italian language course

Italy gas many school teaching Italian language

2008-08-04T02:23:00.000-07:00

There are many language to be learn in this world but is hard to learn and speak every language. At present English and Mandarin are the most talk and write. Since I like to travel and learn about difference culture and food, I find Italy is my choice. Most people in this world knows Italy are famous for its history site, story, culture and cusine that you would not disappointed staying and learning the language.

If you like to travel, Italy is your choice, In Italy there are many school teaching foreign Italian language. Before you enroll to the school check whether the school provide rooms and transport. Any school canteen which can save you a lot of money in the long runs. Arranged a stay in a Italian family which you gives you advantage of learning their culture and language faster. The fees of the school and places the school takes to history site.

Taking up Italian language course in Italy

2008-05-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

Italian language is a beautiful language to learn and speak. If you know how to speak their language, you will find it very interesting especially to someone who can speak Italian language in your country. The best way to master their Italian language is to stay in their country. Their are many school or university where you can take up Italian language course in Italy. When you are looking for the best school in Italy to take up the Italian language course who can go to Internet online, check with friends whose has study in Italy or through magazine or the proper channels. When you first started to search for the school, know the location or places where you want to be and the most important is your budget and what the school offer to foreign and the school facilities.

Besides taking Italian language course in Italy, you can learn the culture and the peoples. Italy are famous for his long history and its ancient places. There are many history story to be told about Italy. History during the Roman time, story about Jesus Christ and god like Zeus. take a few days afternoon time at a Museum and study their culture and history.

Italy are famous for its beautiful beaches and the best Italian food. Along the pathways or roadside their are many small cafe selling the best Italian coffee and their best pasta, The pizza and cakes. Have a sip of coffee and watch the beautiful scenery and the pretty girls walking by. There are many good restaurant selling the best Italian wine if you are a wine lovers and the best steak. You will never regret taking up Italian language course in Italy.

Learning Italian language in my hometown

2008-03-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in learning an extra language in your hometown. Whether it is English, Japanese, French or Italian language. You can buy books and tape that can teach you the language but it is not the best consideration as you will not be prefect at your pronouciation will be out and it will take you more time in learning. Learning an extra is a benifit to oneself for traveling said and other reason that is best to you.

Traveling is a hobby to myself and my favorite countries is Italy. Learning Italian language in my hometown is not very easy, as Italian language is not a very favorite language in our place. There is only one place in our home town teaching Italian language by a Italian women. The fees is quite high but is worth it as Italians people take great pride in teaching their native language to non Italian. After two years under her guardian I am able to speak and write good Italian. Now I am working in a company am my job is traveling with my directors to Italy and home.

Stay in Italy and take up Italian language course.

2007-12-03T00:37:00.000-08:00

If you want to take up Italian language course, the best ways is to travel there and enrol in a Italian university. There are many place in Italy that offer to the foreign a good italian language course and other fexility. Livivg there will give more oppurtunity to master their language faster as you will be using their language everydays. There are many big school in Italy, in Rome, Florence or Venice giving best Italian language courses, accomotation and even bus arranged to historia places.

Besides the school will arranged a foster parents where you can stay with them to learn more about Italian culture, Italian foods, better understanding about the ways the live and a better way of faster speaking Italian language. Other option about staying in Italy and if you a football fan you can able to watch the game in their stadium and if you like travelling, Italy is one of the best for tourist because of its culture many historia places as italy are very famous for its many history, beautiful arts drawn by famous artist.

Italian language in Italy from a private teacher

2007-10-01T02:32:00.000-07:00

There is nothing to lose by learning another language. So I enjoy hotel and management course, teaching food, cooking and hotel management when I left a unversity in malaysia. I stated in a five star hotel as a junior executive in a food and catering section. I started to make friends with our Italian chef and give me many tips about foods. Besides he teaches me simple Italian language and I teaches him our malay language. After two years in the hotel, he left for his country and ask me to joined himand I told him that I will write to him and will let him know about my decision.

Six month passed and I make my decision to joined him, He is opening his own restaurant in Rome, selling most Italian and some Malaysian crusine. When I touch down in Rome he was there to fetch me to his house and his shop. Since I was not very good in Italian language I joined him inside the kitchen which I don't have to meet the customber. But after a few months I started to take up Italian language in Italy with a private teacher before my work time. Before one year I can able to write and speak quite good Italian language in Italy and can able to help him manage his business and also help him in front line.

After seven solid years in Italy I decided to return home to build my own business. I open a small Italian restaurant near a tourist area. I am running quite a good business as my customber are mostly tourist and some local guest but most of my guest are Italian. They like my place because I can speak Italian Language with them and also I can able to help them intresting place to go.

Take up Italian language course because of the love of Italian food

2007-07-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

Few years ago I take up Italian language cources in Italy. Due to passion for foods and wine I joined in the Apicius Art and cooking class in florence (ar Lorenzo de'Medici ) At that time the school is awarding scholarship and given offer to foreign student at a very affortable price.

In Italy I learned how to write and speak their language and in a few months we were able to talk and understand Italian language. We were giving many oppurtunines like staying with a Italian family, Speaking only Italian language in school. Since I joined the cooking class and staying with Italian family which I treated them as my mother and father I learned most of the Italian food and its taste very fast. The school took us to wine farm quite often to learn the trade of wine.

Now I am opening my own Italian crusine in my own land, The business was very good and most our regular guest like the sauce that I comes out with the food. The price of that I charge was very reasonable and cheaper than other restaurant. During dinner time we had set dinners with a soup, main course, dessert and coffee and the cost is only twenty three per set. Wine is only served at night.

Learning Italian language in Italy five years ago

2007-06-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

Five years ago my friend and myself decided to take up Italian language in Italy and also to learned the culture and the food of Italy. Before we left for Italy as a student pass, we get as many information about Italy and its people. We are so overwhelm about Italy that we decided to leave as soon as possible.

In Italy we found ourself a good school in Rome,teaching good Italian language and has many subject and courses to offer to new student. Even the school will arranged accomotation in the school or a stay with a Italian family. As we are very intreasting in food and hotel management we took up the course.

In just a few months we are able to speak their language and learned the living style of Italy. We visits many historic places and also learned the culture of Italy. During holiday seasons we will travel to as many places in Italy and our best past time area is along the beach. Now I am holding a excutive post in hotel management in a five star hotel in Malaysia.

Nothing to old in taking up Italian language course

2007-04-18T01:52:00.000-07:00

In life nothing is that you are to old to do. I had a friends who is fifty plus and a grandfather of eight grand children. He likes to travel alots and a his best vacation place is Italy. Within last years he has travel to Italy almost ten times and his live staying there is more then he stay over here. We did joke with him that he is keeping a mistress over there.

Lately he told his children and his friends that he is putting a few years stay in Rome and he is taking up a Italian language course in Italy and besides he staying with a Italian friends in Italy. He tells us that if you all wants to learn and speak Italian language just see him as he can recomment a good school for us and besides accomotation stay in Italy.

Italian language course in Rome

2007-03-12T23:45:00.000-07:00

Learning how to speak and write an extra language is advantage to oneself when ones hobby is travelling to many place of the world. Knowing how to speak their language in their country makes your life easily as you will able to know what you want and besides that you will be able to order your food in the restaurant and also go shopping or sight seening.

Last year my friend went down to Italy to take up the Italian language course, as Italian are his favourite language. He take up a year course in Rome partily for learning the language and also as a vacation. Rome has many historial place to visit and also of its beautiful restaurant and good foods. Besides you will meet new people and learned the culture of its country and peoples.

Learn Italian in Italy

2007-02-12T00:52:00.000-08:00

You can combine your love of the Italian language with an unforgettable experience in the country where the language is spoken by studying Italian in Italy! Hands-down, the best way to learn a foreign language is to live, work, or study in a native speaking environment. Studying Italian Language Course in Italy is the best possible experience you can have to learn the language.

Would you like to study and live in Florence, Rome or Venice? Or how about in a smaller, quaint town such as Pisa, Siena or Otranto? You will find a comprehensive guide to top rate Italian language schools in Italy at www.studyabroaditaly.org. Wherever you decide to study and live, the experience is incomparable to learning Italian in any other way.

When living in a foreign country you have the wonderful opportunity to both learn the local language and also use it every day, all day long. Living in Italy is much different than visiting as a tourist. Tourists can easily manage getting around by knowing a few Italian phrases and by using English. In fact, tourists frequently will have trouble trying to use or improve their Italian language skills because Italians in most tourist locations can speak English very well and are eager to do so. On the other hand, as a resident of Italy, you would have NO trouble trying to use or improve your Italian language skills because you would be continuously interacting with the native population at the supermarket, the post office, the bus stop, the small “bar” where you get your morning cappuccino, and other places that tourists don’t usually visit.

If you open yourself to learning the language as well as experiencing the culture, you will be amazed with the progress you make from day to day. There is a big difference between learning Italian in Italy and learning it in your home country. While in Italy, you will only hear the Italian language spoken around you. This will encourage you to master the language quickly, because instinctively you will not want to miss out on the conversations taking place around you. You may also want to consider the fact that even though most Italians will manage to make themselves understood in English, they will have a hard time sharing deeper thoughts and feelings in any other language than Italian. Other positive aspects of learning Italian in Italy include developing a good Italian accent (eliminating the somtimes artificial sound of Italian learned in your home country), and getting faster access to regional slang and humor. The latter is particularly important when you become friends with Italian locals, as you will have a better chance of integrating in a group if you understand the subtle nuances of the language.

Finally, the greatest advantage to learning Italian in Italy is the opportunity you will have to make new friends that will certainly last you a lifetime. By learning Italian in Italy you will enjoy a unique life experiene in a place that is much different than anywhere else, and is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see. Buon divertimento!

Learn Italian in Your Hometown

2007-02-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

Italian language course an advantage

2007-02-01T02:02:00.000-08:00

Learning an extra language is advantage to us when travelling to others country. The best parts to learned peoples language is to stay in their country where we can learned their culture, foods, the history of the country and the ways their live.

There many good reasons why going to Italy to learn Italian language or on a study vacation to take up Italian language course. In Italy there many school offer Italian language course to the foreign, provide accommodation and also arranged stay with a Italian family. With this arrangement it will make our stay enjoyable and at the same time we can understand their culture and speak their language faster.

The best of Italy is they have many historical place to visit, the well known for their best foods and wine and also beautiful beaches with young women in colourful bikini.

Scholarships

2007-01-15T23:54:00.000-08:00

James Beard scholarships are awarding culinary arts scholarships from different schools. The Apicius the Art or Cooking ar Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence, Italy is giving out full scholarships of about $3,300 for a single semester which includes Italian language course, Wine Appreciation or Restaurant Management, and three cooking courses, or a choice of an art history course over one of the cooking courses.Other culinary arts scholarships in Italy from the James Beard Scholarships include the Apicius the Culinary Institute of Florence. You can gather more facts on this by visiting the same website.

The Art Institute of Colorado offers the James Beard scholarships as well. Culinary arts scholarships are available for qualified incoming freshmen in the 21-month AAS degree in Culinary Arts or Bachelor Degree in Culinary Management. Applicants are required to have a 3.0 grade point average in high school or in their post secondary education.

For Those with a Penchant for Italian Language and Culture

2007-01-11T00:39:00.000-08:00

Spanking brand new, the Italian language center Lo Spazio in Collina (LSC) has established that Italian is indeed the new French. What sets the center apart from the other Italian language course schools in the city is its salon setting for learning. Depending on the time of your class, you’ll be served either cappuccino or sparkling Prosecco while learning the language of Armani and Prada. Driven by not only fashion but also aesthetics, lovers of Italian culture are finding that Lo Spazio in Collina, set in a cozy townhouse on 96th Street between Park and Lexington, is as close as it gets in New York City to enjoying the bella vita while learning the bella lingua.

2006-12-11T00:04:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of reasons to study a foreign language and the best place to do this is in the country where the language is spoken. That’s why a lot of people from professionals to lovers of the Italian language, from beginners to advanced levels decide each year to do a study vacation. No matter what your motivation is and if you to start to learn Italian or to improve your language skills you can discover a new and fascinating world when you learn Italian – the language of arts and fashion.
An Italian language course in Italy does not only mean to study during the vacation but to meet new people from all over the world and to get in contact with a different culture while you will also have all the possibilities to enjoy a pleasant holiday at the same time.

Since 1993 the Piccola Università Italiana offers Italian language course organized by a staff of professional native speakers in the picturesque, mediavel seaside town Tropea. The courses are recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and are given to small groups of 4-6 students. Also special courses for the hotel and tourism industry, individual crash courses in business Italian or Italian for fashion and style are possible on request. But the language course is only a part of your vacation and so the school offers a rich weekly changing cultural programme and a lot of other activities for the leisure time.

2006-11-30T21:26:00.000-08:00

I don't like to attend Italian Language Course class. It is a very hard and difficult subject for me. I am Malaysian and also a chinese people. Italian language for me is totally will killing me. But I'll tired my best to learn and study and understand more about the italian language. I also have to join class tutorial of the Italian course. Hopefully I will get a good result.

Youth Achievement Award

2006-11-16T22:54:00.000-08:00

The 13 to 17-year-olds, from Ocean Road Community Centre, have been learning the language with the help of a South Tyneside College lecturer in preparation for their trip to the Italian capital.

The students are working towards their Youth Achievement Award and have been taking part in a taster Italian language course at the centre in South Shields.
During the trip, from Friday to Sunday, the students will be visiting some of the sights, including the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps and other places of cultural interest such as the Vatican City.

Liz Stephenson, centre manager at Ocean Road CA, said: "The young people work on various projects which go towards their Youth Achievement Awards which is run through South Tyneside Youth Service.
"For their new project they have been learning about different cultures from around the world.

"They have the opportunity to go to Rome and experience the Italian culture, as well as try to speak a little Italian while they are there."
Patricia Millward, language lecturer at the college, added: "The youngsters enjoy learning Italian and are looking forward to travelling to Rome this weekend.
"The college often delivers courses at community centres in the authority and the students always enjoy the sessions and participate well."
The trip was made possible thanks to funding, part of which came from the Youth Opportunity Fund through South Tyneside's Youth Service.

2006-11-10T18:14:00.000-08:00

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage--at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.

The "Food and feasts, Italian Language and Culture" is the theme of the 6th edition of the Italian Language in the world, to be held on November 06 -12, in Luanda, promoted by the Italian Embassy in Angola.

This was announced on Tuesday by the first secretary of the Italian Embassy, Giuseppe Coppola, during a press conference in Luanda.

It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of italian language course. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

According to the official, the celebrations will include photographic expositions on the art connected to Italian food and drinks, as well as a cycle of films, among other events.

Every year the world Italian institutes promote the week of the Italian Language course with the proposal to divulge the Italian Culture.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

2006-10-30T00:07:00.000-08:00

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about italian language course? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about italian language course.

THE PRINCE OF JERSEY BorgheseIn promoting its new season of The Bachelor, ABC has been seemingly forthcoming about the background of its star, titular single guy and "Italian prince" Lorenzo Borghese. Stories about the show, which premiers tonight, have noted that Borghese actually grew up in Connecticut, and barely speaks enough Italian to order dinner at Olive Garden. Not exactly what those 25 would-be Cinderallas signed up for.
But Borghese's life story is even less fair tale-worthy than anyone has let on thus far. A member of the Borghese clan tells Radar he doesn't know of Lorenzo, who calls Rome his "second home," ever having made a pilgrimage to the Eternal City before signing on for The Bachelor. As for that charmingly self-deprecating revelation about speaking only "menu Italian," it seems producers had been hoping for a bit more authenticity: they enrolled Borghese in an intensive Berlitz Italian language course before filming began, according to the source—who adds that the family is deeply embarrassed by Lorenzo's participation in the show. (A spokesman for ABC denies knowledge of the course.)

Then there's the question of where the 34-year-old Borghese is really from. Though ABC's website claims he was born in Milan and raised in Connecticut, his parents, Princess Amanda Borghese and Prince Francesco Borghese, have lived in the tony New Jersey suburb of Short Hills since 1979, and his permanent addresses from before 2001 all list him as a resident of the Garden State. You can take the Prince out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the prince.

The information about italian language course presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about italian language course or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

The title, at least, is legit—though it doesn't translate into a castle and throne (Throw a cannolli in the Piazza San Marco and you'll hit someone with a "royal" bloodline.) Although titles haven't even been recognized in Italy since 1947, Lorenzo is certainly milking his for all it's worth. When he decided to get into the family business of cosmetics, it was with a line of doggie grooming products, including the Stinky-B-Gone odor fighting kit, the Pumpkin Patch spritz, and the After Bath Pet Robe. Its name: Royal Treatment Pet Care.

So now you know a little bit about italian language course. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

I like to talk italian with my friends

2006-10-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

Meetups are usually held in books stores, coffee shops and restaurants. As Meetups occur mid-week, on what are usually slow nights for many small businesses, Meetups often bring additional traffic and sales.

For instance, this time there were six individuals at our Italian language course Meetup. The Meetup was held at Boulevard Bread Company, an Italian bakery which also serves full gourmet meals. Among the six of us, three ate full meals and three had light snacks. All had imported Italian beverages. Altogether about $60 in additional sales were generated by this one Meetup. As the Italian language Meetup occurs on only one mid-week night each month, an addditional 16 nights are available for other Meetups at the same location. Potentially, an additional $1,000 or more in sales could be generated simply by hosting nightly Meetups at this one location.

