The strangest thing I had done was a dubbing workshop. If you've ever watched a foreign film, the very first thing you'll notice is how annoying it is that the words said and the mouths moved don't match up. In the translation, the essence of film originality is completely lost. Oh my goodness, please don't get me started - this really grinds my gears. But hey, that's someone's job to imitate that voice. All the hot-shots have people designated to be the voice of our American stars. Can you imagine how weird it would be to go around introducing yourself as the voice of Leonardo DiCaprio? What a life.
Anywhoo, I'm getting off topic. This dubbing workshop was basically watching a scene of a simple film before reading the script and repeating the story in the other language. Please picture me, official with big headphones, music stand and all, listening to English playbacks from The Aristocrats and Frankenstein Jr., stumbling over the confusion as my mother and second languages collided. It's always awkward when I'm rambling and mid-conversation an English word just slips in. By now my brain's got a "click." Skyping? Writing? Eavesdropping in the center? Debating with the Norwegian? Click into English. School? Family? Buses? Coffee shops? Mindless thinking? Click into Italian. Any translation or double dosage required leaves me all tongue-twisted and stupid.
Tuscany is characterized by its green, beautiful countryside and way with words considered to be the "real" Italian. This "real" Italian came about in early fourteenth century when Dante Alighieri wrote his epic poems (The Divine Comedy - Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso) in his native Florentine tongue. This standard Italian spread with the fame of his books and therefore this Tuscan dialect became the basis of comprehensible Italian for the all educated speakers. Ok kids, history lesson over. I heard the language difference but missed the sunshine! We chose the rainiest and coldest spring Tuscan week possible. That sounds like recipe for a cranky me but luckily I've got these kids to keep me on my feet and in good spirits.
I left home looking for an excuse to skip school (now praying my volunteers aren't dedicated blog-followers) but came home contently exhausted after trying new things, strengthening friendships and gaining yet another host family. A Romanian mother and daughter living with the Italian boyfriend welcomed me as a foreigner in familiar company; they were such sweethearts. My favorite part was listening to Carmen, the mother, speak naturally on the phone with her sister. Stefania (15 yrs. old) listened and understood with ease but continued to think in her mother language of Italian... while studying English, German and Spanish for school. I saw the beauty of two countries combining to create their naturally Romanian but by now Italian lifestyle. They've been here for twelve years; Italy is home/family/life.
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| Classroom recuperating after POURING rain |
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| Wait guys, is this the world in 3D? |
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| Host sibling #5, Stefania |
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| Thailand at his finest. |
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| Only you would ask me about "American black girl swag," Jon. |
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| Aren't you a little young to have more creativity than I, little one? |
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| That's my girrrrrl! |
So that's that. Tuscany has officially been seen and appreciated by these eyes of mine. Now, finally, I'll be taking a nice break from my travels to kick back in Bologna for a while. No complaints here, I have missed just being home and taking it easy.
Until the next time, xo.
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