Another avventura

We Rusters can be accused of many things but of not shying away from the challenge of a new experience. Not for me a few cosy non-executive directorships, thank you, but rather a motivation in what must be the final stage of life to enjoy travel and the bucket list of pleasures and pastimes denied whilst in gainful employment.

With this in mind I enrolled at a local adult learning centre – for what was once called evening classes though these seem to take place throughout the day – on a course of intermediate Italian tuition based around the country’s culture. I did not know what to expect though I had one chat with the tutor, an agreeable man called Adrian, beforehand. I also thought what value these courses are at £70 per term having paid this sum for a indifferent restaurant meal.

Yesterday I pitched up for the first lesson of the term. ‘Lesson’ would perhaps be the wrong word, session better, as it was interactive. The group of 10 were elderly and mainly women. They appeared to know each other so I imagine they had already been on the course.

I was invited to say a few words about myself, mind you, those that know me would say I do not need such an invitation. Where I used an unusual word, he would ask a member of the group the meaning and it would be written on a board.

The lady next to me on my right, who had rather a severe expression, I had down as a worthy, perhaps a magistrate, but of all things she was a fencing teacher for veterans and had just returned from a tournament in Genova. The lady to my left, who seemed more of good time gal, spoke of her trip to a Tuscan village with her partner and the excellent wine she had consumed.

There was some 30 minutes of general conversation presided over by Adrian who would sometimes say  to a group member “I did not catch that, can you explain?” This was a good device to keep us on our toes. We sat at a round table and, whilst a member spoke, the others would stare rather intently which made me think I was in a therapy session for Alcoholics Anonymous.

After this we worked on a some course materials in the form of a conversation between Claudio, who wanted the notes of Lorenzo, who had passed an exam with distinction, but Lorenzo had passed these to Valeria. Claudio had to call her. This was useful as there a variety of tenses and complex prepositions but also an understanding of idiom. For example, accidenti means “I don’t believe this”. Finally we watched the first 20 minutes of Cinema Paradiso, an excellent film about a Sicilian director and reminiscences of his youth learning editing from the local projectionist. All in all, I both enjoyed and benefited from the experience.

People watching is fun and people speculating more so. I did wonder how Adrian came to be so proficient in Italian and then teach in this place of learning. He volunteered that he had studied Italian at university. The way he urged the group to play out the roles of Claudio and Valeria mad  me think he might have been a tv or theatre producer. Judging by my previous effort at job speculation with my neighbour, more likely he sold nautical antiques on a houseboat on the Seine.