While dozens of Meetups take place in Little Rock and much larger cities, smaller communities are largely untapped. All a small business need do to tap into the Meetup network is offer space for small gatherings. Ideally, small businesses should share some affinity with the Meetup group hosted. For example, gardeners might Meetup at a local plant nursery. Our Italian Meetup chose a bakery which carries Italian products and where the owner visits Italy twice each year.

reason why we learn italian language

2006-10-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

So what is italian language course really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about italian language course--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

You can combine your love of the Italian language with an unforgettable experience in the country where the language is spoken by studying Italian in Italy! Hands-down, the best way to learn a foreign language is to live, work, or study in a native speaking environment. Studying Italian in Italy is the best possible experience you can have to learn the language.

Why study Italian in Italy?

Reason 1
Thousands of students travel abroad each year to learn Italian language. They realize that the most effective way to learn Italian language is to learn in the country the language is spoken and may be used not only in the classroom, but all day and in the street, shops, restaurants...

Reason 2
Italy is a world leader in the culinary arts, interior design, fashion, graphic design, furniture design, etc. Those planning careers in such fields greatly benefit from knowing Italian and Italy.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Reason 3
Living in Italy can be a fantastic cultural experience. Although it can be said that Italian cannot be considered as a vehicular language, it is just as true that it cannot be relegated to a language of the past. Are you an art and culture enthusiast? Italy, the country with the highest concentration of art, history, culture, nature, good food and wine in the world, is one of the most popular vacation countries in Europe. Wherever you choose to study Italian in Italy you will find something unique: beautiful natural scenery, history, customs, delicious food, colourful festivals and warm people.

Reason 4
The Italian welcome is warm everywhere, people are friendly and all seasons are good for a visit.

If you open yourself to learning the language as well as experiencing the culture, you will be amazed with the progress you make from day to day. There is a big difference between learning Italian in Italy and learning it in your home country. While in Italy, you will only hear the Italian language spoken around you. This will encourage you to master the language quickly, because instinctively you will not want to miss out on the conversations taking place around you.

You may also want to consider the fact that even though most Italians will manage to make themselves understood in English, they will have a hard time sharing deeper thoughts and feelings in any other language than Italian. Other positive aspects of learning Italian in Italy include developing a good Italian accent (eliminating the somtimes artificial sound of Italian learned in your home country), and getting faster access to regional slang and humor. The latter is particularly important when you become friends with Italian locals, as you will have a better chance of integrating in a group if you understand the subtle nuances of the language.

Finally, the greatest advantage to learning Italian in Italy is the opportunity you will have to make new friends that will certainly last you a lifetime. By learning Italian in Italy you will enjoy a unique life experiene in a place that is much different than anywhere else, and is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see.

Those who only know one or two facts about italian language course can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here.

Its very difficult to learn italian language

2006-09-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

When you think about italian language course, what do you think of first? Which aspects of italian language course are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

It is easier to start to learn a new language than to become good at it, and almost certainly is more fun.

I’ve started to learn many new languages. French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Afrikaans to name but a few. I can’t speak them yet but I’ve started and I’ve picked up a few words and phrases that help me when I’m visiting, and equally importantly I’ve had fun doing this.

Now that we've covered those aspects of italian language course, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

For example, I’ve started to learn Italian but I haven’t learnt any Italian grammar, and when I visit Italy I’m not able to speak correctly . Now you may say this is lazy, but we all live in a world where you can hear and speak any number of languages. So my aim is just to communicate at a very basic level when I visit a country, to make an effort, to show appreciation of the language and culture. I’m not trying to talk about world politics or explain my view on life.

Students wishing to study Italian for longer periods are especially welcome at our schools and receive special care and attention from our staff, as well as benefiting from our long-term discounted prices. With this course, students profit from all the advantages of learning a language in the country where it is spoken. Through our experience in teaching the Italian language, we know that the ideal minimum stay for a course is 12 weeks. Not only you will have more confidence in your language skills, but instead of feeling like you are on holiday, you will be completely immersed in the Italian culture and way of life. Many of our long-term students are preparing to enter university or rounding off their Italian Long-Term Standard Course with the recognised AIL "Firenze" examination.

Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about italian language course. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

I like to learn italian language

2006-09-26T19:51:00.000-07:00

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Along the road wine in the Pisan Hills is created a new project named La Mia Toscana, that offers tourists solutions in fascinating itineraries. You can choose from the wine and gastronomic itineraries (Tuscan cooking classes, wine tasting and tasting of other typical products, escorted gastronomic excursions), to trekking itineraries (escorted excursions on the Tuscan hills, by foot, on mountain bike, horse-riding), cultural itineraries (escorted excursions in the discovery of medieval villages, castles and handicraft products, Italian language lessons) up to relax and comfort itineraries (with treatments at the Thermal baths) and to golfing (in combination with culture, gastronomy and art).

In October 1982 one of my friend who run a travel agent in Bali asked me to handle his clients, they were Itali an and speak a little English. That was my first time to practice my Itali an tongue. When I met them at Bali International Airport, the first question I must answer was "where is the best place to dive". With honesty actually I didn't know the answer, but I promised them for the good news the day after.

If you don't have accurate details regarding italian language course, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don't let that happen: keep reading.

I visited my friend's house and meet Bli Monyoh, a fisherm an live in Sanur the village on the southeast coast of Bali. I knew he was a good fisherm an and very smart in shooting fish, diving with his own talent using very simple dive equipment.

We talked about diving places and he told me that in order to discover most enjoyable dive, must visit 2 o 3 different places of the fascinating underwater world among the coral reefs. Mr. Bli Monyoh looked at his Balinese calendar to see a good day to go to the sea. My clients were crazy about dive.

Knowing enough about italian language course to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about italian language course, you should have nothing to worry about.

i like italian language course

2006-09-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of italian language course is certainly no exception.

You spent a fortune buying the most expensive Spanish language course that money can buy. You can’t wait to get started. All your high hopes are there, just waiting for the miracle to take place: you will finally be able to master this elusive language that for years has been haunting your mind. You will have all the time in the world to sit in front of those premium quality videos and superb exercises developed by the most authoritative experts in the field. You will be able to study at your own pace as often as you want, at any time of the day or night, comes hell or high water. Besides, those convincing testimonials you read about people who were once in your shoes and now are experts in the language cannot be wrong. You can’t help but admire all those regular Joes who became proficient in 30 days or less. You are now one step from becoming one of them. Nothing will stop you now. You are bound to succeed. The sky is the limit.

Have you ever felt like this? If so, you are not alone. Day after day thousands of Spanish learners spend fortunes in language courses that offer what we mentioned above and even more. Failure is not even a possibility. However, after trying these miraculous courses for a couple of days, weeks and some even months, you begin to wonder why it is that you are not seeing the promised results. You are doing each single exercise, sometimes even several times a day. You are repeating every single phrase and word you come across in your course, you are even making imaginary dialogues in your mind all day long. Nevertheless, you cannot communicate.

Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about italian language course? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

How come? All those people could not be wrong. There must be something wrong with you then. After all, if everyone but you succeeded, it may mean you are not cut out to learn a second language. After several unsuccessful attempts, you may start to believe the course was not that good after all. You feel down in the dumps. You have come to realize that after 30 days you do not speak the language proficiently. You have learned a few phrases though, but in spite of that, even if you had to use them you would not know when or how. Or what is someone said something a bit different from what you repeated hundreds of time. Would you be able to recognize it? What if they pronounced a bit faster or with a different intonation than those of the language course? That was good Spanish! So clear and slow that you could understand every single word the speaker said! So perfect that….no one in real life uses it…. Have you ever felt like this? If so, here you are not alone either.

What is sad is to see that in spite of this, many learners overcome their initial frustration by… buying the next Spanish course they come across. Time and again they engage in a vicious circle which yields nothing but frustration. If this describes you, I would encourage you to have a look at these suggested readings which will be the focus of our next newsletter (At the bottom of this article). These readings will provide you with some background knowledge that I feel every second language learner needs in order to make informed decisions of what can help him or her in their learning, rather than jumping blindfoldedly to buy whatever is offered to them.

Is there really any information about italian language course that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

good to learn italian language

2006-09-21T01:13:00.000-07:00

Current info about italian language course is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest italian language course info available.

Documents dating as far back as the 10th century were written in Italian, although it is believed that some form of Italian language was used in the 8th century by people who did not understand Latin. Traders and clergy might have used this language to address the people of those days.

The Italian language has evolved into many different dialects and languages throughout the centuries due to differences in politics, lack of communications and mobility, and also various culture gaps as people of different origins migrated to Italy.

Italian is one of the most widespread languages in the world, and speaking it can give you a tremendous sense of accomplishment, an edge in your career, and even a stronger bond with your ancestors if you are of Italian descent. There are many ways you can learn Italian, including textbooks, tapes, CDs, software, group classes or private lessons, but there are also ways you can begin or continue your studies of the Italian language entirely for FREE!

The information about italian language course presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about italian language course or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Learning Italian allows you to immerse yourself in a rich and diverse culture, and this can open entirely new avenues of self-exploration and personal growth. Whether you want to the Italian language for personal or professional reasons, you can make new friends, have new experiences, and open yourself to a new and beautiful culture. Buon divertimento!

Travellers to Italy will benefit tremendously if they learn key Italian words and phrases before their trip. Eating at restaurants, visiting attractions or villages, and touring local sites will be much easier for the tourist who knows what to ask and how to ask in Italian! Courses to help learn Italian phrases as well as culture and traditions in various regions are available online.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

Do you want to learn italian?

2006-09-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you'll find that the subject of italian language course is certainly no exception.

Do you want to learn italian? Everyone knows it's just the sexiest language on the planet, and the ability to speak italian is a real plus ? if you want to be chic and add a little je ne sais quoi to your life!

Well the best place to learn italian is France, of course. But if you only have a week or two free to go there, you need to get the maximum from your time here. Here are a few guidelines about how to get the most from you stay.

If you are American and you go to France to learn italian with a group of Americans, you will find that most of the time you spend in France will be spent speaking English, and not italian. I can tell you from experience that when given the choice, nearly everyone, myself included, will take the easy option. If you join of group where English is not the common language, you will have to communicate in italian, and the more you practise, the more progress you will make.

Verbs are a very important part of any language. You need to know how to conjugate the verbs depending on the subject that you are using. Below are some very useful verbs and the conjugations. Spanish verbs fall into two primary categories, regular and irregular verbs. The regular verbs are typically all conjugated in the same way every time. The irregular verbs do not conjugate in a typical way. You must memorize the irregular verbs.

See how much you can learn about italian language course when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

The infinite of the verb is the base form of the verb. In English, this is expressed by 'to'. For example, to learn, to speak, to live. In Spanish there are three main verb endings for infinitives. The verbs end in 'ar', 'er' or 'ir'. The part of the verb that is left when you remove the infinitive is called the stem.
Don't go if you are an absolute beginner. Spend a year learning vocabulary and how to ask questions. If you know anyone who speaks italian, practise with them as often as possible. That way, when you arrive in France to learn italian, you will already have a solid foundation on which to build.

italian grammar is hard. But studying grammar is not the best, or the fastest way to learn a language. The ideal language course will get you involved in living the language, through role-plays, discussions, and games. Ask the school about what's on the syllabus, and try to find out a little about the teachers. If they are all academic types with only a teaching background, the course might be a little dry. But many teachers of italian as a foreign language still have an adventuring spirit, and have taught abroad. These ones will have plenty of interesting ideas to get you talking.

That's the latest from the italian language course authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

the most difficult thing regarding leaning a foreign language

2006-09-18T00:39:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for some inside information on italian language course? Here's an up-to-date report from italian language course experts who should know.

What makes one language harder or easier to learn than another? Unfortunately, there is no one simple answer. There are some languages which have a number of characteristics that make them relatively difficult to learn. But it depends much more on what languages you already know, particularly your native language, the one (or ones) you grew up speaking.

Your native language The language you were surrounded with as you grew up (or languages, for those lucky enough to grow up speaking more than one language) is the most influential factor on how you learn other languages. Languages that share some of the qualities and characteristics of your native English will be easier to learn. Languages that have very little in common with your native English will be much harder. Most languages will fall somewhere in the middle.

Most foreign languages can actually be easier to learn than English, as the English language has lots of weird rules that are not found in other tongues. Obviously native speakers are somewhat oblivious to these rules, but non-native speakers will soon tell you that say Thai was easier to lean than English for example.

Remember, the most difficult thing regarding leaning a foreign language is getting started. Once you make a start, be it in school, online, or a home study course, all you need to do is adopt a little patience and persistence, and you'll be amazed before you're half way through. Keeping it simple is also imperative. It's far too easy to stray away from what's in front of you and go off on tangents in a bid to research things outside of your immediate lesson.

It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of italian language course. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

To learn foreign languages can be great fun. It doesn't matter what language it is, there are some basic things that all languages have in common. I'll put them below for your reference, and maybe they will help you to keep things uncomplicated when starting your new course.

This goes both ways. Although it is a stretch to say that English is harder than Chinese, it is safe to say the native Chinese speaker probably has nearly as hard a time to learn English as the native English speaker has when learning Chinese. If you are studying Chinese right now, that's probably little consolation to you.

Related languages Learning a language closely related to your native language, or another that you already speak, is much easier than learning a completely alien one. Related languages share many characteristics and this tends to make them easier to learn as there are less new concepts to deal with.

Since English is a Germanic language, Dutch, German and the Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish) are all closely related and thus, easier to learn than an unrelated tongue. Some other languages related in some way to English are Spanish, Italian and French, the more distant Irish and Welsh and even Russian, Greek, Hindi and Urdu, Farsi (of Iran) and Pashto (of Afghanistan).

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about italian language course.

learn more about italian language course.

2006-09-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

The following article presents the very latest information on italian language course. If you have a particular interest in italian language course, then this informative article is required reading.

I studied the tongue-twisting language. I first learned about the language's history and background before taking on French classes. I made my own research and lots of reading about the language and discovered so much about it. French is apparently the mother tongue of about 120 million in different countries. It is the third largest of the Romance languages in terms of after Spanish and Portuguese. As a Romance language, it is an offspring of the Latin language and with much influence from the ancient Greek language. I was so surprised to discover that French is actually an official language of 30 countries. Not only that, French is also an official or administrative language in several communities and international organizations such as the European Union, International Olympic Committee, World Trade Organization, NATO, FINA, FIA, UCI, FIFA, World Anti-Doping Agency, United Nations, and the African Union. Even the International Court of Justice, IHO, International Secretariat for Water, International

Political Science Association, International Bureau of Weights and Measures, European Broadcasting Union, ESA, Universal Postal Union, and the Interpol are apparently using French as their official business language.

Italian literature also brings this kind of fervent passion to paper. From poetry to novels the Italian language has been used to great effect in conveying feelings of love.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole italian language course story from informed sources.

But probably the biggest reason why the Italian language has such a strong association with love is the country itself. Italy is such a romantic place that millions of honeymooners, couples and married folk go to the country to soak up the fabled romantic ambience of Italy. There are so many things that couples do in Italy that have become synonymous with romance and love – riding a gondola through Italy’s canals, wine tasting in the countryside, having coffee al fresco, and even walking through Italy’s narrow cobblestone streets.

With all of these reasons it is no wonder the moment you hear someone speak Italian the first thing that comes to your mind is love and romance.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about italian language course.

Learn Italian in Your Hometown

2006-09-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in learning the Italian language right in your own hometown? There are several options that you can explore to find the Italian classes that are just perfect for you! First, you should consider whether you would you enjoy the interaction that takes place among students in group classes, or if you would prefer the one-on-one attention of a private instructor.

1. Group classes at community colleges: One way to learn Italian in your hometown is to find a community college that offers Italian classes in your area. The internet can be an invaluable resource and with a few clicks of the mouse you can identify exactly where there are Italian language courses available. For example, if you live in the U.S. you can go to www.community-college.org, where you will find a complete directory of all of the community colleges throughout the country. Many of them offer evening or even online classes! Simply pick the college or colleges that can be found near you and check out their curriculum.

2. Group classes at a private school or institution: Another approach would be to find an independent language school where you can take group lessons. Do you have a Berlitz near you? How about an Inlingua Center? A great way to find the best schools in your area is to talk with people in the Italian community where you live! Many Italian communities even have websites that link to valuable resources. For example, you can find out about the Italian community in Washington, DC at www.italcultusa.org, in New York at www.italcultny.org, in Chicago at www.iicch.org, in Los Angeles at www.iicusa.org or in San Francisco at www.sfiic.org. You can find an Italian community near you simply by going to www.google.com and typing in “Italian community in (Your Hometown).”

3. Private lessons: Not convinced that college classes or group lessons are for you? While group classes are more interactive and dynamic, you get less of the teacher’s attention. So, how about taking private classes? There are many ways to find a good instructor. For example, you could post a free “in search of Italian instructor” ad at Craigslist - www.craigslist.org - if you live in an area that the site serves. Or, you could place an ad for free in a local newspaper or journal.

4. Watch TV: If you have cable, is there a station broadcast in the language you’re interested in? Many metro areas carry programming in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese. Even Chinese and Hindi are available in some regions. Check with your cable supplier or programming guides to see what’s listed. Programs to watch are the news, soap operas and documentaries. Have a VCR? Tape a couple of programs and play them over and over to accustom yourself to the flow of the language. Many VCR models have slow-motion and stop-action features allowing you to slow down the program to aid your understanding.

