First of all, as an “almost beginner”, the class provided much of what I needed. The class was very meaningful for me; and Rachele is a super teacher. There were some practical elements regarding food, directions, getting to know people, et al. And, most importantly for me, I now know what I don’t know. And can create for myself a follow-up course of study so the next Italian sojourn is a more fluid experience. Most of the places I visited in our subsequent wanderings were often off the beaten path so even the small amount of Italian I could use proved helpful and was appreciated by our Italian-only speaking hosts and encounters.