About ME

Conversation 2007

Rosabla: How come you don't speak better Italian?

Me: Mute!

Rosabla: How long have you been here anyway??

Me: Mute!

Rosabla: My cousin was in New York for 6 weeks and he came

back speaking English. What is with you??

Me: Mute!

Take these questions back a year....

Rosabla: How come you don't speak better Italian?

Me: I know I have a problem.

Rosabla: How long have you been here anyway?

Me: I know it certainly is long enough for me to be more fluent in

Italian.

Rosabla: My cousin was in New York for 6 weeks and he came

back speaking English. What is with you??

Me: Well, when I go to the United States they all marvel at my

Italian skills!

This is my #2 angst here. The obsession with my lack of communication skills in Italian. I shall no longer be bothered about this. I shall try my best and get on with it. Some days are better than others with the language . Andy thinks it has something to do with the weather. I am not above asking for help and I have no fear of going about on my own and delving right in when I want. I am thrilled when a person will try and correct me in a teaching way or assist me with pronouncing a word. When I first landed here, I was known to rip pages out of a sales brochure or a catalog to let a shop clerk know what I wanted. That worked pretty darn good.

In the fall of 2005 I made a valiant effort to learn the language. I asked the local librarian to help me find a teacher. She found a good one. This lady was a retired school teacher. She had been raised in a convent and I think later taught in a convent. She was a teacher of Italian and Latin. The plan was a lesson per week and she would come to my house at 9AM and we would go till 11AM. Did I mention that she is a nubile and around 78 years old? No matter about that. I liked her and still like her. She took out middle school grammar books from the local library and we dug in. She had me reading literature, writing themes and studying verbs and studying verbs and studying more verbs. Memorizing those lists...man, I thought my head would blow up. As soon as I got one list memorized I promptly forgot it memorizing the next ones. I was a wreck.

The night before she was to come was a toss and turn sleep depriving experience as I would have those verbs going over and over in my pea brain. Truly the best part of my week was a 11AM when the door shut behind her.

My husband poo pooed my laments. He suggested I go with the program and it might just click in. OK! I kept it up for about 3 months. A friend of mine happened to come for a visit during one lesson and remarked afterwards that I was punishing myself. She had never seen this type of teaching. I thought it was me all along...thick head...not open ...all those things folks on the street are saying about me. After this I called around and found that this was not what I was needing (type of lesson) and my dear husband fired the teacher. Truly the problem is mostly me but I did not like the feeling of midnight cramming for the test of my life every week.

So ...what to do?? I shall keep on reading, watching Italian TV programs and relaxing my brain.

But the answers to any of Rosabla's questions will be no answer. They really don't *give a care*...just something to say. If they cared I think they would offer to help...not just attack.