5. Listen to Music: In Japan, English students karaoke the Beatles. In Latin America, students mimic Bruce Springsteen. In Africa, the Backstreet Boys rule the airwaves. Lip-syncing popular songs is all the rage for English language learners, so why don’t you turn the tables and use it to your advantage. Check at music shops and bookstores for song CDs and tapes. Ask around for recommendations on where recordings in your target language might be available. Ethnic restaurants and shops are another good source for music or referrals. Lyrics to literally thousands of songs are available online. Songs are frequently available online in many major languages. Check the local library. The internet will yield hordes of song titles and stations worldwide in dozens of languages. A good online source for starters is www.live365.com which has live global feeds 24 hours a day in multiple languages.

6. Read: Stop at the library for a grammar book and some reading material. The grammar book will be an infrequent guide through those rough spots when the target language grammar differs substantially from English. But don’t overburden yourself with grammar and rules. A copious variety of entertaining magazines exists in most major languages and unless you’re learning Cochimi or Kukapa, you should be able to find something. A newspaper, general interest magazine, the bible, brochures, even comics can help you along. Short articles are best at first. Although you can wade through one or more of those in a matter of minutes, your personal satisfaction at doing so will be boundless. Try www.amazon.com for hard-to-find titles.

You can’t pick your family; but you can pick your friends and you can pick conversations with native speakers of your target language. In the supermarket, in the mall, in the park, a restaurant or a convenience store – almost anywhere you happen to meet or run into a native speaker of your new lingua franca, don’t just stay there mum – say something. People are generally flattered that you’re trying to meet them on their own terms or in their own language and are usually more than happy to chat. Surely, you can say “Buenos Tardes” to someone passing down the aisle in the supermarket. It’s also great practice for breaking the ice when you finally light out for foreign soil.

These quick tricks in conjunction with a short language course will make your language-learning efforts less painless, more interesting, more pleasurable and much easier. Try to do something each and every day. Just think how green with envy your friends are all going to be - and start packing your bags.

Italian language course: Our community

2006-09-08T01:54:00.000-07:00

UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITY
Solidarity rally at JCC

The United Jewish Community of York shows its support of Israel at an Israel Solidarity Rally at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the York Jewish Community Center, 2000 Hollywood Drive.
Scheduled speakers include U.S. Rep. Todd Platts, R-York County; Lise Levin, president of the Jewish Community of York; and keynote speaker, Elliot P. Chodoff, a political and military analyst specializing in the Middle East conflict and the global war on terror.

Chodoff is a graduate of the Ramaz School in New York. He received a B.A. with honors in sociology as well as a B.S. in biological science from SUNY at Stony Brook and an M.A. in sociology from the University of Chicago. He is currently writing a Ph.D. dissertation in political science at the University of Haifa on the strategies of Palestinian terrorist organizations. His specialties include military, political, and organizational sociology, international terrorism, social change and conflict.

The United Jewish Community of York is made up of the following Jewish agencies serving the York County area: Jewish Family Services of York, Ohev Sholom Congregation, Temple Beth Israel and the York Jewish Community Center.
SONS OF ITALY
Showcase organization
The Sons of Italy will be showcasing their organization at the Business Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Markets of Shrewsbury (12025 Susquehanna Trail -- between exits 4 & 8 off Interstate 83).

First established in 1905 as a mutual aid society of early Italian immigrants, Order Sons of Italy in America has as its mission preserving Italian American traditions, culture, history and heritage, encouraging the study of Italian language course and culture in American schools and universities, and fighting racism, prejudice, and stereotyping of all races. In addition, each lodge works to raise funds for medical research, cultural preservation, disaster relief, scholarships and other projects. To date the Sons of Italy Foundation has raised more than $93 million in aid.

The chapter welcomes anyone of Italian descent (men, women and children) and spouses.

Dinner meetings are generally held at 7 p.m. the last Tuesday of every month at St. John the Baptist Church (Old Church) in New Freedom.

For more information, contact lodge president Joe Colamarino at (717) 235-7266.
COMMUNITIES THAT CARE
Seek variety show talent
The York Suburban Communities That Care Alliance is looking for talented students and community members to perform in its second annual variety show at 6 p.m. Nov. 18 at York Suburban High School.

The variety show will feature acts from students, teachers, school administrators and local community members. All members of the York Suburban community are invited to audition.

Zarfos Furniture Store is this year's event sponsor. Proceeds from the show will benefit the alliance's efforts in the York Suburban School District, including the Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentoring program, drug- and alcohol-free events, student boards, LifeSkills health curricula, school violence prevention program, presentation of the "Bang, Bang, You're Dead" play and counseling services and violence assessments for at-risk students.

The 2005 variety show raised more than $5,000 for the York Suburban CTC Alliance. Registration information is available on the alliance's Web site, www.ysctc.org, or by calling Emily Bates at (717) 845-5850. Registration forms are due by Sept. 29.
YORK TWINNING
Promotes statue
The first exchange between France and the United States will be the subject of the next meeting of the York Twinning Association. The group is joining with others in supporting the erection of a statue to the Marquis de Lafayette in downtown York.

Organizer H. Lowell Davis will tell of the plans, and sculptor Lorann Jacobs will describe her work, to be placed near the Gates House and Plough Tavern.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Country Meadows Leader Heights, 2760 Pine Grove Road, York. For details or directions email yorktwinning@juno.com.

Italian language course: Foreign languages in primary schools

2006-09-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

Maltese society is fast turning into a multi-cultural society. As educators, we are fully aware of this from the situations we face every day in our classrooms.

We also know that young children are able to communicate easily in three of four languages. These children may not necessarily be of secondary school age. Primary schoolchildren might not have mastered the four linguistic skills (listening, understanding, reading and writing), but they may still have plurilingual competence.

This year, Year 3 pupils (seven-year-olds) at Achille Ferris Primary School, Msida, put up a performance during Prize Day in which they sang in Italian. In Cinquanta Special, a young boy and girl yearn for the summer holidays when they can be free to go on their Vespa. Besides providing them with hassle-free parking, this stylish mode of getting around the city is fun and gives them freedom.

Besides exposing the children to the foreign language, the popular tune of this Italian song provided them with cultural conceptions. Lunapop, which was so popular in the Sixties, was brought again to life in the newly refurbished school hall. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all - children and adults.

The representation was dolce and noisy at the same time. The loud Vespe was the best guide for the young pupils to get them to know about the Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum of Rome. These were vividly painted as a backdrop by Mr and Mrs Manicolo whose children attend the school.

Teachers and facilitators of Year 3 classes - Ms M.R. Zammit, Ms M. Farrugia, Ms J. Mariani and Ms V. Farrugia - worked very hard to make the young children aware of the European linguistic and cultural diversity. Besides becoming acquainted with Italian language course and culture, they experienced different situations and domains of communication, including awareness about democratic citizenship.

In July's Inset courses, a seminar on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages was held for teachers of French. In November 2001, a European Union Council Resolution recommended the use of this Council of Europe instrument to set up systems of validation of language competences.

The next step forward is the teaching of foreign languages in primary schools. It is a fact that English has become a foreign language instead of a second language as it should really be. However, exposing them to other stimulating experiences in either French or Italian could be beneficial.

Year 3 pupils at Achille Ferris Msida Primary School did this wholeheartedly. Their parents were very proud of them, and the staff and education authorities present, were prouder still!

Italian language course: Exploring and learning the language of love and romance

2006-09-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

Exploring and learning the language of love and romance
Teaching and learning of Italian revived at Laurier Senior High School

Editor's note: This is the sixth in a series of articles on education published by the Courrier Laval Weekly News in the interest of providing useful information to Laval families with school-age children.

While Italian has long been acknowledged as an important language for college and university students in the study of literature, music, theatre, history and much more, it has also in our times become increasingly useful in planning careers in professions related to Italy's influential role in today's global community.

Italy can justifiably boast of possessing one of the world's top economies and is a leading member of the G8 group of the wealthiest democracies on the planet. Not surprising that American, Canadian and other world-wide multi-national companies have offices in Italy.

All this to illustrate that multilingual candidates are in increasingly higher demand by employers world-wide.

Closer to home

Laval's Laurier Senior High School, of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, is extending a unique educational opportunity to its students to study the Italian language course.

Although the school did offer Italian in the 1970s when it was known as Laval Catholic High School, it has been more than 25 years since the opportunity to learn a language other than French or English was last offered to the student clientele.

In this latest revival of the teaching and learning of Italian, classes will focus on a comprehensive approach that will enable students to read, write, and speak the language while simultaneously gaining knowledge of Italian culture and history.

Classes will be conducted in Italian, with a minimum amount of English to be used at the very beginning for needed support. Students will be encouraged, motivated and trained to conceptualize in Italian rather than fall into the stifling trap of translating or substituting words.

A comprehensive application of grammatical and syntactical functions will be employed by the students in both their written and conversational exploration of the language.

Stepping up

The students of the Laurier Senior High School Italian course will be guided step-by-step from basic to advanced usage, in the process savouring 'slices' of Italy through a taste of cultural aspects, language and contemporary daily life.
Of course, the pleasure of the Italian language will be stressed, whereby the learning of it will be achieved in a most enjoyable and congenial atmosphere.

Italy is a painting of love, and I'm certain that the young people who'll take the course will love this new adventure into Dante's language of romance.

Tantissimi auguri a Laurier Senior High School e a Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board per questo bel gesto. A presto! Ciao a tutti!

Italian language course: Plan your free time, experts say

2006-08-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

August 10 2006 at 01:04PM

By Britta Schmeis

Cologne - It's nearly home time and a question arises: What to do with valuable free time?

While some people spend their time pursuing activities, others are quite happy to use the evening hours taking care of ordinary tasks or sit in front of the television. There's not much cost involved in the latter two options. This is a challenge for marketing strategists who have long recognised that when it comes to recreational activities, simplicity is the way to go.

"Often what's missing is a desire to have a hobby more than the time to have one. Or the ability to take time for oneself," said professor Henning Allmer, a psychologist specialising in leisure issues at the German sports academy in Cologne. In addition it's accepted in the society to be constantly under stress. But that's no key to happiness.

Shut down the issues of the day
"The longer a person has denied himself or herself some relaxation, the more difficult it becomes to relax at some time," Allmer said.

Relaxation doesn't happen by itself at the end of the work day. Author Tania Konnerth of Zernien says many people try desperately to leave their work, although the stress of the day is still with them after hours. She recommends taking a bit of time to really shut down the issues of the day. The best way to do that is to write out all frustrations, all the important things and all the lovely things that occurred during the day.

Imagination and setting appointments are already the keys to fulfilling evening hours, according to experts.

"Someone who cannot bring themselves to do sports, meet friends or take an Italian language course should imagine how pleased and satisfied he would be afterward," said Lothar Seiwert, who coaches people on how to best use their time and is co-author of the best-selling book Simplify Your Life.

There are some people who can take their sports clothes with them to work or who set firm appointments with friends to ensure they spend their free time constructively. It's best to create an incentive to place the activity directly on one's calendar, Allmer said.

Time management programme
Then there's the excuse of burdensome chores such as cleaning and shopping. Time management expert Seiwert encourages people to give themselves the necessary push. Make a plan to do those kinds of tasks for an hour and afterward do what you like to do, he said.

Seiwert considers a commitment to doing something for oneself part of a clear time management programme. For example, he says when someone simply wants to stay home and read a book, he or she should make a date to do that, almost like signing a contract.

However, free-time experts warn people about activities.

"Everyone has to find out for himself what activity brings the most relaxation," Allmer said.

Some are into jogging; others are better off taking up yoga. And it's important to keep priorities clearly defined. "It's okay to hang out or watch television," Konnerth said. But it's important to enjoy whatever the activity is and not have a bad conscience later about having wasted time. - Sapa-dpa

Italian language course: The punter's guide to Oxbridge

2006-08-09T02:04:00.000-07:00

Picnics, parasols and gentle inebriation — could there be a more glorious way to while away a summer’s day, asks Chris Haslam

Is there any more quintessential English summertime experience — apart from losing the World Cup and being stuck behind a caravan — than going for a lazy punt along Albion’s limpid rivers? Does anything evoke poetic cliché quite as effortlessly as gliding gracefully through England’s green and pleasant land, towards Grantchester, where stands the church clock at ten to three and where there’s honey still for tea? Doesn’t the very mention of a punting trip suggest pretty girls in summer frocks, exquisite picnics in wicker baskets and man’s noble struggle with the most impractical, obstreperous river craft ever invented?

Conceived on the Thames, adopted by the Fens and accepted by both Oxford and Cambridge as the smart way to travel, the humble punt was all the rage at the turn of the century, and these days, unless you’re splitting the atom or discovering DNA, punting is still pretty much the best way to spend your time in either city.

In Cambridge, the obvious choice is to set off from the Mill Pond, for what would seem to be a perfectly sensible punt past the architectural splendours of the Backs.

This, however, would be a stupid punt, for on sunny summer days this stretch of the Cam resembles something between the Styx and the Mekong Delta circa 1974, with boatloads of inept Japanese tourists, hysterical Italian language course -school students and shaven-headed Engerlanders battling it out, beam-to-beam, beneath the spires of King’s College chapel. The end of a punt is known as a huff and the bit beneath is known as the swim — try to navigate the Backs and you’ll find out why.

In Cambridge, all the best people go the other way: far from the madding crowds, towards the pastoral serenity of Grantchester Meadows. Scudamore’s has been renting punts on the Cam since 1910 and “those in the know,” says manager Rod Ingersent, “have always gone upstream”.

Punting reached its peak in popularity in the years before the first world war, by which time the rival university cities had developed their own distinctive styles. While Oxonians poled from within the punt, Cambridge punted from the deck, a practice reputed to have been initiated by the saucy ladies of Girton College in order to show off their shapely ankles. Risqué then, it’s risky now as you try to balance on a narrow platform that’s slippery when wet and just inches above the water.

Experienced punters hang 10 from one side, tilting the punt to create a keel and thus ply a straighter course, but beginners, says Rod, are best off playing safe. He hands me a 16ft spruce pole with a twin-tined spike on the business end. Aluminium has largely replaced wood, but we all know what’s best. “Let the pole slip through your hands until it touches the bottom, then thrust away,” he advises. “Give it a little twist before pulling it out and steer by swinging the pole like a rudder. One more thing,” he adds, looking at me like I’m the man most likely, “if it sticks in the mud, don’t hold on.”

Sound advice, but what Rod doesn’t know is that I’m no novice. I courted my wife on the Cam and I’m in full agreement with Dorothy L Sayers’s assertion that: “It is better to punt than to be punted, and a desire to have fun is nine-tenths of the law of chivalry.”

First fun on the Grantchester stretch is to be had at the Crusoe Bridge, a footbridge linking Sheep’s Green and Coe Fen. Lesser punters will duck beneath the low steel span, but the real challenge is to climb up and over, dropping back into your punt as it passes beneath. Get it wrong and you get wet, but you’ve one more chance to master the ancient art of bridge-hopping at the Coe Fen bridge, where grimy urchins from the Arbury Estate sometimes gather to hamper your attempt. Moor up nearby to drip-dry and they could also make an attempt on your hamper, so it’s best to keep going.

From here you enter the gentle Cambridgeshire countryside, poling past fields of intelligent-looking cows and the dreadlocked fronds of weeping willows. Electric-blue damselflies zoom across the green water, while ugly ducklings paddle out of your path, their hissing and sighing echoing the smug superiority of the undergraduates employed as chauffeurs by those too lazy, or too American, to pole their own punts.

At the site of the old open-air pool the river bed is paved, but elsewhere the mud sucks at the pole, trying to drag you down like a malevolent mermaid. By now you are far from the colleges and the punt will exploit little-known laws of physics to make sudden changes of direction, swinging wildly towards bramble patches on the banks or making minute course adjustments to bring overhanging branches sweeping over the heads of your passengers and into contact with your backside as you bend to drag the pole from its bed.

The trick is to remain calm, retain your sense of humour and above all to impress upon your companions that you are entirely in control. Their obligations, in return, are to offer useless advice and feeble nautical jokes and to make the champagne go further by drinking it while you’re punting.

Your reward comes at Grantchester Meadows, where you could lunch on deckchairs at the gorgeous Orchard Tea Garden, but you really should lay out the blankets and a picnic. And, by long-standing tradition, that picnic can only come from the famous Cambridge bakery Fitzbillies. The secret is to call proprietor Penny Thomson, tell her how many are in your party and let her do the rest. A squadron of Spitfires roared overhead as I sprawled in the shade of a spreading chestnut tree, feasting on gourmet sandwiches, exquisite patisserie and Fitzbillies’ world-famous chelsea buns, and sipping chilled champagne from glass flutes. Except the champagne was all gone.

Oxford offers the punter an altogether different experience. Whereas the upper reaches of the Cam are awash with the likes of Michael Portillo and Jeffrey Archer, as well as the sort of people you see on stage at the Nobel prize ceremony, the Cherwell attracts an altogether more laid-back crowd. Of course, if you follow the tourist trail to Magdalen Bridge and the River Isis, you’ll meet the same language students, Japanese tourists and lagered-up yobs you last encountered on the Cam, but head out of the city to the delightful Cherwell Boathouse, where Roger Forster rents punts for £14 an hour, and all is peace and tranquillity.

