Scuola di italiano

For the last 2 1/2 weeks I've been taking language lessons at an Italian language school in the historic district of Lanciano, a lovely city not too far from where we live. The 2 teachers are terrific and very patient with me. I'm not as patient with me and it's slow going at best. I feel discouraged when I forget today the lessons learned last week. Some days are better than others but if I'm tired, like today, it's a disaster! I want to communicate with those around me but I get so frustrated when I don't have the words to give voice to my thoughts.
Today I struggled with the word londra the teacher was using. Is it a verb I don't know, a noun not in my vocabulary yet or one of those impossible prepositions? I asked her and she said it's the word for london and she was really emphasizing another point altogether! We all had a good laugh but you can see how it goes sometimes. Everyone says:"Just talk with people and you'll improve." But that's the point- I don't know how to say what I want to say so how do I converse! I want to shout: "I can speak well in my native language, really I can!"
I sometimes think there must be some basic thing I'm missing that is the key somehow to having it all click into place. Meanwhile I slog on and do my homework faithfully. And now I'm panic stricken when I realize school is over for me the end of this week. I thought I'd be doing better by now! If this is one of the life lessons I need to learn- I don't want to learn it!
Maybe I'm trying too hard and I need to relax, keep talking and believe it will come. I look at others who have done it - if they can I can...I hope.