Today was the big day. We were going to Perugia to start our Angloville adventure. This involved heading to the pick-up point at half-eight, but first I stopped in the local lidl and bought some snacks for the three-hour ride. I went a bit overboard buying sweets, tomatoes, peaches and some pastries.

I arrived at the pickup point at 9.40 which was too early as usual. At ten I was joined by the programme coordinator – Hull lass Izzy. I spent my eighteen birthday in Hull. Don’t ever do that. I also met the gregarious and chatty Nick: a big, loud, hairy Aussie. He has done many an Angloville in the past.

Soon we were joined by Lauren, Lucy and Midori and other participant Victoria – a Polish born lass, but raised in Birmingham, England. At 11, it was time to begin our three-hour coach ride to the venue – an agroturismo in the middle of nowhere, Perugia. Initially, Nick was very chatty asking everybody to share their traumas, but after a while we all reverted to silences and phones. I was reading a bit. We had a quick stopoff in the mountains –

and we arrived at the venue called Casal Cerqueto – an old farm that had been converted into a homestay – at 2pm where it was time for lunch and to meet the kids.

There were thirty Italian juniors so too many to mention now. We will learn more about them as the day went on. Sufficed to say, they are of all ages from 12-18, a mix of boys and girls, generally white with some black, mixed and a couple of fellow Wasian lads. As Nick and I were the only men, we were sharing a room – the room was nice. It even had cooking facilities which I wasn’t expecting.

Once we were all moved in, it was time for lunch – a pasta salad starter and roast chicken main with fruit for dessert. We were encouraged to mix in with the kids, but it was all a little awkward at first. Everybody was all a bit shy. I was even a bit shy about using my Italian.

After Izzy gave us all a debrief and we had a Nutella sandwich snack and then it was time to break the ice with some speed-friending. The Italian kids formed seven groups and us volunteers moved from group to group discussing different topics like whether they preferred pasta or pizza – pizza was definitely the overall winner, strangest food they’ve eaten and hidden talents – I found girls who write stories and sing and boys who play basketball and football. One groups of lads specifically requested I speak with them first. That felt nice. And it was a good way to break the ice and determine the stronger and weaker students. And it gave me a chance to use a little Italian.

Then it was dinner which already had a more relaxed atmosphere. I spoke a bit about one of the basketball lads as we ate pasta in pink sauce. Good simple Italian cooking. I also learned that the resort staff don’t speak English so I could use Italian with them. And then I think a lot of the kids found out I can speak a little Italian.

After dinner, we did our first conversation session. The idea of these programmes is to provide some authentic English conversation with the kids. We were broken into groups and I was with five of the girls including one of the youngest and weakest – Elenora. Occasionally, I would have to pause and translate. Usually we are given a topic, this time it was free, so I resorted to the usual warm-up games that I do as a teacher.

We did some tongue twisters in English and Italian, game of bang, shopping list and then we finished with a little conversation around family. I asked whether the girls would prefer having brothers or sisters. My teaching experience really came in handy there. Then at 8.30, it was time for evening games led by Izzy. These were good fun. We played three different games starting with do you like your neighbour? This has since become a firm favourite of the kids.

One person stands in the middle and asks a participant do you like your neighbour? The respondee can either answer yes or no. If they say ‘yes,’ then they have to say ‘yes’ but I don’t like people wearing white shoes. Everybody wearing white shoes has to run and change places with their counterparts. The little person to find a spot becomes the new asker. But if the participant says no then their neighbours have to swap places before the asker gets there first. Then we played bish-bosh. I say bish, you say bosh. But if I say bosh, you say nothing. If you do then you’re out. And we finished with my favourite game ever: bang. Always a great way to learn people’s names.

At the beginning of the day, we were strangers. By the end, we were slightly more familiar strangers. And that concludes day three of the Angloville trip – a day of tongue twisters, long coach journeys and so many Italian kids.

Oggi è il grande Giorno. Andaviamo alla Perugia per cominciare il nostro avenntura Angloville. Devuto andare il ‘pick up’ point per 10.30. Sono partito il mio hostello alle 8.30. Troppo presto per certo ma non importa. Primo sono andato il Lidl e ho comprato dei snacks per il viaggio. Sono andato fuoribordo e ho comprato dei pomodorini, le pesce e dei pastries.

