vino – Page 2 – JenandAlsbigItalianadventure

May 24, 2020

The beginning of the end of Lockdown?

On 18^th May we knew some more of our lockdown restrictions were being lifted, thanks to lower infection and death rates. However, on 16^th May’s announcement Conte (Italian President) surprised us with more relaxations than were expected. It included the opening of bars and restaurants so you could eat and drink in which was a pleasant surprise but did come with the caveat that social distancing must be maintained and that you must wear a mask (except while eating or drinking). Coupled with the relaxation of travel within the region that had been expected we were getting quite a bit more freedom than we have had for some months. So, this week we intrepid two have been back to the centre of Bologna to see what these changes look like in practice

Piano piano (step by step)

It is important to remember that Corona Virus has not gone away. There is a real need to maintain the measures that have been put in place to save lives, reduce the burden on the healthcare system and minimise new infections. Any of loosening of restrictions are at risk should rates of infection start to climb again or if people abuse the situation and abandon the restrictions that are still in place. We are in new territory here and every decision must be fraught with what ifs and the shadow of the law of unintended consequences, necessitating a trial and error approach. With each relaxation there is a two week window before we can be sure if the new situation is increasing cases or not. If it is there is a need to roll back and try again.

We are acutely aware that the situation remains precarious. We have not been going out just for the sake of it and our manner has not suddenly become dismissive or flippant. We have been extremely careful about our and others safety while we are out and we are still at home for the majority of the time. However, it is also true that many businesses have suffered a great deal so if we can spend money in the market or in a bar that we would have spent in a supermarket it’s a better use of our resources.

I understand that there have been reports in the UK press about Italians not maintaining distancing, not wearing masks, crowding into certain areas etc. I cannot speak to whatever has been reported, I can only give you my experience, which is in general a maintenance of social distancing and mask wearing, with some predictable exceptions.

Monday mooch

On the first day of relaxation we decided to take our daily exercise by going into Bologna centre and seeing what differences the relaxations had made. We packed our gloves so that we would be able to go to the market this time. There were more cars on the roads and more people in the street, but still less than usual. Many shops had reopened, but they all had masked employees and there were Perspex screens at till points. Some stores were allowing customers in, in small numbers, to look around while others had set up tables and screens at the entrance and would fetch what was required. All customers were masked. Many shops have instructions about how you can access the shop e.g. mask wearing is obligatory, two customers at a time, use hand sanitizing station before entering etc. The restaurant opening had clearly caught others by surprise and we saw staff frantically disinfecting premises and organising socially distanced seating.

This was a much more positive visit than our last trip to the city centre. There was a general air of optimism and activity. We were able to go to our favourite fruit and vegetable stall in the market, with mask and gloves on. We exchanged pleasantries with the stall holder about being glad to be back. There were socially distanced queues outside Comet and, sadly, the Nespresso store. People with bags from clothing stores were clearly here to shop. However, it was cut with some sadness too. There were empty tables in the restaurants and bars that had opened. Empty shops waiting for customers. There were shops that had not reopened and perhaps won’t. Some restaurants and bars have not reopened as the cost of doing so would not be offset by the few customers they would be able to accommodate.

Hill climbs and much needed exercise

I quite often post photos that I take in our garden, which has a great view into the hills. This week we decided the climb the hill that our garden looks onto and take a picture of our apartment. It is a very steep walk and we were not sure if we would be able to get views of San Luca from the top. The short answer is that we couldn’t, as it turns out there us another hill between this one and the one San Luca sits on. However, it was a great walk and at one section it forms part of a national walking trail, which we followed into Parco Villa Ghigi. The weather was threatening rain, so the park was much quieter than when I had been at the weekend when it was full of picnickers and what looked suspiciously like large family gatherings and groups of teenagers ahead of the Monday official start of restrictions being relaxed.

Aperitivo a Zanarini

Caffe Zanarini is a lovely pasticceria in a beautiful piazza next to the Cathedral and Piazza Maggiore. You can sit at an outside table and watch the fashionistas on Via Farini. It serves a very gentile Aperitivo and is somewhere we go when we want to treat ourselves. It is immensely popular and at times we have not been able to get in because there are too many people already waiting. Back in March we celebrated a year of being in Bologna with Aperitivo there just before the lockdown was announced so it seemed a logical bookend to go there to celebrate the re-opening. Al called and was able to make a reservation for that evening. The tables outside were spaced widely apart and the staff all wore masks. Tables needed to be cleared very quickly because the minute someone left a flock of hungry pigeons would descend on whatever was left, fighting and flapping over the scraps. Who knows what they’ve been eating while the centre of the city has been deserted? The experience was non the less wonderful for that. It was very positive to be able to go out to a bar and sit watching the world go by with a Campari spritz and some delicate morsels to eat.

In this situation it sometimes feels as though we are in some kind of time slip where we are two weeks ahead of the UK, this was certainly true when we were starting to go into the Lockdown and the UK were still stubbornly saying that what was happening in Italy would not happen there. The feeling persists now and I hope, as we start to enter a period which feels like the beginning of the end we can give those of you in the UK some hope and show you that soon you will have more to look forward to. Where will you go first when the pubs and restaurants are reopened?

May 15, 2020

The Walk to San Luca

This week I wanted to write about a walk we did before lockdown. I have been holding on to it because it was not possible to do the walk and I didn’t want to be irresponsible by appearing as if I was breaking the lock down. We completed this walk on 28^th February and when we reached the top they were just closing the church because of the virus and it remains closed. However, now you are able to walk up to the church again and for many people the walk up to San Luca is part of a regular exercise routine.

