Italy on the Horizon-Yeah!

Two years? Not possible! My mind, in vivid colors, conjures up familiar places, friends' faces, favorite tables at favorite trattorias, slopes of green vines, piazzas, art extraordinaire, lagoons, Giotto--so many imprints from so many visits, so much nostalgia for our Tuscan year. And now we are returning after a year's hiatus--how could we have stayed away so long? Ah, I remember, Kenya called and so lions and giraffes replaced David and Leonardo for 2010. And.....I don't regret that excursion at all--it was totally, monumentally spectacular.

But now we go home in 27 days--whose counting, anyway? Casey and I leave on June 15 via United and Lufthansa--San Diego, Chicago, Frankfurt-Rome; Ken follows the next day via United with a by far better routing--San Diego-D.C.-Rome. Why? Because Casey and I used miles for business while Ken has a revenue fare with a business upgrade. He needed the last few ff miles to reach the heady 1,000,000 mile with nice life-time perks. It would have been good to get our free tickets to match his itinerary but no such luck and since free is free we took what we could get.

Casey and I will stay at the Luana B&B near the Rome Airport waiting Ken's arrival the next day and then head on to our most favorite of all places, beautiful and serene Sant' Antonio outside of Montepulciano. This year will mark 10 years since we first arrived at Sant' Antonio and began our friendship with the owners Nico and Elena. Casey and their children have grown up together. We came there days after 9/11/2001 when the world was in mourning with the US. It was a somber time which forged lasting friendships wherever you were.

We love southern Tuscany and have explored it well over the years but..there are always places missed and those to revisit. We will do both during our week there.

Casey, Sofia and Filippo will again renew their friendship as children do while Ken and I will enjoy time with Nico and Elena. As I write, I long to be there.

From Sant' Antonio we go to Verona for just two nights. We want Casey to see the opera Aida in the Roman Arena there--well, we want to see it, too, actually. The opera season there is world famous and a truly special operatic event. We bought our tickets a long time ago. I understand that the spectacle includes elephants entering down the aisles which will surely captivate Casey if the arias don't. Aida Pictures from the 2009 Season

From Verona, train to Venice-- La Serenissima (the most serene.) We have an apartment there for 6 nights--not long enough but better than our original 3 nights. We've been there before--once just Ken and I in 1999 and then in 2003 with Casey. His memories consist of the pigeons in Piazza San Marco and the gondola ride when he oh so politely told the gondolier "these boats are called canoes in San Diego."

I am totally looking forward to these days in Venice. It is magical there--even with the early summer crowds. I love wandering lost among the calles and canals, admiring the creative vision and genius of building such magnificent structures on water, the food, the Tintoretto and Titian masterpieces, the riding the vaporetto, visiting the islands and the food, again. There is so much we have not seen there that our days will be full.

We pick up our car on leaving Venice, drive to Padua to view the exquisite Giotto frescoes in the Cappella degli Scrovegni. The next morning we will head on to our "home" in Greve-in-Chianti where we will nest for 4 weeks. We already know the first or maybe the second night will find us at Il Portico with Marcella.

Once again Casey will have his birthday there--the 4th time. He will officially  become a teenager then--13! Very hard to believe that the little boy who went to 3rd grade there is now almost a grown-up. His teachers and karate instructors will be very surprised by how big he is and by the excellence of his Italian. His tutors here have done a good job with him.

I will take a 3 day vacation-in-a-vacation to Dublin with my friend Rita. Having never been to Ireland, I look forward to this brief, small sampling. Rita has been there so she will be my guru--nice.

While in Greve, the three of us will head to Umbria for 3 nights and take a cooking class from a friend of mine. I will be sure to blog about Rebecca's place where we will stay and Letizia's cooking class. I think this is going to be a blast.

So that is the outline of our plans. The details will be filled in once we arrive and I begin blogging again on a fairly regular basis. It is so much easier when doing something new and different--not like boring at home stuff.

A Presto

Stealing from Jerry

I have a friend in Canada who was a teacher and now works for the teachers association. As anyone knows who has been an educator, those in his current profession are there because of a commitment to kids, teachers, education and tomorrow's future.

Jerry recently had a blog post about education in the United States that needs to be shared and circulated. I've never done this before--reposted someone else--but am compelled to this time. The letter he includes in his post is heartbreaking and true throughout our country--not just reflected in the classroom of the teacher who wrote it.

From Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants

A Teacher's Letter to President Obama

I had the pleasure of listening to Diane Ravitch speak to a large group of Ontario educators tonight. Diane is an American education historian - a former supporter of charter schools, standardization, and school choice - who has come to recognize that these movements are hurting students, harming the teaching profession, and destroying public education. Although she is of an age when many are wanting to put up their feet and relax, Diane is using her anger to travel the country telling any and all who will listen what is wrong with the pervasive education reform movement in the US.
Her stories were chilling.
One of the teachers that she wrote about was this teacher from California who wrote this letter to President Obama:

A Letter to My President - The One I Voted For

February 1, 2011

Dear President Obama:

I mean this with all respect. I’m on my knees here, and there’s a knife in my back, and the prints on it kinda match yours. I think you don’t get it.

Your Race to the Top is killing the wrong guys. You’re hitting the good guys with friendly fire. I’m teaching in a barrio in California. I had 32 kids in my class last year. I love them to tears. They’re 5th graders. That means they’re 10 years old, mostly. Six of them were 11 because they were retained. Five more were in special education, and two more should have been. I stopped using the word “parents” with my kids because so many of them don’t have them. Amanda’s mom died in October. She lives with her 30-year-old brother. (A thousand blessings on him.) Seven kids live with their “Grams,” six with their dads. A few rotate between parents. So “parents” is out as a descriptor.

Here’s the kicker: Fifty percent of my students have set foot in a jail or prison to visit a family member.

Do you and your secretary of education, Arne Duncan, understand the significance of that? I’m afraid not. It’s not bad teaching that got things to the current state of affairs. It’s pure, raw poverty. We don’t teach in failing schools. We teach in failing communities. It’s called the ZIP Code Quandary. If the kids live in a wealthy ZIP code, they have high scores; if they live in a ZIP code that’s entombed with poverty, guess how they do?

We also have massive teacher turnover at my school. Now, we have no money. We haven’t had an art or music teacher in 10 years. We have a nurse twice a week. And because of the No Child Left Behind Act, struggling public schools like mine are held to impossible standards and punished brutally when they don’t meet them. Did you know that 100 percent of our students have to be on grade level, or else we could face oversight by an outside agency? That’s like saying you have to achieve 100 percent of your policy objectives every year.

It’s not bad teaching that got things to the current state of affairs. It’s pure, raw poverty.

You lived in Indonesia, so you know what conditions are like in the rest of the world. President Obama, I swear that conditions in my school are akin to those in the third world. We had a test when I taught in the Peace Corps. We had to describe a glass filled to the middle. (We were supposed to say it was half full.) Too many of my kids don’t even have the glass!

Next, gangs. Gangs eat my kids, their parents, and the neighborhood. One of my former students stuffed an AK47 down his pants at a local bank and was shot dead by the police. Another one of my favorites has been incarcerated since he was 13. He’ll be 27 in November. I’ve been writing to him for 10 years and visiting him in the maximum-security section of Salinas Valley State Prison.

Do you get that it’s tough here? Charter schools and voucher schools aren’t the solution. They are an excuse not to fix the real issues. You promised us so much. And you want to give us merit pay? Anyway, I think we really need to talk. Oh, and can you pull the knife out while you’re standing behind me? It really hurts.

Sincerely yours,

Paul Karrer
Fifth grade teacher at Castroville Elementary School
North Monterey County, CA

There is nothing more fundamental to our society than public education. It is the greatest hope that all students have for a better future. Diane rightly recognizes that the US doesn't have failing schools, rather they have a severe poverty issue. Until steps are taken to ease that no reform on earth will 'reform schools'.

It's time to stop blaming hard working teachers for the poverty and inequality in society that holds children back from reaching their potential.

Thank you Jerry for writing this.

The Unfulfilled Traveler

For years, well, since 2001, I have had a favorite travel website--as far as I am concerned it is the go to place on the net for information about traveling in Italy and many other countries. Its premise being that from fellow travelers come the best, most honest insights and advice about destinations.

Slow Travel and Slow Talk are two parts of the same animal. Slow Travel is the information partition where you find reviews, essays, road information, trip reports and a lot more stuff. Slow Talk comprises the forums which offer country specific boards, information about technology, language help and more, more, more. Travelers assist each other in planning trips, sharing information, arranging for get-togethers in far away places such as Turkey and Africa as well as well-trod (trodden?) Europe. It is a community of mostly like-minded souls--people who love to travel and who want to experience cultures a little more deeply than tour groups usually allow.

