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| Lounging in the Courtyard |
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| Tom with Students |
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| Marlene - What Is She Writing? |
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| Marlene with Adult Students |
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| Marlene & Tom with Tutees |
We are eager to begin another week with our students...
- more photos to share
- memories we will cherish
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Our Second Week Has Arrived
Our second week continues with the winds and challenging and interesting experiences. The volunteers continue to amaze me with their energy and detailed attention to their lessons and the students.
Today, I want to spend some time focusing on the students. If you recall, in one of my prior dailies, I mentioned ‘food is king’ in Italy. Well, if ‘food is king’, then certainly ‘children are queen’. As in ‘ladies go first’, so too, do the children come first. They are the heart of the family, school, towns and most especially very dear to their teachers. They are a sight to behold – walking arm and arm through the streets – balancing their backpacks, laughing and smiling. I am always so impressed with their happy spirited faces. They don’t seem to pout, slouch and saunter down the cobblestone streets. They sort of dance along. Believe it or not, they also walk arm in arm with their parents, especially on Sunday evenings. This is when a ‘passiagatta’ happens - a nightly stroll in Italian towns, where people lick gelato, show off their clothes, and greet each other. It is an old tradition, especially popular in the small towns, but still practiced in the neighborhoods of the larger cities.
Our students are always happy to see us and they continue to be a pleasure to converse with. On Monday, they share their weekend activities with us. We discuss a multitude of topics during the two weeks – everything from families to holidays to career goals to fashion, music, etc. Every classroom hour brings a new set of ideas and experiences to the table. The students are especially fortunate to have two attorneys – professionals, who serve as role models and also have interesting stories and much information to share with them. I am especially pleased to renew acquaintances with some students, I have known from the past. I also recognize and know some of the teachers from past visits to Monopoli. To be remembered and greeted with such hospitality is heartwarming.
A few words about are hotel are probably in order by now. The Hotel Clio is an older hotel, with 72 room and two wings. All of the rooms face the sea. For most of the time, there have been just a few persons staying here, since it is out of season. But lo and behold, a busload of 110 school children from Rome arrived yesterday. Thank God they are staying in the other wing. They have 8 teachers accompanying them and they are here to tour the area. Also staying here, are about 12 men from Sicily who are working on some sort of energy project. They don’t speak any English and it is difficult to understand exactly what they are doing. Last week, a sport’s team was here for a few nights, however, we could never figure out what they played – a ball game with 5 players?? So it is sort of like old TV show, ‘Hotel’, with a revolving cast of characters. The hotel staff is extremely accommodating and the rooms are simple, clean and roomy. We have Wi Fi which isn’t always reliable, but I am able to Skype with Bill (husband) each day and even cousin John once. Rest assured, all is well here.
Ciao
- Phyllis
Today, I want to spend some time focusing on the students. If you recall, in one of my prior dailies, I mentioned ‘food is king’ in Italy. Well, if ‘food is king’, then certainly ‘children are queen’. As in ‘ladies go first’, so too, do the children come first. They are the heart of the family, school, towns and most especially very dear to their teachers. They are a sight to behold – walking arm and arm through the streets – balancing their backpacks, laughing and smiling. I am always so impressed with their happy spirited faces. They don’t seem to pout, slouch and saunter down the cobblestone streets. They sort of dance along. Believe it or not, they also walk arm in arm with their parents, especially on Sunday evenings. This is when a ‘passiagatta’ happens - a nightly stroll in Italian towns, where people lick gelato, show off their clothes, and greet each other. It is an old tradition, especially popular in the small towns, but still practiced in the neighborhoods of the larger cities.
Our students are always happy to see us and they continue to be a pleasure to converse with. On Monday, they share their weekend activities with us. We discuss a multitude of topics during the two weeks – everything from families to holidays to career goals to fashion, music, etc. Every classroom hour brings a new set of ideas and experiences to the table. The students are especially fortunate to have two attorneys – professionals, who serve as role models and also have interesting stories and much information to share with them. I am especially pleased to renew acquaintances with some students, I have known from the past. I also recognize and know some of the teachers from past visits to Monopoli. To be remembered and greeted with such hospitality is heartwarming.