What is San Luca?

For those who have not been to Bologna, San Luca is the church on the hill (Colle della Guardia) overlooking the city. It has been the symbol of Bologna for centuries and is still a place of worship and pilgrimage. There has been a church on the site for almost a thousand years and the current church was built by Carlo Francesco Dotti between 1723 and 1757. The two external stands were completed by his son Giovanni Giacomo in 1774. Since 1433 there been an annual Ascension week procession carrying the Byzantine Madonna and child down from San Luca to the cathedral. According to tradition The Mother and Child was brought to Bologna by a Byzantine pilgrim in the 12^th Century, with the first church being built on the site that same century. The portico San Luca was built to protect the pilgrims and the procession from the weather and was started in 1674 and completed in 1793.

There are some incredible views from the grounds, but when the church is open you can give a donation and climb the stairs inside to the panoramic viewing platform. NB take smaller notes or loose coins as they do not give change. The church itself is beautiful and has some fantastic art so it’s well worth a visit.

How do I get there?

I recommend walking, you can google a map to Porta Saragozza from wherever you are in the city. However if the walk seems like too much or you don’t have time you can get tickets for either the San Luca Express which is a little road train or the jump on/jump off open topped tourist bus both from Piazza Maggiore. Jess and I took the little train to the top on her first visit with us last year and it’s a good way to see the city, but be warned, it does not have a lot of suspension and some Bolognese streets are cobbled. If you want more info you can find it here at Bologna Welcome

The longest portico in the world

Bologna’s porticos cover a large proportion of the city centre. If you are going to San Luca from Piazza Maggiore it is possible to walk under porticoes for most of the route. The porticos of Bologna were nominated as a World Heritage site in 2019. However, the 666 arches of the official portico San Luca start at Porta Saragozza. This is a very impressive porta on a busy intersection. It is reportedly the longest continuous portico in the world. It is almost 3.5km long and nearly all of it is uphill, however because of the portico structure it does offer some of the most beautiful views of the surroundings while you ascend, winding around the hill. The porticos also provide shelter from both the sun and the rain which is great because Bologna is known for both.

The views from the walk

You start with a view over the stadium, but with the view opening out as you climb higher. There are chapels along the route as well as paintings. Some of the arches still retain painted ceilings, so it is worth keeping your eyes on the porticos themselves as well as on the view outside. Here are the photos we took in February, as is typical in Bologna there was a haze on the city so we didn’t get as many photos as we would have liked. If you were to go at the moment you might find much of the haze has gone thanks to lockdown.

The restaurant at the top

When Al and I did this walk we did it so that we would reach the top at lunchtime, obviously. If you go to the road behind the church and walk a little way along there is a lovely restaurant Vita a San Luca. We ordered from their seasonal pasta menu and we were not disappointed, although we have since been told that their pizzas are also fantastic and it is considered one of the best pizza places in the city. As you might expect from the location they are well equipped for tourists, however they are also accommodating for those attempting the language. I felt like I wanted to eat everything and there was a good wine list. We felt that we had earned our lunch with the walk so we also had desert. The only downside is that there are not really views as the restaurant is tucked into the hill, however the interior is fairly unique and an experience itself. We will certainly be returning here and it’s a good excuse to make the walk.

Things to note

There is nowhere to get anything to eat or drink from Porta Saragozza to the Church. At the church there is only a water fountain and a coffee vending machine. Vita a San Luca is the only restaurant at the top and although it has a lot of seats it is usually busy, so you could be disappointed or have to wait for a table. If you are planning on picnicking, you need to either bring something with you or stop and get something at one of the many bars, cafes and shops on the way to the Porte. In places the walk is quite steep and you can get warm so you need to dress appropriately. Expect it to be busy on fine days and don’t be surprised if you are huffing and puffing at the end of a section only to be overtaken by a running nonna (grandma).

May 8, 2020

Sweet breath of freedom-ish

You will be pleased to know that this week sees a return to a more positive outlook. It finds us at the start of phase 2 of lockdown in Italy. This means exercise restrictions and park closures have been lifted. We are once again allowed to go out to exercise and we are fortunate enough to have a park on our doorstep.

A BBQ

I am not sure what it is but I just love eating al fresco. This might be because I was born in the summer and so quite a few birthdays have included eating outside over the years, however I don’t think that completely answers it. All the same BBQ and picnics are things that I am very likely to suggest in times of good weather, which we seem to be having at the moment. Usually I am put off by wasps or other creepy crawlies, but they don’t seem to be a problem in quite the same way here, which is absolutely fantastic. The weekend forecast looked good so we decided to have our first BBQ of the year on Saturday night. As usual Al cooked up a storm including making the burger buns as well as the burgers. I contributed some salads and we sat outside enjoying the view of the hill we would conquer on the Monday.

Gratitude

I am trying to stay positive and using meditation to help me deal with some of my feelings. I like the gratitude meditations because it’s good to be reminded of how much I have to be grateful for when things look bleak. At 8.30 on Sunday morning we were awoken by the apartment buzzer. It was the local police. There was a problem with the water and we needed to move our car so that the emergency team could access the pipes.

