If you could fit 50 relatives at your grandmother’s kitchen table, and if the food were the best gourmet Italian food and also down-home at the same time, then that’s what this dinner would be like.

It costs just $15 per person, and all the money goes to charity. The catch is that there are just 50 seats available, and I already have 5, so call proprio adesso if you want to come. I’ll call Carmine LoConte and see if I can get you a ticket.

Meanwhile, I’m excited to have three new private students as of this week: an advanced student for the Monday class and two new students for the Tuesday class.

This week’s lesson includes a great 7-minute clip from Tickets, a movie set on the Trenitalia trains.

And if you’re in the Newburyport Adult Ed class, click the link below this blog for the supplement for the February 8 lesson.
P.S. to Sue, here’s the Prego commercial song, which was written just for Prego. http://www.campbellsoup.com/prego.aspx

The first night’s songs were the traditional “Santa Lucia” and my new favorite, Neffa’s “Tanta Luce.”  Audio.wma We sang back-up.  It was brilliant! 

As a text, we’re using L’italiano per amico, written by my friends at the Comunità di Sant’Egidio.  It’ the text that they use to teach immigrants Italian as a asecond language in Italy, so it’s full of practical things like getting around the train station and the restaurants.  ISBN 88-350-8570-5. 

My private group lessons are also doing very well, and three new students are coming to my Tuesday class to round that class up to 5 students.  For my advanced class on Mondays, with people back from trips to Italy, we’ll have a class of 7 students.  Exciting.

Ci vediamo presto. 

Linda

The ten of us just got back from my favorite trip to Rome.  Thank you, Alessandro, for recommending Trastevere.  Next time, I’ll see it at night. 

In Florence, my friends Beatrice and Maximilliano’s bed and breakfast, Residenza Casanuova, is even more exquisite than the brochures. 

And Venice, bellissima come sempre. 

E allora, back to teaching Italian.  Emily’s got a lesson tonight, and I’ve got the Tuesday class tomorrow.  Newburyport Adut Ed starts a week late, this Thursday, and I’ve got wonderful new materials that I’ve just brought back.  Can’t wait to meet the new students. 

A presto.  Bacione,

Linda 

Eccomi col gruppo a Venezia.  Il mio numero cellulare è 348-724-2188.  Fammi un SMS. 

Bacione,

Linda

Newburyport Adult Ed is eager to get an Italian teacher right away.  The pay is $20/hour, and the working conditions are fabulous - state of the art school and fascinating, cosmopolitan adult students.  Give Vicki a call right away if you can teach Thursdays.  (978) 361-6008.

P.S.  Il viaggio era bellissimo, nonostante il ritardo. 

Bacione,

Linda

Tuesday’s class is also going exceptionally well.  This week we reinforced vocabulary from our story with picture flash cards, and we went over subject and possessive pronouns.  We meet again on January 16, then we have a one-week vacation, and we come back January 30.  Students in that class are progressing beautifully. 

A presto,

Linda

We currently have Mondays from 6:30 - 7:30 for intermediate/advanced students, Tuesdays from 6:30 - 7:30 for beginner/intermediate students, and we’re looking at adding Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Auguri, and ci vediamo presto.

Bacione,

Linda 

Here at home, we’ve got a big, international New Year’s Eve dance party at the Sons of Italy. 

And then, on January 2, we get to keep the easiest, most enjoyable resolution - improving our Italian with private group lessons.  The lessons are so popular now, that Emily White, another Sparhawk Italian teacher, is coming to help out on the first Monday class, January 8, to see if we can open up another night of the week for a third group. 

We currently have Mondays from 6:30 - 7:30 for intermediate/advanced students, Tuesdays from 6:30 - 7:30 for beginner/intermediate students, and we’re looking at adding Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Auguri, and ci vediamo presto.

Bacione,

Linda