“There’s no prior booking, no time limit and rarely more than an hour’s wait,” says Roger. “Upstream will take you to the pub,” — a sign warns customers that punts abandoned at the boozer will incur a hefty recovery fee — “and downstream will take you to Parsons Pleasure,” a patch of the university parks once favoured by Oxford dons as a nude sunbathing spot. Legend recalls how a number of naked academics were once caught napping by a puntload of passing ladies. As the dons hastened to cover their poles, one of the assembly chose instead to hide his countenance, explaining to his colleagues that: "In this town, gentlemen, I am known by my face.”

While the Isis in Oxford city centre is a nightmare of mass tourism, the upstream stretch of the Cherwell as far as the Victoria Arms is dreamily bucolic. Picnics can be ordered from Taylors Deli in St Giles, but my advice is to eschew the riverine dining and eat early instead at the splendid Cherwell Boathouse. This airy riverside restaurant, next-door to the boathouse, offers dinner for £24.50 — maybe grilled devilled herring on toast, a main of rump beef, and cherry soup with dandelion-and-burdock cream for dessert. The wine list offers magnums of Bollinger for £150, and if you split that between the five friends who stiffed you on the Cam, it’ll cost them just £30 each to make proper amends.

Italian language course: Learn Italian and Spanish

2006-08-08T00:11:00.000-07:00

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is offering customised language courses to help people adapt to changing work environments and lifestyles.

Students and professionals in sectors such as travel, tourism, BPOs and other services could pick up Italian and Spanish through these courses.

Officials say that they work in coordination with Italian universities.

The Italian Language course starts on July 19 while Spanish classes will begin from July 8. For details, contact 044 - 28242399 or 28242397.

Italian language course: Learn to speak to Italian

2006-08-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

It's not too late to learn to speak Italian in just one week. With our superb 9-disc allTalk course created by Linguaphone, possibly the most well known and recognised language specialists, learning a language has never been easier. With the allTalk Italian language course, there’s no reading, no writing and no effort. Simply listen and learn whilst in your car, relaxing at home or at the gym.

How it Works

Send five of the separate tokens we've printed and we will send the complete 9 disc course to your home (£5.99 P&P payable). And as a bonus gift you’ll also receive a handy phrase book – perfect for Summer holidays or city breaks to one of Italy’s fabulous cities or resorts.

OR you can DOWNLOAD the entire course to your computer or MP3 player. For the really simple instructions on how this can be done you will need five of the download passwords we have printed each day in the Mail. For a the step-by-step guide and to sign up click here

If you have already started downloading and want to download the next part of this great collection click here

For any enquiries relating to promotions running in our newspapers, please email promotion@careline-services.co.uk or telephone Freephone 0800 010111 and ask for Careline.

Have your Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday delivered to your door

If you are missing any of the 9 Italian discs and would like to claim them individually you can do so by calling 0906 7302305. Calls cost £1 per minute from a BT landline and should last no longer than two minutes, call costs from other networks may apply. Only one disc can be offered per phone call.

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Italian language course: Never heard of Istria? Well, you will

2006-08-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

By Charles Leocha

Driving south from Trieste, Italy, the first corner of Croatia you encounter is the triangular peninsula called Istria. On my last trip, I never made it any farther. Now being touted as the “new Tuscany,” Istria has in fact long been noted for its beautiful Adriatic coast, lush forests, olive groves, vineyards and offshore islands.

Long a part of the Roman Empire and Italy, Istria has more recently acquired an overlay of Austrian and Slavic influences that have done little to change the essentially Italian character of the region. The landscape is one of vineyards, olive groves and Venetian-style church towers; its kitchens offer pasta and pizza; and Italian is spoken almost as readily as Croatian.

The recent history is a little convoluted. After World War I, Italy wrested control of the region from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had governed it for more than 100 years. After World War II, Tito claimed it for Yugoslavia; at that time, a determined effort was made to stamp out the Italian language and culture. After Tito’s death, in the late 1980s, Croatia broke away from Yugoslavia, taking Istria with it. In the ensuing war with Serbia, Istria was spared destruction and much of the old, Italian character resurfaced.

Recently, Istria has regained its tourism footing. Its 150-mile coastline is packed with Germans, Austrians, Slovenians and Italians from June through September, the region’s high season. It is easy to get to. Hydrofoils cross the Adriatic Sea from Venice in about an hour and a half, and most of the region is within a 90-minute drive of Trieste. Croatia Air connects Pula, at the southern tip of the peninsula, with many European capitals as well.

Magazine articles and guidebooks often give the impression that prices in Croatia are low, but Istria cannot be considered a cheap vacation. It does cost less than Italy or Austria, and it is far more rustic, especially in the interior. The best bets for bargains are private rooms away from the coast, especially in the off-season, when prices drop dramatically (sometimes more than 50 percent). Summer is too crowded, anyway, but May and October are perfect.

Italian language course: Courses at DU

2006-07-31T00:49:00.000-07:00

Sonia Sarkar
[ 28 Jul, 2006 0346hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: What the most sought-after courses — B Com (H) or economics (H) cannot offer you, a BA (H) in Spanish and Italian can. Well, it can at least fetch you a Rs 4.78-lakh per-annum package and a prestigious position in an IT firm.

The course is being offered to a DU student this year, thus attracting more foreign language aspirants especially the 90 percenters in the department of German and Romance Studies, which has already overshot its admissions.

Japanese and Chinese too are the hot favourites this season as these languages can also offer you a handsome salary of Rs 30,000-35,000 per month as language interpreters and translators in MNCs.

"We have got a large number of enrolments in Italian language course followed by Spanish for the forthcoming academic year. Even though we have 25 seats allotted for each language, we have overshot admissions for these two.

And it is no more a popular course only among the low percenters as most of the applicants have scored 90 and above in the Class XII exams," said Satvir Solanki, an official at the department of Germanic and Romance Studies (GRS), DU, which also offers BA (H) courses in French and German, which are comparatively less popular among the admission-seekers.

He added: "Students in BA (H) in Italian are getting pricey offers as the highest pay package of Rs 4.78 per annum has been offered by Wipro this year and similar offers from other reputed IT firms like Infosys and HP with a salary package of Rs 3.8-4.2 lakh per annum for these two languages have flooded the department."

Even though the East-Asian language have not scored over the two European ones the popularity of Japanese is no less in campus as handsome packages for the posts of junior executives and translators are in plenty for students pursuing it.

"The highest offer was Rs 35,000 per month from Golman Sachs to a student pursuing the Japanese language, this year. Even IT firms like Oracle, Satyam, TCS and companies who deal in finance like American Express have also come up with good offers," said Rajiv Ranjan, senior lecturer and placement co-ordinator, department of East Asian Studies, DU.

The department, though, doesn't offer three-year BA (H) in foreign languages but conducts part-time courses. "Our students are mostly BA or B Com or IT graduates who like to pursue an additional diploma in foreign language.

Thus the companies also look at the dual degrees while hiring them," Ranjan added. Besides a white collar job in the MNCs, such students are also working as tourist guides and the income here is no less.

"Travel agents contact us guiding foreigners. We get around Rs 1,000 per day for a group of five while it is Rs 1,500-2,000 per day for a bigger group.

For a trip to Agra or Jaipur, we charge around Rs 2,500 per day," said Jatin Kapur , a second-year student in Chinese language.

Italian language course: UNIVERSITY FOR FOREIGNERS: HONORARY DEGREE FOR MICHAELLE JEAN

2006-07-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

UNIVERSITY FOR FOREIGNERS: HONORARY DEGREE FOR MICHAELLE JEAN
(AGI) - Perugia, July 20 - Michaelle Jean, Head of State of Canada, well-known journalist, ex-student of the University for Foreigners, receives the honorary degree in "Communication systems in international relations" tomorrow in Perugia. The recognition, on the occasion of the university's 80th anniversary and the inauguration of the new academic year, will be awarded by rector Stefania Giannini. President of the language faculty Roberto Fedi will give a presentation on the reasons of handing the honorary degree to Michaelle Jean. Jean came to Perugia in 1982 to further improve her knowledge of the Italian language course, continuing her studies of Italian in Florence and the University Cattolica of Milan. From 1982 to 1984 she taught Italian at the University of Montreal. She has been Head of State of Canada for seven years now. Michaelle Jean has come to Perugia together with many other ex-students of the University for Foreigners for a gathering that will take place on July 22 and 23. On the 22th, during the Testimony of the ex-students, the Head of State will give a speech.
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201112 LUG 06
COPYRIGHTS 2002-2006 AGI S.p.A.

Italian language course: SA's BIG WEDDING

2006-07-18T01:51:00.000-07:00

By Adelaide (Confidential)
15jul06
HE may be the South Australian Premier, but this afternoon he is simply Mike, who is marrying his long-term partner Sasha. While there will be dignitaries and celebrities galore in the audience, there will be no standing on ceremony.

"They'll be just Mike and Sasha," said a friend, who did not wish to be identified.

"It's all about them as a couple, not him as the Premier."

Simple, elegant and intimate are the overriding themes of the nuptials.

Sasha has been described as the perfect bride by everyone contacted by (Confidential).

"If only everyone was like her," says National Wine Centre sales and marketing manager Susan Hall.

It seems some are trying to be just like her, and her new hubby - not only has the Wine Centre seen increased inquiries from engaged couples, but some have even asked to have the same menu as Mike and Sasha.

Sasha is intent on making the wedding and reception an intimate affair. They will dance a bridal waltz, but Sasha has kept her song of choice secret from her new hubby.

There will be five speeches at the reception - one from Mike's son and groomsman David, one each from the newlyweds, one from Sasha's sister and maid-of-honour Nadia Carruozzo, and then another from her long-time friend, Brigitte Conway.

Oddly, the vice regal notes which will appear in Monday's Advertiser, names the bride as "Patrizia Sasha Carruozzo" - seems the lass goes by her middle name.

Simple ceremony - to beat the rain

NO time for a quick nap during the nuptials, the ceremony will only go for 15 minutes. A celebrant will conduct the service which will be simple and to the point, though security guards will be on hand to keep out any unwanted well-wishers.

Because of the likelihood of rain, a purpose-built marquee will provide cover for guests.

The new husband and wife will pose for photos for the media with their wedding party.

Botanic Garden marketing manager Andrew Beare says the pair paid the usual $470 to secure a ceremony spot.

"Even though we've tried to offer additional assistance, they have been most insistent that they be treated like anyone else," Andrew says.

As for the rings that will be a dazzling part of the nuptials?

Sasha already has a diamond engagement ring from Gerard McCabe Jewellers, which she picked out herself last July. (The Adelaide Arcade store also was behind the ring for Adelaide MP Chloe Fox, who is set to wed fellow MP Leon Bignell.)

And the actual wedding rings?

Grahams Jewellers executive director Emma Lardner says any ring purchases are confidential, but hinted Sasha has tried one on at the Rundle Mall store.

Gang of four

THE bridal party will consist of just four people. Sasha will be flanked by her sister, Nadia, as maid of honour, and Mike's 16-year-old daughter, Eleanor, as bridesmaid. The groomsmen will comprise Mike's brother, PR whiz Chris Rann, as the best man, along with Mike's 21-year-old son, David.

What to buy a Premier and his new bride...

WHAT to buy the couple who appears to have everything? The nation's Premiers have chipped for a Tasmanian art sculpture. There is no bridal registry, so some suggestions: an intensive WEA Italian language course for Mike or, matching bikes so the Norwood-based pair, can join MP Vini Ciccarello on her runs down The Parade.

Now here's a true A List

THE guest list reads like a who's who. Invitees from the political world include Treasurer Kevin Foley and girlfriend Emma Forster. Friends and family will include Urban Myth Theatre of Youth general manager Jo Coventry. Tony Lewis is the celebrity snapper.

Romantic getaway on the Adriatic

MIKE and Sasha are set to embark on a three-week European vacation from July 22 to August 10. The romantic getaway will encompass Puglia on the Adriatic Coast in southern Italy, where Sasha's family hails from. (Bari is the capital of the region.) So it will be back to work for a week for Mike post-wedding, before the honeymoon begins . . .

Sasha in charge of the food

THE bride took charge of this area - food is very important to Italians, but it's nothing extravagant. For entree, guests will choose between soup or a smoked salmon dish.

For main course, guests will be presented with three choices - chicken, beef or salmon. Desert is a winter pudding. For their wedding cake, the couple turned to family and friends for help. In keeping with the SA theme, wines from the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills will be served.

Flowers are top secret

ISIS Flowers is in charge. Sasha is understood to be a regular at the Norwood store. Owner Maria Vozzo says she is unable to comment on the bride's choices, but Holly Jamieson of Lotus Flowers says simplicity and femininity are the big trends.

250 of their best friends

THE Busby Hall of the National Wine Centre will be set for 250 guests.

There is no colour scheme and the venue will be elegant and stylish - "no tackiness" says one source.

Coincidentally, Mike and Sasha booked the venue exactly a year ago, on July 15, 2005.

Centre sales and marketing manager Susan Hall says Sasha is "very nice - no Bridezilla".

The couple will provide the wines but the meal package is about $80 per guest. Whipping out the (Confidential) calculator, that's $20,000 on the food. The venue is booked from 6pm-midnight but the party is unlikely to be kicked out.

In keeping with the elegance of the event, guests will not receive any bonbonnieres.

Sleek music

A VARIETY of music will be played at the reception by etypejazz.

The ensemble's five members are favourites of Mike in particular, who has seen them play at many functions.

He particularly gets on with saxophonist Beth Lyon, who is from the same nook of England as Mike (Sidcup in Kent).

"We have a bit of a laugh about it," Beth says. She reckons it was nice to be asked to play at the Premier's nuptials but "every wedding is special".

Good point.

The dance floor should be packed by dessert time.

Italian language course: Tarot News, September 2004

2006-07-11T02:23:00.000-07:00

Italian Tarocchi: Tarot cards have their origin in Italy as part of the great cultural achievements of renaissance in 15th century. Modern Tarot owes its strong development the great divinatory interests in the U.S., easily it is overlooked, that Tarocchi are in Italy a traditional object for art research and well-established iconography. The local interests are celebrated and manifested by many great events, from which the most noteworthy of the recent past might have been the exhibitions held at the Este Castle of Ferrara (from December 1987 to February 1988), at the National Museum of Castel S. Angelo (Rome, December 1994), at the City Archeological Museum of Bologna (December 1995) and at the Barolo Palace of Turin (April 1997).

In the background of this high-level Italian activities is the work of Andrea Vitali with his Associazione Culturale Le Tarot, in close alliance with the Italian Tarot author Giordano Berti with his Istituto Graf., known from his cooperation with Tarot producer Lo Scarabeo. At the index-page of Associatione Le Tarot is an extended and impressive composition of the organised events, which are not limited to the theme Tarocchi alone, but also include other topics of renaissance culture and art.

In our communication Andrea Vitali described his Tarocchi exhibition and his next intentions, which aim to make it possible to see the collected objects outside of Italy:
"Our exhibition is not simply an exhibition of cards, in the sense of only a presentation of tarot decks. It is an exhibition of the symbolic and iconographic universe of tarots, taking account of the links they have with the mysticism, theology, cosmology and the philosophical currents which inform the iconographic variants. It is all illustrated by pictures, old books and documents. The exhibition thus offers different levels of reading, from the harmony of the medieval world to the decorative arcanes of hermetic thought, from game to magic and thus what lies behind.

When I affirm that our exhibition is one of the most important ever organised, I am referring as much to its size as to the quality of its content, which presents the philosophic currents that inform the iconographic variants of the tarot and their symbolic significance. It is probably the only exhibition with such a vision. The public is extremely interested in it and the success of the exhibition encountered in Italy is the proof. In some cases research into the artistic patrimony, religious or secular, the paintings, frescoes or other things, of the town holding the exhibition have been undertaken, and their links with the tarots have been brought into the light.

It is to be hoped that a large exhibition could be organised in an important place, and I have good reason to think that it will see the day, like we have done in Italy. The exhibition could become traveling, to be held in towns of smaller importance, in view of the interest they would show or because there were tarot card makers there, or also because there are works of art there related to the theme. And without excluding for all that that it might be a case of a simple touristic or cultural event".

Future expositions are actually in preparation in Rome and Bologna.

Andrea Vitali has published in Italian language in the time between 1987 and 1994 various articles to specific Tarot cards. "The cards with which I am concerned are those which necessitate a very attentive iconological analysis, being the Fou, Pendu, Temperance (in particular the Alessandro Sforza tarots), the Tour, the Stars, the Moon, the Sun and the World." The articles contain very nice picture material, often enough otherwise unknown.
Generously Andrea Vitali has given the allowance to present two of them at pages of Trionfi.com, it is their first appearance in English language. Additionally Andrea has offered further articles in the future for our iconographical section, where they are included to our collection to the same theme with articles from Bob O'Neill, Ross Gregory Caldwell, Tom Tadfor Little and Michael J. Hurst.