Al joined the other sleepy neighbours to move cars that have mostly not been started in two months and find another parking space in nearby streets. The percussion of street digging shortly afterwards ensured we gave up on going back to bed. With hindsight the words “water emergency” (albeit in Italian) and the plant machinery concert should have brought to mind the likely scenario. Needless to say, I was still amazed when I turned on the tap and nothing came out. For a fair amount of Sunday and again on Monday we were required to think about the fact that we did not have any water and make the necessary adjustments, giving us the opportunity to appreciate our usually constant supply and make sure we use it wisely. A timely reminder.

Out and about

One of the conditions of the lifting of restrictions is that you must wear a mask in shops and public areas. This was a problem as we didn’t have any and the ones I ordered (see pervious post) had not arrived yet. Al went to a pharmacy on Monday morning on the off chance and was able to get us some, which was a stroke of luck and one less thing to worry about.

It had been six weeks since we had been into the centre of Bologna. During this time our only trips out of the apartment had been solo expeditions to the local Meta (a small local supermarket similar to a Sainsbury’s express). This is the part of the routine that has the most terrifyingly apocalyptic feel; putting on the rucksack, gloving up, wrapping your face in a scarf, prepping to go out and take the risk of potentially, unwittingly, bringing the virus home. Now we were going to be able to go out for exercise too and that felt like real progress, but still also contained an element of fear and needing to be careful.

Villa Ghigi

One of the great things about this apartment is its location. We are 15 minutes walk from Piazza Maggiore, the heart of Bologna but also 5 minutes walk from the entrance to Villa Ghigi, gateway to the hills. We were excited about a much needed change in scenery and it was a no-brainer for us to head here on 4^th May, first day of lifted restrictions. The weather was glorious with blue skies and plenty of sun. We tramped up to the top of the nearest hill, from where you get a great view over Bologna.

It’s a beautiful time of year with many fruit trees in bloom of which there are a plentiful supply in the park. We were conscious that we hadn’t walked much for weeks, so we didn’t want to be over ambitious on our first outing. We used the main path up and then took a slightly different route down, including going past the Villa itself for the first time. There were other people out and about, but everyone was respecting social distancing. Being close to nature and in the noticeably fresh air was a great break from our routine and gave us a lot of optimism for what will come next.

One step at a time

Heartened by our Villa Ghigi experience and because of the new masks on Tuesday we decided to exercise by walking into Bologna. This was not quite as positive. We had, somehow, been under the impression that more stores would be open and there would be more people about. There were certainly some people about but it was quiet. There were short queues at the various food shops in Quadrilatero, but all other shops were closed. We had heard the market had re-opened so we headed for Mercato delle erbe. Unfortunately to access this you needed a mask and gloves, we had not brought gloves, so we went to some nearby supermarkets and pharmacies, but they were all sold out. As everything else was closed we decided to go back home, suitably chastened to remember that the restrictions were only just beginning to be lifted and we were not out of the Corona woods yet.

The bit at the end of He-Man where they give the moral of the story and all laugh with their hands on their hips.

All in all, it has been a good week. I have had my first BBQ of the year and exercised in Villa Ghigi. We now have masks so we can go out and enjoy the gradual lifting of restrictions. I’ve been reminded of natural beauty, being fortunate about where I live and the continuing talents of my husband. We have also been reminded that this will be a long road and we are only on the first step. It’s not time to run yet.

May 1, 2020

“Winning” at Lockdown?

Once again this week I was struggling for a blog topic until Jess suggested that I write about how demotivating lockdown is and how easy it is to feel that you are “wasting” this time and for some reason you should be “doing more”. It’s complete and utter nonsense. We are in a time that is psychologically very unsettling. You can’t know what you should be doing, because you have never been in this situation before.

I am used to working. I am used to working hard. I am used to stressful work and deadlines. If you read the post “The Truth about stress” then you know that I thought I had become dependent on stress. When we came here the idea was that I would work in a less stressful job part time and write on days when I was not at work. This was panning out ok, I wasn’t making as much progress as I would like, but I’m a tough self-critic. I find it hard to privilege writing over almost anything else, because I feel like it’s indulgent and selfish. Then lockdown happened. To begin with I had some hours of work to structure my time. I had lessons to prepare for and in the case of the kids exam course, lessons to write. I still had set times to do things. I had to be ready before the lessons and I had to check the system to see if lessons had been changed or moved or cancelled. I wasn’t doing the hours I wanted to but I was still doing something.

In the beginning the writing continued but became a little bit more difficult because now Al was at home all the time. It was more fun to do things together than lock myself in the guest bedroom for hours. In addition my novel is set in the future and just as I am avoiding post-apocalyptic films because they chime a little too strongly with where I find myself in reality, I don’t really want to be spending a lot of time imagining the circumstances that necessarily lead to the future I am writing about. It’s all too close to home. It’s like when something happens and you know in the future that it’s going to be a funny story, but when you are going through it, it doesn’t make the actual events suck less.

Two weeks ago I was told I was going to be furloughed with my main job and I knew I only had two weeks left with the second job. While I have been able to keep this blog to a vaguely weekly schedule, I have not really been achieving anything else. This week I marked the mock exams for the kids course and then delivered their final lesson with me. This was the last piece of work I had. I dread what will happen now that, blog aside, I don’t have anything to separate the days, to mandate the activity, to motivate me to get it done. I know that this has been the reality for many from the beginning.

