This series is a collection of my immediate thoughts on what I saw and lived through in Italy, where I moved for work in September 2025. Sometimes it's diary entries, sometimes it's poetry, sometimes just runts about everything and nothing. Enjoy.
Missed Logs 1-10? Read them here. ;)
LOG 11
‘Some of your students will even become your friends, so if someone asks you out for dinner, don’t worry about it, just go!’ my boss tells me and I start laughing.
‘I’m sorry,’ I tell him, as he’s obviously confused by my outburst ‘…but in my previous school we had a strict policy of not hanging out with the students. So the comparison is funny.’
18-9-25 – Undisclosed town near Bergamo
LOG 12
What’s the probability that when I tell my boss/landlord that the shower head in the apartment is leaking, he will have one ready in his car?
The changed showerhead tells me that it’s definitely higher than I thought.
18-9-25 – Undisclosed town near Bergamo
LOG 13
I was wrong in my log n.8 from yesterday.
This is not a ghost town.
Today I went exploring only an hour later and it was full of people.
I apologize!
18-9-25 – Undisclosed town near Bergamo
LOG 14
There is a framing studio in the centre of the old town.
I don’t even remember the last time when I saw any in Czechia… or any other country for the matter.
I am utterly fascinated with the window display that shows different types of frames and the studio right next to it.
It’s empty now, but there is definitely still someone working there.
All the long frame beams in different designs are unlike anything I have seen.
18-9-25 – Undisclosed town near Bergamo
LOG 15
There is an old guy behind the garden gate of one of the houses and as I’m crossing the street, he gestures for me to come to him.
I understand zero of what he’s telling me.
‘Signore, non parlo italiano.’ I say, hoping that at least that was correct.
He continues in Italian, gesturing for me to press one of the bell buttons on the gate. I think he somehow got locked in, or something like that, so I ring one of the bells and in a moment the gate opens.
I have no idea what just happened, but he looks happy so I leave.
I so need to study Italian!
18-9-25 – Undisclosed town near Bergamo
LOG 16
I dived straight into the new course book I’m about to start using starting next week.
I already want to jump out of the window.
The very first lesson introduces 28 nouns. Even when students know some of them, it’s still a lot for pre-intermediate level. 😮💨
Allright, so when we finish practicing them properly we can move away from vocabulary, right? Right?
Nooo, let’s follow up with 12 adjectives and 6 phrasal verbs. Because the student doesn’t have enough vocabulary yet!
Fuuuuu…
My boss’s words are ringing in my head: ‘This is a great book! Written by teachers for teachers!’
18-9-25 – Undisclosed town near Bergamo
LOG 17
As a woman travelling alone, I am extra vigilant in a new country. I listen and I watch what’s happening around more than I would somewhere where I’ve been for a while.
Here’s an observation:
Men on trains leave their bags and phones on their seats when they go to the toilet. I wouldn’t do that in any country I lived in.
Either Lombardy is that safe or it has something to do with gender.
I have to observe if women do it as well.
19-9-25 – On a train, near Bergamo
LOG 18
I would prefer to live in Bergamo.
For a chance to see its streets in different weather.
The sharp contrasts in the sun,
The silvery reflections in the rain,
All the other scenarios that I can’t imagine.
Now, I’m a mere tourist.
One of the thousands a day.
I will stay that way.
19-9-25 – Bergamo
LOG 19
There’s a window display in the old town,
Inside of it stands a granny making home-made pasta.
A very lively attraction, I’ll give them that! As long as she doesn’t mind being ogled by thousands of tourists.
Right next to it is a little shop where you can buy the pasta she makes – Casoncelli alla Bergamasca. Typical local ravioli with meat filling.
It’s good.
But don’t buy the small portion.
It’s size XS.
19-9-25 – Bergamo
LOG 20
Stracciatella in the town of stracciatella is unsurprisingly delicious.
The only problem is that the huge portion melts too quickly and ends all over your hands and clothes.
It’s a sticky business.
19-9-25 – Bergamo
Photos from 19th of September in Bergamo:
More photos in HQ in Italy through my lens: Lombardy and Veneto.
