Would you do that?

io e Chris in giro per Ortigia. (sì, aveva appena piovuto!)

• Would you guide two Italians around a city in Italy?

• Would you explain to them the history of the city and food traditions?

• Would you teach them some words in dialect?

No, non ho bevuto troppo (as we say in Italy when something sounds crazy)!

Non è impossibile.

If you believe in it. If you can visualize it and smile at it, then it could happen.

Se ci credi, se lo riesci a visualizzare e a sorridere al pensiero, allora può succedere.

And Chris can tell you that’s the truth.

Indeed, he took me and my friend Elena around Ortigia, la città vecchia di Siracusa. 

• Talking about lots of different topics while enjoying granita, aperitivo e cena 

• Showing us around hidden spots, curious street names, traditional bars

• Telling us a bit of history of the area

• Teaching us some words in Sicilian dialect

e tutto in italiano!!!

I was overwhelmed with joy! Ero felicissima. Sono ancora felicissima!

Ho conosciuto Chris online la scorsa primavera e sono stata la sua insegnante per circa due mesi. Lui insegna inglese a Siracusa e voleva migliorare il suo italiano. Io l'ho sostenuto nel suo percorso, ma è stato lui a fare tutto il lavoro, a mettere costanza e impegno, giorno dopo giorno. Non solo si è esercitato il più possibile con la gente del posto (e non è facile visto che vogliono sempre parlare in inglese!) ma si è anche immerso nella lingua attraverso libri, musica, e notizie, in order to have more and more conversation topics.

This has been his path, but it's not the only path. You need to unlock the right way for you to learn. You need to focus on topics that you enjoy reading, listening, and talking about. These topics will help you

• Learn new words and structures

• Make new, meaningful connections

• Become more confident when giving your opinion 

So that you could not only talk about food while eating, but also about anything else while drinking. Exactly as Italians do :D

Personal quote: Gli italiani parlano di cibo mentre mangiano e di tutto il resto quando bevono!

Italian Time Zone is here to help you find "edible" topics to learn with, tuning in to Italian history and hidden gems, wherever you are, at your own time and pace.

How?

The first step is going to be my podcast, and you'll be the first one to know everything about it! I’m so excited about it that I want to share with you a short extract (3 minutes) where I compare language learning to travelling and tell you about my own path as a learner of English, Spanish, and French. 

You can listen to it here. 

You can watch a trial video with subtitles on instagram or here.

You can find the sentierino a Taormina I talk about here. 

Take your time, and enjoy your goodies :)

What about you?

• How do you like learning Italian?

• What topics interest you?

• Have you ever been to Italy? Have you ever spent time with Italians for a walk/aperitivo/lunch/dinner? If yes, what did you talk about?

• Do you agree with my sentence here?

I’d love to hear from you and connect with you. Just hit reply and you will reach me!

Until then, ti auguro una buona giornata/serata :) 

A presto,

Giulia.