Andrea Vitali: The Hanged Man
Andrea Vitali: The Tower

Alain Bougearel, who is familiar with Andrea Vitali's work, commented in "Origines et histoire du tarot" published in 1997 :
"Comme le souligne le spécialiste italien de l'iconographie historique du Tarot, Andrea Vitali, les conceptions éthiques et mystiques du Tarot évoqueraient de façon pédagogique les Triomphes de Pétrarque "décrivant les forces fondamentales qui... gouvernaient l'humanité en fonction d'une hiérarchie bien établie". "A ma connaissance, Andrea Vitali est, de tous les tarologues contemporains, le médiéviste le plus pertinent.
Il voit les 22 "sujets allégoriques" structurés selon une logique ascentionnelle proche des conceptions aristotéliciennes du Cosmos"

Italian language course: New rules for foreign Oscars

2006-07-07T01:07:00.000-07:00

Associated Press
Jul. 7, 2006 12:00 AM

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has changed the way it chooses nominees for best foreign-language film and eliminated a rule requiring entries to be in the official language of the submitting country.

The academy's governors approved a new process in judging foreign-language films, allowing New York-based academy members to participate in the selection for the first time, according to a statement last Friday.

A shortlist of films from nine countries will be chosen by the same Los Angeles-based screening committee that has traditionally viewed the approximately 60 submissions. That shortlist will be screened by a second committee, made up of 10 randomly selected members of the original committee, 10 LA-based members not on the original committee and 10 New York-area members. That group will view the shortlisted films and select nominees from that field. advertisement

In another change, entries submitted in the category no longer must be in the official language of the submitting country. As long as the predominant language isn't English, a picture from any country may be in any language or combination of languages.

Last year, Italy's initial selection, Private, directed and written by Saverio Costanzo, was ruled ineligible because its dialogue was mostly in Arabic and Hebrew. The film is about a Palestinian family whose home gets taken over by Israeli soldiers.

Academy executive director Bruce Davis said Private qualified for the foreign language film category "in every other way except one: there was no Italian language in it."

"The rules clearly prohibited that, but the situation didn't seem fair to us," Davis said. "So if the Taiwanese want to send us a picture with exclusively Portuguese dialogue this year, we're ready for them."

Academy Award nominations will be announced in January. The 79th Annual Academy Awards will be presented Feb. 25, 2007.

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Italian language course: News for Arab Countries

2006-07-03T01:55:00.000-07:00

FOREIGNERS' UNIVERSITY FOR AFRICA AND ALUMNI REUNION

(AGI) - Perugia, Jul 1 - As the three days of the conference for Italian cultural institute directors come to an end with the round table on "Search for synergies for a new role of the Italian language in the globalised world: parts meet" to be held tomorrow July 2, (chaired by Gherardo La Francesca, director general for the promotion and cooperation of MAE, coordinated by Beppe Severgnini from Corriere della Sera,) the Foreigners' University celebrates its 80th birthday with a very busy July. Thursday 6 and Friday 7, there will be a reunion for the university's alumni for cooperation on the topic of "FU for Africa." There will be two days for debates: participants will include Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, Mali Minister of Culture Cheick Oumar Sissoko, the ambassador of Gabon to Italy, as well as other celebrities, with Flavio Lotti for the national coordination of local entities for peace and human rights. There will be two sessions, "Cooperation for Italy-Africa cultural exchanges" and "Africa Italy, cooperation and development projects". In the second part of the day, Gallenga director Stefania Giannini and Massimo Caneva from the DGCS coordination and communication service for university cooperation for the Foreign Ministry, will moderate the debate between the rectors of LUMSA University Giuseppe Dalla Torre, Rome's Third University Guido Fabiani and the University of Siena Silvano Focardi. There will be a great meeting for youth, with a concert to be held in Piazza IV Novembre. Finally, on Friday there will be the final session with the speech of minister plenipotentiary, director general of cooperation and development Giuseppe Deodato. Another important date for the Gallenga will be held towards the end of July, when the alumni association will hold its first "ex student" reunion in the historic Palazzo Gallenga. There will be numerous people from abroad, from European countries and other countries, with important government officials who were once language and culture students who then kept strong ties with the university, the Umbrian traditions, which made the Foreigners' University an Ambassador of the World. (AGI) .
011727 LUG 06

COPYRIGHTS 2002-2006 AGI S.p.A.

Italian language course: Full circle

2006-06-30T01:40:00.000-07:00

By G.W. MILLER III

Donna Galletta (center) teaches students how to make gnocchi in her home in Italy.CAGLI, ITALY - The telephone rang as Donna Galletta was preparing the potato dough.

"Pronto!" she bellowed into the phone while continuing her gnocchi-making demonstration. She gently brushed small spheres of soft dough against a fork, creating parallel grooves - perfect for catching sauce.

Then she launched into Italian for a few minutes, and the 10 people watching eagerly waited, basking in the roasted-onion-and-garlic smell of the stewing sauce. Galletta's use of the language only added to the atmosphere of the cooking class, set in the comfortable kitchen of her hillside home in the Le Marche region of Italy.

"Sorry," she said in English after hanging up. "That doesn't happen on television shows."

But cooking shows also often don't let you roll your own pasta or eat the fruits of your labor while the green, rolling countryside of the Apennine mountain range sprawls outside the windows - another special feature of the South Philly native's culinary classes.

Galletta, 52, grew up near 17th and Porter streets, but has been living in Italy since 1988.

And since 1993, she and her Italian husband, Franco Mansi, have operated The Atrium, an Italian language and culture institute in the charming medieval town of Cagli. Mansi teaches the native language to visitors from around the world and Galletta offers hands-on cooking lessons with recipes ranging from regional specialties like olive ascolane (fried, stuffed olives) to classics like tiramisu.

"I love to cook," Galletta said with a smile. "I always have."

Growing up in the kitchen

Food has been a focus of her family's life for several generations. Galletta's great-grandmother owned a trattoria and her grandfather was a butcher in the Abruzzi region of Italy. In the 1920s, the family immigrated to America - like many Italians who fled their then-impoverished homeland - and brought traditions.

In South Philadelphia, the family opened two bakeries - M&M, at Wharton and Warnock streets, and Tally-Ann, at 9th Street and Snyder Avenue. Galletta's mother later opened Galletta's Galley, a restaurant in Princeton Junction, N.J.

Along the way, Galletta's mother taught her how to cook in the traditional Italian style. Many of the utensils Galletta now uses in her own kitchen - knives, spatulas, the ricer, etc. - were brought to Italy from America by her mother, who now lives in Yardley.

Galletta cooked her way into her husband's heart while he was a graduate student at Rutgers University and she was studying at nearby Douglass College. They have been married for 30 years. Their children, Gabriella, 28, and Antonio, 20, were born in New Jersey.

When Galletta and her bilingual family moved to Italy, she became a chef at a restaurant and pizzeria.

"My life has come full circle," she said, laughing. "My grandmother couldn't wait to get away from Italy, and here I am."

Dream job

Now Galletta strolls to work every day through the ancient city gate, down narrow, cobblestone streets and past the bustling piazza, to the stark former seminary where The Atrium (www.istitutoatrium.com) is located. She seems to know practically everyone in the city of 10,000 people and she regularly stops to chat on the way to the school.

She handles the business side of the institute, which teaches a few hundred people, and she freelances as a translator for companies throughout Italy. In the evenings, she shares her passion for food with visiting students, giving classes to foreigners for $26 per person. Her enrollment varies, though this summer she's teaching two classes a week, with about 10 students per class.

"You're my Italian mom," Elise Berry, 21, a college student from Knoxville, Tenn., told Galletta.

As Galletta and her students shaped the small, potato-dough sacks, Berry gently placed the pasta into a large pot of boiling water.

"You drop them in, they sink to the bottom and when they pop to the top, they're done," said Berry, who was attending her second cooking class of the week - both of which featured gnocchi.

When the pasta was ready, the students sat down at the long, wooden dining table and started passing plates around. Salad, wine, and fresh, unsalted bread (a regional tradition) circulated around the table.

"As long as you keep holding up plates, I'll keep filling them," Galletta told the ravenous group.

"I want you to be my Italian mom, too," Carolyn Kennington, 20, of Toms River, N.J., responded.

Galletta's husband, Mansi, ambled into the kitchen in time to get a few scoops of gnocchi - lightly draped in the red meat sauce, and then a cup of homemade lemon cream with fresh fruit for dessert.

"You lucked out - gnocchi twice in one week," Galletta said to her husband.

"We should eat like this every day," he joked.

Italian language course: Cultural group shares Italian specialties

2006-06-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

Members of the Italian-American Cultural Organization of the South Shore held their final meeting of the 2005-2006 year on Monday, June 5 at the council on aging.

It was an evening of sharing their individual specialty Italian foods, braccioli, eggplant parmesan, chicken marsala, tortolini, gnocchi, chicken tetrazzini, cauliflower arostata, calzone, tonno, fritatta, chicken Italiana, fresh Italian cheese, Italian salad varieties, pea soup and minestrone. Desserts included Italian Cream Pie, cannolis, eclairs, custards, rice cream pie, pizzelle, chocolata cake and bark amandola.

President Domenic Candelieri conducted a brief meeting and announced arrangements have been made to conduct an advanced Italian language class as well as another beginner Italian language class in September. The first beginner class completed in March was conducted by. Giulia Po. The classes will also be offered to non-members of IACO.

Vice President Orazio Buttafuoco outlined the ctivities to celebrate Italian Heritage Month scheduled for October. Two lectures will be held at the Tufts Library in Weymouth on Saturdays Oct. 7 and 21 from 2 to 5 p.m. Lectures and a musical program are also planned for Saturdays Oct. 14 and 28 at the Thayer Public Library from 2 to 4 p.m. All programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

There will also be a display of Italian culture in the Thayer Public Library during October. Plans will be finalized at the opening meeting of the 2006-2007 year on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in the council on aging on Cleveland Avenue. Guests and new members are welcome to attend.

Italian language course: Mirabelli has 100 years of memories

2006-06-22T23:19:00.000-07:00

By Bethan L. Jones/ Staff Writer
Thursday, June 22, 2006

A lot has changed in 100 years.

Places are different, generations have passed and Josephine Mirabelli has seen it all.

Mirabelli, a Lexington resident since 1924, and celebrated her 100th birthday on April 29.

Born Giuseppina Amaru in the North End of Boston to Italian immigrants, both of Mirabelli's parents were Sicilian and her father owned a trade goods store on Prince Street. The second oldest of nine children, Mirabelli spent her youth in Boston, Malden, a small time back in Italy and then to Lexington where her father bought what is now 1963 Massachusetts Ave. in 1924.

The Amaru girls were sent to school at Notre Dame Academy and Mirabelli later graduated from Boston University. She never took a job however, choosing to get married in 1928 to Eugene Mirabelli, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Mirabellis had two sons, Richard and Gene, and Josephine stayed at home raising her boys and volunteering for the community.

"I never made any money," she joked.

Starting in the 1930s and through the Second World War, Mirabelli was a volunteer with the American Red Cross and was an air raid warden. She also worked to collect clothes for earthquake victims and spent many hours volunteering in the Lexington store La Tienda, which was a cooperative venture with a group of Mexican immigrants.

"We would work," said Mirabelli of the store. "It was a lot of fun."

Handy with her needle, Mirabelli is one of the founding members of the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society. In her home hang beautiful embroidered drapes of fruits, birds and trees. All the rugs on her floors are ones she made by hand, along with the tapestry on her wall.

In addition to needlework, Mirabelli is also skilled in silver, leather and wood work; decoupage; and hooking. In recent years, Mirabelli has also taken up painting with watercolors.

Mirabelli sang with the Lexington Choral Society and would give lessons in Italian out of her home. She said part of the appeal of the lessons was helping to maintain her own Italian language skills; growing up Italian was always spoken in the home.

"If you know something, you don't keep it to yourself," she said.

As a member of the choral society, Mirabelli had an opportunity to realize her love of choral music and opera. Growing up, her mother would tell all the children the stories portrayed in the operas and then have them listen to them on Saturdays when they were on the radio.

In honor of all her work and dedication to Lexington, she received the Minuteman Cane Award in 1995.

Mirabelli said Lexington is very different from the little town she moved to when she was 18.

"It was a lot smaller," she said, recalling visiting shopkeepers on Massachusetts Avenue and catching up on all the news. "Today when you go down [town] you don't know anybody ... the town has changed."

Today, Mirabelli has five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Still living in the house she and her husband bought in 1928 when they married, Mirabelli said she was expecting several visitors in honor of her big day.

"We have room for everybody," she said. "We have a lot of fun when we get together."

And no one should doubt Mirabelli's tenacity to go and fully enjoy the extent of her celebrations.

"I'm full of pep," she said laughing.

Italian language course: Speaking the language shows respect

2006-06-20T00:48:00.000-07:00

Jun. 20, 2006 12:00 AM

Regarding the gentleman in Philadelphia who wants his patrons to order in English ("Eatery in Pa. warned on English-only policy," Republic, June 13):

Bravo!

While on active duty, my shipmates and I always made an effort to learn the local language when in a foreign country.

This effort paid off. I speak Italian languages fluently and can order food in at least five other languages. The mere attempt to speak the dialect demonstrates respect for the culture and is always met with appreciation at worst, and friendship and understanding at best.

Why would someone want to live in the United States and not learn English?

Or, should those who don't want to adopt the bare essentials of their new homeland ask themselves, do they want to make the U.S. their home?

Or, . . . maybe they don't. - Brian Etheredge,
Phoenix

Italian language course: Socceranto minds its language

2006-06-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

BERLIN: Is the goalkeeper a "fliegenfanger"? Was that goal a "Maradona"? Should the ball be passed to the "porteur d'eau" or the "trequartista"?

No comprendo? Then you're obviously not fluent in Socceranto, a football language hastily cobbled together by an English schoolboy and an American-Argentinian student.

They believe the game needs a common tongue to benefit both players and fans.

"Things are all very well when, say, Ecuador plays Costa Rica or Ghana meets the USA," said 16-year-old Ted Freedman, the English co-author of "Socceranto: Birth of a Language."

"But what about when Japan plays Brazil or Ukraine meets Saudi Arabia?"

The 32 teams taking part in the World Cup share 18 official languages so, the authors argue, football needs an international tongue that all recognize.

It's based on Esperanto, the world language invented in 1887, and football phrases, words and names drawn from throughout the world.

So a "fliegenfanger" is the term for a useless goalkeeper, derived from the German word for flycatcher.

"Maradona" is the word for a goal scored with the use of the hand as in the Argentinian's infamous strike against England at the 1986 World Cup.

In midfield, the "porteur d'eau" would be the defensive holding player in the style of former French international Didier Deschamps, often condemned as a water carrier.

The "trequartista" would be more flamboyant, the playmaker, from the Italian word for a player who operates between midfield and attack, three-quarters of the way up the pitch.

"Soccer has become the most international game in the world and the most globalized industry," said co-author Ignacio van Gelderen.

"This is just the launch of a long-term project. Or, as we say in Socceranto, it's "early doors" (early in the game). We hope that Socceranto will develop in time into a richer, more international, more distinct and fully-fledged language.

"We hope this World Cup will help."

Many of the phrases used are based on Brazilian names and, not surprisingly, used to describe flair and flamboyance.

A "Ronaldinho" is a no-look pass, a "Kaka" is a volley, a "Pele," a bicycle kick and a "Roberto," a banana kick, in honour of Roberto Carlos and Roberto Rivelinho.

Other players are in the dictionary but associated with times in their careers they would rather forget.

A "Baggio" is a missed penalty after the Italian star's bungled spot-kick in the shootout in the 1994 final against Brazil; a "Caniggia" remembers the Argentinian attacker who managed to get sent-off while sitting on the bench against Sweden in 2002.

Poor old Jurgen Klinsmann, currently on a high for coaching Germany into the second round here, also makes the book.

A "Klinsmann" is a dive in memory of the German's playing days when he had a reputation for going down too easily in the penalty area.

Source: China Daily

Italian language course: Parlez vous Mandarin?

2006-06-13T00:11:00.000-07:00

By PETER SIMON
News Staff Reporter
6/10/2006

The world is changing dramatically, but foreign language instruction in local schools isn't.
The economic clout of the Pacific Rim, the threat of foreign terrorism and the global economy have convinced educators that teaching more languages is crucial not only to the future of individual students, but for the country's security and well-being.

Yet foreign language instruction is stuck in a decades-old, European-based model.

Spanish and French remain by far the predominant languages taught here, along with a smattering of German, Latin and Italian.

Instruction in "emerging languages" - including Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Farsi and Hindi - is nearly nonexistent.

"We still have our heads in the sand," said Donald J. Jacobs, director of the University at Buffalo's Center for Applied Technologies in Education. "Many people still think the competition is between Cheektowaga and Tonawanda, rather than global."

But interest is beginning to build.

North Tonawanda High School has offered Japanese since the late 1970s, when a Japanese intern launched the program.

Grand Island, Williamsville and the private Park School of Buffalo are exploring offering Chinese beginning in September 2007, and the Lackawanna schools are seeking to establish classes in Arabic.

In Buffalo, Superintendent James A. Williams hopes to boost a shrinking foreign language program by beginning instruction in both Chinese and Japanese.

Earlier this year, President Bush launched a National Security Language Initiative, designed to greatly increase instruction in "critical need" languages.

"We need intelligence officers who, when somebody says something in Arabic or Farsi or Urdu, know what they're talking about," he said.

North Tonawanda students who study Japanese for four years become conversant in the language and familiar with Japanese culture, said Jason Goulah, the teacher. In the last five years, five North Tonawanda students won full scholarships to study in Japan for a year.

"The Japanese program gives students an avenue into understanding Asia," Goulah said. "They begin to see things from an eastern perspective."

Meanwhile, other students interested in nontraditional languages take classes outside their high school classrooms, in mosques, temples or community centers.

