We started the week in the park near our town. It is one of my favourite places in the world. It has rabbits and wild chickens scavenging around its green grasslands. It houses a Polisportivo, a place used mainly for sports purposes. It has tennis courts and an improvised cricket field made by Indian players who go to play there late in the afternoon. The first day weather was gloomy. I was the first student to arrive then came Manjit with her husband, Gazalla and Sadaf and Goldy. We stayed in this bench and talked for a little while. Along came the heavy downpour of rain. I am glad that I have brought my scarf with me and I jokingly asked Gazalla to teach me how she puts it. Finally, we've decided to go inside the bar (the term for cafeteria here). We talked about ways of presenting ourselves when we meet people for the first time. Sadaf and Goldy treated us with cappuccinos. I also brought some biscuits for us to nibble along. We also talked about our personal lives in Italian. I brought my camera with me and we took a few pictures with it. Silvia suggested that we can be called the United Colors of Castelfranco. After the rain, we went out and took some more pictures. I don't remember learning anything that day. What I remember is that I really had fun.
The second day was a sunny Tuesday. We decided to have the lesson outside near the house of the cavias (guinea pigs) Almost all of my classmates were there. We talked a lot again. We've learned and relearned ways of asking for directions, questions to ask when looking for work, what to say in the pharmacy or to the doctor etc. Parimala from Sri Lanka brought some cherries for us eat. We went home at around 8:30pm.
Wednesday is another sunny day. Almost all came too. Hayat brought some Maroccino food for us. Only God remembers its name but it is shape like empanada except that it is empty inside and is very thin and sweet. She also brought some refreshments for us and we went home with a full stomach. I also brought home some.
Thursday is unexpectedly stormy. As usual, I came early and the park is deserted. I saw Silvia coming and waved at me and we've decided to enter inside the bar. She suggested that if the weather gets worse, she can take me home but I declined. We went inside the bar expecting that no one would come. I introduced myself again in Italian, talked about my country etc. Then we saw Manjit, who is barely covering her head with her scarf, and her husband running and cursing the rain. Then came Gazalla,Sadaf, Ricky, Goldy, Parimala and Arjit. They've treated us again with cappuccinos.They've wondered why I came dry and they came wet. I just smiled and laughed. When we were done, we went out and fortunately, the tempesta is over. Manjit, Gazalla and Sadaf went home first. The rest of us stayed in the parking lot. We had pictorials and talked about different things from car troubles, how women aren't supposed to drive and differences of Italian and Indian language.We ended up going home at around 9:30 in the evening.
Friday is the last day. I came there early as usual. Manjit and her sister brought finger foods for us. Gazalla also brought some Pakistani dish. I can still remember the taste but not the name off course. We've finalized the things that we are going to talk about the exam, which is the next day.
The day of the exam came and I came in a little late. Each of us is separated by one chair. I sat beside Manjit. The insignante from Modena came and she will be the one to supervise the exam. She looks like my friend from Brazil. She supports her arm with a scarf because she said she fell off from a bike. She's strict but fun. We started the exam with reading comprehension. It is just four items but I am having difficulties answering the two. Then came the selection of the pictures described by the sentences. There is also the Prova di Ascolto in where our listening skills were tested. The writing came after that. The next is the speaking part where we were paired with someone and we were given a situation to talk about. My partner is Mr.Albania. We chose the situation where I need to go to the pharmacy and he is the pharmacist.
We've waited 'til all of the examinees were finished. We had a picture taking after it. We've set the next day as our festa, a closing ceremony for our class. Then we started heading home. I went for a little walk at the center. I went inside this room where they have a vending machine that dispenses coffee, refreshments,junkfood and the like. I saw some of my Indian classmates there too.
Sunday came without delay. It is a beautiful day. I am so excited to see my classmates but saddened by the fact that after this day, I may not be able to see them ever again. The party starts at around 5 pm at the park again. I came in a little late because there is some problem with my bike and had to get it fixed. All the women are sitting on one bench and they've greeted me cheerfully. As a natural reflex, I brought out my camera and started shooting again. Manjit's whole family is there. They are always so generous to be cooking a lot of food for us. Ricky brought some Indian sweets that melts in your mouth instantaneously like a cotton candy. I am not sure how to eat it so I asked him do demonstrate! After eating, Parimala gave a special speech to Silvia. She also gave a special cup with her picture on it. Said brought some fun party confetti.
Messaud from Marocco brought with him his 2 wonderful children. Parimala came with his husband, cousins,and nephews. Vladimir came with his lovely wife. Sahar came with his husband and one kid. The Indian dudes came with their friends and cousins. We chatted, took pictures and after an hour, some of them started leaving. We said goodbye to Messaud, Sahar, Vladimir and Manjit. Around 8pm, we decided to take a pizza in a local Indian pizzeria owned by the family of Arjit.
The pizzeria is located along via Emilia and below a hotel. Toufik and I went with our bikes while the others followed in the car. We've ordered vegetarian pizza half a meter long for the half of us while the others ordered their preferences. I gave my gift to Silvia which is a simple cellphone case made in Kabayan, Philippines. I also folded a silly crane and a ceramic souvenir with her name on it.
We planned about some ways of how to reconnect with each other again. Silvia suggested that we can see a movie shown all nights of summer in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna.
After eating came the parting time. We've exchanged our phone numbers and shook each other's hands. We gave thanks to Arjit who paid our dinner and to everyone for the great company. We said our goodbyes and our ci vediamos.
I rode my old bicycle as I started to head home. I slowly crossed the deserted via Emilia and passed through the Piazza where they are showing a funny Frankenstein movie. I stayed to watch for a while. It is really funny but my body is not in the mood to laugh. I slowly pedalled my way to our old classroom and took one last picture.
Maybe I am just having a post teen emotional 'kaartehan' (as they say in Tagalog) or cheesiness but I really had a lot of fun being with my classmates-turned-friends and losing them made me a little empty. Being a young immigrant, I am eager to meet new friends to have a feeling of belongingness to the country. Being with fellow immigrants who have the same goal as yours, that is to learn the language of the country, gives you a little comfort against the feeling of alienation.
I have written this about two weeks since we had that wonderful time in the pizzeria. Last week, some of us met for the Castelfranco Blues Festival and chatted for a little while. Two days ago, I went to have a Sri Lankan lunch in the house of Parimala. His husband cooked this great meal. It is spicy and I ended up sweating and wiping my nose with tissue paper. We ate it with our bare hands.
We then headed back to Castelfranco and we saw Mustapha from Marocco along the way. We went to Manjit's house. We saw her beautiful wedding album (Wow, they really spend a lot for weddings in India) We also had coffee and some French fries. They are as hospitable as ever. After chatting for a while, we went down to meet Kulwinder and ended up encountering Sadaf and Gazalla as well! We've chatted for a while and they went out to have a grocery with their big black motorcycle or ferrari as we call it. Later as I was walking along via Emilia, I've encountered Arjit and we've chatted for a while. He have just came from work and is going to their church. I also saw his twin brother and his cousin.
The only constant thing in this world is change. People, events, emotions and characters change. A year after this, I may not miss the Language School anymore. I may not remember the names of the friends I have met. One thing will come after the other and soon they will forget me too. That is how life is. But the memories I have shared with them will forever be imprinted in the history of my life and surely God, Allah, Buddha or Shiva are happy for it.
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