Self Development

One for each season

2006-10-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

Tam Dao, my Autumn choice.
This fragrance was introduced by Diptyque in 2003. "Deep in the rainforest, riotously alive with the tangle of lianas, the odour of wood and overgrown temples, elephants are dragging scented logs of the sacred sandalwood. Rosewood, cypress and ambergris; and in the heart note, the sandalwood from Goa."

(c) Beauty Habit

At last, she made her mind up ...

2006-09-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Remember my persuasive post against my cousin's prospect of studying Philosophy at university level? [Sorry, it was in Italian only because that was the way I conceived it at the time and it was mainly addressed to her.] After loads of thinking, rethinking, arguments and discussions, this morning she phoned me up to have a last *self-convincing conversation* about her academic future. I supported her choice and gave my approval to her rationale. She then went to pay the fees.

She decided to read Communication Studies at the University of Rome 2. Following this statement, I except loads of objections from the many people I have consulted over the last two/three weeks reminding me that in Italy *everybody does it* and it will be increasingly more difficult to accommodate in the work market all the future graduates. Anyhow, I think that Valentina's global reflections on the matter worked really well: she passed the entry test and got in 19th position; she explained that she liked all the subjects included in that course--which is promising; and that in the last two years of the course she intends to pursue the journalism/publishing path where only 20 people a year are accepted, making it much more selective (this is a 3+2 year course). She finally assured me that she is ready to combine this course with a post-graduate Master Degree in Business or Marketing for the cultural/information industry. She is also willing to find a placement within a radio or a publishing house while at university. What to say? She finally knows what she wants... So, let her go. At least she desisted from the plan of studying a so-detatched-from-world-subect such as philosophy.

The other cousin has officially entered into the adolescent world: his nickname on msn messenger is now: Gino (devilish angry emoticon), against any form of power and control ANARCHY. His photo has been replaced by the image of a skull. Brilliant. Lofty said: I love when they turn teenagers... Hmmm, I am not too sure about it.

I sit on a ball

2006-03-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

I replaced my desk's chair with a ball!

I consider this choice as a step of self-development because this yoga ball (by Ledragomma) promotes good posture, is multi-use, an original piece of furniture and much cheaper than an office chair. ;o )

UPDATE: The ball exploded... not under my weight (if this is what you are thinking).

Vinopolis Patinum Tour—Review in Fieri

2005-12-14T06:22:00.000-08:00

London, 11 December 2005

This tour was both an art lesson and a self development experience, therefore it deserves a post on both pages.

The visit started with 20 minutes of wine tasting class held by a Californian young lady. She kept it really simple and basic, but it was still interesting to get some fundaments before starting the drinking session, because this is what this tour essentially was. I was hoping to have more information about the different grapes and the different fermentation procedures, but I found only some brief explanatory notes on the panels for each country which did not really enrich my (limited) knowledge. The tour was organised geographically, but, although Italy was one of the countries (as it should be being the largest producer of wine—in terms of quantity and not of exportation), there was hardly any Italian wine to sample.

So, what did I learn?

The three sensual steps of wine tasting involve three senses: 1. sight; 2. smell; and 3. taste.

First step—the colour is an indicator of the wine, A purple colour indicates a young wine, while a orange/brown nuance is the sign of a mature wine. The intensity of the colour should tell about the body of it: does it look light? Medium? Or full bodied? Swirling the wine is a way to give it oxygen and assess the quantity of alcohol and sugar by looking at the tears (lacrime in Italian) depositing on the wall of the glass. The more they are the more the wine is sugary and the slowest they sink down the more the wine is alcoholic, and viceversa.

Second step—a quick sniff should tell us a lot about the flavour which can be metaphorically compared to four natural varieties of essences: flower, spices/herbs and fruit. A second deeper whiff should confirm the first impression. So Shiraz* resembles blackcurrant, Sauvignon blanc* reminds cider and lemon, etc. As my dad observed, they are compared to cocoa, tarragon, vanilla, melon, etc., but never to grape. :o )

Third step—Slurping, which means keeping a small sip of wine on the top of your tongue and softly inhaling with the mouth, i.e. allowing some air to pass through the lips and through the wine in order to release all the aromas and different component of it, including the alcohol! You are allowed to spit that intense sip and can proceed to a second proper drink to enjoy the tastes your tongue would recognise: sweetness on the top of it; bitterness at the back and intermediate savours on the sides of it. Note the after taste, i.e. how long does the taste stay in your mouth? If more than 6 seconds, it is definitely a quite strong wine: in technical terms a “full bodied” wine.

