Day Three

After an eventful night sleeping at the Hacienda (all I need was a glow-stick) I was not feeling particularly rested at 4.00am when I ended up watching Naimh Kusack or one of the Kusaks speaking Italian.  So this is very much my day.  

My accommodation

Wake up, shower etc, breakfast at 7.30 to 8.50.  Surprisingly, breakfast was very good.  I knew this before but for many of the English people, they were not aware.  In Italy you only drink cappuccino in the morning, up to 11.00am.  For the Italians, you only have milk as a breakfast thing.  I do not normally drink cappuccino but felt obliged to be Italian.  I had a drink, some orange juice, some scrambled eggs and some of the delicious Italian bread (it is so good).  I then had my cappuccino and a cinnamon type fruit cake; this is traditional and was rather lovely.

At 8.50 we start and are put into groups. Today I had two Italians and just me.  We have cards that give us sentences or phases that they may not be familiar with such as 'who holds the fort for you when you are not at work', then we

engage in conversation.  At 9.50 we have a break, which is basically an espresso then at 10.00 back in a 1-2-1 it an Italian. Then at 10.50 a break, espresso. At 11.00 back in a 1-2-1 with an Italian.  At 11.50 a break, more espresso (are you counting them?), then another group activity, two English, two Italian. At 1.00pm we break for lunch and this was a treat. Two Italians and the 'American' who reminds me every time he speaks why I do not feel the love for many Americans!  Lunch was a potato cake with a cream cheese on it, followed by some rather delicious pasta and an artichoke sauce, followed by, yes you have guessed it, an espresso.

It is now 14.09 and I am in my room typing this and need to be back for 14.50 to start all over again.  I knew it was going to be full on but savour my down

time so much.  I have had some really intense conversations with the Italians and their English skills are so good.  It really does put us (the British) to shame as we are so lazy when it comes to languages.  We just shout louder and louder in English and expect everyone else to understand us!  I really do give encouragement and are starting to notice that I am being given two Italians, mainly those whose English needs improvement.  It is fun, I am enjoying it and the weather has been wonderful, so we sit outside at every opportunity.

I have my Freddie Mercury t-shirt on today and a lot of the staff at the hotel have passed comment on it.  It really is funny how music is the universal language of the world.  The light in my room has been fixed but the WiFi is still intermittent which is not ideal, but hey ho, I cannot have it all.  Back to work at 14.50 and a 1-2-1 for an hour with one Italian to through a phone call. Apparently, and I can see why, the Italians find phone calls very difficult and had to work through a scenario with Roberto about applying for a job in Stafford of all bloody places!  You really could not make it up.  He did well but I can see

Trees from my walk this morning

why those types of conversations can be problematic.  We then had a group activity where two Italians had to pitch a product in two minutes.  We were given a thing from Ikea that if you spin the ball it makes the decision for you.  It was hysterical. Our product was affectionally known as the BBD: British Brexit Decider or the Brexitier.  I was Theresa May and the two Italian women, who were so lovely, caught me in the lift and tried to see me this product. It was from Ikea originally and I wanted to know, as Theresa May, if the country still liked me!  It was so funny.  The BBD's result was Hell No!  Therefore, very accurate.  We finished by me asking them where the product was made and their response was Swindon, but moving to Milan next week.  I will leave that there, but it was funny.  I really should consider stand up.

It is now 6.30 and I have an hour, a whole hour to myself.  I have just had a quick shower and will throw some clothes on in a bit and then we have dinner and after dinner tonight, thank goodness, we can either stay and relax or come

The BBD (not the BBC) - British Brexit Decider!

back to our rooms.  I think I will probably come back and watch something on You Tube.  It is fun and I am enjoying it.  You can do the programme for four days or seven. Personally, I would not like to do the seven days as I would not like to use my holiday in this way.  I cannot imagine how exhausted the Italians must be with all this intensive learning and they are doing so well.  But I do really feel for them.  If I am finding it intense and English is my first language, the learning curve for them must be so challenging.

Dinner to night consisted of a good time.  I shared my table with Samantha who planned my itinerary for Monday in Milan and Anna Marie who looks just like my cousin Dawn. I showed her a photo and they could not believe the resemblance and Valerie who is from Ireland but now lives in Rome.  We had a right laugh and a couple of bottles of red.  They thought I was hysterical and a I swear I will be asked to leave the course before long as I keep causing chaos lol.  Tonight I learned from the Italians that Milano is the gay capital of Italy!!!! FFS.  Of course it is!!!!! And it is all because of the fashion and if I had thought of it, and I didn't, I guess it is quite obvious, but I mean, really.  I told them about my life in London and all three of them, who I have to say are married, thought it was hysterical.  One actually said I am just like Bridget Jones.  I mean, it is not as if I have heard that one before.  We all had a wonderful evening and it was all hugs and kisses when it was time to say goodnight.  Needless to say, regardless of typing this I am a bit tipsy (I taught the Italians that word tonight they nearly learned for fake sake when I found out about Milano but stopped myself just in time, but they knew and thought it was funny!).

I have had a lovely evening and even the food has improved, it had colour this evening and the red wine was rather lovely too.  I am now lying in bed, make up off and wand watching Portugal play football on the TV. You may be surprised to know that Italians like a bit of football you know.

As always, with my love x