Superstitions in Italy: what’s considered good and bad luck

Posted by simonager under Learning a language, Spanish

There is quite a lot of regional variation in the superstitions held in Italian, however there are a number of widely-held ones such as the concept of luck, whether good or bad, and fear of evil spirits. Such beliefs are most common among Italian peasants.
The most widely-held superstition in Italy is fear of the evil [...]

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Tags: culture, italian, italy

Cactus Opinion: Dreaming of Italian in Rome

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Italian, Learning a language

Alex Wolfson, Cactus Language Holiday Advisor, tells us why he’d like to visit Rome…

Bryan Adams was at Number 1 with his song from Robin Hood and the Soviet Union had just collapsed when I visited Italy for the only time in my life so far, and I cannot help but feel that I visited Rome [...]

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Tags: italian, italy, rome

The Role of Music in Second Language Learning

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, English, Learning a language

A recent blog post made me wonder why language teachers like to get lyrical…
Having attended various language courses across the world, from Cuba to Italy to Argentina, it’s always interested me how local language teachers are so keen to incorporate singing into their lessons. There hasn’t been one course where I haven’t had to listen [...]

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Tags: argentina, cuba, efl, italy, second language learning, singing, tefl, vietnam

Cactus Opinion: Italian course in Tropea

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus Staff Opinion, Italian, Learning a language

Sarah Gooding, Online Editor at Cactus, reports back from her Italian language course in Tropea (May 08)

Most people don’t know where Tropea is, and it would appear not many airlines do either. It took a lengthy slog to get to Stansted and several hours’ missed sleep to get the only flight leaving the UK for Lamezia Terme, Tropea’s [...]

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Tags: calabria, italian, italy, language learning, stromboli, tropea

Italian Language Guide (1): History, Usage & Difficulty of the Language

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Italian, Learning a language

Italian in the World Today
The great thing about Italian is that people tend to learn it for the sheer love of the language, country and people. Whether it’s the Italian art, food, music or landscape that draws you in, this is one language that is learnt above all for pleasure and through a desire to [...]

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Tags: dante alighieri, italian, italian cooking, italy, naples, romance language, sicily, venice

Italian Language Guide (2): Italian Culture in Italy

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Italian, Learning a language

When it comes to culture in Italy it is almost impossible to know where to start. The treasure trove that is Italian culture is brimming with delights for people of all interests, from the foodie and the wine connoiseur to the fashion addict, the designer, the artist, the historian, the art historian, the music-lover and [...]

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Tags: catholicism, italian coffee, italian culture, italian drink, italian fashion, italian food, italian gelato, italian music, italian wine, italy, la scala, opera, pasta, pizza