Italy and its energy sources

Hi People!

Yes…I’m here again this week and with a new task!
Unfortunately last Monday, at lesson, I didn’ speak to my American peer..he was on holiday..how lucky he was!
For this reason I will tell you about my weekly task..

This week my colleagues and I were supposed to begin to search information and writing about “Alternative sources of energy”! When I read that this was the subject of my new task I felt bad!!…Why?? I didn’t know ANYTHING about this subject! Yes, I know I’m a bit ignorant…

However, thanks to this task I was obliged to search some news and first of all…READ, READ, READ!
My colleagues had already written some generical aspects and so I could begin my discovery from that; But, at the end of first approach to the subject, my curiosity went towards the regional situation…what is happening in Veneto? Are we well-informed about this subject? And above all, do the institutions have some projects?

That’s why I decide to write about my Region’s initiatives and situation concerning “alternative sources of energy”.
Perhaps do you want to go visiting the result of this weekly task!? Click on "Alternative energy sources in Italy! You wiil certainly find something inetersting and perhaps that you don't know yet! Naturally it’s the work of my colleagues and me beacuse you certainly that a wiki is a place where everyone contributes!

Well, boys and girls, see you next week!
Bye
Giorgia

Interculturally competent..what a difficult goal!

Hi Everybody!
Here I am this week to speak about my weekly task.

As far as my weekly task is concerned, I was supposed to do two activities:
- Modify and improve the wiki page “Recycling in USA”;
- Read and reflect upon “intercultural competence”.

Concerning the first I had my usual problems with technology…yes..I have still problems with technology! I know that by now I should be an “expert” but everytime, I make some
little “disasters”; fortunately I always try to learn from my mistakes.

The second task, on the contrary, was really interesting; I read some documents about “intercultural competence” and then, filling a questionnaire in, I reflected upon this term.
The word “term” reduces its whole meaning; as a matter of fact, “intercultural competence” refers to a level of knowledge, skills and consciousness which permitt a person to understand other cultures and civilisations, looking at them through an objective eye.
I think this is one of the most difficult goals to achieve and you have to be completely open-minded and willing to learn, learn and learn!!

Sometimes I think….My life will be a continuous learning…and If I have to tell you the truth, this is not bad…I think it can be very stimulating!

Well, with these reflections I finish my weekly post..

Have a nice week,
Bye
Giorgia

Exchange!!::What a great experience!!

Hi everybody!
Here I am in the blog to write about my weekly experience during all this semester. I’ve just begun and so these are my first impressions.

During this first week I’ve searched on Internet to know something more about recycling, in Italy and America, but in particolar today I would like to speak about the exchange…yes, this week I’ve begun the exchange with a student of Tulane University…that was really great!!

I have to tell that I was a bit afraid for mainly three reasons:
- I think I don’t speak English fluently;
- The conversation was by phone (and sometimes by phone there are some misunderstandings even when I speak to a friend of mine in Italian!!);
- I didn’t know anything about this person.

I was supposed to speak in English and he (Yes, my peer is a boy) in Italian, but I discovered that he was more afraid than me of speaking in this first “meeting” and so we spoke entirely in English!

I was happy about this experience: I understood everything he said and he understood me…or at least he told me! I realised that after ten minutes I began to be curious about every single aspect of his culture and customs.

I look forward to skyping again next Monday and I think that if I had had this opportunity from the very first year at university my oral level in English would be now higher!
But perhaps it’s also my fault..I could find by myself a chance like that…anyway, I don’t want to think about the past but about the future!!
And so…let’s see on Monday…on Skype!!
Bye
Giorgia