WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.919 There is a woman who started learning Italian at ninety 2 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:06.040 two years old. She's taken to it with flying colors, 3 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.039 and she's not the exception. This week we discuss why 4 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:11.640 it's never too late to begin and why the Italians 5 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:12.919 will love you for trying. 6 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:24.839 Chawatooti and Benvenuti Tuan Told Italy The travel podcast to 7 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:28.399 where you go to the towns and villages, mountains and lakes, 8 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:32.880 hills and coastlines of Bella, Italia. Each week, your host 9 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.719 Katie Clark takes you on a journey in a search 10 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:41.520 of magical landscapes, history, culture, wine, gelato, and of course 11 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.640 a whole lot of pasta. If you're dreaming of Italy 12 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:48.560 and planning future adventures there, you've come to the right place. 13 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:01.240 Chao, Tuti and Benvenucci. Today I'm opening the vault for 14 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:04.200 one of my favorite conversations from the archive. We'll be 15 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:06.879 doing this every few episodes now as there is a 16 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:10.000 lot for new listeners to catch up on. Also, I've 17 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:13.680 had some interesting health diagnoses which is forcing me to 18 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:17.079 slow down a little piano piano as they say in Italy, 19 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:19.159 and I've had a lot of time to think about 20 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.640 my travels in Italy, this podcast and what they mean 21 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:21.879 to me. 22 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:22.719 And all I can. 23 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:25.599 Say is, if you're wondering whether you should take the trip, 24 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:28.239 do take the trip. You just never know what's around 25 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.640 the corner, and you won't ever regret taking that trip 26 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:34.959 to Italy that you dreamed of. I'd also like to 27 00:01:34.959 --> 00:01:38.359 do a big chout out to Natalie Coo nine from 28 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:41.519 the United States, who left the most lovely and thoughtful 29 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:44.760 review on Apple Podcasts. Natalie, I really appreciate it and 30 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:47.439 you made my day when I really needed it the most. 31 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:51.280 Natalie asked if we could do some more episodes on Abruzzo, 32 00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:53.200 and yes, that is a great idea. 33 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:56.439 Luckily we have just the person on our team snuggled 34 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:59.239 into a tiny town there who can share a lot 35 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:03.879 of insight. It's into that beautiful region. Now onto the episode. 36 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:05.879 And so many of you have told me that you 37 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:08.400 would love to speak a little Italian before your trip, 38 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:12.080 and that something always holds you back. Usually it's the 39 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:15.360 worry that speaking Italian is too hard or the feeling 40 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:18.039 that you have left it too late. My guest and 41 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:22.759 my friend Monica Cousinmani Bona runs an online Italian school 42 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:27.039 and Sue Mazura Italy and she has a real gift 43 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:30.560 for making the whole thing feel possible. So ANDIAMO, let's 44 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:34.639 talk to Monica ben Venud de Monica. Welcome to the 45 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:38.360 Untold Italy podcast. Thanks for having me here. 46 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:42.599 I really enjoy the podcast and satan honor to be 47 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:43.159 here with you. 48 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:46.280 Oh, thank you, Monica. It's great to have you. And 49 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:48.759 we've been following each other around the internet for a 50 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.360 while now, so it's really great to have you on 51 00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:54.479 the podcast to talk about learning Italian, which as you know, 52 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:56.639 I need to do better at. Well I want to 53 00:02:56.680 --> 00:03:01.280 do better at anyway. And I shared your introduction earlier 54 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:03.800 with our listeners, but I would really love them to 55 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:06.639 hear your story and what you do in your own words. 56 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:10.080 First of all, yes, I'm Monica, and I always say 57 00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:13.960 that I'm a girl from Pimonte, which is a region 58 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:16.960 in north of Italy. I grew up in a tiny 59 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:21.800 little village with my family. My grandparents used to own 60 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:26.199 a shop like a classic village shop with everything in there. 61 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:32.080 We knew every customer by name, and that shop was 62 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.240 open for fifty years by them, and now it's still 63 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:38.919 often and another family is running the village. Is called 64 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:42.960 Govone and it's sort of one hour from Tourno Turin 65 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:47.039 in English. I moved to Australia in two thousand and 66 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:53.840 thirteen after studying architecture, so I'm actually an architect in Italy. 