| My last day in Taormina had started: I woke up | | | | different language school called Laboratorio |
| at daybreak to pack my suitcase since later | | | | Linguistico, based in Milazzo. After a 10 minute bus |
| today I would be relocating from Taormina to the | | | | ride, I arrived at the Taormina - Giardini Naxos |
| city of Milazzo. I enjoyed my final breakfast on | | | | train station and had to wait for about 45 minutes |
| the gorgeous terrace of Hotel Villa Nettuno, the | | | | before my train showed up. The commuter train |
| place that had been my home for the last seven | | | | that arrived was a beautiful sleek and modern |
| nights. Pictures of yesterday's hike up Mount Etna | | | | train and I grabbed a seat in the corner. A few |
| flashed to my mind. The view over the Ionian | | | | rambunctious teenagers were playing loud music, |
| Sea continued to fascinate me and I hope that | | | | singing and ribbing each other. Obviously teenagers |
| one day I will make it back to beautiful Taormina. | | | | will be teenagers, no matter where you go... A |
| My last day of classes had started and our strict | | | | local gentleman sat down across from me and |
| yet witty language teacher Carlo continued to | | | | introduced himself: Giorgio works as a security |
| teach us the intricacies of Italian pronouns and | | | | guard at Taormina's Greek Theatre and enjoys |
| adverbial phrases of time and place. His colleague | | | | his job. He told me about his family: his wife stays |
| Simona took over at 11:40 for our | | | | at home with their three children while he is the |
| communications exercise and we started to listen | | | | sole income earner. His job gives him sufficient |
| to a recording of a real-life Italian call-in show | | | | income to look after his family and he said he |
| where a person called into a radio station to talk | | | | keeps his expenses low. The family only has one |
| to two psychiatrists to discuss fears and phobias. | | | | car and he still drives around all year on his 30 |
| Each equipped with headsets, we listened to the | | | | year old Vespa. Giorgio also commented that a |
| recording twice and recounted what we had | | | | few years ago Trenitalia, the Italian |
| understood. Then we embarked on an unscripted | | | | government-owned railway system, invested in |
| discussion of our own fears and phobias. In | | | | new commuter trains. Giorgio smiled when he said |
| addition, Simona had prepared cardboard cards | | | | that the remainder of the rolling stock is pretty |
| with questions. Each one of us got to pick from | | | | much "museum quality". He also mentioned that |
| the stack of cards and we got to choose who | | | | the strange spring weather that we had been |
| we were going to ask the question we had | | | | having (a fair amount of rain, fog, overcast skies), |
| picked. This provided another great opportunity to | | | | is rather unusual. Normally at this time of year the |
| talk and apply our Italian language skills. An | | | | weather is clear and sunny. He summed up his |
| animated philosophical discussion ensued and | | | | feelings by saying that for the last three years or |
| everyone had a chance to express their thoughts | | | | so the climate has been strange. A side effect of |
| and feelings. After taking pictures with my class | | | | global warming maybe? After Giorgio left about a |
| mates and our teachers, I dropped by the office | | | | half hour into the train ride I had a chance to |
| to say goodbye to Alessandro and his team. The | | | | reflect on the 8 days that I had already passed in |
| entire crew at the Babilonia Language School had | | | | Italy, and the new adventures that were still to |
| been extremely helpful over the past week of | | | | come. I was starting to feel a bit apprehensive |
| my stay, I had indeed picked up my Italian skills | | | | about the sailing trip that was supposed to start |
| (and was officially at Intermediate level now), and | | | | tomorrow. I was wondering about sea-sickness, |
| I had thoroughly enjoyed all our various | | | | the small confined space on a sailboat and I was |
| excursions: from our hike to Castelmola Friday a | | | | praying to God that I was going to have good |
| week ago, to our archeological and cultural | | | | shipmates. On a small sailboat even one really |
| excursion to Siracusa, to our walking tour of | | | | strange character can make the trip unpleasant |
| Taormina, my glimpses at Babilonia's cooking and | | | | for the rest of the group. Another part of me |
| pottery decorating classes, our hiking excursion to | | | | was really looking forward to the experience, and |
| Mount Etna and various dinners and social events, | | | | my anticipation was growing. After changing trains |
| the last seven days had been packed full of | | | | in Messina I arrived just shortly after 9 pm at my |
| exciting activities and opportunities for learning and | | | | destination for today: Milazzo, headquarters of the |
| forging new friendships. I sincerely thanked | | | | Laboratorio Linguistico Language School, and the |
| Alessandro and his team and hoped to come back | | | | embarkation point for my sailing trip tomorrow. |
| some time in the future. Together with two of | | | | Francesca, the wife of the school's co-owner, |
| my new-found friends, Jill from the UK, and | | | | graciously came by to pick me up from the train |
| Connie from Switzerland we went for a little walk | | | | station and took me to my home for the night: a |
| and decided to have lunch at a local restaurant | | | | fully equipped 5-bedroom apartment right above |
| called Panoramic Bella Blu which is located on Via | | | | the school's offices. Francesca took me into my |
| Pirandello right next to the cable car station that | | | | room which I was going to share for one night |
| connects hill-top Taormina with beach-front | | | | with my new travel partner: Claudia, a Lufthansa |
| Mazzaro. We enjoyed a nice late lunch with a | | | | flight attendant from Germany, was also going to |
| stunning view over the Mediterranean, and about | | | | go on the sailing trip with me tomorrow. While |
| an hour later I had to say goodbye. I had | | | | Claudia was sleeping I headed out for a very late |
| double-checked at the bus station when my bus | | | | dinner. It was already about 10:30 pm before I |
| would come to take me to the railway station at | | | | found a local restaurant two streets over. I had a |
| Taormina - Giardini Naxos so I would be able to | | | | delicious Insalata Cappriciosa and at a price of 3 |
| make the trek to my next destination: Milazzo. | | | | Euros the salad was less than half the going rate |
| Before departing I went back to Hotel Villa | | | | of the restaurants in Taormina which had charged |
| Nettuno to quickly download my photos and take | | | | about 7 or 8 Euros for a salad. I realized very |
| a few more shots of the beautiful garden that is | | | | quickly that tourists in Taormina are paying a |
| part of the Sciglio family's estate. At the top of | | | | premium rate for everything and that Milazzo was |
| the garden is the so-called "Tempietto" ("little | | | | definitely more affordable terrain. Back at the |
| temple"), a temple-shaped lookout point with | | | | apartment I downloaded my photos and briefly |
| benches and a sweeping view over the Ionian | | | | met two of the other teachers at Laboratorio |
| Sea and part of Taormina. I took a few quick | | | | Linguistico: Jean-Claude from Ireland, who teaches |
| photos with Vincenzo Sciglio, the patriarch of the | | | | English at the school, and Francesco (Franco) |
| family, and two of my German Babilonia | | | | Pozza, an Italian teacher and co-owner of the |
| co-students and at 5:30 pm I sadly said goodbye. | | | | school. I found out that we would be gathering |
| Vincenzo promised that when I come here next | | | | outside the school tomorrow morning at 9:30 am |
| time he will take me to the family's country | | | | to meet Francesco Di Santi, the other co-owner |
| retreat where they make home-made wine. He | | | | of Laboratorio Linguistico, and our skipper for the |
| said he produces the grape juice for the wine by | | | | week. I felt into bed exhausted, wondering what |
| stomping on the grapes with his bare feet. Well, | | | | the next week was going to hold. I was excited - |
| next time I come to Taormina I definitely want | | | | looking forward to my first sailing trip. |
| to see that. Although my departure was a little | | | | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal |
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