Re: Italy Update

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I certainly hope you are able to find an apartment to free up some more money
so that things will be easier for you. You should be able to enjoy life while
you are there. It should be an exciting time for you.

One never knows about DoDDS. Anything is possible. :)

On 11/29/10, Dave -> Debbie wrote:
> Well I know if i can get into a decent apartment (typically everyone I'm
> working with pays 800-1000 euro) which is easily half what Im paying now
> that would free up another 1000 euro a month and I could enjoy life here a
> LOT more. I'd have to break my contract to leave at the end of the year
> as I signed a two year contract. That doesn't make for a good reference.
> Honestly, I was about at the same stage of contentment of life now in
> Italy then when I was after the same amount of time in Asia. I've only
> been here almost 2 months..... The biggest difference is money right now
> and moving should solve that issue or greatly alleviate it.
>
> On the DoDDS issue, I would NOT go to S. Korea, I'd only go to Japan, or
> somewhere here in Europe. So while I'm not withdrawing from DoDDS, I'm not
> crossing my fingers anymore and hoping.
>
>
> On 11/29/10, Debbie----->Dave wrote:
>> I am very intuitive which is why I did so well in HR (recruitment). I
>> can sense that you are not as happy. I am sorry it is a let down. I
>> think not making the amount of money does have an affect. Or the fact
>> that housing and everything else is so expensive. It can make a person
>> resentful. I think you should definitely look at other options for next
>> year. I don't think you will be happy if you stay there for the full
>> 2-year contract. You will wind up hating it to the point where you will
>> be miserable waking up in the morning to go to work. If there is a way
>> to get a transfer back to Asia, then do it. You will be much happier
>> there. I don't know if it would be any different in France or England
>> as those places are still expensive.
>>
>> With regards to DoDDS, you just never know what can happen. You may
>> still get something for S. Korea. I would not go to the Middle East
>> either unless I knew that my family would be safe. I would only
>> consider it with DoDDS but not with an international school. And, from
>> what I understand, families cannot go to Bahrain. So, that would be that.
>>
>> Who cares what your students say about the 8 year age difference. It is
>> not like you are old enough to be her father. LOL! Enjoy your time and
>> whatever happens, happens. Take it one day at a time. :)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 11/29/10, Dave -> Debbie wrote:
>>> Well your almost is right, but who wouldn't I mean it's Rome, its
>>> Italy, and i had very high expectations, really it would have been
>>> impossible to live up to them. Even Carrie in the last episode of
>>> Sex and the City felt that Paris didnt live up to her expectations.
>>> the real reason I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would, is
>>> because as much where I am and where I get to live, the majority of
>>> it is still just a job. It's still teaching and I'm still at work
>>> most of the day. I wake up at 6, and get done at 4 (technically).
>>> It's not a lot of time to live the Roman life. I hate to say it but
>>> a lot of it has to do with money, I'm still in the temporary housing
>>> which is very expensive, and its eating up 2000 euro a month which
>>> leaves me about 550 euro a month (about 800 USD) to live off. I
>>> pretty much HAVE TOO move on from Italy, after 2 years the income
>>> tax rate jumps to 40% there is no way I could live off that kind of
>>> cut (unless I'm married). Though the school I work for has sister
>>> schools and usually faculty rotate amongst them (they are in Hong
>>> Kong, London, and Paris).
>>>
>>> Yes, I'm still trying for DoDDS but there's nothing to do to really
>>> "try" anymore. I mean my application is active, my transcripts
>>> reviewed, and my qualifications determined, my references checked,
>>> and I interviewed, so other then to verify again in March that Im
>>> still available there really isn't anything to do (I'll add a few
>>> more certifications in the spring, but without any new credit hours,
>>> it wont change anything really. My speech and journalism will go
>>> from "state qualified" to "qualified"). It's not like I'm
>>> withdrawing my application. I doubt they could offer me a position
>>> that I would take over this one. I turned down S.Korea once and with
>>> increasing escalation's I'd turn it down again. The only places I'd
>>> consider and go, would be back to Japan, or staying somewhere here
>>> in Europe, and the chances of a first year post to Europe are pretty
>>> much zero. I know everyone thinks DoDDS positions are just "the
>>> best" but for me its more about where I am then who I'm working for.
>>> I could make 6 figures teaching in the middle east but I wouldn't do
>>> it (even with DoDDS) because I don't want to be in the middle east.
>>>
>>> Thank you, everyone says 8 years is nothing, and she certainly has
>>> an older soul, but I keep thinking of what my students say
>>> "EEEEWWWW, thats like a 5th grader dating a senior" (I've become the
>>> new topic of gossip at school).
>>>
>>>
>>> On 11/28/10, Debbie----->Dave wrote:
>>>> I almost get the feeling like you are not enjoying it as much as
>>>> you thought you would. That is vibe I am getting from your post.
>>>> Do you think you will want to move on from Italy? Are you going
>>>> to continue to try for DoDDS?
>>>>
>>>> Nice that you are dating someone, but 8 years is not too bad. My
>>>> sister married a guy 20 yrs older and I can tell you that 20 years
>>>> does make a huge difference. Enjoy yourself. You never know what
>>>> can happen. :)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 11/28/10, Mary wrote:
>>>>> Sounds great! Thanks for keeping us posted.
>>>>>
>>>>> On 11/27/10, Dave wrote:
>>>>>> Well I loved having the week off, I finally feel like I've
>>>>>> caught up. Sadly I didn't have much of a chance to go
>>>>>> apartment hunting. The 2 days I did have, most landlords
>>>>>> were out of the city or not available to show apartments.
>>>>>> So Im staying where I am until december. Students last day
>>>>>> is on the 10th and teachers our last day is the 15th. Im
>>>>>> hoping one of the girls in HR can go with me to a few
>>>>>> places (they speak italian) on the 13th or 14th. I hope so
>>>>>> because if not I'll end up spending my whole paycheck on
>>>>>> rent and utilities over christmas (as thats when the "high
>>>>>> Season" is and prices double).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> OK have to confess I haven't gotten tired of this place yet
>>>>>> its just so beautiful here, and I admit i've gotten a
>>>>>> routine pretty down pat. Its all about relationships. Most
>>>>>> of the people I visit daily now have gotten to know me, and
>>>>>> so things have become a lot easier. I would never say that
>>>>>> people were rude when I got here, but at the point your not
>>>>>> considered a tourist anymore, is the point where things
>>>>>> really change.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes, Im still drinking far more then I did back in the
>>>>>> states and China, but it is after all only wine. I started
>>>>>> seeing someone and yes she's an italian woman, and
>>>>>> shamefully too young for me by about 8 years (really 8
>>>>>> years 8 months) but as she says there's a lot of experience
>>>>>> in those 8 months. She says its a good thing because woman
>>>>>> mature faster then men and besides I'm an American which
>>>>>> makes me even less mature (its hard to take offense when
>>>>>> she smiles, as she does).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My students are busy working on mid term papers, so our
>>>>>> next two weeks are mainly some light reviewing, and
>>>>>> finishing up our last unit (about 3 days, we were supposed
>>>>>> to be done before the break). I'm hoping i can have all my
>>>>>> grades in by the 15th though we get until the 17th.
 

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