Mambo Metropolitano

First entry: aaaaaaaarrrggghhh!!

Captain's log, star date 27th May 2010. Mission: to boldly blog what no other blogger has blogged before. In Italy.

Actually, no, that's a lie. I've not read any blogs about living in Italy (of which, I'm sure there are many) and I wouldn't have much of a clue where to start but I think that you can make it up as you go along. If not, I'm pretty much massaging my verbal ego in the ether! Hmmm that feels good. A little higher...that's it! But I'll start at the beginning, which is a very good place to start, a wise woman once said. In a musical, I think - was that the Sound of Music?

I'm a British "expat" living in Rome, having completed a CELTA teaching course in March and deciding that in order to change my job (anyone heard about Civil Service cuts recently? I'll keep quiet about that...) and improve my Italian, I'll live in Italy. For one year. Seemed simple at the time but luckily it's not, otherwise where's the fun, people?!

Imagine if you will, the scene: 28 year old ( a variety of colours: napalm white, to factor 12 pink, green eyes, obligatory expat white linen shorts), typing away furiously on his soon-to-be-exhausted Italian PC notebook, musing whimsically by the open window of a 3rd floor apartment in the Equilino district of Rome. I'm being overtly Romantic because in truth, the weather is approaching 29 degrees C, and I need the window open to avoid cooking myself alive like a Sunday roast. The notebook is proving to be a trusted friend (weighed down by its burden of about 4 million episodes of Glee, Lost and Desperate Housewives = "desert island luxuries": should this blog ever be replaced with the ever-repeating image of Sue Sylvester attempting to get "Physical" (physical), you'll know why....it's because I've enfringed on copyright protection, and posted her magnificent verbal back-hands all over this page in homage.)

I digress.

Living with me in this apartmento are P, little M and big M, all male, two students and a lavotrice, who cannot be named for legal reasons. Because I'll want to talk about them and it's not fair that I name them. And they might do a Google search thing etc.etc., and I will come home to find my room is being subletted to a family of seven. With two small dogs and canary. With dietary problems.

I'll blog about my trying to find work (in case you were wondering "is he still trying to be a foolish, bohemian writer by avoiding earning a penny in this time of global recession? For shame, young writer, for shame! Earn your (e) crust!"), and about the (no doubt) hilarious antics of me trying to remember not to say "per favore" ALL the time, tasting the amazing foods of this city (that are already causing conflicts with my non-existant exercise regime) and living as a wannabe Roman in this truly Eternal City (forgive the cliche - it's my first blog, I'm allowed a few ;)

A presto,
Will

ps. I am not a trekkie.