caroline_venezia
Aug 16th, 2013, 04:34 AM
#82
Aug 16th, 2013, 10:14 AM
#84
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I've been a fan of Marc Quinn since he first exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in the early 90s, and found both the original 'Alison Lapper Pregnant' in London and the Venice version 'Breath' quite beautiful and powerful.
I can take or leave both 'Boy with Frog' and the lamppost, but found the former slightly more interesting.
I can take or leave both 'Boy with Frog' and the lamppost, but found the former slightly more interesting.
Aug 17th, 2013, 02:21 PM
#85
Hi Caroline, just got back from Edinburgh last night. Had a great time at the festival, went to four plays at the Traverse Theatre, thanks to your initial recommendation, and a bunch of other stuff. Missed your take on everything, the whole schedule is overwhelming. I was there with my husband and two friends so we planned a large variety of things for everybody. I would go back again in a minute.
Glad you're still enjoying Venice.
Glad you're still enjoying Venice.
Aug 18th, 2013, 09:53 AM
#87
An Italian circle would be more use!>>
Caroline - i was only half joking when I suggested a french circle, as you might get some italians to join, who then might be interested in speaking italian with you, in return for your speaking english with them. [if meeting italians to whom to speak italian is still a problem].
italians are unlikely to join an italian circle, I would have thought.
Caroline - i was only half joking when I suggested a french circle, as you might get some italians to join, who then might be interested in speaking italian with you, in return for your speaking english with them. [if meeting italians to whom to speak italian is still a problem].
italians are unlikely to join an italian circle, I would have thought.
Aug 19th, 2013, 08:33 AM
#88
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Ah yes, I was being dense there, ann!
Nikki, so glad to hear you had a good time and enjoyed the Traverse. And we were at the King's Wark last month, when back in Edinburgh for the first time as part of our 'summer tour' of friends & family. We had a list of food we wanted to eat which we can't get here and started on our first night with fish & chips at the KW! We also revisited another old fave The Dogs, and ate one night at the new Thai restaurant where Oloroso used to be. Only managed a couple of G&Ts at the Trav, but had a few pints of proper beer in the Malt & Hops and the Shore
Nikki, so glad to hear you had a good time and enjoyed the Traverse. And we were at the King's Wark last month, when back in Edinburgh for the first time as part of our 'summer tour' of friends & family. We had a list of food we wanted to eat which we can't get here and started on our first night with fish & chips at the KW! We also revisited another old fave The Dogs, and ate one night at the new Thai restaurant where Oloroso used to be. Only managed a couple of G&Ts at the Trav, but had a few pints of proper beer in the Malt & Hops and the Shore
Sep 9th, 2013, 10:46 AM
#89
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Annhig, in response to your question elsewhere "do you miss the radio a lot? it's something that makes me think twice about moving abroad."
Yes, I do miss Radio 4 a lot - my default setting was to have it on all the time in the house, except when we watched TV or on the rare occasions it featured someone I disliked enough to turn it off (Kenneth Williams springs to mind). I could listen to it live on my laptop now, but DH thinks we should only listen to Italian radio: he wasn't quite such a big fan as me so fair's fair, he put up with a lot of it over our years together in Scotland. The one bit of R4 we still listen to (downloaded after the event) is the Archers omnibus, which I'd just finally managed to get him sucked into the year before we left, fortunately
Incidentally, the main reason for listening to Italian radio was supposed to be to help improve our Italian listening, but I'm afraid I just tune it out
But he has got very fond of RAI Radio 3, which is mainly spoken word with some music especially in the evening. Nothing we have seen so far has persuaded us it's worth getting a TV here.
We have watched a few things on British TV (also via laptop) since we've been here, but not a lot - 'The Killing', Downton, Doctor Who & 'Getting On' is all, I think. There is the issue of not being supposed to watch it abroad for licensing reasons, but you can get round that using a proxy server (I think that's the term).
I was pleased to hear Blowers was the star of JaM!
