Ciao ciao ciao ciao ciao

There's no doubt in my mind that I'm leaving Italy a different person I arrived 3 years ago and um...2 month, 2 days ago. Putting a semi control freak, type A, too organized for her own good person in this organized chaos means one thing...major change! 

Over the last several months I've found my myself having a tad more of my American showing and even needing to flee to the base. Problem is, when I'm there I feel myself being drawn back outside the gate, back into Italy because it's just a little too American for my new tastes. I find myself jumping back and forth between American and Italian customs, picking and choosing which culture's "rules" I want to play by depending on the current situation. That road sign is just a suggestion. Oh look how cute that is, they're in line! Ravi doesn't always have to pick a lane; he can have 2! Um excuse me, I was here first.

Talk about confusing! Like I really need more voices competing in my head. I think I'm okay with it though because it means that I did live in Italy enough to pick some of it up. The last thing I wanted to do with my time here is to return the same person (read American) that I arrived as. What's the point in living overseas if you're only residing overseas?

Why am I sharing this? Mainly as one big old confession that I hear voices in my head and that despite the pothole filled road that I got to travel on for these 3+ I loved every bit of it. Had things been slightly different I could have easily stayed few more years, but I can't because new adventures await.

So with a car loaded up with 9 cases of wine, a few random boxes, several suitcases and my cousin Claire in the passenger seat it's time to hit the autostrada and watch my Naples chapter fade away in the rear view mirror.

Ciao, ciao bella Napoli I'll be back dopo domani. 

Ciao Ciao Napoli

With all the unknowns over the few months I'll be honest..I've been registering a bit on the manic side one day, and the next resemble my winter doom and gloom persona. I cry at the drop of a hat. I have mini panic attacks when someone asks me a question I don't know the answer to in regards to my "status in Naples." I talk out loud (to myself) just so I can keep my scattered brain on track. Words come out of my mouth like a puzzle.

Lucky for me, I found some of the most amazing people ever here in Naples. These are the friends that wake up early to pick me up for work, the ones that you don't have to clean your house for, the ones that you don't have some conversations with because they share a portion of your brain and know what I'm trying to say.

These friends are also the ones that don't look at me like I'm crazy when I suggest a themed outing for my departure from  Napoli. Hey, it's not like anyone is ever at the Cuma ruins that would see us dressed up in various Greek and Roman costumes...

"Whatareyoutalkingabout?"

Hanging out with my boys for the last time the other night, the littlest one kept looking at me and asking what are you talking about? Now there's a good chance he really had no idea what I was talking about with his older brothers, but so often I feel like it's the same non-verbal response I get from people not familiar with living in Naples. Let's face it- those of us who have spent any extended length of time in Napoli we eat, breathe, live, speak Napoli* and I for one forget that it doesn't always easily translate.

*Please don't confuse this with Neapolitan (the local Italian dialect) because I sure don't speak that. And I sure don't speak Italian despite my efforts in year one.
 
In Napoli traffic no longer conjures images of China Basin after a Giants' game. Traffico takes on a whole new meaning of 6 lanes of cars, with several motos tossed in there to adequately jam pack the 5 to 3 lane merge/exit where Corso Malta meets the tangenziale. 

Lunch no longer brings to mind a quick bite to eat because pranzo is a 2-3 course meal, complete with vino and cloth napkins.

"I just need to finish the laundry" is understood as you'll see me in 5 hours because that's about how long it takes to put a load of clothes through the washer and dryer. Mind you that this load consist of 10 items not made of denim or other heavy fabrics.

New Years? Ha. Until you experience the sky lighting up like a battle zone for hours on end you don't know New Years. Sorry.

The examples could go on and on. Even when I think I found the end of it I'm sure my Naples would show and we'd add several more items to the list: always carrying around tissue with you for bathrooms, praying that your car is there (and in the same condition) when you step out from the shopping mall, remembering coins for a shopping cart, ensuring you have coins to pay the parking attendant...my friend Jen sums it up much better than I can so if you're wondering about this coin thing check out her blog post all about it, just make sure you come back to finish reading this one please! <Click here to jump to her blog.>

Sure, Italy may sound mysterious, romantic, and exciting because it is! It hands down in the most amazing adventure I've embarked out on, but let me be completely honest- some days it just down right sucks. Unexplained power outages. Unexplained water outages. Neighborhoods of alarms going off (oh wait, that's mine...sorry). The inability to communicate effectively. Late dinner hours. Transportation strikes. Gasoline strikes. Garbage strikes. Protests. Burning trash. Crummy internet connections. Terrible cell phone reception. Cold drafty houses in winter. Oven hot houses in summer. Hundreds of stray animals. Roadkill littered highways. Delayed utility bills. Obscene sales tax rates. No personal space. Traffic. Roads with more pot holes than smooth road. Hard water. Complete disregard for rules. Narrow roads. Unmarked roads. One way roads being used a two way roads. Being unable to satisfy a deep craving for good Mexican food! A 45 minute drive to get "American food" like Karo syrup. Ridiculously expensive car insurance rates. Unexplained road closures. Need I go on???

