Intensive Italian at Umbra: Finding My Voice in Perugia
An opinion piece by Addison Basile
Intensive Italian Language Summer Program
Yesterday, I returned to Newark Airport with a suitcase that was a bit heavier than it had been when I originally left for Perugia. It carried the weight of the souvenirs I had purchased for my family, the weight of my textbook and all the new knowledge I’d scribbled inside of it, and naturally, the weight of my new little metal keychain that was proudly engraved “Perugia.” But of all the items whose weight were making it difficult for me to board the plane home, the heaviest was my heart, melancholy to be leaving yet filled to the brim with the memories and the love that have come from this unforgettable experience.
Studying Italian as Second Language
Before arriving in Perugia at the beginning of the summer, I had been taking Italian at my home university for four semesters. They say that if you want to learn a language, you need to attach meaning to it—something that can motivate you to commit to this difficult process day in and day out. I thought I had this motivation. I had practiced the language every day for almost two years, completing grammar exercises, countless pieces of writing, lessons on Italian history and culture, and pretend conversations with classmates (also a hefty Duolingo streak). But in a way, Italian still existed in a bubble for me. I had only spoken with maybe three or four native Italian speakers, including my professors. The extent of my language use was between doing my homework every night and attending class every morning. Sometimes after class, I’d make conversation with one of my classmates in Italian for as long as we could until we had to go to our next classes. But that was it. I loved studying Italian so much, but I was eager to use the language in the real world.
Living the Language: From Textbooks to Conversations
The reality of life in Perugia was even more exciting than I’d expected. The words that I used to only be able to rehearse in my head or say to the wall in my dorm room were suddenly the words that everyone was using, out loud, all the time. The language came to life around me for the first time in my life. I was finally able to try using what I had learned (and find out what I still had yet to learn). I immediately wanted to speak Italian as much as humanly possible. I became enamored with the idea that I could connect with others in another language. The excitement of being able to tell stories, express feelings, or make people laugh in a new way caught me completely off guard. Every day my friends from Umbra and I began to discover more and more places where we could practice our Italian, becoming friends with every taxi driver, street juggler, and cashier. The most amazing thing was that the Perugians didn’t mind if we messed up a word or if we didn’t understand something. Instead, they actually wanted to help us learn the language, always being so receptive and patient. I realize that these moments were probably small and inconsequential for them, but they meant so much to me. It was these people who made the days pass by so quickly.
Merging with the Melody of Perugia
The desire to speak Italian and connect with the city lit a fire in me. I spent the mornings walking through the streets, saying hello to the people who worked in the cafes and little stores that I had visited. Then in the afternoons we would choose from one of our regular restaurants where we could practice more with those who had quickly become familiar faces. And naturally, we spent the evenings at Carloni, our favorite gelateria (italian for gelato shop), where we talked to the owner, Signor Carloni, about everything that we had learned that day, about what we had planned for the next weekend, and about the intricacies of the gelato production process.
From Learning to Living: Umbra’s Impact on Our Italian Journey
But of course, the people who were most invested in our development could be found in Piazza IV Novembre, at the Umbra Institute. Our professors and the entire Umbra staff were there for the twelve of us from start to finish and beyond. We’ll never forget when Stefano brought us to a cantina and a traditional sagra, in the pouring rain, while we were all decked out in paper birthday hats from Convenienza Casa, or when Livia brought us to the movies and had to console us when the movie was too sad for some of us…And of course we’ll always remember playing Dixit and drawing pictures with Niccolò, and all the “belle passeggiate” surrounded by the local mayoral election and true Perugian campanilismo. In all seriousness, these people welcomed us to Italy with open arms and made us feel like we could really be a part of the city, always showing us authentic glimpses of the history, art, music, literature, and rich culture of Perugia. Every day in the classroom, they gave us the confidence we needed to enter the Italian world, always lifting us up and reminding us to focus on how much we already know. And when we all went out together on trips, they would always tell people “Loro sono bravissimi, puoi parlare con loro sempre in italiano.” Even if they didn’t realize it, it was little things like this that, little by little, made us into better students and speakers.
Unseen Gifts
In just a short time, Perugia and its people have become extremely important to me. It will forever be the place where I learned just how much a language can give you. They say that if you want to learn a language, you have to attach meaning to it. Well, I found my meaning here.
So, if you’re thinking about going to study Italian at Umbra, I leave you with this piece of advice: Leave extra room in your suitcase, and leave extra room in your heart. It’s difficult to leave Perugia without a little something more than you came with.