The ticking clock

I am not necessarily a fan of the construct of time, but we have been brought up with it. It has defined the shape of our days and lives since we were born. When everyday becomes the same it is very difficult to be motivated. Someone once told me that activities extend into the time available to do them. Something I would have done quickly before now becomes a mindful activity. I have time, so everything I do feels like it needs to evidence the time spent. I think I am doing it because it is something I can control. There is so much going on that when I think about it, it makes me feel like the bottom has fallen out, but by focusing on the activity in front of me I can avoid the existential dread and worry about what will happen. This is not especially conducive for creativity, at least I don’t find it so.

I find myself asking what I am doing with this time? Every day I get up and I do things. I rarely sit down except at the computer to write or, until yesterday prepare for lessons, but I don’t feel like I am achieving anything. Going to the shops once a week seems to be an operation that takes a lot of preparation. From speaking with others I think this is something we are all experiencing in differing ways. It’s important to remember that there isn’t something you should be accomplishing. This is not a once in a lifetime opportunity to do those things you have been planning to do. This is a strategy to minimise the number of sick people in hospitals and to minimise the number of dead. It is not a holiday. It is not a sabbatical. You are not required to be productive. You do not have to be all things to all people. You are not failing. You are human. You are surviving.

“Every cloud has a silver lining”

I have seen a lot of posts about getting back to normal but also about how normal was not working. I am certainly in the camp that says we should use this terrible event as an opportunity to change things, refocus on what is important and valuable to us. However, I also understand this desire to re-establish some kind of normalcy and we will. Whatever comes next will become normal.

Things cannot go back to exactly the way they were, even if it were desirable, it’s not possible. The world is undergoing a major medical and economic shock. Our old way of life does not exist anymore. If you look at the Spanish Flu outbreak as a historically comparable event, it changed the world of the time. The Coronavirus has changed our world. We know air, river and sea quality has been improved by our enforced lock down among other things, so the situation is not entirely negative. We can decide what things we want to try to recover and what things we want to move on without. We can make sure that our priorities are aligned with what the best outcomes can be now, to dare to dream about a different future and what we can do to bring it about.

April 24, 2020

Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione)

An annual public holiday also known as Anniversary of Italy’s Liberation (Anniversario della liberazione d’Italia) or Anniversary of the resistance (Anniversario della Resistenza) or sometimes just as 25^th April (25 Aprile). It celebrates the liberation of Italy from Nazi occupation during World War 2 and the victory of the resistance in Italy[1].

Bologna liberated itself on 21^st April 1945 and by the 1^st May most of northern Italy was liberated. The national date of 25^th April was decided in 1949. In a previous post I made a joke about reclaiming “Liberation Day” from Farage et al who had attempted to use it as a phrase for the day when Britain left the EU. I wanted to use it instead for the day when we are all free to leave our homes and see our friends etc. without worrying about spreading the virus. I had forgotten that Liberation day already existed in Italy and, more importantly in these days, that it is a national day of celebrating the fight against fascism.

The history bit

As usual I offer the caveat that all the information presented here has been researched (badly) by me, mostly from Wikipedia, and therefore any inaccuracies or misunderstandings are the result of my poor workmanship.

The Italian resistance[2] is a term used to cover all the many Italian different resistance groups who were fighting against 20 years of fascist rule in Italy and 5 years of war. They gained more prominence after the occupation by the Nazis. It is also an important date in Italian history because it led to Italy abolishing the monarchy and establishing itself formally as a republic. If you read my post about Italians and food you will know that this was not long into the existence of Italy as a unified country. The republic was declared to be founded on the struggle of the resistance (La Resistenza). The members of the resistance were also known as partisans (I partigiani) and many people see this conflict to liberate Italy as the Italian civil war.

While many of us have holidays and festive days dedicated to various battles and liberations, I don’t think there is anything quite like this Italian Liberation Day. Its connection to the resistance is a key part of the day, at least it is in Bologna. It is not a celebration of long past historic events; it is a living reminder of the continuing fight against fascism.

I have always had a soft spot for resistance fighters and partisans. I see them as the ultimate form of DIY; ordinary people organising themselves to fight against something, using whatever means they have at their disposal. I have read several books by and about resistance groups in the 2^nd World War and their invaluable contribution to the Allied victory. These people were willing to sacrifice their lives. They often lived in terrible conditions, supplied by supportive locals, having to remain mobile to avoid detection and capture. The casualty rate was high and Nazis were known to execute 10 civilians for every soldier killed, usually taken from nearby villages or POW camps. However, this move which was intended to discourage local support for resistance groups backfired as the resistance fighters were usually from the community and shared in their deprivations and hardships so it ended up reinforcing support against the common enemy. I think it’s great that this day is specifically remembered as both the liberation of Italy from Nazi occupation and the victory of the resistance against fascism. It reminds us that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. It reminds us of the power people have when working together towards a common goal. It reminds us we are strong enough and brave enough.

How soon is now

We were lucky enough to be in Bologna for Liberation Day last year. We had not been in Italy for long and had never heard of it. In the centre of the Bologna there is a formal wreath laying at the memorial plaque, however from my perspective the action is in Via Del Pratello and the surrounding streets. We have heard great reviews of the bars here but we tend to feel a teensy bit older than their usual customers. Sadly, Al was working, but we decided to go in his break to check out what was going on.

