La classe 1A intervista il lettore nordamericano Mr Henry Albert Kearney IV che ha suscitato entusiamo per la civiltà americana al Liceo Scientifico Giordano Bruno di Mestre stimolandoli a parlare inglese senza imbarazzo.
Students: Where exactly do you come from?
Henry: I was born and raised on a farm in North Carolina, US. My family is American, we have been Americans for 300 years.
Students: your religion?
Henry: I was raised a Protestant, but in America we don’t speak about religion in public. The USA is multicultural and we prefer to respect each other by being politically-correct. For example, we prefer “Season’s Greetings” to Merry Christmas or Happy Easter.
Students: Why did you come to Italy?
Henry: When I was in America I met an Italian girl from Conegliano (TV) who was visiting her American aunt for six months. We fell in love, got married and decided to move to Venice.
Students: Any children?
Henry: I’m the proud father of a baby boy who is nine months old.
Students: What’s his name?
Henry: Liam Lorenzo. Liam is Scottish and is short for William. My ancestors were Scottish-Irish.
Students: Do you love Venice?
Henry: Venice is beautiful and the way of life is quiet because there are no cars. Unfortunately tourism is killing the city.
Students: You are a traveller of the world, which city do you know and love beside Venice?
Henry: I love old cities like Kyoto, Japan. I find New York City and San Francisco ugly.
Students: Your first impression of Italy?
Henry: My wife collected me at the airport when I first arrived in Italy. It was December 31 2009. Unfortunately there was a strike in Piazzale Roma and everything slowed down terribly. When I asked what the reason of the strike was… nobody knew!!!
Students: so you were disappointed…
Henry: I was surprised, however, we arrived at our dinner-party in time: it was New Year’s Eve and we were at the table for six hours!
Students: What’s wrong?
Henry: Nothing! But in the USA a meal lasts maximum one hour, often less…
Students: Did you enjoy the food?
Henry: I did. I like Italian food even though I miss the variety of American ethnic restaurants, you tend to cook Italian dishes only.
Students: your favourite Venetian dish?
Henry: Fritto misto di pesce (a mixed fried Adriatic seafood based dish)
Students: Your favourite wine?
Henry: I find Italian wine excellent. I love Valpolicella in the winter and iced Prosecco in the summer.
Students: Do you like your teaching job?
Henry: I enjoy teaching English in Italy. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. When I was in America I used to teach in a college program for immigrants. It worked very well.
Students: Are you staying here forever?
Henry: My dream is to be back home in ten years’ time and own a big house.
Students: Good luck, Mr Kearney!
Henry: And to you, kids!