Things I've learned (while studying Italian)

1. Be brave! To learn another language you must speak and not be afraid to make mistakes. You cannot embarrass easily.

2. Move your mouth. Being from the south and Texas in particular, I've discovered I have a very lazy mouth. (hello.. thats why we drawwwwl) Italians pronounce every letter and really work their mouths. Exercises are recommended.

3. I cannot pronounce the "gli" sound very well. Don't ask me what it sounds like, I can't do it. It's HARD!

4. I have a very hard time distinguishing between double consonants and single ones. And believe me they can mean VERY DIFFERENT THINGS! Please see #2.

5. Mixing up French, Spanish and Italian in your brain, does not a good communicator make. GEEZ

6. Dialect? That is different from proper Italian?? All non-English speaking sounds sound Italian to me. hehe I am hoping the more I learn, the better I will get at distinguishing.

7. I am not "flowery" enough in my descriptions and speech. Italians can make even the simplest sentence complicated and long. Which in itself is admirable and lovely to hear, but can lead to difficulties when trying to determine subjects and verbs. hehe

8. If you throw the remote on the floor in frustration - it will break! (even on carpet) There is a price to pay for breaking the volume control - its called actually walking up to the system and doing it MANUALLY! ugh - the trials. *sigh*


Currently, I am using podcasts from learnitalianpod.com with supplemental workbooks from Berlitz and Italian for Dummies. Though it is not natural for Stefano to speak anything but English with me, we are trying to have more "lessons" on the phone several times a week. Mostly this consists of me reading stuff, Stef correcting my pronunciation, and helping me diagram the sentence.

For those of you who are working on or have learned Italian - how does this program sound? Any tips or suggestions on other resources? Maybe by the time I move at the end of the year (hopefully) I will at least have a grasp of the language and ability to communicate. Lord knows how long it will take to understand cultural nuances. hehe

more later...

thanks and the green-eyed monster

Thank ya'll for the birthday wishes =) Another year gone so fast! At least the tornado closet didn't need to be used. YAY

Now for the green-eyed monster. I don't consider myself a very jealous person but sometimes.... ugh. I was talking to my husband the other day. And we were looking at his weekend options in the town he's in (and surrounding small villages). OH MY GOSH - they have a TON of stuff to do there. I mean interesting stuff that is free! Now, I live in a big metroplex and I know we have cultural events and stuff that goes on. BUT MAN. And, more often than not, you have to pay and use gas to get them. It's not easy to ride your bike to the city's cultural centers.

I swear, looking at the calendar of events for Saturday and Sunday - I found like 3 things each day I'd like to do. Is this normal? Stefano says - yeah, they always have something going on. Whether it's a small musical concert, or lecture, or excursion in the hills, movies - the possibilities are endless. Just this past weekend, there was an 'biodiversita' excursion in the hills held at some agriturismo where you learn what vegetation was safe to eat. Then you got recipes and cooked them! How fun is that? Another activity was a local food and wine festival. Learning the history of the village and sampling its local wares. Another - a private "behind the scenes" tour of a nearby villa. Next week, various archeology lectures; and on and on.

Now, I know that life in Italy is not "Under the Tuscan Sun." Most of us cannot live in or restore some beautiful country house. I know there is an abundance of red tape you usually have to go through to get in order to complete even the most mundane task. (which I am even encountering on this side of the ocean, but that's another post). Jobs are not well paying and the cost of living keeps going up. Surely, everyday life is not glamorous and you can get into the same ruts you do here.

But I have to admit, this side of Italian life is singing its siren song to me. I have lived in a big metroplex all of my life. Aside from a few years of small town college life, it's the only lifestyle I know. Where I live, you can drive a full day and still be in the state of Texas. There are many things to see and do here, but more often than not, they need to be planned. What is it like to take an hour trip to some medieval village? just walk around and see the art and old buildings - each little town or region seems to have its own unique history and flavor. Or be in the Alps or at the seaside in under 2 hours? How do you just hop on your bike and peddle to some town, sample its wares and peddle back? Not to mention, for larger trips - entering several different countries in just a day or two of driving or riding the train? Just thinking about it piques my curiosities and sparks my excitement.

I recognize the fact that moving to Italy will be a hard transition. I am trying to view life there without rose-colored glasses. Of course, I can only make assumptions about the place since I have never "lived" there. And I also am at peace with the fact that I might not like it. People might not like me, I may feel very alone and isolated - missing my family and my country. But at the same time - the activities I see offered make my heart beat faster. I am determined to do my best to enjoy all that I can once I move to Italy. To make every effort to assimilate into life while at the same time keeping true to myself. There are days where I am paralyzed with fears and doubts about whether we are doing the right thing. But then, when I see all I can do and learn... well, it renews my yearning to experience it.

