Comments on: sunday scribblings: masks http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:33:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: sognatrice http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2531 sognatrice Thu, 24 May 2007 06:51:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2531 Irene, I completely agree about the mask, using it when you need it, especially to preserve parts of you that you don't want to lose. Nice that we have this option, isn't it? Irene, I completely agree about the mask, using it when you need it, especially to preserve parts of you that you don’t want to lose. Nice that we have this option, isn’t it?

]]> By: IRENE http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2522 IRENE Wed, 23 May 2007 16:47:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2522 To be honest with you, after trying for quite some time to fit in and be a natural, I am back into trying my "xenos" (foreign) mask. It works on several occasions, and , I find, saves some traits of my personality I wouldn't want to lose. Perhaps that is why it is a mask , after all, because we may put it on and off whenever we feel like it! Now that I think about it, that is a good thing! To be honest with you, after trying for quite some time to fit in and be a natural, I am back into trying my “xenos” (foreign) mask. It works on several occasions, and , I find, saves some traits of my personality I wouldn’t want to lose. Perhaps that is why it is a mask , after all, because we may put it on and off whenever we feel like it! Now that I think about it, that is a good thing!

]]> By: sognatrice http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2508 sognatrice Wed, 23 May 2007 06:34:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2508 Eli, I'm glad you appreciated the post, and you're right--it works both ways. Sometimes it's so fun to catch someone when they think you haven't understood!<br/><br/>Ally, thanks for your kind words. Frustration and boredom were two definite results of not being able to communicate effectively, that's for sure.<br/><br/>In the Alps, thanks for visiting! I'm happy to know you can take away something from what I've gone through--have a little patience, and things will fall into place :) Eli, I’m glad you appreciated the post, and you’re right–it works both ways. Sometimes it’s so fun to catch someone when they think you haven’t understood!

Ally, thanks for your kind words. Frustration and boredom were two definite results of not being able to communicate effectively, that’s for sure.

In the Alps, thanks for visiting! I’m happy to know you can take away something from what I’ve gone through–have a little patience, and things will fall into place :)

]]> By: in the Alps http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2500 in the Alps Tue, 22 May 2007 07:51:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2500 Thanks for your post. It was just what I needed to read. It's starting to get better but some days trying to express myself is absolutely exhausting. It's not easy to feel like no one knows the real me here but it's great to read your encouragement to take off the mask and let myself be accepted - faults, grammatical errors and all. Thanks for your post. It was just what I needed to read. It’s starting to get better but some days trying to express myself is absolutely exhausting. It’s not easy to feel like no one knows the real me here but it’s great to read your encouragement to take off the mask and let myself be accepted - faults, grammatical errors and all.

]]> By: Ally Bean http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2490 Ally Bean Tue, 22 May 2007 01:15:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2490 <i>be yourself, and not care if you don't fit with preconceived notions of whatever it is "they" think you should be</i><br/><br/>Such a good thought. I like how you came to that conclusion. I can only imagine the frustration/boredom of not knowing the native language of the country in which you live. Interesting take on the prompt. be yourself, and not care if you don’t fit with preconceived notions of whatever it is “they” think you should be

Such a good thought. I like how you came to that conclusion. I can only imagine the frustration/boredom of not knowing the native language of the country in which you live. Interesting take on the prompt.

]]> By: eLí http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2486 eLí Mon, 21 May 2007 20:02:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2486 Thanks for this post... i stumbled upon it at the perfect moment and you have no idea how much i needed it on a day like today!<br/>Although I grew up in a bilingual home where Itanglish was the norm, I also came across a few barriers while in Italy. <br/>The whole mask thing sometimes was a useful tool for the times I'd rather just fly under the radar and pretend like I don't understand what people are talking about... especially those who decide to blatantly say bad things about you (in front of you) in italian. Sometimes I let it slide. Other times - the look on their faces when I responded in perfect Italian...PRICELESS. Thanks for this post… i stumbled upon it at the perfect moment and you have no idea how much i needed it on a day like today!
Although I grew up in a bilingual home where Itanglish was the norm, I also came across a few barriers while in Italy.
The whole mask thing sometimes was a useful tool for the times I’d rather just fly under the radar and pretend like I don’t understand what people are talking about… especially those who decide to blatantly say bad things about you (in front of you) in italian. Sometimes I let it slide. Other times - the look on their faces when I responded in perfect Italian…PRICELESS.

]]> By: sognatrice http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2485 sognatrice Mon, 21 May 2007 19:29:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2485 Cyndi, the spacing out was/is always the hardest part for me. After a certain amount of time, I just didn't/don't care any more, although it's nothing personal to the people there. It happens less frequently now, but if there's wine involved, well, I'm getting older and tend to get sleepier and sleepier....<br/><br/>Laura, yes, it's a wonderful feeling when you're not translating in your head, especially when it's your sense of humor. I'm still not where I'm 100% "me" so to speak, but I figure I have a lifetime ;) Cyndi, the spacing out was/is always the hardest part for me. After a certain amount of time, I just didn’t/don’t care any more, although it’s nothing personal to the people there. It happens less frequently now, but if there’s wine involved, well, I’m getting older and tend to get sleepier and sleepier….