Melany Piech, a Park School senior, goes right from school to Buffalo State College twice a week to study Chinese.

"I really enjoy foreign languages," she said. "I kind of wanted a new challenge."

Andrea Filozof, the Alden High School valedictorian, will pursue her studies of Chinese or Arabic from scratch next year at the U.S. Military Academy because classes were not available here.

Educators said students should not only have more languages to choose from, but should be encouraged to tackle them.

"There is a call for it and a need for it," said John D. Carlino, a German teacher at Kenmore West High School and executive director of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers. "But change is going to come slowly."

Here's why:

• Expanding foreign language instruction is costly. Grand Island initially planned to offer Mandarin Chinese next school year, but the Board of Education decided to hold off for budgetary reasons. Now the district is seeking a federal grant to begin the program in 2007, said Karen Karmazin, assistant superintendent.

• Certified teachers are hard to find. Local districts advertise nationally for German teachers. Lackawanna is having difficulty finding a certified Arabic teacher. And Williams, the Buffalo superintendent, said, "We might have to hook up with people in China to teach Chinese."

• The federal No Child Left Behind Act places far more emphasis on English, math, science and social studies than it does on foreign languages, prompting some school districts to reduce language programs to free up funds for so-called "core subjects."

• Students don't necessarily have the time or desire to tackle new languages. Williamsville offered Japanese for more than eight years, but dropped it when enrollment dipped to as few as three students.

"The bottom line is that students have to sign up," said Linda Cimusz, assistant superintendent for instruction. "We absolutely could not sustain it."

• American attitudes toward foreign language are notoriously self-centered.

"People here think: "Why do we have to learn their language? They can learn ours,' " said Charles E.M. Kolb, president of the national Committee for Economic Development. "That's an insular and arrogant attitude that has to change."

The United States is one of the few industrialized nations in the world where large numbers of students leave high school conversant only in their native language, said Martha Abbott, director of education for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

"That's pathetic," she said.

New York State requires students to take at least two years of a foreign language by the end of ninth grade and to pass either a Regents exam or a less demanding competency test. It is one of just 16 states with foreign language graduation requirements, and has a relatively high level of language study.

Sixty-three percent of New York's high school students studied a foreign language in the year 2000, compared with the national average of 43.8 percent, according to a study by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Only Nevada and Pennsylvania had higher percentages than New York.

However, 88 percent of the New York students who studied a foreign language took either Spanish or French.

Without being critical of Spanish and French, educators say there simply is not enough choice or diversity.

"Why aren't we teaching Asian languages?" said Jacobs of the Center for Applied Technologies in Education. "In the context of language, we haven't tapped the potential - it's not even close."

Demand from the public is beginning to come into play.

Representatives of the Chinese-American community recently presented petitions to the Williamsville Board of Education urging instruction in Chinese.

The push for Chinese on Grand Island was initiated by a districtwide task force.

Economic and political realities will drive a more comprehensive approach to language studies, said Lackawanna Superintendent Paul Hashem.

"Because of what's happening globally, things are going to have to change," he said. "Foreign languages are going to become as necessary as math and science."

e-mail: psimon@buffnews.com

Italian language course: Crossing the language barrier

2006-06-13T00:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 11th, 2006

Berlin, June 11 (DPA) Ghana’s Sammy Kuffour is keen not only to take three points from his AS Roma teammates in Monday’s Group E clash against Italy, he is also hoping to make some serious money after having placed several bets.

World Cup referees need not worry that they will not be able to communicate with each other and players. They have received a six-language football dictionary. They will find the German translation for dive (Schwalbe), or the Italian word for free kick (calcio di punizione).

German fans are also being helped by the language departments of high schools in the World Cup venues. Phrases like: ‘Pass the ball’ or ‘dream goal’ feature in 15 different languages, amongst them Arabic, Japanese and Czech.

italian language course: Europe's Nerve

2006-06-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

Posted 6/7/2006

War On Terror: A European report charges 14 countries with "collusion" with the U.S. on the interrogation of terrorists. Is Europe so spineless that it considers waging war against the enemies of civilization a crime?

In the wake of the 9-11 attack, the Central Intelligence Agency reportedly established covert sites in Eastern Europe to interrogate dozens of major terrorism suspects.

The Council of Europe, which calls itself Europe's "human rights watchdog," says Cyprus, Germany, Spain and Turkey were used by the CIA as "staging posts." Britain, Ireland, Greece and Portugal, meanwhile, were utilized as "stop-off points." And Bosnia, Italy, Macedonia and Sweden allowed suspects residing in those countries to be seized.

The report's author admits that "proof, in the classical meaning of the term, is not as yet available" in regard to the report's allegations, and he concedes that "we are still far from having established the truth."

This is remarkable coming from a famed lawyer used to presenting watertight cases. As a prosecutor in the Italian-language southern region of Switzerland, Dick Marty busted a billion-dollar drug dealer-money laundering ring in the late 1980s, causing Switzerland's first female justice minister to resign.

Marty now chairs the council's Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, but his view of human rights is rather qualified. In 2003, he drafted the Council of Europe's "Marty Report on Euthanasia," pushing for legally assisted suicide throughout Europe.

So while terrorists' human rights are of great concern to Marty, the mercy killing of Europeans is another matter.

Marty saves most of his ire for Poland and Romania, suspected of actually hosting the CIA facilities. Their governments deny the charges, but let's note for the record that the Polish and Romanians suffered greatly under Nazism and communism, in the Poles' case after being sold out by the Allies at Yalta.

Marty and his fellow Swiss, by contrast, were comfortably neutral in both world wars.

Today's terrorists are just as bloodthirsty as Hitler's and Stalin's henchmen. And finding a way to interrogate them without an ACLU lawyer standing watch has undoubtedly been a help in foiling some 10 or more al-Qaida plots since 9-11.

Europe's bureaucratic do-gooders want it both ways: to be protected from terrorists, but without getting their hands dirtied. As usual, the U.S. is doing the dirty work for them. The least Europe could do is say "thank you" and stop whining.

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italian language course: World Cup interest growing in Brevard

2006-06-08T01:03:00.000-07:00

Pubs open early for soccer games

BY KAUSTUV BASU
and DONNA BALANCIA
Enlarge this image

Soccer stock up. Troy Evridge, team sports associate at Dick's Sporting Goods at Melbourne Square mall, stocks the soccer ball display Wednesday. The World Cup soccer tournament begins Friday in Germany. Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY

Simon Wells says everything else will stop for him when the World Cup matches start Friday in Germany.

Wells, the co-owner of the Dog 'n' Bone pub at Cocoa Village, will be following the monthlong soccer extravaganza, with teams from 32 countries playing 64 matches.

Several billion people worldwide will watch on television. In Brevard County, many of the most avid viewers likely will be expatriates from countries that have deep soccer roots.

Wells who is British, already has arranged for a big-screen television at his pub. On the days England plays, he expects a full house. Some games will start as early as 9 a.m. Eastern time.

"During the European Cup two years ago, this place was jumping," he said.

Local soccer-gear retailers also anticipate a boost in business from the World Cup.

"We brought in some jerseys from Brazil, Mexico, Italy and USA. We're ready," said Michael Werner, team sports associate at Dick's Sporting Goods in Melbourne. The store also carries a full line of soccer equipment including balls, pumps, soccer shorts, cleats and shin guards.

The growing popularity of youth soccer is likely to help boost the interest of the World Cup in this area.

"Soccer is one of the biggest sports down here for little kids," said Mark Zmayefski, manager of The Sports Authority in Melbourne. "The kids will start looking up their favorite players on the USA team. I think the kids are getting into more of the world soccer. It reminds them of the Olympics.
They like watching USA beat other teams."

"All you have to do is look around the county and see the demands for facilities. You have new soccer fields popping up everywhere," said Rusty Buchanan, executive director of Space Coast Sports, which works to bring sporting events to Brevard.

"We're a sports-driven country, and this is a huge event that happens only once every four years," he said. "They were even talking World Cup on David Letterman."

Home countries

Peter Collett, owner of The Pig & Whistle English Pub in Cocoa Beach, believes he'll get a lot of crew members off the cruise ships coming into his establishment to watch the teams from their home countries playing in the World Cup.

"I expect most of the games to bring a good crowd," Collett said. "I know that, because we have people phoning up from the cruise ships, asking if we'll be showing the games.

"We'll be opening in the morning at 9 a.m.," he said. "We've had three deliveries of beer already. Obviously, everyone's hoping to see America do well. But a lot of the crew members are the soccer fanatics."

Wells at the Dog 'n' Bone pub said locals who did not follow European soccer soon became involved.

"I am rooting for England and America," he said.

As the tournament progresses, the pub will start offering drink specials.

"If you pick a team, and your team scores, you get a free drink," he said.

Change coming?

England has won the Cup only once -- in 1966 -- but Wells feels things might change this year.

Wayne Savage, president of Brevard Caribbean American Sports and Cultural Association, said people from the Caribbean are excited because Trinidad and Tobago has qualified for the World Cup for the first time.

"For the next few weeks, we are all Trinidadians," he said.

Savage said some members will be watching the games at a Beef 'O' Brady's in Palm Bay.

"It is a good feeling," he said.

The Cup is a bonding experience for many expatriates.

Tania Valverde, a Melbourne resident of Costa Rican descent who plays soccer on Friday nights, said, "It's a big deal," and many Americans "do not realize how big it is in the rest of the world."

Costa Rica plays the first game of the Cup on Friday against Germany (11:55 a.m., ESPN2).

Defending champion Brazil has won the World Cup a record five times since the tournament began in 1930. Its fans not only own the bragging rights, but tend to be among the most passionate and colorful.

West Melbourne resident Beto Schaffert might be the quintessential Brazilian soccer fan.

This month, the systems engineer at Harris Corp. is going to start work early and take a break when Brazil plays its matches.

"I will go back to work later," he said.

Once the second round begins, Schaffert is off to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to watch the games with friends and family.

"I just do not want Brazil to play the United States," Schaffert said. "My dad is American; my mom is Brazilian."

Ready to watch

In Titusville, Peter Olivo, who owns Valentino's New York Style Pizza & Restaurant, said he will be watching some of the games at his Searstown Mall restaurant with his patrons.

But that is not enough for the soccer aficionados in his family.

They will be following the Cup on an Italian-language channel broadcast through the Dish Network.

Brian Rye, president of Central Brevard Soccer, admitted there was a huge difference between interest in other countries and here.

"That's their culture. They have grown up with it," Rye said. "But more people here know about the World Cup than before."

Contact Basu at 242-3724 or kbasu@flatoday.net.

italian language course: Business in Italy

2006-06-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

ITALIAN LANGUAGE. CIAMPI AWARDED "ILICA" FOUNDATION PRIZE
(AGI) - Rome, May 16 - The 'ILICA Man of the Year 2006' prized, awarded by Italo-American foundation ILICA, was awarded to former President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. An acknowledgment of Ciampi's commitment to enhance Italian language course and culture abroad. ILICA's goal is to strengthen and spread the Italian language to convey art, science and culture in the US, promoting it in schools and in public awareness. Enhancing the Italian language abroad is considered a must in the inevitable globalisation process, and Italian language will be in the spotlight for two days, 7 and 8 June, in Villa Mondragone, Monte Porzio Catone, at the event dedicated to Lorenzo Da Ponte, Mozart's lyric-writer, to promote Italian culture in the US. Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749-1838) was the first - he wrote so himself - "to introduce and spread Italian language in the US", and was actually the first Italian language teacher there. The event in Villa Mondragone will therefore be an opportunity for ILICa to present itself better to Italy, creating an event showing how Italian culture can spread as it did where it originated, Rome, centre of the Roman Empire, the cradle of civilisation and progress. The funds collected by ILICA will allow to organise master courses in Italy for US professors who teach Italian in the US, at all levels. The convention will be attended by Tor Vergata university president Alessandro Finazzi Agro', and presidents of the university for foreign students of Perugia, Stefania Giannini, and of the university for foreign students of Siena, Massimo Vedovelli. Other prizes will be given to Rome deputy mayor Maria Pia Garavaglia, Brebemi president Francesco Bettoni, MP Carlo Giovanardi, and Tg2 Salute director Luciano Onder. (AGI) .
161725 MAG 06
COPYRIGHTS 2002-2006 AGI S.p.A. Invia questo articolo

italian language course: George Clooney To Learn Italian Language

2006-06-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

May 22, 2006 9:14 p.m. EST

Som Patidar - All Headline News Contributor

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) - Hollywood actor George Clooney is reportedly desperate to learn the Italian language course and he spends most of his nights at home repeating useful phrases.

The actor admits he struggles to get his tongue around the language, and fears it will be years before he is proficient.

He says, "It will take an eternity! But it's embarrassing to live in a country where you don't know the language."

The actor has a house on Lake Como, northern Italy, and is reciting lines from language CDs so he can converse fluently with his neighbors.

Italian language course:Language Learning, the Natural Way

2006-05-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Americans are lousy at foreign languages. I myself took French for years and years, and still can barely tell a Paris cab driver where I want to go without stumbling into English, and earning a Gallic glare.

There are various reasons for this. Compared with Europeans, most Americans have many fewer chances outside classrooms to practice languages other than English, and much less need to do so. But one cause may be the way we teach foreign languages, with mind-numbing drills and long lectures on grammar.

One computer language program, however, continues to garner popularity for its very different teaching style. The Rosetta Stone language program aims to make learning easier and more effective by scrapping dense explanations in favor of a visual teaching style featuring pictures, audio and text.
Created by Fairfield Language Technologies in 1992, Rosetta Stone has been adopted by West Point, NASA and over 10,000 schools, according to the company. You might recognize the product if you've passed by one of the company's kiosks in an airport or shopping mall.

The product's teaching method attempts to emulate the experience of a native-born speaker by immersing you in one of 29 languages using photos, spoken phrases and written words. Unlike most language classes, you don't memorize vocabulary or verb conjugations. There are no explanations, and no definitions. You just plunge in. Skeptical? So were we.

So, this week, my assistant Katie Boehret and I did our best to learn Spanish and Italian with Rosetta Stone. Katie minored in Spanish in college, so she approached the language from an educated perspective, trying advanced Spanish. Then, she sampled the starter lessons in Italian, a language she didn't know. I, being much dumber at languages than she is, tried Spanish at a beginner's level.

Overall, we liked Rosetta Stone, which works on both Windows and Macintosh computers. We found ourselves catching onto words and phrases by association—just from seeing a photo, hearing a pronunciation, and figuring out what a certain phrase meant. The more familiar we became with each language, the easier it was to grasp the self-guided lessons. We didn't have enough time to fully evaluate the program, but it was easy to start using and simple enough to use regularly, without feeling overwhelmed.

By WALTER S. MOSSBERG

Italian language course: LEARN ITALIAN IN ITALY

2006-05-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for an exciting and comprehensive Italian language programme?
You have found what you are looking for!
We offer a variety of high quality italian language courses for beginners
up to Italian language teachers all year round.

Learn Italian while learning the Italian culture
Take part in one of our Italian language programs in Italy! We offer a wide range of different Italian language programs from our popular Italian standard language course to Italian individual tuition and our Italian Diploma course (AIL Exams and CILS exams). People from all over the world come here to learn the Italian language and to study the Italian culture and way of living.

Our courses start every 2 weeks at all levels (Italian course dates) and you can stay as long as you want. Most of our students come through recommendations of former participants who have appreciated our commitment to provide:

A state-of-the-art, communication-oriented, flexible and highly effective instruction method;
A friendly and personal atmosphere;
Enthusiastic, dynamic and highly qualified teachers;
Office staff and course coordinator always ready to help;
Small and diverse international groups (max. 12 participants per class);
The internationaly recognized language diplomas "Firenze";
A broad extra-curricular cultural and leisure programme;
The location of our schools in the old city centres of Florence, Milan, Rome and Siena;
Recognized by US Colleges and Universities for Credits Transfer;
Recognized by CSN Lund Sweden;
Competitive prices.

Officially authorized by the Italian Ministry of Education

Italian language course: Learn Italian at the seaside

2006-05-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

Several types of courses are offered at our Italian language school in Rome, Italy.

The language courses vary in the number of hours per week and in group and individual lessons.

Our group courses begin every two weeks and have an average of 7 to 8 persons and a maximum of 12. Lessons are held mornings and afternoons from Monday through Friday. Two different teachers of Italian conduct the language courses daily, each one teaches two hours at a time and each hour of a lesson lasts 50 minutes. Italian courses are offered at all language levels and the participants come from different nationalities what enriches the learning experience by sharing different ideas that belongs to each one's background.

Copyright © 1998-2006 Torre di Babele - The Italian Language School with Italian Courses in Rome, Italy. All rights reserved.

italian language course: Italian language course for Exchange Students

2006-05-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Exchange students are advised to learn Italian, since almost all courses are offered in Italian and exams will be taken in Italian as well. There are few courses which are taught in English (please ask the list to the Student Mobility Office incoming.students@polito.it or click here English courses).

CLA (Language Centre) at Politecnico di Torino offers all International students Italian language courses free of charge. Please remember that not only the success of your studies, but also the enjoyment of your time in Turin will be very dependent upon your ability to speak Italian.

Due to the XX Olympic Winter Games, exceptionally in the second term, Italian language courses will run parallel to lectures.

Please, note that it is essential that International students learn some Italian before reaching Turin, otherwise they will not be able to understand lectures.