That is what Italy offers me. Sure, I will still probably stress about money, jobs and language (among a million other things) but as a reward to the challenges, I get to feed my love of history and desire to learn (not to mention the FOOD). I could experience something & someplace different every weekend if I wanted to. So right now, I am going to bask in the excitement of these propositions and not think about the obstacles that still stand in the way. I do feel a twinge of jealousy that my husband has so many options at his disposal right now and I am not there to take advantage of them. But those days will come for me... those days will come.


more later...

Happy Birthday to Me!

So, yesterday was my birthday =) I am not very happy about the 36 (or shall I say my third 12th birthday) I have turned, however, I am trying to not dwell on that and be glad I have survived another year! It was the first one I've had without my husband in about 8 years so that sucked. But otherwise, it was a good day.

I got a beautiful bouquet of yellow tulips from my love (I would post a picture but my freaking computer keeps messing up. I've lost all my bookmarks and some emails. which was not a good way to start the day, but is probably the universe getting back at me for bragging about how nothing every happens to a Mac. but I digress) as well as my Easter candy he sent weeks ago. I love Kinder's Happy Hippos!

I got several emails from friends here and abroad, phone calls from friends and family, had lunch with my sister, then she was sweet enough to fix a nice dinner for me last nite. Steak, potatoes, salad, and homemade cake with yummy homemade chocolate icing.

My niece and nephew were exceptionally sweet and made me the cutest card (with taped on candy I might add. do they know their aunt or what?). I got gift certificates for a local upscale mall and a haircut/color. Now, I am just waiting for my husband's present and my sister's. I am surprised he hasn't told me what it is yet - he gets so excited about gifts that he usually spills the beans before I open them. My poor sister is just swamped with their business and family so I'm cutting her a break (and she did make a nice dinner after a long day of work). hehe

On a very sad note. I am so so sorry for those people who lost loved ones in the Virginia Tech shooting. That is so tragic. I don't understand what is going on in the world today. Up until yesterday, the only significant event (other than being my birthday) of the 16th was that it was the day after tax day - man I wish I had a dollar for all the times someone said that to me (the day after tax day thing).

So aside from the tragic event that occurred, my day was very pleasant. Now, it's back to the normal world - looking for work and watching the severe weather come towards me... guess I need to get my tornado closet ready again. Sophie and I might need it tonight! hehe

More later...

Molto Italiano

It's funny that Cyndy posted this week about Italian bureaucracy cuz today my husband relayed a funny real-life story to me that reiterates the red tape jungle that constitutes public entities of Italy. In this case it is the library. And while it didn't contain the fun activities of official stamps, forms, taxes and more stamps, it does accurately portray the way things can work in every day life.

Husband (H) to the girl (girl #1 or G1) at the library checkout counter - "Buon giorno, I have lost my library card, what do I need to do to replace it?"

Girl #1 - Are you sure you lost it?

Husband - yes, I am quite sure.

G1 - Have you looked for it?

H - yes

G1 - how long have you looked for it?

H - oh for about a month. i can't find it anywhere!

G2 - *sigh* " we can replace it, but you will need to go talk to the girl at the reference desk.

H - ok, thank you very much

Goes to girl (G2) at the reference desk.

H - Buon giorno. I have lost my library card and would like to replace it.

G2 - Are you sure you lost it?

H - yes

G2 - Have you looked for it?

H - yes

G2 - Maybe you should go back and look again.

H - Well, I've been looking for a while and I can't find it anywhere. I really would like to just replace it.

G2 - *sigh* Who sent you over here? You need to talk to the man at the other desk.

H - Ok, thank you.

Goes to Man (M) at the other desk.

H - I've lost my card and would like to replace it.

M - are you sure you lost it?

And on and on. You get the picture.lol It took him about 1 hr to find the "right" employee that would help him with replacing the card. Of course, all conversations were conducted with the utmost politeness and civility. Turns out, getting the replacement was only a matter of filling out another application. lol

I don't post this as a criticism - it just is what it is. We had a great laugh about it. It's one of those things where you just giggle, shrug, and think - that's Italia.

Despair

thy name is Italiano.

(and I'm sure I did not use that word correctly)

I just got done with a 2 hour Italian session and my brain is fried. My husband is amazingly patient with what seems to be an insurmountable wall of my not understanding the language. He dutifully corrects my butchered words and reminds me again and again of seemingly simple words I cannot remember - such as "tra" and "piu".

