What inspired the Scuola di Italiano Dante Alighieri-Campus L’Infinito?
I have always loved the Italian Language and teaching has always been my dream. I started teaching Italian in Friburg, Germany, in 1996, whilst attending the University of Perugia. After graduating and after working as Course Director for another school, I founded the school Scuola Dante Alighieri Camerino in 2008.
Then in 2016, following a terrible earthquake that hit The Marche outback and Camerino in particular, I had to find another location for my school and I chose Recanati where there was already an Italian language school for foreigners called Campus L’Infinito. We decided to merge our two schools and therefore became Scuola Dante Alighieri - Campus L’Infinito.
During a conference at our school
Can you tell us about your role as the School Director?
My role is quite demanding, but fun too! I need to plan the monthly school program—lessons, excursions and events—as well as organize students lodgings and supervise our staff. Since we have 1500-1800 students every year, we have many teachers!
But the best part of my role is taking part in school events like the Karaoke Night or the International dinner where students get to cook a typical dish from their country—they are always so delicious!
During quieter months, I get to attend various conferences and fairs around the world to recruit new students, but also to deepen my teaching knowledge, as I believe that a good teacher is one who never stops learning!
How do you help support students through this role?
I meet students from the day they arrive in Recanati as, with my staff, I am the person welcoming them when they step off the bus coming from Rome Airport (we organize airport transfers every months, since Recanati might be not too easy to get to from abroad).
Throughout the month, my office door is always open for students who need to speak to me regarding their course or any problems they might have. During the course break (our lessons lasts 55 minutes, so in the four hour course there is a 20 minute breaks in the middle) I’m always in the corridor, talking to students and laughing with them. I’m always available for them so they can always rely on my support!
At the graduation ceremony at the City Townhall in August 2018
You have been at Scuola di Italiano Dante Alighieri for 20 years. What changes has the school made in order to adapt to new times?
Technology is for sure the biggest change that has impacted in our school. I still remember when we used to get students enrollments via fax! Now, thanks to internet, emails, Social Media, and other new communication channels (i.e. Whatsapp, Skype, Messenger etc), it is so much easier and quicker to be in touch with students, both before their arrival and after they depart too.
What was the transition like to join with Campus L’Infinito school in 2016 after the terrible earthquake?
2016 has been a terrible year for us and the memories from that October are still very near in my mind. We had to make sure that all students were safe, we had to recuperate, with the help of firemen, their belongings from the collapsed apartments and arrange their earlier departure from school. I felt a lot of pressure and responsibility.
So when we moved to Recanati to join Campus L’Infinito—we were closed for two months and reopened in Recanati in January 2017—I was very relieved that we could move away from such a devastated town and carrying on doing our job.
The transition was easy as we found great collaboration in Recanati and the staff of the two schools joined to be a new unique school. Our great staff made everything easier!
With School teachers
How has your studies in Italian Literature influenced your current work?
I always liked Italian studies and Italian literature, so for me it was natural getting into teaching. However, I never liked Italian state schools too much as there is a lot of bureaucracy. I always dreamt of opening my own school for foreigners where you teach Italian with a different perspective and in a more fun way! Those who choose to attend our courses, in fact, are very motivated so in a month you can really do a lot.
What hopes do you have for students at Scuola di Italiano Dante Alighieri - Campus L’Infinito?
I hope that our students carry on with their Italian studies and that this language can help them to further their career finding a job they love!
Why do you think it’s important for individuals to travel and experience new cultures?
Traveling is an extremely enriching experience because it opens your mind to other cultures and people. At the same time, it makes you appreciate your culture even more because you see it with clearer eyes.
Attending our course is two times more enriching because not only do you become a “Recanatese citizen” for a month, but you also get to know many other people and cultures from all over the world, as our school is an international institution having over 45 different nations throughout the year.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To me it means maximizing your trip so that it becomes a life experience and not just a tourist vacation. That’s why study-vacations are a great thing! You learn and you have fun at the same time.
At a fair in Osaka in 2017
There are many Italian language schools in Italy. So, what makes your school so special?
We have quite a few strong points here, I believe!
First of all, Recanati is a small city located near the sea and not too far from the mountains.
Recanati is not one of the usual touristy place hence the atmosphere that our students can breathe here is very authentic. They can really experience the Italian “dolce vita”, living like Italians do.—you are not just a tourist here! So this is perfect for those looking for a real culture exposure.
Furthermore, unlike many other schools, we organize activities, guided excursions, and events nearly every afternoon of the week (ang longer trips on the weekend) so no-one can get bored. At the same time, we leave maximum freedom to those who do not wish to join our activities!
Our excursions and events are always guided by our teachers so even fun moments are a language learning opportunity. Since we organize many trips to Italy’s most beautiful towns, despite choosing a small city for their course, our students still get to sightsee Italy too, so they get the best of both worlds!
Last, but not least, all our teachers have many years of experience in teaching Italian to foreigners (both in Italy and abroad), they all hold degrees and Italian is their mother tongue. As they all take part on our trips and events, they can really bond very well with all students—and that’s a great plus!
What hopes do you have for the future of Scuola di Italiano Dante Alighieri-Campus L’Infinito?
I am very satisfied with where we are today and what we are doing. So I just hope we can maintain what we have today!
