Want to feel better in Italy?

When we are kids, it is easy to learn and speak a foreign language. But as we grow up and become adults, we are often shy to speak a new language. This year, the Italian Language Interest Group set up by Rosy, enables us to be more confident in Italian, pushing us to learn this beautiful language. But not only that… Rosy and Elisabetta proposed different activities and visits in Italian to learn more about the region of Emilia-Romagna and their customs. This group is very active thanks to their motivation and engagement… So, if you want to feel better, more involved, and knowledgeable in Italy, be part of this group; you will not regret it. – Nathalie Annequin

Biscotti di Natale

Christmas is the perfect time for celebration. And we celebrate with cookies!!!! The Italian language group did a cooking class with Merve at her home on the 22nd of November. We learned how to prepare the most delicious cookies (two different types: butter and spiced). The recipes were Merve’s and we learned how to make the cookie dough. However, the best part was being together and having fun! – Silvia Palma

The Biscotti di Natale cooking class was such a fun experience! None of the recipes looked complicated, but I had never tried a couple of the foods before, so learning how they are supposed to taste was a huge part of the experience. For me, the best part of the class was baking cookies from scratch. Who knew how delightfully tasty and easy each recipe was going to be? Merve is warm, welcoming and generously shares her knowledge of cooking. Doing the class in Italian added more fun!! – Shilpi Mehrotra

Cantina e Museo – Giacobazzi

On the 25th of November, Rosy organized a visit to the Cantina e Museo – Giacobazzi in Nonantola. It is a family-run business and they have been producing wine since 1958. Our husbands also attended the visit and we had a guided tour. The Italian guide was excellent, and the visit was really interesting. At the end of the visit, we were able to drink the Lambrusco that this cantina sells. We spent a very good time together trying to understand all the stories the guide was telling us, and there were a lot… – Nathalie Annequin

To see their opening times, location and to find out more about them, visit their page Chi siamo (who we are).

The visit to the Cantina and Museum in Nonantola (about 10-15 minutes drive from Modena) began with a tour of just over an hour. The tour includes seeing the agricultural tools used in the countryside as well as the production of Lambrusco wine. During the production part of the tour, you see the machinery and instruments for the wine making and the advancements in technology including bottling and corks. The tour is offered in different languages, but as the Italian Language Group, we had the tour in Italian of course!

Giacobazzi has a connection to Ferrari as they sponsored them in the early 1980’s. So during the tour, there are also Ferrari’s, Ferrari memorabilia and a collection of bicycles to see. Giacobazzi was a passionate collector of things, so they happily display these items. At the end there is the wine tasting and the store where you receive recommendations of what to accompany each wine with and you are able to buy from them. – Janet Kefaya

Pre-Christmas Lunch

Thanks to the kind offer from Elisabetta to host an event at her home, there was the opportunity to share ‘home cuisine’ for a pre-Christmas gathering on the 17th of December. Members brought a dish they made which was typical from their home country to enjoy with the group. The event started off with looking at a big map of the world and seeing where each member is from. There were different nationalities present; Jordanian, Brazilian, Turkish, Portuguese, and Italian. There was also a game of Tombola with many, many prizes up for grabs! It was a lovely event with family members also there to enjoy socialising altogether. – Janet Kefaya

Pre-Christmas Lunch

Thanks to the kind offer from Elisabetta to host an event at her home, there was the opportunity to share ‘home cuisine’ for a pre-Christmas gathering on the 17th of December. Members brought a dish they made which was typical from their home country to enjoy with the group. The event started off with looking at a big map of the world and seeing where each member is from. There were different nationalities present; Jordanian, Brazilian, Turkish, Portuguese, and Italian. There was also a game of Tombola with many, many prizes up for grabs! It was a lovely event with family members also there to enjoy socialising altogether. – Janet Kefaya

A busy few months in 2023

This group was very active towards the end of 2023, and these events have given you just a taste of their activities. If you are a member and are interested in joining them, get in touch with Rosy to add you to their group. They love to receive member suggestions for events, so this group could be your perfect opportunity to enjoy the events you’re interested in attending with friends! We look forward to hearing about their 2024 adventures too soon!