Saturday 23 July 2016

My summer plans, 2016

I had a wonderfully busy school year, difficult towards the end because of my father’s illness and death, but still full of important events.

My role of subject leader in language and literature was engrossing and rewarding. I could explore new links between different kinds of texts, find interesting resources and share them with my colleagues, as well as planning activities to engage students in a deeper awareness of the importance of literature in their daily life and for their future.

I don’t have any major plans for the summer, I am going to use this precious free time to think about what happened with my father and to take care of my mother, who is living with us at the moment. She moved to England at the end of May, as she was feeling lonely in Rome. She had a stressful time before and after the bereavement, a sort of breakdown. Unfortunately she didn’t have a good relationship with my father, though they had been married for fifty-five years, and tends to remember only the abuses she feels she had gone through. We are trying to distract her: we have planned trips, visits to museums and family gatherings. We hope she will relax with us in Surrey and overcome the loss.

This summer two great things are happening as well. I won the first prize of the John Dryden translation competition for a selections of poems by Eugenio Montale I translated with Keith Lander, and my eldest son is planning his wedding, which will happen next summer at Samlesbury Hall near Preston.

All about my summer holidays and my readings will be in my blog pieces from September on.

Have a good summer.

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