Last Thursday Kala and I departed Napoli for Rome where we would continue on to Vienna the next morning.
It was crazy! I woke up in Napoli and three hours later I was standing in front of the colousium in Rome.
That was a cool experience that I had wanted to do for a long time. Seeing the Trevi fountain and eating at Hard Rock café where highlights as wellJ Not to mention getting to see Reid, Kyra and Nolyn again.
The next morning we where up early and after almost missing our train….we flew about 1.5 hours and presto! we where in Austria! Talk about culture shock! It is so European there. Clean, the people are considerate and speak English! It is so different from Italy.
We had a great week in Vienna, just enjoying the beautiful city. Highlights where: Schonbrunn palace, the Tiergarten zoo there (the oldest in the world), the Ringstrass district, carriage ride through the city, Starbucks, Sacher Torte and riding the oldest farris wheel in the world! Note that Kala gets a gold star for braving that one! So now I am pretty sure I want to move there. I definatly was not ready to leave, but alas there are things to be done back here in Naples.
We arrived here this morning and I was feeling culture shock (and quite honestly, depression) again as the train rolled into the city. I was looking out the window thinking about how different it is and I was thinking to myself, just what is it that is so different about this place other than just the surface? I started to pray about it and felt again just how dark this place is, how much it needs the hope and the light that we have in Jesus. That is why I am in Naples right now and it is my hope that my time here will help in some small way, to shine that light into the darkness.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Well. It’s now our 10th week here in Napoli. We have officially graduated from the two week course in language school and are able to understand and communicate much more efficiently… but…. The only problem now is that I can no longer speak English!
Kala and I teach ESL to 5th graders three days a week and this last week I am pretty sure that I was not teaching English any longer. Rather I was teaching “Italiash”.
Misspelling the word “cloud” was bad, but the low point was when I was trying to tell the kids how to make the word “chicken” plural. I told them “ yes, you just add ‘s to the end. Chicken’s” Oops! Kala just said um.. No. and I just laughed.
Something happened to my brain over the last few weeks while I was stuffing it full of Italian, hearing Napolitano, teaching English and speaking a combination of all three.
It has been really confusing and fun! It gives me a good insight into what it is like being the foreigner in another country. And let me tell you, it’s not easy! So next time you meet someone who is trying to speak to you in English, but are clearly not a native speaker… be kind to them! Speak slowly, clearly and encourage them! It means a lotJ
P.S. If anyone wants to teach ME English… that would be great.
Kala and I teach ESL to 5th graders three days a week and this last week I am pretty sure that I was not teaching English any longer. Rather I was teaching “Italiash”.
Misspelling the word “cloud” was bad, but the low point was when I was trying to tell the kids how to make the word “chicken” plural. I told them “ yes, you just add ‘s to the end. Chicken’s” Oops! Kala just said um.. No. and I just laughed.
Something happened to my brain over the last few weeks while I was stuffing it full of Italian, hearing Napolitano, teaching English and speaking a combination of all three.
It has been really confusing and fun! It gives me a good insight into what it is like being the foreigner in another country. And let me tell you, it’s not easy! So next time you meet someone who is trying to speak to you in English, but are clearly not a native speaker… be kind to them! Speak slowly, clearly and encourage them! It means a lotJ
P.S. If anyone wants to teach ME English… that would be great.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
“Of pasta and the Italian man”
“Ho fame!” Is the one thing that comes to mind after the bell rings at language school. Kala and I proceed to walk up Via Toledo toward the metro when I catch a glimpse of Courtney doing a lean (like the pimp that she is) against a lamp-post. So after figuring out that she was indeed waiting for us, we decided to eat lunch together. I’m thinking “ok, a nice cheep something at a tavolo caldo.” Well we decide to check-out a place across the street. So we stop, read the menu and before we have any chance to discus among ourselves, out pops the little man that most likely owns it. “Prego ragazza!” and some more words to get us in the place. So we’re like, ok, that’s fine we will just eat here. We walk in and he seats us in a very little nook in the front of the very little room that backs up to a very cute little cucina.
We all just looked at each other, unsure of what we had signed on for. I felt like I was in a home, not a restaurant. I could imagine having known the family for my whole life. Grandfather is the host and server. Grandma and the rest, down to grandson are in the kitchen cooking up pasta fagiolo (the special of the day) and any other pasta you want.
We waited a while and then suddenly “grandpa” appeared with the plate of antipasti that we where NOT expecting. It was some lovely bruschetta and fried bread. YumJ
I was now pretty excited about tasting my bowl of pasta fagiolo. It came out nice and hot with some fresh bread. This was the best pasta fagiolo ever! They kept asking us if we wanted carne or frutta or dolce, convinced that we needed more food than just two plates. We finally convinced them that it was plenty for us and eventually where allowed to pay and get on with the rest of our lives.
As we enjoyed our lunch I thought about what a great cultural experience this was. Where else would you be having a great meal, feeling surrounded by “family” and watching the workings of a family owned restaurant other than here in the heart of Italy?
It was a funny, fun experience that I hope I never forget!
“Ho fame!” Is the one thing that comes to mind after the bell rings at language school. Kala and I proceed to walk up Via Toledo toward the metro when I catch a glimpse of Courtney doing a lean (like the pimp that she is) against a lamp-post. So after figuring out that she was indeed waiting for us, we decided to eat lunch together. I’m thinking “ok, a nice cheep something at a tavolo caldo.” Well we decide to check-out a place across the street. So we stop, read the menu and before we have any chance to discus among ourselves, out pops the little man that most likely owns it. “Prego ragazza!” and some more words to get us in the place. So we’re like, ok, that’s fine we will just eat here. We walk in and he seats us in a very little nook in the front of the very little room that backs up to a very cute little cucina.
