23 July 2014

handsome boy!

Today was a terrific day!  This group is so easy to make happy…..they are calm, they are organized, they are congenial….they just make it all worthwhile!! No whining at all…the occasional question that I explain or concede there’s something we can change, but overall, they’ve been a dream!  They make up for the hideous group of awful people I had in 2012.

We went to Stresa today, which is on the shore of Lago Maggiore.  They are very important and historical islands, which is one of the reasons we visit them.  Another is that it’s fun to get out of Milan!  The weather’s been iffy a lot of the month.  It’s been the coolest July I’ve ever experienced while here in Italy.  I love it!  There’s been a quite a bit of rain, but it really hasn’t spoiled anything.  In fact, it’s made the humidity drop most times and the weather has been cool because of it.  I’m a big fan!

He loved the camera!

The weather held up for us all day.  I really enjoy this day because we visit two islands and students are so impressed with them….usually/often for different reasons, but that’s what makes this trip so fun.  One of the students is from Atlanta, GA and he’d never seen a real peacock before.  When I mentioned to everyone there were peacocks he was dumbfounded.  He said he was most excited about that! 

Peacock selfie!!

The first island we visit is on an international registry for horticulture.  I know nothing about plants as my mother-in-law and mother can attest, but I can tell you the island (Isola Madre) is stunning!  They have palm trees and other tropical plants, which Ken couldn’t get over. He knows a lot about plants and kept pointing them out saying, “Those shouldn’t be able to live here!” and “They must have to wrap those in the winter!”  It was great!  

creepy man is watching you

We arrived at one of my favorite picture points…..I will need to check but I think every group has had their picture taken there.  After that, we were off in search of peacocks!  Went up the hill…nothing.  Went up the path…nothing.  Saw the mommy and babies in the cage, still no daddy peacock.  Then, we hear someone whispering furiously.  There in the close distance was the male peacock.  I thought Khafre (who’d never seen one) was never going to blink.  The look on his face was one of sheer awe!  However curious he was about it, he made sure he didn’t get too close.  

Luckily for everyone, the peacock just wanted to strut around and look relatively handsome.  They were disappointed he didn’t spread his tail, but I told them they weren’t attractive enough f

palm trees in the middle of an
Alpine lake!

or him to waste his time, haha!

After that we meandered through the mansion and to the boat. We then headed over to the other island, Isola Bella.  I’ve written about that one before.  Very historical!  The (failed) Treaty of Stresa was written there….it was to prevent Mussolini from siding with Hitler.  Britain and France failed with that one big time.  Napoleon and Josephine spent the night there too…apparently she was a nightmare, as was he.

we threw in coins for good luck

Ken, Meg, & I ate lunch and then we headed to the boat.  The “excitement” for today is that Mo (nickname) had her wisdom teeth out a week before she left and one of her incisions is infected.  Apparently it started hurting yesterday but I don’t find things like this out until we are in Stresa.  So, a few of us head back to Milan while most of them stay in Stresa for a beach day, and I go home to try to figure out who she can see.

carefully placed light

Let me share my disdain and disregard for the insurance company that we are covered through for this trip.  They are completely worthless!!!  I call them and they are supposed to offer full information, not only what’s covered.  I explain the situation and say that we need a dentist.  I did this at lunch, so it was before 7am US time.  They cannot find our policy.  I’m put on hold for about 5-7 mins (mind you, I’m paying for the call).  She comes back and says that she cannot open our policy.  I explain that I just need a doctor.  She says someone will call back.

Someone calls back within a couple of hours, but I’m on the train and cannot take the call.  I call when I’m back and they are more interested in telling me that her tooth won’t be covered under the policy…they don’t cover dental.  I reiterate that I need a doctor or dentist to call. After several minutes and a couple of phone calls, I finally am told to look online.

the gardens outside Isola Bella

What the heck???? Hell, I could have done that to begin with.  They are supposed to be a one-stop help and they are worthless.  Second year in a row they have been worthless.  When I get back, I’m going to email the president of the company to share my story.  He spoke at the workshop in May and I shared my frustration from last year.  He said if I had any problems this year, to let him know.  Oh I will, sir, I will.

Mommy with her chicks!

Long story ended with Mo’s mom calling a family friend who is also their oral surgeon who knows someone in Milan.  So, we are going tomorrow morning.  Poor Mo is burning up with fever, but she promised me she would let me know if it got worse.  Her mom, of course, is frantic.

We were going to grab a bite to eat up the street, but it was pouring, so we snuck over to the Ramada next door and ordered a burger (very fancy one) and Ken ordered a 1 kg t-bone/ribeye steak.  The meat was divine!  Another great evening of conversation and laughs!  

One student is healthy again and one student’s sick.  Only a few more days….hahaha!!