Leone Dehon

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to the high school that I am teaching at:

The Leone Dehon Liceo.

It used to be a convent, then a noble’s villa, and now a private school.  There is a still a corridor filled with monks’ rooms and private bathrooms (showers included):

It’s a pretty impressive place.  I feel like I am in a Harry Potter movie, walking up and down these grand stairways, getting lost underground, stumbling into secret libraries, climbing to the top of towers, and staring at all of the stained glass windows:

Also, as if that isn’t enough, there is a 13th-century chapel on one of the floors:

And then you walk out of the building, through a front yard:

… and are in Monza.

So far, my teaching program is more unorganized and chaotic than anything else (then again, did I expect anything else in Italy?), but at least I have a building to fall in love with and a wonderful group of coworkers.  From the secretary to the Head Monk to every single teacher, everyone has a great personality and the ‘vuoi un caffe?’s never stop.  I will become a caffeine-bloodstream, white-out-carrying teacher lady yet.

And now, time to create some more lesson plans (this beautiful place really makes you appreciate and miss the ease of powerpoints and computer availability for teaching materials) and find a way to run away from the host family.  And then my adventure in Milan suburbs can begin properly : )