Day 33, June 9, Verona and country living

After a conversation with the GM I’ve ramped up the job-hunt another few notches. Considering the possibility of leaving Italy fills me with an awkward mix of melancholia and excitement. I know there are more adventures to have here --both socially and solo. But moving on has a potential to be more exciting (depending where I’m going and what I’m going to do there). I think staying in Italy without getting bored will require a more significant shift from spending my free time traveling to more and more and more social experiences. I have a lot of fun with the Sicilians and some of the others, but I still feel a social handicap. And the more I get to know the Italians, the more I see fundamental differences between the ways we perceive life.

I went to an Italian-style tiki bar called Bahia north of Monza on Friday with Paddy, Maddy, and some of their friends. It was a lot of fun. There was pop and salsa music, dancing in flip-flops, dodging an excessive amount of stiletto heels, and lots of people standing and moving around instead sitting frozen at tables like usual. I didn’t approach many people, but I think there is a lot of potential for some interesting social dynamics if I every return. Speaking of fundamental differences, at the end of the night I made some insightful revelations of the meaning (and lack thereof) of the Italian word fidanzato.

I went to Verona Saturday and then to visit Emiliano for a party in his hometown in the countryside outside of Mantova (Mantua). I enjoyed both days. Verona is a beautiful city albeit some crowding by a plentitude of vacationing Germans. The countryside that was home to both Virgil and my friend Emiliano, presented a glimpse into a beautiful bucolic lifestyle that I seldom have an opportunity to see first hand.

It’s late so I have to leave you with another outline. Maybe I’ll get to fill in this one, but I’m not really expecting to get around to it.

Adio Apartamento
Another train for Venice
Garda, Sirmione
Germans
New Prada knockoffs
Arena
Juliet: Changing tides
Wedding singer in St. Anastasia
Fishermen
Napping
Magnum ice cream bar

Biking country roads with Paco the dog
Bees
Stinky water
Se mangia bene
Italian country-rock
Bells at the Abby
Se mangia bene ancora