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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

On Learning a New Language.

 

It is hard. Harder than anything I’ve done in a really long time. I leave Italian class each day with a tension headache.

I have a theory that I’ve gotten dumber with each child I’ve given birth to. And the twins were a double whammy.

Italian class proves that theory.

I have a hard enough time with English. Truly. Sometimes I start a sentence and can’t think of the word to complete it. So one of my children fills in the blanks. Often it’s my three year olds.

So mastering a new language…yeah. It’s tough.

I mess up a LOT. The other night I was out with friends for dinner. I wanted exactly what my friend ordered and so I told the waiter

“also to you.”

What I meant to say was “me too”. Yeah. You should have seen his face.

But here’s the deal…I’m trying.

I’m putting myself out there. I am constantly putting myself in situations where I’m surrounded by Italian. I refuse to order meals in English. I have made friends with Italians and I’m perpetually learning, messing up, and asking endless questions.

You want to know something sad? I see a lot of not trying.

Many people just expect Italians to speak English. And I’ve seen frustration that they don’t. Complaints. WHAT? IT’S ITALY! Learn the language.

You know what I overheard the other day?

“I’m not here to learn the customs and language. I’m here because I have to be.”

Um. Ew? Wonder where the phrase ugly American comes from? Not okay.

I might butcher Italian, but I’m trying dammit!!! And I’ve noticed that if you try, people are nice for the most part.

I also smile a LOT. A big, manic, frozen my-brain-does-not-compute-what-you-are-saying panicked smile.

My favorite phrase?

Sono sempre confusa. I am always confused.

But my hope is that in the next 2 1/2 years I will become less and less confused.

I want to leave knowing some Italian. I want to leave just a little confused. I want to leave saying Sono un po’ confusa.

I was not prepared for how terrifying it is to not be able to speak the common language. I wasn’t prepared for how helpless and overwhelmed I felt when we moved here.

Have you ever tried to order a standing rib roast in another language? Using weird facial expressions, hand motions (pointing to YOUR ribs), and Google Translate? Yeah. Not so easy.

So bit by bit, little by little, SO SLOWLY and kind of surely…I’m learning.

Mi chiamo Stephanie.

Sono Americana.

Sono in Italia da sette mesi.

Abito a Vicenza.

Sono sposata, mio marito è Jimmy.

Ho quattro figlie…Harper ha sette anni, Sadie sei. Caterina e Lucia sono gemelle e hanno tre anni.

SONO SEMPRE CONFUSA.

 

xoxo

wordless (ish?!?!?!) wednesday

A real man/true gentleman isn’t afraid to carry his daughter’s Hello Kitty umbrella.

🙂

xoxo

S

Exploring Italy | Nove

 

Last weekend we decided to finally head to Nove. Nove is a small town north of Vicenza. It’s known for the beautiful ceramics you can find there.

We went to the biggest ceramics shop in Nove, La Ceramica VBC.

I was told beforehand that it was amazing and overwhelming. And that I needed to prepare myself ahead of time so that I could focus.

But let’s just say that no amount of preparation could have stopped me from freaking the freak out.

As soon as we stepped through the doors, I started flapping my hands like a drunk chicken.

Jimmy actually stopped and tooked my pulse. He claimed I was hyperventilating. Hmmph. I claim he was exaggerating.

Or maybe not. I did swoon. That swoon might have come close to a faint.

Y’all. I cannot explain this experience. Hopefully the 23984028403 photos I took will somewhat accurately convey the store.

I.Wanted.EVERYTHING.

I got a full-on case of the greedies. You know. The voice screeching “I NEED”? The one that drowns out the resposible “I want”?? Yeah. It happened.

But thankfully cooler (Jimmy-shaped) heads prevailed.

VBC houses ceramics that you can find at Tiffany, William Sonoma, Lennox, Neiman Marcus, and more. Dana found her parent’s plates there. I spied Tiffany piggy banks that cost over 100 dollars in the US. At VBC? 15 euros.

We wandered. With our mouths wide open and our eyes popping out of our heads.

I had calmed myself sufficiently…until I came until this display.

Yes. Those are doily/lace dishes. The artists actually place lace on the dishes as they are making them.

At VBC, you receive a 10 percent discount for paying in cash.

Here’s what we ended up coming home with. All for just a little over 100 euro.

And my absolute FAVORITE:

So there you have it. The time Stephanie turned into a howling, screeching clapping monkey in the middle of a warehouse. Good times had by all.

xoxo

S

15 Minute Page

I’m up on the Gossamer Blue blog today with another 15 minute page!

For more info (including a supply list and how to make the page in 5 minute increments, head on over!

Tonight I’m having dinner with a group of girls and then tomorrow night we have a Masquerade Gala. I’m so excited!

What are you up to this fine weekend?

Buon Fine Settimana!

xoxo

S

wordless (ish?!?!?!) wednesday

Let me set the scene. Dana and I took Cate and Lucy to the piazza to meet a friend for lunch.

I went up to the counter to buy a cafe and turned around to see Dana frantically gesturing at the window. There were about 20 tourists outside waving at C and L and taking their photos.

I DIED LAUGHING.

Those two hams can draw a crowd anywhere they go. Seriously. Hahahahah! Just wish I could have snapped a picture when they were snapping THEIR photos. But I couldn’t get to my phone fast enough.

LOVE.

xoxo

S