Trieste, Nice To Meet You!

Let me start this post with a short but representative sentence by Umberto Saba, who was one of the most known poets from Trieste.

"Trieste ha una scontrosa grazia. Se piace, è come un ragazzaccio aspro e vorace."

Explaining the idea from Italian, it means that the beauty of Trieste is quite particular and controversial. The poet sees the city, if people like it, as a rough and voracious brat.

I put this literary reference, because it can express my vision of my place of birth.

Since I am the first in my family who was born in Trieste, I missed a great part of cultural aspects and I always had problems of integration, when I was younger. That's why maybe this course is helping me to appreciate my native city more than all these years!

It's quite interesting going out on organized tours in and around Trieste with my new classmates, because we have to look at our city as we were tourists. For me it's an opportunity to learn something new about traditions. You can't say you visited a place, if you don't live it!

The First Field Trip

In the first field trip that we made we started with Piazza Unità d'Italia that is the most importan square in Triest.

There are 5 main palaces: 

The first one is the Asburgic Govern's Palace that borns on 1905. There is drawn the two heads Eagle that rappresent the Asburgo's family.

In front of it we have The Palace of the Region's Council that has two beautiful fontaine, the left one is with sweet water and the right one with salted water to indicate that commercial naval arrivals was arriving in both ways. 800 century.

The municipality of Trieste is an Eclectic style, that means that is a mixture of styles. 

In the end we have the Stratti Palace that has a beautiful caffè called "Caffè degli Specchi" that means the mirror's caffè. The palace was a Stratti's propriety, a greek merchant.

After the square we get to the Protestant San Silvestro chirch, Arco di Riccardo, San Giusto chirch, Tor Cucherna and then we reached The Eppinger cafè where we had a sit.

We had the Greek-Orthodox chirch in program but they closed when we arrived there so then we just mooved in Piazza Verdi and Tergeste Palace. Exiting the Tergeste palace the guide Donata shown us the Max Fabiani's  Liberty palace and the Palace of the Trieste business.

After that we had free time to have luch. Me and other 3 collegs had a tasty pizza in the Barattolo pizzeria that is in Sant'Antonio Square.

After lunch we get back to CIOFS for more four hours of lessons.  

Reviews

My impression of this course is very positive.

It has enriched my culture and my expectations.

My favourite subject is "Alla scoperta del Friuli Venezia Giulia".
I learnt many things of my town and my birth region. I like scholastic trip for discover our town.
I love History and architectural art of my Trieste.

It's very interesting the economic aspect of this course. The tourism is the next future and I'm ready for that!

About Deutsch

Ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch. That's all.

Language it's such a fascinating matter, there is nothing more flexible, mutable, fluid. Words could be both daggers and flowers, there is nothing more powerful than the possibility to express oneself through them.

On the otherside being forced into a completely new language could be kinda traumatic, the first lessons of Deutsch surely were to me. I couldn't understand a single thing, which was so frustrating that I got on the verge of tears. But don't cry for me! Day after day it become a little bit better, I could actually understand a good 70% of what the teacher is saying and that's amazing! I want to speak like the voice from the Lufthansa's spot someday. 

Random things about German language:

1. Their words are HUGE. Really. I wonder how many pens they should bring to school and offices. Maybe I should change my career and just sell stationery there.
2. Their numbers still terrorize me. I already have my problems with italian numbers, so guess how fun it is to discover that they pronounce the last digit FIRST and then the others. Fascinating. Confusing. 
3. German people say that when Italians speak, they sing! But I find they way of talking way more musical than ours. Slightly hypnotizing. No surprise that they basically invented electronic music. 
4. I LOVE HOW THEY SAY 'SPIDER'. They call it 'spinne'. I want to adopt a tarantula and call her like that.
5. Their words change like all the time and you need to know by heart if a word is feminine, masculine or neutral.
6. Everyone always says: 'if you know Latin and English it would be SOOO easy to learn German'! Don't trust them, they are filthy liars. 

 I think that my German-speaking costumers will have a lot of fun having conversations with me. Thanks Heavens they are all smart and they all know English.

Jokes apart I love German people, they are always nice and polite and they leave a lot of tips  and UI will do my best to learn their weird but wonderful language.

Liebevollen!

