MUMsnet little Italy

[mediterraneo]

buonasera!

You'll have to send them to me Franca! I could even bake English cakes or make an apple crumble to recreate the atmosphere!

English schools are v. expensive and apparently most are not very good. I think the only one that was recommended in Milan was the James Henderson one, the others are International schools with international bacs and everybody is held back for the non English speakers to catch up and apparently the standards aren't very high either, not like English or Italian schools. That's what I heard anyway but it could all be tosh. Mind you, I do know a couple of people who always had to repeat years in an Italian scuola elementare, but when they went to the American one they graduated with all As - So it might be true!

you know what Brangelina, it sounds like a great idea !
(but you work full time, don't you? - otherwise we could organize a business, I send them to you two afternoons a week )
I have lots of pregiudizi re private schools in Italy in general. I think nothing beats a good Liceo Classico or Scientifico or Linguistico statale... I was def told that scuola americana in Milan is not very good. James is good but it's in Lambrate, which is not my fav side of town, therefore there'd be lots of spostamenti in Milano's traffic. No way. I think that we'd sell the car if we moved to Milano.
I quite like the idea, MOnza twice a week. And occasionaly Rosa in Venice .

Oh yes, i was alone!
What about your dh speaking in English to them? Franca, I have the impression that now that you could be going, you don;t want to go....is that right?
What sort of people in Italy send their kids to private schools? My liceo in a very scruffy southern Italy was fantastic.....

Bliss Med, alone at the Tate!!!
You might be right as usual Med ! I'd really like to go, it's just that there are so many uncertainties that make me feel overwhelmed. Lots of "what if" and lots of doubts. But doubt is my second name . I think me and dh really need to sit down and discuss things in depth. We need to discuss practicalities, which he seems to be ignoring at this stage. And I always like to be a bit of bastian contrario... or practising the art of maieutica...
My Liceo was fantastic too. I had 5 fantastic years, where I learnt a lot and met amazing people. I think in Milano there used to be different kinds of private school. Catholic ones, chosen by extremely catholic people. Traditional, "posh" ones for a certain kind of posh families, international schools (I used to have the saggio di pianoforte alla german school, looked nice) and those existing just to pass people who failed at state school. I'm not sure if it's still the case.

Do you think I am always right? I like it.
Could you as a compromise stay in Devon but make effort to spend more time in Italy? Not easy with school hols I guess.
I had a dream that I had moved back to Italy. I was in despair ,I just don't fit anymore with the Italian mentality, neither do I fit with the English one...in between. I feel in Englan you are allowed to be a bit wierd, in Italy to survive you have to conform.
Still raining here! Is it very hot in Tuscany? I so you!!!

mmmm I see what you mean. I think in many ways life in an English smallish town is better, as people are less judgemental. However, I never had a problem being a bit "weird" in Milano. I've always met lots of people to get along with. At some stage my dad wanted to move to Treviso (I must have been 13). Thank god we decided to stay in Milano, I think I would have never conformed to the town's lifestyle.
My in

ups! My inlaws are in Sicily and since yesterday they couldn't leave the house becuase it was too hot. I hope it cools down a bit by the time we arrive.

how hot is it in Sicily?

yahoo says 36 degrees in Messina...

it's raining again here...

i think it was 43/0r 46 when we were in the south in June. Never experienced such heat, impossible to sleep/walk the streets/it felt dangerous being out between 11 and 5.

I was once in Linosa during a bad bout of Scirocco. We were camping. A nightmare.

Still raining here. Franca enjoy your holiday and I hope you will have a clearer idea about your future when you get back.

I'll let you know. Have a lovely summer, all of you, I hope the sun will be back shining
I'll think of you ciaoooooooooooooooooo

Hi Ladies, not a regular poster here, just got back from a wet month in uk !!! I'm in sicily, near Mazara Del Vallo and it was 44 at 9 this morning !!!! Its been like this for about a week now !!!

44 is a nightmare! Poor you! and Poor us with the rain. About 23 in London today, apparently.

To be honest its a welcome change from the rain !!!!! We've got a swimming pool in the garden to keep fresh and the beach is a few minutes away, although the sea is full of jellyfish !!! The worst part is at night, there's not a breath of air and its hot !! Getting huge sized vegtables in the garden though !!!!

Ohhhh, I envy the swimming pool...

its not a proper pool !!! its one of those big thingies that u put together with poles, big enough to put a lilo in though !!! Mum carted it over from uk a few years ago only for us to find it in our local hardware store a few days later for the same price !!!
Right just been outside and our thermometer says 47 !!!!!! my sis has just gone to get in the pool but the water is like a bath !!!

Crikey that is so hot. I am still in the Uk and am thankful to be here as Venice just gets so humid that it is unbearable. The evenings when you think its cooler the buidlings just pump out heat.So I have bought wellies for dd and another pair of jeans for me but so far she has had one day only stuck inside .
I hope the heat breaks soon ...Just for some cooler air.
Med its about 23 in Cornwall as well today and it looks as if the sun is about to come out as well

Hi every1

I'm new to this thread and am trying to arrange a meet up of italian mums on other threads i started. Cal highlighted this thread to me. Ideally in my Local Area - Berks or, West London.

I work part time and am free most fridays and weekends. West London is easiest for me to get to but i can also meet near Alexandra Palace as i visit my brother there.

My daughter's first words were in Italian and she spoke and responded to more italian than English but we've lapsed and now reached a stage where she refuses to acknowledge italian apart from the bedtime ritual . It would be great if she could be in an evnironment where she hears others speaking italian.

do you have any regular meet ups? would anyone be interested.....

Sorry I am in the West of England and only for the summer. I do remember there was a thread somewhere Living Overseas ??? thread about an Italian playgroup I think in London somewhere. I am hoping that my daughter remembers all her English as she is just learning to talk now !

Jammer I could meet up either in Alexandra palace, west london (depending where) or smwhere near reading at time as in law's leave there. i'm in north london.

DD is 2 (today) and like yours she speaks a lot more italian, DH is english. But I know that it might not be for long. How old is yours? are you italian?

let me know.

franca have you left already?

Hi there

Wow. This week has flown by and I've not done very much. It's a bit cooler now as it rained in the north. Temps are in the low 30s and my brain is functioning a lot better. I'm on the fizzy vitamins to see if they kick me into gear.

I've decided not to have the other wisdom teeth out for the time being as I couldn't cope right now.

Happy Birthday for your DD Pippi how old is she?

2 Ilsi and I am panicking trying to organize her party.

I hate those once who do not let you know whether they are coming or not... not polite, is it?