Happy Year in My New Digs!

I apologize for the delay in writing. Not enough time during the day and jetlag at night.

I am almost feeling normal, especially now that the students have all arrived. After a rocambolesque two days waiting at the airport to recuperate my crew, the last ones got here today. (They were detoured in Paris on Wednesday, no doubt because of the terrorist attack that took place there.)

Urie and I are settling in our post, and he's been a real trooper helping where he can (carrying suitcases for students, touring us round the town--I had to go to the airport to meet three students and did not go on the walking tour, but Urie went on it, memorized the principal points of attraction and told us what we'd missed.)

Florence by Night

Florence la bella città! It's beautiful here, quaint, old-worldish, and sunny. (The latter expresses best how one feels in this city of rays and golden colors.) Because the center where we are was built at the end of the medieval age and beginning of the Renaissance, the streets were not made for modern "machines" and are quite narrow, making this place a maze of one-way crazy driving. I have had near two hundred heart attacks from cab drivers or from crosswalk passages, neither of which privileges pedestrians. (Except when there is a parade as there was on Epiphany Day.)

Epiphany Parade Man

We are located near the Ponte Vecchio in the San Spirito district. Our apartment is at the top of Palazzo Capponi (Signor C. was a 15th century banker or merchant who lived here at some point).

Palazzo Capponi

Ponte Vecchio

The house where we are is several stories high, and many corridors separate the entrance from our dwelling. Urie and I share a huge livingroom/kitchen. My bedroom could house one third of my students, and Urie's room has two beds and a couch, and enough space inbetween to play basketball. Our bathroom is reached from the hallway and includes a bidet we have yet to use. (The students are in the same building but their rooms are much more typical of dorm rooms.) We have a smart little terrace adjoining our laundry room, which I will photograph at some point.

Our Livingroom

I will be teaching on location. (The classrooms are eclectic mixes of high ceilings  [20' at least], antique furnishings, modern seats and chandeliers. It's very Harry Potter-goes-to-Italy. Beautiful!) My class starts on Monday and is twice a week, which leaves the rest of my time occupied by office hours for students, tours and perhaps writing (if I can find a plug for my computer.) Huge difference from last semester when I had more than 250 students.

I love it here already. (The 12 C temperature does render the experience that much more pleasant!) The Italians I have met  have been very nice and very helpful. The staff here is fantastic. Inwardly, they must roll their eyes but outwardly they smile and display patience with my curiosity and incessant questions.

Urie and I in front of City Hall

Mi piace molto questo viaggio! (My Italian courses have paid off... I understand a lot of it, even when the Florentine cabbies cut chort their Cs: "unico" = "uniho." Dialects are fascinating.) Off to find the British Institute where students will be learning Italian as of tomorrow. (I may lose my translation job!)