Why are you inspired to work with ISTITUTO EUROPEO?
I like working at the Istituto Europeo because it is an organized and good school and I like to see students arrive from all over the world and their progress in Italian language and in their daily life in Italy.
Describe a typical day/week as the Intern Program Coordinator.
It starts after my morning teaching classes. My typical day/week includes organizing, coordinating, and planning operational facets of a program and its related activities. I also walk the new student to Internship site on their first day.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I develop work plans to accomplish program goals and objectives and monitors progress toward student achievement. It is amazing to see when they are happy and they learn something new.
Why do you do what you do?
I like meet new people and learn from them. So this is the perfect job. I discover other ways to live, and about other cultures and other minds. As I said, I love to see how my students improve. They get better day by day in Italian and in their internship experience.
What challenges do students often face and how do you help them to overcome them?
Some of the students are very young and it is their first time being so far from their own home. Sometimes they are afraid and I help them to face the problems. I help them to understand that after the difficulty of the beginning, everything is will become easier. They become independent and they have the opportunity to grow up. I use all of my experience to try to help them, and It makes me very happy when I see that they became self-sufficient.
How do you support interns?
I help them become more confident and self-sufficient. I like to make sure I get to know them and understand their motivations for their internship. We create a plan and we always stay in contact with a group chat on Whatsapp, as well directly by phone if there is something personal. I walk them to the first day appointment, so they have a company and they are not too nervous.
Can you tell us about the internship opportunities available through ISTITUTO EUROPEO?
We create links between students and companies. We follow them from the application to the end of their experience in Florence. Our internships opportunities are in many areas like: fashion, art, history, communication and media, business, and the medical sector.
What makes Florence an ideal location for an internship?
In Florence, students will discover history and art. Another important point is that Florence is full of international students, which make it a great place for an internship. There is a great diversity of bars, restaurants, and clubs that will take students in the local culture. And in Florence, people are fun!
How do you use your teaching experience in your Intern Coordination Position?
Teaching experience is something that helps me in my experiences of empathy with students. During my classes, I have the chance to know them better and understand their personality so that means that I can understand how they might feel during their internship. Being in class together helps to make our relationship closer, which is very important.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is a life-changing travel—it is something that can change your point of view and give you flexibility for your future. To have the opportunity to know new people and learn new things. It is also a way to learn something about yourself.
Why is it important to travel and experience new cultures?
It broadens your perspective of the world. You learn can new languages and new skills like becoming more social, flexible, open minded, and independent, while acquiring empathy for other people and cultures.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
To be always curious and open minded. Be aware that each journey is unique so enjoy it in each one of its aspects.
What hopes do you have for the future of language learning with ISTITUTO EUROPEO?
We are optimistic and we always hope in improvements. We work hard for this so we are sure that the future will be even better than now.