In conclusion, one point was made clear: there is no way to ascertain the quality of a wine, unless it is corked** or high sulphured, in which case you should simply return the bottle. With the experience you can describe the quality of different wines more accurately and simply express your opinion and your taste, because, after all, this is the ultimate subjective encounter.

[I took note of each wine I tasted and will post the description later on--I can’t find the notes right now!]

* Types of grapes.
** When the cork gets to dry it can be attacked by a bacteria. This happens in one bottle out of 20, so it is quite common and very normal to send it back. A corked wine is unmistakeable by the bad smell.

Perche' non scegliere filosofia

2005-10-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Post(o) in Italian(o) per convincere mia cugina a non scegliere filosofia.

La vita e' troppo breve per passare i cinque anni di vita piu' belli a crogiolarsi su pensieri fini a se stessi.

Quello di cui vorrei persuaderti e' che la filosofia perversa ogni disciplina, per cui non c'e' bisogno prendercisi una laurea. Non c'e' bisogno di essere dottore in filosofia per fare la filosofa, ecco. Un corso di filosofia contempla per la maggior parte la storia della filosofia, cioe' il pensiero degli antichi, che spesso--con l'eccezione dei classici come Plato, Aristotele, Hegel o Nietsche--e' obsoleto e rilevante solo a comprendere come il pensiero occidentale si e' evoluto.

Se mi dicessi che vuoi studiare filosofia alla Normale di Pisa e magari combinarci anche un corso di filosofie orientali, beh allora tanto di cappello, 'che e' un po' diverso dal frequentare un corso in filosofia a... diciamo Tor Vergata, che nessuno, al di la' del lazio, ha mai sentito nominare. Per aver *successo* in una tale carriera, devi avere fortuna: foturna di avere un relatore che conta stragicamente e che l'anno in cui ti laurei esca il concorso di dottorato pronto pronto per te. Oppure devi avere una marcia in piu': nel tuo caso, parlare tedesco da dio, aver fatto ricerche, possibilmente in Germania e in altri atenei italiani, avere tutti 30, etcetera etcetera.

Filosofia ha certo dei corsi interessanti: estetica, per esempio, e' esaltante. Ma estetica--sempre per esempio--e' anche parte di altri corsi di laurea. Allora perche' limitarti a studiare filosofia pura e *semplice*, e non scegliere invece un corso dove puoi applicare alla vita reale i tuoi tanto amati concetti filosofici? Sono sicura che un corso piu' completo ti farebbe sentire piu' *utile* e gratificata. In piu', il mondo ha bisogno di persone che applichino i principi etici che vanno professando. E la filosofia--oltre che essere parte incidentale del tuo percorso di studi principale--la potresti sempre coltivare come hobby a se stante, frequentando conferenze e seminari, e approfondendola per conto tuo. Potresti, sempre per esempio, scegliere invece "studi sociali", che comprende corsi di storia, politica internazionale, antropologia, sociologia, ma con un taglio storico-politico che offra una cultura internazionale veramente richiesta nel mercato globale di oggi, e ancor piu' di domani. Potresti ambire a lavorare per le organizzazioni no-profit o per il governo o per qualche associazione internazionale o fare ricerca per lo sviluppo dei Paesi bisognosi; diventare reporter, giornalista o redattore/editor(e), sempre per esempio. Viviamo in era di globalizzazione e fra una decina d'anni la globalizzazione economica/politica/educazionale diverranno parte della quotidianita'--devi prenderne atto e guardare in avanti anticipando i trend. I tempi in cui la donzella sceglieva gli studi classici a completamento della formazione di base e' tramontato dai tempi del Grand Tour--a meno che non studi alla Normale di Pisa, parli tedesco da dio, e via discorrendo. O a meno che non sia la figlia di Missoni (che studia filosofia a Milano e recitazione a New York). Le piccole univerista' italiane non hanno soldi--altro dato di fatto; non sostengono la ricerca (ora piu' che mai l'economia italiana e' al minimo storico); e offrono dottorati una volta ogni 10 anni. Per non parlare del nepotismo che piace tanto al nostro Paese e che--come tu concorderai--e' eticamente scorretto (anche se, ahime', politicamente tollerato). Il vago percorso che suggerisco non e' dei piu' veloci e semplici, lo riconosco, ma e'--a mio parere--sempre piu' soddisfacente che insegnare filosofia in un istituto di periferia ed essere odiata da adolescenti tremendi e irrispettosi--e lo sono, credimi. Devi veramente avere una santa vocazione per trattare con loro quotidianamente.

