Partire è un po' morire

Again I am typing this blog from the train. The train that takes me to Rome, where I will take the plane back to Airport Weeze. I left early, my plane does not leave until the beginning of the evening. Hopefully I can put my suitcase somewhere on Termini and I can take a sip of Roman culture.

Yesterday was the last day of school. The farewell of the teachers Daniela and Mariarosario (we had already said goodbye to Miss Monica last week) and my classmates. Together with Lindsey, the British girl, I left the group. And that was very unfortunate. I would have liked to have tied it in for another week or maybe two. Also because I feel like I'm starting to pick up the language now. But hey, duty calls. My new job starts next week… and holding Ella and Anne in my arms again is of course also nice.

I exchanged email addresses with my classmates and we added each other on Facebook (the international version of Hyves, so to speak). Who knows, maybe we'll meet again someday. Almost everyone stays in Italy for a few months to a few years.

Yesterday I ate my last pizza Margherita. I will miss that too. Just like the price of 3 euros! I will also miss the lively streets, the friendly, helpful people and the relaxed atmosphere that at the same time exudes an unrelenting energy. I got to know Naples as a city where you never get bored. A city with a sharp, outspoken character, where the real Italy is still present on the surface.

Of course, all the downsides come with that. For, admittedly, a number of prejudices about Naples are true. Naples is a chaotic, busy city with too much traffic and where hardly any rules seem to exist. Although the waste is no longer piled up meters high, there is clearly still a lot of work to be done for the city cleaning department. And absolutely everything – from private homes to historical monuments – is covered in graffiti.

There are also a lot more beggars and stray dogs than I've seen anywhere so far. And poverty is also much more apparent on the surface in Naples. Naples regularly appears to be a North African rather than a European city. There is a lot of faded glory, what you see. There doesn't seem to be any money to restore things and it probably is.

Naples is a city that in no way resembles the cities in the Netherlands. Isn't it strange that the historic center, the heart of the city, is one of the poorer neighborhoods of Naples?

But that Naples is one big garbage dump, as you regularly hear, is absolutely not true. There is so much to see and experience in Naples. Naples would also be a dangerous city that you should avoid. But seldom have I felt as comfortable as in Naples. There are always so many people on the street that it is absolutely unnecessary. Of course, Naples is a big city and crime is part of that, but personally I don't think Naples is any less safe than, for example, Paris, Barcelona or Rotterdam.

The rich history of Naples (before the unification of Italy it was a kingdom) echoes in Naples today. It is a world unto itself with its own language and its own will. I'm glad I got to know Naples. An important part of European history took place here, which I had no knowledge of until recently. Naples was once the most important European city after Paris.

Still, I wouldn't recommend today's Naples to anyone. Probably some hate to spend more than a few hours there. The chaos and hecticness form a sharp contrast with the raked and organized Netherlands.

But I thought it was a special month that I wouldn't have wanted to miss. It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to the city that I have come to love despite all its shortcomings.

Ciao Napoli, ti voglio bene!