Dreamtime

Originally published on: Oct 2, 2006

I'm getting ready to embark on another adventure, going to Italy for the second time this year. (To read about my first trip, go to the May archive for this blog.) Only this time I'll spend most of my time in Florence, where I'll be taking an immersion class in Italian at La Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. I'm still in dreamtime...the fuzzy place you inhabit while you're in the planning stages of reaching a goal.

I'd like to share a portion of this story with you, as it's a good way to illustrate some of the concepts that I teach to others about making their dreams come true. To recap a bit of my process with this particular challenge: in January, I decided it was time to attend to a lifelong dream I've had of becoming fluent in a foreign language and living in another culture. No small feat for a single woman of 56! I'm not quite sure why, but Italy has been "calling" to me for several years, so I decided to start there and see what happened. I began learning Italian, connected with several Italian pen pals through an online language exchange program, and planned a two-week trip in May to tour six towns in Tuscany and the Cinque Terre in Liguria. (For details on this journey, go to the March archive and follow through to May.)

When we merely dream about things we want to accomplish, our dreams often remain static, or fixed in their potential. But as we begin to act on these dreams, we set things into motion that often have a life of their own. It's essential to our growth to be willing to accommodate the tangents and detours that might crop up as we bring our dreams into reality. I could never have foreseen the rich life that has developed for me this year as I have followed the tangential opportunities that have resulted from my simple plan to learn Italian and visit Italy.

The most delightful thing that it has happened is the friends I've made in Italy: I have pen pals who live near Milan, Rome, Florence and Genoa. One of my pen pals has become a close friend and we email or talk to each other nearly every day. Yes, I said talk! I have an Italian lesson/conversation with another penpal once a week. There are several computer programs (Skype, Googletalk, Yahoo Messenger) that allow me to talk for free through an online connection with my Italian friends. Learning Italian has become a passion: I am simply fascinated with every aspect of this beautiful language.

In addition, I have become fascinated with the history and culture of Italy. It's like a feast for me to indulge myself in the rich store of books, videos, and online resources that are available to feed this interest. My pen pals help to clue me in on the culture and traditions in various parts of Italy, and they're quite generous with their time and willingness to share their lives. They are also quite fluent in English, which makes it easy to understand each other and clarify misunderstandings. But I am not learning Italian fast enough, so decided I would look into taking an immersion class. I had considered taking a course at the University here, but learned that one 5-hour class would cost more than traveling to Italy and taking a 2-week immersion class, including room and board for the duration. It was a no-brainer to choose the immersion class!

Of all the places I visited in Italy, the one that has the strongest draw for me is Florence. I am not sure why, but its pull on me is compelling, and I want time to explore la bella città more in detail. So I have arranged to spend 2 weeks studying Italian in Florence, and board with an Italian family while I am there. As only Italian will be spoken by my teacher and the family I am staying with, I will be forced to learn the language more quickly. I have allowed an extra week so I can do a bit of train travel and visit my pen pals.

Thing is, since I have been to Italy once, the fears associated with that first excursion have all dissipated, and I'm ready to challenge myself further, to expand my operations, so to speak, in this foreign country that I am becoming more familiar with. I'm open to the possibility of living and working in Italy, though I'm not quite sure how that would come about. But I know the only way I can move closer to that dream is by putting myself out there, and honoring the opportunities that present themselves as I continue this journey. In the meantime, life in general has become more interesting and enjoyable for me. I feel energized and continually curious about what will happen next. Stay tuned as I move from dreamtime to real time.