Films season in Italian starts...

Status: Calm
Song: Modena City Ramblers: I cento passi

I think it was as appartain again to that group of Italian students. A strange sensation full me today, when I entered to the Assembly Hall, convinced to watch the first film of the Italian film season (mafia, camorra films, etc). That's the way of my ex teachers to express the repulse to this kind of activities. Yes, the fact of study in the languages school yet, has the vantage: I can assist to some activities of Italian yet without problems.

Everything started with a introduction of a teacher, that I tried not to see his face... He talked a little, I think the most important thing he said is that these films, chosen by the Italian departament, tell true stories, not like American stories of mafia, as The Godfather. Then of some minutes of distraction, I could concentrate myself in the film, One Hundred Steps, that tells the story of Peppino Impastato. Touching.

In that two hours I felt strange, as nothing had changed since last year. I don't appartain now to that classes, as I know how to deffend myself with Italian language. Somebody says (as an ex teacher of the Secondary Obligatory) that I should look for a job as a translator. Maybe it could be as easy as say it!

Weekend...

This weekend has been interesting.

On Friday, I took dinner with my mates and teacher of Chinese, then some of us went out. I got fun, really. Most of us know each other and we keep on well.

On Saturday, I went to the cinema with Roberto and Matteo. We watched Madagascar 2 (ha, ha). It was funny. The bad thing is that after that, we went for a drink and they started to talk about things connected to policy, but too specific things that I didn't know, so I didn't dare to give any opinion. So I felt a little bored, and I was also tired. It isn't the failt of nobody, anyway. It was not the right night, ha, ha, ha.

On Sunday morning, I met James, a Chinese boy who studies in the Languages School. He told me he has been in a journey for two weeks, and we bought me a present. That's true, we bought me a book of Chinese symbols really interesting. So, we see, how many symbols do you know!- Told me. I saw page to page some of the symbols I know. He is really nice. The present surprised me, actually, I haven't met him yet until yesterday. I hope my mates of Chinese won't pull my leg.. again!

Italian...

What a stupid thing.

Yesterday, I waited for Salomé in front of the languages school to go to the pool, as all Wednesdays. Obviously, at 21.30 is when people who is in the languages school yet, go out. Many of teachers go out from the car park, but some of then leave from the main door.

So, lately, I see my last Italian teacher, Fabio, and to some partners who come at the last hour to Italian, because they are repeating course (some of then, in their own free will) In that moments, malincholy approach me a little, and I miss the debates, the gossips, the hours fighting against the language, and angry because I didn't put up with some people, actually.

But, if I think about that, malincholy comes from time ago. Last years I missed the 2º year, which my teacher was Jose, a teacher who had fun with us the most he could. Of course, I was the youngest person of the class, as I was 18 years old. Then, I was from the "yogur era" and "pokemon era". (He didn't guess really...) And me, so shy, I didn't know what to say... So, Marco, a boy from Vasto-Marina (Abruzzo)who I really mind in that period, told me "Tell him he is a..." Well... What period... And it only was three years ago.

Anyway, now I need changes... Many changes.

Third time lucky

I'm happy, because this time, my third time in Madrid has been different, although we have to sleep some hours in the car...

I have enjoyed myself. I went with Adrián and Salomé, and then of many hours and many stops in many petrol stations, (Going out of Galicia, cross into Ourense and ho through is not an easy thing...) we arrived to Madrid. We went to Atocha's station. Then we headed the city, specially in the Gran Vía street, beause I had to buy a dress to Marta's wedding, it will be in a couple of months. We caught a bus because Salomé had to do an exam in the European University of Madrid, so Adrián and me took something until she went out of there. There is something which called my attention; interprovincial buses belong to the civil service there, here at Vigo, buses haven't nothing to do with the civil service, at least, as I know.

When Salomé comes, we went to eat in a vegetarian restaurant, (Fres.Co ) which by my point of view it is a paradise! It is a kind of self service and all-you-can-eat restaurant. So you eat what you want and in the quantity you want. It is fantastic! I want a restaurant like that in Vigo!

I think is not necessary to say that we made as well two stops in the Starbucks... another luxury that we don't have here... (grrr!)

Another curious thing is that Madrid was full of Italians, maybe by this reason and because I wanted to give a hand to Salomé (she has finished 2º) we talked in Italian some time. On top of that, I dressed my Italy's wristband, so show-off, ha, ha, ha.

It was a small pleasure to me as well, catching the underground, it is one of that things I haven't do in a year. I love going down, feeling that big air gust while the underground doesn't stop, and rush myself towards the door. That is, moving on Italians, one of the times we entered in the underground, a man which dressed a suit, and who I had heard first talking in Italian by the phone, made me a question and then he answered to himself (better like that, because I don't really know Madrid...) When we came into the underground, he was there yet, and Salomé was asking me doubts of Italian language! I explain them to her, I did some comment about the Milan's language as well, (it couldn't miss) and the sir was looking at us with curiosity... I was trying holding back my wishes of laugh...