Non ho un'alternativa chiara e precisa, cosi' su due piedi. Penso che la soluzione la devi trovare tu facendo una ricerca accurata. Se me lo chiedessi pero', sarei contenta di fare qualche ricerca per gli atenei italiani e vedere che offrono.

Quello che penso vivamente--e non solo io--e' che se scegli filosofia... a Tor Vergata, dopo due anni passati in famiglia e col ragazzo fisso sarai ANNOIATA DI VIVERE (come diceva Moravia). Se scegli invece una facolta' stimolante che ti metta in discussione anche la tua vita quotidiana sara' piu' variegata. Certo magari dovrai viaggiare quotidianamente, ma gli spostamenti fanno parte della vita e ti aiuteranno a essere piu' attiva fisicamente e mentalmente, a uscire dal guscio provinciale del tuo paese mentalmente e fisicamente.

E dopo questa lunga predica, fammi sapere che ne pensi TU.

VOTA

Dopo Miss Italia nera, un papa nero ... non mi par vero

2005-09-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

[... Continued from the post "Oh my god" in the home page]

Yes, Jesus apparently had sexual thoughts about women: he was tempted by Magdalene. He resisted to her temptations though and helped the woman to change her life-style, but he was definitely attracted by her.

Actually, a priest would explain you that Jesus is in fact the incarnation of both woman and man... So, his sex in this sense is relative. But, still, in flesh he was a man.

As to his real appearance, the matter is controversial. He was born in Middle East, but the official iconography has always depicted him white and with blue eyes. Last June, my dad and I took my English friends to the Sanctuary of Loreto, where the house believed to be Maria's abitation is conserved. According to the legend, it was brought to that town by the angels. Inside the stone shrine (scientifically proved to be holy house), there is the statue of her, who is sacred and venerated by pilgrims for her long record of miracles. This statue is black: it is a black woman in a gold dress covered in jewelry. I asked my dad the reason, and he told me that, according the tradition, it was white in origin, but became black for the exhalation of all the pilgrims' breath in that constrained space.

Now, I appreciate the fascination of this explanation. But the statue is pitch black and shiny. I found this very intriguing, and revealing something.

From Above: Madonna di Loreto
before the fire; and the reconstruction
after the fire.

Interviewing experience

2005-09-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am an emotional and passionate girl—this is a matter of fact. At times, you could even define me a bit sentimental. After all, I grew up being fed with those extremely pathetic Latin American soap operas which my mum and her mother in law used to watch religiously. Nowadays, I try to disguise my emotions wearing the professional mask, but I can't always conceal or put them in perspective in my private life—for good and bad.

Today I had a very interesting, educative and touching experience. I interviewed with my manager a would-be Editor. It was the very first time I was on *the other side*: the questioner and, ultimately, the official *judge* of the situation. Before the meeting, I felt nervous. I was far more nervous than the (few) times I have been interviewed or the (many) times I attended oral examinations. In this sense, it was an eye-opening experience realising that, after all, an interview is always a conversation between two human beings sharing the same fears and expectations, despite sitting on different positions.

The interview went objectively well, as it was supposed to be. The candidate was a lovely girl, who looked relaxed and politely chatty. This made me feel comfortable and positive towards her since the beginning. My manager introduced the structure of the interview and started asking a few questions about her past experiences stated in the curriculum. She answered exhaustively to all the questions, in a quite wordy manner. She tended to slip away from the core of the matter, but she would catch it up again towards the end of her speech.

The word was then passed on to me , and I described our department, the team she would work within and the role of an Editor within our company. I asked then questions concerning editorial work, time management and interpersonal skills. She never hesitated to answer and she felt like she shouldn't conclude an answer, but keep talking. The whole interview was supposed to last an hour, so we had to jump some questions to keep it within the timeframe and, in several occasions, we had to stop her and move on. However, we certainly got a satisfactory insight of her personality, skills, approach and experiences. She concluded her interview with a copy-editing and spelling test (BTW the same they submitted to me over two years ago!).