A few words about are hotel are probably in order by now. The Hotel Clio is an older hotel, with 72 room and two wings. All of the rooms face the sea. For most of the time, there have been just a few persons staying here, since it is out of season. But lo and behold, a busload of 110 school children from Rome arrived yesterday. Thank God they are staying in the other wing. They have 8 teachers accompanying them and they are here to tour the area. Also staying here, are about 12 men from Sicily who are working on some sort of energy project. They don’t speak any English and it is difficult to understand exactly what they are doing. Last week, a sport’s team was here for a few nights, however, we could never figure out what they played – a ball game with 5 players?? So it is sort of like old TV show, ‘Hotel’, with a revolving cast of characters. The hotel staff is extremely accommodating and the rooms are simple, clean and roomy. We have Wi Fi which isn’t always reliable, but I am able to Skype with Bill (husband) each day and even cousin John once. Rest assured, all is well here.
Ciao
- Phyllis
Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday Incuded a Trip to a Baron's Private Wildlife Sanctuary
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| An Owl from the Baros Private Collection |
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| A Llama from the Baron's Private Collection |
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| What a Site! |
This is for the foodies. Our weekend has come and gone and each of us has a tale to tell….but first the antipasti, which I have been promising for three emails.
I keep putting it off, because there are so many different dishes and varieties and many change daily. Some are common and one samples them often in the US. Suffice it to say, there is something for everyone. I will attach photos of one night’s offerings soon. There are always several different salad type dishes, seafood dishes – cuttlefish, octopus, clams and when I am lucky, my favorite, mussels. There are vegetables in bite size portions, some stuffed and prepared roasted, sautéed in olive oil. Then, there is always the tradition salad with lettuce and radicchio. Carpaccio is another popular item, sometime; it is smoked beef, regular beef or tuna. Often there are raw vegetables, such as celery, carrots and radishes. Finally, of course, we begin the main courses - there is the primo, secundo and dessert.
My evening in the dining room was spent primarily the photography mode. In the afternoon, my lunch (pranzo) with my friend, Elio and his family in Ostuni left no room for any more food. So I did not eat dinner. Elio’s wife, Marisa is an excellent cook and she prepared a meal fit for a king. We began with lasagna with a béchamel sauce, layered with sautéed artichokes and ham. Then we moved on to breaded meat fixed by grilling, salad, rapini, walnuts, cheese (it was so sharp, it bit your tongue – delish!); and finally, a delicious torte filled with homemade orange marmalade. Wow…I could barely move. His daughter, Alessandra, who is studying languages at the university in Bari, was home for the weekend. I remember teaching Alessandra English when she was in 8th grade in the Ostuni middle school, while Elio would come for English tutoring in the afternoon. It is a blessing one can form lasting relationships with such wonderful people in this beautiful country.
As for my colleagues, they were kept busy exploring Monopoli and one visited the home of her mother, Rodi Garganico. She spoke to townspersons with the same last name and strolled the streets her mother did as a child. Rita, our Italian teacher host, took them to a site, where a baron has a collection of all types of animal and birds. They so very impressed.
Finally, just a word about the weather - our first week was cool and pleasant. Saturday, these gale force winds blew in from ??? and we have been besieged by them for the entire weekend. The wind is called ‘maestrale’ in Italia and I swear it is kicking the Adriatic Sea to waves higher than the Pacific Ocean. I have been here for this wind before, but in the summer and it is not as chilling. As we walked to school in the morning, the wind was at our backs; however, fighting it coming home was a chore. I keep thinking I have to make this shorter, but, I seem to ‘get on a roll’. I will attempt to contain myself more in the future. I seem to be filling up the Global Volunteer Facebook page daily! Ciao…and Sam, thanks for all the ‘likes’. Is it warmer in Greece?...the winds are taking the fun out of weather!
- Phyllis
I keep putting it off, because there are so many different dishes and varieties and many change daily. Some are common and one samples them often in the US. Suffice it to say, there is something for everyone. I will attach photos of one night’s offerings soon. There are always several different salad type dishes, seafood dishes – cuttlefish, octopus, clams and when I am lucky, my favorite, mussels. There are vegetables in bite size portions, some stuffed and prepared roasted, sautéed in olive oil. Then, there is always the tradition salad with lettuce and radicchio. Carpaccio is another popular item, sometime; it is smoked beef, regular beef or tuna. Often there are raw vegetables, such as celery, carrots and radishes. Finally, of course, we begin the main courses - there is the primo, secundo and dessert.
