Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Reunions

I must admit I'm a bit nervous for the "big reunion" in London. I'll meet ALL my colleagues and I haven't seen some of them for a long time. Colleagues from the US, Canada, UK, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Greece etc. It makes me nervous because I've changed a lot lately. It's not only my hair (I look completely different from -say- one year ago), it's all the pressure and excitement that usually go along with these meetings. Moreover, most of them met a different Lola and they proabably have in mind a picture of me which I feel diverges from the person I've become. I've just got an email from a friend of mine who is so looking forward to catch up in London. I'm looking forward to see him too but I'm wondering if he'd notice that I'm a different.

Besides, the scheduled event is huge and I'll have to deal with many people for 3-4 days in a row which is good and "bad" at the same time. It's good because, as I mentioned, I can't wait to work with such an amazing network of professionals and because I do know (and like) most of them. It's "bad" because it's actually stressful as I'll be speaking all the time in another language and at a very high level. I can tell you that at the end of the day it could be tiring. Perhaps it's just me... I'm constantly concerned -especially when surrounded by native English speakers- that my English is not perfect and I should have said "this" instead of "that" and so forth. I'm pretty confident but I'm aware that I will always be an "Italian who speaks English" with an accent and a vocabulary that is limited. And I work very hard to improve it... on a daily basis to be honest (i.e. I mainly read books, essays and articles in English, I listen to podcasts and even write my own personal blog in English!).

Anyway, I'm sure I will enjoy the London reunion.

2 comments:

  1. "most of them met a different Lola "
    "but I'm wondering if he'd notice that I'm a different"

    I'm just wondering - will you be unhappy if he DOESN'T notice any difference?

    "at the end of the day it could be tiring"

    It's not just you. I find a number of hours of speaking or listening to Italian only makes me very tired. It's the concentration of it all. And my Italian is nowhere near as good as your English!

    I'm sure that your English is far better than the English spoken by most English people. Do not worry, it is fine, I promise. Yes, you will always be an Italian who speaks English but most English people like the accent you add to English. :-D

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  2. Yes, a bit unhappy to be honest. I enjoy this new Lola much better than the old version of me ;)

    Isn't it tiring? I go to bed very early when I'm abroad. As far as my English, I don't know but thanks! I'm aware my colleagues like my exotic accent :)

    Looking forward to read your thoughts in Italian on your blog. It would be great to read you in Italian.

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