MY EXPERIENCE ABROAD
Last summer I did my first study vacation in Ireland. I chose Ireland because it has always attracted me as a country: characteristic small villages and towns on a human scale, the rich historical and cultural heritage preserved in museums, art galleries, monuments, theatres and the many traditional and arts festivals. I stayed in this magnificent island for two weeks and my days were so structured: in the morning I attended an international Irish college, I took lessons with mother-tongue teachers and classmates from all over the world. At lunch we all eat together in the school cafeteria, while in the afternoon we always visited new places, in Dublin but not only. Around six in the evening I went home, in fact I decided to stay in a host family and not in college to be able to put myself more at stake with the Irish language and routine. My host family was a husband and wife in their sixties and there were other girls in the house who were doing the same my experience: two Italian girls and one from Madrid. The Spanish girl used to go to my college so I spent a lot of time with her on the way home school and the evening after dinner we often went downtown together. This has allowed me not only to improve my English, but also to cultivate a nice friendship. As for my host family instead, I realized that they have a totally different mentality from ours, they are colder and detached, but at the same time very kind and helpful, they had a strong Irish accent and so it was very difficult for me to understand them and make conversations, especially at the beginning. Of this experience I carry in my heart the beautiful places that I have visited: Galway, Belfast, Dublin, Howth… But in particular I love Ireland for its immense green parks, for its cities on a human scale, for its hours of light (the sun went down at ten, ten and a half in the evening). I would recommend to anyone such an experience, even for a period longer than two weeks as it allows you to get in touch with a different reality, to learn not only English but also new lifestyles, habits and cultures.
CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
English words that can't be translated
1. Awkward
Awkward is the perfect word to describe that peculiarly British blend of embarrassment, discomfort and uncertainty that arises most often in social situations when someone has said something that they shouldn’t. There is no direct equivalent in Italian – the closest word is ‘scomodo,’ which means uncomfortable.
2. Jinx
Jinx can either refer to an object (or person) that brings bad luck, or be used as a verb. There is no single word equivalent in Polish, so ‘jinx’ has to be translated to ‘something that brings bad luck.’
3. Shallow
The use of ‘shallow’ to mean something that is not deep has no direct equivalent in French, so has to be translated as ‘peu profond.’ The same is true in Italian. This is distinct from ‘superficial,’ which in French is ‘superficiel.’
4. Insight
Insight is the ability to gain a deep, accurate and intuitive understanding of someone or something. It cannot be directly translated into Spanish, so the words for ‘perspicacity,’ ‘perception,’ ‘penetration’ or ‘intuition’ have to be used instead.
5. Nice
The word ‘nice’ is used a great deal in England and, depending on the context and tone of voice of the speaker can actually have quite a subtle range of different meanings. It is a word that many other languages struggle to incorporate in quite the same way.
6. Put
There is no direct equivalent in German of the word ‘put.’ Instead, Germans have to opt for ‘set,’ ‘place,’ ‘lay’ or a similar suitable substitute.
7. Off
The word ‘off’ is hard to translate into French. As a preposition, it tends to be covered by ‘de,’ though this more accurately translates as ‘of,’ ‘to,’ ‘from,’ ‘by,’ or ‘with.’
8. Bully
The Portuguese don't have a single word that translates as 'bully,' though they do have some fantastic words that we don't have a direct equivalent for in English ('tez' meaning 'the skin of your face' is a great example). There are also some English words that, while they do translate into Portuguese, lose much of their definition in the process. 'Pasta' becomes 'massa' in Portuguese. 'Pastry' also becomes 'massa.' 'Dough,' 'batter' and 'cake mix,' meanwhile, all translate to... yes, you guessed it: 'massa.'
9. Fortnight
Interestingly, the word 'fortnight' in English (meaning a period of two weeks) doesn't have a direct equivalent in US English, where it is not commonly used. Though 'biweekly' is used to mean 'fortnightly' in the US, the word 'fortnight' itself doesn't have a 'translation' between the two versions of English.
