Remedello

Helen and I had an easy train ride on Saturday. Just 2 trains and we had made it to our next destination. We were greeted by our camp director, Marcella, and her husband and 1-year-old daughter Emma. We were taken to their house for some wonderful hordorves while we discussed plans for next week. Helen and I then went to stay with the same host family because my host family was unavailable for the first 2 days.

Such a cute little host kitten

On Sunday, we were taken to the pool where we took in the sun, did aerobic dancing, and got hit in the bum many times by free-falling volleyballs. This same family later took us salsa dancing. They threw me into the circle once they found out that I was a dancer, even though I’ve never done this style before. The instructor was shouting out directions in Italian for the circle dance, and I had no idea what was going on. They were spinning me around and passing me off to different dance partners...I barely had a chance to get my bearings. Eventually I was able to pick up on the steps, and I blended in with the rest of them.

Helen and I were a little nervous about the high number of students and diverse ages at this camp, but we started off the week with a bang. The students were fantastic and were so enthusiastic to learn. We also had a helper, Giuditta, who was terrific with the kids. And our camp director kept the fridge stocked with fruit, so we were able to replenish our lacking nutrients from the 2 weeks before of only canteen food.

The nights were also kept very busy. One night we went to Brescia with Helen’s 20-year-old host sister, Betsy, and her friend. Marilena. They both were so funny together. We went to get aperitivos at this high-end restaurant, and they showed us the best way to arrange the food so that you can squeeze as much as possible onto the plate.

The following night, Marcella and Giuditta took us to see the new Harry Potter film! It was shown in Italian, but we were still able to catch the jokes. The theater was completely sold out, and it was awesome experiencing the HP craze in another country.

Another night we went to a Chinese restaurant. In addition to spinach, Helen and I were craving ethnic food. It was so delicious, and I probably won’t get another food experience like that until I return to the states. After we finished eating, we took a walk around Lago di Garda and got a gelato.

For the final show, my class performed The Chronicles of Narnia. This was probably one of the best performances I’ve done for both summers – the students got really into it and were so animated with their characters. I also had background music for the different scenes (with awesome DJs), and creative costumes – ex. A centaur and a faun. These kids were some of the best, and I’ll really miss teaching them.

On the final night, my host family took Helen and me to Mantova. Got some cool night-time photos and it was a nice way to spend the night before Helen and I had to say goodbye.

I’m being sent back up into the mountains – AGAIN! Not quite sure where since I haven’t had a chance to look on a map. I’ll just be hopping from train to train, hoping that I’ll get there and there’ll be someone awaiting my arrival.

Cemmo - Week 2

On Saturday, Helen and I decided to go to Lake Iseo to lay out in the sun. We took the ferry over to Monte Isola and found a perfect spot right by the water. On Sunday, Sr. Roberta took us hiking in the mountains with her parents, sister, and nephew and niece. This mountain was so steep that it was completely exhausting. I felt like I was leaning forward too much, yet I never hit the ground. It was a beautiful but tiring day, and it made my allergies go crazy.







The students returned on Monday morning, along with Emanuele. During breakfast, my past host mom came downstairs and we both screamed out of excitement. I was smothered with kisses and she gave me a souvenir from Spain - a red bracelet that matches my tutor shirt. It was so thoughtful of them.

Reunited!

Helen and I continued to escape from the convent every night this week. This time we went to the same restaurant that we did the 1st night to get a side of spinach along with our liter of wine.

One night we went to go see a circus that came to town. It was advertised as a Winnie-the-Pooh Magic Circus. However, Winnie only came at the end and he himself didn't do any magic. But the rest of the show was entertaining and I got to hold a python after the ticket vendor dragged me into the center of the ring.

The next morning I had to get contact solution, so Sr. Roberta said that she would take me at 9am (the time that camp starts). Helen and I devised a plan to make a murder mystery game to explain my absence. We wrote a script for the kids the night before and assigned them their Fairy Tale characters later. That morning, I dressed as Henry VII and did my whole spiel before disappearing during morning circle. Sr. Roberta drove me to the optical store, and once I walked in, I was greeted by my former host dad from last year! I completely forgot that he owned an optical store! It was so coincidental.

The rest of the murder mystery fame was a success, and the kids came up with some extremely creative answers as to why they chose the characters as the murderer. One of my favorites was, "Cinderella. Because she's got an ugly face."

The final show was a bit stressful, but they all ended up doing very well. We said our goodbyes, and Helen and I are heading back to civilization next week - Remedello!