For most of you, my life here in Naples has been a complete mystery for the last 3 years despite my effort to try to explain it (ahem...the reason for this blog). For a few of you, we've witnessed the crazy together and now you get what I'm saying or at least don't question my latest story about what I saw on my commute home (3 grown men peeing on the side of the road, 1 accident, 2 near misses, a road side trash fire, and 2 prostitutes).

My pictures don't convey the chaos experienced on my commute home. I can't capture the frustrations of running up to the roof at o'dark-thirty to see what error is flashing on the caldia resulting in a cold shower in megapixles. The late night shouts, slamming doors, firework explosions...in between the church bells that ring around the clock somehow lose their annoyance factor when you're not the one they are waking up. The having to plan shopping trips around what day of the week it is and riposo requires at least 2 shots of café prior to attacking the day (but night before planning works the best). 

The thing is though? As frustrating and annoying as these things can be it's just part of this grand adventure. The rewards of being here well outweighs all of the risks (getting behind the wheel of a car), hazards (toxic produce), & the alternative of missing out on all of this. 

Wine is cheap and good. So is the produce just don't buy more than you can eat in 2 days. Adventures are abundant and most days don't require more than a 5 minute commute to meet some character that have you and your girlfriends laughing until tears fall. Take notice to the ancient Greek or Roman structure. Sit, climb, crawl over any important ruin- they don't care...just don't think about a lawsuit because those are rare here. Take time to spend with your family and friends every Sunday. Take the entire month of August off to vacation and recharge. Don't worry about what needs to be done today, there's always domani and dopo domani. Pick up strangers on the corner to drive them to the train station. Honk at your friends on the street as you drive by. Order your coffee of choice in 2 seconds (there's no grande sugar free vanilla latte, no whip here). Stop to admire la babina on her afternoon walk with i nonni. Join in the community festivals. Dress in your Sunday best to hit the local Auchan. Bargain with vendors at the local market. Get that extra scoop of gelato. Smiles get you bellas and your windshield washed without a hand turned out at your windshield. Cappucini come with hearts, flowers, or smiley faces in the foam. Patios are filled with retired citizens gossiping. Practice your Indy500 driving, just look out for the sign announcing the upcoming speed camera. Know the calcio score based on the groans, cheers, and horns in the neighborhood. Over indulge in nutella. Know when there is a calcio match on account of the streets being empty. Laugh at the tourists gripping their bags in fear downtown Napoli remembering that was once you. Return the locals' stare as they try to figure out if they know you. Hang out on the church steps and just people watch. Be amazed by the festive lights set up in each of the towns for their patron saints days.

You know that commute home after a long day? Not so bad when I turn the corner and see the Baia Castle looking out over the sparkling sea. 

That late dinner time? Sometimes you need a pizza at midnight.

The terrible road conditions? Makes me thankful that Ravi made the trip with me.

Trash burning? Makes for some incredible sunsets with all those pollutants in the air. 

Slow moving traffic? Well they let me notice the new blue and pink ribbons outside homes announcing new babies. 

The popping of fireworks at 10pm? Perfectly visible from my window above my bed. 

It's all these amazing experiences, realizations, attitude adjustments that make the other stuff tolerable. No. That doesn't mean that a broken alarm system at 6am on a Saturday morning won't bring me to tears when all I want to do is sleep, but it does put it all in perspective.  

Okay. I still sense the whatareyoutalkingabout look coming through my computer screen. The next best solution would be to book a ticket out here because honestly? Until you've experienced Naples you're always going to have that look on your face. Somethings you just have to see for yourself! And trust me- you won't regret it. Just remember to leave your sparkly stuff at home :) 

Africa Called & I Answered

My desire to return to Africa has finally been made a reality!