November 2019 Update
The English language is continually evolving. That's why those responsible for collating it in the Oxford English Dictionary see fit to issue an update every quarter. Some of the updates see revised versions of words and their meanings replacing outdated versions. Others relate to the addition of new words, phrases and senses.
This is a sizeable task. The October 2019 update, for example, saw some 650 new words, phrases and senses added to the dictionary. Many of these have evolved in the English language very recently as a result of cultural and political occurrences. This means that they often have no direct, single-word equivalent in many other languages. As such, we thought it would be fun to add a few to this article.
Let's start with omnishambles. A former Oxford Dictionaries Word for the Year, this word is uniquely appropriate to the UK's recent (and, at the time of writing, ongoing) attempts to leave the European Union. It is defined as: "A situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations."
Then there's angels' share, which refers to the portion of whisky that is lost through evaporatio while the whisky ages in oak barrels - a term that non-whisky-producing countries will certainly struggle to replicate simply in their own languages.
Finally, we couldn't leave out xoxo. Social media has been a big influence in spreading this word, which means 'hugs and kisses' - something for which many languages have seperate words, but which few combine into one.
Final Thoughts
Which English words have no equivalent in your native language? How do you get around the problem when you're faced with translating them? And how do you deal with newly created words that have come into common usage in one language that you translate but not the other(s)? Let us know via the comments!
Last summer I did my first study holiday in Ireland. I chose Ireland because it has always attracted me as a country: peculiar small villages and towns on a human scale, the rich historical and cultural heritage preserved in museums, art galleries, monuments, theatres and the many traditional and arts festivals. I I stayed in this magnificent island for two weeks and this was my daily routine: in the morning I attended an international Irish college, I had lessons with mother tongue teachers and classmates from all over the world. At lunch we all ate together in the school cafeteria, while in the afternoon we always visited new places, in Dublin but not only. Around six in the evening I went home, in fact I decided to stay in a host family and not in a college to be able to put myself more at stake with the Irish language and routine. In my host family there were a husband and a wife in their sixties and there were other girls in the house who were doing my same experience: two Italian girls and one from Madrid. The Spanish girl used to go to my college, so I spent a lot of time with her on the way home school and the evening after dinner we often went downtown together. This has allowed me not only to improve my English, but also to cultivate a nice friendship. As for my host family instead, I realized that they have a totally different mentality from ours, they are colder and detached, but at the same time very kind and helpful, they had a strong Irish accent and so it was very difficult for me to understand them and have a conversation, especially at the beginning. Of this experience I carry the beautiful places that I have visited in my heart : Galway, Belfast, Dublin, Howth… But in particular I love Ireland for its immense green parks, for its cities on a human scale, for its hours of daylight (the sun went down at ten, ten and a half in the evening). I would recommend anyone such an experience, even for a period longer than two weeks as it allows you to get in touch with a different reality, to learn not only English but also new lifestyles, habits and cultures.
CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
English words that can't be translated
1. Awkward
Awkward is the perfect word to describe that peculiarly British blend of embarrassment, discomfort and uncertainty that arises most often in social situations when someone has said something that they shouldn’t. There is no direct equivalent in Italian – the closest word is ‘scomodo,’ which means uncomfortable.
2. Jinx
Jinx can either refer to an object (or person) that brings bad luck, or be used as a verb. There is no single word equivalent in Polish, so ‘jinx’ has to be translated to ‘something that brings bad luck.’
3. Shallow
The use of ‘shallow’ to mean something that is not deep has no direct equivalent in French, so has to be translated as ‘peu profond.’ The same is true in Italian. This is distinct from ‘superficial,’ which in French is ‘superficiel.’
4. Insight
Insight is the ability to gain a deep, accurate and intuitive understanding of someone or something. It cannot be directly translated into Spanish, so the words for ‘perspicacity,’ ‘perception,’ ‘penetration’ or ‘intuition’ have to be used instead.