Holly

Behold, the German language!

It always fascinates me listening to a new language that I don't know, and most of the time it makes me want to learn a few words, just in case a tourist visiting my city needs me or if I travel to that particular country.

It seems weird to hear it, or in this case to read it, but I have to say that the German language somehow fascinates me every time I hear it spoken.

Yes yes, I know, it may not sound like Italian or Spanish, but since I used to study foreign languages in the University of Trieste, I never really had any prejudice towards languages and their sound (or any prejudice about the population speaking those languages, of course!)

After all, languages are nothing but codes that we speak to communicate, and there are just more than 7000 languages all over the world.

7000 different codes, to express our-self, our ideas, our images, different objects, everything!

I already speak Italian, English and French, and I used to study Russian and Greek for work, but it is only now, thanks to this course for hotel receptions, that I finally have the chance to make my first steps into this harsh but practical language.

My first thought after the first lesson? Yeah, it's a bit difficult to make all those fricative sounds all the time, but nothing impossible to surmount with some exercise... OK, maybe a lot of exercise, still, it can be done!

It's also nice to see that some words are taken from other languages, especially other European one, of course. That just makes me smile, because it makes me think at all the types of influences that arouse when two or more People meet for commercial or cultural reason.

Anyway, I can't really say or write anything in German now, but let's just say that wishing a nice weekend in German is as nice to hear it as in any other language, trust me!!! ;-)

Bis Bald!

Free thoughts.

I never thought that a receptionist would do so many little tasks as I discovered during this course, you're nearly a tourist guide in the end.

You have to know many things about the territory like museums, restaurants, public transport, touristic tours and events of many kind.

One thing that struck me a lot was when we were out with the tourist guide here in Trieste. That day I found that many things about my city I didn't know them!!

For example about the Cathedral of San Giusto and the fact that it wasn't a single church but two small ones that were then united.

Soon we'll make new trips and I'm sure I'll discover new things,

I'll keep you updated!!

See ya'!!

Channel Manager? Challenge Accepted!

When you think of the job of a receptionist, your first thought is usually about someone who deals with check-in and check-out processes and keeps smiling all the time and helping the guests. After one month, I can say it's totally limiting thinking about only these duties. I'm discovering more and more about this profession and I can say: there's a lot of different stuff to know! It could seem complicated at the first sight, but in the meantime that's what makes it more attractive!

Studying foreign languages is useful, but if you feel confused and don't know how to invest your resources, that's a problem. I was always asking myself what I'm going to do exactly with my foreign languages. After studying at the university, I was still missing something.

One of the greatest skills I'm learning at this course is the use of channel manager, a specific software which helps receptionists manage the stream of guest arrivals, stays and departures. The first time I tried to do an exercise on the computer, I felt quite nervous. It all seemed confusing and I couldn't figure out how to use it. After that, I took a breath and everything changed in a good way.  I said to myself I can do it! I promised myself, as always after difficult situations: never give up! 

Hello, here's your Holly!

One of the first questions our teacher asked us to answer is why are you here?

I'm here just because I don't happen to be anywhere else.

My anatomy drawing teacher, a man with a very empirical approach towards life, once read my hand, and he foreshadowed my moving and a life full experiences which I truly hope that will become true too.

What else to say? I'm an human being, former art student. I was born, 

I'm still living and I didn't die yet, so...

Oh, and I'm also the genius behind the blog's name! Thank you Academy of Fine Arts.

I'm really curious how this experiment will go on, so keep on writing everyone.

Love,

Holly 

(Thanks Mr. Capote for lending me this pseudonym for this new exciting online presence!)

New journey

Here we go. I'm going to tell you about my journey here in this course that I have recently started.

As far the courses are concerned, I really found two lessons especially interesting.  The first was how to receive a reservation and how to make sure that it is confirmed. The other class I liked was when we had to pretend to be guests or receptionists to learn what to do in different situations. We did this in German and in English class. 

Everyone needs to know this, in my opinion, because that's what we will do during our interenships and when we start to work professionally. I think that we all have to focus on everything we will be expected to do in our jobs. 

Besides the classroom experience, I can add  that what I think is useful is when we go around our own territory and discover new places and learn things about ourselves.   

First Impact with the City.

