Tonight, KD and I attended our first ‘Italian for Holidays’ evening class – the first of twelve (dodici) lessons.
I have been in and out of study for years as an adult, always to do with my career, but this was my first time back in a classroom learning something totally new to me since, well, I can’t remember when….I used to like languages at school but I haven’t done anything like this for years and years.
It was fun actually and we now know how to say our names, ask someone else what theirs is (formally and informally!) as well as a range of greetings – oh, and how to count to twenty (venti)!
I was reminded of the ‘language lab’ we had when I was at school in the early seventies – very high tech at the time – where we sat ourselves down with headphones in our little individual booths and learned French or German. It was so boring, and I used to use the time to have a nap usually, but I can still remember French so it must have sunk in! (I’ve forgotten all my German though but I don’t remember learning that in the language booths, I just remember a formidable woman with wonky eyes teaching us the old fashioned way).
Anyway, being back in the classroom learning something other than the academic stuff I’ve had to concentrate on the past few years was fun, not least because there isn’t an exam at the end of it, we are doing it purely for pleasure.
Next week we will be learning how to book a hotel room in Italian. Which is a bit silly because we’ve already booked ours….
Ciao!!
The Flossie Country Files 
Somehow I missed out on the language lab. It looks like you’re visiting someone at a prison.
You were lucky. Horrid little cubicles where you couldn’t see or speak to anyone else. The isolation was awful. On the other hand, as I said, it gave the perfect opportunity to snooze….
I remember language lab. Or rather, I sort of remember. I remember napping with big earphones.
We have the same memory….
I hated the language lab at school. The teacher used to scream at you through the headphones . But maybe it did have some effect as I never went to France, but language assistants always said I had a good accent and I ended up as a French teacher for years.
A domani
You did? Well, it just goes to show! I hated the lab but maybe it did work…I can still remember a lot of French.
A bientot
I am just imagining Flossie being said in an italian accent. This may amuse me for days. Simple pleasures…
Ha ha, my name isn’t actually Flossie. I was christened it by my partner’s ex-wife and I have adopted it. My real name is Jules. Have I shattered the illusion? :))