5. Nice
The word ‘nice’ is used a great deal in England and, depending on the context and tone of voice of the speaker can actually have quite a subtle range of different meanings. It is a word that many other languages struggle to incorporate in quite the same way.
6. Put
There is no direct equivalent in German of the word ‘put.’ Instead, Germans have to opt for ‘set,’ ‘place,’ ‘lay’ or a similar suitable substitute.
7. Off
The word ‘off’ is hard to translate into French. As a preposition, it tends to be covered by ‘de,’ though this more accurately translates as ‘of,’ ‘to,’ ‘from,’ ‘by,’ or ‘with.’
8. Bully
The Portuguese don't have a single word that translates as 'bully,' though they do have some fantastic words that we don't have a direct equivalent for in English ('tez' meaning 'the skin of your face' is a great example). There are also some English words that, while they do translate into Portuguese, lose much of their definition in the process. 'Pasta' becomes 'massa' in Portuguese. 'Pastry' also becomes 'massa.' 'Dough,' 'batter' and 'cake mix,' meanwhile, all translate to... yes, you guessed it: 'massa.'
9. Fortnight
Interestingly, the word 'fortnight' in English (meaning a period of two weeks) doesn't have a direct equivalent in US English, where it is not commonly used. Though 'biweekly' is used to mean 'fortnightly' in the US, the word 'fortnight' itself doesn't have a 'translation' between the two versions of English.
November 2019 Update
The English language is continually evolving. That's why those responsible for collating it in the Oxford English Dictionary see fit to issue an update every quarter. Some of the updates see revised versions of words and their meanings replacing outdated versions. Others relate to the addition of new words, phrases and senses.
This is a sizeable task. The October 2019 update, for example, saw some 650 new words, phrases and senses added to the dictionary. Many of these have evolved in the English language very recently as a result of cultural and political occurrences. This means that they often have no direct, single-word equivalent in many other languages. As such, we thought it would be fun to add a few to this article.
Let's start with omnishambles. A former Oxford Dictionaries Word for the Year, this word is uniquely appropriate to the UK's recent (and, at the time of writing, ongoing) attempts to leave the European Union. It is defined as: "A situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations."
Then there's angels' share, which refers to the portion of whisky that is lost through evaporatio while the whisky ages in oak barrels - a term that non-whisky-producing countries will certainly struggle to replicate simply in their own languages.
Finally, we couldn't leave out xoxo. Social media has been a big influence in spreading this word, which means 'hugs and kisses' - something for which many languages have seperate words, but which few combine into one.
Final Thoughts
Which English words have no equivalent in your native language? How do you get around the problem when you're faced with translating them? And how do you deal with newly created words that have come into common usage in one language that you translate but not the other(s)? Let us know via the comments!
MY EXPERIENCE ABROAD
There are a lot of borrowed words (also known as loan words) in English that come from many languages and cultures. Check out our list of 15 common words with foreign origins borrowed by the English language.
1. ANONYMOUS (GREEK)
The word ‘anonymous’ comes from the Greek word ‘anōnumos’. Anōnumos is defined as something or someone without a name, similar to the English meaning which defines the word as someone who does not reveal their identity.
2. LOOT (HINDI)
Pronounced and defined in the exact same manner in English as it is in the origin language Hindi, the word ‘loot’ refers to stolen goods/property.
For example, a dacoit or robber would keep the ‘loot’ hidden from the eyes of the police.
The word can also be used as a verb, for example, “they looted all the banks in the town post the civil war.’
3. GURU (SANSKRIT)
The word ‘guru’ is derived from the Sanskrit language, in which the definition goes beyond that of a teacher or an expert on the subject. Rather, it describes an individual with influential leadership, exceptional knowledge, and deep, thought-provoking intelligence.