In Via Del Pratello Liberation day events are a cross between a street party, a political rally and a DIY festival. There is very much an anarchic homemade approach to banners and flags and stalls. Representatives from all manner of political and social groups are nestled alongside food drink and general market stalls. There are also impromptu looking stages that barely rise above the pavement where many bands seemed to play a punk polka. Last year it was really busy even though the weather was not great. There was one part of the street that we could not pass at all because it was so rammed with people. That’s hard to imagine at the moment, but at the time we were forced to divert into a couple of other streets to avoid the blockage.

It was a lot of fun and we were able to find a bar (there are formal and informal bars) with a shortish queue and get drinks in plastic cups so we could drink while walking along. I have been told that Liberation Day in Via Del Pratello can get very messy, but I haven’t heard anything about problems with drunkenness and violence. We were there between 3 and 5 so it was quite chilled and only just getting started.

While we enjoyed our brief glimpse into Liberation day we felt like voyeurs, tourists snapping a local festival, which we were. We wondered what it would be like to be in Via Del Pratello for the day, meeting up with friends and being part of the community. We had hoped that this year we would be able to take a more active role in festivities as we have now lived here for over a year. Sadly, the Corona Virus restrictions mean that there aren’t going to be any events this year. It’s still a National holiday so those businesses that were open will be closed, or on reduced hours, but there won’t be bands and stalls and bars in Via Del Pratello. However, we can take the means at our disposal and celebrate at home, making sure we still remember those who sacrificed their lives to free this country and to remember our role in maintaining our vigilance and standing up to fascism whenever we can.

[1] ‘Liberation Day (Italy)’ (En.wikipedia.org, 2020) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Day_(Italy)> accessed 23 April 2020

[2] ‘Italian Resistance Movement’ (En.wikipedia.org, 2020) <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_resistance_movement> accessed 23 April 2020

April 17, 2020

People called romani they go the house

If you don’t recognise the above as a quote from Monty Python’s Life of Brian, then that’s a film that you need to add to your watch list.

Learning the Lingo

When I was trying to learn other languages at school the teachers would say “what’s the past participle” or “conjugate the verb to go” or talk about the position of the “subject” and the “object” of a sentence. I didn’t know what those things were in English never mind in whatever language I was struggling to learn. Education might not have been the same everywhere but I maintain that British students of the 70’s and 80’s are more likely to recognise “Kumbaya” from the opening strums on an acoustic guitar than they are to have been taught what a participle was in English.

Grammar is useful to help you understand how the new language structure is different, but this does necessitate knowing what it is in your language first. In many ways this remains the biggest struggle I have learning Italian. I sit there and have to try to summon the Italian grammar rules. Is this a passive sentence? Am I giving my opinion? These require the use of different tenses or rules. If I am in a real life situation this is compounded because I need to answer quickly.

On top of the grammar and structural issues there is also problems of vocabulary. There are some words which look and sound similar to English words but which have completely different uses and/ or meanings. These are called “false friends”. Then there are verbs that can be translated as roughly the same meaning but are used in different ways. For example, Italians use their verb to make (fare) for things where we use to do or to go. When you want to translate some things from “do” or “go”, you need to use “make” e.g. I make food shopping, not I do the food shopping etc. You need to bear in mind these differences when answering simple questions like “What are you doing this weekend?”

I know that I just need to remember that learning a language is hard and the results are not instantaneous, but patience is not one of my virtues. I have so much more respect now for anyone who has managed to become proficient in a language that is not their mother tongue.

“He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own.”
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Teaching the lingo

On the flip side of learning a language I am teaching my language to others. This is a newly acquired skill and still involves quite a lot of learning itself. It means looking at English, a subject I had thought I knew well, from the perspective of the learner. I think my teaching is enhanced by the fact that I have current experience of the trials and tribulations of language learning. One benefit I have is that my students are nearly all Italian and they often make similar errors which I can backwards navigate to understand what the Italian structure or vocabulary is, which helps my Italian too!

I live in fear of my students asking me questions like “in what circumstances do I use the past perfect after the past continuous?”. First, I need to remember which they are (past tense of have, verb+ed) after (past tense of be, verb +ing) and then deduce the rule around when you might use that form. There is also the pretty tricky fact that we have so many exceptions. I don’t want to give an answer that covers the example I just thought of (I went jogging after I had studied) but not the situation the student was asking about.

However, this is nothing when compared to the student who said “Oh, I’ve forgotten, what’s the English order of adjectives again, it’s age, colour and material isn’t it?” I looked at her blankly. “You know the order you need to put the adjectives in, I can’t remember if it’s colour before material?” I was about to say that there wasn’t an order, but it immediately became apparent to me that there was and my mind was blown.

I have asked a number of people about this and not one mother tongue English speaker ever remembers being taught the order of adjectives, but we all use it without thinking. If I said to you leather, brown, old sofa you would understand what I was referring to. However, you would usually say old brown leather sofa. Don’t believe me? I dare you to consider anything in front of you now and let me know if you don’t use a specific order to describe all items e.g. blue suede shoes.

As a writer I have found both the learning and teaching experiences enlightening. They focus your mind on the way we use language, how and why we select certain words for particular sentences or specific uses. There are so many things about our language and the way we use it that I had never given a second thought to. Nothing makes you think twice about an expression you’re about to use like imagining how you will explain it to someone for whom English is not their first language.

So, what else is new?

