Brand new MN Little Italy (22)

[Francagoestohollywood]

hello, ciao, etc

Yo Gio! I've seen your message. Let me speak to a friend tomorrow

Went and survived. It was hard work and the last bit they suggested we run ( on the machines) no thanks. THing is no aches and pains at all . In fact they said that it doesn't produce aches so I like it even more ! SO have signed up for every monday night now and also Pilates on Friday morning. If I can get in and use the machines as well at least once more in the week I will be happy. Seeing as have spent Eu60 for a month I had better use it !!! Mind you dh can't complain as he does karate twice a week and it costs more !!!! WIth DD1 at Eu70 for 3 months its bloody expensive !

Glad it went well. Sounds very good actually. I still have to ring the Ashtanga Yoga place, but it is unlikely I can manage to go 2 a week at 18.45

Today I have the first meeting with dd's teachers etc, I wonder if I'll discover why she seems so about school.

Hey again, rejoining you as we must be about to move to Litte Italy 23.
No hope of catching up on the entire thread, so will pick up things in medias res with givetaigo's question on bilingualism, which is a subject v dear to my heart.

I am Italian, DH is English, we live in England and the home language is English 80% of the time, Italian for the rest. We do one parent one language but it is too early to tell what is going on (DS is under 1). So far DS has spent longer with my family than DH's family (who seem to have too many things going on to come and see us as often as I thought they might) so with any luck he is getting a good grounding in Italian.

How good to hear of all this going to exercise classes. Much out of character for me, I, too, have joined a class. Much gentler than what you guys are up to, by sound of things, as mine is post-natal Pilates. However, it is v good and definitely hard work too.

Can I ask, what did people do about childcare and bilingualism? Did you try and get childcare that would support the minority language? We are thinking of getting an Italian nanny exactly for that reason- after all DS will be exposed to English all the time...

Pilates is def very, very good. I'd love to join a proper Pilates class (there is an excellent Pilates centre near where I live), but it's too expensive at the moment.

We were in a different situation, as when our children were little we lived in the Uk. Italian was spoken at home. So, we sent them to nursery, so that they could pick up the English language in a child friendly environment. And they did.
Ds started to speak at 2, when we were on holiday in Italy. His first words were in Italian but he used to say a very English "No".
Dd had a fairly good vocabulary both in Italian and English at about 18 months.

Different situation because me and dh are both italian

We speak both at home but I tend to go into Italian when asking dd1 what she did /ate at school as I find I get answers! However she asks for the cartoons to be in English .MInirosa now 23 months understands both easily and is at the repeating stage of almost every word . SOme of her own words are clearly English some are Italian and we can't get her to say the other e.g Niaww ( cat). Dowm ( it has a m as far as she is concerned) Apa ( water).Nana e Caca puzza puzza!!!!!
I went to another walking class today but I am tired this time round!!! ALso my washing machine has packed up it seems to have lost its memory ( Its not a digital hi fi one just a simple Indesit) so waiting to speak to the technico and then we decide. Had to ask a neighbour to wash dh karate stuff as otherwise would would be stinked out !
Its 30 degrees here today its the 6 October FGS Its MAD MAd MAD!

30 degrees???? But it's about 16 here and I am only 100 Km from you. I was starting to think about adding a couple of blankets to our bed.

Rosa, funny - my 2 and a bit year old has the same with English/Italian. It's always acqua (never water) and doggy (never cane). Oh well, I hope it works out somehow - but it is hard work to be consistent with languages all the bloody time!!!

Anyway, very jealous of your exercise activities - I have not done any since I left London and it shows... My fault entirely of course, not helped by the fact that DH is exercise freak, and wakes up at 6am so he can exercise before going to work.

MInerva I know its mad. both dds school in t shirts and leggings. At night it is a bit cooler but the mozzies are having a party normally they are dead by now !
My motive for fitness is that I am overweight. I have been on a diet and now I need to combine the two . I must do it as Although I am now a better shape I think I am still on the seriously overweight bit of the scale......And its true over 40 its harder to shift!

Well done with the walking Rosa, I really need to up my exercise too, it is very true about the over 40 thing. Just finding the time that is the problem.

I just passed a mad afternoon mostly spent driving around, left the house at 1.30 to pick up DS, went with DH to talk to the bank and change our mortgage, drove DH to his office as his car is at the mechanic, then turned around and drove out again to pick up DD at 5. Then another 25 mins to get home.

