Once a week on Wednesday's I attend a sort of movie lover's night where Francesco, a shy young man whose ears go red evertime he talks, shows a film and afterwards about half of the people stick around and talk about it. I think sometime they go for drink afterwards, but I haven't seen it yet. I have been twice. The first time I told you about. The second time we watched Pierrot le Fou, in French with Italian subtitles. I stayed, because Alessandra told me that Frencesco stopped her in the street a few days before to ask why I had taken off so early the first time and that they had wanted to take me for a drink. It is very hard to guess these sorts of things when I have no idea what is going on. When you are in a new place with new people, english or not, you never know what they are thinking or what their plans are you're intruding or not. Anyways, now I know. There was a very nice girl names Valentina who I talked with before and after the film, in Italian. It has come to the point where I can have a decent conversation with someone about basic things. I can understand most things that people say, and if i don't, it's only a word or phrase, and I can work it out sometimes. Having said that, I still sometimes ask three or four times when Alessasandra says she is making supper. Learning another language is very up and down, and you cannot really have solid markers.
Just because I can have a conversation about what someone is studying or ask if they want to get a coffee in the future, does not mean I can always get honey at a coffee shop. It's all neat, but hard to congratulate yourself because as soon as I learn something new I realize there is 1000 more things to learn. It's almost worse knowing half a language than practically none of it. But, it is really flooding in now, because I am studying everyday and practicing with new people and learning a lot. I think I may make my goal of no English by Christmas.
Allora. After we all hung out and talked about the movie, where I did actually say something about the movie, which was neat, everyone was pretty tired, including myself, and we all went our seperate ways. It was about 2 by the time I got home. Next week I may ask them to head out for a beer afterwards. I think I will like it, because I am learning the language through something I am interested in and the whole group of people are young and interesting and nice.
Also, every Thursday afternoon for two hours, I am taking part in a cinematography course. It's a workshop where the professors show us some clips, talk to us about their ideas and thoughts and concepts and then there is some time for group discussion. I think that at second half of the course, in the spring, we make our own short film. It lasts until April. It's nice because I can just sit back and listen to people speak Italian and try to decipher what it is they are saying. I can understand one prof better than the other. I have also been here twice, and I feel very comfortable here. It's a grand classroom with an arched ceiling and marble accents and a bust in the corner. There is a soft light and modern wooden desks and there is a constant hum from the projector. I spoke here, too, about the difference between two clips. Neither of them had words, only music. I know I wasn't speaking proper Italian, and it was a little hard for people to understand (I know because they leaned in the way people do when they are listening to something foreign) but it sparked two responses from other people and the conversation carried on. One woman even agreed with me and a man in the back said something I didn't understand because he has a lisp. But, one must learn the language in all its forms.
What was interesting was that I never saw him, because I had to run after class to meet Alessandra and the girls in the Piazza. We had gelato and Alessandra left for work and the girls and I waited for the bus. At the stop, a guy started talking to me, and I recognized his voice from the class. We talked for some time, his name is Simone, and he speaks some English.
Also, after my Italian lesson, I went for lunch with the German girl, Uli, and she is really quite fun and seems to know a lot of things that go on with some other students on her block. She invited me to a party but she said later that she couldn't make it. It was ok. I have other things to do!
Like this concert with Alessandra. Another Alessandra. A coworker of Alessandra, who is Alessandra, is putting on a sort of show with readings and music. I think I have mentioned it. She has made the poster with my name on it and everything! Along with about 4 readers and a band and another two singers. I'm pretty excited about it. I may sing the Huron Christmas carol, thanks to the wise advice of my mother and Grandma.
So, these were my encounters, but alas, I did not ask anyone to come with me to Pesaro. It would have been nice, because the day was a little drab. The fog has moved in again, and it generaly stays for a few days. Don't get me wrong, the day itself wasn't drab, just the weather. I went to the sea again and watched it for some time, checked out a museum that is full of paintings and ceramics from all around Italy, including Pesaro and Urbino, found some shops without 480 euro shoes and just walked as I like to do. It was good, Because I think now that I have some friendly prospects, I may not have such self-reflective chances.
Some pictures from my day in Pesaro:
A very nice building with great detail in the window sills. Who ever thought to decorate window sills?
The front of the building
A crazy cute frying pan that was just before a market I went to where I had raspberries. That was a strange thing. When you eat a raspberry for the first time in months, you remember everytime you've ever eaten a raspberry all at once. Did you know that?
My rubber boots on the beach! This have come in very handy. I had to leave a lot of stuff behind in order to back these suckers. It was worth it.
The resteraunt I ate at the first time I was in Pesaro.
The Adriatic Sea
Side view of the beach
My face!
A pretty random statue. No. I take that back. No statue here is random. They are everywhere. In fact, if you cannot see a statue, sculpture or architectural wonder, you are no longer in Italy.
Making friends is a process, and I have started a fire in many directions. I'm pretty much ready, too.
And now, a girl I met at Halloween, another Valentina, has asked me to pre-dinner drinks tonight.
Wow. Only now, having written this all down, have I realised how much I've been doing! It's nice to have my days filled and to know that I have some things to do and people to see again. This is what I like. I mean, I love my days when I do nothing, too. But, I prefer the company of people to that of laundry, television, hill-gazing and daydreams. I mean, I love these things too, but it's time for some social living.
In other, non-social news, the kids are good. Things are going quite well and the house seems a bit calmer than it was before. The weather really affects everyones mood, so when it's cold and foggy like this, everyone is pretty chill. We keep it fun though. I often dance with the kids in the kitchen to Madeleine Peyroux, or we do crafts to get ready for Natale! Speaking of which, the lights are up in the middle of town, and as I walked through during the day, they were just white strings and white tubes, and I thought, "White lights everywhere will be nice." But then the night came and they are blue.
What? I don't really like it. Everytime I walk through town after 6, when the lights go one, I get Blue Christmas stuck in my head. It's dreary enough with the weather, and the blue makes it all seem so sad. I mean, I'm happy because there is a new Christmas market and new foods to try all over the place. Maybe I will learn to love it. I saw them attaching something to the fountain today, so I'll go check it out on my way to Canyon tonight! I hope everyone is keeping well and festive! As Diane said, 36 days to Christmas. This blows my mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment