September 10, 2010

  • Packing

    Packing is getting under way. It's hard to believe how much stuff I have accumulated. There are so many things that I bought thinking they were just for this year, and that I would have to leave them behind at the end (assuming I would be flying back to the UK). But now that I'm moving within Italy, there seems little point leaving anything as it's all useful stuff and will be just as useful in the new place. So, I am trying to find a way to pack everything up so that it will still fit in the car and won't be TOO much effort moving.  Of course the biggest drag to move are all the books and folders, of which I have accumulated rather a lot. Nothing, obviously, compared to moving from house to house in the UK, but moving then was always a lot easier...

    Here, moving is going to be a lot of effort whatever, as I live on the top floor of the building (100 steps up) with no lift. Going up and down in quick succession is going to be hard work! THANK GOODNESS I'm not going to be doing it alone! My absolute stars-of-parents are coming out to help me :) Thank you parents, and, I never thought I'd say it, thank you Ryanair!  

    They are flying in to Bergamo on Tuesday 21st, staying overnight near the airport and driving to Brescia the following day. I've got to get a pass for the ZTL (limited traffic zone - apparently you can buy a thing that lets you in for 2 hours or something for €4 and you just have to register the number plate. I hope they can find somewhere to park reasonably near, as typically there are road works at the moment covering most of the spaces... Anyway, assuming that's all ok, we will then load the car and I will drive us the 300km from Brescia to Udine. This will be my first experience of driving on the continent! I should probably be more nervous than I am, especially as yesterday I realised I don't even have the first idea how to get out of Brescia (having never driven here before).* I am sure it will be fun though... and I need to get used to driving as soon as possible as I will be driving in my new job to go to companies to teach. What better way to get into it than a 3 hour drive, arriving in a completely unfamiliar city?! I will be very glad to have Dad at my side to help me through! It'll be like learning to drive all over again :P and I'm sure I can look forward to cries of "STOP" from mum in the back seat... just like the only time she ever took me out whilst learning at 17 - right mum? winky (I'm only joking, don't be cross!!).

    I have only seen photos of the new place, just as I had only seen photos of this place almost a year ago when I was preparing to move to Brescia! How long ago that seems! The new place does look a lot nicer though and I'm already looking forward to getting settled in. I think my room is going to be quite a lot smaller, but that's no bad thing (cleaning this one has been a pain!). I will wait until I am able to take my own photos of the place to share them with you...

    TWELVE DAYS!