A Love Letter to José Carioca, Rio de Janeiro

In which the past catches up with me My dear Joe, We met at least twenty years ago, so I’ve always considered you a friend, but it’s different now. Aside from the standard byproduct of aging that causes one to see the hallmarks of childhood in a new light and with a new appreciation, IContinue reading “A Love Letter to José Carioca, Rio de Janeiro”

How *Am* I?

In which I do not seriously ask that question, thank God Language is weird. My relationship to language learning has always been marked both by eagerness and a measure of trepidation, an uncertainty born of having to consciously try. I grew up in a monolingual household—it’s been at least two generations since either side ofContinue reading “How *Am* I?”

A Few Choice Italian Words

In which I reflect on a recent viaggio with my parole preferite I spent last weekend in Florence with my sister, who is studying there, and my dad, who took a transatlantic getaway. A smaller city than I remembered, but hey, I’ve done some growing and traveling since my last visit. Over those 8½ yearsContinue reading “A Few Choice Italian Words”