Sicilian Adventure

The Time Is Now will be taking a break from fonts and tympanums for a while, but instead reporting back on a new adventure in Sicily. While I will miss standing in cool churches (even more so while I battle with the heat here), my sister will still be visiting and finding new and fabulous designs to draw, so I will be keeping up by proxy, through her blog.

I have come to Catania on the east coast of Sicily, at the foot of the impressive Mount Etna, to try my hand at teaching English to Italians. After two and a bit weeks I have settled in and am getting used to preparing and giving lessons. I have one children's class, two teenagers' classes, and four adult classes. All except the children's class meet twice a week.

In addition to adjusting to a new job and a new challenge, I am getting used to Sicilian ways. At first the noise of the city overwhelmed me - it is not Taormina, the small and beautiful town where I spent June at Babilonia language school, a Sicilian paradise. I am sharing a flat with another new teacher, who is confident and positive and we are tackling the idiosyncrasies of Italian life together. We have had several things to work out including how to get internet, tax codes, the possibility of bank accounts and so on. Our flat is palatial and we have a living/dining room that reminds me of rooms in the books of Jane Austen. The flat is like all those around here: eight floors (we are on the third), with balconies. The main road is noisy and has a constant stream of traffic, including emergency vehicles, and Italians beeping their horns for the slightest reason. How they don't all crash into each other is a miracle as they have no road sense or sense of danger. Crossing proved traumatic for me to start off with, as I had no idea how you were supposed to get to the other side. But they do actually expect to stop at the crossings and wait for you to go over. You just have to be careful to remember to look both ways, for although it is a one way street, sometimes buses and taxis are coming from the other direction.

I have found a nice little cafe (pasticceria) on the corner between us and the language school (we are a few minutes away). It has the most enticing little cakes and pastries and the man behind the counter has helped me to learn what to ask for. Everyone knows you are English from the milky whiteness of your skin and the overall scruffy cut of even your best clothes; and of course the painful English accent when I attempt to speak Italian.

I am hoping to set up a conversation exchange with a handsome Italian boy (why not kill two birds with one stone, although I hate that phrase!) So far I have not met anyone but they are all keen to practise English, even by email. I have seen countless handsome men so that is one bonus of being here; it is visually very pleasing. But they do all seem to go for the blond look and while I am with my housemate all interest is directed towards her.

Our manager and her husband have been very hospitable and are keen for us to experience Sicily. The first weekend we went up to the lowest bit of Etna where we could see old craters and lava flows, which looked very weird like muddy rocks. Their little puppy provided loads of entertainment. We also sampled chestnuts, local wine and cheeses.

  

My housemate and I found the market in Catania which was very interesting: lots of fresh and large vegetables, with huge peppers, aubergines, etc. Again, local cheeses (the man on the cheese counter was very nice) and the usual market fare. It seems cheaper than shopping in the local food stores. You have to weigh your own vegetables which took me ages, because you need to identify them in order to print the price label. I was keen to try a prickly pear fruit (from the cacti) but forgot to weigh it so the guy put it to one side at the checkout.  My best buy was a mosquito plug in as they have been feasting on me in this continuing hot weather. It is crazy that it is still warm in October.

We have had a granita and brioche in a cafe in the centre of Catania and had a wander round. There does not seem to be lots to do (and no parks!) but there are a few things to explore at some stage like Roman ruins and the cathedral (home of Sant'Agata, the patron saint of Catania). I have been meaning to pop in but it was closed for the siesta time. There is an elephant statue in the main piazza that is rather nice and I have to find out the significance. The siesta lasts four hours here. Shops close at about 12 and reopen at about 4. This is the best time for crossing the road, as it is quiet!