Am I actually learning anything?

This is Tiziana. I met Tiziana on the train to Naples recently (3 Feb).

It was the end of the fourth week of my course and I was starting to feel that I wasn’t learning very much.

I was starting to doubt the value of what I was doing. In particular I am finding the grammar hard going.

Tiziana is from Bari and was on her way back to Rome where she is closing in on a journalism degree with only a few exams to go before she finishes. She sat opposite me, offered me something to eat and we started talking. Three hours later we stopped when I had to change trains for Naples.


We talked about Berlusconi, politics, about the media in Italy, and how women are portrayed. She asked me about what I was doing in Italy, my work, my family and Australia including what I didn’t like about Australia. We talked about her course in Rome, her family and her aspirations after she completed her degree.

After a while the woman sitting across the aisle from us spoke up saying she was enjoying listening to our conversation and joined in.

What I haven’t told you so far is that it was all in Italian. She understood what I was saying and I understood her. I am actually learning the language.

So thank you Tiziana. Our chance meeting was very important to me. And all the best for the future. I am sure you will go far.