Summary: Lessons from Italy
2012 Italy Travel Observations of a Bilingual SPED Teacher Day No. 10
This is the tenth and last post about my trip to Italy in the summer of 2012. It was one of my requirements to complete the GWU Education Specialist Degree that was granted through the partnership of US Education Department, the school district I worked for and George Washington University. Even then, I was writing from the POV of a Filipino Educator teaching in the USA. There are hidden gems in these journal entries worthy to be shared.
It is time for us to go home and I feel that I barely scratched the surface of Italian culture, language and history. However, I believe that I was able to fulfill my goal of soaking myself in Italian culture and history.
Language
Language is a big part of their culture and, indeed, I was able to hear and respect it especially when I tried to erroneously interpret Scoula Normale Superiore on my own (please see Day 5 for details). I am sure we all went back with a broader perspective about the Italian way of life and education.
Choice: Remember or Forget
I took a picture of our group during a train ride at the De Gaulle airport in France where we transited going to Dulles Airport. I was in the other train and I thought it was interesting to take a picture most of my colleagues while each one of them are silently musing. Like me, they are either thinking about our Italian experiences or are just waiting to go home.
I felt a certain emptiness when while waiting for my flight back to the United States. Like the empty seats at the Charles De Gaulle airport shown in the picture above, I felt I need more time in Italy to grasp its true culture. Italy has so much history enfolded in its different places that my ten days of sojourn there only scratched the surface of what I can learn, appreciate and cherish as a person, a learner and an educator. But all trips have to end and life, as we know it, has to go on. I do cherish my experiences in Italy especially my unexpected help from my fellow Filipinos in Rome. My best experiences were when I walked the streets of Rome, Florence and Venice and just tried to blend with the rest of the people. Using Italian public transportation also helped me interact with the locals and see places where tourists do not normally go. All I can say in the end is arrivederci Italy which is not only “goodbye” but “see you soon.”
2024 Learning Insights
I actually forgot many important details during this 2012 Italy adventure. It was my first European trip and I was overwhelmed with culture, language and history. Looking back, I believe it is valuable to remember the past using fresh eyes; we have to see it from where we are today so we can find out how to use it to propel our future. Here are my 2024 insights for my 2012 experiences:
Translation is complex and should be comprehended within its context to clarify its meaning. In this age of Artificial Intelligence, thinking and comprehension should be enhanced.
Communication is not limited by words: art, action and historical artifacts communicate meaning. However, we tend to interpret everything through our cultural or current perspective.
Teachers should invest some time to find out individual student’s perspectives. This might solve learning problems, miscommunication and maybe, behavior issues.