67 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.360 But when I came here, the idea was to stay 68 00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:03.800 here for probably aya English. I learned better English. I 69 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:08.159 study English at school. So what happened is, like everyone 70 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.840 study a language at school, they end up to go 71 00:04:11.960 --> 00:04:15.080 in a country and struggle when they start and they 72 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:18.279 want to speak. So when I came to Australia, yes, 73 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:20.920 my English wasn't great, so I couldn't really find a 74 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:24.000 job as an architect, like I did find a job 75 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:27.079 at the end for a couple of months. But what 76 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:32.079 I did was starting to have languages exchange with the 77 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:34.600 people here in Perth. I'm in Perth at the moment, 78 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:41.759 so language exchange make me really thinking that learning a 79 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:46.720 language was not as difficult as I thought. Lots of 80 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:51.480 practice and having someone very friendly to speak with was nice. 81 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:56.600 That led me to start to investigate more on how 82 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:00.439 to learn a language, and I found out that yes 83 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:04.240 I did like architecture or all the other jobs that 84 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:09.040 I did while I was studying, but sharing the passion 85 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:14.959 of learning another language became probably my first goal. So 86 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:18.480 I study a lot and I opened this little school 87 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:22.600 called Sumizura, Italy in twenty eighteen, so a couple of 88 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:27.399 years after, with the intention of having a friendly guide 89 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:31.240 and what I call mother in language, so someone that 90 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.439 actually can help you learn a language, as I did 91 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:37.839 when I came to Australia, in a friendly and a 92 00:05:37.959 --> 00:05:42.439 very relaxed way, very far from the classic way of 93 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:46.439 learning a language, enrolling in a school that is all 94 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:50.319 what I knew in the past. So yeah, from twenty 95 00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:54.720 eighteen I owned this little school. I start by myself 96 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:59.959 with one on one lesson in person, but then things change. 97 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:04.839 COVID came, so the school moved online and now we 98 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:08.439 are a team of five. Mainly we do lesson one 99 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.360 on one online, so we have students everywhere in the 100 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:17.079 world and we share this way. They love that I 101 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:18.399 have for the Italian language. 102 00:06:19.639 --> 00:06:22.879 Oh that's amazing. I love hearing about your journey. It's 103 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:26.240 really interesting to learn how people came to be walking 104 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:29.839 along their chosen paths and that you arrived at yours 105 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:33.000 through architecture. And I also know a passion for food 106 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:36.360 and wine and a trip to Australia where mine was 107 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:39.839 kind of in reverse. Actually, so you know you've been 108 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:43.439 on this journey of helping people to learn Italian, and 109 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:46.040 what we wanted to talk to our listeners today is 110 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:49.920 about whether Italian is a difficult language to learn. But 111 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:53.279 before we really dive into that, perhaps you could share 112 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:57.120 your opinion on if our travel loving audience should learn 113 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:58.560 some Italian before. 114 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:01.800 They arrive in Italy. I feel like when the Lorneing 115 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:05.639 planet was big and I really loved it and use it. 116 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:10.240 At the end of each Lorning Planet there was always 117 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:16.199 a little vocabulary section and few little sentences. I think 118 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:20.399 that part is still very big and should be a 119 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:23.759 part of each travel wherever you go, especially if you 120 00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:28.439 travel to Italy. It's not necessary, okay, So, especially if 121 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:33.600 you travel in main city like Venezia, Roma, ference Napoli, 122 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:38.000 you will always find someone that speaks English restaurant, hotel, 123 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:44.560 or like when you visit a place or museum. But 124 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:47.759 the thing is, even if you go in those cities, 125 00:07:48.120 --> 00:07:51.000 if you are able to just say a nice word 126 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:54.319 or use one of those sentences from the end of 127 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.800 the Lone Planet in a nice way, doesn't matter. If 128 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:01.160 you can understand the answer, but you are making an 129 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:04.160 effort to communicate with the person that is in front 130 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:08.160 of you in their language, that will change your trip. 131 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:12.839 That will make your trip much more enjoyable because you'll 132 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:16.279 see straight away the face of the person in front 133 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:19.920 of you with a big smile. That person will be 134 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:24.439 more willing to open with you and make sure that 135 