However, post the change in time and evolution, the term is commonly used to describe a teacher or a learned individual in the English language (as well as in many regional Indian languages).
4. SAFARI (ARABIC)
An expedition or observing animals in their natural atmosphere is called a ‘safari’. The word originates from the Arabic language and, since having been borrowed by the English language, is used widely across the globe right from jungle safaris to the famous desert safari in the Middle East.
5. CIGAR (SPANISH)
While many of you may know what a cigar is, the technical definition is ‘a cylinder of dried and fermented tobacco rolled in tobacco leaves for the purpose of smoking’. Quite a hefty definition for something so small, isn’t it?
The English terms originate from its Spanish equivalent ‘Cigarro’, which too was derived from another foreign language known as Mayan and was called ‘Sicar’.
6. CARTOON (ITALIAN)
Be it the old classics by Walt Disney on-screen or the daily strips in the newspaper, everybody loves cartoons!
Described as a sketch or drawing showing the subjects in a humorous manner, the word ‘cartoon’ originates from the Italian term ‘carton’ which initially referred to as a drawing on hard paper and was transformed into comical representation in 1843.
7. WANDERLUST (GERMAN)
Defined as a passionate desire to travel or, quite literally, wander away, the term ‘wanderlust’ derives from the German language and was borrowed by the English language in 1902.
8. COOKIE (DUTCH)
Did you know this rolled, sliced and baked sweet dough is originated from the Dutch language? It’s true though, it really does.
The English language derived the word ‘cookie’ from the Dutch term ‘Koekie’, defined as akin to cake, to describe this loved sweet snack.
9. KARAOKE (JAPANESE)
A Japanese form of entertainment that took over the Western world 20-30 years ago, Karaoke was borrowed by the English language and has continued to become an international phenomenon for entertainment.
The Japanese term stands for ‘an empty orchestra’ and is the act of amateur singing with recorded music, commonly performed in clubs or bars.
10. METROPOLIS (GREEK)
Derived from Late Latin to Greek initially, the word ‘metropolis’ refers to the mother city of a colony.
The English derivation of the word describes the term as a big city of high importance.
11. LEMON (ARABIC)
The Arabic word from which ‘lemon’ originates is called ‘Laimun’, defined simply as a yellow citrus fruit. The term became a part of the English language family post-1400 and was also influenced by another Middle Eastern language, Persian.
12. AVATAR (SANSKRIT)
Known as a representation of oneself in the virtual world, the word gained a whole new level of popularity after James Cameron’s 2009 science fiction film called Avatar.
13. KETCHUP (CHINESE)
Honestly, who would’ve guessed this!
Originating from its Chinese equal ‘Ke-stiap’, the word referred to as a concoction of pickled fish and spices in 1692.
Fast forward 100 years in the Western world, tomatoes were added to the sauce to create a very famous condiment called ‘ketchup’.
14. ENTREPRENEUR (FRENCH)
In the 13th century, the term ‘entrepreneur’ is derived from the French verb ‘entreprendre’ which meant to undertake or do something. History suggests that by the 16th century, the verb had transformed to form the noun ‘entrepreneur’ which referred to someone who undertook a business venture.
15. UTENSIL (FRENCH) (LATIN)
The Latin word ‘utensilia’ refers to things or resources for use and was adopted by the French to form the word ‘ustensile’ which describes cooking tools. By combining the Latin and French versions, the English term ‘utensil’ was then created and has been commonly used in kitchens across the English-speaking world.
16. SUSHI (JAPANESE)
Sushi originally comes from a Japanese word for sour (Sushimeshi), and with time it turned into a term used to describe naturally fermented seafood and rice pickled with salt condoning a sour flavor. With time Sushimeshi was a recognized dish all over the world and for short they call it Sushi.