DD just had her 1st swimming lesson, she enjoyed it so that is great, it's at a sports centre near her school they give a discount and the school buses them there, so parents just have to pick them up already dried etc, it's great!

How's everyone else's dcS GOING WITH SCHOOL/NIDO ETC? oops caps. DS has started getting upset at drop off, I think because one day last week I was about 2 minutes late and he got upset as he was the last one. Let's hope he gets over it.

Oh and for the record DD had to have a costume intero + cuffia for swimming, they are obv less laid back than in Milano :o

Hot here as well. Got my Mum over for a week on Saturday for Ds's birthday so hope it lasts.
Can anyone add anything to what have put here re giving birth in Italy?

Hello again! can I just inject a quick question and ask you all what kind of name Alba is? Is it a bit old ladyish, or nice and classic, or a bit like Dawn in English? Anglo/Italo feedback on how the name is percieved where you are would be greatly appreciated, as my Italian DH keeps suggesting names like Denise, Angela and Mandy aaaagghhhh!!! We live in England now btw :) thank you!

Gave birth in the Uk so cannot help Gio!

LRI, Alba was the name of my fav kindergarten teacher (great memories!) so I kind of like it. However, it's also the name of a past her best much botoxed TV presenter. I do not think it's like Dawn - it's probably more old ladyish (although perhaps not as bad as say "Enid" would be) and to me it does not come across as hippy at all if that is what you are worried about. But then I may be biased so let's see what everyone else thinks. IMO deffo better than Denise or Mandy.

DD seems to have settled in asilo now - she was off sick for a couple of days but went back on Monday happily. No other problems except the constant singing of Twinkle Twinkle when she gets home

Hello there.
I've just found this thread. can I join please? I'm British and DH is Italian. We live in Italy although I work in london. We have two children 4 and 6, who are both bilingual. I would say we use the miniority language in the home system.
DS has now picked up an Italin accent when he speaks English , while DD has an English accent when she speaks in Italian. :)

DS has just started school and (I won't bore you with details) but Italian teacher has suggested he does a special course geered for 'i stranieri'because he is shy. Has anyone heard of this course. I'm skeptical because of the way she decided that he needed the course (the boring details).
Has anyone ever sent their children on the course and is it necessary or beneficial?

Thanks for reading my post.

C

Thanks minerva, do you think everyone will immediately think of trout Parietti or is she not really thought about? I'm actually thinking more about the name Darcy but just wanted an opinion on an Italian name just in case! :)

Hello Eurocommuter welcome - which part of Italy are you in out of interest ??? I have only ever heard of coursi for stranieri when they are seriously behind with the language and can't understand in order to participate properly in lessons.
Love the 2 different accents - My dd 4.5 has a few words which she says in a different accent. Yesterday we were doing phonics as minirosa was not here and we did have some fun with some words coming out - But at least I made a start and she did remember some letter sounds this morning as well !!!
Its hot again - Can't cope we sould be in Autumn now !

Hi everyone / Ciao a tutti

I am moving from London to Milan with DP in Jan when I will be 7 month pregnant, so I guess it is time to start following the local talk (thanks BananaGio!!).. I was living there in 2005-2007, speak Italian, and DP is Italian, so not exactly newbies, but will be looking at life & the city from a different perspective (given the baby on the way!)...

I am still in a bit of a shock: I just got used to the UK approach to pregnancy & birth (quite relaxed, mid-wife led, not too many check-ups if you are low-risk, just take it easy and carry on), and now have to accept the Italian approach which seems so different (consultant led, many check-ups, more high-tech birth - or at least my impression so far, and you can gain only 9 kgs). I am not the home-birth type (too scared, and it is my first time) but also worried that the hospitals are too high-tech (i.e. increased risk of being cut up), and epidural is the only pain relief available...

Any tips & advice highly welcome. So far I have heard about GEPO (www.gepoconsultorio.com) and Luna Nuova (www.lalunanuova.it), has anyone used/heard of La Luna Nuova?

Quick wave to Agrumio have to race off change smelly nappy and go and get dd1.
A dopo tutti ..... Or maybe domani I have Pilates in the morning ........( smirk!)

Hello everybody,
I've just managed to sit down after 2 hectic days.
Dh had his wisdom teeth taken out under GA yesterday (he had to have GA because he had cysts under the teeth), and we spent the whole day at hospital yesterday. I was so tense I developed a serious backache after a while

Welcome to everyone

Laragazzainglese, same as Minerva said about Alba. I actually think it's quite a nice name, but really reminds me of Parietti. How about Stella or Gloria?

