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Just Returned
Ciao a tutti,
I just returned from 10 days in glorious Italia, specifically 2 days in Rome, 7 days in a small town called Montepulciano in the Tuscany hill country, and then a final day/night in Rome before returning to the US.
While in Rome we saw all of the typical tourist sites. But the real purpose of the trip was so that I could attend an Italian language course for 5 days in Montepulciano. The school is called Il Sasso Scuola d'italiano, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take their Italian to the next step. I had already completed Fluenz Level III and also supplemented this learning with other courses, such as Living Language and Complete Italian, because I wanted to hit the ground running.
On the first day, I was given both a written and oral test so that I would be placed at the appropriate level. I ended up in Elementary II, which is exactly where I expected to be placed, and it was the perfect level for me. There were 8 individuals in my class (2 Americans, 1 Canadian, 3 Germans, 1 Australian and a Swiss woman). From the moment you enter the class, all speech (by the instructor and students) is in Italian. (As you would guess, your Italian improves by leaps and bounds when you're immersed in the language for 4 1/2 hours per day!) The instructors are spectacular. They know exactly at what level to speak in order to keep everyone engaged, and at the same time not lose anyone during the instruction. I marveled at the fact that each day, they listen to foreign students murder their beautiful language, and not once did they ever role their eyes, give a snippy reply, or exhibit any sort of attitude. They are models of professionalism.
I also paid extra for 2 hour-long one-on-one sessions, which were extremely challenging. I honestly expected that the instructor would engage me in elementary conversation about what I liked, didn't like, where I was from, etc., at the approximate level that Fluenz level III would reflect. Nope! Instead, she handed me a photocopy of an article from an Italian newspaper, asked me to read it, and then proceeded to ask me questions about what I read: What was the main theme of the article? Did I agree with the author's stated position? Needless to say, I struggled, but I guess that was the purpose: to push the limits of my abilities and skills, and to learn in the process.
The town of Montepulciano is absolutely beautiful. While it's a town that is used to tourists, it is by no means a tourist trap. All of the people are extremely patient when you want to practice your Italian with them, and they all speak enough English so that you can make your needs known, if you need that safety net. The cost of living is reasonable (at least compared to Rome!). The language school also sponsored afternoon excursions to nearby towns and activities, so the week flies by very quickly.
If you have any plans on attending a language course in Italy, I would strongly encourage you to check out Il Sasso Scuola d'italiano.
Some other observations from my trip:
1. The training that Fluenz provides will serve you well, but if you can, work on expanding your vocabulary before you go. Know your numbers, and know how to communicate time in Italian. Also know how to communicate your preferred option of payment. My most spoken phrase was, "Va bene pagare con la carta di credito?" While correct grammar is important, your first priority is to communicate, so don't hold back for fear that you'll be ridiculed for faulty grammar. The Italians will understand that you're a foreigner who is doing the best you can trying to speak their language. Make the honest effort, and you'll be rewarded.
2. Do NOT exchange a large amount of dollars for euros at the airport in Italy. The exchange rate, commissions and fees are ridiculous. Instead, obtain a minimum amount of euros, just to have some cash in your wallet, and then rely on credit cards and the ATMs, which work just like ours, and are easy to find.
3. Do not underestimate the amount of money you'll spend in Rome. It's a VERY expensive city. Also, if you're planning to use Rome's public transportation, be sure that you have a Plan B, just in case there is a citywide transit strike (it happens more often than you might think). You can always take a private bus tour, but they can also get a bit pricey.
4. I didn't want the hassle or responsibility of renting a car, and we had a party of 6, so instead we hired a driver service to get us from Rome to Montepulciano. This is a very expensive option, and if I had to do it over, I would have opted for the train--assuming there wasn't a strike!
OK, time to retire for the night. I'll be happy to answer any questions.
Gerry
I just returned from 10 days in glorious Italia, specifically 2 days in Rome, 7 days in a small town called Montepulciano in the Tuscany hill country, and then a final day/night in Rome before returning to the US.
While in Rome we saw all of the typical tourist sites. But the real purpose of the trip was so that I could attend an Italian language course for 5 days in Montepulciano. The school is called Il Sasso Scuola d'italiano, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take their Italian to the next step. I had already completed Fluenz Level III and also supplemented this learning with other courses, such as Living Language and Complete Italian, because I wanted to hit the ground running.
On the first day, I was given both a written and oral test so that I would be placed at the appropriate level. I ended up in Elementary II, which is exactly where I expected to be placed, and it was the perfect level for me. There were 8 individuals in my class (2 Americans, 1 Canadian, 3 Germans, 1 Australian and a Swiss woman). From the moment you enter the class, all speech (by the instructor and students) is in Italian. (As you would guess, your Italian improves by leaps and bounds when you're immersed in the language for 4 1/2 hours per day!) The instructors are spectacular. They know exactly at what level to speak in order to keep everyone engaged, and at the same time not lose anyone during the instruction. I marveled at the fact that each day, they listen to foreign students murder their beautiful language, and not once did they ever role their eyes, give a snippy reply, or exhibit any sort of attitude. They are models of professionalism.
I also paid extra for 2 hour-long one-on-one sessions, which were extremely challenging. I honestly expected that the instructor would engage me in elementary conversation about what I liked, didn't like, where I was from, etc., at the approximate level that Fluenz level III would reflect. Nope! Instead, she handed me a photocopy of an article from an Italian newspaper, asked me to read it, and then proceeded to ask me questions about what I read: What was the main theme of the article? Did I agree with the author's stated position? Needless to say, I struggled, but I guess that was the purpose: to push the limits of my abilities and skills, and to learn in the process.
The town of Montepulciano is absolutely beautiful. While it's a town that is used to tourists, it is by no means a tourist trap. All of the people are extremely patient when you want to practice your Italian with them, and they all speak enough English so that you can make your needs known, if you need that safety net. The cost of living is reasonable (at least compared to Rome!). The language school also sponsored afternoon excursions to nearby towns and activities, so the week flies by very quickly.
If you have any plans on attending a language course in Italy, I would strongly encourage you to check out Il Sasso Scuola d'italiano.
Some other observations from my trip:
1. The training that Fluenz provides will serve you well, but if you can, work on expanding your vocabulary before you go. Know your numbers, and know how to communicate time in Italian. Also know how to communicate your preferred option of payment. My most spoken phrase was, "Va bene pagare con la carta di credito?" While correct grammar is important, your first priority is to communicate, so don't hold back for fear that you'll be ridiculed for faulty grammar. The Italians will understand that you're a foreigner who is doing the best you can trying to speak their language. Make the honest effort, and you'll be rewarded.
2. Do NOT exchange a large amount of dollars for euros at the airport in Italy. The exchange rate, commissions and fees are ridiculous. Instead, obtain a minimum amount of euros, just to have some cash in your wallet, and then rely on credit cards and the ATMs, which work just like ours, and are easy to find.
3. Do not underestimate the amount of money you'll spend in Rome. It's a VERY expensive city. Also, if you're planning to use Rome's public transportation, be sure that you have a Plan B, just in case there is a citywide transit strike (it happens more often than you might think). You can always take a private bus tour, but they can also get a bit pricey.
4. I didn't want the hassle or responsibility of renting a car, and we had a party of 6, so instead we hired a driver service to get us from Rome to Montepulciano. This is a very expensive option, and if I had to do it over, I would have opted for the train--assuming there wasn't a strike!
OK, time to retire for the night. I'll be happy to answer any questions.
Gerry