I have not had a proper follow-up with my manager yet, but she quickly expressed her thoughts while the girl was working on the test: she complimented with me by saying that I handled it well and was very personal and encouraging, of which I was pleased. But I was not so pleased when she said that she thinks the girl hadn’t enough experience to face our hectic department and that there is not time to train her on electronic publishing. We are in fact looking for someone on a six-month contract basis, to work on a wide list of on-paper and digital products in the busiest period of the year. Sahara (her (fictional) name) is a 26-years old American girl with a limited in-house experience as editorial assistant and freelance copyeditor. In fact, she has never led a project autonomously and she hasn’t got experience in web publishing. Fair enough. Furthermore, she tended to speak mainly about her past experiences and not in a more general and structured way about how she would act as an Editor within our company—so, in this sense, she was a little bit too specific and retrospective and did not show much flexibility. Fair enough. But I am sure she would be flexible and adapt very quickly, if only we could give her the opportunity, because her approach to deal with situations was constructive and positive. As stated in her CV, she lost her feet five years ago due to meningitis and this ended her gymnastic career. This demonstrates to me that she did have to adapt to a completely new life style, and she did it well: soon after college, she got a job for an independent publishing house; she was promoted in her job after four months; achieved a master degree with distinction in England; and has kept working on a freelance basis with the same publishing house to date.

Openly speaking, I was really keen on her as a long term investment, and I thought that her personality would bring a positive wave into our department. I will certainly express these feelings and thoughts to my manager. However, honestly speaking, I don’t think they will hire her, at least not for this *urgent* position. Yesterday, apparently they interviewed someone with exactly the same kind of online publishing experience we implement. So, a person with specific skills for a specific short-term role, the right tool for the right job, a drastic need call for a drastic solution... I only hope that she will get a constructive feed-back, and I will endeavour for ensuring one.

Meeting my grand dad

2005-09-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

My paternal grand dad participated, as an italian soldier, to the colonial expansion to east Africa organised by Mussolini in 1935. He travelled through the Libyan desert, which I have visited in 2004 (see diary of Egypt in the travel section), and stayed in Ethiopia (and Eritrea) for nearly two years, when he was caught and brought to England, as a prisoner for more three years. [Enclosed are some photos of him in Africa.] He died after the Second World War, so I have never met him, but I have been always told anecdotes about his life from my grand mum and my father. I know, for example, that he was very good at sculpturing and building objects. I still own a miniature piano he assembled and a leather horse he shaped. Then, in 1992 I met his ex-prison guardian and his wife. They were a lovely old English couple (Peter and Joanna) living in a tiny cute house just outside Cambridge. Peter used to guard my grandfather and other soldiers from different countries, and he would take them to the pub every Saturday, while Joan would cook and wash their clothes. They died some years ago, aged 90 (Joan) and 91 (Peter). In a recent letter, their daughter Molly wrote to me:

…I was only 12 or so when your grand dad was here, but I remember him very well. They were so young and missing their families a lot. But they also had a great time here and made some life long friendships…

My intent now is to get to know my grand father and his war experience indirectly, through the memory of history. I will undertake this pathway through my ancestor’s past aware of the painful reality I will have to acknowledge and I will start with the follwoing two readings: italiani in Africa & L’Africa nella coscienza degli italiani*, both by Angelo del Boca** and both recommended by my friend and Africanist Simona. The former deals with the life of the Italian soldiers, their fears, hopes, discomforts and memories; the latter analyses, and reveals, the real (and sad) weight, and consequences, of our colonial actions in East Africa.

* Italians in Africa & Africa in the Italian’s consciousness.

** Angelo Del Boca nasce a Novara il 23 maggio 1925. A sedici anni scrive il suo primo romanzo Gli spostati, non pubblicato da Bompiani perché risentiva troppo, nei contenuti e nello stile, delle esperienze narrative americane degli anni Trenta. Nel 1943 si iscrive a Lettere presso la Facoltà di Magistero di Torino. Dal 1944-45, dopo una breve e triste parentesi nei campi d'istruzione tedeschi, prende parte alla guerra di liberazione nel piacentino, come partigiano della Prima Divisione Giustizia e Libertà. Collabora quindi al «Politecnico» di E. Vittorini, alla «Rassegna d'Italia» di F. Flora, alla terza pagina della «Gazzetta del Popolo» curata da L.Gigli, scrivendo racconti che in parte riunirà poi nel libro Dentro mi è nato l'uomo del 1947.Nel 1950 è assunto come inviato speciale dalla «Gazzetta del Popolo» di Torino con l'incarico di seguire gli avvenimenti in Africa e Medio Oriente. Assiste così al lento e tormentato processo della decolonizzazione scrivendo, tra il Cinquanta e il Sessanta, un centinaio di articoli più vari libri.Nel 1960 lascia la «Gazzetta» e si trasferisce a Milano dove lavora a «Il Giorno» ricoprendo l'incarico di capo-redattore. Dal 1981 si occupa del lavoro di ricerca e collabora al «Messaggero» al «Corriere della Sera» alla RAI con servizi di storia e attualità su problemi africani. Dal 1985 è presidente dell'Istituto Storico della Resistenza e dell'età contemporanea di Piacenza e direttore della rivista di storia contemporanea «Studi Piacentini».

