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Simply..cleaning up Venice....

23/10/2015

9 Comments

 
..or should I say Venezia. I am enjoying learning Italian with my excellent teacher Luisella. She speaks a lot in Italian throughout the class - talking quickly, translating as she goes, insisting we listen, listen, listen and talk, talk, talk. She goes at a challenging pace!

A challenge I had not anticipated was being unable to read the whiteboard when Luisella uses a coloured or faded pen. I had to explain that I have an eye problem. (I have AMD, a degenerative eye condition.) Until now when out and about or meeting new people I get away with not saying anything, but we are asked to work in pairs and read to each other from the textbook. If the lighting is not good - and it isn't - I can't see the words. I am still so shocked when this happens! So of course I have to say 'I'm sorry I can't see that'. I have a tiny torch the size of a credit card (thank you Lynne, what a thoughtful gift). It helps but makes me very  slow. I've never before in my life been slow in a learning situation. It is so hard! It makes me feel foolish and so self-conscious. I know I have to get over those feelings and find ways of coping.

It also makes me feel humble when I see people coping with far greater difficulties.

I enjoyed this post on a favourite blog about Venice.

(This post explains why I am learning Italian!)
9 Comments
elaine link
23/10/2015 03:18:16 pm

Oh Freda - I really feel for you it must make life difficult but I know your positive attitude will you overcome these difficulties. Since you mentioned going to Venice it seems every novel I pick up seems to have a few chapters on it. I am reading Us by David Nicholls and it has loads of reference to Venice in it.

Reply
Freda
24/10/2015 12:30:22 pm

Thank you Elaine - another one to look our for!

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cath
24/10/2015 07:47:44 am

Venezia. Every - even the small - act of practice counts.

For a quick witted, fast learning person it is so hard to experience being slow. In the beginning I felt ashamed, couldn't stop comparing myself, to others and to the me I was before.

If and when it happens now I prefer to see it as a small reminder of life, a nudge, to help me come back to accepting that things have (fundamentally) changed.

It takes time to become aware of the beauty of slow. It is not the preferred pace of the world today. What helped me was realising my cognitive and learning capacities hadn't changed or disappeared, my way of and the conditions for learning had and although that was hard to cope with at first, it also challenged me to find new strategies. And that felt good.

Is there anything that can be done, or you can do, about the light in your classroom? I'd take a lamp from home if needed.

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Freda
24/10/2015 12:33:58 pm

What wise observations Cath. Thank you for sharing them. And for the idea of getting better lighting - I will ask the University if they can provide a lamp in that room (can't take one on two buses and a ferry, but you've reminded me I can ask!) x

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Lotta
24/10/2015 01:08:34 pm

Freda I'm not sure I can find the words tonight to say what I wanted to say properly, but I really empathise with what you've written. Adjusting to changing abilities, needing more help from others, not being able to do what you've always experienced as 'your best' is such a challenge, but also has hidden gifts. I agree with Cath about the beauty of slow and can also see that although you feel you are being slow in a learning situation, it also appears that in other ways you are not - you are finding solutions quickly in new circumstances - explaining your condition to people, finding ways to light the text, noticing how you feel and dealing with it... And all when you are feeling quite shocked - that's a lot of fast adaptation! I always have to remind myself that my 'best' is the best I am able to do right now in this situation, not the 'best' I have known myself able to do in the past.
I'm not in your situation, so I can't know what it is like, but in a different way I do recognise the feeling of altered abilities and the grief and frustration of that, while you are finding your way in a new bit of life.

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Freda
24/10/2015 02:18:30 pm

I'm not sure I can find the words to say how touched I am by the kindness of the readers of this blog! Thank you Lotta. Especially for 'that's a lot of fast adaptation!' I hadn't seen it like that...
I will read over these comments many times I think. x

Reply
Sarah link
27/10/2015 02:48:42 pm

Dear Freda, I was sorry to read about the issues you have encountered in your Italian lessons It must be difficult dealing with these changes and admire the way you are trying to get around your problems and can share them.Sarah x

Reply
Freda
27/10/2015 03:50:02 pm

Thank you Sarah.

Reply
house cleaning service New York link
11/5/2016 11:56:48 pm

should I say Venezia. I am enjoying learning Italian with my excellent teacher Luisella. She speaks a lot in Italian throughout the class

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