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:28.240 you have a great experience. So that could be just 136 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:33.720 an easy word like pronouncing well bon journal, or don't 137 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:39.200 say show to everyone but use the right greeting base 138 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:44.240 on where you are, or just order your coffee in 139 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:47.639 the way you like. No, doesn't need to be big. 140 00:08:47.960 --> 00:08:52.879 I always say maybe just like dive in even just 141 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:57.679 by yourself while you're going there on your journey with 142 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:00.879 the airplane, especially if you live in a in America, 143 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:03.600 so it's quite far, so you have a bit of 144 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:07.519 time to read those sentences and try to make them 145 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:10.639 you're on. You don't have to be perfect, but you 146 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:14.799 need to enjoy. That will make your trouble even longer 147 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:18.240 because if you study a tiny bit before the journey 148 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:21.960 that travel, it's actually longer now because you start to 149 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:24.639 be in Italy without being there yet. 150 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:28.039 Yeah, I think You're right. It definitely builds some excitement 151 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:31.840 before you go, and you're sort of thinking, oh, how 152 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.399 can I order that gelato? When I'm there and it's 153 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:37.480 you know, like instead of saying, oh, can I have chocolate? 154 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:41.279 You know, it's a friend detO. 155 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:42.919 You can have a you know, you feel like, oh, 156 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:45.720 I'm a little bit Italian myself, and I do know 157 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:47.960 in my you know, I need to do a lot better, 158 00:09:47.960 --> 00:09:50.679 but like I do, try with those basic things and 159 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.960 it does make a big difference. And there's a bit 160 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:56.559 of a thrill as well when you recognize some words 161 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.360 that are being said to you. Just recently, we were 162 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:03.240 at a restaurant and everyone at the table except me 163 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:07.320 spoke fluent Italian and they were not all Italian, and 164 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:11.679 the server was explaining the menu, and I was I 165 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.480 could actually understand what was going on. So I was 166 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:18.240 very proud of myself, you know, because I could understand 167 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:20.399 what they were saying. And it does add just that 168 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:23.360 little bit extra So instead of just sitting there kind 169 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:27.799 of blankly going in English, please, you've got a little 170 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:32.799 bit more insight into the culture. And apart from anything else, 171 00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:36.039 it sounds wonderful Italian with they were rolling ours and 172 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:40.120 you know the accent. It's beautiful language. So I definitely 173 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.799 think everyone should have a go when they're in Italy. 174 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:44.080 But I think. 175 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:46.799 Maybe some people think it's hard to learn. So what 176 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:47.639 do you think about that? 177 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:51.559 Okay? How hard that Our studies and maybe I mentioned 178 00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:56.240 those after that says which level of language, like which 179 00:10:56.320 --> 00:11:00.960 language has different level of difficulty to be learn especially 180 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.120 for an English speaker in general, it depends what little 181 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:09.559 goal you set. Okay, so it's hard. But how hard 182 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:13.279 is to repeat like a sentence even if it's not 183 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:16.159 the right pronunciation, But it's not really hard, is it? 184 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:21.159 Like if I tell you please, can you repeat for Reye? 185 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:24.559 Can you repeat that for me? It's not too difficult, 186 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:25.039 isn't it? 187 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:25.240 No? 188 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:28.360 You might just want to ask me again and then 189 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:33.159 I will say that again for Reye. So once you 190 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.679 sort of like decide what is your goal, then you 191 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:41.200 can understand, Okay, is it very difficult or not? Everyone 192 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:45.240 can learn? Okay, So it's not something like nuts or 193 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:49.360 like chemistry where you actually really need to have that 194 00:11:49.480 --> 00:11:53.480 kind of brain. Language are something we learn since we 195 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:58.759 are zero, okay, So doesn't matter Like I have two 196 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:03.960 little kids nineteen months old, and it's unbelievable how I 197 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:06.440 can speak with him in English and in Italian. Any 198 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:10.120 understand they have like a fresh brain and they don't 199 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:14.519 have much stuff to think about. But everyone can learn, 200 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:17.799 it's just a matter of practice. In fact, going back 201 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:23.200 to answer your question, is that difficult actually Italian? So 202 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:30.240 the four American Foreign Service Institute made a big ressarch 203 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:35.759 in this make four different tire of languages, and based 204 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:39.639 on that give you few indications on how hard it is. 205 00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:44.639 Actually Italian is in the easier tire. So if we 206 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:49.399 look at Taiwan is Danish, Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Panish, 207 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:55.399 and Swedish. Then goes to German, Indonesian, Malay and Swahi. 