17. CATALOGUE (FRENCH)
The word catalogue is a word we use frequently when we want to talk about a list of items or publication. Yet, the word has taken a long way to reach “catalogue.” The word catalogue firstly started in Greece with the word katalegien which means pick out or enroll. Later on, to Katalogos in Greek and then to Catalogos in Latin and then to late French.
18. JUSTICE (FRENCH)
The word justice emerged from the old French justice or jostise, which means administration of law. The French word justice is from the form of Latin justitia. Yet the word justice when firstly used in old English it was used as justice and combined with the word just in English, the word justice was formed.
19. PENGUIN (WELSH)
The origin of the word penguin is still debatable to this day, yet it is said that it comes from the Welsh “pen gwyn” which means white head. However, some say that the word penguin was used for the great auk of the seas which is now an extinct animal which used to stay around Newfoundland in Canada.
20. MASSAGE (PORTUGUESE)
The word massage went through a few different meanings across its timeline, it first started as “massa” which means dough, and then changed into amassar which means to knead, then in French to masser which means to knead or to treat with massage. Now it is used in English as massage which means the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints.
Of course, it doesn’t stop here. Asian languages have also influenced English quite a bit. We put together a list of some of the most popular words borrowed words from Japanese.
Final Thoughts
Do you know some words borrowed by your native language? Let us know via the comments!
Mason Mount’s bio
Mason Mount in an English footballer which plays for Chelsea FC, he was born on 10th January 1999. He is a total midfielder who can also play as attacking winger and attacking midfielder. As a kid, he lived in Portsmouth, and at 10 he started playing for the Chelsea youth team, making the crossing from Portsmouth to London on his father's ship 4 times a week, learning the sacrifices needed to make to become a professional footballer. At only 14, he used to play for Chelsea U-18, and than at 18 went on loan to various team, as Vitesse and Derby County. In 2019 he returnes to Chelsea, and he immediately takes his place as a starter in the team under the orders of the club legend (and his idol) Frankie Lampard. He scored his first Premier League goal against Leicester in his debut match. In the same year he made his debut with the English national team, also scoring his first goal. In 2020 he scores his first Champions League goal against Porto, also becoming Chelsea's youngest scorer in the competition. In the same year he scores the final 2-0 goal at Stamford Bridge against Real Madrid, locking Chelsea's qualification for the final. On 29th May he will play his first Champions final, challenging Phil Foden's Manchester City, considered the other great promise of English football.
Curiosities:
When he was playing in the Chelsea youth academy, a journalist told him: "John Terry is the only player in the blues youth team to have reached the first team", Mason replied "I'll be next".
A nice coincidence. Mason Mount has among its idols, former Chelsea defender David Luiz. The Brazilian defender then posted a photo of him with a young Mount and then with Mason himself as teammates. How is that said? "Sometimes dreams come true".
EMINEM
Eminem, pseudonym of Marshall Bruce Mathers III (St. Joseph, October 17, 1972), is an American rapper, record producer and actor. When Marshall was just six months old, his mother took him away from his father accused of harassment who he later denies in a letter to Marshall telling him he was innocent. At the age of 12, together with his mother, he settled permanently in Detroit. Here Marshall went through a difficult adolescence: he often quarreled with his mother, both for the latter's drug problems and for the numerous affairs she had with men who treated Marshall himself badly. He also had several problems with school: he was, in fact, rejected three times, due to numerous absences. Marshall was also very shy: in fact, he was labeled as "the loser of the class"
He is considered one of the best hip hop artists of all time, as well as of all hip hop music of the 2000s. He was discovered in 1997 by rapper and record producer Dr. Dre and achieved his first success two years later with the single. My Name Is. During the MTV Europe Music Awards 2013 he received the Global Icon award, making him the fourth artist in the world to have achieved this recognition, after Queen, Bon Jovi and Whitney Houston. At the 2014 Grammy Awards he received the award for best rap album for the album The Marshall Mathers LP 2 and for best collaboration with the single The Monster with Rihanna. In 2014, Eminem also became the first artist ever to have two digital diamond discs, Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid, which have 12 and 10 platinum respectively in the United States; in 2018 the song Lose Yourself was also certified diamond disc. He is also the only rapper with Tupac Shakur with more than one album to be certified diamond, namely The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show. Eminem has also established himself as a record producer of hip hop albums, producing artists through his own record label, Shady Records, founded with his manager Paul Rosenberg. The Nobel Prize in Literature Séamus Heaney praised Eminem for the rhetorical energy and interest aroused by the lyrics of his songs, while Elton John compared him, for his successes, to other famous musicians such as Mick Jagger and Jimi Hendrix. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eminem at number 83 on their list of the 100 Best Artists of All Time
IDIOMS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The meaning of idioms is not always understandable with a literal translation by the book, therefore it is necessary to familiarize yourself with their meaning and learn to use them correctly, clearly and suited to the context. At first glance this may seem difficult, but don't worry: learning English idioms can be very stimulating and fun!
