untitled design (1)

Learn Italian online

An achievement

If, before I came to Italy, someone had asked me to stand up in front of around 50 people and make a presentation, I would probably have run a mile.   Now, I do this quite routinely and the experience hardly makes me blink an eyelid.  That’s personal progress in my eyes and it makes me feel quite good, I can tell you.

Now, just how did I undergo the transformation from shrinking violet to Mr Cool?  Well, I’m not all that sure.  I think all  my teaching experience has helped.  First I started with small groups, then bigger groups and then ended up with up to 50 people who see my ‘start of course’ presentations.   I think little by little, I got used to being up there in front of so many people and, secretly, I think I quite like ‘performing’.  The start of course presentations also allow me to get some idea of what my students will be like and how well they might work as a group.

think in italian logo dark bg 1

Stop reading, start speaking

Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.

I have not seen myself doing these little talks, so I don’t know how good I am, but I try to look around the room and at people, which is what the texts on the subject of presentations say you should do, and I speak slowly – which is necessary when you are dealing with people who do not know English too well.  Perhaps teaching presentation skills on a few occasions has also helped me learn the ropes, as does knowing what I am on about.

It is amazing sometimes how you can end up doing things you never believed you would be able to do, which is suppose why I feel quite pleased with my progress.   Just shows to go – you can often doing anything you want.  All you need to do is give it a go….and try to enjoy what your doing, which does seem to make quite a difference.

End of trumpet-blowing.

Most Popular

Francesco Cossiga Understood Italy

For those who did not know, Francesco Cossiga, who died the other day, was an Italian politician and one time President of Italy. Cossiga hailed from Sardinia, was a fan of John Le Carre and had earned himself the nickname “the pickaxe” owing to his no holds barred criticism of other Italian politicians.

The joys of dieting

Are there any joys that can be associated with dieting? Well, yes there are, at least I think

Categories

Related Posts

The things a girl will do

There was a disconcerting article in the news yesterday.  Apparently a 13 year old Italian girl had been selling nude photos of herself to her

Foggy Milan

A Foggy Night in Milan – Photographs

Many years ago when I first came to Milan, winters were cold and foggy. Nowadays fog in the centre of Milan is quite rare, which is why when I say it was good and foggy the other evening I whipped out to attempt to capture the atmosphere, and to try out a fast 50mm f1.4 lens.

Here, then, are a few black and white photographs of Milan in the fog. Why black and white? First, I like black and white, and second, black and white captures the mood of foggy nights better, or so I think.

There is also an image of the, er, Christmas butterflies in via Paolo Sarpi. Well, they look like butterflies to me, but I think they are supposed to be angels.

Can Microsoft Excel Save Italy?

Newbie leader of Italy’s centre-left PD party Matteo Renzi thinks Excel might help get Italy back on track. Indeed, he wants Italy’s government to take