208 00:12:55.480 --> 00:13:00.840 Then three there is Hebrew in the Greek, Russian, Turky, Vietnamese. 209 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.639 And going to four is all the one that very 210 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:08.720 have the letter and the alphabet very different, So Arabic, Chinese, 211 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:12.960 which is contanies A, Mandarin, and Korea and Japanese. So 212 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:16.080 that is the fourth time. Based on that sort of 213 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:20.039 give you a little indicator on how many hours do 214 00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:22.639 you need to learn a language to be in a 215 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:28.080 sort of like normal proficient level. Okay, So if your 216 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:32.440 goal is going to Italy and have conversation about day 217 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:35.360 to day things, not so asking Huh, how was the weather, 218 00:13:35.639 --> 00:13:38.320 what did you do last night? What are your planning 219 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.960 for next year? What do you do as a job, 220 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:44.679 and why your kids always complain about wanting to have 221 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:48.799 the ice cream. That kind of conversation will take you 222 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:53.679 between six hundred to seven fifty hours to reach that 223 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.600 kind of level, when the last time, for instance, will 224 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:01.519 take you two thy two hundred hours of practice. So 225 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:05.679 it's very different. So that hopefully will explain you that 226 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:11.759 Italian is not too difficult to learn compare to other languages. Yeah. 227 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:15.799 I think that's really interesting actually, because we have this 228 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:19.720 perception in our mind of like things have to be instantaneous, 229 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.960 you get it straight away. And I'm always telling my children, oh, 230 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:25.679 you've got a practice. You're not going to be able 231 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:28.799 to play that on the piano or the guitar, or 232 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:30.480 you're not going to be able to do that step 233 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:34.000 in your dancing without practicing. And then sometimes as adults 234 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:37.679 we maybe forget that and when we want everything to 235 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:41.279 be insted and it obviously does require some practice. And 236 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:44.679 there's a really great book called Atomic Habits I don't 237 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:45.840 know if you've ever read that one. 238 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:46.840 Yes, I don't know. 239 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:50.120 Yeah, it's so interesting, and he just says, you've got 240 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:52.759 to practice or do a little bit all the time, 241 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:55.960 and then there's like a tipping point where that pushes 242 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.080 you over the edge and you'll you'll begin to make 243 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:01.720 something a habit or you know, you begin to learn 244 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:04.960 it and really internalize what you have learned and be 245 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:07.320 able to practice it. And I just I always try 246 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:09.840 and come back to that, because if you're not practicing 247 00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:13.720 something well, you can't really expect to expect to be 248 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:15.480 getting very good at it. 249 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:20.679 Correct In fact, it's nice that you mention your kids 250 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:23.799 and you have to remind them. So what happen is 251 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:27.519 lots of people come to me and say, I wish, 252 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:30.600 you know, I couldn't speak Italian, but I'm too old. 253 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:34.279 I wish I learned in the past my parents or 254 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:37.559 my grandparents were Italian. They never spoke with me or 255 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:40.080 they spoke with me, but just dialecting now I will 256 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.600 not be able because I'm too old. There are two differents, 257 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:47.240 like one is learning as a really young age like 258 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:50.759 my kids age no, so be involved in the language 259 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:54.039 from day one. That is a way to learn Italian 260 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:58.080 or any language in genera. The other one is learning 261 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:00.480 Italian as an adult. When you learn it Alian as 262 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:05.480 an adult, you can make decisions, you decide to learn. 263 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.840 You can think, okay, now I'm learning, I want to learn. 