Osservazioni della Dolce Vita

Writing from Singapore Airport

- half way home already - I’d like to fill you all in on a very special last night Italy...

After finishing writing my last entry, about my lovely goodbye from my class at school, I had a wonderful surprise,
We were expecting two friends over to say goodbye to me, and at seven when they were due to arrive we went downstairs, supposedly to watch a movie (‘Australia’!). I arrived downstairs to find about 15 or 20 people who I’ve met throughout these two months waiting to celebrate the time I’ve had here and say goodbye to me with a party. Thank you Elena!!! Despite the fact that I had an inkling that she was plotting something, with or without the element of surprise I had a wonderful night and was able to properly say goodbye to everyone.

With the Reniero Sisters - L to R Lucia, Maria, Chiara

MariaTeresa and Lucia - I’ll miss you!

Irene, Elena, Me, Anna

An Emotional Goodbye - Come to Australia, Lucia!!!

Grazie a tutti della vostra amicizia, aiuto con la lingua italiana, domande pazze della Australia e la vostra presenza Mercoledi` sera. Grazie a voi quest’esperienza e` stata indimenticabile - Mi mancherete.

Thank you all for your friendliness, help with my Italian, crazy questions about Australia and your presence on Wednesday night.You’ve made this experience something I’ll never forget - I’m going to miss you!

Today was my last day at school. :-(

I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed school in Italy. I’ve certainly learnt plenty of Italian, met a load of people, and learnt something of the subject matter too. My class was absolutely lovely, everyone was very friendly to me right from the start, and keen to talk to me, either about Australia or to ask how do you say... {insert swearword or rude phrase here}!

However, in general, and in comparison to Australian school, I have to say that for the Italians education is pretty dry and boring most of the time. For starters, the Italians don’t have a lot of choice in what they study at school. When you reach secondary school (at about age 13) you choose a type of school, for example scientific, linguistic, artistic, technical or like me, human sciences. However, within your type of school you can’t choose your subjects like we eventually can in Australia. No matter which type of school you go to you have about 12 or 13 subjects, which means only 2 or 3 lessons a week for most of them. This doesn’t, however, mean that you don’t get through any content, it means that classes are always explanations and any exercises, research or reading has to be done at home. They other thing is that they have a lot of tests, and lots of them are oral ‘interrogations’.

I’ve done some of the tests, listened in some of the classes, and written my diary (which I’m always behind with) in some other classes. In some classes I’d do Italian grammar exercises while to others were working on whatever they were working on. While being pretty heavy going, school, at least we arrive home at either 2 or 3 o’clock every day. Poor Elena though has to go to school on Saturday.

Today, being my last day at school and my last full day in Italy, my class put on a party for me!

One Girl Even Made Me a Cake!

With My Class on The Last Day!