So... I'm going to Italy for 4 months

I'm so glad you did this, Joe! The academic part is nice but really beside the point in some ways; I did something similar, studied abroad for 5 months (England) and then traveled in Europe for a while after, the academics were fine but the main point is it let me use student loans to travel!! (And I'm still paying it back... grr. Still, worth it.)

Cool. I've only read the first post, but I'm thrilled to find this here.

I'm plotting a trip to Italy, as well, and I HAVE to be marginally conversant in Italian to qualify for the trip.

Hoping to see osso and others who've made the trip--and anyone, who can hold their own in Italian--peeking in and exuding Italia!!!

Will be reading with pleasure-- con mucho gusto...? (Sorry. I only know Spanish.)

Thanks for starting this, JoeFX!!!

No problem, this thread helped me quite a lot.

I still owe the nice people in the board more pictures and stories and I'll do it (sometime).

Where are you planning to go in Italy?

I'm not going to complain about the spanish

Lash, when are you going? Maybe I'll meet you in Impruneta for a gelato.

I'm applying for a few weeks to a semester, but I'm not sure how long I'll have to wait. Looks like the longest I may have to wait would be next January. I'm shooting for Fall, but I'm not sure how difficult it will be to get the financial aid and stuff arranged.

Joe's first couple of pages had me on pins and needles for him. Hey, Joe. Did it have any effect on you---getting there a little late?

But, trust me, kicky. I'll definitely be writhing in tension all over the place here when I start the process. You won't miss it!

What's the significance of Impruneta?? Do you have a thread of your trip?

Impruneta is a small town outside Florence. I rode out to it last year on a bike I rented one day. It was small, and quiet, and there was one little place in the town center that sold the best freakin' gelato ever. Or maybe it just seemed that way because I was riding around on a bike in freakin' Italy!

Anyway, just one of many excellent memories I have of my Italy trip. I went to Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento. I don't have a thread about my actual trip because I just didn't have the energy to go through it all on A2K, but I will be interested in hearing about your plans, and will definitely give you any help I can.

Well, I got there 2 weeks after the start of my classes, but I had some trouble with the apartment because the accomodation service is all disorganized.

I did have an effect on my academic performance, specially since I didn't understand italian very well at first so that set me back on my courses, then I got lazy and started to miss classes since I was falling asleep most of the time and at the end I got confident that I could study a day before the exams and pass them... but I didn't.

It also had an effect on my romantic performance... I met this german girl I fell for and when I opened up to her she told me "you know my story here started before you" ... so yeah, I should've gotten there earlier, so be sure to fix your visa with anticipation.

I did have a great time there nonetheless and I'm sure you will too. Happy planning!

Thanks, Joe, and kicky.

Joe.

The German girl was visually impaired.
<shakes head at foolhardy German>

~~~~~~~~~~~

My first objective: I'm going to learn Italian.

<I'm so bodacious with my proclamations these days>

Lesson 1: How many damn different things does Prego mean?

Prego?

Prego.

Answer for this one: it means "please" and "I beg (you)".

Thanks, fbaezer.

The little video I saw had a waiter coming up to people--and he said Prego? like it was "What's your order?" And then, before he walked off he said "Prego." Like "Thank you."

I was hoping that Prego is all I'd have to learn. It means everything..... guess not, eh? <LOL>

Nice to see you!

Lash, I think I saw that same video when I started to learn. I never really got how that "what's your order?" one actually worked.

So I guess the waiter's first "prego" meant "please" as in a kind of shorthand version of "What would please you?" That sort of makes sense to me.

And the one when the waiter left...I think that one would loosely translate as, "As you please."

Wow, I think I just unlocked that mystery. ****, that always drove me nuts that I didn't get that. Cool!

<sighs relief>

It was a frickin mystery to me how you can have an entire conversation by saying Prego.

Only waiters posses that art :wink:

Some more examples I heard over there:

- While on class someone had a question and raised his hand the teacher said prego to give them the word.
- If someone asked if a chair was being used in a café or something and it wasn't people said prego to say you could take it away.
- After saying 'thank you' people would say prego. Raphilion might correct me but it only applies with small favors as with bigger favors I always got 'figurati'.
- As an answer to 'excuse me'.. this might be the same use as the first one I listed

One of the first things a girl I talked to that also went to Bergamo to study before me told me was that prego basically solved her life over there. I didn't use it that much though.

Prego, Joe!!

This may be the secret to my Italian vacation.


Prego.

You will be very popular with the italian men, I can tell you that.

Yes, it is usually used with small things, also when someone moves to let you pass he will often say "prego"

Ciao

Joe, I noticed in your original post you said you're going to Italy in September. I'd like to add something here, but it's about an event that takes place in the summertime in Italy.

I've never been there, but a friend of mine went to Italy a couple of years ago. He was telling me about how they have this opera festival in Verona every summer (he's a big opera fan). He went to the opera three days in a row at this old Roman Amphitheatre. He said they sat on the original stone benches, (but they have soft cushions for rent!) About 20,000 people who love opera go to this festival.

He showed me the pictures he took of a performance of Aida and it must have been the ultimate production! The set was huge, it went from the floor right to the top of the stadium, 30 to 40 rows of steps. It looked absolutely fantastic, and beautiful. If you get a chance to go to Italy a little sooner, I'd check into that!

Lash, don't you dare go without talking with me and the Kick and Fbaezer, who know more than both of us combined.

Aghhh, stray cat, I still have not been to Verona.

Want to check out piazza Bra, which might have been where the opera was set... as that is where the amphitheatro(sp) is.