Year 3...And So It Began

Here we are four weeks into the school year and I've never been busier at ASM. I arrived back to Milan just about 5 weeks ago now, the same day as our 17 new teachers arrived. This year I wasn't helping out with the Orientation committee, but I love helping others get situated and learn the ins and outs of living here so I tried to be involved and get to know them. I've been lucky to make some new friends and am excited to get to know them better in the coming months.

Here's the 2013-2014 ASM Staff!

All of our elementary teachers received a new Dell laptop this fall and, this, in combination with challenging them to start right away integrating technology, kept me running at full speed the first three weeks of school. I feel like things are finally starting to settle into place and that I'm able to start focusing on some of the other projects I'd like to see happen in our classrooms. We purchased a cart of Windows 8 tablets and I worked to introduce them to our students through an International Dot Day project. You can see our work on my school website.

In addition to all of the work craziness, a few of us thought it would be a good idea to start a book club. I had been attending an English speaking book club in the city, but wasn't loving the conversations or book selections, so this was the solution. We met this past week to talk about Hosseini's And the Mountains Echoed, which overall received high praise from our group.

Not much else is happening here, just life like everywhere else. We are planning a few trips for our upcoming long weekends...Brussels and Bruges, Belgium in October, an agriturismo outside Siena at the beginning of November, and Barcelona, Spain for Thanksgiving. I'm so excited for Barcelona. It's been on my list since my high school trip there dropped it off our itinerary.

Who's coming to visit this year? Southern Italy is still on my travel list, so I'd love to explore the region with some familiar faces!

But all is well here in Milan. So many have asked what I'm doing at the end of this year and the answer is fairly plain and simple. I just don't know. But, in the next few months a decision will have to be made.

Milan's Duomo...always beautiful!

Somebody's Having a Birthday!

I had a great few weeks at home this August. I spent lots of time with friends and family and Aunt Joni flew to Savannah while I was there to spend time with all of us.

Ladies' lunch at The Olde Pink House

My friends, Christy and Keith, were planning to celebrate Hudson's first birthday while I was home and I offered to make the cake. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, and I wanted to share some of the pictures and highlights from the experience.

Christy wanted a cake in the shape of a one with primary color polka dots. I set off to try and make fondant for the first time, which I thought had about a 10% chance of working out. But, after several laughing moments with hands covered in sticky marshmallows and sugar (even though I rubbed Crisco all over my hands first), I had the fondant made. It's a shame there's no pictures of this part of the fun because it was quite hysterical! The trick would then be getting the fondant on the cake.

two batches of buttercream wasn't enough- I made a 3rd the next day

I cut the one after two margaritas! Not bad, not bad!

Rolling the fondant

Success! Mom and I laid it over our arms and draped it on the cake.

Mom and Aunt Joni were responsible for all the colored fondant cut outs!

the finished product!

Smash cake!

What a cutie!
Happy 1st Birthday Hudson!

I think that was my first and last attempt at that cake! Don't mess with success!

Ireland, again!

After moving in the Milan heat in late July, it was time to head back to Ireland for the Apple Distinguished Educator conference. I loved Ireland when Mom and I went earlier in the summer, so I was super happy to go back!

Instead of heading to Dublin, I was off to Cork and it proved much more difficult to get to than many other destinations! I flew out Saturday night from Milan and received word that my flight from London to Cork had been cancelled. So I spent the night in a Heathrow hotel and was put on a flight to Shannon, Ireland the next morning. Funny, I wasn't trying to get to Shannon. Once we arrived in Shannon, they put us on a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Cork. Hmmmmm....not exactly how I intended to get to my destination.

But, it all worked out in the end. The bus dropped us off at the Cork Airport, where I found a group of ADEs waiting for the shuttle to the resort. There were a bunch on non-smiling, non-talking men so I made friends with a bubbly blonde that looked like good company, and I was right! Lauren and I spent a lot of time together in Cork, so it was great that we met right from the start!

Lauren lives and works in London

Most of the week was spent working on Apple programs I have no idea how to use. But, I wasn't alone, thankfully. I have so much to learn. The resort was really nice, the food was heavy and plentiful, and the beer was, usually, free. (Though they did take that away one night after a broken flip flop led to a cut on the head, a hospital visit and several stern looks for those involved- and no, it wasn't me!)

Our little group from the ADE conference...
Back- John, Lauren, Marc, Shwa
Front- Me and Siobhain

Anyways, the week ended and I had an extra day before heading to the States. I had booked a room at a B&B in Cork and spent the day with another ADE waiting on his fiance to arrive from New York. We wandered Cork and found lunch at this great market and took the advice of two local ladies and hopped on the bus to Kinsale, a town on the coast. We walked to a local fort and savored some Irish cider while enjoy the view.

Kinsale Harbor

Playing with all the Hipstamatic lenses and films I bought during the week.

Charles Fort

Who doesn't like "Candy Floss"???

Shwa, showing off our last purchase in Kinsale

Next up, USA!!

Moving into Milano!

