WOW!

I'm just a "little" overwhelmed.

Wow. My host doesn't speak any English and they put me in Level 2 for my first class. Thankfully I know enough Italian to get the absolute basics of getting around, and by the end of the first day I could understnad my host Maria better than I had in the morning.

I've already found, in school (scuola), that I understand (ho capito) what people are saying (at least I'm able to extrapolate what's going on from the context of the moment), though I lack the skills to appropiately form the sentances to answer back. I'm going to try and go to an intermediate Level 1 class tomorrow, though my Level 2 teacher, Filamento (Filo for short), thinks I could probably struggle through her class and learn more in the three weeks (tre settimani) that I'm here.

Let's skip to the pictures. I just looked at my camera's settings and my pictures from yesterday are too large for Blogger. Take a look here for 9 pictures from my first day in Roma.

More later!

More Party Pics!

Lynn sent me these two shots from my going away party on Wednesday (She's the one waving in the back!):

Well... I can't believe it's here. My last day at work! Strange and scary but very exciting! I spent the night packing with Marvin and I realize that I have more room than I thought in my bags. I'm still going to need to do laundry at least once, but I'm able to take more clothes than I first anticipated.

Tomorrows the big day! Point of order for my first day is to find an internet cafe. You should expect to hear from me somtime soon!

Going Away

Here are a few shots of my going away party last night. I invited out a bunch of people from work and we grabbed drinks at Detour in the East Village. Hmm...I was just struck with how I'll be using the names of completely different neighborhoods during this time next week!

Bags, bags, bags!

Am I really going to do it? Blog about the luggage I'm taking with me to Italy?

Yes.

Honestly, that's all I have left to iron out before getting on the plane! I have all of my electronic stuff worked out and a basic idea of the clothes I'm taking. I just need to get this new backpack so I know how much room I have! I'll probably have to reevaluate the situation when I actually go to pack on Friday and Saturday! I'm going with a pretty "Spartan" amount of luggage for the month (just the backpack and one bag) so tote space will be tight!

Targus Computer Backpack:



Victorinox Luggage:


Wish me luck!

Winding Down.....er, up?

One week left.

Work is winding down. Did I mention I quit my job? Sure...I'm, simultaneously, launching an opera career, starting a consulting business, quitting my job and going to Italy.

I think I mentioned that, so onto the more interesting stuff.

I just finished my last week of training at my job. I've been slowly leaving work a little earlier each day (which landed me right in the middle of a thunderstorm where it was raining sideways today). I've been passing off projects, giving documentation to other people, and I've even moved my desk into a temporary spot so my replacement could have my old place.

The quotient of leaving work early to practicing more has been directly correlated. I've strapped on the ole singing gear again and started into a few arias and scores. It's been refreshing and invigorating. The voice is bigger though I tend to sputter to a stop 20 minutes into practicing. Hence the practicing.

OK... Now I'm even boring myself. Here's some tidbits of fun. Here are a few of the things I bought recently for my trip: Power adapter, travel alarm clock, plane neck pillow and suitcase.

Now I only have to figure out what to wear in Italy. It'll be August and probably very little air conditioning will be available. Should I take lots of nicer pants and shirts or do the native Italians recognize the heat and dress in shorts and t's?!?

I dreamed a dream...

I had a crazy dream the other night. I dreamt that I committed suicide!

Scary, huh?

Well, I did a little research into dream interpretation and it's really not that bad. In fact, many say that kind of dream is a good sign!

SelfHelp Magazine mentions that a suicide dream is symbolic of massive change in your life. The death of the old self and the birth of the new.

I think the act of blogging right before bed helped kick start my psyche into thinking about all the change that's coming up so soon! I'm truly shedding the old corporate non-musical me for a new, opera, self-employed one!

Two WEEKS!

It's so close!

It started with a desire to be a better singer and refocus my career on music. I got distracted. You know, business, paying bills, eating and rent in NYC.

Now I'm two weeks away from getting on a plane to Italy for a month! Well, technically I'll be there for three weeks studying Italian and then off to Switzerland and France. My boyfriend will be flying out to join me and go on a little tour of Europe with me.

Wait.. Let me back up. This is me, Vaughn:



This is my boyfriend, Marvin (BTW he says Hi):


Ok, back on track...I'm nervous and excited. It's actually my first time out of the country (aside from that one trip to Jamaica when I was in college, but that doesn't count). There's so much to see and learn.

In between now and then I need to relax! Marvin has been watching me go a little crazy with worry (in fact he keeps checking to see if I've soiled myself with nervousness....hey, you...quit sniffing at me!!!!). Seriously, I've inherited this terrible worry habit from my mother. It's nothing as obvious as a nervous twitch or rapid fire chitter-chatter, it's very insidious.

I tend to "plan." Work out a problem in my head and all the possible solutions. Make lists, think about the right preparation, study for my class, and research, research, research. All this ends up making me a mess and less likely to be invited to speak at the next Modern Man's New York Buddhism Convention (and I was so close to being the keynote at this year's MMNYBC!).

*puff*

*puff*

breathe....

Ok. I'm better. I don't want to be a total lazy ass and forget to do stuff like pack and learn a little bit of the language, but I can certainly keep myself calm and enjoy the next two weeks before I go!

I'm planning on blogging everyday about what I've been doing and seeing and attaching a bunch of pictures. Hope you enjoy!