February 10th, 2010
try something new: learn 10 words
Florence, Italy.
Italy is a place that feels to me like a second home. In my travels there, I have stepped off of the plane and felt largely utterly in place. I am content to simply wander and people watch and notice (oh yes, and–stop for gelato).
One of the first things that caused me to love Italy so much was the language. I would hardly be the first to declare Italian the most beautiful language on the planet; all of those luscious rolling rrrrr’s and the way a sentence in Italian drifts off of the tongue…truly, I could probably listen to an Italian simply read the phone book. My joke is that normal people dream of summer houses and size-2 waistlines. I dream of being able to speak Italian fluently, effortlessly.
So today, try something new: Learn 10 words in a new language. I’ll offer up ten words in Italian, just because I love it so much. But any ten words will do. Choose a language that you have always been particularly drawn to, whatever it may be, and just look up the words in a dictionary online and put them on a few post-its and keep them around throughout the day. Or write down the Italian words I’m offering you, here. Maybe this is something that would belong in that book “Stuff White People Like,” but something about learning Italian and having the words hanging up around my house feels a little…exotic.
And I’m going to offer up my favorite Italian words/expressions, too:
1.) Buongiorno= good morning
2.) Meravigliosa = wonderful!
3.) Perfetto! = perfect!
4.) Porca miseria! = “miserable pig” an expression used the way we say, “Dammit!” when dropping something or making a mistake.
5.) Puo repeterle? = Can you repeat that/it?
6.) Dov’e il bano? = where’s the bathroom?
7.) Sono molto stancha. = I am very tired.
8.) Ho fame. = I am hungry (literal: “I have hunger.”)
9.) Me le cavo = “I can get by.” I picked this up from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love, and the Italians nodded approvingly when I used this.
10.) Mi dispiace, per favore, non fumare. Io sono gravida. = “I’m sorry, please, no smoking. I am pregnant.” This one comes in handy when the cigarette smoke starts to get on your nerves. If you’re a guy reading this, I’m sorry that I can’t offer you something.
Speaking of Italy…
Want to go?
I’m planning a retreat there from October 11-15th. The retreat is a Courageous Play retreat, meaning–this is about being in Italy. This is about indulging completely in beautiful scenery, speaking Italian, painting, writing, napping in the grass, taking optional day trips. You don’t have to “do” anything–you simply get to relax. The villa where I’m planning this retreat is absolutely gorgeous–we’re talking stone buildings, an enoteca for wine-tasting, stunning sunsets, walking along a gentle stream on a one-lane road gorgeous. We’ll go to the pasticherria for pastries and amazing cappuccino in the mornings, duck into Florence by bus (a quick 15-20 minute hop), explore the back roads of the city, take pictures, nap in the afternoons, go on gelato runs.
Retreat price: $1,000, paid in installments (if you wish–of course, you can also pay in full up front).
Includes: Lodging from the 11th-15th, two meals per day (locally grown, fresh food), painting / writing/ photography classes, a portrait session, and the use of a salon where we can spread out, me as your guide, acting as a point-person for optional day trips to antique fairs or medieval towns nearby.
If you have always wanted to go to Italy but have been afraid to go because of gluten issues or a related food allergy, fear no more–we’ll have access to our own kitchen, which means that you’ll be able to stock food there. I can also work with the villa to ensure that we have access to food that meets your needs.
The PDF with more details: http://www.yourcourageouslife.com/italyretreat.pdf
At this point in time, I have room for four more people. If you’re interested, contact me ASAP to get started: kate @ yourcourageouslife .com.