There was a riot after a national soccer game in Sicily this weekend during which many people were injured and one police officer was killed. As a result, all national soccer games in Italy have been put on hold indefinitely. I was actually kind of proud of myself that I could understand the report on TV (TV journalists here speak really, really, really quickly), but I'm disappointed that I won't be able to go to my soccer game tomorrow (and also kind of embarrassed to be disappointed about such a thing).
And now, the most recent incident involving Giulio, my host father. Below is a paraphrased and translated dialogue involving Giulio, his wife, Giuliana, Flannery, and myself. Without further ado . . .
The Most Embarrassing Dinner Conversation Ever
Guilio: So, Micaya, where do you and your boyfriend like to go?
Micaya: (confused look)
Flannery: Well, they're poor college students, so they probably can't afford to travel much.
Micaya: Well, we go into the city for dinner sometimes.
Giulio: So you spend all your time in his room, do you? You know . . .
Giuliana: Giulio!
Giulio: . . . as I was saying . . .
Giuliana: GIULIO!
Giulio: GIULIANA!
Giuliana: GIULIO!
Giulio: GIULIANA!
Giulia: That was true of our times but not now.
Giulio: Sex before marriage is a mortal sin!
Giuliana: Not anymore . . . people live together before marriage all the time and no one cares.
Giulio: I waited six years for you! In Italy, it's a sin! You girls can make love when you go back to America. You know girls, when you go to confession . . .
Giuliana: Giulio! That was only in our time, not now.
Giulio: . . . the priest used to make you say everything you'd done with your significant other. You had to say, "Then I held her hand; then I touched her leg; then I touched her . . . "
Giuliana: Giulio!
Giulio: Really, the priests are just jealous because they can't go to bed with a woman.
Micaya and Flannery: (become suddenly fascinated with the tablecloth)
Giulio: I speak only the truth.
Flannery: Because, you know, not telling the truth is also a sin . . .
(everyone laughs and the conversation moves on to other things)
So Flannery and I are pretty sure Giulio is generally kidding when he has these sorts of conversations, but he seems so earnest. Mostly, I think he just likes to rile his wife. Anyway, Flannery and I were highly embarrassed.
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Hi Micaya
Your godmother wonders if you ever heard that classic Italian song, "Volare," by Dean Martin. It goes..."Volare, oh oh
E contare, oh oh oh oh
Nel blu, dipinto di blu
Felice di stare lassu
E volavo, volavo felice piu in alto del sole ed ancora piu su
Mentre il mondo pian piano spariva lontano laggiu
Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me." (It is best sung in a kind of drunken way).
Does "Volare" mean "to wish" in that song? Actually, what in the heck does all this mean? It was a very popular song in the 50's. I thought I could use it as a way to learn some more Italian words.
Maybe you could use this song too.... after consuming a large amount of that red Italian wine at dinner when Guilio says something outragious and you can't think of anything to say you could just burst into song with these lyrics.
Always helpful,
Laula
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