​Weathering the Storm with the WP#73

It’s here, the week I have been waiting for some time. In a few short days, I will be crossing the pond to the land of the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps and of course, the home of Rosa di Roma. As you all the know, travel is my life, and returning to Rome is very important on several different levels, but I am not just visiting there this time, but will be living there. Okay, for about 2 1/2 months, but truly living there. I will have an apartment and I will be shopping, cooking, cleaning, working, tutoring English, working on travels for my clients, and of course, being with Rosa and she will be with me, and she will be also continuing her usual routines of guiding and living her life, but we will, for the most part, be living it together. 

---

At least that is the plan, and while this is a different feeling and a different vibe altogether from previous visits, as they were much shorter, this is very much a life change for me and one I am very much looking forward to in the continuation and next stage of my relationship with her and a test of who we are together. It is also different as I am once again, packing everything away, at least the few items I brought with me when I left Minnesota last August and the few items I have accumulated while I have been here in New England. I guess I am truly the Wandering Puffin and very much nomadic, but at the same time grounded to certain things. I know much will be learned from this next adventure for me and what happens next, and this is all to be seen, but I am very happy and pleased with this decision and ready for anything that comes my way. 

Rest assured to all my clients, currently traveling, about to travel, traveling soon and those whose travels will happen during my absence from America, that your arrangements are well taken care of, and I will keep you abreast of the details in a timely manner as always. Having zoom meetings, emails and WhatsApp will keep us connected and you will have your documents, as well. The only difference will be that they will be electronic, but that is the 21st century and it will be a learning process of not printing everything constantly, but that is not a bad thing at all and better for the environment. Besides with pdf attachments for everything you need, you can print them, but most places will accept the pdf versions on the app you will have. 
It will also be exciting as some of my clients will be in Italy when I am there, so I will have a chance to meet them in person, some for the first time and some a reunion of sorts. It is funny, considering that some of my Minnesota clients I have never met, as I attained them after leaving the state, will be in Rome and I will have a chance next month to meet them, and in the first part of September. That is, if Rosa, allows me to attend her tour she is guiding for them, but that has been worked out and a compromise made. 
Of course, she and I will have time to get away, just the two of us, but her everyday life and what she has on her plate will not change. We are going to learn to live with each other and that is something that I have wanted since the day I met her, some 2 ½ years ago. I am extremely excited, and admittedly, a little nervous about this next stage, but you only live once and you must take chances, and this is one I am totally committed to in making my way around, increasing my Italian language skills and finding out if this is where I am to be, as I will also be tutoring English, so I can earn my certification as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, and so, getting my 20 hours of tutoring completed. I also plan on doing videos of my experiences throughout and hopefully a redo of the Fiat 500 video from February 2020, this time with Rosa and maybe a baseball game, yes, a baseball game in Italy. Vivrò Roma (I will be living Rome). This will be the longest time on the road since I backpacked across Europe back in 1985 for 3 months and when I lived in France way back in 1974, which was a stay of one year. They say all roads lead to Rome, and this is the week!!!! And home is where the heart is and that is where I am heading with next week’s blog originating from Rome!!!
As always, I am interested in your thoughts, comments, questions and adding to the discourse is always appreciated be in on the site itself or on Facebook, Twitter or wherever you read this. Thank you for your support of this small business and it is truly appreciated!!!