Here are some examples of English idioms:
-
BREAK A LEG! means “in bocca al lupo, buona fortuna”
-
GET OUT OF HAND means “essere fuori controllo”
-
CUTTING CORNERS means “andare al risparmio”
-
HANG IN THERE means “tenere duro”
-
FACE THE MUSIC means “assumersi le proprie responsabilità”
CURIOSITIES OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
1. There are over 500,000 words in the English language, but none that rhymes with silver (silver), purple (purple) and orange (orange).
2. Over two thirds of scientists around the world write in English.
3. After the Second World War, the economic and cultural influence of the United States increased significantly and this contributed to the progressive "absorption" of English by other cultures.
4. English is the official or semi-official language of over 60 countries.
5. Worldwide, English is the most widely taught language as a second language.
FLUENCY AND PRONUNCIATION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
To be able to obtain a good fluency and pronunciation in English you have to do exercises daily. Here are some examples of exercise:
1- Starting with cartoons! It may seem boring, but it contain easier to understand content
2- Watch content three times! The firs time in Italian, then in English and subsequently in English with subtitles so as to learn how to read and write better.
3- No to too many subtitles! They can create distraction, stopping watching the video and missing what’s going on.
4- Don’t give up! At first It may seem difficult, but key words are always repeated over and over, so improvements will be rapid.
Our school projects#1 An Erasmus project
TODAY WE HAVE INTERVIEWED GIOVANNA, A STUDENT OF OUR SCHOOL WHO IS WORKING WITH STUDENTS OF FOREIGN SCHOOLS ON AN ERASMUS PROJECT ABOUT GENDER VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
1 The topic of this project is gender violence prevention. Were you already familiar with this topic? Have you learnt something new?
Gender violence has always been a common topic as we know that there are plenty of inequities between men and women so I was already familiar with it although, throughout the project, I have learned lots of things I didn’t know before. I learned better in detail about the different forms of violence which is not only physical but it could also be emotional and economical.
2 Which languages do you use to interact?
I mostly use English to interact as the different countries that have taken part in the project are Portugal, Spain and Latvia and I am not able to speak neither Portoguese nor Latvian. English is the easiest language to use to communicate with foreign people. Apart from English, though, I also use Spanish with Spanish people as I’m learning it at school and it is a great opportunity to improve my communication skills.
3 Thanks to this project, have you improved your English language skills or other skills?
I actually wouldn’t say I improved my English but for sure, this is a great opportunity to learn how to have a proper conversation with someone who doesn’t speak your language. I guess in this way we are forced to speak so we have to be quick to say what we want to communicate to the other person and this surely improves your communication skills, your fluency and gives you motivation to keep studying the language.
4 What kind of activities have you done so far?
I remember doing very interesting activities when I was in Spain. Apart from visiting many stunning places, we also collaborated in school doing activities such as the "escape room" one, related to a story of a girl who had been murdered by her boyfriend or the bag creation in which we had to write phrases and where we learnt about new useful things about gender violence such as the different numbers a woman can call to if she’s in danger in each country. At the moment every country is working in groups on some presentations as regards the topic so that we can have an online meeting in the future and have a final product of the whole project.
