Italian is listed as one of the top 5 most taught foreign language in the world, together with French, German, Spanish, and English. With many Italians becoming expats and migrants in different parts of the globe, the prevalence of the Italian language has been more and more recognizable as the years go by.
An Italian Teacher living in Southampton
Being an Italian teacher living in Southampton in England, it has been my personal advocacy to share the beautiful language with the people I meet here. I talk to my peers in English, but often injects as few Italian phrases, just to familiarize them with the way it sounds. As I go out of my flat, I greet my neighbour with a “Ciao!”(Hello!) and my boss with a “Buongiorno!”(Good morning!) every morning. I say “Grazie!” (Thank you!) to the guard at the station or to the sweeper on the streets. They used to give me blank stares, but now, a couple of years down the line, we actually have actual, authentic sounding Italian conversations.
7) Reasons for loving my job
1-It is fun
This is actually why I love my job as an Italian teacher. My work is relatively very easy. You can spend a full month with me and I can have you speaking like a native of Italy in no time! The satisfaction on the face of my students, that Eureka moment when the pieces suddenly click and they understand their Italian tenses and conjugations, they are priceless. I find a sense of pride and fulfilment knowing that I have enriched the lives of individuals, even those with absolutely no background of the language.
2-I love talking about Italy
I can not help it. I am so in love with Italy. Being a true blue Italian who holds my heritage close to my heart, teaching Italian gives me an avenue to talk about my hometown. Along with the Italian subject-verb agreements, I incorporate in my lessons stories about the museums in Italy, about its pristine beaches and rock formations. Being an Italian teacher gives me the authority to introduce the Italian way of life to Southampton residents. It allows me to entice them to travel to Italy for the holidays. In that way, I am contributing, in my own little way to put Italy on the map, not that it needs it, actually.
3-It opens new opportunities for me
Teaching the Italian language also gave new opportunities for me.It gives me the chance to meet a diverse group of people, some of which helped me not just with work, but with my personal life as well, and has widened my circle of friends.
4-I want to meet people like me
I want to be kindred spirits, that is why I teach Italian. I want to meet people who have a love for the language. In the early days, these people are limited to linguistic scholars. Now, even teenagers are endeared to the Italian language! Oh, happy times! I love how people want to adopt Italian as their second language. It gives me great pleasure to discover that even those without Italian lineage, are interested in learning it.
5-I like to help others
I find joy in helping others. When I have done well enough to actually prod a colleague to go on a vacation in Italy, I love it when they consult me with their itinerary. It is very rewarding to hear great reviews from them about the tourist spots and the little-known places I recommended for them to see in Italy. I feel that I have made their travels more enjoyable.
6-I like to give advice to business owners
It is my nature to give people a glimpse of my country. Being an Italian teacher in Southampton, I had the chance to interact with people from the business sector. With the growing demand here for all things Italian, I had given tips on Southampton residents who wish to put up businesses connected with Italian culture. I have been consulted by owners of Pizzerias, giving me a strong sense of national pride as I teach them on what makes a Neapolitan pizza superior from the rest, and by owners of small Italian restaurants who love the cuisine so much that they want to understand the nitty-gritty of Italian recipes. I am also able to help those who wish to open Italian fashion boutiques, by giving them advice on how to spot quality leather on shoes and bags. I have been blessed to do this because of my job as an Italian teacher.
7-It cures my homesickness
Although I go back to Italy every year, it does not take away my yearning for it. As I teach Italian here in Southampton, I feel transported to idyllic days at the beaches of Sardinia, or in my wine-tasting days in Tuscany. As I help my students get a grasp of the language and allow them to converse with me in Italian, I feel as if I am with my friends from back home. This somehow cures me, albeit temporarily, of the homesickness that I feel for my beloved Italy.
Thank you for being so patient and finding more about my jobs.
If you are looking for an Italian teacher in Southampton, just contact me. I will be able to help you.
Italian Courses Southampton 