The beginning of the end

I'm a bit late on this post to be honest - I only have 2 and a half weeks left in Perugia. But still, better late than never!

I just want to round some things up for myself, because all of a sudden, it seems like foreeeever ago that I arrived in Italy and I want to see what's stayed the same and what's changed in the past 9 months.

(Sidenote: This blog's name is a lie. I arrived on the 22nd of October and will leave on the 22nd of July which means I'll have actually been in Italy exactly 9 months. But you know, 'Nine months in Perugia' doesn't quite have a ring to it and I also didn't want to look like I was sneaking off to Italy for just enough time to have a baby.)

~

I haven't blogged or looked at my blog properly in so long now, and looking back at posts from Christmas and the new year seems so long ago. 

At the beginning I made a little list of things I wanted to achieve, and in April I posted about how they were going. So here is the final update:

 1.       Get ok/good at jazz singing. That’s genuinely the main reason why I’m here (thanks Newcastle Uni) so I’d feel bad to put it anywhere other than first.

2.       Learn some Italian. Emphasis on ‘some’.

3.       Eat loads of pizza. I could say that this is complete already but I know there is oh so much more to be had.

4.       Have some nice times with some nice people.

5.       Have people to come visit (Tom, Mum, Dad, Sarah, Emily, Grace, Monica, Rona, all Newcastle flatmates, I’m looking at you)

6.       Experience the chilled way of Italian life. Currently perfecting this one having done the grand total of nothing for the past couple of days.

7.       See more of Italy. Rome, Pisa, Venice, Bologna maybe, and some places down south would be nice.

1. I've learned over 30 new jazz songs and got good marks in my improvisation and group singing exams. Woo!

2. I feel like I have learned a lot! I am by no means fluent but I'm no longer scared by it and I now understand the process of learning a new language.

3. I think it's fair to say mission pizza is complete. I have had more than my fair share. (But there's still 2 and a half weeks so......)

4. I have had so many nice times.

5. So, the grand total of visitors has been (in chronological order): Tom, Tom, parents and sister, Monica, Tom, Hannah, parents, Monica, and Tom again in a couple of weeks. Amongst that has been a Christmas visit home, 2 weekends in London, 2 Newcastle visits, and trip up to the north of Italy with Monica.

6. I'm not sure what I'll be like when I get home and start uni again in September, but whilst I am here I am so much more chilled. The days are so long and to be honest it's too hot right now to let yourself be busy or annoyed with anything!

7. So along with the couple of places just outside Perugia mentioned in April's post, since then me and Monica did plan our trip and ended up visiting Pisa, La Spezia, Cinque Terre and Florence. All of which were absolutely beautiful and was so good to have some time away.

~

Just in case this is the last post on this blog, I think I can safely say I have had a pretty good year abroad experience. I don't think I've 'changed as a person' like some people do, I haven't had any life-changing experiences and I'm very ready to return home. But I've learned a hell of a lot about so many things - myself, a new language, a new culture, people, music, my relationship, my friendships, etc. 

I am also really glad I made this blog (even if I ended up posting rarely) because now I can remember everything I thought and felt back in October, and be proud that I made it to July, in one piece, and god forbid actually having enjoyed myself.

*

Some travelling observations (rants)

Let's admit it, we've all been there. We've all been that annoying person who can't find their seat or somewhere to put their bag, or been stressed about being late for a flight and the crying child in front of you isn't helping your banging headache.

When travelling anywhere, there will always be situations like these that for whatever reason can't be avoided. But then again, they could. Probably.

What I'm saying is:

1. If you don't like the big queue to check in your bag at the airport because you unluckily caught a bit of a rush hour, just like the rest of us, no, you cannot just 'pay to upgrade'. No. Mainly because they won't let you, (ha) but also because you're arrogantly implying that you somehow deserve better and you can simply pay for it. And yeah, you will have to 'cope with Ryanair now after a first class flight from America'.

