MarkStevens

Hello,

I've lived in Italy for 2 years now - my Italian is passable and getting better - and I've just set up shop in Messina, Sicily. I have the most predictable expat job there is - TEFL teacher. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you who also live here could give me some advice, as I'm a little clueless about:

1. Skiing - I know you can ski on Etna, but when? Best way to get there on public transport? How much is gear hire / lift pass? Any experienced Etna skiers who can advise me?

2. Scuba diving - I've always wanted to do this but have absolutely zero idea how to start, where to go etc. Again, if anyone is familiar with how to do this in Messina or hereabouts, then please get in touch.

3. Chess - one of my passions. Does anyone play, know any chess clubs, any particular cafes where people gather to play etc?

4. Hill-walking near here - again, the same basic question as 1 and 2, above - any good routes or maps with routes?

5. Any shops for expat food?

6. Any libraries or bookshops that have English-language stuff, especially second-hand? Any expat book-swap groups?

7. Any club nights for rockabilly / mod / psyche / ska / reggae / punk music? I doubt that such nights take place here though. I used to DJ a bit in London and was thinking about starting something up, maybe at one of the universities, but I don't know how much call there would be.

8. Any expat hangouts? I hear that the university has quite a few international students - where do they knock about?

9. A matter of some urgency for me - an Italian teacher who would do Eng/Ital tandem lessons? They must be trained teachers - just being Italian madrelingua isn't enough.

Finally, if anyone wants to meet up for a drink with a rockabilly in his mid-30s who teaches TEFL and is obsessed with books, films, music and chess, please feel free to get in touch! SNIP

Many thanks,

Mark

giodafa

can't understand why nobody is answering you, afterall you're not asking for much

Patty

Welcome Mark - sorry cant be of any help at all cos am very far up north near Turin

giodafa

Sorry Mark I really do sound like a "stronza" but atl east somebody answered you . As I mentioned in an earlier post I don't think there's many expats in the Messina area but I could be wrong , if we shout louder maybe someone will pop up

Lorna at Vicenza

I could actually answer a lot of his questions ..... but only through Google and I'm sure he can do that himself.
For example :

http://www.correrenelverde.com/scacc...ia/messina.htm


However, I'm also sure that many people look for personal input on these kind of websites.

giodafa

of course

MarkStevens

I'm a simple man with simple desires. Dancing my arse off to mod music once every few months isn't a lot to ask.

giodafa

Are we talking about long green jackets with loads of badges listening to Madness Brings back some memories

Lorna at Vicenza

It is in Sicily.

Lorna at Vicenza

"our house - in the middle of our street"

MarkStevens

Thanks to all of you for your input - and thanks to Lorna for addressing me in the 3rd person! Charmed, I'm sure - I'll take it as the polite Italian 'lei' form rather than as sniffy condescension. I did quite a few Google searches regarding the above nonsense that I expressed an interest in, though limitations in my Italian (it's not bad but not quite good enough to really make sense of that site) meant that I only searched in English. My own fault I suppose for not being fluent - I'm working on it, trust me!

Ah well, it's looking like I'm out on my own here, just me and the internet... once again, thanks to you all for replying.

Lorna at Vicenza

I didn't address you in the third person. If you look at the quote you'll see I was "talking" to Giodafa so it wasn't sniffy condescension at all.

modicasa

You wont find much in Messina, but hill walking - you've got the Madonie and the Nebrodi, look on the trip advisor forum for routes.
Scuba - you need to go to Ustica really, but there should be a sub club in Messina
English books - dont make me larf
Music and clubs - have you tried asking your students? There will be abrs where the army lads hang out too - stop a squaddie in the street.
Chess - try the university they may have a scacchi club. If you need to talk English you'll have to do the 20 mins to Taormina

Emos

Hey Mark,

I posted on here a while ago, I'm just 20min away from you in Reggio.
Okay I will try and answer a few of your questions...

1.) I go skiing in Gambari so I wouldnt know I'm afraid.

2.) I know in summer there are quite a lot of people who organise scuba diving here in Reggio.

3.) I'm also a chess enthusiast but here in Reggio I've hardly come across anyone who plays and if even if they do, they don't play very well

6.) In Messina I would be surprised if there wasn't any bookshops with an English section since Messina is a lot bigger than Reggio and we have a couple of book shops with an English section.

9.) At the school where I work we have an Italian teacher...isn't there one where you work?

If you have any more questions will try and answer even though I know less about Messina...

MarkStevens

Hello Emos,

Thanks for writing. You mean Reggio Di Calabria, just across the Straits? I'm due to nip over to the mainland this weekend or next - fancy meeting for a game or two of the old scacchi? I'm in serious dire need of a proper game!

Cheers

Mark