Living the GOOD LIFE for the REST OF YOUR LIFE!
LEARN TO SPEAK ITALIAN!
As soon as you’ve made the decision to move to Italy, start learning the language. Go to the library and check out the tapes, cds or whatever they have. Then turn off your car radio and use your driving time to learn your new language!
If you are moving with children and worry about them learning the language, know that their first few months in class will be difficult. But before you know it, they’ll be speaking Italian, and even helping you with your lessons!
If your community has adult classes at the local school, sign up and start speaking Italian. A classroom situation is good in that you are able to learn from other’s mistakes, speak aloud, and communicate.
Do not depend on your native language to get you through your life in Italy. If you are moving to Italy, learn to speak Italian. The Italian people will appreciate you for it, and your experience will be infinitely greater.
Immersion seems to be the best learning path to take when considering a new language. Sessions are offered at many of the language institutes in Italy, as well as in your home country. One of the questions to ask is the origin of the teacher. You want a language teacher who best represents the general Italian accent, not a dialect.
While Sicily’s Italian carries with it a distinctive lilt, and Puglia’s Italian is sprinkled with words from a multitude of other languages, the Italian you wish to learn is basic. Once you relocate to a specific region you can then pepper your skills with the local terminology.
Television is a good tool for learning a language. Rent a film in Italian. Listen to the words before peeking at the subtitles. Children, especially, learn easily from television. If your area has an Italian language institute, ask them for films or television shows that are native to Italy.
The language of Italy is beautiful, and rolls off your tongue easily. After just a few lessons, you’ll be speaking the language of romance --Italian!