The mailbox was full of goodies today, specifically, Roberto Benigni ... and the world!
OK, there was a film with Roberto Begnini – La Vita e` Bella (Life is Beautiful), the latest installment in my foreign film summer crack habit. I believe this is one of the last of the Italian films for a few weeks before I start focusing on French films.
Speaking of which, the French language lessons aren’t going as well as expected. If you remember, I'm deluding myself into thinking I can take my Italian and French language skills to the next level this year before going back to Europe this fall (if they let me back in for fear I will eat all their cheese) to study more language and (please) wine. While the French vocabulary is coming screaming back after 30 years, the conversational skills – or whatever that sad attempt to be able to parle un peu francais is called - il ne va pas bien (not going well).
For one thing, it doesn’t help that Ms. Stone did not like my pronunciation of the word puisses. Apparently this is not another word for the French soccer team, but a conjugation of the verb pouvoir (to be able to). Oui, je suis foutu. (Yep. I am hosed).
But I press on, as I am tres stubborn. That said, I expect to be banned from Rosetta Stone any day now…
I also mentioned that in my mailbox, along with Signor Benigni, was “the world.” Indeed it was. On this long weekend of America celebrating our independence as a nation, my independence appeared in a red, white, and blue Priority Mail envelope – also known as my passport/il mio passoporto/mon passeport.
I saw the words “…the World is Yours” on the pamphlet that is enclosed with aforementioned document, made a few insipid jokes to myself:
- “Not with MY language skills it isn’t” … or …
- “The World is Mine? Not sure I want the parts where they don’t make wine.” … or …
- “If the world WERE mine, we’d have soft Pecorino in Colorado” … or …
- You get the point.
Maybe there’s some truth to that statement. With this red, white, and blue star-spangled eagle-bearing (and cows! I can’t WAIT to get a stamp on the page with the cows!) pocket-full-o-fun, the world really is served up to me on a plate – and I just need to grab a fork (what else is new) and taste more of it.
It's like this: Life isn’t getting any longer, but the list of places to go, things to put in my mouth, surely is!
It's also like this: Ooh, bad picture - more ammo for Mr. Immigration Booth Smartass guy, “Yes, I was having a ‘shiny’ day. Now if you don’t mind, please just stamp the page with the grizzly bear so I can go act like I’m looking for luggage that we all know is still in the country (yes, the one whose stamp is on the buffalo page) with all that rockin' cheese.”
This is freedom to not just go and explore, but to think – or maybe even live – a different way for a while, if not forever. I can’t imagine living somewhere where you weren’t free to actually leave and experience other countries, ways of life – and of course foods, wines, moments with all types of interesting people in each place unique, unlike the last or the next, or the place you call ‘home.’
Given the setting of this film (Germany's occupation of Italy in the late 1930s), the timing of its arrival in my mailbox (America's Independence Day weekend) along with my third passport, of course I am reflecting on all the dimensions Freedom has taken on for me this last year. I’m grateful. I have never appreciated it - or those who have given so much of themselves, (and for some that meant everything), in the name of Freedom - more.
La vita e` bella ... veramente!
La vie est belle ... vraiment!
Life really is beautiful!
(Photo courtesy of La Vita e` Bella (1997))
OK, there was a film with Roberto Begnini – La Vita e` Bella (Life is Beautiful), the latest installment in my foreign film summer crack habit. I believe this is one of the last of the Italian films for a few weeks before I start focusing on French films.
Speaking of which, the French language lessons aren’t going as well as expected. If you remember, I'm deluding myself into thinking I can take my Italian and French language skills to the next level this year before going back to Europe this fall (if they let me back in for fear I will eat all their cheese) to study more language and (please) wine. While the French vocabulary is coming screaming back after 30 years, the conversational skills – or whatever that sad attempt to be able to parle un peu francais is called - il ne va pas bien (not going well).
For one thing, it doesn’t help that Ms. Stone did not like my pronunciation of the word puisses. Apparently this is not another word for the French soccer team, but a conjugation of the verb pouvoir (to be able to). Oui, je suis foutu. (Yep. I am hosed).
But I press on, as I am tres stubborn. That said, I expect to be banned from Rosetta Stone any day now…
I also mentioned that in my mailbox, along with Signor Benigni, was “the world.” Indeed it was. On this long weekend of America celebrating our independence as a nation, my independence appeared in a red, white, and blue Priority Mail envelope – also known as my passport/il mio passoporto/mon passeport.
I saw the words “…the World is Yours” on the pamphlet that is enclosed with aforementioned document, made a few insipid jokes to myself:
- “Not with MY language skills it isn’t” … or …
- “The World is Mine? Not sure I want the parts where they don’t make wine.” … or …
- “If the world WERE mine, we’d have soft Pecorino in Colorado” … or …
- You get the point.
It's like this: Life isn’t getting any longer, but the list of places to go, things to put in my mouth, surely is!
It's also like this: Ooh, bad picture - more ammo for Mr. Immigration Booth Smartass guy, “Yes, I was having a ‘shiny’ day. Now if you don’t mind, please just stamp the page with the grizzly bear so I can go act like I’m looking for luggage that we all know is still in the country (yes, the one whose stamp is on the buffalo page) with all that rockin' cheese.”
This is freedom to not just go and explore, but to think – or maybe even live – a different way for a while, if not forever. I can’t imagine living somewhere where you weren’t free to actually leave and experience other countries, ways of life – and of course foods, wines, moments with all types of interesting people in each place unique, unlike the last or the next, or the place you call ‘home.’
Given the setting of this film (Germany's occupation of Italy in the late 1930s), the timing of its arrival in my mailbox (America's Independence Day weekend) along with my third passport, of course I am reflecting on all the dimensions Freedom has taken on for me this last year. I’m grateful. I have never appreciated it - or those who have given so much of themselves, (and for some that meant everything), in the name of Freedom - more.
La vita e` bella ... veramente!
La vie est belle ... vraiment!
Life really is beautiful!
(Photo courtesy of La Vita e` Bella (1997))
Great post!!! I loved Life is Beautiful - it was funny and sad at the same time. Roberto is so expressive :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I see you got one of the new passports - my daughter got one last year, and it is so pretty (unlike my boring one which will expire in 2011, afer which I can get a pretty one as well!!)
I was fortunate enough to have gotten my dual citizenship (USA and Italy) and the Italian passport is SO cool (except for my picture, which leaves a lot to be desired!!!)
Good luck with the movies and the French (you are a brave soul to take Italian and French classes simultaneously).
Ciao e in boca al lupo :)
Grazie - e crepi! I can't believe how ingenious that film really was. Any movie that can take a serious subject, and yet still make you laugh throughout - wow. Lucky you were able to get dual-citizenship! That whole situation is still a mess for me and may not happen, but I don't think a residency visa is out of the question yet. As for the languages? Not brave - thinking stupid or stubborn - but I really am enjoying it. Thank you for reading! A dopo...
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