2. Please do not give your child a video game to play with on the plane. I know it's the only thing that would make him be quiet, but it meant the seats around him on the plane don't get any quiet for 2 hours. I never want to hear the sound of 'levelling up' again.

3. If I put my earphones in and *pretend to* go to sleep, that's usually a sign for 'please don't talk to me, I'm tired'. It's not an invitation (I'm looking at you, Andrea, you Italian 40 something year old) to start asking me about my life, telling me about yours, and to try and get my number so we can have a meal with your family (with his family) when you're back in Italy. 

4. Why are the staff at Stansted airport passport control so... stressy? I know they have to shout to be heard and they're clearly under-staffed but it just completely wipes out any warm fuzzy feelings I have about returning on English soil within 5 minutes. When they sound stressed and panicked, that in turn makes me feel stressed and panicked, as I start worrying about 'Will my passport even work in the e-passport thing?' and 'Am I holding it the right way up?' and 'Am I even British?!'.

5. I'm sorry old woman but yes, it is 6.30, and your gate did close at 6.25, and no, I don't know what happens now.

I understand that when travelling (especially alone) it's easy to get into a little bubble and set off on your little mission and become more selfish about some things. 

But in the end, everyone's going somewhere, everyone's in the same boat, (or plane or train or bus) and it's really irritating when some people feel the right to flounce around like they're 'higher up' and their journey is more important.

I hope these are relatable points and I'm not just being a rubbish person myself by getting annoyed with these things?

Anyway, hopefully back soon with a year abroad update on recent happenings!

Ciao x

Thoughts on 'failure'

On my Twitter feed, I just saw someone post the quote: 'It's better to try something and fail, than to not try at all'.

I don't know why, because I haven't finished my year yet, and I haven't 'failed' anything, but it immediately made me think of my year abroad.

Although a lot of the time I'm proud of myself for moving away, adapting to a new culture, learning another language and being in a long distance relationship, it's easy to feel like a failure when you're surrounded by so many other foreign students absolutely thriving and making countless friends and doing countless things and going to countless places, while you're just bumbling along, unsure of what to do.

But surely, achievements should always be personal, rather than in comparison to other people?

I am 6 out of 8 months through my year now, so I want to look back on the personal goals I had in November, and see if I've 'succeeded' or 'failed'.

 1.       Get ok/good at jazz singing. That’s genuinely the main reason why I’m here (thanks Newcastle Uni) so I’d feel bad to put it anywhere other than first.

2.       Learn some Italian. Emphasis on ‘some’.

3.       Eat loads of pizza. I could say that this is complete already but I know there is oh so much more to be had.

4.       Have some nice times with some nice people.

5.       Have people to come visit (Tom, Mum, Dad, Sarah, Emily, Grace, Monica, Rona, all Newcastle flatmates, I’m looking at you)

6.       Experience the chilled way of Italian life. Currently perfecting this one having done the grand total of nothing for the past couple of days.

7.       See more of Italy. Rome, Pisa, Venice, Bologna maybe, and some places down south would be nice.

1. I feel like my singing, or at least just my confidence, has improved. I have learnt so many new songs, improvised a lot and it's been so good to have the time just concentrating on my voice, rather than always with the piano.

2. I've learned quite a bit of Italian.

3. I've eaten so much pizza. I can't even explain.

4. I've had some lovely times with lovely people.

5. Tom has come to visit 3 times (! can we take a moment to appreciate this man), Mum Dad and Sarah came in February and the parents are coming back in a couple of weeks, I went to London to see Emily, Monica has visited, and flatmate Hannah is visiting next week!

6. I am so chilled.

7. I have only visited a few tiny places outside of Perugia, but plans are in action to visit more in July with Monica!

So really, I haven't 'failed' anything. I haven't made many friends, but that's ok. This year is a personal achievement for me, and I'm enjoying sharing it with people from home by having them visit. And to be honest, I'm still in the same mindset as I was a few months ago: enjoying Italy but looking forward to being home and normality and being back with my friends and boyfriend.