We went to some drinks at night with an Adrián's friend, so, he and Salomé was talking about the exam and things connected to that. I was a little sleepy, my eyes closed theirselves... Finally, when we said goodbye to him, I tried to sleep a little. But things didn't go well at all. Adrián, ate and drank too much in a petrol station and he hasn't in good conditions to drive. So, we stoped at Castilla y León, finally we had to stay to sleep at a hostal that they had there. Everybody was better in the morning, then of took a little breakfast, we continued with the coming way, lurching and making a lot of stops. We arrived at Vigo on 16.00. I learnt that the motorway to go is the A52 and that is better to be keeping an eye if you don't want to lurch...

pizzica pizzica

I have just seen now that the Italian departament has pubblished the complete video of the pizzica pizzica...

Enjoy it :D

And it has finished...

And official lessons have finished. Now is the turn of exams. The English and Chinese lessons have finished in a regular way, but not the Italian ones.

At the Italian classes we never had a united group, but two groups. Today the evidences exploted. The revolted band went to the café to cellebrate a course's ending, hypocritical and clandestinelest. However, the symphatizers of the "captain" Fabio, stayed in class, in a respect and educated way, paying attention to his last explanations.

Tensions in that class were evidents, but this last times, tension was really hard. There was only a timetable to Italian, with hens and owls. Almost everybody, women, and the hipocrisy was obvious. The hipocrisy's play has been obligatory during the course. If not, you could be uncorrectly seen.

And now it has finished, almost the ship hasn't arrived to a safe port. I think that every soldier could obey to his captain, or at least respect him, but I could see that not everybody thinks like me.

And now, pizzica

I have to do something I couldn't never imagine. Some weeks ago, My italian teacher told me to play a pizzica. I have acepted, but I'm a little toughtful,because I knew that the South Italian music in general is so fast.

So, yesterday I have gone to work and then, I let my bag at house, I took my backpack and my tambourine. I waited, and then, we have gone, first of all, to the Italian departament, and then, to the acting room. (With my Italian teacher and another Italian teacher... without comments!... Well, fortunately they had a good behaviour :D)

I need to practise a little to produce a sound similar to pizzica's sound. First of all, because they are two instruments a little bit different (Who knows about celtic music, maybe knows how galician tambourine is) So, I have to addapt the rythm. Puglia's tambourine is playing in a different way, they move the hand that they have free. In Galicia (In general, there are exceptions) people move the hand which has the tambourine. In Galicia are playing too big tambourines, but I don't have it and I think I couldn't play it at all :D





Left: Galician tambourine. Right: Puglia's tambourine :D



Anyway, now I have the cd and I have all the weekend (I didn't do theatre on Saturday because most of people are going to Madrid today)

There is something curious... I had found things in common between this type of music and the tradicional galician music: The dance, the dresses (In the cd there is a video too...!) the singing method is similar, and the lyrics are structured in a similar way too.

Anyway, I have looked a little about the pre-roman story of Puglia and I have found this:

"Between the VII and the IX, the region was attacked for the Longobardth (celtic popolation) francs and saracens, that ocupated the principal cities of the region, they let to Bisenzio only the Salento(with Otranto y Gallipoli).

Longobarth popolation occuped Gargano, Canosa, and Brindisi (633) Taranto, Bari, etc, while sacarens started to be sostituided by longobarths, till all the region were unificated in a only authority.

Only Bari, city that was seat of an emirate, with greece, longobarth, franc, and saracen popolations, and sometimes with the help of venetians (1002) he could have a little authonomy."

MAybe is that, who knows Galician music knows that is celtic, and that it is similar to Irish music :D

Musical Experiment

I could never imagine the thing I have done now.

I was listening a song of the Modena City Ramblers, an Italian group who makes celtic music, they are inspired by the Irish music, and sing in Italian and in Modena dialect.

Well, I was listening one of their songs,"La Fiola Dal Paisan", And I don't know why... Suddenly, I have taken my tambourine. I take easily the rithim of the song. And I have playing with my tambourine while I sang a part in Italian, and a part in Modena dialect.

I haven `t been making experiments for a long time...

What a day!

Yesterday, when there was only a few minutes to go to Italian lesson, I went to buy some instant creams (soups). Then I went out, I went to a supermarket ( and I thank to go to another further) I return to my house, I leave the bag, I take My school things and I go fast! When I'm arriving, two Watch Tower's members I said I'm not interested, I ran to the languages school, and rised the three floors on foot...

And finally, the teacher didn't have arrive!! ha ha ha ha!