Intellectually, I know these things just take practice and time. I know that while I am studying regularly, I have not done it so intensively that I should expect to know and understand Italian well. But gosh, it is so frustrating. What is wrong with my brain?

It's been a long time since I studied anything. Maybe I should get some of those memory enhancing supplements? *sigh* Will I ever get it?



more later...

A Texas Spring..

The Legend of the Texas Bluebonnets

Once, long ago in the land of the Comanche, there was a great drought and famine and pestilence. The dancers danced to the sound of the drums and prayed for rain. They watched and waited for the healing rains, and danced again. No rains came.

Among the children of the tribe there was a small girl named She-Who-Is-Alone. She watched the dancers and held her warrior doll. Her doll wore beaded leggings and a headdress of brilliant blue feathers from the bird who cries "Jay-Jay". She loved this doll very much. Her doll was the only thing she had left from the happy days before the great famine took her parents and grandparents from her.

As She-Who-is-Alone sat and held her doll, the Shaman, or Wise Man, came to speak to the people. He told them that the Great Spirits were unhappy. He said that the people had been selfish, taking every thing from the earth giving nothing in return. He said that the people must make a sacrifice and must make a burnt offering of their most prized possession. The Shaman said the ashes of this offering should be scattered to the home of the Four Winds-North, South, East and West. When this sacrifice was made the drought would cease. Life would be restored to the land.

The people talked among themselves. The warriors were sure it was not their bow that the Great Spirits wanted. The women knew that this was not their special blanket. She-Who-Is-Alone looked at her doll, her most valued possession. She knew what the Great Spirits wanted and knew what she must do. While everyone slept she took her warrior doll and one stick that burned from the teepee fire and made her way to the hill where the Shaman had spoken -"Oh Great Spirits," she called out, "here is my warrior doll the only thing I have left from happy days with my family. It is my most valued possession. Please accept it."

Then she made a fire and thrust her precious doll into it. When the flames died down she scooped up a handful of ashes and scattered them to the Four winds-North, South, East and West. Then, her cheeks wet with tears, she lay down and fell asleep. The first light of morning woke her and she looked out over the hills. Stretching from all sides where the ashes had fallen, the ground was covered with flowers, beautiful blue flowers, as blue as the feathers in the hair of her beloved doll.

Now every spring the Great Spirits remember the sacrifice of a very small girl and fill the hills and valleys of the land now called Texas with beautiful blue flowers. And this is so to this very day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bluebonnets are the best part of spring in Texas. Roadsides, fields, hills, and countryside are full of these beautiful flowers. There is always a mass influx of people traveling to Central Texas to photograph the rolling hills of blue. Driving down the highway even, the sides of the roads are bursting with gorgeous color. Spring is officially here once the bluebonnets start popping through. It is one of the things I know I will miss seeing when I live somewhere else. For Texans living abroad - a little bit of home; for everyone else- a riot of blues for you to enjoy =)

Happy Spring!

more later...

More than you ever wanted to know...

Several bloggers I read have posted this "100 things about me" meme. Reading those, I was completely mystified as to how they could think of that may things to say about themselves. So, I gave myself a challenge - to complete that meme and post it here. It has taken me a few days but voila! Here it is. (in random order as they popped into my head)

100. I am the youngest of 4 girls. Oh puhlese - don't even feel sorry for my dad, he is spoiled rotten.

99. I love the show Friends. I don't care how unrealistic it is, it is funny and makes me laugh. I can watch it over and over and never get tired of it.

98. I went to college on a partial music scholarship.

97. But was an idiot not to major in music and get the full one.

96. I don't think I have a strong Texas twang.

95. however, numerous people vehemently disagree.

94. I have a lot of Cherokee in me.

93. because of this, all of my life people have mistaken me for being hispanic.

92. my husband thinks this is nuts because without a tan, I am fair.

91. However, it is irrefutable when random strangers come up to me and start speaking spanish. HA (which even happened at his naturalization ceremony)

90. And I LIKE IT!

89. Speaking of - I love latin cuisine.

88. including Mexican, Cuban, Tex-Mex, etc.

87. I could eat latin food every day and be happy.

86. as well as pizza

85. and chocolate. sigh
.
84. I didn't like Italian food until I had the real stuff.

83. as a child, I LOVED taking my cough medicines.

82. which is why I don't do drugs. lol

81. I love sports

80. but am not athletic.

79. I am a hard worker

78. but can be lazy when it comes to exercising.

77. I have a guy-like sense of humor.

76. which is one of my best personality traits.

75. and probably why I've always liked being around guys.