On February 28th, 2006 all applicants will take a proficiency Italian language test which will define their level and few days later Italian lectures will start.
The Italian language courses are structured in two levels: upper beginner and intermediate.
In order to apply to the Italian Language Course, students are required to fill in the 2nd part of the Student Exchange Electronic Application Form and send the form back to the Student Mobility Office by postal mail by DECEMBER 1st, 2005 if they plan to arrive at Politecnico di Torino for the spring semester (February 2006).

The courses schedule will be handed out during the “Welcome/Orientation Meetings” (please, see the dates of the meetings on our calendar).

In order to achieve 3 ECTS credits (50 hours in class), students are required to attend at least 75% of lectures, which will be in evening time, twice a week, and on Saturdays, and to pass the final exam.
Remember that only candidates who will apply to the Italian Language Course within deadlines and will take the proficiency Italian language test on February 28th will be able to join in it.

Visitors and postgraduate students (ALPIP, TOPMED, ASIAN programmes) may apply to the Italian Language Course; please contact the Student Mobility Office for more information and in order to receive the Italian Language Course Application Form.

Page updated on October 7th, 2005

italian language course: welcome to BABILONIA - Italian in Italy language courses & study abroad programs in Italy website!

2006-05-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

Learn Italian in Italy and study Italian in Sicily is your dream? Among many Italian language schools in Italy and many Italian courses, are you looking for study abroad programs and courses of Italian in Sicily? If among a wide choice of Italian language schools in Italy, you want to take an Italian course in Sicily and meanwhile have the chance to explore and experience life in this beautiful island, then you have got the right website! Keep on reading to know more about our Center for Italian Studies and our Italian language courses in Taormina, Sicily and click in here to watch a video about Taormina and our school.

Learn Italian in Italy and take part to the full immersion Italian courses we offer: Italian language courses in a group or Italian private courses. Our Italian language school in Taormina, Sicily, offers study Italian classes from one week up to one year! And with the Italian language courses, you will be also offered a program of social and cultural activities and free assistance in finding accommodation in Taormina

If, beyond learning Italian in Italy and a full immersion study abroad stay, you also want a fuller cultural experience in Sicily, you can choose our Italian plus culture courses and combine them with our Italian language courses:

· Learn Italian plus cooking courses: "Food & Wine of Sicily"
· Learn Italian plus pottery courses: "The Sicilian ceramics"
· Italian literature courses: "The Sicilian writers"
· Italian history courses: "The History of Sicily"
· Art history courses: "Art History in Sicily"

Or, maybe you prefer something more active, dynamic, sporty? Then choose from our Italian plus sport activities:

· Learn Italian plus hiking & trekking in Sicily
· Learn Italian plus diving in Sicily
· Learn Italian plus moutain biking in Sicily
· Learn Italian plus golf in Sicily

On the other hand, if you need Italian for specific purposes, we also offer:

· Italian courses plus business & executives courses
· Italian courses plus commercial correspondence

Our Italian language programs are officially recognized by MIUR - State Department/Ministry of Research and Education, A.S.I.L.S, I.A.L.C and our Italian courses are approved by University For Foreigners Of Perugia as Official Exam Centre for CELI Exams - · University "Ca' Foscari" of Venezia as authorized language centre for the apprenticeship of ITALS Master for teachers of Italian as foreign/second language.

The Italian language courses at our school can be the beginning of an unforgettable journey in Sicily. From Taormina, it is very easy to get to Syracuse, volcano Mount Etna, the Eolian Islands, Catania, Piazza Armerina and Noto. And, travelling a little bit further, to: Palermo, Selinunte, Segesta, Agrigento, Erice. And many more are the treasures of Sicily. Click on our webpages on Taormina and Sicily to know more about the history, the culture, the traditions of our town and our region, or watch our video. And get here more information on how to get to Taormina.

Enrolling in our Italian courses in Taormina is very easy. Please follow this link

We would love to welcome you to our Italian language school in Taormina, Sicily for an unforgettable cultural and learning experience.

Ciao!

Alessandro Adorno
director & founder

BABILONIA
Italian language courses & study abroad programs in Italy

italian language course: A profile of our italian language school

2006-05-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

In the past 15 years, more than 8000 foreign students have discovered the Italian language and the Italian culture at the Scuola Toscana, and time and again we hear from them that their fondest school memories involve the human element: fellow students, teachers, guides, staff, people met during the activities.

Scuola Toscana students have friends all over the world, and return to visit them again and again.

Our italian language school is situated in Florence, the city of the Renaissance, the heart of Tuscany: surrounded by the beautiful Chianti hills. You will tell you have walked the streets where Michelangelo, Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci walked.

Come to the Scuola Toscana:
Italian Language as its best in its very place, Florence.

Study a foreign language and gain an unbeatable tool: to have a concrete knowledge of the Italian language.

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE Scuola Toscana ARE:

a maximum of 8 students per class;
starting dates available every two weeks, 12 months a year;
courses from one week up to three years;
the accommodation programme: a wide choice of apartments and selected families in Florence (no commission)
proficiency evaluation once a course is completed, various Certificates and Diplomas (Accademia Italiana di Lingua and Università per Stranieri di Siena).
customer service: assistance and courtesy, "no surprise" prices.
wheelchair accessible building and classrooms
The Scuola Toscana is a school of Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners, located in the heart of the historical centre of Florence.

The Scuola Toscana is a member of:

A.I.L (Accademia Italiana di Lingua);
ASILS (the Association of the Schools of Italian as a Second Language).

The school also co-operates with the Adult Education Department of the Florence City Council.

italian language course: News from Italian Courses in Italy - Sprachkurse Italien: Latino students take issue with limited classes

2006-05-23T00:42:00.000-07:00

Latino students take issue with limited classes
bY NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN, Staff Writer

When you get right down to it, English is more of a foreign language for Jose Perez than Spanish is.

So when he entered North Hollywood High School, he hoped to learn Italian or French but was dismayed to learn his only choice was to study his native tongue.

"It's like they're saying we're not smart enough to learn another language," Perez complained. "How can Spanish be considered a foreign language when it's not foreign to us?

"How can I put on my college application that I learned a foreign language, when this is a language I grew up with?"

Perez is one of a group of disgruntled North Hollywood High students trying to raise awareness about what they say is an inequity in education offerings: They only have one choice in foreign language - Spanish - while counterparts at Canoga Park High could choose from German, Spanish, French and Italian.

The high school senior with a 3.7 GPA has collected nearly 90 surveys of students in Spanish classes asking whether they were happy with the course and would like a shot at something else. He will submit the results to the administration after he conducts the same survey in coming weeks of students on another track at the school.

An overwhelming majority said they did not want Spanish and would have preferred French, Italian or German, saying the Spanish classes were simply not challenging enough.

About 72 percent of the 4,333-student campus is Latino, school officials said.

Only the 310 students in North Hollywood High's Highly Gifted Magnet - which requires an IQ of 145 to be accepted - have the option of learning French.

North Hollywood assistant Principal Virginia Hall said they once offered Italian for two years, but due to attrition, they were not able to offer a third year. Years ago they also had French classes, but the program was closed due to a high dropout rate and problems with the instructor.

"When we offer a foreign language, we need to make a commitment to students to be able to offer at least three years of that language because of the University of California requirements," Hall said. "We certainly anticipate when we go to a traditional schedule, we'll be able to offer more than Spanish in 2007 or 2008."

It's not the first time students have demanded another foreign language at the school. In 2004, another student presented to the administration a petition signed by about 200 students asking for another foreign language - but it did not produce a change.

Foreign language offerings are directly related to demand, district officials said.

"Student demand for foreign language courses is what directs the number and types of courses offered," said LAUSD spokeswoman Stephanie Brady. "And at most of our schools, students may speak Spanish but they don't have the grammatical essentials that they learn from a Spanish class."

Students have turned to community colleges to take French classes.

"I'm kind of freaked out about it because I'm concerned about getting into a good college because there's so much competition," said freshman Silvia Orellana, 14. "A lot of colleges and universities are not taking Spanish as a foreign language anymore."

Her mother, Maria, said she's saddened that her daughter is not afforded the same opportunities as other students in the district.

"I wish she had more language options, especially since we live in a country that has so many cultures and people speak more than Spanish and English," she said.

Straight-A sophomore William Vega said school brochures promised French, but the class was never offered.

He took the high school proficiency exam, passed, and will begin attending community college this year to eventually transfer to UC Berkeley - to major in French. He hopes to study law at Harvard or the University of Pennsylvania.

But the inequity goes beyond foreign language courses, students complain. They feel the lack of access to rigorous, college-preparatory classes makes them fall far short of the top high school students in the nation.

Even students at the same school don't have the same access to education, with the curriculum offered at his academy not matching that at the Highly Gifted Magnet - leaving him at a built-in disadvantage, Vega said.

"I'm not going back. I don't want to be part of all that mediocrity. We're compromising our standards," said Vega, 15. "We're not competition to anyone unless we're given choices. We're pretty much at the bottom of the barrel."

Perez said his counselor kept pushing him to consider California State University, Northridge. Only through a teacher did he recently find out about the option of enrolling in a community college program, where if successful, he would be guaranteed a spot at a UC school.

Now, he's planning on attending Santa Monica Community College, in the hopes of transferring to UCLA.

It's very difficult to determine inequities between and within schools because of limited reporting, said John Rogers, associate director of UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education and Access.

"I do think there are some serious issues there and it's a real concern," he said.

"No matter what neighborhood you grow up in in California, you should have a meaningful opportunity to be exposed to an education that will prepare you for access to any public university in the state."

naush.boghossian@dailynews.com

italian language course: Hard to sing in any language

2006-05-21T23:42:00.000-07:00

The Norman Transcript

All those people, including President Bush and some disquieted congressmen, who want to ban foreign-language versions of the "Star Spangled Banner" might have their work cut out for them.

Our national anthem was first translated into Spanish in 1919 by the then U. S. Bureau of Education, and the translated version has been available on the Library of Congress Web site for the past two years.

Besides Spanish, the anthem has been translated into Polish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Armenian, among other languages. So what's the big deal?

We doubt if anyone had ever given any thought to the anthem being sung in Spanish until the immigrants included it in their protests a week ago. After all, it's hard enough to sing in English.

CBS news anchor Bob Schieffer said, considering what the anthem stands for, he believes Americans should be flattered that nationalities other than ours would want to sing it in their own language. We agree. ...

What really got a lot of people upset was that some Latino pop stars released a Spanish version of the anthem with some of the words changed. They could not have created a bigger firestorm had they burned an American flag on the Capitol steps.

No one seemed to mind when President Bush campaigned across south Texas and in Florida, running ads in Spanish and addressing a number of his audiences speaking as much as he could in broken Spanish.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, (R-Tenn.) is introducing a bill, co-sponsored by several other Republican senators, requiring that the anthem never be recited or sung in a foreign language. Of course if this bill were to become law it would restrict only American citizens. ...

-- The Claremore Daily Progress

italian language course: Languages up certificate requirements

2006-05-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

By Nathalie Lagerfeld
Princetonian Staff Writer

New requirements for certificates in French and Italian and Spanish and Portuguese have left some students dissatisfied, as sophomores in the A.B. program register their concentrations and certificates this week.

To earn a certificate in Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Cultures, students must now take four rather than three 300-level classes and write a paper entirely in the target language as part of their independent work. Previously, only the abstract of the paper was required to be in the target language.

"When you start in [Spanish] 101, which is what I did, you pretty much need to take a Spanish course every semester" to fulfill the new requirements for a Spanish certificate, Wilson School major Stephanie Margulies '08 said. "They make it pretty hard for you."

The certificate in French and Italian Languages and Cultures now also requires a fourth class, but this can be at the 200-level instead of the 300-level. There were no changes to independent work requirement for the certificate.

Both departments said the changes are intended to encourage certificate students to study their target languages more thoroughly.

"We decided to revise the requirements in order to be able to give more importance to the 200-level, which many students, especially in French, tend to skip," department representative Volker Schroder said in an email. He also said many professors and even some students felt that unprepared students were "rushing into the 300-level because it alone 'counts' for the certificate."

One student who took ITA 307: Advanced Language and Style in the fall semester agreed that a lack of preparation was a problem. She said many of her fellow classmates had only taken one accelerated 200-level class, to the detriment of classroom discussions.

"The other students were great literature students, it's just that a lot of them couldn't speak Italian very well," said the student, who had taken Italian for a full two years previously. She was granted anonymity because she did not want to be quoted criticizing her classmates.

Spanish and Portuguese department representative Pedro Meira Monteiro said professors worried that requiring only three courses allowed students with prior Spanish experience to earn a certificate without spending enough time in the department.

"Basically, we want to push hard, so we can be sure that the students who get a certificate are really proficient in the language," he said.

Margulies, however, said that because she only began studying Spanish at Princeton, the new requirements are more an impediment than an encouragement. "I had planned out the next two years with the idea of taking three classes," she said. Scheduling a fourth Spanish class will be difficult, Marguiles added, because she is majoring in the Wilson School, which "has a lot of requirements to fulfill."

Margulies spoke with Monteiro about finding an alternative to a fourth class, but to no avail. He said she was the only student who had talked to him about the new requirements.

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In other news:

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italian language course: Learn Italian with In-Languages in Italy.

2006-05-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

You can do an Italian language course with In-Languages in Rome, Milan or Tuscany.
© 2004-2005 In-Languages.com : All rights reserved

Italian Language
At In-Languages we are keen to help you achieve your language ambitions. There are many reasons that you may want to learn Italian. The total immersion itself is a sure way to improve your language rapidly. By providing you with a full range of programmes and supplying plenty of possible destinations, we are sure that we can help you progress your language and give you a memorable experience.

Italian Courses Information
In-Languages have tried to make choosing your course and destination relatively easy by not including every course in every one of our language schools. Using our experience we are confident that we are offering courses at the top Italian language centres in Italy. You can find the following types of courses to learn Italian in Italy:

Survival Italian – Italian language courses for people with limited if any knowledge of the language.

General intensive Italian: The most popular group courses covering everyday use of the language for people with varying knowledge of the Italian language. Students will be tested to find out their level on the first day of their course. Ideal for people with a “rusty” level of Italian, or those who have just completed an Italian Evening class course.

Italian for work
Italian language courses for those who need the language for business or for their work. In-Languages provide a range of semi to more intensive Italian programmes, including one-to-one courses, across the destinations.

Italian Cultural Activity classes
These courses are designed to combine Italian and Culture. They are aimed primarily at participants over 50 with a special interest in the Italian language, but the focus is more on the content than the age of the group! The course aims to seek a perfect balance between the study of Italian and its culture.

Gap Year
Courses for students taking a year out before/after tertiary education, offering an accredited exam at the end.

Italian Language Plus…. an activity.
We have some special interest courses for those who may like to focus on something other than the Italian language for example drawing and painting, art history, archaeology and football training.

Italian Courses Accommodation Information
We have a made a selection of what we consider to be the best accommodation at each location.

In-Languages not only offer a wealthy range of courses, but also a wide selection of accommodation to suit your needs: host family, student residence, private or shared flat and hotels.

© 2004-2005 In-Languages.com : All rights reserved

italian language course: Language Courses Abroad

2006-05-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Italian Courses in Italy
Why learn Italian in Italy?
Our Italian schools in Italy
Our Italian language courses in Italy
Accommodation in Italy
Italian language and cookery course
Italian Courses for Young Students
Useful Local Information
Learn Italian in Italy
Where better to learn Italian than in Italy! This is a beautiful and varied country, with friendly people, excellent food and an amazing cultural heritage. Our Italian language schools are located throughout Italy, so you can learn the language in world-famous Venice, in northern Italy, or as far south as Taormina, in historic Sicily.

Our Italian language schools in Italy:
Rome
Florence
Venice
Milan
Pisa
Siena
Viareggio
Lignano
Naples
Tropea
Sorrento
Salerno
Syracuse
Island of Elba
San Giovanni Valdarno
Taormina (Sicily)

Students at our Italian language schools in Italy learn Italian in small groups, with fully qualified native tutors and lots of individual attention. As well as the Italian course, our Italian schools also offer an extensive cultural program of excursions and activities. We want you not only to learn as much Italian as possible during your time in Italy, but to also thoroughly enjoy the experience! You learn a language much better when you are happy on your course and enjoying your stay! For information on any of our Italian language schools in Italy, simply click on the links above.

Italian language courses in Italy:
Our schools in Italy offer a wide range of Italian language courses. The courses run all year and students are of many nationalities, so in your class you will be learning Italian with people from other countries, but with the same level of Italian as you and similar interests. You can study Italian for just one week or for a whole year, depending on the time you have available. You can usually start your Italian language course on any Monday. All the teachers at our schools in Italy are native Italian speakers, with a university degree and special training in the teaching of Italian as a foreign language. They know how to make the language learning process effective, but also enjoyable!

Learn Italian
Semi-Intensive course (10 or 15 lessons/wk)
Intensive Italian course (20 to 30 lessons/wk)
Business Italian Course
Examination Preparation Courses
Italian language and Cycling Course
Italian language and Cookery courses
Italian and Work Placement
Italian Courses for Students under 16 years
Italian Club 50+ (exclusively for students aged 50+)
Whatever your reasons for wanting to study Italian, we will be able to offer you an Italian language course which meets your particular needs and interests.
Accommodation in Italy
Our schools can arrange accommodation in:

Italian host families
Private studios
Shared apartments
School residences
All the host families are carefully selected by our schools, to provide a comfortable, friendly and welcoming environment.

