Okay, I will be real with you all. I really thought that just simply living in another country would help me become fluent in another language naturally. While that may be true in some cases, when you work in English, live with English-speaking roommates, and spend an entire nationwide lockdown guarded against human interaction and then transition into a world where human interaction is minimal….well, you can connect the dots here, I am not fluent in Italian.

I will say, having an Italian boyfriend and taking online Zoom lessons has really improved my language skills, though. Before I had my online Italian classes, Francesco and I would sit down and he would teach me bits and pieces, but I really actually learned more just from hearing him speak. The problem is, I would pick up things (like a toddler) and usually, I would be repeating the bad words or incorrect slang back to him, and while it was hilarious and we had some good laughs about it, it wasn’t helping my everyday conversational skills. So, once I started taking the Zoom classes with an Italian language teacher, my Italian improved a lot. I can now say I can have SIMPLE conversations with people and I can confidently speak to a cashier when buying groceries or order food…

Speaking of ordering food, there was one time that I will never live down, but it is too funny of a story not to share — a SUPER embarrassing moment for me. So, I really enjoy a pasta dish with clams and mussels, it’s something I usually order if I see it on the menu because it’s so dang good. One day, Francesco, my boyfriend, and I were out to lunch and this particular dish happened to be on the menu so I immediately knew what I wanted. In Italian, the dish is called “pasta con vongole e cozze.” Easy enough, right? So the waiter came around and it was time to order the food. In the past, Francesco has ordered both of our dishes because it was easier when I couldn’t speak any Italian but I slowly started ordering for myself once I was more comfortable. The waiter looked at me ready to take my order and I confidently said, “Ciao, allora, posso avere la pasta con vongole e c*zzo?” (Please excuse my French, but there is no other way to explain this 🙂 ). I LITERALLY ASKED THE WAITER “HI, ALRIGHT, MAY I HAVE THE PASTA WITH CLAMS AND D*CK?” The waiter froze, Francesco’s mouth dropped, and I had to take a second to go over what I had just said before it clicked and I was MORTIFIED. Francesco finally let go of his breath and laughed harder than I have ever seen anyone laugh. After stopping to think for a second and when the shock had passed, I started cracking up too because come on, that is hilarious.

I wish I could say that is the only time something like that has happened to me. At first, it was one of my worst fears. When you are first learning a new language and you are fully immersed in it, it is so scary to speak because you are initially terrified to make mistakes or to look stupid. After a while, you start to really care less because it is bound to happen — sorry, but there is no way out of it, and anyone who has learned another language this way can 100% relate. And eventually, once you get over that fear, you have endless hilarious stories to tell and it just turns into a regular part of life.

I have actually thought about this and I really think that it will be weird to go back to the U.S. and go into a grocery store or restaurant where everyone speaks English. I think it will be a reverse culture shock for me since it has been so long since I have been home.

I really hope that by this time next year I will be at a conversational level! I definitely think it is possible but it will take a little bit more work than I initially thought, and that’s okay. 🙂 Piano piano, as the Italians say.

Do you have any language barrier stories? I would love to hear them in the comments below!! And don’t forget to subscribe for stories, travel tips, and more ❤

Ciao!

Chloe