I’ve been resident in Treviso for well over a year now and
lately I’ve been having one of those looking back and assessing periods. After a year I can now say that I’ve become
regular face (I don’t think a blow in can ever consider themselves local.) I’ve got a wonderful bunch of friends and
many of the locals greet me on my way around the town (by locals read bar
owners.) I’ve managed to make a living
and enjoy the delights of life in Italy.
While it happens so often that it shouldn’t be a surprise but once again
it is the urge to bolt has hit and I’m now thinking about leaving my little
piece of Northern Italy for pastures new.
Treviso is a wonderful place to live and I do wonder if I am
making the right decision but of late the place has begun to seem a bit
small. I’ve begun to miss many of the
things that city life brings – a mix of cultures, late night events,
exhibitions, live music etc. One of my
colleges, T always says that Treviso is a great place to live but that you need
a reason to be here – and I don’t really have one.
Given that I’ve decided to move on – just where to? Do I return to Aus now, do I pursue one of
the endless teaching positions in China or do I find somewhere else in
Italy? Italy seems the illogical choice
given that the place hardly seems a long term prospect and the logical step
would be to return to Australia where the sun shines and the people are warm
and friendly. As tempting (and
lucrative) as heading to Asia is I’m not sure I should complicate my life
further by adding another country to the mix.
But I can’t quite get this country out of my system (as much as I
try.) Living here has been so much fun
even with the everyday hardships and the at times loneliness. So I’ve decided to give life in a city a go
and see if I can get the crazy idea of Italy out of my system.
On announcing my decision to friends a whole host of places
where suggested – and not simply for the fact that it would suit me.
J is lobbing for Rome, T loves to visit Lecce in the south and the
shopping is good in Bologna according to L. Many of my Venetian friends have advised me
not to go no further south than Tuscany, warning me of the perils below! I’ve begun to call it the Tuscan line below
which according to many of my friends the country is filled with laziness,
inefficiency and corruption. I’ve never
explored the south having only visited Naples a very long time ago and I like
the idea of seeing the southern part of the country. Looking at pictures of Lecce deep in the heel
of the country I feel the need to see it but I’m not sure I’m brave enough to
go to the scary south alone at least not without knowing a bit about it first. Rome is ideally located in the middle meaning
that I can get to most places in the country in a couple of hours – great for weekends
in the south. After a year in sleepy
Treviso will Rome be too big, fast and chaotic? Not to mention expensive. Bologna has a reputation for good
nightlife. Then there’s always Florence –
oh the list is seemingly endless.
When I think about leaving my comfort zone and my familiar
surrounds I wonder if I’ll find such a wonderful group of friends in another
place. In Treviso and Venice I have made
friendships with many great people that the thought of our relationships
changing to visits rather than weekly or daily meet ups saddens me. I love meeting J for a daily coffee and
chinwag and then there’s T for whom, like me the muppets are not only much loved
friends but also a moral compass – who else will I be able to quote muppets
too! Who else can I have long
conversations about just who was the best muppet show guest?
I also wonder if I can leave Venice. My whole reason for heading to Treviso was
too be near Venice and after so many visits I’m still in love with the
place. Of late on every visit and every
time I watch the light play on the water I think to myself how can I leave
this. There is still the dream of living
in Venice but sadly the practicalities defeat me.
So the feelers are out for a job and notice has been given
to my landlord – all I need is a job and a place to live. I feel a mixture of excitement and
trepidation about the move. I’m excited by
the thought of exploring new streets and seeing new and wonderful things and
trepid about leaving friends and finding my way in a new place. A student recently asked me how many times I’d
moved house and counting it all up it’s been 20! A place to call home seems as far away as
ever. While the thought of packing up my
life, saying goodbye and doing all the hard stuff again in a new place tires me
I can’t seem to do any different – perhaps one day I’ll be able to settle
somewhere but to be honest I’m not counting on it.
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