For those that have begun a foreign language, as an adult, bravo! Learning a foreign language can be a challenge, which I have full, sincere appreciation for.
My first memory of the Italian language was from my girlfriend, Michelle. Michelle and I became friends in our 8th grade English class, she sat in front of me. We bonded over literature - we were voracious readers.
In our teen years of listening to Depeche Mode, shopping at thrift stores, sneaking a rare clove cigarette, and attending the Seattle Film Festival - Michelle became a model. She was, and still is, beautiful, full of natural grace and very intelligent.
Growing up in the small town (i.e., Hicksville) community we lived in, her being a model was something worthy of ridicule by our mullet wearing, 4-wheeling, chew in the back pocket, classmates. They were just jealous, however, it didn’t make life in high school any easier for Michelle. Whenever she did a print ad, the kids would cut multiple copies of her lovely face out of the newspaper, draw all over it and post it all over school. She’d get yelled and ridiculed at from down the hallways and in the lunchroom. Many were suspicious of her and wouldn’t acknowledge her. Typical stupid teenager stuff.
Fast forward to 2009, because of the popularity of equally stupid reality television programs - America’s Next Top Model, etc., Michelle would be a GODDESS at our high school.
Back to 1984. We couldn’t wait for the next issue of Vogue to come out. The Town and Country fashion issues were also big favorites. We’d hang out at her house on the weekends, listening to Duran Duran and dream of, well, our wide-open futures. Mainly, boys. Then, Michelle went totally exotic and bought an Italian Vogue. The angels began to sing… I’ll never forget Michelle looking at me, and saying clear as a bell, “Wouldn’t it be great to speak Italian…?”
I’ve been stuck in Beginning Italian classes for YEARS. Yep, you read that correctly, for YEARS.
My first class was taken several years ago at a community college with a completely crazy Italian-American female teacher. Her personality was larger than life and she was super enthusiastic about bringing the culture of Italy into our class. However, she didn’t do a great job educating us on the language, which is why we were all there.
My next beginning class was taken with a similarly enthusiastic Italian-American male teacher through the Dante Alighieri society. Our teacher would singsong the alphabet, singsong the numbers and singsong his way through the most basic verb conjugations. He wouldn’t actually sing. He would just link it all together, musically. That part of our learning was great, but his way of charging ahead with the curriculum, left the majority of us in the dust. I, personally, never got past the avere and essere verb conjugations. Simple prepositions? Forget about it!
I then went to Siena for three weeks for instruction through the Dante Alighieri society. There were elements of it that were great! I learned as much in three weeks in Siena, than I learned in full quarters in the States. BUT, my teacher was a nightmare! She was from Napoli. She was very loud, smoked like a chimney and would humiliate us whenever she got a chance – and that was regularly. I often think of poor Giuseppe, an American who was picked on endlessly. I hope he’s not scarred. Our teacher refused to speak English (okay for some of us who had received previous schooling, not so great for others). After two weeks, I had to escape! Thankfully, a cooking school was conducted as well, and goodness knows, I love cooking. A quick switch was made and I was out of Mariangela’s clutches! Whew!
My husband (the permanent, fluent, advanced Italian student) signed me up for a conversational class once. I liked the instructor, but I’ve found, I learn best via reading and writing. Just speaking wasn’t gonna cut it. I secretly started ditching the class. My friends knew. I told my family. Then, I finally worked up the courage to tell him – it wasn’t going to work for me. I knew the best way for me to learn would be to find a class, in Italy, with a mutually respectful instructor.
Done! I’m now taking classes through ItaliaIdea and I cannot tell you how happy I am. My instructor is wonderful. She’s patient, funny, and respectful. My classmates are great too! Three are from Japan, two from India, one each from France, Germany, Ireland, Australia, and the Ukraine. I look forward to class and am learning a great deal. Bravo!
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