Cemmo - Capo di Ponte

I made it to Brescia just fine after transferring from 3 trains, but it was on the last league of my journey where things went wrong. I was told that once I arrive in Brescia, I had to buy a bus ticket to Capo di Ponte. I did so, and then stood out by the bus stop. I noticed after a few minutes that the bus that the man told me to take was directed instead towards Capo di Monte. I went bact into the Tabacchi to exchange my ticket and repeated my destination, putting an extra emphasis on "PONTE." "Ahh...I do not know." Well great. He asked another woman behind the counter for help, and she sold me a ticket for the correct bus. But the stop was a bit of a walk. Once I made it to the stop, there was no signdirecting me to the platform. I asked countless people, including bus drivers, and they all kept sending me in different directions. It appears that no one knows where Capo di Ponte is except for this creepy old man who kept following me and offering me a ride. I was shuffled around everywhere and the time for departure had passed, and I still couldn't find my ride.

I was just about to sit down and cry when a kind man named Stefano came up to me and asked if I needed help. He let me use his phone call my camp director, and he asked a different bus driver where I should be. Well apparently there's no bus running today to Capo di Ponte...Geez thanks ACLE. And why in the world was I sold a bus ticket when I clearly wanted to get there today!? Crazy Italians.

Stefano brought me back to the train staion, told me which ticket to buy, and made sure that I got on the correct train. After all that, I ended up in the same station where I started. Figures.

Once I arrived, I was met by a group of nuns and my fellow tutor, Helen. I felt a bit under-dressed as I exited the train in my shorts and tank top, while they were in their longs skirts and habits.

We were taken to the convent and were shown to our rooms. We ate pizza at a restaurant that night, and I immediately got a flashback - I had been here before! I ate at this restaurant last year with my host family from Cerveno! Once I realized how close I was to my past host family, I sent them a message, and my host mom ended up calling Sr. Roberta to speak to me on the phone. She was so excited that we could see each other again. She said that the family was on vacation in Spain this week, but Emanuele, my brother, would be attending camp for the 2nd week.

I decided on having the green book group this week. These kids knew a lot of English, so it was fun joking around with them.

Teaching a dance for the Final Show

Skateboarding Nun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A0ySp7pkPg

We went to the pool one afternoon with the kids, and they sang camp songs during the entire walk to the train station, on the train, walking to the pool, during the pool time, at dinner, and on the way back home. We couldn't escape! However, I had one coffee too many after dinner, so I was jumping around and singing with them. It started raining while we were waiting for the train, so Sr. Roberta met us once we arrived in Capo di Ponte, and we walked under 2 giant tents, all the way up the hill, back to the convent.

Bored on the train ride

Pool Parade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFc6xZ5KA2I

At nights, Helen and I would "escape" (we actually had the key) to the onoly bar to get a gelato and drink a bottle of wine.

We ended the week with a Bin Bag Fashion Show. Each person had to dress up using garbage bags and perform a dance within their group. The tutors, Giovanna our helper, and Sr. Roberta performed the Spice Girls Wannabe. Sr. Roberta was Sporty Spice. I gave out American coins as the prizes for the best group.



The kids are going home for the weekend --they'll all be back next week!

Bistagno

It was a nice easy trip from Alba to Bistagno with Mandhir and Sarah. A very short journey...However, Mandhir lost his train ticket and we all had to play stupid tourists that didn't understand Italian so that he wouldn't get fined for losing it.

Once we arrived in the small town, our camp director Alessandra took us to a fancy restaurant where we had homemade ravioli and wine, while we discussed the camp details. Afterwards we were taken to our host families, all of which lived within close walking distance.

That night there a festival going on in Bistagno, so my family took me out for some kebobs, endless Spriz's (a popular Italian aperitivo), and house music. My host dad also bought me some wine and we got into this big discussion about the best types, so from that night on he had me try a different brand every night at dinner.

The camp itself was so well organized, that it felt wonderful to be there after the difficult weeks in Alba. Honestly, the week just flew by and I actually forgot to take photos because we had so much fun that week.

I had a Blue book group of 15 students (ages 11-13). They were all so well-behaved and were excited about every activity that I had prepared for them. They made the job so easy.

A Medley of Fairy-Tale Characters

Also our camp director was so relaxed about what we did on our break time. Almost every day, Mandhir and I (and sometimes Sarah) would sneak off to a coffee bar down the street and talk to some of the locals.

Break time at the Coffee bar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwNQLn-Go2I

The Great Tower of Tutors

After camp the 3 of us would go for walks around the town. One time we went for a run, and my host sister and her fiance told us later that they saw us stopped by the old church stretching our muscles. As I said, this is a pretty small town.

This same host sister Alice and her fiance Matteo took me to Acqui Terme one night and we saw the Milano Ballet School perform on an outside stage. Afterwards they took me to see the famous hot springs, and then we went to get some gelato and fruit. At the gelato bar, we ran into Mandhir and Sarah and their host families, so we stopped to chat.

Hot springs

It was such a stress-free week that it flew by so quickly. My next camp assignment is somewhere up in the mountains --- at a convent! Oh God...pray for me.

Both Mandhir and Sarah are going sent together to a different camp, but I guess being the return tutor, I get the privilege of traveling alone for 12 hours up to the mountains. Our parting words to each other were singing to the song "My Heart will go On,"

as Mandhir piggy-backed me to the platform.