Werth It

For those ardent followers of this blog, and there are at least two, you are aware that I have been in the States since Memorial Day. Today is Saturday morning, June 12th and it will be all about preparing to head back to Italy tomorrow.

It has been good to be home. I was able to finish training guides for the line producer and presenter (show host) positions. Along with the previously completed coordinating producer training guide, they all total about 75 printed pages. I'm not sure if that's a lot, considering my 21 years at the company. Perhaps there should be more.

Being 4k miles away has also not stopped me, with the help of our crack human resources staff, from getting much closer to hiring an interpreter (who will translate the 75 training pages into Italian and what I speak) and 6 coordinating producers. Both of these jobs I hope to have filled in the next week or so.

This coming week will also be quite busy. I will take the overnight flight tomorrow evening, which lands at 9am Milan time Monday, get to a new hotel (much less expensive than the last - hope its OK), and get to work in time for meetings that begin at 2pm. My meeting slate won't end until 7pm. Ouch, babe. It is babe?

The two weeks I have been stateside have been wonderful. There has certainly been an heightened appreciation for the little things: Teri & Andrew's softball & baseball games, American Television, American COFFEE, hamburgers, and visiting QVC to name a few.

There also have been some really great things that have happened this past week. Teri won the academic achievement award at her school for having the highest grade point average in her class. Andrew, not surprisingly, won the best athlete award for his grade. If there were a "class clown" award he would have won that for sure. Andrew, unfortunately is quite like his father and tends to use his intelligence for evil, not good. Jack, although not confirmed, will more than likely finish with the highest grade point average in his class as well (his overall average is 98%.) Forgive me for bragging on these kids. Miriam has done an outstanding job with them and their school work.

OK - the neatest thing happened this past Thursday night. On a whim, and because we may not get a chance to see a game live for a few years, I took Teri and Jack to a Phillies game. As has been the recent custom, they lost. In the late innings however Teri and Jack were caught on the Jumbotron with the sign they had created, "Make it WERTH staying out on a school night." This in honor of Phils rightfielder Jason Werth, a Wennersten women favorite. That in itself was neat, but was even more fabulous, was that my brother Steve and niece Stephanie were at the game. They saw the kids, gave me a ring on my mobile, and we met for a few minutes after the game. It was great to see them just before I head back across the water.

Teri actually got on the Jumbotron again later in the game. She told me life was now complete.

Time to start a very busy Saturday. Ciao. Next time I write I will be back on the boot.

Culture Club

It has been a week since I last posted here, and I have spent the last 7 days adjusting to life back in the states. It is short-lived, as I return to Milan next Sunday, 6/13. This next trip will be for about 5 weeks. Unfortunately, these 5 weeks will be spent in a hotel. I will be back in the states for another 2 weeks at the end of July (one will be spent in North Carolina on vacation). Once that stint is over, it begins for real. My visa should be close to completion, the family will join me in Italy and I we will move into our new home Arese.

Yesterday, Saturday 6/5 Teri and Andrew spent the morning at QVC getting Italian culture training. I complement QVC on providing this for my entire family. Both children came away excited about their new adventure. One of the facilitators had been a teacher at the American School of Milan for over 20 years. She is currently an associate professor at both West Chester and Franklin & Marshall teaching Italian. The kids really enjoyed hearing about their new school and are looking forward to moving to their new country. Andrew is especially excited and has been practicing his Italian on anyone who will listen. Prego.

Jack, Miriam and I will have our training tomorrow at QVC. Ours is a full day, Teri and Andrew's was just 5 hours.

The overall mood of the family is positive and it has been very nice to spend time with them this week. They all seem to be handling this period of transition well.

Miriam and Jack were able to open the pool over Memorial Day weekend, so the kids have been enjoying swimming during this early heat wave. In an effort to do some American things this week, Jack and I are going to see the Phillies Thursday night and hopefully we will have crabs for dinner one night this week.

Visa Vie

It is 5:30am, Monday, May 31 - not quite Memorial Day in the states - and today I head home for two weeks. I do not yet have my working visa, so I am only allowed in Italy for 90 days in a 180 day period. Thus, I must head home.

I am excited to get home and see my family. I have missed them greatly. I am also somewhat disappointed to be leaving work. It is very exciting to be part of a start up, particularly when you get to share everything you have learned over the past 20 years, and there is so much to do. We are just 4 months away right now, and I still have not officially hired anyone. I had hoped to have a few coordinating producers in place by the time I left. While home, I will continue to interview over the phone to get these positions filled.

I don't have a lot of time right now, but I can tell you since last I posted here, I have been so many places. On Saturday, I returned to Venice for the first time in nearly 39 years. As I was 4 the last time I was in Europe, I was surprised how much of Venice seemed familiar. It is a beautiful city and it did not "smell" as I had been warned.

I went with Michelle Graham, a fellow ex-pat, Claudio Rivebene (our head of IT), his American-wife Sherry, and Francesco Carpelli (our casting director helping to find show hosts). It is always nice to have Italians with you on any trip as they are very interested in sharing all they know. It really heightens the experience. Plus they can get you in places that no tourist would ever find.

Lunch in Venice was off the beaten trail (Claudio's suggestion). I had the squid with ink and polenta. It was OK. I am trying to eat all of the local cuisine. When in Rome....

Saturday afternoon, we drove to the site of QVC-US Vicenza remote and saw many American friends (Alan Massaro, Jen Volansky, Russ Fama to name a few.) We stayed at the remote for a few hours and Francesco and I briefly interviewed one of the show's guest (Irene Sira) for a shot at a show hosts job. I think she has potential, so at least I may have something work related come out of the Saturday sight-seeing trip.

