Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas chickens. I am sitting on the couch like an old nonna with a blanket over my knees, the fire is lit and the festive season is well under way. Today we spent the whole day cooking (I am in Sarzana with my Italian family) for tonight - big Christmas eve dinner before midnight mass (for those who go). I have been Santa's little helper for the past few days, I even helped build a gingerbread house (not an easy task).

I hope that you all spent a wonderful and merry Christmas with loved ones.

xxx Ang

Just wanted to add some colour to the blog

EWOK!!!!

Boring rome plus a crash course for non monashers

Ciao a tutti. Disappointed to tell you all that I have been in Rome since the 7th and haven't got anything exciting to report - though I did go past the colloseum on the bus the other day, so technically I've seen it this trip around. Have spent the week following up a lot of absolutely useless leads, which I find myself doing a lot in Italy. I have booked five interviews though, so from tomorrow onwards I am flat out (like a lizard drinking - sorry couldn't helpit, it's like going off like a frog in a sock). I also have a conference to attend that will help me to contextualise the les-movement. OOOH - conferences - my abstract for Dublin has been accepted, so that makes my trip legitimate... yupidoo.

xxx Ang

ps. just a note to the confused readers (non monashers). Re the comments that Rhinannyn made, at Uni there is a rumour (heard it on the grapevine - the loooong grapevine that reached from Melbourne to Milan) that the Italian and Indonesian departments are being moved in there entirety (not including the libraries I presume) from Clayton to Caulfield - suffice to say CHE PALLE (what balls) - such a move would only be inconvenient. I also made comments along the line that the timeing of the move is cunning considering the majority of people in language departments have taken leave. So that's the story on the comments - really boring stuff for people not involved. sorry

Brazil? Come on the soccer gods are really taking the piss

Not a huge soccer fan, but was pleased when I stepped off the plane in Milan to discover that while I was in the air Australia had qualified - for the second time in history - to play in the world cup. Today I read in the Age "Australia is drawn in Group F to play Brazil, Croatia and Japan in the first round-robin stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany." BRAZIL? ok - hmm - do you think we can make it.

xxx Ang

All roads lead to Rome...

All roads lead to Rome...but when it's the day before a national holiday, it's pretty darn slow road. Today I started another leg of my journey and moved from Milano a Roma. Now I have some peace and quite, not to mention personal space, and am in a little but reasonable considering the ** rating hotel room in Tiburtina in Rome.

Things are proceeding well here, slow, but well. I interviewed a sociologist/ author (probably can't share the name due to ethics) - it was fantastic. Let's just set the scene... I got to the sociology department at Milan University about 15 minutes early, and trying not to look to out of place I decided to look really interested in an economics noticeboard - shit it was boring - but anyway, I was looking not too out of place when I see in my peripheral vision a person approaching me, and then the person was basically on top of me - "CIAAOOOO!" Mirna all of a sudden appeared out of nowhere. It so happens that Mirna is staying at this person's place as she is friends with her partner, and decided to tag along. No big deal, the interviewee was amazing, she took the initiative in the interview, which is ideal, and was an amazing source of both opinion and further suggestions.

Yesterday I managed to spend another €250 on books, but at least I will have an extensive library when I get home... maybe broke, but with books - isn't that what being an accademic is all about?

I ate a whole pizza at dinner last night - i just thought that I would share that because it is one of the major acheivements of my life - and I enjoyed just about every moment of it - I think it was comfort food after one of the most distressing arguments of my life. The question was posed to me "So, do you want kids?" - personal question - ok - personal answer - yes, one, and I will love him or her very much. Before I knew it the discussion had escalated into a political disourse on the fact that a child deserves and needs a mother and father figure. I took the high road, I didn't take a tone, I didn't raise my voice, I even backed off - my goodness Italians love arguing. Seriously, I think that it should be a recognised past time. Anyway after half an hour I'd had enough and tried to change topic - no go. I even posed an argument on the sexuality of the new Pope - it almost took off, but not quite. It was too personal an arguement for me, discussing with someone that had no personal interest, except maybe having a good fight, there could be no happy ending - hence me being content at having my own space in Rome.I got to Rome late tonight, but I can already tell that the weather is better, not too cold - yet.

How are you all? What's news?

xxx Ang