End of an era!

I'm heading home tonight for the whole of August. Will be returning in September to a new apartment in Rome with my lovely friend Erika from the CELTA course, and eventually a new job at a different school. (I will be teaching children!! uh-oh!)

Lots of cool things have happened since i last updated...Vic and Matt came for a flying visit, there's been beach trips, partying in San Lorenzo, Testaccio, Isola Tiberina, flat-hunting, not much work (due to italians slacking off for summer) and consequently not much money, general hanging out.

Anyway, I'm excited to be coming home for a while now. Things I'm really looking forward to in London:
- understanding what people say!! It will be so nice to have a bit of a break from the constant struggle to learn italian...mind you, I suppose at the moment I get to tune out alot of boring/unpleasant conversations. Also it's nice just to be able to say "non parlo italiano" when people ask for money/directions/my phone number.
- food!! I've had nothing but italian food for the last 3 months. There ARE chinese, indian and thai restaurants in Rome, but I just haven't been to any of them. I can't wait for a break from pizza/pasta/olive oil/very crusty bread/nutella. Even if it is all delicious.
- my friends and family!! obviously. goes without saying.
- electric kettles!! I haven't had one in any of my apartments here...it's so much more hassle to make tea when it involves gas stoves and saucepans.
- newspapers that I can read with no effort
- radio and tv that I can understand with no effort
- being reunited with all my books, cds, clothes and shoes. And my knitting.
- blending in! Having pale skin means I really stand out as not italian, and you get people asking where you're from - England? Scotland? Germany? - all the time, and shouting things in English in the street, etc. It will be nice to just blend for a bit.
- being able to go into a post office/bank/shop and have a completely hassle-free, effortless transaction with no miming

Things I'll miss about Italy
- Italian...I do love it. Such a beautiful language, and I'm beginning to understand little bits of it too
- Italians being incredibly open and friendly. "How old are you?" "I just had this huge fight with my mother" "I'm in the middle of a divorce, and need to hide my income so I can screw my rich bastard husband for as much money as possible"...no subject is off limits
- the food
- learner english. I love it. "do a mistake", "angry/hungry" confusion, "say me". People sniggering when you say "beach" - "doesn't that mean troia?" "no, that's bitch." "But it's pronounced the same!!"
- Italian boys. They love me. And I hate to make national stereotypes, but they're all hot, and amazing cooks
- Having a watertight excuse for being an alcoholic. "Of course I want another drink, I'm British." "She's British! get the girl a Peroni, stat!"
- the gorgeous weather, and being able to sit outside in the evenings to socialise - nights out are so cheap here
- being a quick train ride from the beach
- being able to make ridiculous generalisations and stereotypes about the UK and having people take them seriously. "Everybody's divorced in england" etc

I must go and pack now, then head off to pick up my pay before I get on the sleeper train to Paris at 6pm. (I'm coming home the enviro-friendly way).

See you in London I hope!!