Have Love, Will Travel: Settling In

Evening!

Sorry that I've been a little absent! The past few weeks have been really busy for me, finding my feet in this new job, moving into an apartment and still managing to explore Venice in any free time I get!

I haven't managed to write as much as I'd have liked, which has probably been a good thing seeing as I got pretty home sick for the first time last week. I know it's really ridiculous, especially considering how long I intend to be gone for, but it happened. I think it was a result of me actually stopping. Until now I've been moving so frequently, meeting so many people and just being constantly occupied. To then find myself actually living somewhere, without constant distractions and without any long term friends was a pretty big shock. A ludicrously long Skype session with my mum managed to reassure me that what I was doing was in fact quite amazing and I should just suck it up and realise where I am. I was also fortunate to have kept in touch with some people from my first trip to Venice so having people to meet up with has helped no end, making me fall in love with the city all over again!

Another sizable development for me has been moving to somewhere semi-permanently, bringing with it the ability to unpack! Such simple delights as being able to actually select what I'm going to wear for the day, rather than a lucky-dipesque way to dressing has improved my days ten fold. Having somewhere to go that I know is just for me is really lovely as well, and being two minutes away from where I work means I don't lose out on any valuable sleep. The apartment itself is what we call a 'work in progress' but it's free and in the centre of Venice, so I can deal with some peeling paint!

It's been so nice knowing that I'm here for more than just a couple of days, up until now I've felt the need to cram as much sight seeing into as little time as possible and it has really worn me out. Being able to take my time and enjoy the city at my own pace has been a real blessing. This past week I've spent my days off visiting the islands; Lido, San Michele, Murano and Burano.

Lido has a beach! Coming from somewhere where the nearest sea is 2 hours away, brown and cold this is by far one of the best developments. It's June and I can not only sunbathe but actually swim in a sea that won't give my hypothermia. Such wonders do not exist in England and I have a feeling I'll be spending a decent amount of time there over the next few weeks.

Murano and Burano come as a sort of pair, famous for it's glass, Murano fully embraces this. Every shop is packed full of stunning hand made pieces, most of which with a price tag staggering enough to make you to choke on your gelato (of which I am consuming an inordinate amount). I visited here and Burano with a really lovely guest from the Hostel where I work. We stood for at least half an hour watching an ornament being created from scratch which was really amazing, It was interesting to see the mundanity with which the tasks were performed, I suppose that even the most elaborate of jobs become routine when done enough.

Burano has somehow managed to create tourism purely through painting their houses. There is literally nothing else there. Don't get me wrong, it clearly works, that's why we went there, and why we stayed all day! It looks like it was designed by a child, each house a brighter, more vibrant version of the last, the colours complimented perfectly by the clear blue sky. Eating a picnic surrounded by all of this gorgeous scenery I realised I couldn't be further from homesick!

So that's what I've been up to. I'd be lying if I said it isn't strange having to work again, but I get every other day off to go and explore more of this wonderful place, and I can genuinely say that I lived in Venice now (even if it was only a month!)