Dinner Saturday night was in a lovely restaurant in Vicenza, recommended by another QVC-IT employee from the area, Giorgio De Gobbi. This time a calmer Italian dish of pasta for dinner.

It was long drive back from Venice to Milan and the night did not end until after 2am. I do enjoy driving in Italy, as I was behind the wheel for the entire trip. I particularly enjoyed the crazy switch back roads encountered between the QVC remote location and Vicenza!

And You May Ask Yourself

I was a freshman at La Salle University in 1985. A popular song that year was "Once in A Lifetime" by the Talking Heads. An oft repeated line in the song goes, "And You May Ask Yourself, How Did I Get Here?"

Well, certain days here in Italy remind me of that song. In fact, as I was toured through potential housing by a relocation expert on Thursday, I had that 25 year old number ( 25 years - really?) ringing in my head.

After seeing 8 different places, I finally settled on a home in the village of Garbagnate. A beautiful, small villa with a swimming pool. Unfortunately, Friday morning met me with a phone call saying that a bid had already been placed on this home. "This is not my beautiful house."

That left the second home, an incredible 4 story villa in the town of Arese, as a fine second option. A truly "once in a lifetime" home and the largest villa in all of Arese (one of 4 identical villas). The family is sure to love their two years in this wonderful home.

This brings me to another point. How very happy I am with my employer. They have provided enough of an allowance to live in such a place. They are also providing me with a luxury automobile (Mercedes-Benz GLX) for my stay here. "You may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile."

Via (Caffe') Dante

For the last 16 days, I have been living the mundane hotel life. My home away from home is the Hotel Una Cusani, on Via Cusani 13, Milano, Lombardia, Italy. The next street over is the very famous Via Dante'. This road is primarily a "walking street" that houses many of Milan's most expensive shops. L'Occitance has a shop. Sephora is located here (they had a rousing roof top party on Monday night that I witnessed from a far) and also Izod Lacoste. There are also many other shops that don't have brand names that I recognize, but do have high ticket items for sale.

A walk down this Via and you arrive at the famous Duomo of Milan. A duomo is the town's main Cathedral, but "The Duomo" is located in Milan.

Along Via Dante' you will find many street side caffe's (two f's in Italian). I have frequented many, but my favorite is the Caffe Dante'. The first night, completely jet-lagged, I aimlessly walked Via Dante' and a gentlemen waiter (Enrico) invited me to sit down. It was 9:30 and it was rather late to be having dinner I thought, but Enrico, sensing my delirium, recommended the spaghetti with seafood. It was excellent. Dinner time in Italy, by the way, is typically 8:30 - 9:00.

I have been to the Via Dante' 4 times and Enrico and I have become friends. Enrico offers me a different glass of wine each time. Tonight, while enjoying ridiculously good seafood pizze (Italian spelling) with basil sauce (not tomato), I became "in."

When one frequents a ristorante (also Italian spelling) in Italy you begin to get perks. Tonight, I received my own bottle of wine. Typically, the lesser wines are used as glass wines. The bottles are reserved for paying customers. I only had my customary one glass, but now the more expensive wine was served and the bottle is saved for me for the next two nights. I received this wine at a discounted price (I realize of course that I am now obligated for the next few nights - I don't mind the food & wine is good) and I also was served a free "Mierto" after dinner drink.

Mierto is a popular liquour much like Lemocello. Frequenters of the same restaurant in Italy often receive the entire bottle of Lemoncello at the end of the meal for free as gratis for coming so often to the restaurant.

Too Daze Gone

Since last I posted here, two eventful days have passed. I spent Sunday in the shining Northern Italian town of Bergamo, with the accent on the Ber not the gam (BER-ga-mo). A beautiful town, but the true highlight was driving down the perilous mountain road. Just crazy. The road pictured here is the tame part. It got a lot worse before it got better.

Today (Monday) was nuts in its own way. I spent nearly 5 hours reviewing video of potential show hosts for the channel with a casting agency, an interpreter, my boss Steve Hofmann, and the HR Director Cele (needless to say there were plenty of comments on looks, persuasion, etc). The candidates were remarkably good and what you realize is that the world is a pretty small place. While they were speaking Italian, you generally get the same mix of very good potentials and some very crazies. After looking at well over a hundred candidates, I am convinced that three can be hosts. 18 will get a second look.

Welcome to Italy

One of the major differences here is how human resources works. What I am currently tasked with his hiring around 30 people to do various tasks in time for the start up. Currently, I am interviewing for coordinating producer.

In this first week or so of interviewing there have been many highlights. For instance, my first interview - which was conducted in English - the candidate dropped the f bomb. In fact he told me that his last employer was not good, so he told

him to f-off. Needless to say, he didn't get the job.

When I asked my HR director Cele (who attends all the interviews and acts as interpreter when necessary) about if she thought his reaction was unusual, her response was "Welcome To Italy."

Yesterday after another fruitless interview, Cele's first bit of feedback was, "He was really cute." Can't remember too many human resource people ever commenting on a candidate's looks before. The rules are a little more lax when it comes to the questions you can ask as well.

You are allowed to ask if the candidate is married, if they have children, or if they are planning to have children. You can ask how old they are too, but there is no need because it is listed on everyone's resume (aka. curriculum vitae or CV).

Speaking of interesting hires, Monday I will review over 3 hours of audition tapes of host candidates. Should be crazy. The response has been good here in Italy for show hosts. Apparently everyone in Italy believes they belong on TV.

Today is Saturday, and I spent the days looking at potential areas in which to live. One is a place called Arese, which was very green (Italians way of saying open spaces) and Milano Due which is a gigantic expatriate community. I like Arese a little better because they have town homes available. Milano Due is all apartments. There are very few stand alone homes in Italy, and none withinin our rent allotment. I hope to see a few places this week so I can stop living in an hotel.