Day 2 - Much Ado About Nothing?

DAY 2 - We arrived at the Port of Messina in Sicily in the morning. (Messina is the setting for Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’)

The island of Sicliy was once a part of greater Greece and an important cultural center, until becoming part of the Roman Empire. The Romans use the fertile plains as a bread-basket for the large armies of the Empire but, with the fall of Rome, Sicily became an open territory and was in turn occupied by Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Germans, French and Spanish. Finally, in 1861, Sicily became part of the newly unified Italy. Sicily suffered great damage in WW2 but recovered in the following years to become an autonomous part of Italy.

Messina is located on the Straight separating the Island from mainland Italy, just under two miles away. The port was founded by the gReeks in the 8th century BC. During the Middle Ages it became an important departure port from the Crusaders and a wintering place for Richard the Lionheart and his troops.

We explored the city for a couple of hours in the morning. The warm sunshine felt absolutely AMAZING.

We had a great discussion in response to the question I posed early in our walk: What have you learned about yourself whilst in England? Philip has learned a LOT about work and leadership. When I considered my answers the fact that I discovered that I like whole wheat couscous and panninis were at the top of my list, but it was rounded out with some more important things such as learning that I can work with eating disorders and that I’ve gained a better understanding of what energizes me at work (engaging with clients) and what drains me at work (interpersonal conflict/drama among the people you work with, interpersonal weirdness with clients (and them not being able to articulate what’s wrong).

After our morning journey, we returned to the ship for lunch and an entire afternoon of laying in the sun reading. I am so proud of myself – this is the first trip in the last two years that I haven’t brought some kind of work or school reading/work to do with me. I worked really hard last week to work ahead for school. I stocked up with libarary books to do fun reading (which I can’t honestly remember the last time I did since we’ve been in England). It’s WONDERFUL.

We had a wonderful formal dinner last night. Philip looks so handsome in a suit and tie. Uniforms and suits just do me in :)

After dinner the performers on the ship put on a great show of music from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Watching things like that are bittersweet for me. There will always be a piece of me that will ache to be on stage. However, I remember in college where I had to ask myself, “do you want to be the one in shows OR do you want to be able to AFFORD to go to shows – it will probably be one or the other!” I’m very content with where I am, but I couldn’t help but wonder about the lives the performers led. I thought about a couple of people who worked on cruise ships that I had known. At this point in my life, it doesn’t really appeal to me (nor is it feasible) though it maybe would have been fun to do for a summer during or a year after college. . .