5 Have you visited other partner countries?
I visited Almeria, in Spain and it was a wonderful experience! It was really interesting because it reminded me of why I chose to study languages in the first place and to not give up when things get hard while studying one. I also met amazing people and I feel lucky to have had this experience.
6 Have you met new people?
Yes, I have. I met wonderful people and I love the fact that this project also gave us the opportunity to make friends apart from giving us the chance to make a new experience while learning new things. My host family was amazing and I would love to meet them again. They had even invited me to go on holiday with them but because of Covid we couldn’t. I hope one day we will be able to do that though!
7 Do you keep in touch with the other participants of the project?
I became friends with my host sister and some of them so we still keep in touch. We text sometimes and I also met two of them when they came to Italy last summer. It was really great to see them again and I hope I can meet my host family again because they were absolutely amazing to me.
8 Is it interesting to interact with foreign students and teachers?
It really is! I didn’t think it was possible for me to interact much since I’m usually shy but going to Spain actually made me become sort of more extroverted. I interacted with lots of people and even with some of the teachers! It was lovely!
9 Do you enjoy this project? Would you recommend it to other students?
I enjoyed the project more in the past, before the whole pandemic, since we had the chance to physically visit places and have more social interactions. I don’t really like that we just have online meetings now because I think the most interesting part is to have a new experience in a new country while still learning something important like gender violence. All in all, I would still recommend it to other students because it is a unique experience and it is really worth it!
10 What is the most difficult thing you have to deal with?
Since I’m introverted, I thought the hardest part would have been how to communicate with people but I discovered it is something that comes out naturally and it is not a problem at all! It was actually the best part and gave me more motivation to keep studying languages! Right now, the most difficult thing that we have to deal with is to organize the things we have to do for the project while still studying for all the subjects which sometimes can be a little bit overwhelming.
Our school projects#2 The exchange program - Studying a year abroad
TODAY WE HAVE INTERVIEWED GIULIA, A STUDENT OF OUR SCHOOL WHO IS ATTENDING THE FOURTH YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL IN GERMANY
1 Why have you decided to spend a school year abroad?
I have always been attracted by experiences abroad and it was exactly during a summer program when I took the decision to spend a school year abroad. In my opinion these moments are perfect in order to grow as a person, both linguistically and humanely.
At first, I wanted to leave with a friend of mine just for a few months, like a trimester, but unfortunately that friend wasn’t accepted for the program and then I wasn’t sure myself to take the opportunity as I had passed the selection. Luckily my friend instead of being annoyed or offended by it, gave me the necessary push and I steeled myself.
2 How is living in Berlin?
I have to admit that it was a huge change at first. I was used to live in a small town of 13 thousand inhabitants and now I spend my days in the German capital city inhabited by 3,6 million people. Personally, I find it a great improvement. I can easily reach each part of the city by using public transport or just a bike. Berlin is rich in culture, monuments and people: despite the pandemic I still have plenty of opportunities.
3 Do you speak only German or also English?
Since the beginning I challenged myself into trying to only speak German. I couldn't understand a single sentence at first, but my host family and my friends always tried to explain it again in an easier way and then if necessary also in English.
Currently I speak English during my English classes or with a friend of mine who is also an exchange student, but doesn’t know enough German to have a conversation.
I reckon it is fundamental to strive to speak German. If I wanted to improve my English, I wouldn't have left for Germany.
4 Has your German level improved? What about English?
My German level has certainly improved. I remember how sad it was when in September my family and I were eating dinner together and I couldn’t understand what they were talking about so I used to remain silent. Now I’m really proud of my improvements. It isn’t complicated at all to take part in a conversation now and the fact that I can watch films in German without the need of subtitles is just satisfying.
