Newsletter - December 2022
Benvenuti a tutti!
Time sure does fly fast.
Taking a short break in October, and now we’re a few weeks away from celebrating Christmas.
So, what would Italians normally do during Christmas?
Aside from meeting up with friends and families, they also visit the Christmas markets or the “mercatini”. In it, you will find artisans selling their handcrafted metal and woodwork, spices, hot chocolate, knitted gloves, goat cheese, and so on! Other than these, you can also spot the “presepi” or the set-up that consists of baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the three kings, and tons of animals. Their sizes vary drastically (these can go as tiny as miniature tin soldiers, or as big as a regular human!)
It has been difficult to enjoy life these past years since the pandemic started. A heavy feeling of hopelessness can be felt in the air (especially in Italy) as prices skyrocket, poverty increases, and life satisfaction decreased significantly.
We hope that you take this special opportunity to recount three things you are grateful for this year, despite the difficulties you encountered in your own lives. Write them in a post-it if you want to reinforce your memory.
In our case, we are grateful for making the bold moves of creating this podcast, packing our bags to Genoa, and for our families.
What about you?
Christmas, after all, is not only about spreading love, but also about giving hope another chance.
Speaking about hope, we’d like to share with you our latest episode released today. It’s about recounting one’s Italian ancestral roots using music. Our guest for our podcast is Dr. Elizabeth Turner, or Liz, in short. She’s a third-generation Italian American who is not only the Director of Vocal Arts at St. Thomas University, but also the creator of an Italian American musical called "Ciao Bambino".
In this story, the main protagonist Elizabetta is filled with hope as she chased after her American dream right after WWII. Unlike the broadway hit, West Side Story, no one dies. This musical will leave families wanting to know more about the Italian Americans' culture.
Tune in to our podcast this month as we continue to provide you with some episodes for you to listen to during the Christmas holidays.
Much love and have a Merry Christmas,
Angelique & Gabriele
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This list has been curated by Angelique
Are you worried about missing your language learning goals before the year ends? Listen to this short reminder by Emily Richardson. You do not have to get everything sorted out by December 31.
Language learning is a process. Being a perfectionist won’t do you any good. Did you miss the “deadline” you set out to master your Italian? Not really. December 31 is just a number, it’s not the end of the world.
Don’t ruin your Christmas holiday spirit by sprinting your language-learning journey before the year ends.
Do you want to watch a timeless cinematic Italian film, which you can enjoy during the Christmas holidays? Being a cinema buff, an ex-flatmate of mine told me to watch Mine Vaganti.
“Mine vagante”, as defined in La Internazionale, connotes a person who possesses an unpredictable behavior, which constitutes a threat. This film illustrates, in the form of a comedy, the complex family dynamics of a conservative Southern Italian family when confronted with family secrets include a controversial one like homosexuality.
I loved the storytelling and the music of this movie, as every scene feels as though you are peeling off another layer of an onion. Why did they choose the title, mine vagante, in the first place? As you will see in the film, Stefania, the mother, uses the word during a conversation with her husband, Vincenzo. By watching this film, you will soon figure out who the “mine vaganti” or the “loose cannons” are in this story.
This film is available in Rai and in Netflix.
Latest Episode: Una chiaccherata con Elizabeth Turner | Can you turn back time and tell the story of Italian immigrants in America using music?
For today's episode, we had a chat with Dr. Elizabeth Turner, or Liz as many call her. She is a third-generation Italian American who decided to pursue a professional musical career. Aside from being the Director of Vocal Arts at St. Thomas University, she also created an Italian version of "West Side Story" called "Ciao Bambino".
Listen to our conversation and learn more about what it means to be Italian American and how music can shape the way we perceive our cultural history.
Other recent episodes you might want to check out:
Free Transcripts!
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Join us in Patreon to access them!
Once we reach certain goals, we will be able to provide you with extra stuff (see our Patreon page for more details)!
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