Eurocommuter, hello! Whereabouts are you? Like Rosa, I've always thought that those corsi are for children who don't speak any Italian. Also, given the recent cuts, I'd have thought they didn't offer them anymore (sadly). Is it a state school?

Agruminomum, congratulations on your pg! I had my first child in Italy and my second in the UK.
I think the antenatal care is actually quite good in Italy, but I do agree that they tend to intervene more during labour/birth.
A good hospital to give birth in Milan is Macedonio Melloni, or so I'm told. It has a good pool of midwives who are all quite keen on natural birth.
I also have friends who gave birth at Ospedale Buzzi and others at San Paolo. I've also heard good things about San Raffaele.
Mangiagalli (which is an ospedale universitario) is excellent for problematic pregnancies etc, but it's usually very busy and they tend to intervene.

Gepo: I went there, but it was ages ago!
La luna nuova is probably a bit on the hippy side for me, but worth checking them out, I think.

Ah, I'm also deliriously happy that Zara Home has finally opened a shop smack bang in the city centre. Hurrah! (I'm a saddo)

Agrumio, congratulations on the pregnancy! Good luck withe the birth ... Personally I'd recommend doing the paperwork for the epidural, so you have the option in case you need it. Had a baby a few months ago in England and was glad to have organised it all in advance.

Alba reminds me of Scotland. Bit old lady, but in a nice way- smart eccentric old lady who reads quirky books. Much preferable to Mandy or Denise, in both countries.

Ciao tutti!
Congratulations Agruminomum on the pregnancy. Sorry can't help with birth in Italy as I had both mine in the UK. Hope you find a forward thinking hospital/consultant.

Rosa amd Franca- We are in Abruzzo and he goes to a state. He speaks Italian very well. I know he doesn't like to be told what to do but he can communicate. I just don't think this course is going to help. I just feel he will be stigmatised as 'il straniere'. He's lived in italy for 5 years (After he was born he we lived there for a year. And then we came back to the uk for a year when i was pg with dd. And we've been there since. So the language is not a problem because even at scuola materna his teacher used to say he corrected other children's italian. He is very shy until he gains confidence with new people (and he is a bit stubborn). If this course is not going to address those issues I don't see the point. As the teacher decided this within 3 days of school and didn't take the time to know him, oi just don't have faith that she is right. He says she never listens to him because he doesn't shout when he talks, very timid. Dh thinks we should try the course and i'm not convinced at all. Am I being too defensive?

Ciao tutti!
Congratulations Agruminomum on the pregnancy. Sorry can't help with birth in Italy as I had both mine in the UK. Hope you find a forward thinking hospital/consultant.

Rosa amd Franca- We are in Abruzzo and he goes to a state. He speaks Italian very well. I know he doesn't like to be told what to do but he can communicate. I just don't think this course is going to help. I just feel he will be stigmatised as 'il straniere'. He's lived in italy for 5 years (After he was born he we lived there for a year. And then we came back to the uk for a year when i was pg with dd. And we've been there since. So the language is not a problem because even at scuola materna his teacher used to say he corrected other children's italian. He is very shy until he gains confidence with new people (and he is a bit stubborn). If this course is not going to address those issues I don't see the point. As the teacher decided this within 3 days of school and didn't take the time to know him, oi just don't have faith that she is right. He says she never listens to him because he doesn't shout when he talks, very timid. Dh thinks we should try the course and i'm not convinced at all. Am I being too defensive?

Morning. Agree with the others re Alba and Parietti but think very pretty name. Franca I feel your joy re Zara home. Sadly I have banned myself from Cola di Rienzo area as Zara Home, Coin Home and Mango on one street were ruining me! The day my credit card statements show that magic 0 figure I am spending a day and a fortune in there though .
Hi eurocommuter. Not heard re course to be honest. Dont really see what the point is though if DS's Italian is fine? And surely it's normal for some children to be shy when they have just started school-doesnt have to have anything to do with being straniere. So I don't think you are being too defensive FWIW. Although I am the Mum who wanted to go to school and beat a 3 year old yesterday after DS came home telling me he cried because said 3 year old bit him then showed me a huge bruise and a full set of teeth marks in 2 places on his arm .