As
we countdown to lift-off, this is going to be the final Milano
Sojourn installment. Get yourself a cup of tea - I'm not promising it will be short.
It
has been an interesting experiment: both the blog and the living in a
non-english speaking country with a young family. The blog has
provided me with a tiny bit of structure – giving me a focus of
trying to make sense of my experiences and record them as well. I
enjoy putting my thoughts into words and I realise it has been a
strange mix of an ordinary (sometimes boring) record of events and a
personal expression of feelings and reflections. It has also been a
great excuse to get some good photos to record our time here and
trigger memories for the future. I have aimed to try and show the
'best of' our time here but, also, not to create false impressions
that it has been one big happy holiday.
Merry go round in Bergamo - a work of art! |
A day out in Torino, a couple of weeks ago - the place where it all started for Rory's connection to Italy |
I
am sure there is a well described psychological syndrome that occurs
at the closure of a season or time. Near the end, it seems, the place
where you are going suddenly seems so wildly desirable and attractive
and all the niggles and frustrations of where you are bubble up to
the surface. Suddenly you only have to cope for a few more days/weeks
and then the grass will be greener and the sun brighter and you will
have all the energy and excitement of a change. And then, when the
end is in sight– it feels like you relax and become sentimental,
leaving is sad and you start to reflect on what you will miss and the
things you love about the place. The photos below are from an evening out in central Milan. Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere just seems so much more magical!
Christmas in full swing - Italian cities are beautiful by night! |
The beautiful Duomo at Dusk |
A spectacular Galleria in the Duomo Piazza - central Milan |
I
have not spent my time here wishing I was home and longing for our
house. In fact, I am amazed that I have barely thought about our
house or garden at all. I have desperately missed, in a subconscious
sense, old friends, chinwags over cups of tea, deep, connecting
conversations. It is incredibly lonely (although I have not
recognised it as loneliness with Rory around) not being able to be
known because you can't understand people or express yourself due to
language barriers. Integrating into a foreign culture/language,
requires a surrendering, for a time, of the comfort of being known
and understood. It is so easy to understand why people form their
cliques with others from the same culture and have their own cultural
celebrations and gatherings. Had I met another New Zealander here, it
would have been very tempting to latch onto them and build a social
life around them.
The
boys have been a ticket to so many experiences. Gwilym in particular,
seems to have grown into a wildly social, extroverted boy and we have
laughed so many times at his ability to walk up to complete strangers
and just smile, win them over and give them his basic italian
introductions: 'Mi chiamo Guglielmo' (my name is italian
version of William). He has frequently abandoned us on buses,
choosing to sit next to complete strangers and interact with them.
Che 'Bello' and 'Bravo' have been said to him a million times and the
shop keepers who have got to know him, goo and gaa over him.
Silas has been very
brave at using his Italian (often learned minutes before) on any kid
he can find. He has been so full of questions about the world and has
seemed such a sponge with natural history and even standard history.
He has also been very out going, but often following along behind his
brave little brother. When feeling like we have failed him somewhat
with mainstream education – we try to remember that he has been
exposed to so many other wonderful sights and experiences and all
that will come in time.
a view from the window this morning! |
For
me, I hope I will remember the good times and a copy of my blog in
hand will help with this. As we leave, a combination of nagging
health issues, tiredness, a desperate need for a break from full-time
childcare in an italian apartment and some grief thrown in, mean that
I don't feel like I am ending on a triumphant high. Back in New
Zealand, I have always found it challenging looking after small
children: remove all the props and friends to break up the day with
and you end up with a mother who is somewhat deflated. I would love
to be able to report this differently. Being Jane, I can't help but
expose myself through honesty that has no rose coloured tints. We
return, looking forward to a New Zealand summer (as I write the snow
is falling and has settled overnight) of chatting with friends,
getting fit in the great outdoors and finding our 'community' again.
But, this time has also been an amazing opportunity. A chance to cross cultures, have some wonderful experiences and to soak in the beauty of Italian cities and surrounds - a long way from our flattened and broken Christchurch. We know we won't regret choosing to come here for this time and it also opens doors in my head, as to what is possible in the future with our little family. We are very very fortunate on so many levels. I am very grateful for our Milano Sojourn and I hope that I can take my basket of experiences with me into our future - reflecting and learning from the difficult and challenging times and celebrating and savouring the magical moments.
But, this time has also been an amazing opportunity. A chance to cross cultures, have some wonderful experiences and to soak in the beauty of Italian cities and surrounds - a long way from our flattened and broken Christchurch. We know we won't regret choosing to come here for this time and it also opens doors in my head, as to what is possible in the future with our little family. We are very very fortunate on so many levels. I am very grateful for our Milano Sojourn and I hope that I can take my basket of experiences with me into our future - reflecting and learning from the difficult and challenging times and celebrating and savouring the magical moments.
Well,
enough words, too many thoughts and time to call this the end.
Thanks
to all those people who have read the blog and encouraged my efforts.
I look forward to seeing you in person and telling you the stories
that have never made it to the page and hearing your stories as well
to fill in these last months.
A special thanks to Rory, who has often had to wait, patiently, while I have put these words onto these pages - wondering if sleep might not be a better option!
A special thanks to Rory, who has often had to wait, patiently, while I have put these words onto these pages - wondering if sleep might not be a better option!
Arrivederci!
Jane