I've applied and been selected to make a trip with One Child Campaign to travel to Ethiopia this fall. And I am once away blown away by the fact that things have "fallen" into place as I'm checking my inoculation records, searching for flights, and stocking up on sunscreen.

When the idea was still just a whisper in my head I decided that I would not ask for fundraising from any of my family or friends to cover the cost of the trip. I could not ask any of you to when it feels like every other weekend I'm hopping in a plane, car, or train for my next European adventure. So, for the past few months I've been scaling back (and saving my vacation days!) to make sure that when that balance is due I can write that check.

But, here's the deal...

We're traveling to Ethiopia to go into the orphanages filled with kids. Kids that have gone through more in their first years of life that most of us ever will in our entire lifetime.

It is my goal to be able to take clothing, shoes, medical supplies (bandages, etc), small toys, and educational supplies as donations for the ministries we're pairing up with on this mission to be distributed as need. (It will be another month or so until we get a more specific list.) I am more than willing to scale back my belongings to take as much stuff as I can.

If you feel led, and want to contribute to the items taken by the team you can assist in a few ways:

1. Place those Amazon orders and have supplies sent directly to me to hand carry over.
2. Send a box (flat rate boxes are awesome) my way with items.
3. Make a monetary donation (giftcards?) and I'll do the shopping.
4. Assist financially to defray the costs of excess baggage and/or overweight bags.

And yes, I'm always accepting prayers. God has once again showed just how faithful He is in allowing for all of this to come together.

And just because He is God...

Remember how while in Italy all I wanted to do was to head back to Kenya to visit my girls? That is finally becoming a reality as well! After the team disperses in Addis Abba, I'll be headed to Nairobi to see a different side of Kenya. Paired with Compassion International's office I'll be traveling to both of the villages where Caroline and Catherine live, meeting their families, seeing their centers. The sheer joy of seeing Caroline again overwhelms me to the point of no words. Meeting little Catherine for the first time after being her sponsor for only 2 years? Excites me when I think of the possibilities that she and I will have to foster our relationship in the years to come. And meeting their siblings and parents? Chills.

I'm still in awe that all my "let's run away to Kenya" comments, knowing exactly what time the flight left from Naples daily, and spending 3 years trying to make this work from Italy, it's happening within the first few months of being in Spain. Well played, well played.  

Living on Borrowed Time

Ever have those segments of time when you're so focused on something that everything revolves around it? I'm talking dreams, plans, conversations, work, finances?

Well that's what this job search has turned out to be.

8 days out from my original rotation date (when I return to Monterey from Naples) and it's time to fess up- about 2 months ago in a state of panic, I signed a 3 month extension "blocking" my return to Monterey (in the event that I had not yet found a new job) and thus staying in Naples until the end of August. Not the ideal option, but since it's non-binding and my supervisors were willing to take the risk (that I'd find another job and leave in the mean time) I figured it was worth sticking around a tad longer. This way I could continue the search to get a job I was a tad more interested in rather than being placed in a similar job as the one I left (same pay grade too) back at NPS. Plus with a structure change in our office, the work load was finally picking up again, curbing my boredom when too much "free time" occurs at work. I know you all know what I'm talking about...

So, since signing that extension a few nibbles have turned into substantial bites which means my resume is working in our convoluted system. Of course I also was spotted casting the line into dense populations, praying for a bite, even by a small agency and literally watched them turn up their nose in rejection. Lucky for me, I have a few fabulous friends that just reminded me that every rejection just meant it wasn't where I was meant to be.  Few hurt, like the FBI, but I made it to round 2 which is better than in the past. 

Where does it all stand right now? I've got something on the line but haven't been able to reel it in just yet which is why so many of my plans are still up in the air, my house is in a state of disarray, and Nico got his passport. What is meant to be will happen; it always does albeit sometimes it's milliseconds before the buzzer sounds and the ball was just launched. In the mean time I continue to work on my least favorite thing- patience.

Every Monday for the past...um 3 weeks I start optimistically with a "this is the week I'll hear from them" and by Friday all hope has faded as I see the clock tick to 10pm out here meaning their work day is also over and find my inbox still empty.

Yeah. It sucks, but knowing that when this all works out it's going to be fabulous seems to get me through the fact that friends who were supposed to leave after me are already have their orders in hand, scheduled their pack outs, and have started everything else when it comes to out processing while I'm renewing all my Naples related documents. Not quite how I thought it was going to play out, but then again it very seldom is.