My yoga

2005-09-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

I have summarised below some yoga principles I have been learning for direct experience and on which I have been working for two solid years. I have never read a yoga book from cover to cover. So, all my experience comes essentially from the practice, the interaction with my teachers and my personal reflections. I would like of course also to deepen my knowledge in a more scientific way and to become a bit more academic, so watch the art space for reviews of three books ready on my bed side table for reading. Notwithstanding, I think it is important to get into the real practice in the most uncontaminated and even naive way to gradually discover it and all its benefits.

Some principles:

Fear shortens the breath. Thus, every time you experience sensations of fear bring your attention back to your breath.

Be present.

Strength and flexibility are only side effects of the yoga practice.

Be Calm and peaceful.

Let it go.

Go through the sorrow and pain processes, which are part of life.

Accept and observe your body and mind without judging your performance.

Always Relax the face: relax tongue and eyebrows.

Uddyana bhanda* and mulabhanda** -- abdominal locks. Core centre (spleen chakra and root chakra) of our body allowing us to be balanced and source of our lightness and energy.
Enter every pose (asana) in a gradual way elongating your spine and working from the roots (hips and shoulders). Try to keep the core centre working.

Namaste means *Buddha in you*, and it closes every practice as a form of thanksgiving.

OHM chanting. *Ohm* is the most basic sound of all sounds. It is a vibration starting from the diaphragm, up to the vocal chords and coming out of the mouth. It is a release with control and usually performed at the beginning and end of the yoga practice.

Pranayama:
Filling the bottle -- inhale from the nostrils -- movement from the bottom up.
Empty the bottle -- exhale from the nostrils -- movement from the top to the bottom.

Ujjay breath -- breathing with the back of the throat through the mouth, but with this latter shut. It allows an expansion of lungs, controls the intake of air and produces a sea sound helping the concentration.

Chanting of a mantra -- repetition of a chorus over and over again unitl positive energies develop and meditation starts naturally.
The single act of singing itself allows us to "give voice" to our heart. Within and through singing, we open the path from the heart to the voice, finding easier to express our feelings. When we add the power of mantra to the act of singing we have a very potent tool for opening the heart chakra, and calming the mind and body. As we reapeat the mantras, we invoke sacred energies that draw us beyond the chatter of the mind and into a silent, powerful space. Chanting in a group creates even more power as the vibrations of the music and other chanters penetrate our body and mind to uplift us and break down the illusions of inner and outer, one and other, uniting us into that stillness that is at the heart of reality.

Meditation -- to meditate means "eliminate any conflict inwardly and therefore ourwardly", "stilling the thought-waves of the mind" [Patanjali]. Get into a comfortable position (lotus position if this is comfortable for you) where your back is straight and your chakras are aligned. Set your shoulders to where they belong: the back, creating space and gently elongating the neck towards the sky. Close the eyes, or better narrow them staring at your nose (and eventually looking inside you), start observing your breath and keep breathing until your concentration focuses entirely on this flow of air, in and out your nostrils, and eventually focuses on your inner self. This is only the premise to start the meditation stage.

*Diaphragm Lock is applied by lifting the diaphragm high up into the thorax while pulling the upper abdominal muscles back towards the spine, creating a cavity, and giving a gentle massage to the heart muscles. It helps to move and transform pranic energy up to the neck region, stimulates the hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal axis in the brain and develops a sense of compassion. Can give new youthfulness to the entire body. It is normally applied with the breath held out.
** Also known as the Root Lock or Core Lift. This lock increases and holds energy in the first and second chakras, channeling dormant energy from the base of the spine. It contracts the rectum, sexual organs, and navel. To engage Mulabhanda, inhale deeply. As you exhale, contract the muscle about 1 inch below the naval, and two inches into the body.
From http://www.focalpointyoga.com/ask_the_yogini.htm

P.S. At the yoga centre they are starting greeting me with my first name: "hello Silvia", "bye bye Silvia", which I find it so *homey* since it is becoming my second home.

My CV

2005-08-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

Profile: International Publishing ~ Multilingual
Motivated and flexible MA graduate, with a solid liberal arts background and three years of experience in publishing, involving: traditional & electronic copyediting in SGML, project management and title development skills. Communication talents include: fluency in Italian (mother tongue), English, German, Spanish and French.

Career Objectives
To cultivate my role of Commissioning/Publishing Editor within an international publishing company, possibly in the Arts & Humanities sector.

Professional Experience

Thomson Legal and Regulatory Europe, London
Senior Publishing Editor (Mar 2008 - present)

Responsible for a five year contract with JCT worth £10m and for the construction list (£2m).

Thomson Legal and Regulatory Europe, London
Publishing Editor (Mar 2006 - Feb 2008)

Responsible for the competition/antitrust list

Accomplishments:

Commissioned and published a 3000-page translation from German of complex legal commentary.
Launched a brand new journal on Global Competition Litigation.
Overhauled an annual Handbook to map the new generation approach to EC competition law.

Thomson Legal and Regulatory Europe, London
Senior Editor (Oct 2002 – March 2006)

Accomplishments:
~ Promoted from part-time Editorial Assistant to full-time Assistant Editor upon completion of my master’s degree
~ Promotion, after six months, from Assistant Editor to House Editor
~ Promoted to Senior Editor in May 2005
~ Responsible for various subscription and front-list titles, a newsletter, and two wall-charts, which have been operating according to schedule, budget, and page extents
~ Support Editor to the White Book Service, the highest profile product offered by the company
~ Successful management of two charts, previously designed by an out-of-house agency
~ Responsible for my team’s 2005 and 2006 business plans
~ Update of department’s training manual
~ Responsible for mentoring work-placement students, editorial assistants and new employees

Career Enhancements:
~ Completed several attachments with the Legal Business Unit to explore the decision-making process and to further enhance market segment awareness and business strategies
~ Training courses: three-day SMART seminar; two-day Author Care seminar; two-day Personal Effectiveness seminar

Search Partners (a recruiting company), London
Italian Tutor (Sept – Nov 2002)

International Student House, London
Receptionist (May – Aug 2002)

La Biennale di Venezia, Venice
Press & Advertising Assistant (Jan – Jul 2001)

Responsibilities:
~ Project management of the 2001 Dance, Music & Theatre Programmes
~ Commission of new artistic creations through contractual agreements with artists
~ Editorial duties and customer care
~ English-to-Italian and German-to-Italian translations

Education

Diploma, Art History
Birkbeck, University of London ~ Evening course from Oct 2004
Modules: Modernism and Beyond

Master of Arts, Publishing
London College of Communication ~ 2002/03
Modules: Marketing Strategies, Editing & Commissioning, International Issues, Copyright Law, Project Management, Business Planning, among others

Vocational Training Certificate, General Business
Università degli Studi di Perugia, Italy ~ 2000/01 ~ 1000-hour course
Modules: Marketing, Human Resources Management & Development, Writing and Communication, Business Management & Administration

First Honours Degree with Distinction, Foreign Language & Literature
Università degli Studi di Perugia, Italy ~ 1995/96 & 2000/01
Addition Major: Linguistics and Language Teaching (English & German)

Awards and Language Training

AHRB Award—MA at London College of Communication (2002/03)
CRUI Award—General Business Course at University of Perugia (2001/02)
Austrian Cultural Ministry Scholarship—Universitaet Wien, Austria (2001)
Socrates/Erasmus Scholarship—Universitaet Potsdam, Germany (1999)
German Language Certificate—Universitaet Potsdam, Germany (Jul 1999)
German Language Certificate—Freie Universitaet, Berlin, Germany (Aug 1998)
English Language Summer Courses in England and Ireland (1993 & 1994)

Computer Skills
Microsoft Office, Explorer; Windows; Photoshop; SMART (tagging SGML work in Adept); QuarkXpress; and Dreamweaver.

Personal Interests
Currently attending an intermediate Spanish course; supporter of Plan UK; writing literature and art reviews; contemporary arts; photography; and yoga.

Translator's tools

2005-08-19T01:16:00.000-07:00

Directory for translators

Magazine for translators

Translator in 80 languages

http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/index.php (test di grammatica inglese on line)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/quiznet/archive_2003.shtml
(test on-line sito BBC)
http://www.nist.gov/dads/ (Technical English dictionary)
http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/index.html (Dizionario informatico)
http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US1/REF/usgbintr.html#c1 (American vs British English)
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ (Cambridge English Dictionary on line)