Not much really. I couldn’t let you go without some gratuitous food shots, obviously. We are fine. We are both still healthy. We are getting better at cryptic crosswords, but not fast enough given that we are two pretty impatient people. We have been formally extended in lock down until 3^rd May, but our numbers are looking more positive. There were free masks being distributed in our area on Monday so Al went out on Tuesday to get some and they had all gone. It’s not that we have a specific view in the masks vs no masks debate, it’s more that these days everyone out in the shops has a mask and we are worried that when lock down restrictions are lifted they might mandate mask wearing while out and about. Amazon.it mask delivery dates were for June. Amazon UK claims 22^nd April, I’ll keep you posted.

Chargrilled and fresh vegetables on sourdough toast with mozerella

One final thought in the shape of this quote, which I found when looking for one about learning a language. This is so true and useful at this time, all language is thought shaping, especially the language you use most often.

“Change your language and you change your thoughts.”
Karl Albrecht

*feature image courtesy of: Terry Jones, Life Of Brian (1979).

April 10, 2020

Alive and Kicking

One month in…

As you all would expect this week has progressed much like the others in the now established pattern of Lockdown. Good Friday marks one month in and we don’t know when it will end. Technically it could be lifted on 13^th April, but we all expect to see an extension, with some level of restrictions on travel and non-essential services continuing for some time even when lockdown is lifted. The good news is our numbers finally seem to be taking a turn in a more positive direction, no matter which measurements you are using for comparison. To be blunt the daily death count here has started to drop but is still in the hundreds. Italy has lost almost 18,000 people and so far more than 85,000 worldwide have died (source WHO). I know that the UK is about to enter its most difficult period in terms of numbers of infections and deaths and our hearts are with you. I hope our improving numbers offer hope that an end is in sight, but we are by no means out of the woods yet.

It’s impossible to calculate how many impacted families and friends there are with lives completely altered. It is an appropriate time to think of others: those still fighting the virus, those who may continue to have complications long after and those providing medical and other essential services. These are very sobering thoughts and any frustrations I might feel about being cooped up are easily addressed by remembering how, by staying in, we are helping to minimise the number of people who will be affected by this event.

Yada yada

On Tuesday I taught my last class for at least a week. We take it in turns to go to the shops only when we really need to go. We have been eating well as you’d expect from us. If you follow Al’s Instagram you have already seen the chocolate buns, but I’m still going to share them again. They were amazing. Today we had doughnuts but I may have forgotten to take any photos before we ate them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any raspberry jam at the shop, so we had to settle for strawberry, but that’s hardly a complaint.

The temperatures have been building all week with today hitting 22 and 26 expected by Saturday, so we have been spending a lot of time outside. There have been times when we have wondered if we would have been better off if we had tried to return to the UK at the beginning of all this, but its hard to see how that would be an improvement on our current situation. We think the Italian government at a local and national level have been doing a great job. I think we both have a lurking fear about something going wrong and us having to deal with Italian medical or social services and not understanding what we need to do or ask for. However, we have an amazing landlord who is in contact to make sure we are ok and if we need help (with Italian) or if we have any concerns he can help with. Luckily, we don’t, but it is a comfort to know that help is there (albeit in Venice) if we do.

Strengthen our communication

Last Friday we had our first virtual pub experience courtesy of some friends with a zoom account and it was so successful that we will repeat it this Friday. It was great to catch up with people and exchange experiences of this crazy time. There were differences in what would really happen at the pub for example, everyone has to be in the one conversation rather than breaking out into separate ones. You can’t read body language or account for slight delays so you inevitably spend some time interrupting each other. However, it’s a pretty good stand in and the drinks range is perfect.

On Tuesday morning I attended a Pilates class thanks to Chrissy of CMdance . I can’t usually get to it because it’s in Southampton, however it has moved online for the time being, which is lucky for me. It was good to see and talk to people while adding a change to my exercise routine. There seem to be no end of activities you can join in with online now, which I think is fantastic, but I have to be honest and say this is the first one I have done.

It’s great to be able to keep in touch and talk to people face to face, albeit not in person. We are so lucky to have the technology readily available in our homes and we would do well to remember that we have it all the time, not just in the time of a global pandemic.

The Everyman crossword with my ham fisted notes

Cryptology

When the lockdown first began, we printed out the guardian quick crossword and every day would start with coffee and the crossword. It’s not the most difficult crossword though and we started to finish it a bit too quickly. We decided to have another crack at Cryptic crosswords, which we have attempted before but pushed into the too hard pile. We even had a cryptic crossword as a wedding present which we really enjoyed doing, but we just found them difficult to do on an on-going basis. So, now seems like the ideal time to be looking at them again.

This week we have printed an old Everyman cryptic from the Observer every day, so that we can also look up the answers when we give up, which we have to do, a lot. We haven’t finished one without assistance yet, but we are enjoying trying to work them out and learning how the clues work. Some are fiendish works of genius; some are tenuous stretches. Today we only had to look up four, which I think is pretty impressive.

The bit at the end

I wanted to ensure I ended this on a positive note as I felt the start was bleak. Possibly this aptly sums up where I am with it all. I start with some hard and disconcerting facts, move onto some life minutia then try to focus on the positive. Something which I have seen emerge as a kind of sign off on messages and emails is “stay safe” or “stay well” or both. I like this as a kind of subtle identifier of a time before as well as a time after. It’s one of many changes in the way we speak and relate to each other. We have a renewed experience of our power as a community and the importance of everyone in it. The world will be different after this and we have the power to make it better, if we want it.

