Dolce Vita (Sweet life)

This wonderful charming city of Bari has illuminated my thoughts. Something about living on the Mediterranean has gotten into my blood, my every pore. It has changed me, changed my “appetite” for life. For living, and just being me. I do not see myself leaving any time soon, only for a short visit in December. I am thinking of staying and taking a course called DELTA which the school offers for free to become a highly certified teacher. Meaning I can go anywhere in the world and teach, but it is a two year program. So, what have I been doing in this Southern town? Everything….

The teachers are an amazing group of young people from all over mother tongue English speaking countries. We have been going out, traveling, eating fresh pizza and gelato and just hanging out. It has been an incredible, fun, journey. I can not help but start each day with a smile and feel thankful for the sea, people and culture that surrounds me.

The first weekend I arrived everyone went out to the “old city”. A charming historic part of the city recently developed into bars for the yuppies. We went from bar to     drinking, eating and talking. I didn’t get home until the birds were singing and the sun was rising over the sea. This has been the regular weekend since. The morning birds sing me to sleep while I dose into a wine drenched slumber, only to wake up and meet everyone for espresso and pizza. Then do it all over again. Italians know how to seek pleasure, so that is what I must do it identify with this vibrant culture. Ohhh my life is tough J

This weekend is a long holiday weekend….and I have been a slight crush on a man that works with me. He is tall, Italian and has been living here for living here for five years. It started with a classic long night out, filled with philosophy discussions, wine, cocktails and sitting out side on a warm October night. We talked, laughed and drank. He asked me to hang out the next day. So, I did…

            I took the lovely train from Bari to a town thirty minutes away, where he lives. The scenic route was filled with olive trees and the sea in the horizon. The scent of coffee lingered in the air. He was waiting for me when I stepped off the train. We jumped in his car and headed south. First, we stopped at a sea side town sitting on a hill. Had a great laugh when he lost his money in the gas machine at the gas station and then drove away while the pump was still in the gas tank. Had a paritiva at a local bar, which is a cocktail and an array of fresh local appetizers. Then we proceeded south listening to music, singing, talking and taking in the beautiful view. We stopped to walk on a deserted beach; the wind was warm and fresh. We picked out seashells and sea glass and he attempted to teach me how to skip stones. The water was rhythmic and soothing.

We hopped in the car and continued the “excursion” or adventure. He took me to a completely white city. It is protected under law that every bar, building and house is white. It was incredible and took my breath away. It is situated high on a hill and is filled with churches and alleys. We walked in back alleys and took pictures; local’s laundry hung out of windows and the scent of home made pasta filled the air.  We shared a dolce or sweet and had cappuccino. The town was filled with art shops and local food; we stopped for what Americans would call a calzone and beer.

  We spent a terrific day seeing a few other towns, drinking beer and standing on balconies over looking the sea. One town had natural caves and cliffs and we hung out with fisher men and locals staring at the sea over 100 meters below. We finished the day by meeting friends at a teachers Halloween house party. Surrounded by the people I have fallen in love with, dancing with the girls to American and Italian hip hop in the hallway and drinking more wine. It is a great start to who knows what.

 I am so in love with all of them all ready and it has only been two weeks, and I will be here for another eight or nine months. Then in the summer I will travel Europe and teach camps with the other teachers, then come back to Italy in the fall. I can not help but feel lucky and love my life here. It doesn’t mean it is not difficult to be away from the people I love, but Italy has seeped into my heart and soul…Perhaps I have met my true love…pizza margarita and the Mediterranean.