Italian Class Today

Class today was as usual. a lot of fun. But the most surprising part for me was in the 30 minutes when we were constructing our first racconino because for 30 minutes Nichole {la prof} spoke Italian most of the time to us, and I understood her! Now, admittedly, not 100 percent, but the objective, she told us at the beginning of class last Tuesday, was for us to understand 70-80 % of what she was saying.  And today, I did that! It was amazingly tiring, too. I really had to keep my eyes and my concentration on what she was saying and towards the end of the 30 minutes, my attention did wander off. I realized that my attention was wandering when she asked me in Italian if the children had eaten the mouse! I replied no, but my expression was such when she said Si that she asked me to tell her in English what I thought she had said. Well, she had actually said il gatto {the cat} which for some reason I had misheard as i ragazzi {the children!} I knew she was asking if someone had eaten il topolino {the mouse!]

In the class we have Jessica from last semester {who, now, confusingly wants to be called Isabella, } Donna, Sophia and her husband Martino, and me. Next week, I think we are getting a transfer from Italian I, a young man who spent last semester living and working in Italy. La prof was talking to him as we came in and if he does decide to change classes, he will be an interesting addition. Most of his head is shaved bald except for a rooster-crest of hair! Very dramatic! But he may decide to stay in Italian I where he will, apparently, get an A with little effort on his part. No sign of Francesco from last semester although la prof said he is still on the roll. I think there is another week where people can withdraw with no financial penalties.

We have a huge amount of homework to do for Tuesday so I want to do some every day. In addition to the grammar, we have to find a page on the web about le sport. It can be any sport and she gave us a couple of newspapers on line where the sports pages are in Italian and have English translations. In fact, I think I will get my notebook , find the names of the papers and noodle around there for a bit.

Until later….