We all just looked at each other, unsure of what we had signed on for. I felt like I was in a home, not a restaurant. I could imagine having known the family for my whole life. Grandfather is the host and server. Grandma and the rest, down to grandson are in the kitchen cooking up pasta fagiolo (the special of the day) and any other pasta you want.
We waited a while and then suddenly “grandpa” appeared with the plate of antipasti that we where NOT expecting. It was some lovely bruschetta and fried bread. YumJ
I was now pretty excited about tasting my bowl of pasta fagiolo. It came out nice and hot with some fresh bread. This was the best pasta fagiolo ever! They kept asking us if we wanted carne or frutta or dolce, convinced that we needed more food than just two plates. We finally convinced them that it was plenty for us and eventually where allowed to pay and get on with the rest of our lives.
As we enjoyed our lunch I thought about what a great cultural experience this was. Where else would you be having a great meal, feeling surrounded by “family” and watching the workings of a family owned restaurant other than here in the heart of Italy?
It was a funny, fun experience that I hope I never forget!
Friday, March 12, 2010
This week Kala and I began language school! We are attending class for a two week intensive course in Italian.
We ride the metro to get down to the historic city center where the school is located, so it takes us about 30 minutes or so to get there each morning. Our schedule was intense yesterday. We got up at 6:30 am and got to the school at 8:45ish. Had a little written and verbal test before being placed in a class and starting our first lesson. I felt incredibly stupid and backwards… just being honest. So then we got out at 1pm and rushed back home to eat a quick bowl of ceriali before going to teach ESL for two hours. Needless to say that by the time we finished up at about 7:30, we where dead.
So it was hard to get out of bed this morning and think about going out into the rain. But God, being his awesome self, gave me something to rejoice about. I was reading my bible this morning and it was talking about Peter and the Gentiles. The apostles where upset with him because he had witnessed to and baptized a group of Gentiles. In “explaining” to them his actions, he simply stated: “then I remembered what the Lord had said: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think I could oppose God?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “so then God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
I may have a long long way to go with Italian and may never be able to communicate the way I want to, but my struggle is with one language. God has made a way for all people to have “repentance unto life” and the fact that that is so much more extensive than one language or even two, is awesome to me! I mean, I am SO weak, but in him I am strong, and need nothing more than the knowledge of him and a willing spirit to follow where he leads me.
We ride the metro to get down to the historic city center where the school is located, so it takes us about 30 minutes or so to get there each morning. Our schedule was intense yesterday. We got up at 6:30 am and got to the school at 8:45ish. Had a little written and verbal test before being placed in a class and starting our first lesson. I felt incredibly stupid and backwards… just being honest. So then we got out at 1pm and rushed back home to eat a quick bowl of ceriali before going to teach ESL for two hours. Needless to say that by the time we finished up at about 7:30, we where dead.
So it was hard to get out of bed this morning and think about going out into the rain. But God, being his awesome self, gave me something to rejoice about. I was reading my bible this morning and it was talking about Peter and the Gentiles. The apostles where upset with him because he had witnessed to and baptized a group of Gentiles. In “explaining” to them his actions, he simply stated: “then I remembered what the Lord had said: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think I could oppose God?” When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “so then God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
I may have a long long way to go with Italian and may never be able to communicate the way I want to, but my struggle is with one language. God has made a way for all people to have “repentance unto life” and the fact that that is so much more extensive than one language or even two, is awesome to me! I mean, I am SO weak, but in him I am strong, and need nothing more than the knowledge of him and a willing spirit to follow where he leads me.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
This week Kala and I started teaching ESL (that is, English as a second language) to 5th graders. Shannon (who is a proficient Italian speaker) has come with us for the first class with each group. That is VERY helpful! Next week Kala and I will be on our own, which is both exciting and a tad bit frightening.
We started out not sure how the parents would respond to the idea of ESL, wandering if we would get enough kids to form 2 groups…. Now we have 4!!! Each group consists of 4-6 kids. So far we have made it very successfully through two of the four.
It’s really fun. I enjoy being around the kids and seeing how they act, and think. It is fun to see their reactions to you asking them a question in English, or having them say something… “mamma mia!” is a common response! It’s great because you can see what they think and you relate, because we are on the same level as them with our Italian knowledge!
The mom’s are fantastic! They are so fun-loving and sweet. They really want to use their English words and want us to improve in Italian.
I am looking forward to building relationships and having more fun with these kids in the next few months!
We started out not sure how the parents would respond to the idea of ESL, wandering if we would get enough kids to form 2 groups…. Now we have 4!!! Each group consists of 4-6 kids. So far we have made it very successfully through two of the four.
It’s really fun. I enjoy being around the kids and seeing how they act, and think. It is fun to see their reactions to you asking them a question in English, or having them say something… “mamma mia!” is a common response! It’s great because you can see what they think and you relate, because we are on the same level as them with our Italian knowledge!
The mom’s are fantastic! They are so fun-loving and sweet. They really want to use their English words and want us to improve in Italian.
I am looking forward to building relationships and having more fun with these kids in the next few months!
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