April 3, 2020

And the beat goes on…

What’s new pussycat

It had been hard to think what to write this week. Up until yesterday afternoon essentially everything was the same, I was working 2 jobs part time and learning how to teach online. A small amount of structure for my time and Al was keeping himself busy with cooking. However, the 1^st school called me to confirm it was going into temporary shut down, something that is inexplicably being referred to as “furlough” in the UK. I will get 80% of my contracted hours under the Italian insurance scheme, which is 7 hours a week. The 2^nd job is only for 3 hours on a Tuesday and is due to finish at the end of April. There is no news yet on what is happening with exams so I don’t know if there will be any invigilation work. To be honest I was expecting it, I thought the 1^st school might have been in trouble before the virus and now we aren’t going to be attracting new students. It’s disappointing, but we know we are not alone in facing work uncertainty at the moment.

Al cooked a Lemon drizzle cake to replace the chocolate cake we finished yesterday (see main picture with strawberries and tea). I don’t have any human weighing scales so I can’t confirm how much weight I might be putting on, but I know that I put half an inch back on my waist. We are still watching movies and TV series and although we have not started Tiger King yet, I feel it’s only a matter of time. We are reading books and listening to music. I subscribed to London Review of Books on a half price deal, just before this started and so I am building a mammoth book list for when this is over as well as loading my Kindle. We both have “at home” workout routines. We take it in turns to go to the shop and do bin runs as we’re not supposed to go out together. The weather has been sunny and cold this week. The sun cream turned up yesterday, hopefully the warm weather will follow.

The Future

I think it is probably natural to be looking to the future at the moment. It is difficult when we don’t know when this situation will end or how it will be brought to a conclusion. It’s hard to imagine that there will be a day when we are all let loose to return to our previous patterns of behaviour and scoot gleefully across the world again. Presumably restrictions of some sort or another will still be in place for some time to come and will depend on the downward trajectory of infection rates in various locations. The rate of new cases here has slowed but not yet started to come down. Our initial lockdown end date was today but this was extended to 14^th April, although I can’t see this ending before May.

However, I am entertaining myself by planning for something that I have decided to reclaim from the Brexit mess and that is “Liberation day” – when we are all able to move freely again and the Covid-19 virus is no longer posing an immediate threat to lives. I would contribute to hear some Big Ben bongs on that day, I can tell you. I’m saving up my last hair dye and deciding which of Bologna’s many fabulous restaurants and bars will be graced with my post quarantine presence first. I cordially invite you to join me in this and repurposing Liberation Day into a day of inclusive global celebration!

A little help from my friends

Something that I hope we will take forward once this is all over is this spirit of community and helping each other out. I have witnessed this firsthand here in Italy and I am gratified to see examples from the UK such as the overwhelming response to the UK Government volunteer request. We watched the Frank Turner benefit for The Joiners last night and hope to watch the one for The Railway Inn in Winchester next week. There are so many people performing or working on -line, which is great to see and be part of (even if it’s just in the audience). It had become all to easy to think that we lived in a selfish time when people were only looking out for themselves, but I think the response to this situation demonstrates more what is best about people. There are plenty of us that, when the chips are down, get together (not literally in these circumstances) and work out new solutions and ways of supporting each other and staying positive. My social media might be a bubble but its one filled with beautiful people doing awe inspiring things and helping each other. Many people and businesses are suffering right now, but if we all continue to do what we can and work together as a community we can help ensure as many as possible keep going. We are amazing when we work together.

Al and I on the way to the shop, before the one person rule

March 26, 2020

So glad you could join us

Benvenuti a Lockdown!

When I was thinking about writing this week’s blog I was conscious that the likelihood was by the time I came to write it lockdown would be a reality for the UK too. Comparing the numbers of Corona Virus cases from Italy two weeks before the UK, it seemed a similar story was emerging. I am sorry it had to come to this, but I think it’s in everyone’s interests. Hopefully they are finding, so far, it’s ok. A great many kind people, organisations and businesses are offering services for free or on reduced rates for us to do/use while we are at home. However, as I said last week, we shouldn’t try to do too much. We are in strange days and there is a mental aspect to this as much as a physical restriction. No doubt your thoughts and feelings about being in lockdown have changed and will change. Make sure you look for and hold onto the positives of which there are many.

A change in the weather

Last week we had balmy 20 degree days. You might remember my photo of the garden, glass of wine in hand. I want to make as much use of the garden as possible at this time and I was worried for my pale blue Celtic skin so I put in an Amazon order for sun cream. The supermarket we can walk too does not have a lot of choice available as it’s not a big store. I thought getting an order would be better than travelling out to a bigger store and potentially encountering more people even if social distancing is practiced here. This week has rewarded us with a wind warning and days barely reaching the 10s so it hasn’t been garden weather, although it has been sunny. However, this morning we were greeted by snow!!! Snow and it was settling, which we were not expecting at all. A quick check of the weather forecast confirms the 20 degree days will return by Sunday, which is good because my sun cream has not arrived yet.

Learning new skills and being bored

This week I learned to use a new online teaching platform as well as how to set up and use groups on Skype. My lessons are spread out over the week a couple of hours, usually not more than 3, at a time. A lot of the day feels like waiting for lessons and other activities are fitted around lessons and prep. I think I pulled a muscle in my stomach doing Yoga, so I’ve been laying off that and I caution those who are planning a vigorous exercise regime during this time not to over do it. Al has been bored because he doesn’t have any work to give structure, however I will mention that tonight I will be eating a chicken pie with handmade puff pastry. The chicken filling was also several processes and days in the making. We’ve also had homemade pasta and bread this week.

