Where in the World is Dakota?

Once I woke up (2 AM and I are much closer friends than I’d like these days), I got ready for a day that promised to be filled with a variety of tasks. I had a follow-up interview at one school and a meeting at another. The meeting to finalize my timetable (schedule), as well as those of the other conversation teachers, was lively.

I used Google Translate to follow along, since I could only catch phrases here and there. Let me tell you—listening to teachers in Italy discuss courses and schedules is very similar to back in the States. I found myself chuckling at the banter, smiling as it reminded me of the passionate discussions I used to have with my own department in years past.

A dear friend—whom I’m so grateful to for helping me line up my position at the school in the first place—offered to drive me to the second meeting. There, I spoke with a woman I had interviewed with earlier in the year about where it might be most beneficial to have me teach. Once I receive my timetable from the first school, I’ll give it to her so she can decide whether I’ll be teaching full classes, small groups, or one-on-one.

After the meeting, we walked to a local café for our evening caffè (coffee). The coffee here is REAL coffee—no corn-syrup-laden flavors, no artificial sweeteners, no milk, and no iced versions. (That last one might be a challenge for me to get used to… but I haven’t perished yet. 😅) Coffee is served in small cups, and most people simply stand at the counter, drinking the rich, decadent liquid in one or two gulps. I prefer to savor mine slowly, so that’s another adjustment—learning to drink it quickly!

It may only be my first week, but I can already feel Italy shaping me. All I know is that this place is keeping me on my toes. Who knows—by the end of my time here, I may be speaking Italian, standing at the counter, and swiftly finishing my coffee!