Between all my trips this summer, I spent a week in Milan moving into the city. I had been living in Opera, a suburb, but my favorite neighbors Kate, Simon and Tegan were all moving home so it felt like it was time to make a change. I feared staying in Opera, wishing for another year as wonderful as I had had previously, and thought it best not to have such high expectations.

Several people from our school were leaving, so I scouted apartments in the city early on. The apartment that I chose belonged to our Upper School counselor, Virginia, who was moving to Dubai. It is small, but has lots of charm, and despite its size, actually has more storage space than my bigger apartment did in Opera. It's located two metro stops from the Duomo, the heart of the city, and it's right along the tram line that takes me to school.

Here are some pictures!

Living room, with cute niches for displaying stuff!

View the other way...I've put a smaller chair in the place of the one in the corner now.

small breakfast bar...ooh, a microwave!
After two years without, I was given one (thanks Lisa!) so I happily accepted!

kitchen
This kitchen has an oven, which not every apartment does! What would I do without an oven?!?!?!

From front door- dining table to right, kitchen on left.

There's a bathroom between the front and back halves of the apartment.

My armoire holds all my shoes. That's good and bad...since it's full,
it means that I have to get rid of some before buying more~

the back room of my apartment has a set of stairs up to the bed

The most amazing stairs/closet I have even seen!
Every set of steps has a hanging bar and drawers! 

My bed is up in a loft. You can't stand up all the way.
Please excuse the messy bed! Have you ever tried to make a bed in a loft like this? : P

view from the bed down to the "closet"

Shout out to Ann and Sean for helping me move! I couldn't have done it without you!

Samantha Jones...Up Close and Personal

One of the reasons I love London is the endless supply of great shows and theatre. Each trip I've made to London I've seen a different show. And, I try not to see Wicked every time- though I am due for another time soon, seeing as it has been over a year and a half.

When Mom and I were in London we saw A Chorus Line. It was Mom's pick and it was a pretty good show. After Mom went back to the States from Dublin, I returned to London for a few days to take a three day course on Adobe Premier. I had been considering seeing "The Book of Mormon" but came across an ad for "Sweet Bird of Youth" at The Old Vic theatre.

Kim Cattrall, of Samantha Jones fame from "Sex and the City", was starring opposite of Seth Numrich in this Tennessee Williams play. I've always been a fan of musicals, but plays were new to me, so I decided that the draw of Cattrall on stage was too much to pass up.

Cattrall and Numrich were terrific, especially in the first hour of the play, where essentially it's just the two of them playing off each other. They were what made the play, which otherwise might have been fairly lackluster. I had a pretty great seat and it was exciting to see Cattrall up close, doing what she does best.

Irish Eyes are Smiling!

Whoa! I'm so far behind on sharing the tales I have to tell!

I did a good job this summer starting to catch up but feel way behind already!

So, here goes. Another post to round up the trip that Mom and I took...

After three nights in Edinburgh, we arrived in Dublin to more amazing weather. It happened to be my birthday so we made sure to get right out and see what Dublin had to offer.

We started with a late lunch at the Queen of Tarts, a cute restaurant that friends of mine had eaten at before.

savory and sweet tarts!

We wandered to St. Patrick's Cathedral in hopes of catching their recommended choir, but alas, no choir the night we were able to get there. 

Lots of grassy space next to the Cathedral and many people were out enjoying the sun!

Then it was off to Temple Bar for some live music and a birthday beer!

cider on tap! yes!

Later we had an amazing dinner, complete with delicious Irish beef and potatoes!

The next day Mom and I took a free walking tour of the city to see the major highlights. 

Dublin Castle- relatively underwhelming

Dublin- it's a beautiful city!

Ireland's proud of their music fame...U2 and Sinead among others

We went to Trinity College and saw the famous Book of Kells. Then it was off to the Guinness Factory and Store. I've never been a fan of Guinness before, but I had heard that it tastes better in Ireland, so I was ready to give it a go. The part where you learn about how Guinness is made was interesting, but the real gem of the place is the opportunity to learn how to pour a pint of Guinness. It was one of the best parts of the day and a fun thing for Mom and I to do together. 

Awesome! 

Since we had plenty of time in Dublin, we booked a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher. This trip lasted all day (about 12 hours) and took us on a bus ride across Ireland. 

In Limerick (maybe?) I lost track!

at the Cliffs of Moher...the fog kept rolling in and out

Love this one!

more cliffs!

so amazing!

All summer in Europe Coke has been advertising that you can share your Coke with your friends,
and naming them. I love that the names were country specific. In Italy, the names
were, of course, Italian and in Ireland, Irish! I have no idea how to pronounce this name!

a small section of the Burren...a national park

Ireland certainly has this gorgeous landscape thing covered.

Our final full day in Dublin, we toured the Kilmainham Gaol, wandered through a city park, happened upon the Street Performance World Championships (apparently there really is such a thing) and spent time in the Temple Bar area.

the jail, where many Irish revolutionaries were held prisoner

Ireland...officially one of my favorite countries!!!!