Florence July 2016

Where to start?
A month in Tuscany.

My first time in Italy!
Amazing course at the British Institute in Florence.  Grazie mille!

Florence A city so full of magic, it is difficult to know where to start.

So many thoughts and experiences.

La Traviata.
My first Opera, in the Open Air in Il palazio Pitti.

James Joyce Ulysses or Homer The Odyssey

A dilemma, I want to read James Joyce's materpiece, but I feel I have to read the Odyssey first to understand Joyce!

It is getting to the point where I am wondering, should I also read the bible!

Writers are so influenced by classics and religion as well as there own experiences.

It fascinates me, but I guess it is similar to reading Russian text in that background knowledge helps to understand the message from the writer.

So here we go on my own Odyssey, I have decided ot have a look first at Homer. God knows I may need some help!!  But if it helps me understand, James Joyec, Job done.

Watch this space!!

Book review- Frankensteing. Mary Shelley

Having just finished reading this classic book. I find myself pondering about the meaning of the text, the messages that Mary Shelley wanted to share or disguised in her writing.

That's the problem with reading sometimes, don't you think?
Maybe we read too much into the text?
Why not just read for the pleasure of reading?

However, Frankenstein was for me an amazing book. It had to be influenced by my memories of the Hammer Horror films of my childhood and as usual one finds that the book is quite a way from the plot of a film.

How can you forget the Hammer horror version! It was so frightening as a child, although not in Black and white, I seem to remember the films as always being in monochrome , maybe it was our television?

Back to the book, of course the language of Mary Shelley in her writing is very romantic and yet again I find influences from Greek classics as Frankenstein is also known as the modern Prometheus.

Thank you to Alan from our German class for nominating Café Pierre for the project award.

We have just started the next stage of the project with out Saturday classes for Holiday Languages.
9 learners have signed up for Italian and Spanish.
I am totally convinced that learners will come to these classes on the weekend, as most people are working during the week and not everyone can come on an evening.

We will be looking at a full programme of languages on a Saturday if plans go ahead!

Alan is one of 3 learners travelling to Berlin in May with Ellie our German tutor and I.

Watch this space for pictures and news from Germany!

Japanese Language Club

Mikiko, Shailee and I are looking at a new project for Japanese.

I wanted to look at a Japanese language Club that incorporated more culture than we could normally fit into the 'normal' Language class.
It appears that there was such a club at the library more than 35 years ago.

Middlesbrough has a rich history with Japan and there are many examples of cultural transfer.

There is for example a Christopher Dresser Society. Here is a link to one of our least know sons who was highly influenced by Japanese culture in his art form.

Watch this space for further information.

Evviva Sant'Antonio! Sant'Antonio Abate

January 17th is the celebration of Sant Antonio Abate.

St Anthony is considered to be the Patron Saint of Domestic Pets.

On the evening of the 17th, Folklore tells us that Domestic animals have the right to speak!

I am wondering what Molly is thinking here we were in the forestry track near Bank Foot at Ingleby, yesterday.

I reckon she is shouting out!

 Evviva Sant'Antonio!

Thanks to Eleonora for the information regarding 'Sant Antonio Abate














Interestingly Sant Antonio D'Abate is also a suburb of Naples.

Я видел падающую звезду.

Я видел падающую звезду.

                                             Я спал?

                                            Я видел сны?

                                          Я плакал.

                                       Я не спал.

                                  И сны не видел я.

                       Я видел падающую звезду.