74. I was a cheerleader for all of a minute during middle school (6th, 7th grade)

73. I drive a convertible.

72. I think if you haven't had the experience of flirting with cute guys while looking hot in your convertible, you are missing out.

71. At least in my head I was hot. lol

70. I was in University choir with this actor. The dude can totally sing and play the guitar.

69. He lived in the fraternity house across the street from my sorority house.

68. I got drunk with him at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans and we had the whole patio singing "Oklahoma".

67. He wouldn't know me from Adam now but that's ok!

66. I don't like country music.

65. however, right now, the Carrie Underwood song is playing in my head so some do get thru.

64. I was named after my paternal grandmother, Stacy Ann (though I didn't get the Ann and think Stacy doesn't sound like a name from 1900)

63. She knew how to do an Indian Rain Dance but died before she could teach any of us.

62. Water is my favorite beverage

61. It really is - does that make me sad? lol

60. I love to cook.

59. but I don't think I do it very well.

58. The death of my college roommate's father changed my whole perspective on life.

57. I LOVE color

56. which can cause a problem with my "let's paint it white" husband.lol

55. I love history.

54. I should have majored in archeology in college.

53. I think I would've liked it and regret I didn't even think of it.

52. I am afraid of drowning.

51. but like to swim.

50. I am sweet by nature

49. which really annoys me at times. (honestly)

48. I have read and do own all 3 movies of Lord of the Rings

47. I know I am a nerd and am fine with it =)

46. I secretly want to be an expert at something

45. but have no idea of what.

44. I like to shop for furniture and appliances.

43. all other shopping bores me to death.

42. I love roller coasters

41. I think using proper English is important.

40. I am not easily offended

39. except by prejudice and bigotry.

38. The guy I voted for didn't win.

37. I don't like arrogant Americans

36. I don't like condescending Europeans either.

35. I am NOT a morning person.

34. leave me alone, I am nice the rest of the day.

33. My cat is not a morning person either. seriously, leave us alone.

32. Once, in 1st grade, I shoved soap in the face of a girl I didn't like.

31. That is the only time I've been to the Principal's office.

30. I don't remember ever doing something that mean for the sake of being mean, before or after.

29. When I was around 8 or so, my 12 yr old cousin told me a ghost story about our grandfather who had recently passed away. In the process of scaring me, she scared herself. We got so scared we had to run out of the house and wait for our parents on the sidewalk.

28. I will never forget that. and to this day we still laugh about it.lol

27. When we would go to Grandma's for the weekend, she would always make hamburgers and shape the patties with a wooden patty press.

26. I always wonder who got that press. and always think of her when I see one, as well as little glass coke bottles.

25. Until I was an older teenager, I thought all gumdrops were sticky and gross. It was then that I found out that my cousin (see #29) used to suck the sugar off of them and stick them back in the jar when we were kids.lol

24. I look a lot like my dad.

23. which totally shot down one of my high school boyfriend's theory that all women grow up to look like their moms.lol

22. I love tech toys and big screen tvs.

21. One day, I'd like to go to space camp.

20. My husband and I both had dogs named Indy before we even knew each other.

19. I've become my mother in that I can cry at the drop of a hat.

18. I love to eat "buttered" popcorn at the movies with plain m&ms.

17. I can't yet tell the difference between Italian and dialect.

16. My husband and I don't communicate well in the following: a)home improvement projects b) driving directions. I don't have ESP while doing a, he doesn't having it for b.

15. but that's ok, we're working through it =)

14. I went to Europe for the first time in college. Now I am hooked.

13. I like to end a meal with some sweet taste. (like a little chocolate)

12. I don't like fruit on meat.

11. I don't have any piercings or tattoos (not even my ears).

10. but I do have a secret desire to have a tattoo one day. hehe

9. I can sing in front of thousands but can't play the piano in front of anyone.

8. I got food poisoning in Austria which led to my most embarrassing moment on board our bus.

7. Since then, I am a FREAK about the shelf life of food.

6. My meat comes from the grocery store. I would probably be a vegetarian if I had to think of it in any other way. =)

5. I love to learn about people and why they do what they do. life stories fascinate me.

4. No matter how fat or thin I am, I am very hot natured. a trait I share with my mom.

3. I sometimes peek at the ending of a book. (I KNOW!)

2. I wasn't ever that interested in Italy until I met my husband. Now I am fascinated by it.

1. Two things I'm really looking forward to while living in Italy - getting to know my husband's family better and FOOD FESTIVALS.

more later...

im sick

... pounding head

... death rattle cough

... complete inability to breathe through nose

My household is very concerned...