Eighty-four minutes into the most important match the Italian National Football team has played since the World Cup final in 2006, a Slovak defender attempts to send the ball clear of the Italians who are  attacking desperately and have five players in the penalty box. An Italian player comes up with the ball and passes it to Fabio Quagliarella, who proceeds to hammer the ball into the back of the net.

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Perhaps the biggest perk to being a Spanish-speaker in Italy is that you understand a lot. I've been able to pick up the gist of a couple lectures and tours conducted in Italian even though I don't really speak a word of the language. My Spanish skills have also led to more than a couple ridiculous moments. Here are my top three favorites:

After more than five weeks in Venice shaking down locals to find out the best hidden restaurants, searching for hilarious stories about historic Venetian sights, and chatting up local restaurateurs, I've come to a conclusion.

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The World Cup is upon us, and Italy (the defending champions, as Italians are quick to remind any and all foreigners) got off to a bit of a rough start with a 1-1 draw against Paraguay. The Venetians are ardent supporters of the Azzurri, so it might come as a surprise that more players on the national team hail from Argentina than Venice. As a matter of fact, there are no players at all from Venice. You might wonder why that is, but try to go for a run anywhere in Venice and you'll see why the city has produced more notable poets, scholars, and diplomats than athletes.

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...or at least never in America. Here's a list of the top 5 things I've seen in Venice that I would never, ever, see back home in Columbus, Ohio.

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