Yes, I do miss Radio 4 a lot - my default setting was to have it on all the time in the house, except when we watched TV or on the rare occasions it featured someone I disliked enough to turn it off (Kenneth Williams springs to mind). I could listen to it live on my laptop now, but DH thinks we should only listen to Italian radio: he wasn't quite such a big fan as me so fair's fair, he put up with a lot of it over our years together in Scotland. The one bit of R4 we still listen to (downloaded after the event) is the Archers omnibus, which I'd just finally managed to get him sucked into the year before we left, fortunately
Incidentally, the main reason for listening to Italian radio was supposed to be to help improve our Italian listening, but I'm afraid I just tune it out
But he has got very fond of RAI Radio 3, which is mainly spoken word with some music especially in the evening. Nothing we have seen so far has persuaded us it's worth getting a TV here.We have watched a few things on British TV (also via laptop) since we've been here, but not a lot - 'The Killing', Downton, Doctor Who & 'Getting On' is all, I think. There is the issue of not being supposed to watch it abroad for licensing reasons, but you can get round that using a proxy server (I think that's the term).
I was pleased to hear Blowers was the star of JaM!
Sep 9th, 2013, 01:33 PM
#90
The one bit of R4 we still listen to (downloaded after the event) is the Archers omnibus, which I'd just finally managed to get him sucked into the year before we left, fortunately >>
your neighbours must be pretty bemused by the Archers.
I don't think that I'd miss the TV too much but I don't think i could cope without Radio 4 and TMS.
your neighbours must be pretty bemused by the Archers.
I don't think that I'd miss the TV too much but I don't think i could cope without Radio 4 and TMS.
Sep 10th, 2013, 08:40 AM
#93
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Incidentally, for those who are interested, we are just starting our 2nd scholastic year as teachers, both with full-time contracts this time.
As I mentioned before, we were extremely lucky not only to find work, but to find it with a well-organised, reputable school which pays on time! We have heard stories from other people - in this area - who either haven't been able to find enough work for some reason, or have work never know when or even if they are going to get paid. If we had been in a position of not being able to rely on getting paid regular, we would have had to give up.
I still find it hard but everyone says it gets easier...
As I mentioned before, we were extremely lucky not only to find work, but to find it with a well-organised, reputable school which pays on time! We have heard stories from other people - in this area - who either haven't been able to find enough work for some reason, or have work never know when or even if they are going to get paid. If we had been in a position of not being able to rely on getting paid regular, we would have had to give up.
I still find it hard but everyone says it gets easier...
Sep 10th, 2013, 09:36 AM
#94
I still find it hard but everyone says it gets easier...>>
depends on the time frame, Caroline. we moved to Cornwall 16 years ago, but I didn't really feel properly at home until we'd been here about 10 years.
and that's in a place where they supposedly speak the same language as us.
really 18 months or so in a strange land with a different language is no time at all.
I'm not sure if that's helpful, but it's meant to be!
I do admire you for sticking at it, it can be VERY hard know.
how's the italian going, BTW?
depends on the time frame, Caroline. we moved to Cornwall 16 years ago, but I didn't really feel properly at home until we'd been here about 10 years.
and that's in a place where they supposedly speak the same language as us.
really 18 months or so in a strange land with a different language is no time at all.
I'm not sure if that's helpful, but it's meant to be!
I do admire you for sticking at it, it can be VERY hard know.
how's the italian going, BTW?
Sep 11th, 2013, 04:59 AM
#95
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Caroline, you find it hard but you must be good at it. It's not just luck that you have a full-time contract with a reputable school.
We've been home a week now and Folkingham is not measuring up to Venice and Padova!
We've been home a week now and Folkingham is not measuring up to Venice and Padova!
Sep 14th, 2013, 01:36 AM
#96
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Ann, that is helpful, thanks. Thinking about it, it was the same for me in Scotland - and sometimes I still didn't feel at home there, after 18 years. So in that sense it's not so much of a shock, I suppose!
