Bombs and Books

     I found myself awoken from my brief siesta by a loud boom.  The thunderstorm had been earlier, so it couldn't have been that.  Was it a car issue?  I turned over and fell back asleep.  Shortly after, there were probably fifty gunshots and a couple more bomb type sounds.  In Ascoli?  Was Ancona declaring war on us?  I scurried outside to protect my local stray cat only to find out what the ruckus was coming from.  You guessed it:  Another medieval festival!  This one may or may not involve flag throwing but from what I witnessed it does involve marching bands and medieval cheerleaders, so take that as you will.

     One of my new favorite hobbies is reading American books that have been translated into Italian.  It's the perfect activity for those days where I go three cappuccinos deep at Bar Lori.  I've tried reading books by Italian authors before and found it really difficult.  Now I may be very wrong, but I think reading American books translated into Italian is a much easier task for native American speakers.  Obviously in the cases of the books I got, I already knew the story so I knew roughly what should be happening at any given moment.  But also speaking a language requires you to almost think in a different manner.  I've talked to some of the other kids on my trip about this as they were curious about what it's like to converse in a different language.  When I speak Italian, especially when I'm answering a question, I'm not translating any part of it in my head from English to Italian.  I think this is where I've seen a lot of people go wrong.  And I'm sure it's why language learning softwares use images and re-learning a meaning attached to a different word over translating everything word-for-word.  Anyway, I think that American books as translated by Italians retain enough of the American style of writing and thinking so that it is easier to comprehend.  But that being said, reading in Italian isn't easy.  I finished Harry Potter and am currently working on To Kill A Mockingbird and there is a LOT of Passato Remoto WHICH I WAS ASSURED WAS NEVER USED EVER.......

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

To Kill a Mockingbird - (the title translates to "The Darkness over the Hedge")

     Today was a nice day in Ascoli.  It finally rained!! Not only was I thankful for a respite from the torturous heat, but I believe Ascoli may be even more beautiful after it rains.  The water reflects off the stone and it's beautiful and dreams come true. 

Cappuccinos are a rainy day's best friend.

     One more week in Ascoli.  That's all I'll say for now because I'm trying not to think negatively.