Ready for Italy (??)

In just a few days I leave for 2 weeks in NE Italy. Yeah, I know, rough life. Most of this is advance prep (not too much, a group of us went last year for 10 days to do this - hence my own pic from last year included here), and delivering, the first week of a travel field course on 'cultural landscapes'. This is the first time this has been rolled out, and I'm the first of two instructors. My Faculty wants this to be the first of a suite of travel courses we run. So just a wee bit of pressure to do it well. A smidge.

Thank god the TAs are fluent Italian speakers and one is actually from the area. But I'm still freaking out about: 1) will the logistics all work, or will something go terribly wrong? This includes potential Icelandic volcanic activity. Aaaahhh!!; 2) actually having anything scholarly and meaningful to say/add along the way of our planned activities and trips; 3) being 'on' for a week straight, and not seeming too old and slow to the students; 4) actually making it from Marco Polo Airport to the island in the lagoon where we are staying - this involves, in an exhausted state, finding my bag, my way to the HelloVenezia office in the arrivals hall to pick up my VeniceCard (purchased ahead online) that will get me on: a) the Alilaguna boat that will take me from the airport on the mainland to San Marco in Venice, b) on the traghetto from San Zaccaria stop (next to San Marco) to the island of San Servolo, c) checked in at Venice International University on San Servolo. So maybe, just maybe 3 hours after the plane lands after travelling Winnipeg-Toronto-Frankfurt-Venice I will be able to fall down and really sleep / pass out.

OK that sounded like whining but I've done this before and have never been so tired. Childbirth was less wearing. At least then I got to lie down and put my feet up.

So I'm excited and eager to be there but also am just a bit freaked out and already a little sad at being away for awhile, because I'm off for a month -- also spending time in Ontario and then Saskatchewan for a conference. Such is the life of the scholar I guess :)

They never teach you anything about travel study and conference travel in grad school. You are expected to just naturally travel well and to not tire easily. I think I do travel well, but I know I get physically tired now at 45 in a way that the 20-something students just don't. Aaah well, it is Italy where the pace of life is more leisurely. Frequent stops for espresso and/or gelato are the ticket I think. So while it is an adventure that I'm very lucky to get to take, it is just a tad bit scary - very 'putting yourself out there'. I'm sure it will be all great and I just need to calm myself. Calm. Hmmm....pass the prosecco? Gelato anyone?