IT'S FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND BEGINS - OUR FREE TIME!

It Was A Whirlwind Of A Week For Us

   

 Monopoli means 'the only city'

  

For us it has proved to be just that.

What a week we have had!  We have gone from being apprehensive to being the best we can be.  The students, the people we encountered day to day, the food, and, yes even the weather has been more wonderful than we expected.

Our final day of the week began with our customary meeting at 8 AM for breakfast. At 8:30  Phyllis, Nate, Emily, Christina, Bob, and I left for the school, while Emma and Charlotte stayed at the hotel to tutor children (Emma) and adults (Charlotte).

Today we had more classrooms available to us.  Bob and I lucked out as we met with our group in the garden. We had a great time playing cards and conversing in English, particularly topics introduced by Bob. Discussions became very interesting. Time went quickly for Bob and me, as well as for the students.

Nate, Christina, and Emily went a tour of the city with their students after class. We all met back at the hotel and left for lunch at 12:45 PM.  Some of us stopped at a nearby bakery before the restaurant.  We arrived back at the hotel at 2:30 PM, so I was unable to take a nap as Margarita was not coming until  3:00 PM.

We Always Find Time For Our Afternoon Gatherings

Mimma, one of our adult students came at 4:00 PM and the group left at 5:30 PM for a short trip to Polignano a Mare, a beautiful city 15 minutes up the coast from Monopoli. What a spectacular city it is, with all the marvelous views and many narrow winding streets.  Polignano a Mare is the home of Domenico Modugno, the singer who made "Volare" one of the most popular Italian songs and there is a statue of him in the center of the town. It certainly is a fine representation of Volare -

 Let's Fly Way Up To The Sky!

No time for a nap again! Team met at 8:00 for dinner and we discussed events of the day. I left for my room shortly after dinner as I was very tired because I was unable to take a siesta during the day. Overall the day was enjoyable and one I won't forget!

Memories Of Our First Week

THURSDAY IN MONOPOLI WITH TEAM 180

When we arrived at the school, there were exams being conducted in the hallways, so we could not go into the schoolyard, or into classrooms. After some searching, a quiet classroom was found.  We had keep our noise level low, since the students are taking oral exams and the atmosphere must be very quiet.  Italian students must take oral exams in all their major subjects. 

The English session went very well. They taught us the game of Scopa.  After a few games of that, we played seven and a half, which is very much like our Blackjack, but played with the Scopa cards. Using a game gave the students an excellent opportunity to teach us their games in English.  Based on our laughter content, everyone joyed themselves. 

On Our Way Back to the Hotel - Not Really, We Walk

Back at the ranch for lunch and then a very snort napa before I met with Margarita and a male

friend for afternoon adult tutoring lessons. Alter thirty minutes the male friend had to go back to work, as he was being paged. Margarita showed me some of her work with a missionary organization, and pointed out some pictures of Phyllis. Margarita did  the work of computer graphics, and created the Web graphics for the missionary organization.

Before quitting a five, we discussed several books that we both read, but since I had just the titles on my I PAD, we talked mostly about the books that were stored there. We’re both looking forward to the next day and continuing our conversation. 

Oh Those Sunsets

WEDNESDAY - WE ARE MORE CONFIDENT - WE WILL DO THIS WELL

A Lesson in the Garden

The conclusion of June 26th, tomorrow we will have been in Italy for an entire week, but today was yet another new experience. Similar to yesterday we went to the school this morning and shared conversations with the local Italian teens, a few more came today, to add to yesterday's group.


For lunch we went to a local bar and cafe and were given generous portions of appetizers and panini. As the afternoon drew closer, each us went our various ways spending our siestas at the beach, pool, and even napping. We closed the day out by eating dinner in the hotel and trying some fresh Italian figs, given to us by one of the local adult student that we tutor.

Yummy Figs

TUESDAY - A BUSY DAY - WE MEET MORE NEW STUDENTS

Global Volunteer Tutor with Student

Tuesday was our first day at the high school. Emma and Charlotte stayed at the hotel with the small children and a few of the adults for more tutoring sessions, while Nate, Christina, Bob, Mary and I walked to the school to interact with the older girls and boys. Everyone seemed to get along extremely well: sparking the beginning of a few new friendships. The children were mostly very talkative; a few were shy, but began to open up as the day went on. 

For lunch, we went to a new restaurant in the Old Town and tried a variety of different appetizers, including fresh mozzarella and mussels. The building was beautiful and the food was delicious; yet another picturesque experience of Italy.

Relaxing at the End of the Day

Overall, it was an enjoyable day full of meeting new people, trying new foods, and experiencing new things.

What's Your Pleasure - Green or Black?

AND NOW WE BEGIN WEEK ONE - READY WILLING & MOST ABLE

Monday June 24th is the first official day of teaching. We all sat down at breakfast, and as we ate, we discussed what today was going to bring. Charlotte shared her journal from yesterday, and Nate shared the beautiful quote of the day " ti amo vita".  Since the school that serves as our classroom for most of the classes was closed due to exams, we spent the morning at the Hotel Clio with our students.  

Shortly after breakfast was finished, we went to the conference room to wait for our students.  I met the three little girls, and began my task at hand, while Emily helped an older girl with her exam studies, and the adults conversed with the older towns people.  After a while, Christina, Nate, and finally Emily wandered in. The girls seemed very shy at first, but they quickly warmed up when Nate became very interactive. The adults seemed to have very much enjoyed themselves, as well as the company of the other adults of Monopoli.  

We finished in time for lunch at Hakuna Mattata, a local restaurant, that has a tavola calda - a hot table.  This is sort of like a cafeteria, where we selected our food on a tray and sat down to eat.  Some items were familiar, while others, such as fried zucchini blossoms were new to some of us.  In the afternoon, some of us retreated to the beach, while others enjoyed a siesta before the afternoon tutoring classes.

Overall the first day was not as scary as it seemed, and turned out to be very enjoyable.

TEAM 180 IN ITALY

TEAM 180 ARRIVE IN MONOPOLI 
An  Enthusiastic Team with 8 Volunteers 

Our team comprised of four college students and the remaining four are - well, suffice it to say, on the other end of the spectrum.   

We arrive tired and weary.  Two volunteers are grandparents with their grandchildren. The trip - one of working and volunteering - is a gift to their grandchildren, who are all either in college or beginning this fall. One of them celebrated his 18th birthday Saturday night and you will see a picture of his celebration cake (torta).  

Wow –  Italians really know how to light a candle! 

Today is Sunday and we spend most of the day in Orientation.  It is a day of quite a bit of talking and listening - probably somewhat anxious listening, with all the sunshine and beaches waiting.   But, this a necessary component of our work assignment here. We set the tone for our two weeks and decide in unison why we are here and what we hope to accomplish.  After dinner, Rita, our local Italian teacher host takes the volunteers on an evening tour of the old part of town – il centro storico. 

Now about the food, octopus was one of the lunch choices and for dinner it is simple baked chicken with salad and potatoes.  This tasted good after rich and heavy lunch.   Here we are, knives and forks in hand, ready for our roast chicken supper.

Ready For Dinner At Local Restaurant

Octopus For Lunch

"Throughout the Italian countryside, cities, and roads there is a phrase that I saw consistently spray-painted upon the walls and roads 'Ti amo vito/a.' This translates essentially as 'I love life.' 

As we have decided to experience Italian culture, as a whole, I think it is good practice to take in this idea of loving life and begin to move toward that as we experience the culture around us."          

              Shared by 'our youngest volunteer'

RETURN SOON FOR DAILY HAPPENINGS