3. Trying To Follow My Own Advice

It’s important to be able to adapt to new situations. I tell that to our students all the time. I reassure them by saying that I’ve been there, far away from anything that made me feel comfortable and yes, it can get a little scary, but here I am in front of them as proof that I survived and so will they. These days, I find myself giving me the same advice although this time it’s not new surroundings that I have to adapt to, it’s what’s NOT surrounding me that’s different.

I have two weeks on my own in Siena until I head back up to Amsterdam for a quick, long-weekend. Skype is fundamental but Sean can only handle so much conversation via the computer screen. Here in Siena it’s really easy to feel alone or even worse, to feel guilty thinking about leaving Marianna with her hands full, alone with Sean. So far, the key to staying positive and adapting to the temporary vacuum at home is to stay busy.

Luckily, I have a job (that’s what keeps me here in Siena in the first place) and jobs are great for keeping busy during the week. It’s the weekend that can seem endlessly long unless I fill it up. This past weekend the weather didn’t help me out.  It rained non-stop. I still cooked, invited friends over for dinner, went for a run (in the rain, despite what Italians think of that…). I am also now afforded the time to watch Game of Thrones, which I somehow never got into.

This particular weekend I also spent hours putting this little video together. I went through all of the GoPro material that we’d taken in the past year and made a music video of Sean’s first year. Some of you requested more Sean pictures…Here you go!