Piano-a-piano

As our blog has indicated or implied, life here is not without its challenges. We’re finding that the romance and reality of this adventure are beginning to overlap - or at times, collide!  That's probably timed about right, as we end our second month in Genoa and truly begin to transition from visitors to residents (albeit temporary). 

There’s the patience-testing bureaucracy of Italy, the infrastructure breakdowns due to neglect or occasional strikes, the mind-bending adjustments to language, culture and true urban living, and the periodic meltdowns as the girls navigate their new school and all of the changes they are experiencing. 

The Italians use a lovely phrase for “little-by-little” which we've adopted as our motto: “piano-a-piano” (or sometimes, “poco-a-poco”). It is a perspective that helps as we slowly settle in.  

Another helpful perspective often comes from the nearby piazza, where the romance of Genoa is on full display: couples embracing, children playing, and spectacular views. A week full of taxing "reality checks" was capped by this sunset over the harbor and the Mediterranean beyond.  It eased us – piano-a-piano – into a peaceful reminder of our good fortune in being here.