Febbraio

With only five days of febbraio remaining, it’s dawning on me ever more often how fast time is going this semester and how I’m almost half way through my year abroad. However, despite the lack of activities on offer in Parma usually, we’ve managed to do a few interesting things lately:

Firstly, the Erasmus ‘Flirt Party’…typical Valentine’s ‘traffic light party’ with possibly some of the most cringe secondary school style games, but a fun night nonetheless.

Valentine’s Aperitivo was our Monday night out, and lovely it was. Just a bunch of girls having fun on Valentine’s Day, exactly what I like to see, followed by sweets and smores evening the next night. Being a newbie to the concept of smores I was intrigued, until I found out they include marshmallows which I’m not too keen on, but melted chocolate, Haribo, wafers and apple slices were more than enough to satisfy.

Clearly after a few days of not being stuffed with chocolate and sweets we were ready for more, and lucky for us the Carnevale di Cioccolato was coming to Parma! Not so lucky were the extortionate prices of most of the produce – all we could afford were hot chocolates, but they were damn good – but so many of the things made of chocolate looked amazing, some people definitely have immense talent!

On a slightly more musical note – absolutely no pun intended – I have a new violin teacher who I’m getting on much better with so far than the last one. I also went to a little concerto di quartetti the other afternoon, a showcase/recording for assessment of some of the string students. One of the aspects of the Conservatorio that I love, and I guess of music colleges in Britain and all over the world, is that many modules are entirely performance based, and credit is given for learning to play in a quartet, with an accompanist and in orchestra, three of my favourite modules this year, and really valuable skills that I think students deserve merit for. 

I now have inspiration and motivation to practise, two rare and unpredictable things, but the Conservatorio is 'closed' for a week for exams - of course we weren't told until three days before - so I have nowhere to do said practise...as ever. The unorganisation and inefficiency of Italian administration never ceases to amaze me. But that's a rant for another time.

Spring is...springing?

"The sun is shining, the weather is sweet, make you want to move your dancing feet" - Bob Marley


Despite only being the first week in February the weather in Parma has suddenly taken a turn for the better! We've sat outside, with only two layers of clothing on, and needed sunglasses for the first time in what feels like an age! And with sun come sunsets, which as some of you may know (Helene, if you read this) are one of my favourite marvels of nature. 

And to add to excitement and joy, I have a lovely new housemate, Emma! The perfect reason to have a day wandering around Parma, showing her the main attractions, which admittedly takes only about half an hour, but a whole afternoon of relaxing into Italian life is necessary for us all from time to time. And the classic evening activity of aperitivo is coming up...
Ma che bella giornata!

'SOFIA, WE LOV YOU!'

One of my flatmates, Sofia, is a clever clogs and therefore studies two languages, Italian and Spanish. This, however, also makes her a silly billy because she has had to leave Parma to go and live in Spain for the second semester. A sad day for all :(

But this has meant that the last week we've spent lots of time together and with other people here, drank an awful lot of coffee, eaten a lot of cakes and discovered some new places to eat and drink...better late than never!

I wish we had gotten to know each other better earlier on in the year, we've had some great times and I know she'll have more in Espana and when Newcastle visits Cardiff next year! 


For now, buena suerte Sofia, e ti voglio bene!