Good Friday

Sitting on my couch this evening in my typical end of work week daze, the voice I've come to call Mr. Monte di Procida came over the PA system. Since my movie had just ended I walked to my kitchen to see find out the answer to this episode of "why is my street closed?"

Like before I saw a large fraction of the town filling the street. Behind the polizia moto 3 kids walked next to each other, the one in the center holding a simple wooden cross while the one on either side held a large olive branch. Behind each of the olive branch carriers, a line of 10 kids dressed in white robes. Primarily women followed, presumably mothers of the kids, around one of the transportable speakers transmitting the prayer by the priest while the crowd responded.

The priests followed immediately behind the Commune di Monte di Procida, and then several hundred people, bundled up in their winter coats, holding prayer sheets.

Nope! Not my balcony.

When the head of the group stopped in the piazza I live next to, the people in the street packed in more. I'm talking 6-8 across from the "icky pizza place" all way to the coffee bar.  Additional people watched on and participated from their balconies above the street.

This is the first year I've been in down for the processions and despite not being Catholic and only understanding every 3rd word (since Ave Maria doesn't really count as understanding) the sight still was overwhelming. The prayers being sent up. The music filling the air. All of it was... WOW! These people recognizing the fact that Jesus died on a cross all those years ago.

For about the million time out here I'm reminded about just how awesome of a God I serve. A God that sent His only son to die for me, the crazy driver that cut me off on the drive home, and the coworker that annoys me. It doesn't matter if I only speak English, or if I can speak 20 languages because He knows them all! It doesn't matter where I am in the world because He is there and always listening for my little voice among all wind, chatter, alarms, and zooming cars. I don't need to be in the Duomo, I can praise him just as well watching the sun set over the Bay of Gaeta from my rooftop.

Then again, it could just be Him delivering the message to me that I should spend a little less time focusing (and worrying) about a plan that was set into motion a long, long, long time ago and more on Him.  See? That's how awesome God is- He sends a large percentage of the town I live in to my house to remind me that sometimes it's not all about me. {Yes, I realize I'm implying that this whole parade was for me isn't really taking the focus away from me, but what I'm trying to say and am more rambling at this point is, God has got it all taken care of so it's about time I "let" Him do his job- right?}

Yeah, I'm sure my theology is less than sound here (sorry dad) and I really did just want to share a few pics and the video with you all so I'm not sure why I'm (still) rambling.

"When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'”

Matthew 27:54

Treitman Travel Testimonial

I love visitors and I love them even more when they agree to my request of writing a guest blog post! My most recent guests and I hadn't seen each other in over 3 years, but like with all great friendships we picked it up right where we left of...just thousands of more miles traveled! Although they were taken on the Standard Katie O. Tour I was amazed how that "Naples factor" kicked up the surprise factor making the tour even more memorable. Thank you both for heading to southern Italy to see me and getting a feel for my life here in Bella Napoli, I hope you loved it as much as I do.

Hello Readers,

I’m Tyler, and recently my wife Lexie and I stayed at the Oropeza B&B just outside of Naples. Our train from Rome arrived mid morning on Saturday and the Katie, the proprietor of said B&B was gracious enough to provide a shuttle service from the train station in Naples to her establishment in Monte di Procida. I highly recommend this service as navigating the Italian freeway system requires a higher level of understanding than this tourist has.

The B&B was located in a lovely neighborhood that is close to the coast but also on the highest point of the point at Monte di Procida. Accommodations were more spacious than we had imagined and very tidy. The other guests were nice folks as well. They were always quiet and reserved, tip toeing around like cats as to not disturb the serenity that come from time spent enjoying the view. That view alone is worth the visit, rooftop terrace has 360 degree views of Monte di Procida, Naples and the surrounding isles. You could really while away the hours there with a bottle or two of your favorite libation, as you soak in ancient vista, and contemplate the “bigger picture” or what ever that may mean to you.

What followed our tour of the accommodations was what I would call “hands on traveling”. We found ourselves slicing, mashing, roasting and frying. Indeed this was work on our vacation, how perverse! At least it was work till our task master provided us with wine to drink. At that moment perspective shifted as I realized I was in a cooking class that was hosted by a top local chef. We were taught how to shop for the right ingredients to make some delicious local meals. I do not recall how many courses we made as I may have eaten myself into a euphoric state between the 2^rd and 3^rd courses, or maybe I became overwhelmed and slept through a course somewhere…I can’t quite recall. We made a lemon and muscle pasta, eggplant parmesan, and a pear and ricotta tort. Learning can be delicious. 

