So as previously mentioned in the blog before, nearly 3 months ago, I went to MALTA at the end of February with my class for a week (27th Feb – 6th Mar). I spent a week in heaven! Sun, heat, right by the sea, decent food (British), Cadbury chocolate and ENGLISH! As MALTA was a British colony (now a republic in the EU), it has a big British influence but also because of its position geographically, it has adopted many Mediterranean elements such as building styles, types of food and a relaxed lifestyle – an exchange students delight really when your in Italy from either NZ or Aussie. The others from my class had to go to an English school for the week but because I don’t really need that, I got the mornings to spend how I pleased. That generally meant that I got more sleep and shopping. Also the supermarkets were packed with brands familiar to the average NZer so I think I gained around 3 or 4 Kg just from trying to get a taste of everything. In our time there, we managed to visit Valetta (the capital), Sliema (the part where we were staying), St Julians (where all the rich people go) and Mdina, The Silent City (named this because only around 40 families still live there). I got to know Sliema pretty well in my wanderings and it is a very beautiful place, positioned right on the waterfront with a largish harbour that they share with Valetta. Its a beautiful place packed with aging British tourists who want a holiday in the Mediterranean but without the language difficulties and with familiar foods etc.
The next week I spent at home but I found out on the Monday after Malta that I was going to Milan for exchange week – Monza to be more precise – the following week (14th Mar – 21st Mar). So once again I packed and went to Bari to catch a plane for the next journey. I stayed with a family there who had hosted a girl from Iceland 2 years ago. They had 3 daughters (9, 13 and 15) who were lovely and I got along with my new host parents almost immediately. I enjoyed my stay there immensely and revelled in the freedom I got as they allowed me to use the public transport without problems whenever I wanted. We went to an art school for the week, which was in the Villa Reale, the home where the royal family used to go on vacation, to complete a photography project about the town we stayed in, Monza. The assistants there were lovely and they took us to see Lake Como, Milan and of course, Monza. Milan is about a 15 minute train ride south and Como is north by about 30/40 minutes. From Como it takes a 5 minute drive until you’re in Switzerland, so it kind of gives you a picture of how close things all are up there. I really liked Milan, though it wasn’t like anyone from Gravina had told me it would be. They said the people would be cold and the traffic would be terrible (Ok I give them that. It was) and there was always smog and rubbish covering everything. 3 of the 4 things I failed to see but that again shows the differing attitudes of the south for the north and vice versa.
Again i was at home for another week before I received a phone call to tell me that AFS were finally letting me go to Lecce for a few days (27th Mar - 30th Mar) to go and visit everyone there. It was finally nice to be the one doing the travelling instead of Massimo, who was forever coming to see me. Since then I have been to Lecce again (5th-9th May) for Albin’s (Sweden) 18th birthday and travelled ALONE to the nearby town of Matera to visit my friend Edin (Bosnia). Also Natalie from Wellington, who is on exchange in Sicily this year, came to visit for a few days, from the 4th till the 11th of May. We went to Lecce together and Matera to do all the touristy stuff but the best part of her visit was having someone to talk to, who would understand everything I said whether I talked too fast or about Shortland Street (NZ drama show) or quoted the Handy paper towel ad. As for family trips, on the 25th we went to the north of Puglia to see a few of the attractions there and then from the 30th April to the 2nd May, we went to Villapiana in Calabria, where my host parents have a Bach. So in short for the last few months I have been relatively busy. Its good though. Earlier in the year I was worried I wouldn’t be able to see as much as I wanted to see of Italy but now those worries have been safely put to bed and I am content.
The only downside to my life at the moment is the thought about going home. It both excites and frightens me. It scares me because I have to leave people who I love and have become very good friends with over the past 8 months but then of course I am very excited to go back to life in NZ, see everyone and just enjoy being back in my routine. But this thought in itself causes more problems then good. Because I am getting so close to the time when I depart, I find myself thinking about home a lot more than I used to, getting a kind of home sickness that is not like the one I experienced at that start of this exchange. This is more a longing for the normal. A normal where I can relax and be myself without worrying about the consequences or whether I’m breaking some rule which could get me sent home. Also freedom to live my own life is dangling like a carrot in front of me. Here I am reliant upon so many other people. I just want some responsibility and independence! I know I sound like a typical teenager but this is not just because my parents have grounded me or something along those lines, it’s because I am ready. Mature and old enough to do this without having someone looking over my shoulder all the time telling me to be careful. Despite all this, I would never have done only 6 months. It’s not long enough. Not long enough to learn a language fluently or to integrate in to a culture fully. A year gives you time to appreciate what you are really doing and the consequences of spending a year away from home, which are mostly good for me.
So after all that philosophy, I bid you all farewell. I hope for your sakes I write before I go home. I swear this time I will make a bigger effort – well I will try to anyway. The events for the next month are the end of stay camp from the 8th till 11th of June in Castellanetta Marina, my 18th birthday on the 18th of June and hopefully another trip to Lecce. School finishes on the 9th of June I think, so I will finish up on the 7th. Still can’t believe its all coming to a close…
Write soon, Amelia.
PS The birthday has been mentioned so I expect at least some acknowledgment. Presents, Letters and Cards will suffice. That is all.
