Ci spiace, ma questo articolo è disponibile soltanto in English.
Nel 2003 Rebecca ha iniziato a scrivere dei saggi per il sito Slow Travel, raccontando la sua esperienza di ragazza di città che dagli Stati Uiniti si è trasferita nella campagna umbra.
Le sue riflessioni sono riprodotte qui.
Umbria Slow:
[...] Rebecca (Brigolante) – Lesson learned the hard way [...]
Yes, yes, nice story. But I’m deeply offended by our location not being included among those of where your best friends live. LOL
Kidding aside, I think most of the drama you mention has to do with Italian mentality/culture rather than the size of the place you live in. I can’t see anything different happening in Pisa, Grosseto or Siena!
Anyway, after scuola elementare comes scuola media, and then the trouble starts for real! LOL Great post as usual!
so, what did you tell the detractors your reason was for changing their school? and did the sleighted teacher sling merda at your front door?
From one of your friends in Massachusetts….OMG, Rebecca, you are SO my kind of gal! I’m hoping that one day your blog pieces will be chapters in one great read of a book.
I totally relate to every bit of what you have written. As a child, I changed schools multiple times until I got it right.
As an adult, I yanked my kids out when it didn’t feel right and while I did not suffer as many of the consequences as did you, there were times……Today, do I regret either my changes or my kids’? Light and serenity follow me wherever I choose to go. Rock on Mamma!!!!!
The school system even in ones own country is a minefield sussing it out in another culture is certainly an education .
Wow… So, a year on after the switch, what’s the new status quo? Do the same people still point & whisper, or are they the ones who now expect you to smile & wave across the piazza? I like to think I’m pretty forgiving, but I’m not sure I could let that one go…
Another insightful post – you create a window for us into your world. I don’t think I would do well in a small town (I’m too private and insular to fit in well), though I would desperately love to live in Assisi. I second (third?) the requests for updates about how the transition is being handled these days. It’s good to know that your boys are thriving in their new school, so the lessons you learned from this life lesson must have been worth it. I, too, can’t wait for the book and will pre-order it as soon as you give the word. I don’t have an e-reader, though, so please give us a lovely hardbound edition, too!
My dear, all I can do is shake my head, and present you with my Grownup Award. *hugs*
Yes, this is life in my village too. Exactly. Glad your sons are really happy in their new school and of course that’s what counts. I removed my son for the first year of scuola media–we needed a break after 5 years with the same elementary teacher who was not the right one for my son, but it was very difficult to change things because he didn’t want to leave his friends. I seriously considered moving back to the States as the International Schools are too far and way too expensive. We home schooled American curriculum and travelled. According to everyone here I was “ruining him”, but then I “ruined” him also in second grade when we moved back to NY for 5 months to sell our house. So far he loves the Middle School, we laugh about some of the teachers, praise others and hope for the best. Great post.
Thanks, everyone, for your incredibly supportive feedback and comments!
The update is this: the school change was absolutely the right decision. My kids both love school now (and have since day one)…they’ve never looked back and, in retrospect, if I have any regret it’s that we spent an entire school year (and then some) being unhappy.
I have come out of this changed…wiser, but also once-burnt-twice-shy. I am much more cautious of what I put out there, even in casual conversation, and more hesitant to be open with anyone who isn’t on my friend short-list. I’m back on speaking terms with everyone at this point, but there are some social rents which will never be fully repaired. It makes me a little sad, sometimes, to think how this experience has jaded me about human nature. On the other hand, look at all these kind comments here! Maybe people aren’t so bad after all ;)