I've only lived in Trieste for 1 month and yet I've been completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things I didn't know about it and its thriving microcosms. We've had the chance to learn a great deal of new notions about Trieste's history, ranging from the influence of Maria Theresa to the story behind the recipe of one of the most iconic triestinian sweets: the so called " Pinza Triestina ".

It's astonishing to think that there are so many places I've never been to, even if I used to live in Monfalcone, which is just a shot away from Trieste. I was so dazzled by the amount of things I previously ignored so I set myself on a mission: explore every nook and cranny of the city. It will be a difficult task. Bear with me.

BTW.

The aspect of the course I'm most interested in is the food and drink sector. I think a person could discover - or guess- much aboyut another just by paying close attention to what she or he eats and drinks. A salad at lunch? Probably a businessman or a fitness enthusiast. Pizza and beer? Probably me.

Jokes aside food is one of the most relevant aspects of our existence, since the vast majority of the time we spend awake is devoted to acquiring some. It's an aspect that should never be underestimated and I honestly think a good meal can settle every dispute.

So, in my everlasting research for particular and interesting dishes and beverages, I found out that Trieste has its own special wines; 4 to be exact:

• Glera: white wine.
• Malvasia Istriano: white wine.
• Vitovska: white wine.
• Terrano: red wine.

Wish I had some.

Lizardly yours,

- L.W.

That's Me

Hello Guys, my name is Federica but here, I'm KillyFilly.

Last Summer, I lost my job. I was a sales Advisor for a store called INTIMISSIMI, in the Calzedonia Group.

I had worked there since 2012, and I liked that job because I love customer contact. I Like to find and discover new cultures and new people. I chose this course because it's perfect for me. I'm here because I would like to better define my work path, and I would like to become a leader and not a boss.

I believe in career dreams because I'm a happy, serious person and dreamer.

I love life! 

Let's Get It Started

Last autumn I was working in a shopping mall, concentrating, as always, on my duties and trying to do my best. Even if I liked it, it wasn't what I wanted to do forever. Suddenly the phone rang... a lady from the job centre was looking for me. She told me about an opportunity to take a course for becoming a receptionist in a hotel.

The interview was a little stressful and honestly I didn't expect to be accepted.  I was working in three different places at the same time and my soul felt completely abandoned by my own expectations. This routine was killing me and my lost dreams made me another person... Luckily I bloomed again, because I made THE CHOICE. When I go out with my friends, they tell me I'm completely different now. As Céline Dion sings, I'm glad that I'm alive!

I always dreamed about working with people from all around the world. That's why I've been studying foreign languages all my life. My origins are a mash-up. I'm bilingual and I was adopted by the big Esperanto family. That's why I can speak both Italian and Polish. I wanted to study English, German, French, Spanish, Russian and Esperanto too.

I love meeting people from different cultures and helping those in need of help.

My biggest dream is a world where people live peacefully and with love, where human beings hold hands and children from different countries play together. Maybe it sounds a little unrealistic, but that's how it should be: without limits.

Going back to my reality, I really hope starting this opportunity will put me on the right path!

Introduction to Karolina

The fact that I'm here is a consequence of some choices that I took not so long ago. First, I decided to leave my job in a call center, and then I decided to take a risk. I found this course and wanted to take it.

So, in this period I am learning how to do a new job, and how to solve situations and manage them.

I feel very lucky to be here because this course will give me job experience at the end in a new field. I think it is better to have less expectations rather than too many because we can't know how things will go for sure.

If our expectations are too high, the risk is to be very sad if things go wrong or in a different way than planned. I'm trying to understand how to manage all of this new information. It can be overwhelming.

Every little thing is important, every moment of the present, even the sounds that you hear right now matter more than "life expectations." I just dream of a simple life that can give me peace, and gratifying moments.

But let's return to Earth.

In the class I've met a circle of people that I like more and more as we go on. Like in every circle, connections form. There is a lot of empathy in the group with each other and with the teachers too and everything we do is meant to help us learn.

I do not feel like I am wasting time here. I feel like I am already preparing for the job to come. I am trying to find a way to balance time for myself and for others. This balance is important for me.

I'm here!!

Hi everyone!!

I'm Enrico, a 28 year old guy from Trieste.

I like sports, cars and music, especially Pink Floyd!