Unfortunately my Italian has continued to go backwards over the last 14 months, ever since we finished our 3 month course - I just don't get enough practice. Some days I find I can barely string 2 words together and I started yesterday feeling very down about it (after having failed to order a round of drinks the night before), but felt a bit better last night after speaking almost entirely in Italian for 2 hours while having a drink with an Italian friend. Will just have to keep trying when I can, and trying to force more Italians to become my friends
Tarquin, that is vey nice of you! I survived the 2 week FCE course, anyway, and am now looking forward to Biennale-ing like mad the next 2 weeks before it's back on my head full time. And you have another lovely holiday to look forward to only next month!
Unfortunately my Italian has continued to go backwards over the last 14 months, ever since we finished our 3 month course - I just don't get enough practice. Some days I find I can barely string 2 words together and I started yesterday feeling very down about it (after having failed to order a round of drinks the night before), but felt a bit better last night after speaking almost entirely in Italian for 2 hours while having a drink with an Italian friend. Will just have to keep trying when I can, and trying to force more Italians to become my friends
Tarquin, that is vey nice of you! I survived the 2 week FCE course, anyway, and am now looking forward to Biennale-ing like mad the next 2 weeks before it's back on my head full time. And you have another lovely holiday to look forward to only next month!
Sep 14th, 2013, 03:38 AM
#97
caroline - I know what you mean about being tongue-tied; sometimes i can barely manage 2-3 words, others [often when alcohol is involved] I can manage whole conversations. i do think that it's more difficult if you start a language in adulthood; even though I get very few opportunities to practice my french, after a couple a days it comes flooding back. in Italy, there's nothing to fall back on.
isn't it funny that there are fewer opportunities for you to practice your italian in Venice than there are for me here in Cornwall. we have had several meetings of our italian circle in the summer, and there is also a Cafe Polyglot in Falmouth every thursday, though I've not made it there yet. and lessons start again, I hope [if we have enough people] in 10 days time.
please don't feel down about it - you are probably absorbing more than you think!
isn't it funny that there are fewer opportunities for you to practice your italian in Venice than there are for me here in Cornwall. we have had several meetings of our italian circle in the summer, and there is also a Cafe Polyglot in Falmouth every thursday, though I've not made it there yet. and lessons start again, I hope [if we have enough people] in 10 days time.
please don't feel down about it - you are probably absorbing more than you think!
Sep 14th, 2013, 07:09 AM
#98
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Have only just found this and enjoyed reading about your adventure. Yes, it is hard moving into a different country and language and culture. And it does take years to feel 'at home'.
Re the TEFL teaching, I agree that it's hard to find opportunities to practise the local language (Italian, Spanish, whatever) because you are using English all day at work and even in free time people tend to speak to you in English or want to practise on you! I think you have to get to a certain level of fluency especially in Europe before local people accept you as an Italian/Spanish/whatever speaker. It's only when you get back to the UK that you realise how good your Italian is.
Just interested which language institute you found jobs through? Was it International House?
Now to Phil's blog....
Re the TEFL teaching, I agree that it's hard to find opportunities to practise the local language (Italian, Spanish, whatever) because you are using English all day at work and even in free time people tend to speak to you in English or want to practise on you! I think you have to get to a certain level of fluency especially in Europe before local people accept you as an Italian/Spanish/whatever speaker. It's only when you get back to the UK that you realise how good your Italian is.
Just interested which language institute you found jobs through? Was it International House?
Now to Phil's blog....
Sep 15th, 2013, 06:57 AM
#99
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Thanks both for that encoragement!
Gertie, are you in TEFL too and if so where? The Oxford School in Mestre, part of a local group started by an Englishman in the 60s, is where I had a part-time contract last year and we'll both have full-time contracts this year. Phil did some non-contract work for them last year and also worked for a small independent school on the Lido and for the Connor (business English) group, and with a few private students.
Gertie, are you in TEFL too and if so where? The Oxford School in Mestre, part of a local group started by an Englishman in the 60s, is where I had a part-time contract last year and we'll both have full-time contracts this year. Phil did some non-contract work for them last year and also worked for a small independent school on the Lido and for the Connor (business English) group, and with a few private students.
