There’s something about Italy that excites me. It all started in year 7 back in 1996. It’s strange how it feels like so long ago – yet it feels like yesterday (all at once). We were asked to choose between French or Italian as our language elective. Being the odd one out, as always, I chose Italian. I really took a liking to the language and decided to continue studying it throughout high school – even into my senior years at a new school. As I’d studied it for 4 years prior, I was told at enrolment into St Mary’s Senior High (SMSHS) that I was part of the Italian Continuers class – with my friend who was in the same boat. It was fun. We were in a class of about 18 with the rest of the class being beginners. We thought we knew it all in class, until my HSC verbal exam when I realised I didn’t actually know much at all. Yikes. I couldn’t answer the questions they asked me in Italian simply because I had no idea what they were asking me. Had they asked me in English, I may have just had a fighting chance. #FAIL. I’m lucky that I was too short to be flight attendant! That was always everyone’s career aspiration at school. Well at least I came second in my class, out of 2. Some may say that “that’s looking at this as Glass Half Full“; others will just say “You came last!” Both are true but I still to this day look at it as glass half full. I always have and I always will.
I’d like to think that I’m a every cloud has a silver lining kinda girl with a positive outlook on things. Everyday is a blessing and it is guaranteed that we will face adversity but it’s how you see it, act on it and eventually come out of it, that I think matters.
At SMSHS, we were given the opportunity to travel to Italy for a class excursion with our teacher. Unfortunately due to many factors, money being the main issue, I was unable to go. I regret not making the effort of saving or asking family for help. I am the youngest of 4 and I knew we just couldn’t afford it, even with my part time job and the Government funding a small portion of it. I just didn’t want to ask my family – we were in no position for me to be on an overseas holiday. There were more important things like bills to pay and mouths to feed.
This regret haunts me to this day and this is why it has made my list at number 87. Take a photo at the a Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Such an experience will now be one I will share with my family. I WILL go to Italy and see the Leaning Tower of Pisa (before it falls completely) and do that corny photo where I am holding the tower up on the falling side. And that really excites me.
The other day I was running errands and saw a puzzle of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and I just knew it was a sign. I bought it because it served 2 purposes.
- quality time with my son who loved learning about this amazing landmark; hearing about my dreams of visiting there one day; and the fun of building a 3D puzzle.
- it will now be front of mind and my daily reminder of my BIG dream, as it sits pretty on my kitchen bench, slightly bent.
I also wanted to do a mini product review while I’m at it. Because I wanted this blog to also serve the purpose of all things on life. Product reviews being a big part of life these days. Everyone wants something and a product review is a perfect way to find out from another consumer what something is like and whether to buy it or not. This of course comes down to personal preferences, own experiences and budget etc. But like I said in my first blog, this is just my side.
Pros:
- My fave thing about this is that it serves many purposes. It is now part of my decor, it could be an interesting talking piece when visitors come over and it’s 3D aspect is much more fun than the conventional flat puzzles.
- It was also only AUD$12.50 and only had 13 pieces.
Cons:
- This puzzle said + 5 which I assume means it can be done by a 5 year old. I’m 6 times that age and I had to do it 3 times over as the 5-step instructions weren’t very clear. They were written too simply that I just couldn’t get it to sit correctly on the grooves.
- I did this with my 5.5 year old son who struggled with his heavy handedness to put this together without it falling apart.
Verdict:
We had such a fun time building this and watching a YouTube video on why it was leaning in the first place that we discussed what our next puzzle would be. Of course it had to have something to do with dinosaurs. We are going to build a museum (if they have one). The next one will be his choice either way; and regardless, it will be lots of fun!
He loved popping the pieces out of their main board and popping the tiny windows and doors out from all the individual pieces. I think this should realistically take only 30 minutes to complete but I can’t say for sure, because it took me longer than that to finally get it right!
This product is recommended for parents who want to share an activity with their child or anyone who has an interest in landmarks. Prices vary depending on the landmark and I guess how many pieces the puzzle has. There was an Eiffel Tower puzzle that had a different puzzle structure to this as well.
Product details:
- Product Name: 3D puzzle Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Item No: CF706H
- Distributed in Australia by Hobbyco Imports Pty Ltd
- Ages: 5+
- From Hobbyco
- My star rating 7/10
I learnt so much from just a puzzle that it just goes to show that even something so minor/small/tiny/minuscule could be so fun and educational for both myself and my son. I love telling him my big dreams and hearing him say funny things like “Dad, did you know there were dinosaur fossils under the Leaning Tower of Pisa?”
– Godly –
9 June 2015
Godly's Corner 