Capisco!

I'm leaving for Italy in less than a month!

I'm so excited and can't wait. :)

So in preparation, I've finally begun to learn un po' (a little) Italian. I do so in hopes that I won't be completely helpless when I reach Siena. However, the best I can say yet is "parlo inglese, non capisco italiano" which translates to "I speak english, I don't understand Italian".

Being the linguist that I am, I can't help breaking apart and analyzing Italian as I learn it. For example, I can see that the majority of words have stress that falls on the penultimate (second to last syllable) and there appear to be very few different diphthongs.

I feel much more comfortable learning Italian than I ever did while learning German. I believe this is because Italian is so similar to French (which, after long years of studying it, has become quite easy for me to speak).

Needless to say, I do love learning and studying languages. But I do favor certain languages. For example, I do not care for German - it is harsh and (in my opinion) linguistically confusing. And while I think French is by far one of the most beautiful languages, the singing quality of Italian makes it the most fun to speak.

I am excited to get to Italy where I'll be entombed in this amusing language.

C'est la vie

Today some family friends from France came to our house for dinner and catch up. We had some amazing discussions about Europe. I am now itching to get to Italy. They were describing all the amazing things to do and see throughout Italy and Europe.

Aside from seeing all the beauty that Europe has to offer, I am so excited to meet the people there. All the people I have met and spoken to from Europe are just so cultured and aware of the world around them. I cannot wait to be absorbed into that lifestyle!

More specifically, I adore some of the French mentality about life. Today, we were discussing how good things can come from bad, and our French guest made a comment along the lines "ah yes, well you know...sometimes thats just life." Now put a lackadaisical French accent on that and you have the key to my esoteric heart. It's true, everything can really be that simple - when something bad happens, thats just life. And when something great happens, well thats just life too. I love the complexity one can derive and apply from that simple statement.

I also got to exercise my French. I am glad that after 5 or so months without French practice, I'm still able to hold my own with a native French speaker.

Oh! An important note - my laptop is broken. Well, the wireless internet refuses to work (I'm using my family's computer). So tomorrow I plan to spend a good hour or two on the phone with tech support. Oh and my cell phone never wants to send or receive picture messages. On top of that, I must spend a few hours sorting out all my papers I need for my visa appointment with the Italian consulate - this includes spending a while on hold with my school's financial aid office as they attempt to sort out what money they will decide to give me for the school year.

I will also be planning a trip or two up to northern California to visit a special someone. :)
So that requires some travel arrangements.

So much to do! And all I want to do is laze around on the beach...c'est la vie, non?

Happy Father's Day!

Today was a relatively sunny day in a string of cloudy, overcast days here in (supposedly sunny) San Diego. And it is also Father's Day!

It's been a pretty low-key day and my father (who never takes a day to stop working because there's always something to clean or fix around our house) has - hopefully - been enjoying himself.

Here are some chocolate covered strawberries I made today to celebrate the holiday!




My dad plays a very unique role in my life. Sometimes I feel most similar to my father than anyone else in my family. Its from him that I think I get my appreciation for things such as classical music and art. I'm more inclined toward creativity, such as my father, rather than methodical and calculated approaches towards situations.

But the trait I most enjoy that I've inherited from my father is my natural pessimism. Now, If I had to classify myself as an optimist or pessimist, I would say optimist. But underlying that cheery outlook on life, is my natural negativity that causes me to always see the worst case scenario that can arise from specific situations. For example, what if I fail my German class? Or, if I'm going on a trip, what happens if I lose a contact lens?
When making plans, I always identify these negatives. And then I worry about these negatives.

Now why would this be a good trait for my father and myself?

I see it as an asset. Because of this natural, underlying pessimism, my dad and I never rush headlong into situations without first assessing all the negatives - and then preparing for them. We clear the path before sprinting ahead. So if I fear I may fail my German class - I study harder. Or, if I'm afraid of loosing a contact lens, I pack extra.

Don't get me wrong. Spontaneity is great, but so is planning ahead (at least within reason).

I'm glad to be my father's daughter. Aside from the excellent parenting he has provided to me over the years, I would be nowhere without this healthy dose of natural pessimism that I learned from him. Love you, Dad!