How School Amici Made Me A Saint

by Leslie Leverone (Intermediate Italian student at School Amici)

Many people and especially my teachers have asked me over the years why I take Italian.  I often answered that my family was from Italy, or that that I just liked to go to the opera. After spending some serious time at School Amici, I have decided that the reason I take Italian is to help me develop moral excellence.

 

Leslie in Florence, Italy

It sounds pazzo (insane), but taking a language involves the development and execution of many heartfelt virtues.  And, I devote ogni mercoledì (every Wednesday) to the cause.  Each week I motivate to courage and bow to humility. What normal adult would spend two hours a week being scrutinized and corrected for illiteracy after spending a lifetime engaged in education?  Where else will people help you finish your sentences because you have just developed a fatal stutter? Più umiltà, insieme con la simpatia, viene per quelli con difficoltà di linguaggio. (More humility comes as well as sympathy for those with speech impediments). Everyone knows that the good teachers at School Amici encourage their students to often practice speaking the Italian language.  During one intervallo (break time), I decided to take their advice and I asked my teacher, Gerardo Perrotta, a question.  I knew the topic of hobbies would be safe, because the word “hobby” is the same in Italian and in English! I began…

"Signor Perrotta, ha qualche hobby?” (Mr. Perrotta, do you have any hobbies?). Now many of you know…but I didn’t at the time, that Gerardo Perrotta is passionate about stamp collecting.  In fact he recently authored a book, Phila-Italy Americana.  The book is about famous Italian-Americans on postage stamps.  Fortunately our conversation went one-sided and all I had to do was act interested and smile!  But…after our conversation, I kept wondering, who in the world was Franco Bollo?  Signor Perrotta had mentioned him in about every other sentence.  Sure I had heard of many famous Italian Americans like football coach, Vince Lombardi, and banker, Amadeo Gianni. I recognized singer, Rosa Ponselle, and everyone knows the professional boxer, Rocky Marciano. But who in the world was Franco Bollo?

After class I “googled” Franco Bollo.  Results showed a punk rock band and a Facebook Member. I did not have a Facebook account, so I searched for information about the “bad boys in the band!”  No luck …they were Swedish! At the time, I didn’t think to go to “Google Italia,” so I resorted to the usual frantic search through the textbook.  Yes… I did find Franco Bollo.  He was waiting for me, and sitting right there in the glossary. Franco Bollo or rather "francobollo", was listed as a postage stamp!

È interessante che quella sera mi ha portato alcune nuove virtù.(Interestingly, that evening led me to some new virtues). I added temperance, diligence, patience, and wisdom!  I even introduced myself to the saints while I amped up serious piety.  St. Thomas said, “The virtue of real humility consists in keeping oneself within one’s own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submit to one’s superior.”  I quietly thanked Tom and decided to restrict any further Italian conversation.  So I did not register this term for Advanced Conversational Italian #105, because I was penning my new Italian book, How School Amici Made Me A Saint.