Although not required, I took a 1 semester of French and 1 semester of Spanish in junior high and all I can only tell you “Phillip est a la piscine” (Phillip is at the pool) and “Callate la boca” (Shut your mouth). Both classes were pass/fail grading so mastering much was not essential.
The first thing I tried to learn Italian was getting the Berlitz Phrasebook and CD Italian for Beginners. I learned a few words and sentences that are handy when traveling. Hello, please, thank you, where is the bathroom, can you help me, 2 tickets and how much is it, were the main phrases I learned, helpful yes, but far from having a conversation.
Next I bought an off-the-shelf study book from the bookstore. I found it was not easy to follow; it seemed to hop from one part of speech to another without really bring them together. I learned a few verbs but getting pronunciation and intonation correct on your own is almost impossible.
I then took Italian 101 and Italian 102 from the local collage. The first class was taught be a young woman was Italian but was never a teacher. Her teaching style was too relaxed, even showing an Italian movie with English subtitle for 2 of the 8 classes. She taught from a book we bought from not the college bookstore but a regular chain bookstore. The next level class was at least taught by a certified Italian teacher. She had us by a text book via the internet from the University of Perugia. It was a good class. I felt I was learning pretty well. Unfortunately, the teacher took the next semester off and then the collage no longer offered Italian. I tried to use the text book for awhile on my own but found without the instruction I lost the enthusiasm since I had no idea how I was doing.
I joined Duolingo online, the well designed, free language learning website and app with the adorable little owl, achievement medals and incentive for study streaks. At first it seemed a decent way to learn and I was consistent for awhile. After a month or so of nearly daily use I found the joy of the app had dwindled. The sentences are so far removed from what you would use in normal conversation. Often times I know what I translated was correct but it would mark me as wrong. The software wasn’t aware enough to recognize that there was more than one way to translate the sentence. The explanations for why something is said one way verses another were totally worthless, often to me making no sense at all. So I lost interest in Duolingo all together.
I wanted to try Rosetta Stone but the cost was more then I wanted to spend. Then a couple years ago I met Palma, a woman who belonged to an Italian MeetUp group; I joined them the next month. A few of us meet 1 to 2 times a month for lunch and speak only Italian. There I met Wendy who had been learning Italian for about 5 year on her own with Pimsleur (as well as occasional online tutors).
While Pimsleur isn’t cheap, after borrowing a beginner copy of lessons 1-8, I realized this was going to work far better than anything I had tried thus far so I went ahead and bought Level 1. (Each of the 5 levels have thirty 30-minute audio lessons for $120 full price, but often on sale for $99. A couple times a year you can buy 5 lessons for $19.99 and get 5 free, making each level only $60. I took advantage of this and I bought levels 2 and 3).
With Pimsleur you don't learn rules, a long list vocabulary or grammar out of context. You learn your new language by listening, repeating and answering questions -- the same way you mastered your native language as a child. They actually discourage you from reading and writing; you need to walk before you can run. They concentrate on learning basic sentences, pronunciation and intonation first; hello, how are you, I am good, I am American, Are you Italian? and, of course, would you like to eat something? what would you like to drink?, and would you like some wine?. Each lesson builds on the last. Pimsleur suggests one lesson per day (listening several times a day if possible) but also suggests you move on when you successfully respond correctly at least 80% of the time. I usually do the same lesson 3 days in a row. The only negative thing I would say is at times it seems they don’t give enough of a pause for you to respond.
I know my main problem is a lack of consistency. I study regularly for a few weeks then something sidetracks me and I don’t get back into a steady routine for weeks or even months. I also have a fear of making mistakes (which I must admit affects everything in my life) and if someone makes fun or criticizes me I go into a tailspin thinking I’ll never learn. I have such motivation to study when we return from Italy. I throw myself into studying knowing “next time” we are in Italy I’ll be conversing away with little difficulty, sentences just flowing out and comprehension coming easily.
For about the past year and a half I have had several cycles of starting and stopping, each time going back more than a few lessons to review. I was into a good pattern of studying earlier this year. I thought for sure I would be ready for Italy this time. In February I made a goal of mastering 1 lesson per week (at least). I thought, for sure, I would be at least halfway through my 90 lessons. As they say “Life happens when you’re making plans” and everything in my life came to a standstill the end of March when I suddenly lost my mother. I couldn’t get my mind engaged for everyday tasks let alone learning something new. I had no words…
A little over three months later, I finally dragged myself off the couch, put on my walking shoes, plugged my headphones into my iPod and headed outside for morning walks. The sunshine, exercise and engaging my mind in something productive help immensely in reducing my grief. With 3 weeks remaining before we left for Italy and a list of tasks I needed to complete, I was able to do 4 lessons.
Now in Torre Orsina, speaking the best I can and trying to comprehend what is being said to me it takes a lot of mental energy. I find that at the end of the day I am exhausted. One day we had lunch with our cousin Luigino and his high-energy wife, Flavia, after 3 hours, which had little quite time, my brain locked up. Whether it was “abbiocco” (the drowsiness that follows eating a big meal) or just mental exhaustion I don’t know. I lost just about all my words, Italian and English.
I am not as far along in my studies as I intended to be, but I have realized it’s ok. Life is too short to dwell on what could have been. I am striving to discover something new, learning is a lifelong journey. I have not been worrying about if I get the gender right, if I use the article correctly, or if I make a mistake on verb conjugation. Little by little I am letting go of my perfectionism; of my anxiety to get it just right. I just try my best.