Laura, yes, it’s a wonderful feeling when you’re not translating in your head, especially when it’s your sense of humor. I’m still not where I’m 100% “me” so to speak, but I figure I have a lifetime ;)

]]> By: LaurinainItalia http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2474 LaurinainItalia Mon, 21 May 2007 14:41:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2474 I can not tell you how much I understand you. When I was studying abroad, in Urbino, the first few months I would get beyond frustrated when I was unable to translate a sarcastic remark or quick comeback. The problem was I wasn't thinking in Italian, I was translating things in my head word for word, and that didn't work. I felt like no one saw how I really was until I did, and it's the best feeling when somehow you are able to translate your humor! Yay! Congrats! I can not tell you how much I understand you. When I was studying abroad, in Urbino, the first few months I would get beyond frustrated when I was unable to translate a sarcastic remark or quick comeback. The problem was I wasn’t thinking in Italian, I was translating things in my head word for word, and that didn’t work. I felt like no one saw how I really was until I did, and it’s the best feeling when somehow you are able to translate your humor! Yay! Congrats!

]]> By: Cynthia Rae http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2470 Cynthia Rae Mon, 21 May 2007 13:36:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2470 You hit the nail right on the head with this one! I know just how you feel. In America I am always talking to people I don't know. I have a quick wit and I love to laugh and joke. That Cyndi doesn't show up much in Italy. It is really hard to be funny when you are still learning the language. Plus, I am always afraid of saying something that in English is funny but in Italian is taken as being rude. People see me as this quiet shy person, which I am not really.<br/><br/>As for being tired... after a few hours out with friends, it is hard to keep paying attention. I find that my mind start to wander (I take a trip to Cyndi world). It has gotten better since I first moved here, but it is still hard as well.<br/><br/>I feel your pain. That is why we expats should stick together. We need to be funny (in English) every once in a while!<br/><br/>Cyn You hit the nail right on the head with this one! I know just how you feel. In America I am always talking to people I don’t know. I have a quick wit and I love to laugh and joke. That Cyndi doesn’t show up much in Italy. It is really hard to be funny when you are still learning the language. Plus, I am always afraid of saying something that in English is funny but in Italian is taken as being rude. People see me as this quiet shy person, which I am not really.

As for being tired… after a few hours out with friends, it is hard to keep paying attention. I find that my mind start to wander (I take a trip to Cyndi world). It has gotten better since I first moved here, but it is still hard as well.

I feel your pain. That is why we expats should stick together. We need to be funny (in English) every once in a while!

Cyn

]]> By: sognatrice http://bleedingespresso.com/2007/05/sunday-scribblings-masks.html/comment-page-1#comment-2469 sognatrice Mon, 21 May 2007 12:35:00 +0000 http://siteground218.com/~bleedin2/?p=171#comment-2469 Candace, ah, the dialect! Yes, that definitely adds another dimension to the whole thing; well, when you're visiting your cousins again, we'll have to get together for some English!<br/><br/>Rebecca, thank goodness we absorb words, otherwise I'd know a lot less Italian ;)<br/><br/>CGP, foreign language masks are tough because even when you really want to remove them, sometimes you just can't. Patience is another key to all of this, obviously.<br/><br/>Wunschdenker, welcome home (to Germany)! What you mentioned about going home is one of the reasons I'm really not pushing to do it, in fact...guess Tom Wolfe was onto something ;)<br/><br/>Alicia, looking back I suppose it let me get to know parts of myself I didn't really know existed, and, oddly enough, now I'm probably even more extroverted in English just because it's so great to be able to express myself completely as I wish ;) <br/><br/>Thanks for commenting :) Candace, ah, the dialect! Yes, that definitely adds another dimension to the whole thing; well, when you’re visiting your cousins again, we’ll have to get together for some English!

Rebecca, thank goodness we absorb words, otherwise I’d know a lot less Italian ;)

CGP, foreign language masks are tough because even when you really want to remove them, sometimes you just can’t. Patience is another key to all of this, obviously.

Wunschdenker, welcome home (to Germany)! What you mentioned about going home is one of the reasons I’m really not pushing to do it, in fact…guess Tom Wolfe was onto something ;)

Alicia, looking back I suppose it let me get to know parts of myself I didn’t really know existed, and, oddly enough, now I’m probably even more extroverted in English just because it’s so great to be able to express myself completely as I wish ;)

Thanks for commenting :)

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