© Language Courses Abroad

italian language course: Italian Language School in Italy

2006-05-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Learn Italian while learning the Italian culture
Take part in one of our Italian language programs in Italy! We offer a wide range of different Italian language programs from our popular Italian standard language course to Italian individual tuition and our Italian Diploma course (AIL Exams and CILS exams). People from all over the world come here to learn the Italian language and to study the Italian culture and way of living.

Our courses start every 2 weeks at all levels (Italian course dates) and you can stay as long as you want. Most of our students come through recommendations of former participants who have appreciated our commitment to provide:

A state-of-the-art, communication-oriented, flexible and highly effective instruction method;
A friendly and personal atmosphere;
Enthusiastic, dynamic and highly qualified teachers;
Office staff and course coordinator always ready to help;
Small and diverse international groups (max. 12 participants per class);
The internationaly recognized language diplomas "Firenze";
A broad extra-curricular cultural and leisure programme;
The location of our schools in the old city centres of Florence, Milan, Rome and Siena;
Recognized by US Colleges and Universities for Credits Transfer;
Recognized by CSN Lund Sweden;
Competitive prices.

italian language course: Eat, drink and learn Italian in Fiora Valley

2006-05-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

By John Geluardi
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
THE BROAD EXPANSES of farmlands, rolling hills and ancient oak forests in the Fiora Valley are punctuated by medieval villages that invite exploration.

When I wasn't in Italian class in the hilltop town of Manciano, or studying at a nearby cafe, I was touring one of the valley's stone-pathed villages.

Each village is unique, though they typically radiate downward in all directions from a castle and watchtower. The towns, within a bicycle ride of each other, are easily explored on foot.

Because high ground was more defensible 700 years ago, each village has its own stunning view of the valley.

Visit Pitigliano for the first time at night. The town appears to have been carved out of a massive tufa plateau. The sheer rock wall and stone buildings on top it are bathed in light, which creates a stunning effect.

From the 15th century through the 1930s, Pitigliano had a large Jewish population. In a section of town formerly known as Little Jerusalem, there is a beautifully restored 16th century synagogue, a Jewish cemetery and the vestiges of the Forno delle Azzime, a kosher bakery.

Dramatic view

The village of Semproniano has the most dramatic views of the valley. From the battlements of the abandoned castle, the sprawling oak forests and a deep Albegna River gorge sided by sheer granite walls are breathtaking.

And if you visit Semproniano, don't miss a chance to have dinner at Il Mullino, one of the best restaurants in Tuscany. The dining area is small, only about eight tables, which are set up under the vaulted ceilings of a 600-year-old grain silo.

Chef Maria Giuseppina Baldazzi runs the restaurant with her husband, Giampolo. For Baldazzi, known as "Pina" throughout the region, food preparation is a high art. She is an aficionado of both Tuscan and Roman cooking traditions; and regional cookbooks, some more than 150 years old, are placed in honored niches in the dining areas. There are no menus. Pina prefers to recite the daily dishes. And don't ask the prices in advance or she'll be insulted.

For a real after-dinner treat, ask Pina for a small glass of her special homemade "kissing grappa," which she distills from rare wildflowers she forages in the nearby forests. She claims it inspires affection among her customers.

Villages to savor

• Rocchetta di Fazzio is a small village that has changed little in the past 700 years. Once a fortress, it was built into a steep rock outcropping that overlooks the Albegna River. The Spanish overtook the small but formidable fortress in 1536 and for many years after it was abandoned. Now there is a cafe, small restaurant and about 40 residents who live in old stone houses and a converted castle.

• The best time to visit the town of Manciano is during the mid-September harvest celebration when local farmers, vintners and artists display their products and wares at the Festa delle Cantine.

For three days and nights, the town shuts down and the streets swell with people who come from miles around to sample the region's wines, olive oils, cheeses and wild boar prosciutto.

Each night, the narrow streets are thronged with locals and visitors who go from one underground wine cellar to the next, listening to live music, dancing and sampling the new vintage of the region's hearty Morellino Di Scansano. Morellino, a kissing cousin of Chianti, are beginning to develop an international reputation.

One of the interesting things about the Fiora Valley is its American-styled wild West history. The area was known for its cowboys (or butteri in Italian) who were skillful riders. So skillful in fact, that locals won't miss an opportunity to tell you how the butteri beat the American riders of the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, in a series of horsemanship competitions during a 1911 competition in Rome.

The Maremma was also known for its colorful bandits. During the 19th century the rugged Fiora Hills were a natural stronghold for outlaws who plundered the ranches of wealthy land barons in the Maremman lowlands and fled into the Fiora Valley, where the impoverished farmers treated them like heroes.

The most famous and beloved brigand was Domenico Tiburzi, widely known as the Italian Robin Hood. The charismatic Tiburzi was able to avoid the authorities for more than 25 years, until lawmen tracked him to a small farmhouse in 1896. Old and lame, he was killed after a short gun battle. Eager to make an example of the dead bandit, lawmen tied his body to a tree and placed his shotgun in his gnarled hand as if he were alive. However, the photo backfired because it reminded the poor, and very Catholic, local farmers of the Crucifixion, making Tiburzi a martyr and symbol of the Fiora Valley's independent spirit.

That photo of Tiburzi can still be seen on the walls of the valley's cafes, restaurants and farmhouses.

After my Italian-language course was completed, I told the Cultura Italiana's director, Stella Anna Maria Papaluea, that I was going to miss the Fiora Valley. She told me not to worry.

"Our little school may not have the most students in Italy, but we have the most students who return," she said. "So I am sure we will see you again."

Reach John Geluardi at jgeluardi@cctimes.com or 510-262-2787.

IF YOU GO

• The Fiora Valley is about two hours from Rome's Fiumicino Airport. By car, head north on the Via Aurellia and turn eastward on Highway 74 to Manciano. There is no train service into the Fiora Valley, but you can catch a bus from the provincial capital of Grossetto.

• Fattoria Pianetti is a bed-and-breakfast inn on a large farm. The newly built agritourismo is central to the valley and a good starting point for day trips and bicycle excursions. Excellent food, good service and very quiet. Doubles range from $175 to $286. 011-564-625116; www.fattoriapianetti.it

• Locanda La Pieve: A traditional eight-room albergo in the center of Semproniano. Doubles range from $90 to $125. Comfortable and owners are knowledgeable about local food and wines. Via Societa Operaia, #3, Semproniano. 011-564-987252; www.laltramaremma.it/locanda_la_pieve.

• Terme di Saturnia: The cost of rooms at the spa varies by program. However, it's hard to beat the services offered. Doubles range from $220 to $260. 011-564-600800; info@termedisaturnia.it; www.termedisaturnia.com.

Where to eat:

• Il Mulino: One of the best dining experiences in all of Tuscany. Open three days a week and seven days a week during August. Via Roma 112, Semproniano.

• Lacanda La Pieve: The hotel has an excellent restaurant that is one of the few in that region that has been approved by the Italian Slow Food Association. The hotel owners offers seasonal cooking classes. Via Societa Operaia, #3, Semproniano. 011-564-987252; www.laltramaremma.it/locanda_la_pieve.

• Trattoria da Paulino: Seasonal local cuisine in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Several of the tables have stunning views of the Maremman plains. Via Marsala 41, Manciano.

• Enoteca Bacco a Cerere: A good place to sample a full range of Maremman wines, olive oils, cheeses and dried meats. Via Mazzini, #4, Saturnia.

Language school

• Cultura Italiana: Excellent language immersion school. Offers course lengths designed to suit the length of your stay, starting with a week. The school is worth a visit just to see the amazing views of the valley from the classrooms. www.culturaitaliana.it/newhome/indexeng.asp select the Maremma link.

Regional information:

• Ufficio Turistica Manciano, Via Marsala 72, Manciano. 011-564-620532.

iPod Hi-Fi Home Stereo Box

2006-05-16T02:01:00.000-07:00

A
pple Computer soldiers onward with the innovative iPod "Hi-Fi" stereo system. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs?latest ?搕he home stereo reinvented?- is the newest example of Apple抯 efforts to extend the range of its slick product line. Shaped like a speaker on its side, the unit is a 17-inch-wide white box about 7 inches high by 7 inches deep - a little bigger a long shoe box - with a black grille.

The portable unit is compatible with all versions of the iPod. The MP3 player slips into a dock on top of the unit, which also has a remote control and built-in handles, and can run on D-cell batteries. With the batteries, the whole thing clocks in at a mere 16.7 pounds.

This iPod box now has Apple competing with such companies as Bose, which already has external speakers for iPods and other accessory products. But these stereos are not quite "bookshelf" stereos (the Hi-Fi, for example, is promoted as a hybrid iPod dock). Also, unlike the Bose, users can dock their portable players into the speakers and use a remote control to operate it from afar. This means there抯 no longer a need for a cabinet full of CDs.

By: Aaron Jacobs

The Samsung HT-P50

2006-05-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

The Samsung HT-P50 Home Theatre system is proof that power and size are not mutually exclusive in Home Theatre. A feature list that takes the "kitchen-sink" approach and a set of speakers capable of producing 1000W lend to this. The combination of good looks, small size, and raw power is something rarely found in many of the "home-theater-in-a-box" packages that dot the market. Due to the all-in-one nature of such packages, they tend to make sacrifices and cut corners here and there to save space, money, or compatibility.

This tends to make shopping for such systems a large task. If you are unsure as to what you are looking for, you could end up with an inexpensive system that underperforms, or an incredibly over priced system that does the same. Luckily the system we are reviewing in this article doesn't make any of the afore mentioned sacrifices, making your shopping trip quick and easy.

The Samsung HT-P50 Home Theatre System is one of Samsung's many home-theatre-in-a-box (commonly referred to as HTiB) packages. It's a higher end model in Samsung's line-up, and provides you with the very best combination of features. For starters, the receiver has a 5-disc turntable changer that plays not only DVD, CD, and VCD, but also WMA, DivX , and most other MPEG4 compression schemes. The 5.1 speakers system produces a total of 1000W of pure audio power. This will ensure some wall shaking that your neighbors will love to hate

by: Jason Landals

How to Play

2006-05-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

Roulette requires precise concentration, cat-like agility and the ability to pick winning numbers. The naysayers claim that the way numbers come up on a roulette wheel is random. I say, RANDOM MY ASS! If roulette is so random, how come I'm always such a big winner? WHY HAVE I BEEN FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM CASINOS? And don't use the casino's excuse that I was drunk, unruly, and passed out twice with my head on the black square. I know a smokescreen when I see one. If you are good at the lottery you'll be great at roulette. And with a little practice, you'll GET THROWN OUT OF CASINOS TOO!! When you get to the roulette wheel, find a seat and sit down. If you cannot find a seat, leave because luck is always better at Roulette when you are sitting. After sitting, give the croupier your cash. Ask for it to be changed for chips. DO NOT TELL THE CROUPIER YOU ARE GOING TO ROB HIM BLIND. This just leads to them keeping a closer eye on you and practicing black magic to counteract your skills. Now that you have your chips, start laying bets.

Types of Bets

I am not professionally trained to understand the different bets in roulette, but I have learned from years and years of hard-earned experience. Even today I still learn a thing or two about the game. For example: DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN BET ON THE TWO GREEN NUMBERS? IT'S TRUE! I just learned this last week.

BLACK This pays you two for one. If you bet black and win, it will pay back the original bet plus the same amount again. The casinos are suckers for this.
RED This one is similar to black, but not as good a bet I have never gotten around to counting the number of red or black numbers, but I am pretty sure there are more black. One important thing abut rouletter is that MORE NUMBERS ARE BETTER!!
EVEN This is like black or red, but you win if you bet even and iif the number comes up even. A pretty good bet when you are feeling lucky, but ODD is better.
ODD It's like even, but most of the really good numbers are odd, like one and seven. So, if you want to bet odd or even, I highly recommend odd. As I will later explain, multiples of three are good, and every other multiple of three is ODD! YOU WON'T BE A FRAUD BETTING THE ODD!
FIRST 12 You can bet on the first twelve numbres, which are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12. Also, I think 8. I will look tomorrow when I am robbing the casino blind. This one pays you good. The first 12 is a good bet because they come up a lot more than the other numbers.
SECOND 12 A sucker's bet if there ever were one. I hardly ever see these numbers come up, so my advice is to AVOID THE SECOND 12 LIKE THE PLAGUE.
THIRD 12 This group is a pretty risky bunch, but if you bet it and they hit, you will definitely earn the respect of the croupier.
GREEN A good roulette wheel has a green zero and a green double zero. Some of the casinos are now trying to make wheels with only a single zero. If the casino you are at has only one green spot GET THE HELL OUT! More zeros mean more choice and MORE CHOICE MEANS MORE WAYS TO WIN!! Green isn't a very good bet unless there is an Asian man at the table. Then it is more likely to come up.
A NUMBER You can bet on any number on the wheel, no matter what color. If it hits, they will pay you loads and loads of chips. I can't remember how many, but I think it has to do with the number. Like, a 31 will pay a lot more than a 14. If you want to play numbers, make sure to bet the high numbers.
MORE THAN ONE NUMBER You can put chips on the corner of a number so that they touch several number squares. I don't do this unless THAT FEELING COMES FROM MY TUM-TUM because THE WHEEL REWARDS LOYALTY. Playing several numbers at once is the same as having a bunch of mistresses. Also, I am not sure how this works, and sometimes if you ask THE CROUPIER WILL LAUGH AT YOU.

by Lucky Ned IndrediSystem

UBC serves up feast of Asian food and folklore

2006-05-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

Juicy Hainan chicken rice, fluffy egg foo yong, crisp green onion pancakes, spicy rendang and sizzling satay. Vendors will be selling these and other delicious creations during a series of monthly festivals of Asian street foods and culture at the Institute of Asian Research (IAR).

The week-long festivals, complete with cooking demonstrations and multi-media presentations, start this month and mark the one-year anniversary of the institute's move to the CK Choi building.

Plans are to convert the Choi building lobby into a modern version of "The Carpark," a Singapore tourist attraction in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

"It was a parking lot during the day and a food festival at night," IAR director Terry McGee explains. "At around 6 p.m. the food vendors would arrive with their carts, frying pans, woks and set up kitchens all over the place and tourists would follow their noses to a great dinner."

McGee studied the economics and culture of street foods in six Asian cities in the early 1970s. He says vendors selling food in public places at that time accounted for 50 per cent of retail sales. While malls have since reduced vendors' share of the market, McGee says the culture surrounding the sale of street foods remains a vibrant part of life in Asia.

McGee--along with graduate students Gisele Yasmeen, Donna Yeung and Tanya Lary, whose theses deal with Asian street foods--will give talks on Asian food hawkers and vendors in China, the Philippines and Thailand.

As part of its community outreach program this year, the IAR will revive the street food tradition Monday to Friday on the following dates: Feb. 17-21, March 17-21 and April 14-18. Festivals take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with cooking demonstrations and information about street food.

Ethnic community associations and local Asian restaurants will cater lunches offered at $6 per meal.

The institute in located at 1855 West Mall. Enter at Gate 4 off Northwest Marine Drive. Parking is available in the nearby Fraser River Parkade.

Copyright The University of British Columbia, all rights reserved

Bounty from the sea

2006-05-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

Gulf Shores, Alabama, hosts its 32nd Annual National Shrimp Festival this month, and you're invited.

We'll spare you the Forrest Gump routine, but if the 32nd Annual National Shrimp Festival doesn't have the kind of shrimp (or other seafood) you crave, then you just don't need it. A Jumbo Celebration

No doubt the food lured you here, so you'll be happy to know that more than 30 vendors line the boardwalk at Gulf Shores Public Beach Area. Each puts its own flavorful twist on shrimp (from Greek to Chinese to Cajun) in this carnival-like atmosphere. And rest assured, all you batter-dippers, in addition to boiled and grilled shrimp, you'll see plenty of greasy paper plates-remnants of the shrimp, oysters, crab claws, catfish, calamari, and anything else fit to drop in the fryer.

While we're sure you would be perfectly content with a plateful of shrimp and a cold drink, the festival offers much more than food. Browse the International Marketplace, where you'll find mostly trinkets and souvenirs. A few vendors carry other items, however, such as jewelry, hammocks, and clothing. Painters, potters, glassblowers, and the like display their best work in the juried art show. At the arts and crafts area, you can find beach signs, wind chimes, and other fun items.

Listen closely, and you'll catch a wide variety of music that seems to float in on the Gulf breezes. It's really coming from the festival's two stages, where performers play everything from hard rock to gospel throughout the entire weekend. Check the Web site for an entertainment schedule.

Sandy Architects

It's no secret that Alabama's Gulf Coast hosts some of the prettiest beaches in the South. If you're gonna build a sandcastle, why not use some of the most sugary sand around? One of the highlights of the festival is the sandcastle competition on Saturday. Kids and adults show up in droves at 2 p.m. with the tools of the trade-buckets and shovels, of course. The four-person teams have two hours to complete their architectural masterpieces, and the sandy spoils (a trophy, ribbon, and festival T-shirt) go to the winners.

All that hard work will probably build up an appetite, so just walk back over to the boardwalk, and start deciding what you want to try next. You know, you could chow down on some more boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp kabobs...

by Latham, Tanner C

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2006-04-28T23:13:00.000-07:00

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