My evening in the dining room was spent primarily the photography mode. In the afternoon, my lunch (pranzo) with my friend, Elio and his family in Ostuni left no room for any more food. So I did not eat dinner. Elio’s wife, Marisa is an excellent cook and she prepared a meal fit for a king. We began with lasagna with a béchamel sauce, layered with sautéed artichokes and ham. Then we moved on to breaded meat fixed by grilling, salad, rapini, walnuts, cheese (it was so sharp, it bit your tongue – delish!); and finally, a delicious torte filled with homemade orange marmalade. Wow…I could barely move. His daughter, Alessandra, who is studying languages at the university in Bari, was home for the weekend. I remember teaching Alessandra English when she was in 8th grade in the Ostuni middle school, while Elio would come for English tutoring in the afternoon. It is a blessing one can form lasting relationships with such wonderful people in this beautiful country.
As for my colleagues, they were kept busy exploring Monopoli and one visited the home of her mother, Rodi Garganico. She spoke to townspersons with the same last name and strolled the streets her mother did as a child. Rita, our Italian teacher host, took them to a site, where a baron has a collection of all types of animal and birds. They so very impressed.
Finally, just a word about the weather - our first week was cool and pleasant. Saturday, these gale force winds blew in from ??? and we have been besieged by them for the entire weekend. The wind is called ‘maestrale’ in Italia and I swear it is kicking the Adriatic Sea to waves higher than the Pacific Ocean. I have been here for this wind before, but in the summer and it is not as chilling. As we walked to school in the morning, the wind was at our backs; however, fighting it coming home was a chore. I keep thinking I have to make this shorter, but, I seem to ‘get on a roll’. I will attempt to contain myself more in the future. I seem to be filling up the Global Volunteer Facebook page daily! Ciao…and Sam, thanks for all the ‘likes’. Is it warmer in Greece?...the winds are taking the fun out of weather!
- Phyllis
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Hello to all, I realize I am a few days behind, even though in reality I am ahead of your time zones – but cannot seem to get up to date. I guess there is too much to do and too little time. In addition, I have been posting daily on Facebook and I have been getting many responses from old high school friends and many colleagues. Responding to all has been keeping me busy.
It is the end of th...e first school week and while I am sitting here typing, I am listening to 4th year high school students summarize orally in English, the life of famous American authors. I am amazed at how well they speak and with their ability to explain their opinions and thoughts in English. Using and practicing critical thinking skills is an integral part of the educational process in Italian schools. Their accent is British, because most of the Italian teachers teach and learn the British written style and accent. The combination of their Italian and British is quite charming to hear.
We have a full morning of classes, however, during a brief break, we cross the street in front of the school. There is a small negozio where formaggio is being made in the back. They invite us to watch and offer samples – delicious! …..and ever so fresh! The volunteers have settled in like the professionals they are; they are conversing comfortably with the students and very innovative in their topic selections. All in all, this has been an excellent first week and I am grateful to both of them for making my position here as good as it can get.
We are free of tutoring this afternoon, so we plan an excursion to neighboring towns of Alberobello, Cisternino, and Ostuni, the city where I lived in 2003. We also tour an ancient restored masseria. It is difficult to describe the spectacular Italian country side in any season; however, late winter, early spring is probably my favorite. The weather is not quite warm, however, the greenery is just starting to bloom and the wildflowers are a sight to behold. The towns we visited are incredibly picturesque and the trulli in Alberobello make the city a UNESCO historical site. We traveled by private car, so the ride was comfortable. We lunched in Alberobello; sampled olive oil at the masseria; and, and arrived at the Hotel Clio in time for dinner. Why is Italy all about food! I still have not forgotten the antipasti – another time. Arrivederci per adesso.
- Phyllis
It is the end of th...e first school week and while I am sitting here typing, I am listening to 4th year high school students summarize orally in English, the life of famous American authors. I am amazed at how well they speak and with their ability to explain their opinions and thoughts in English. Using and practicing critical thinking skills is an integral part of the educational process in Italian schools. Their accent is British, because most of the Italian teachers teach and learn the British written style and accent. The combination of their Italian and British is quite charming to hear.
We have a full morning of classes, however, during a brief break, we cross the street in front of the school. There is a small negozio where formaggio is being made in the back. They invite us to watch and offer samples – delicious! …..and ever so fresh! The volunteers have settled in like the professionals they are; they are conversing comfortably with the students and very innovative in their topic selections. All in all, this has been an excellent first week and I am grateful to both of them for making my position here as good as it can get.