Last thoughts for this post

We are a couple of weeks ahead of the UK in this weird netherworld of lockdown. There is a stoicism that says just keep going which is good and helpful but, its ok to admit this is frightening. We have never seen the like of this in our lifetimes. We have no reference data to tell us how to feel and what to do. We are in an event we have only read about in post-apocalyptic books and seen in disaster movies. By staying in and minimising our contact with others less people will die, but that’s still pretty stark. There’s a part of you that feels like this is a holiday, a part that feels like this is an inconvenience and a part of you that is terrified and it’s all correct and OK to feel. We don’t know what is going to happen, which is always true, but is scarier now because we didn’t really think this would happen. One day this week I said to Al that I had a lot of work to do but I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. I’m not always sleeping and I’m imagining symptoms (luckily a fever can’t be psychosomatically generated) on a consistent basis because, hey, that’s the kind of girl I am. Turns out, it’s perfectly natural. Everyone is doing it, because it’s part of a natural human reaction. Allow yourself to have these moments. It will be ok and we will get through this, but if we have the occasional tremble, or just need to pull the duvet over our heads today, so be it. Be kind to everyone, but especially yourself. We can choose what elements of this experience we hold onto and take forward and which elements of our old life we want to let go of and leave behind.

March 19, 2020

Update from Bologna lockdown

Week 2 in lock down

As we begin this second week in Lock down we feel that we are getting the hang of it. Al has been making enough bread to ensure we have some every day and has also made batches of pasta, mayonnaise and sauces to keep us eating in style. This week Al has decided we need a lasagne as there are another 2 weeks of lock down to go (it was announced today that this will be extended). I continue to teach over Skype and to spend the rest of my time reading and trying to write. We are going out every couple of days to get top up fruit and veg or occasional meat. This is as much an exercise in getting some exercise as it is a necessity. However, we think we will try and see if we can get more deliveries online to limit going out further.

Here people patiently wait outside shops, a respectful metre apart, until the next customer comes out so they’re able to take their place inside. It’s hard to imagine this happening in the UK without security guards or other monitors. It seems particularly unusual when Italians are otherwise famous for their inability to queue. However, everyone understands the seriousness of the situation and there is a sense of togetherness in a crisis which maintains a calm acceptance of the present situation and the need to get through it together. This too shall pass.

Rediscovering our love of film

One of the unexpected outcomes of all this was rediscovering our love of film. Back in the early days of our relationship we spent a lot of time watching films, being early adopters of Love Film and clocking up a fair number of films per week. Love Film ate blockbusters and was eaten by Netflix in turn. While we have maintained Netflix and Amazon Prime accounts these have largely been to keep up with TV series. Al’s anti-social hours meant that the Cinema was out of the question and starting a movie at home at 11pm is not that appealing. Even on his days off he rarely had the headspace to sit through a film. Now that we are forced to be in the apartment all the time, we realise that we haven’t really watched films for about 10 years. We are enjoying reading reviews and building up a watch list as well as watching the films. While there are a couple of films that are still daunting us with their length (the Irishman is 3 hours and 40 minutes!) there will never be a better time to watch them than now.

Jennie’s top tips

Someone asked me for some tips in case you guys all get locked down too. I must say that I think it’s important that you do. I genuinely believe this is the only way to minimise this virus. Here are the tips I gave this morning plus one or two more:

Watch films, paint pictures, cook and read books. Do anything you usually don’t have time for.
Try to stick with a schedule but not your old work schedule or an unrealistic home improvement schedule
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to achieve. This enforced free time can be used for relaxing too.
If there are local businesses you can support by buying direct from them, do it.
If you’ve had gigs or events cancelled try to wait for the reschedule instead of getting a refund. See if the band or venue has merch you can buy or a Patreon or something to keep them afloat.
Don’t be a dick, only buy what you need.
Reach out to your friends. You can’t be in each other’s company but you can still interact. If someone reaches out to you, respond.
Think creatively about how you can continue to do things you enjoy – what about logging on to a streamed gig or comedy performance? Or what about a Skype dinner party – everyone does their own cooking in their own home but with Skype on so you can talk to each other?
Stay positive. This will pass.

Don’t you wish your supermarket was stacked like mine?

The future’s so bright

The world will be different after this experience. Undoubtedly there will be another global economic downturn and many businesses will not survive. However, this has given us an opportunity to see the world, as one of my students put it “through another lens”. We see how quickly those who have jobs that facilitate, can work from home. To see how much we need and depend on the jobs that have recently been referred to by the UK Government as “low skilled”. To see how we can be our best in a crisis, turn misfortune into opportunity, working together to help each other and finding other ways to continue to operate. We can take what we learn from this period into the future and make sure we change it for the better. It is tough right now so those crowdfunding a contingency fund, offering online shopping for goods and services, turning restaurants and pubs into takeaways and any other ways you have thought of to reinvent yourself to adapt and survive I raise a glass to you. If there is anything you can do to support them, you need to get on it.

Keeping positive

Sometimes the human spirit really can surprise you in very positive and uplifting ways. Here in our uniquely Italian experience we have the 6pm music from balconies, which have been shared widely on social media; the hashtag “#iorestoacasa” (I stay at home) being used by Italians to share experiences and homemade posters in windows saying Andrà tutto bene” (Everything will be fine).