It has been a while since I’ve given an update on how my Duolingo lessons are going so here it is:

I have been studying a variety of subjects, but I have been leaning towards vocabulary practice lately. The vocabulary topics I have been focusing on the most in the last few weeks are family, colours, and food. These are pretty basic words which I’m sure will be handy to know in any situation. I have also studied questions, and feel that I have a good grasp on the vocabulary for “what, how, how many, which, who, when, etc., although I do need to reinforce this knowledge more. I finished this section completely, and it was very interesting for me, but I need to continue studying sentence structure and grammar, once I finish the vocabulary lessons I am on. I have studied grammar a bit, but have been avoiding it lately, since it is not the most riveting subject.

 

(pictured: a screenshot of my Duolingo app)

At this point in the semester I am not as far in my Italian as I had expected myself to be, but I should know that learning a language is complex and takes more effort than one initially realizes. It is so rewarding , especially when you can go to where it is spoken and meet locals who can teach you about the area and culture. However, the momentum I had in December, before I even knew of this project, has been difficult to keep up alongside all the external factors like other projects and work, and current events. These were not nearly as intense when I began my Italian studies, and COVID 19 would have been a foreign concept. Now it is very local.

As it stands (and as far as I am aware), schools, universities (including UVic), workplaces and borders are closing all over Canada and the US, and there are some severe cases in Europe as well, with Italy being the worst. Travellers crossing the Canadian border must quarantine themselves for 14 days, but spring break has just started, so many locals are also taking this opportunity to do so in order to protect ourselves and our vulnerable neighbours.

My family has decided to wait until May to make our final decision, since the time between now and then does not affect any refunds we would need to request. There is still hope that things will improve in Italy before May, but in Canada, It seems that things will get worse before they get better. My cohort is on the edge of our seats, as our spring practicum and possibly our graduation date are on the line.

Next week I will return with another update, and hopefully better news regarding this virus so that I can continue my studies enthusiastically.