We are free of tutoring this afternoon, so we plan an excursion to neighboring towns of Alberobello, Cisternino, and Ostuni, the city where I lived in 2003. We also tour an ancient restored masseria. It is difficult to describe the spectacular Italian country side in any season; however, late winter, early spring is probably my favorite. The weather is not quite warm, however, the greenery is just starting to bloom and the wildflowers are a sight to behold. The towns we visited are incredibly picturesque and the trulli in Alberobello make the city a UNESCO historical site. We traveled by private car, so the ride was comfortable. We lunched in Alberobello; sampled olive oil at the masseria; and, and arrived at the Hotel Clio in time for dinner. Why is Italy all about food! I still have not forgotten the antipasti – another time. Arrivederci per adesso.
- Phyllis
Monopoli News 2 posts today...I am trying to catch up! Well our first week is half way through it is hard to believe Wednesday is here and almost gone. We had a full morning at the school, lunch in a bar at the Piazza Vittorio Emmanuelle – the main town meeting area – and interesting and enlightening conversations with our tutees. Today, the volunteers focused on music, the main interest of... Sylvia, the youngest and least experienced English speaker in the group. She basked in the attention and appears to be making progress. She sings in a group called Brothers & Sisters and brought in their CD to play.
One of the volunteers is trying to make an ancestry connection with her mother’s home town in Puglia, called Rodi Garganico. It is quite a distance from Monopoli and she plans to travel there on Saturday to visit the birthplace of her ancestors. Her surname is quite unusual, so perhaps she will be able to locate some descendants. Rita, who is one of the Italian teachers, is trying to make some connection in the town, so the volunteer will be able to speak with someone on Saturday. For one who is interested in genealogy, this is a fascinating opportunity. Just visiting and examining the cemeteries in Italy can yield a wealth of information about one’s past – providing you are Italian, of course.
After a much needed break, we sat for dinner at 8:00 PM. We would prefer dining earlier, however, in Italy, it is virtually impossible. No one eats before eight and most eat well after that. We are always the first in the dining room. Tonight, for two of us, the pasta of choice was served with pomodoro sauce and one volunteer opted for a sauce with squid – not because he ordered it – but because he got the wrong order. What a gentleman – no complaints – very flexible. ‘Flexible’ is our key word when we are in Italy. One needs to sway with the breezes, whichever way they blow. As for me, the breezes always blow in the right direction. Everyday life is less complicated here – slower, more relaxed and there are lots of roses to smell; so one must stop and smell them. Now back to dinner, our secondi was a choice of grilled sea bass or braised veal with a brown sauce. Dessert – no panna cotta, but tiramisu and ice cream cake roll. We took piccolo portions. Well I forgot the antipasti bar, but we will discuss in detail next time.
Ciao
- Phyllis
One of the volunteers is trying to make an ancestry connection with her mother’s home town in Puglia, called Rodi Garganico. It is quite a distance from Monopoli and she plans to travel there on Saturday to visit the birthplace of her ancestors. Her surname is quite unusual, so perhaps she will be able to locate some descendants. Rita, who is one of the Italian teachers, is trying to make some connection in the town, so the volunteer will be able to speak with someone on Saturday. For one who is interested in genealogy, this is a fascinating opportunity. Just visiting and examining the cemeteries in Italy can yield a wealth of information about one’s past – providing you are Italian, of course.
After a much needed break, we sat for dinner at 8:00 PM. We would prefer dining earlier, however, in Italy, it is virtually impossible. No one eats before eight and most eat well after that. We are always the first in the dining room. Tonight, for two of us, the pasta of choice was served with pomodoro sauce and one volunteer opted for a sauce with squid – not because he ordered it – but because he got the wrong order. What a gentleman – no complaints – very flexible. ‘Flexible’ is our key word when we are in Italy. One needs to sway with the breezes, whichever way they blow. As for me, the breezes always blow in the right direction. Everyday life is less complicated here – slower, more relaxed and there are lots of roses to smell; so one must stop and smell them. Now back to dinner, our secondi was a choice of grilled sea bass or braised veal with a brown sauce. Dessert – no panna cotta, but tiramisu and ice cream cake roll. We took piccolo portions. Well I forgot the antipasti bar, but we will discuss in detail next time.
Ciao
- Phyllis
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