Orientation! Sqeaked (just a little) when I got my official schedule. After brief introductions another wine student and I decided to take the language placement test to Intermediate, thinking saremmo andate pazzi (we'd go crazy) stuck in a basic class. The test administrator looked at our schedules which specified an intensive course that will bang out 45 hours of Italian by the end of the month; he put us in a holding pattern until the dean gave him permission to move us to Intermediate. She came in, lovely lady, and assured us this would be plenty challenging, and get us to conversation level quickly so we can do our internship. If we hate the first class, she'll see about moving us. I don't think I'll hate it - I always learn something new. And I was somewhat relieved.
Although it's been over a year since I read the book Eat, Pray, Love I remember so well when Elizabeth Gilbert did the same thing as she started her journey in Italy. After being on the ground a week trying to immerse herself in the culture she went to her school, arrived early - geek, like me (oh you KNOW I was the first one there again today) - and took the placement test that put her in Level 2. However, when she got in the class it was so hard she moved herself back to Level 1. I could totally be that girl. I often bite off more than I can chew and I have a pretty big mouth.
I know I literally lit up when I met the director of the Wine Department today. I am so excited to be in an environment where we, as he so eloquently put it today, "Leeev the wine." We talked about some of the assignments, the wineries, the trips to Montalcino, Montepulciano, Cortona, and some wineries I haven't heard of. This brief time with him in a little corner of the room with one other wine student was the highlight of my day. He wanted to talk more, and we wanted to listen, but the entire seminar had already been herded over to another briefing and we were the last two out.
The rest of the orientation d-r-a-g-g-e-d with repetition of more information that's either in our student guides or has been presented for the 3rd or 4th time now. I'm looking at my watch and the Master of Italian Cuisine student next to me says, "I know, right?" He appears to be older than the 19-year average and doesn't want to hear the taxi numbers one more time, or how American students get in trouble over here because of alcohol-related behavior.
NOTE: I figure if I'm going to listen to yet another lecture on loud-ass drunk Americans, I'm going to call out the ladies who were loud-ass drunk on my street 3:00 this morning. I cast a narrowed glance at a group of silly girls, "I really don't want to hear that at 3 AM and I'm pretty sure the Italian families on our street don't appreciate it either." Am now the class bitch. I don't have kids for a reason, my tolerance for them is very low, and my patience? Left the room hours ago.
Some more reminders that this is not Animal House, nor is this the US, behave behave behave, more inane questions about how much a stamp is, and I'm about toast. Because of my insistence on taking the language placement for "fun" (and it really was!) I missed lunch. It was after 5 and the only thing I had to eat since breakfast were three cookies the Baking and Pastry students hooked us up with - God bless them!
I walked quickly back to my apartment and stopped for pasta from gelato/pasta guy downstairs. He's very good about speaking Italian with me as he knows I'm trying to learn, although today he gave me the cost in English, and when I repeated it in Italiano he was surprised and smiled. Molto bene! I smiled thinking - THIS gives a whole new dimension to fast food - I buy, he heats, wraps it up, and I smuggle the penne con quattro formaggi and a serving of peas in butter and garlic up to my apartment. I pour a beautifully chilled Tuscan white and finally relax - nothing but the street noise below, and Accordion Guy playing Santa Lucia ... *sigh.* I savor every bite and every sip - believing this is where I need to be, right now - leeving the wine.
"If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul." (Clifton Fadiman)
Although it's been over a year since I read the book Eat, Pray, Love I remember so well when Elizabeth Gilbert did the same thing as she started her journey in Italy. After being on the ground a week trying to immerse herself in the culture she went to her school, arrived early - geek, like me (oh you KNOW I was the first one there again today) - and took the placement test that put her in Level 2. However, when she got in the class it was so hard she moved herself back to Level 1. I could totally be that girl. I often bite off more than I can chew and I have a pretty big mouth.
I know I literally lit up when I met the director of the Wine Department today. I am so excited to be in an environment where we, as he so eloquently put it today, "Leeev the wine." We talked about some of the assignments, the wineries, the trips to Montalcino, Montepulciano, Cortona, and some wineries I haven't heard of. This brief time with him in a little corner of the room with one other wine student was the highlight of my day. He wanted to talk more, and we wanted to listen, but the entire seminar had already been herded over to another briefing and we were the last two out.
The rest of the orientation d-r-a-g-g-e-d with repetition of more information that's either in our student guides or has been presented for the 3rd or 4th time now. I'm looking at my watch and the Master of Italian Cuisine student next to me says, "I know, right?" He appears to be older than the 19-year average and doesn't want to hear the taxi numbers one more time, or how American students get in trouble over here because of alcohol-related behavior.
NOTE: I figure if I'm going to listen to yet another lecture on loud-ass drunk Americans, I'm going to call out the ladies who were loud-ass drunk on my street 3:00 this morning. I cast a narrowed glance at a group of silly girls, "I really don't want to hear that at 3 AM and I'm pretty sure the Italian families on our street don't appreciate it either." Am now the class bitch. I don't have kids for a reason, my tolerance for them is very low, and my patience? Left the room hours ago.
Some more reminders that this is not Animal House, nor is this the US, behave behave behave, more inane questions about how much a stamp is, and I'm about toast. Because of my insistence on taking the language placement for "fun" (and it really was!) I missed lunch. It was after 5 and the only thing I had to eat since breakfast were three cookies the Baking and Pastry students hooked us up with - God bless them!
I walked quickly back to my apartment and stopped for pasta from gelato/pasta guy downstairs. He's very good about speaking Italian with me as he knows I'm trying to learn, although today he gave me the cost in English, and when I repeated it in Italiano he was surprised and smiled. Molto bene! I smiled thinking - THIS gives a whole new dimension to fast food - I buy, he heats, wraps it up, and I smuggle the penne con quattro formaggi and a serving of peas in butter and garlic up to my apartment. I pour a beautifully chilled Tuscan white and finally relax - nothing but the street noise below, and Accordion Guy playing Santa Lucia ... *sigh.* I savor every bite and every sip - believing this is where I need to be, right now - leeving the wine.
"If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul." (Clifton Fadiman)
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All entries are strictly observations from my point of view. This blog is not intended as professional commentary on travel, wine, food, or any other subjects I discuss - it is for entertainment, an online journal, for my friends, family, and anyone interested in my stories or journey in general.
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