264 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:14.759 And then that is when it's actually better to be adult, 265 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.200 because you choose. No, you don't need anyone telling you. 266 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:21.159 You know you need to study because you choose to study, 267 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:24.159 so no one tell you, especially as an English speaker, 268 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:28.519 you don't need to learn Italian, right when an Italian 269 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:33.080 needs to learn English, okay. So once you choose to 270 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:38.320 study for any reason you might have, and choose again 271 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:42.440 your little goal or big goal, then as an adult 272 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:46.159 you make it happen, okay, And you might sometimes need 273 00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:49.279 to have a guide. But these days it's much more 274 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:53.039 easier to find ways to learn the language than in 275 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:56.399 the past. When again, when I study Italian, I'm not 276 00:16:56.440 --> 00:17:00.240 too old, but when I study English, was just making 277 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:03.799 lessons in a school. And maybe it's yes that aware 278 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:06.039 to some tool to that will help you out, but 279 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:08.319 that are aware definitely not all the other tools that 280 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:10.200 we have available at the moment. 281 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:14.559 Time for a quick break shorter than your morning Espresso. 282 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.119 For daily travel tips and behind the scenes content from 283 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:24.160 our tours. Make sure to follow us on Instagram at 284 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:32.759 Untold Italy Tours. Yeah, there's so many, aren't there. There's 285 00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:36.039 like you know, I think everyone usually starts playing around 286 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:39.799 with duo lingo and maybe then buys a course or 287 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:42.759 something like that. But you know, what I always find 288 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:47.680 with those is that I have to hold myself accountable sometimes, 289 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.880 you know, life gets in the way, you know, And 290 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:54.480 I think for me, I'm learning as I get older 291 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:57.279 and older that I need to have some accountability in 292 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:58.680 place that's external to me. 293 00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.759 And everyone's different. 294 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.200 People have really got that self discipline where they can 295 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:06.759 do you know, the learning on their own. For me, 296 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:09.640 you know, I don't like to let people down, so 297 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:13.119 like I feel like I do need a tutor because 298 00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:17.440 like I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone, if you know 299 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:17.960 what I mean. 300 00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:18.839 So I think. 301 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:22.400 Everyone needs to maybe if they're thinking about learning anything, 302 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:24.839 not just the languages, to think about their learning style 303 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.839 and what's really going to work for them. 304 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:31.400 Yeah, correct, and more you are adults and more, you 305 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:35.599 know what you need. No, I have students that are 306 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:38.599 so good that they I mean, I wish I was 307 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:43.240 like them. They set a timer every night, like before 308 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:45.680 going to bed, and they do five minutes of Italian 309 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:49.160 or other students that every time. They go for a 310 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.680 walk constantly every morning before going to work, and they 311 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.440 put up their podcast. So as we were mentioned, you 312 00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:58.920 know you can if you like to cook that you 313 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.799 can go on Instagram and follow all these Italian cook 314 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:07.559 and listen them to speak, reading their recipe. Try to 315 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:10.640 use the recipe in it, like while you're cooking, repeat 316 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:14.160 the ingredients in Italian. If you like play video games, 317 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:18.160 you can play video games in Italian. Watching movies apps 318 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:21.680 dueling is a great app to mention, but there are 319 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:25.880 also apps that make easier to learn. For instance, there 320 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:28.559 are apps that you can download on your computer, so 321 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:33.000 while you're watching Netflix, even if that Netflix show doesn't 322 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:36.559 have subtitle in Italian, you can download this after put 323 00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:39.799 the sub title on the language you choose. So there 324 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:43.839 are lots of tools. There is YouTube podcast of course, 325 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:49.599 books like traditional learning books, online courses that are great tools, 326 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:52.799 like so they already set up you can download. They 327 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:57.680 are definitely cheaper than other thing, but they give you 328 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:00.279 a guide and you sort of like two steps by 329 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:04.000 steps so it depends how you are. I feel like 330 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:08.519 all of those needs a bit of a guide, even 331 00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:11.279 if you are very good. But then if you don't 332 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:15.319 have anyone experience in learning a language or teaching a language, 333 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.640 then it's actually difficult to say, oh, okay, now I 334 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:21.599 see tire, I have time. I want to learn. But 335 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.480 how I can put all the information that I have, 336 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:28.240 like even dueling on, and how I can start to speak, 337 00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:31.200 because at the end of the story, we want to speak. 