The past month has been quite busy, as will be the upcoming one, and I'm excited to just keep doing what I'm doing, and to start enjoying the sun! I even have an exam tomorrow, hold your horses.

I am still taking a picture every day, so to see what April has involved, see my instagram: https://instagram.com/shonamairicrossan/

Another catch up

Here's more of what's happened recently:

1. We had one blissful month of having a working router in the flat. However the router had a tantrum and is now not working, and even though it's only been a couple of days, I'm very prepared for this to last a long time. 'Why?' I hear you ask. Well, here in Italy, fixing the internet seems to involve countless trips to the Wind shop and harassing the man who once tried to chat me up (so that's forever awkward), phonecalls to a 'helpline', (who last night left us in silence for 15 minutes then hung up which was nice) and afternoon visits to internet cafes simply to check my emails and such. Well, goodbye to my beautiful month of functioning, unlimited internet. It was nice knowing you.

2. I just found out I've got a lesson 9-11, and one 11-2 on Thursday 9th April - the day after my 21st birthday. So that'll be fun!

3. It was really refreshing the other day to talk to an Italian friend who didn't know what Tumblr was, nor did she know about the idea of a 'thigh gap'. I explained and she thought it was ridiculous, and laughed when I told her my thighs are just too good friends to ever be apart.

4. For a week or so we had a broken washing machine and boiler. But that was when we still had internet so you know, pros and cons.

This post was meant to round up March which has actually been a lovely month but I've just been negative haven't I. I promise, it has been a great month! My Instagram gives a better overview I reckon so go look at that instead: https://instagram.com/shonamairicrossan/

Ciao

A Catch Up

Well, it's been a while hasn't it?

Oops.

Not really sure what happened... Think I was having too much fun to be honest.

Here's a fairly incoherent list of things that have happened in the past few weeks:

1. The family came to visit. Of course, the day they arrived was the first day Perugia decided to bring the gale force winds out, but they'll be back in April to appreciate my little city in its full sun-filled glory.

2. I went to London. Tom and I stayed with our favourite couple, Emily and James, and we had 4 lovely days, Emily gave me a surprise early birthday present of drinks at the Shard which was lovely, we ate in and out and caught up and laughed, oh and also we saw David Cameron.

3. I've noticed more and more cultural differences in Italy, at the same time as feeling a lot more comfortable and happy here. It's a weird parallel, but it's good. For example, working out what people mean rather than just what they say, I've had my first few proper 'lectures' (3 hours of being talked at in Italian, hello headache) and I've realised just how different the teaching style is here. For example, one of my male teachers calls me his 'dear' and my singing teacher just replied to my Whatsapp message saying goodnight and sweet dreams. The latter is quite sweet, the first maybe not so much...

4. Making friends is hard. I didn't think they would just be handed to me on a plate or anything, but I also didn't realise what a slow process it can be, meeting everyone you can and then working out who you want to get to know and spend time with etc. I'm finally getting there and there's a handful of people I can already see myself missing next year.

5. Clearly I only blog when I'm not really happy. Haha. The same goes for writing songs. Which is probably why I've hardly written any in the past two years, because as of yesterday my boyfriend has been in my life for that long. Ew I still always feel weird being soppy on the internet, but yeah. He's nice. But he's kinda messed up a potential career plan, cause all the best albums are about breakups aren't they. Ah well, I guess I'll have to put up with him for a bit longer!

I have changed my mind about blogging after my year abroad, and I instead just want this as literally a document of my year. I'm actually about half way through now which is crazy and I want to just jot down these past few weeks and document where I'm at and things. Here are two of my favourite photos from my family's visit!

Do's & Don't's: Eating in Italy

Let's talk about what everyone's favourite topic of conversation should be: food.

I reckon Italy's a pretty good place to visit for food if nothing else!

Here's some things to consider, some of them don't even need explaining.

~

DO:

...eat as much pizza as you can. Honestly. Forget about the calories, because let's be honest, Italian pizza is not exactly salad but it's also not the thick greasy Dominos you're probably used to having. The dough is incredible, the topping choices are endless and a slice is usually about 1.50 euros.