Sono arrivato alle pick-up point at 9.40. Alle 10, ho incontrato per il coordinator della programme – Hull lass Izzy e un altro volunteer – the big, loud, hairy Aussie Nick. Siamo solo gli altri uomini quindi condividamo una camera di letto.

Presto, ci siamo riuniti per Midori, Lucy e Lauren e due piu volunteers: Polish-born, Brummie raised Victoria e un altr’Americana e l’amica di Midori: Anayja. Alle 11, abbiamo cominciato il nostro viaggio. Nick ci ha provato parlare ma presto abbiamo letto o dormito.

Abbiamo fatto una breve sosta nelle montagne prima siamo arrivati alle venue Casal Cerqueto – una Vecchio fattoria that had been converted into a homestay.  Alle due pm, era il tempo per il pranzo e incontrare I bambini e I adolescent.

C’erano trente bambini – troppo molti per dire ora. Ma c’erano ragazzi e ragazze, molti Bianchi ma anche un po’ neri e delle cinese.

La camera di letto di Nick e io era molto simpatico. Si puoi cucinare li. Molto bene.

Ora era il tempo per il pranzo – una pasta insalata primo, pollo secondo e la frutta per il dolce. Ci siamo sentiti con I adolescent ma tutti erano troppo nervosi. Ero troppo nervosa per parlare il Italiano.

Dopo un debriefing di Izzy e un snack di panino Nutella era tempo per rompere il ghaccio. Gli adolescenti dei italiani sono statti suddivisi in gruppi. Un gruppo di ragazzi m’ha chiesta. È senta molto bene. Dopo, tutti ci volentieri ci siami transferati di gruppo di gruppo parlare dei topici differente come ‘pasta or pizza,’ ‘strangest food you’ve eaten’ o hobbies. Ho appruto che dei ragazzi piace giocare basketball, tennis e football e delle ragazze suonono la chitarra o scriva delle historie. Era bene per rompere il ghaccio e ho trovato gli student forte e debole. E dei bambini hanno scorperto che parlo l’italiano.

Alle volte per la cena – la pasta di sugo rossa. Ho Parlato con un Ragazzo. Anche ho scoperto che gli staff Italiano di resorto non parlano l’inglese quindo parlo l’italiano con li. Dopo la cena alle 8.30, era la volta per il primo conversione con gli adolscenti. Di solito, abbiamo ricevuto una carta di topica ma oggi era il gratuito. Sta sera, ero con cinque figlie compresa Elenora – un di piu giovane e debole. Ho usato il ‘warm-up’ games con bang, shopping list e delle scoliolingue.

Finalemente, era la volta per dei giochi della sera di Izzy. Abbiamo giochato tre giochi – bang, do you like your neighbour e bish bosh. Bang è un giocho buono per impare I nomi di tutti. Si dica un nome di qualcuno, piumono di anatra e su entrambi di letti dica ‘bang.’ Il primo rapido è il victore.

Do you like your neighbour funziona così. Tutti sono un cercio con uno nel centro. Questo personne chiesta qualquno ti piace il tuo vicino. Questo personne può dire ‘si ma non piaconno le personne chi porte le scarpe bianche.’ Tutte le personne chi portono le scarpe bianche devono correre e cambiare con un’altro. Si il questo personne dica ‘no’ dopo entrambi di letti’ devono cambiare I posti. L’ultime personne nel centro è la perdente.

Finalemente, bish bosh funziona così. Ancora, tutti nel circolo. Un personne dica bish o bosh per gli altri. Si il personne dica bish, gli altro deva rispondere bosh ma si il primo dica bosh che gli altro non può niente. Se, si, che loro sono fuori. Erano dei giochi divertenti particularmente ‘do you like your neighbour?’

All’inizio, eramo gli stranieri. Alla concluzione, eramo le amiche. E che concluda il terzo Giorno di Angloville: un Giorno dei scogliolingue, dei viaggi lunghi e troppo molti adolescent Italiani.