For anyone who dreams of a trip to Italy, but wants the experiences of such a trip sooner than might otherwise be possible, Whidbey Island this weekend offers a solution.
“Attraversiamo!” is packed with live musical performances, an art slide show and language and cooking lessons. It will transform Bayview Corner into a land of Italian culture, courtesy of NorthWest Language Academy, a Whidbey Island-based company that offers language lessons and other cultural knowledge, and of Goosefoot, a nonprofit organization that redeveloped and restored the Bayview Cash Store, where the event takes place.
At 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. Saturday, visitors can take part in Italian Travelers’ Language Cafes, followed by the slide show with Gene Openshaw, a co-Âauthor of several books with travel guru Rick Steves. A sampling of regional Italian wines and appetizers will be offered starting at 6 p.m. The cooking lessons and an Italian luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
The Travelers’ Language Cafes, essentially one-day immersion sessions, “are a dynamic preparation for travel, through cultural orientation and learning of travel communication skills,” academy founder and director Josette Hendrix said. “To that end, rather than merely memorizing phrases, participants learn basic ‘patterns of conversation’ — our trademark — which give an understanding of the language’s structure.”
From this, she said, participants have more of an opportunity to apply what they learn to a broad range of travel situations and unexpected challenges.
The event is not just for those who have definite travel plans, Hendrix said. “Anyone with an interest in the art or the music or the food of Italy will enjoy this.” Nor are the language sessions geared solely toward those who already know some Italian. Indeed, they feature beginners’ groups as well as advanced conversation circles.
“Â ’Attraversiamo’ means to cross over, to span the distance; so we’re literally encouraging people to come across the water to Whidbey, and on the larger level, creating a bridge between the cultures,” Hendrix said. “NorthWest Language Academy is focused on bringing the global and local communities together by providing opportunities for cross-cultural experience. Language, music, food and art all work together to provide an experiential connection to the different cultures,” she said.
The academy has been closely associated with Goosefoot since Goosefoot began, she added. “We like to stage our events at Bayview Corner because it’s centrally located and also because our missions are so complementary, in that we’re both striving to enrich Whidbey Island’s variety of cultural experiences.”
“Attraversiamo!” and other academy programs involve many volunteers, especially native-language speakers with skills that tie into a given program, Hendrix said. For example, a volunteer might speak Italian and have a knowledge of art.
The academy is passionate about involving people from the community, Hendrix said. “Not just for the education of the children in our classes, but also in how it shapes our community and our ability to relate to the rest of the world.”
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