...go for aperativo. If you've had a big lunch, or have a small stomach, aperativo is perfect. It is different depending on where you go, but you usually get a pretty good selection of nibbly things along with your drink for about 5 euros. That's like... 3 quid. Imagine a cocktail and food for 3 quid in England?! Exactly, you can't. Even if you have to eat something else before or after to fill yourself up, it feels like free food and we all know free food is something to be treasured.

...indulge in the bad stuff too. Hot chocolates, gelato, posh chocolates, pastries, coffees (with cream), etc. It's all here so you may as well! Would be rude not to, right?

~

DON'T:

...feel guilty for having pastries for breakfast.

...go out for dinner too early. It'll be so obvious you're foreign and a bit too keen (oops).

...have a cappuccino after 12? I have been informed by an Italian that this is considered strange. However she then ordered one (it was 3pm) and 'broke the rule' so I'm going to keep breaking it too.

...worry about being unhealthy. Sure, you might indulge a bit more than if you were at home. But you will just eat differently in general. For example, in Italy I eat a lot of pizza and pasta and wine and chocolate. But I also eat a lot more fresh fruit and veg than I used to, and I now don't have takeaways or freezer food or bacon sandwiches. So you know, swings and roundabouts.

~

There is so much more to talk about in terms of Italian food and how the Italians eat, and these are just my (kind of obvious) do's and don't's for if you're coming on holiday to Italy.

To end on a completely unrelated note, the sun has suddenly decided to come out and play in Perugia. It's so nice to finally feel warmth and the sunsets are inevitably incredible...

Things I'm looking forward to.

I arrived in mid October. Soon it will be mid February. Which means 4 months have passed, which means I'm nearly half way through my time abroad?!

~

Ok, I admit, maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. But I've got quite a lot of plans for the next few months, as well as conservatorio work building up (which is good!) and I'm aware that time is suddenly going to go very fast and suddenly the end will be nigh. So I'm just going to pretend that this is the half way point, and stop to think about everything I've now got to look forward to.

~

On Monday, Mercedes & Fred will be here. Mercedes will no doubt be excited to be back where she did her Erasmus year, and after endless amounts of advice from her before I came myself, it will be nice to finally be in Perugia together.

~

The week after, my family will be coming to visit. I'm excited to show them my new little city and for them to have a well deserved holiday. (Except you Dad, your life is a holiday now.)

~

The week after that, I will be heading to London to see one of my favourite ever couples and my boyfriend. I've never been to London (Stansted countless times, but never actual London) and I'm going to be such a tourist.

~

The week after is the beginning of March. I will have two new flatmates, more classes and hopefully some nicer weather. Two weeks later one of my best friends, Monica, will be coming for a long weekend. I'm so excited and am already picking out places we can photograph her outfits for her fashion blog! (you should have a look by the way, helloomonica.blogspot.com) 

~

About two weeks after that, the boyfriend will be making yet another visit, but hopefully for a bit longer this time! And we may have a little Italian city break somewhere for my birthday at the beginning of April.

~

A couple of weeks later, in late April, another of my best friends Hannah will be coming out to see me! Again, I'm so excited to show someone else where I'm living and for her to have a well-earned holiday. Then just two days after she leaves, my parents are coming back! They just can't keep away.

~

I have no plans so far for May and June, but that's ok because that will probably be when I have most conservatorio work and exams. I'd like to go back to the UK at the start of July, to kind of signify the end of the 'year abroad' in terms of study, and see my new flat in Newcastle, but will still have my flat here and would like to come back for the Jazz Festival in mid July and have some proper holiday time with my love before the start of a inevitably stressful final year.

~

I originally didn't want to post all my plans on here (and don't want to sound boastful either) but it's really nice to type it all out and appreciate how much I have to be excited for. I finally feel very lucky to be living here, now that I've got used to the language and the culture and my daily struggles.

This is my happy face. Ha.

Happy weekend!

x