We are people who take the unexpected in stride--well, actually, thrive on the serendipity and feel that we have been blessed when those moments come. Getting lost offers opportunity, the hidden trattoria unpromoted by Rick Steves is the goal, coaxing a smile from the brusque shop keeper is a conquering moment, experiencing a cultural difference is a time of learning, making new friends promises more to come, accepting kindness from strangers reminds of brotherhood, knowing that what seems an idiosyncrasy to us is mundane for our hosts, realizing that maybe we were "taken" a little and then laughing it off becomes an achievement, sloughing off inconvenience becomes an accomplishment --these are the mindsets of those who relish travel, the new, the broadening of horizons; who know that the world is a big place and no country holds the monopoly for setting standards and defining correct and incorrect ways.

I am saddened when I read of someone who has dreams for a trip but does not prepare for what it will be--when one wants the comforts as defined by the lifestyle at home--whatever that might be, who seems to find a satisfaction in complaining and comparing. Inconvenience is a fact of travel but should not be what composes our memories.

When only looking through the prism of the known, the joys and serendipities and excitement and experiences and wonder of the unknown are excluded. Travel loses its purpose, becoming a disappointment--barren and disillusioning. Focus is spent on the inconsequential irritants that ruin the beauty that surrounds and presents itself.

Before embarking on a journey to somewhere-anywhere, it is so important to spend time researching the country, the culture, the details--determine what it is you want to see and do. What calls out to you--what are your interests? Read reviews, check out travel books, read the fine print, look at pictures, read a little history--in other words, learn something about your destination. Absorb what other people have reported and said. Pick up some clues and hints as to what to expect.

Travel is something we make happen--other people do not make it for us. I think to often people expect............

And this is why Slow Travel and Slow Talk have met the needs of so many people. We are a community of people who support, help, encourage and educate each other-- a community for both the new and experienced traveler--anyone who wants to learn, give, share and  take. We are not experts just sharers of experiences and the love of travel.

Catch-Up Time

Yeah--it's been a time since I last wrote--maybe the longest between posts since starting this blog in 2005, before blog mania hit. It started simply as a means to journal the process of preparing to relocate to Italy for a year. Since I hate to write with pen and paper--if I can't read my handwriting, who can?--it made sense to word process. And then it occurred to me that if I did it on the web and, if the web is around for a few centuries, perhaps future family might be interested in ancestors. Plus, I do like to write when there is something to say or something that can be manipulated into being said. It was so easy at first and then, when living in Italy, writing was downright compelling.

Since those days, there have been obvious times to post either because life is interesting or I had some thoughts I wanted to share or I just wanted to write. However, dry times do hit-- life becomes rather routine and mundane or there is an absence of scintillating thought or, and most often, I am just not "into" writing.

Now a month has skittered by and I note from the handy stat counter that there are still a few faithful who drop by now and then--maybe they are future ancestors--think?  So, to keep a few followers so that I don't feel totally deserted--earned, yes, nice, no--I think I will  update the last month. I do have a post in mind about slow travel vs. fast travel but that is for another day.

So--without further ado--here are the highlights from the last month:

1.  Parted with my most favorite of cars--a little 1998 Saturn Coupe--manual shift, which I loved. It had only 52,000 miles so was in good shape. I bought it when I was working and used it as a run around town vehicle. It was "my" car with little reason for passengers. But....now, with an almost teener, I am back in the taxi business and Casey at 5'7" and his friend at 5'9" the handwriting is on the wall--the car wouldn't work for them. I became aware of this one day as I watched them try to pretzel themselves into the back seat. So now, I am the proud owner of a 2011 VW Jetta--I gave up the manual and now, truth be told, am enjoying an automatic which I swore would not happen. And....since I am not a youngster anymore, admit that I find that getting in and out is a lot easier. The strange thing with the Jetta is that it changes color from silver to gold depending on the light.  

   

                      OLD                                                                                                    NEW

                                  

     

2.  Spent many hours planning trips---not a bad way to spend time. We're headed to our second home for 6 weeks this summer--Italy. Guess that's worth a blog post to give the details, including the opera Aida in the Roman Arena in Verona--elephants in the aisles and lots of pomp. Hopefully Casey will love it! 

     Then, call it risk taking or crazy--take your pick--we're off to Egypt and Jordan in December. That definitely deserves a post--if only to assure you that we are not totally out of our minds. Just sounds like a good thing to do over Christmas when Casey has two week off of school.

3.  Oversaw Casey's life--an eventful and full-time occupation. Smart he may be, and he surely is, but motivated and self-propelled, he surely is not. Basically he is a 12 year old who wants to be 12 but schools expect so much from kids these days and there are so many other pressures that they have to be 16 four years early. He is taking advanced algebra. I didn't take regular algebra until 9th grade when I was 14. 

