A few days ago I met my friend Annie for a coffee.  She was super busy this year and we were finally able to get together and catch up during her low season.

I told Annie how since September I’ve spoken more Italian than in the previous three years.  I was joking when I said my “word” for 2013 should be “Si”.   Then we thought about it and realized it’s a perfect word.

When I mentioned this to another friend, she said, “Uhm, hello, wasn’t your word last year, ‘yes’?”

It was.  However, “si” is different.

Until recently, I was living in an English speaking bubble.  I do have Italian friends (all speak several languages), but I worked only in English.  I’m not married to an Italian and I had no reason to speak it everyday, which is bizarre given I live in Italy!

Now that I’m suddenly working in Italy, everything has changed.  My getting-by-Italian is fine for dinner parties and ordering food in restaurants.  It’s a problem when I have to order meters of fabric for customs drapes and sofas.  It’s important that I’m clear and able to communicate with the artisans I’m working with.

Already, I feel a whole new world is opening up to me because my language skills have improved. I dream in Italian sometimes.  In one of those dreams Idris Elba was also speaking Italian but I digress.

As I explained in my post last year, I tend to over think things.  In 2012, I said “yes” a lot more often and took some financial risks (going to the Salone, buying Photoshop, etc.)  It wasn’t easy to step out of my comfort zone but I’m glad I did.  2012, on a personal and professional level, was a much better year than 2011.

I’m excited about 2013 and hope that the momentum from the last few months carries over.