338 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:34.480 We can have lots of vocabulary, but then if we 339 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:37.119 can't put them together and we don't have a structure, 340 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:41.319 which sometimes is a bad word, it's called grammar. But 341 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.039 if we don't have that, then it's very difficult to yeah, 342 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:47.640 to start speaking. So I feel like if you have 343 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:51.160 a guide and then can be like a tutor, but 344 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:53.440 can be once a week, once a month, or once 345 00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:55.839 every six months, doesn't matter. They give you a plan 346 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:58.920 and then if you are able to follow the plan 347 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:01.839 by yourself, then you do. Otherwise you keep doing that. 348 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:05.279 You need to have a plan not and sometimes, yes, 349 00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:11.119 I definitely think that sometimes people needs more a guidance. 350 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:13.799 I'm the same I don't really like to go to 351 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.920 the gym, and I know if I have a personal trainer, 352 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:21.000 I will go, I will exercise, and I will think 353 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.319 about even when I'm at tom to try to do 354 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.680 some of the exercise, not all the exercise that they 355 00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:31.960 suggest me. So, yeah, the brain is another muscle and 356 00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:34.920 you have to train. It doesn't matter if it's for 357 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:37.920 the language or anything you're learning. You need to create 358 00:21:37.960 --> 00:21:39.079 a habit and train. 359 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:43.640 It's so true, like it's ridiculously simple in a lot 360 00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:45.720 of ways, really, isn't it. It's not like I think 361 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:49.799 we really try and maybe set these expectations and then 362 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:53.640 we go, oh, that's all too hard. But actually, really 363 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:59.119 learning anything is quite straightforward, and we maybe be overcomplicated 364 00:21:59.160 --> 00:21:59.680 a little bit. 365 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:02.480 This is the problem of adults. Sometimes we put too 366 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:07.799 much stress and we are so judging ourselves and we say, well, 367 00:22:08.119 --> 00:22:11.559 at this point, I should not isn't that and I 368 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:14.640 should be better? And I went to Italy and I 369 00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:17.920 actually I couldn't speak. No, But then this is the 370 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:20.240 first time you went to Italian you couldn't speak. Then 371 00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:22.759 next time, if you practice a little more, you will 372 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:26.599 be able to speak a little more. So it's the journey. 373 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:29.720 I feel like, if you can try to not thinking 374 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:32.440 too much about the goal, but thinking about like how 375 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:36.200 amazing is your brain and how much you are learning 376 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:39.799 Every time you are actually put yourself on the tot 377 00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:43.200 of learning the language, then it's amazing because then you 378 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:45.880 feel proud of yourself and your little steps. 379 00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:48.079 And I think, you know you mentioned before like some 380 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:51.400 people think, oh, I'm too old to learn, or you know, 381 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:54.000 like I've got too much going on, But it really 382 00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:56.759 does take just a little step out of every day 383 00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:59.559 to learn something, even if it's a new language. And 384 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:01.960 I would like at this point to say a shout 385 00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:04.160 out to Dana, who is a very good friend of 386 00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:07.880 my parents who learns Italian every week. She makes a 387 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.880 bit of an effort to go and do that, and 388 00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:12.680 she's had many adventures in Italy, going around on buses 389 00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:15.680 in remote areas and having a lot of fun. But 390 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:19.160 she just keeps going, and you know, that's really what's required. 391 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:22.880 And I think we can get easily kind of distracted 392 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:25.519 with everything, but I do think the sticking points and 393 00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:29.599 where people may be I think it's maybe a confidencing 394 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:33.079 is around the grammar and pronunciation. So you don't want 395 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:36.440 to sound silly by saying a sentence that doesn't make 396 00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:39.640 sense or doesn't sound as lovely as the way you 397 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:43.920 speak Italian. I think that's maybe where some people get stuck. 398 00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:48.160 Is that your experience, Yes, more than pronunciation. I feel 399 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:51.359 like every time people come to me I have to 400 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:55.240 learn any language in the past, especially have the main 401 00:23:55.279 --> 00:24:00.359