4. Last week was spring break which was well timed. We needed a break and so we took off for Monterey. Ken and I have spoken for years about taking Casey there to the magnificent Monterey Bay Aquarium which is world famous for its work with endangered species. Having been to many aquariums I have to say that this ones rises above the others. It is quite beautiful, appealing to old and young. Casey who loves animals of all kinds loved it. I had remembered the jelly fish exhibit as being quite special but this time it was the sea horse exhibit that stole the show. Spectacular!

   And then we had time to just walk the beaches, watch otters playing in the waves, feel pity for the people with red, red backs as they basked in the sun, climb rocks--just enjoy nature and beauty.

   Ken and I were married in Carmel and so one day took Casey there to see the Church of the Wayfarer where we spoke those fatal words--I do. What a change in life such little words can bring! That evening we had dinner at Cantinetta Lucawith good friends from Slow Travel. It was a fun evening and Casey enjoyed playing table football with Wendy--made the evening all worth it for him.

   On the way home we spent the night in Santa Barbara and visited the mission there--another cultural/history experience for Casey. Then....the big moment of the week...he spotted a Tilly's store. So we stopped in and made his day with two pair of skinny jeans.

Now we're home. School starts tomorrow and...we're one week closer to Italy. Can't wait!

Al Jazeera--Is Clinton Right?

Well, to begin, the title of this made me laugh as I typed it. Clinton--Right? Never!

Anyway..several days ago, speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Clinton said something to the effect that Al Jazeera is gaining more prominence in the U.S. because it offers "real news" -- something she said American media were falling far short of doing.  Source  Of course, this predictably provided fodder for crazy man, proof of what she said, Glen Beck, who bizarrely seems to feel that what he presents is "real news".

Does Clinton have a point and is it legitimate? I think so per the following 3 points.

1. We were in Italy days after the horrific events of 9/11. We have never regretted being there during those days as we became aware of something most Americans never knew. The world was in mourning with us, the support was unprecedented, countries came together and united around the terror of the unbelievable in NYC. We know this because of the broadcasts that were streaming in from China, all of western Europe, Japan, the rest of Asia and old eastern block countries such as Romania and Hungary. There were midnight candle vigils in these countries; store windows were draped in red, white and blue; police stood at attention outside stations where there were podiums holding huge books on pedestals. People of many nationalities wrote their condolences in a variety of languages.  Everywhere we went, empathy and sympathy were shared. Of course there was also much coverage direct from the United States so we were able to see that too.

We were amazed when we returned home to discover that few people here had any idea of how the world stood with us. It was as if our country were isolated in its grief--not understanding that the world was grieving, too...that there was a shared understanding of a profound change that had taken place in world history and events. I understand the raging emotions and stunned paralysis that covered our land but the media should have been more honest and more inclusive. The nation needed this if for no other reason than it was so affirming and uplifting at a very dark time. It was also needed to underscore that we are a community of nations. The people of the United States were robbed of something important. The only source that could have provided this was the media.


2. An American friend of mine who lives in Italy said in a FB comment Al Jazeera is hands down the best news channel in the world, in my opinion....I am on vacation here in the US right now and appalled at what is called news "here." There we have access to British, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Arab, and American news. Here? Oh, don't get me started. What she says is true. When we are in Europe--frequently--we become much more aware of the world and what is happening in it. Often we are even more informed about what is happening in the United States as it is being reported as in-depth news not 3 minute blips between commercials and trivia about Charlie Sheen's goddesses, Sarah Palin's latest mouthing and American Idol.

3. I began watching Al Jehezzera on my iPad recently when I discovered that it provides fairly straight forward brief narrative reporting to introduce video of what is happening wherever. I do still primarily watch MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC but am becoming more disillusioned. So much of the airwaves are taken up with pundits sharing purported wisdom with each other, outrage at other on-air personalities, opinions replacing hard news, reporting on wayward celebrities, politicians and other high profile misfits and the occasional fluff piece and human interest story (I like the latter.) The loss is news about the world in general. We get stories about Berlusconi and his Ruby and other scintillating news but we get little hard news. Of course, major events such as current uprisings in the Middle East and Africa and the numbing earthquake in Japan are heavily covered with video and reporting, particularly at the beginning when there is the horror of the visual. But, comprehensive coverage of the world just doesn't happen. It used to be that CNN more-or-less served this purpose but no longer.

I encourage checking out the link to Al-Jazeera above to get a feel for what I am saying. Go through each of the continents and world areas in the menu bar to see what is there. Check the "watch live" option to see some of the coverage. It is different from ours.

Again for the record, I repeat that my major source is US media but sometimes I do check out the BBC, CNN International and Al-Jazeera along with other options to complete my understanding of what is happening. I find that I am more informed and cognizant of the world outside our borders.