and on the same day as the one I saw in the exhibition. It's a photo of Mussolini speaking in Piazza Roma here in Modena. SHAKING. Piazza Roma is steps away from where I make my home here. This photo I saw was taken from the side of Mussolini as he was standing on the balcony of the military academy speaking. On the other side of him was a man taking a photo. So odd to think of the rhythm of leaders' rise and fall-- the great terror and impact passing with the night shadows.

I've fallen in love with the BBC.COM website.

I feel so much more informed and less biased-ly informed than CNN.COM. I love the world-focus. Browsing it, I actually feel like I'm a citizen of the world-- in the midst of a great many cultures and dilemnas, most of them too great for even the great minds to solve.
I feel overwhelmed with the photography shown. I am moved to think through politics and environmental issues-- caring about what my action and/or intentional inaction will or should be...

I'm looking a little more edgy these days.

I finally got my hair cut last Saturday, but unfortunately, it got chopped a TON more than expected. I find comfort in the fact, though, that it's the same haircut as the hot Spanish singer "Bebe"and my friend Lauren Darmstandler-- from a haircut, ironically, she got in Spain. But, I've had a constant ponytail since. Waiting for it to grow... It's definitely way longer than the photo here, but edgy and short nonetheless. I have still havebangs though... :)

Fog is sitting over Modena.

Rain was forecasted but fog has come instead. I LOVE fog. I love the erie-ness of it. The mystery. The feeling of moving through a cloud. The mist on my face. I love it. The breaks on my bike don't work in the rain, so of course, the fog makes me happy on that count as well. There's something comforting about not seeing, but knowing all's still in the same place as always. It's day 4 and I hope day 5 and 6 of it are in store...

I drive twice a week to a town a few towns away called Bomporto.
I get to pass the Ferrari and Maserati tracks and factories and some straight and vineyard-laden landscape. I'm getting better at driving a stick (which I learned how to drive while in Naples by my German boss) but need some serious pointers. :0)

I have faces in my head though tonight...

Faces of my students.
Faces of 50 year old women and 35 year old men and a 14 year old boy and 25 year old university students. The faces of 2 five year old girls from my Wednesdays. The grinning faces of Dynamic Oil employees Andrea (a man) and Stefano. The faces of those good and only beginning with English. The face of an 83 year old woman Maria Vittoria. The faces of secretaries, co-teachers, and bosses whose lives I am now intersecting with. Faces so distinctly Italian-- faces so European-- faces so similar and yet so other.

____________

The Raw Facts:

- I teach at 5 different language schools in Modena.
- I bike between them all day, 6 days a week.
- I teach mostly adults, with a few exceptions. Most of them men.
- I drive to a company 4 times a week to teach employees, and take a bus to a home to teach 11 year olds once a week.
- I'm one of 8 English teachers under one boss man and a manager-- with 6 secretaries scurrying around.
- I'm paid by the hour + 1/2 time for travelling to companies.
- I have the lunch hour off most days, so I'm able to cook and have time with my housemate(s).
_____________

The weekend's here.
Etere-- our little mini parrot bird in our kitchen is scurrying about with his seeds as I write this and day 6 of teaching will begin in 12 hours.
I have Mayer's Continuum melodies and lyrics drifting through my mind. I look up at a tissue-wrapped rose now hanging upside-down on my wardrobe, given to me by a now-not-secret admirer as the computer clock blinks to 11:23 pm, I realize that although I'm freakin EXHAUSTED I have no desire to go to sleep. There's still too much to take in.

posted by )(( hannah mello ))( @ 1:21 PM