Day two was a busy one. We started the morning at Vietri Sul Mare which features a beach that is often covered with broken and wave tossed colored ceramics from the local craftsmen. This sounds like it might be an awful form of pollution but it actually makes for a dynamically colorful painted pebble beach. We filled our pockets with potential mosaic components before hitting the road. The spaghetti noodle that is the road linking the cities along the Amalfi coast brought us to our second course of the day. An aromatic dish Sorrento was. Famous for its production of lemoncello, Sorrento is a city that is best understood once you have walked through the lemon orchard in the middle of downtown. Once you see some of the lemons that are the size of [American] footballs you can understand why the shops and restaurants are so proud of their relationship to the acidic fruit.

The last scheduled stop on our journey, was Herculaneum (and I mean “scheduled” as I don’t count the coastal bicycle race that closed the freeway down for about half an hour). Herculaneum was very important to me being that I have a degree in Archaeology.  Herculaneum, if you don’t know, is the other Roman city to be covered/preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Pompeii is the city that everyone knows of as it was discovered many years ago. My last trip to Italy was regretfully lacking due to the fact that Herculaneum was not open to the public at the time.  Herculaneum was by many accounts a more aristocratic community than Pompeii. The tour starts at what is called the ancient beach which is where the shore line used to be prior to the volcanic eruption. The first thing you notice is how many stories down and inland this beach is. I’ve seen many ancient monuments and so far in my travels but Herculaneum has been the most exciting.

 

As you make your way up from the beach you see alcoves built into the dock typically used to store seafaring items and cargo. From there you walk up a long ramp as the city appears to rise up out of the sea for several stories. Once at the top you find your self flanked by rows of multi level buildings on each side. A quick peak into a few of the buildings generally rewards you with clues as to its intended function. To the left there was a building that had a long table with giant amphora pots embedded in it, this was a restaurant. Down the road was a bath house with changing rooms and robe cubbies and hot cold rooms. Around the corner is a lavish house with several rooms and fountain next to a temple, a wealthy priest’s house. A large two story building with several rooms, this was an apartment building. Another large multi roomed building with common areas, this was a hotel. A building with a mill and a giant brick oven, this was a bakery. There was even a building with a large press at floor level, this was a laundromat. Togas apparently needed pressing too. Actually the typical roman laundromat would wash clothes with ammonia derived from human urine. There you have it, next time some one pisses themselves you are equipped with some fun facts which might lift their spirits, no guarantees.

 

 After an hour or so of walking the ancient roads the city will start to transform. At some point it transcends its condition, it ceases to be ruins and becomes a community. Herculaneum is so exciting to me because it is infinitely relatable in the way the Roman Coliseum or medieval castles are not. It takes no effort to imagine the people who lived there, no effort to see the city as they did, and no effort to sympathize with their fate. 

On August 24th 79 AD Mount Vesuvius began to quake and fume intensely. Some may have tried to evacuate through the ash raining down across the Bay of Naples, but several remained in what they through might be a safe place. Remember the alcoves at the docks I spoke about earlier? Some 300 of the inhabitants of the town hid inside these niches built into the rock. Young and old, rich, and poor, baker, blacksmith, and priest were likely praying to their gods for safety. On August 25^th around 1:00 the mountain erupted and Herculaneum would be hit by the pyroclastic flow, a wall of hot gasses burning at 932 degrees blasted the town at 100 mph. Our huddling townsfolk’s blood instantly boiled and their teeth popped like popcorn kernels in their heads. This happened 6 times before the ash settled and entombed the skeletons in the docks. I hesitate to call them “skeletons” because the word is too hollow, at the end of the day they became neighbors with lives and stories to me.

I can’t finish this letter on a somber note, let’s pick it up a bit... 

We got back to the Oropeza B&B and rested our weary feet from our long day. Soon though, our stomachs had a craving that can only be alleviated by pizza. “When in Naples, eat pizza,” I just quoted myself. Katie had a great idea to host a pizza tasting competition, which is a challenge I’ve never turned down. We ordered 4 pizza’s for the 3 of us and started eating like it was August 23, 79 AD (too soon?). There was one margherita pizza, one prosciutto pizza, an eggplant pizza and a weird non traditional one with arugula and corn. We all lost count of how many slices we ate for science.   In the end the margherita pizza from our host’s favorite place was the clear winner. I’d like to think the Herculanean baker would have agreed.