Talking about English, I have to say that it has also improved, but in a different way than if I had studied it in Italy. The main importance during English classes in Germany is the ability of speaking and understanding. We don’t really spend whole hours doing grammar; we watch videos about recent events like the BLM movement or the elections and then comment on these themes. Reading is also important, in fact we’re currently reading the book “The Hunger Games” and after that we’ll do a project about it.
5 Have you had any problems communicating with your host family?
Communication was never a problem. We understand each other very well and when someone has a problem, they have just to tell about it and that’s all. Sometimes we misunderstand due to the language barrier, but luckily, it’s not that common anymore.
In case of need we can always use a translator or try to explain what we want to say in another language. I’m really lucky because my host family also speaks other languages like English, Spanish and Portuguese and one way or another we find the way to communicate.
6 What is your daily routine? (what time do classes start? Do you have lunch in the canteen or at home? What do you usually eat? What do you usually do in the afternoon and in the evening?)
On a typical day I wake up at around 6:45 am and after a big breakfast I take my bike and ride to school. Classes usually start at 8 am and finish at 1 pm or 3 pm, we have pauses of 15 minutes every two classes. We have a canteen and it is possible to buy something and eat there when we have classes until 3pm or also in the school yard as my friends and I prefer to do. Personally, I don’t like the food from the school, for this reason I always take with me my own box with some fruit and bread.
After school I usually go back home and have lunch with my host sister and then I do my homework. Once or twice a week I like meeting friends and spending the afternoon with them playing games or riding somewhere.
In the evening I help my host mum cook dinner, always a vegetarian one and after that we have a meal together with the whole family. Sometimes we play cards or watch films/TV series.
7 What are the main differences between the German education system and the Italian one?
The education system is pretty different in the two countries. A class lasts about 45 minutes and in my school I have a pause of 15 minutes every two classes. At 13 it’s lunch time and there is a bigger pause of 40 minutes.
I go to school from Monday to Friday and it’s awkward for them knowing that in Italy we have school on Saturday.
During common weeks we have short tests of 20 minutes and the grade of them isn’t really important. At the end of a semester we have the “Klausuren”, we have one and a half hours of time because this test is the longest and the most important.
In German schools there isn’t the idea of “oral tests” like in Italy, so the participation during classes is fundamental for a good grade in the report card.
In my opinion in Germany there is not so much pressure on the students and they don’t have as much to study as in Italy. In addition, here you can find subjects like Music and Art (they’re practical subjects), or Ethic and Politics.
The school is mandatory until 10th grade and after that students can decide what they want to study by choosing courses for the following 2 years.
The schools usually offer “AGs”, they’re like extra optional courses of sports or other things like that.
8 What do you expect at the end of this experience, do you have any special expectations about language improvement and personal experience?
In less than two months I’ll be in Italy again and I certainly expect a language improvement, but I think that this is not the only thing I’ll always remember about my experience. Being a year long far from home has changed me as a person. I think it can help someone to really understand what is important to them and what they really need. You learn how to become more open minded and proactive to new things. Personally, I also learned to appreciate my home country Italy. I’ve really missed it.
9 What is the most fascinating memory that you will always keep in your heart?
I believe that one of the most fascinating memories that could seem obvious or predictable is the first time someone asked me to hang out. It’s hard to explain it to someone who hasn’t experienced something like this, but you have to keep in mind that all these people have friends already and they've known each other for ages, so being asked out meant a lot for me because it was the proof that we are actually friends.
10 Would you recommend this kind of experience to other students? Why?
Of course I would recommend this kind of experience to other students. As I said before, it is a great opportunity to experience personal growth. You get to know new people that can turn into lifelong friends and a different culture from yours. In addition, you can develop your spirit of adaptation and tolerance.
Last but not least, during a year in a foreign country you have the time to improve your language skills becoming part of a community.