My main goal is to improve myself as much as possible, and I think that my last work experience in Ferriera specially has shaped me strongly.

In that my experience i learnt to appreciate some things that maybe I didn't at the time, like, for example, other kind of works that I didn't want to do before.

Currently I attend a course of 500 hours for receptionist here in Trieste, with stage included wich still has to start.

I'll do the best I can during the stage to make a good impression, hoping to be consider for a possible recruitment.

Bye bye!!

Taaac!

Learning How To Blog

I read different newspapers like "Corriere della sera," "Stampa," "Sole 24 h" and other news resources like "Ansa," and "International" all the time.

I do not use social media like instagram or snapchat but I would like to understand them better. The same goes for Facebook and Twitter.

Today in English class, however, we are creating a blog. This is a new experience for me. I think it will be interesting because it will allow us to communicate with each other and share our experiences in this course and later in our internships.

I am looking forward to it. 

This is me

Hy everyone I'm Snap99, 

i love travelling, listening to music, singing and doing shopping with my friends. In my entire life I had bad experiences in finding confindence, in myself cause I had very bad friendships. So when I meet new people I start to think inside of me that they will say that i'm strange and unfunny or whatever it is. Now I started a course for being a receptionist, cause I like being in touch with people and to try to resolve any kind of problem. I guess that this kind of job is ideal for me cause I think I that it can help me to be useful and to use all the languages I studied (English, Spanish and French ). I except form this course to finally find a job and earn my own money. I know I can make it  to arrive where I wanna be I did some little works to improve myself. Thanks to this internships that we will do during our training will help me to find my confindence back. 

Hello everyone, I am Matteo!

Well, where should I start...

I'm Matteo, 29, Italian guy without a job, trying to make a living by taking courses and starting internship that last from 1 to 6 months and getting fired because the boss actually can't pay me so I start all over again.

I live on my own and my parents sacrificed a lot for my education, so I'm more than just "lucky", but I hate it when I know I can't repay them for things I received that I believe I don't actually deserve. I've studied a lot, and here I am still...at 30.

Anyway, I'm here because I finally found a decent course with professional teachers who can actually tell me how it feels to work as a hotel receptionist, and what it means to be one.

I already worked in the tourism sector, but I never had a chance like this to improve. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's destiny, but at least i'm going to start the internship in a month with a sense of purpose, the one I always try to find in a job.

I have to say as well that this chance is just a beginning for me. A chance to go out there and make it big. Problem is, I still have to figure out how big the "Big" i'm talking about is.

After all, I like other things than just working in hotels, things like movies, books, martial arts, meditating etc. but i'm not usually prolific when it comes to talking about my dreams, so this will be enough for now.

Just give me some time and I'll show the world my personal vision, don't worry...

Meet Ugo!

I am Ugo, I was born in Triest in 1987.

I am a student  and I have degree in Political Science University of Trieste(2011).

After that, I looked for a different jobs and I'm still studying. I know English and German.

I am friendly and I have a good relationship with another people.

I would like to eventually studing Political science and Public Government. I am taking this class because I want to I hope to get a job as a receptionist in a Hotel.

I am also attending this course, because I would like to improve my English and German.

I also want to Know more about the culture of Trieste. I like Art and I love Trieste for its Theaters and for the classical Music the best In Europe. (Like This Tartini Via Ghega).

Let's Begin!

Hello everyone!

... and welcome to this Blog! I'm Nicolò Cian AKA Lizard Wizard, a cool 26 year old guy who enjoys music, videogames and good company. I've recently moved to Trieste from Monfalcone, literally 1 month ago, and I'm still trying to get accustomed to the local traditions.

I've been renting a little apartment near the city centre to take a professional reception agent course that, hopefully, will get me a new and awesome job!

So far I'm really enjoying the experience here: I've already met many new people and my classmates are spot on awesome. We hang out in the weekends and the more we do the more I get to know and appreciate them.

I will be posting my first-hand impressions on the lessons, the people and on the city itself in the days to come. Blogging will be a really cool experiment and hope many of you will read our thoughts!!

Feel free to comment and maybe add your own impressions and experiences: we'd love to read 'em!!

That's all for now; bask in the sun and have a nice one!

Yours lizardly,

- L.W.