http://dreaminginitalianthistime.blogspot.it/2011/11/to-pisa-and-back.html
Today started out like most, with a shower, oatmeal, and getting dressed! However, I was able to check my email from my phone and there I found a sweet email from Maria that made me literally laugh out loud and just brought a smile to my face! I also received good morning text messages...also a way to my heart!!
Today I headed to Fermi, the school here in Cosenza. My first teacher was the one who had the German Shepards and wanted to get me involved at a preschool or two here in Cosenza. So, I was really excited to spend time with her, until I found out that she had chosen her worst class for me to help with. She said that they barely speak English and have a lot of trouble with the grammar, and she started naming all of these grammatical things she wanted me to correct them on...ummm 1. That is not my purpose here and 2. I do not know these things I am not qualified to teach grammar. So, she told me to speak very slowly, which I did. It was rough, but I think they understood me and they introduced themselves to me. I was able to show them maps I brought with me and talk a little bit about myself so that they would have an idea of who I am! They did not really ask me any questions, but the hour was almost up. Patrizia wanted me to do a sheet from their book the next day, but I was happy to see it had information about tornadoes, so I figured that I would talk to them a little bit about tornadoes, and then talk about April 27th. I left this class feeling a little discouraged because my purpose here is not to be a grammar teacher, but rather a conversational person. You cannot put me in classes where they have not had enough grammar to even understand me, and expect us to make a lot of progress throughout the year. Yes, I do realize that I am being slightly negative, but I just think that they are missing the point. However, I am just going to pray about it and trust that God will use me in the way that he wants. Perhaps there is a reason I am in that class...like with Angelino's class, with the atheist boy...perhaps the reason I am meant to battle through that class is that he might see how important my faith is to me...and maybe he will be curious...who knows...God can do anything!! There was one boy in this class who is apparently a competitive skier, and lives in a village in the Sila mountains and travels 30 minutes to school every day.
So, next I had a 1 hour break and went to the newer part of the school. As Patrizia and I walked to the other building, she explained that Cosenza was a city that you had to choose to come to. It was not like Naples or Paola where you might end up there because you pass through it (this conversation came up because I mentioned that I would miss the Friday after Thanksgiving because we were going to Naples, which is where she is from). She said that Cosenza is a perfect location though because it is 30 minutes to the sea and 30 minutes to the mountains. It was cool to hear this perspective about the city. I sat in the teachers room and used the computer to check email, facebook, etc. When it was time to go to the second class, I was feeling a bit more confident about being in front of a new group of students.
One thing that has been a constant in all of the Italian classrooms is that they make a special effort to get me a chair to sit in...like sometimes it is a huge production. For this class I was able to sit down and introduce myself a little, and then they introduced themselves. One boy, the cute boy/class clown, who is probably the worst at English introduced himself like this, "Hi, I am ____. I beautiful boy!!!" It was hilarious and really broke the ice for everyone in the class. They asked me things like if I had a boyfriend, my favorite food, music, etc. The same standard questions, and I tried to turn them back to them. A lot of them like Adele, and then pop music, hard rock, etc. I was informed that the only Italian music worth listening to is Italian rap! Listening to music is a VERY popular hobby with the Italian teens!! I did have to explain to them that not all Americans like and eat McDonald's all the time. We ended this class by them reading something from their text books out loud and then she made me ask them questions to check their comprehension. I hate being put on the spot like that, and it is so pointless in my opinion.
So, I did enjoy this group of students, and then the teacher took me down to the bar for a coffee. I had a cappuccino and met another teacher who paid for our coffees. I met one guy that is a 5th year who wants to have private conversation classes before his big test on December 1st...absolutely. A lot of the Fulbright ETA's do private lessons or group lessons for extra money, and I am happy to do so as well.
Next up was Valeria's class. I LOVE THIS CLASS!!!!!!!!!! They were amazing. It was a BIG class, but it was awesome. I introduced myself a bit and they were just so anxious to ask me questions. Overall this is probably the best group of speakers, and of course there were a few main ones, but I tried to engage everyone. They wanted me to dance, and even moved the desk for me to do so. Valeria had to step out for like 20 minutes, so we had time together just to talk and be silly! I did a few Rockette things for them, but it was hard in a dress. We talked about NYC, books, differences between Italian and American high schools, fashion, the fact that life is NOT like the movies, etc. They were just awesome! One girl asked my favorite book and got all excited when I said Pride and Prejudice. She told me that she had just read a condensed version of it in English!! They were just a great class...me trying to recall all of it and put it into words just does NOT do it justice! They were even interested when I asked them about reading a book together...in fact, some were genuinely excited!! Done...you're my fave group!! It was so great to just laugh with them and they were respectful of each other, me, and Valeria. It was so refreshing to feel natural with a group of students. When they asked about a boyfriend, I told them no, but there was a guy that I liked, and they were SEVERLY disappointed that it was not an Italian. I am already looking forward to spending 2 hours every week with them! It was so nice to end my day this way! I cannot tell you how much this renewed my excitement for this whole process.
When I left school, feeling a renewed sense of purpose, I went to a few stores and back to the bank to get the information that I actually needed. Then I wet home for lunch. I talked to my momma on the phone, organized some things, and wrote some blogs. Virginia called to tell me that she spoke with the customs people for me and how much she loves me and how I am like her daughter (she has two sons, no daughters). She said that she is doing what she hopes any Italian woman would do for me! How do I get so fortunate with amazing women in my life. If I go home I have my momma and her friends (Frances, ladies group, VA people)...if I go to Tuscaloosa I have Mrs. Malissa, Kelly, Maria, etc. etc....if I go to New York, Fran means so much to me and is so good to me...now in Italy I am so blessed to have wonderful women to "take care of me", influence me, teach me, etc. I am so blessed that it is ridiculous!
I sat at the hotel for a while, and was able to talk to Erin again!! WHAAA??? Such a gift! Massimo had the bar tender make me some new tea that they got in and a piece of this extremely dry cake that was only bearable with the tea.
When I got home I made dinner while talking to Nick. We talked for like 2 1/2 hours and never ran out of things to talk about. One thing we discussed were our frustrations lately! He had a bad bureaucracy day. We agreed though that while we are frustrated and tend to think that things are so much easier in the US, it is because we are from there...we understand the language and it is what we are used to! While the Italians will agree with you that things are sometimes annoying here, they still understand it and are accustomed to it! Most of our frustration comes from it not being how we would do things. Ahhh...cultural exchange!!!!
Bed!
No comments:
Post a Comment