Prima settimana fiorentina...

This week has seemed much more relaxing in comparison with crazy Naples. We went to Florence by train (first class no less!) and arrived at the family’s new apartment on the Sunday afternoon. When I stayed with them earlier in the summer they had been living in a rented house with a pretty garden (with a resident squirrel named Lorenzo) just outside the city so I was fairly surprised to find that they had moved to an apartment closer to the city centre. It is a beautiful apartment all white and modern but not very child friendly. They no longer have a garden and I’m not sure how long the all-white look will last with two small children around. I have my own room with a single bed and a massive built-in wardrobe which is where the children’s clothes are kept although there is still a little room left over for me. T has also mentioned that later on this week there will be a maid arriving to live with them too. I’m not sure why both a maid and a nanny are needed as T doesn’t work but I’m not complaining, I have a job and hopefully some good company too. Perhaps they hired her to maintain the all-white, spotless look?

The children have also gone back to school. I knew a little bit about their school already as I ran a summer camp there earlier in the summer. It is a catholic school and they are mostly taught by nuns. I also know most of F’s classmates as they were the ones who came to the summer camp. F’s best friend G has spent a lot of time with us this week as the mothers are good friends so actually I have three children to look after instead of two most of the time. I like this though as G is exceptionally bright and receptive and stops F and N from having too many arguments as brothers and sisters tend to do.

Now as most of my days will be free whilst the children are at school I have decided to advertise my services as an English tutor for adults and children so I set about making a colourful poster and put it up in the school building, with the permission of the formidable Suor Ersilia (the nun who runs the school) of course. There has been quite a lot of interest so far and I am due to give my first lessons next week to the Tuccari family, a mother and two teenagers who all want individual lessons. I’ll see how that goes, if it goes well it could turn into quite a little money spinner which would be fantastic as Florence does have some excellent clothes shops!

I’ve also had the ‘chat’ with T about salary etc and ground rules for living and working in their house. It turns out I will be paid less than I thought as they have now hired a maid too so don’t have as much money to pay a nanny (thrifty or what?!) In this case English tutoring better had work out well! The ground rules turn out to be as follows:

-          don’t use the telephone, all calls to be made on my mobile (which I have now bought)

-          children need to be out of sight by the time P gets home from work as he is tired when he comes home (around 8pm)

-          no drinking in the house (kind of obvious!)

-          Sundays will be my day off but I will be needed to babysit at least one weekend night a week, if not both (I’m hoping it won’t be both too often though!)

This doesn’t seem impossible to live with by any means – I am usually very sensible and although at first I was a bit miffed that my salary had been cut in half I think I will enjoy making that money back by tutoring instead of cleaning the house. Every cloud and all that!