Ever get those days where you wonder whether or not you did the right thing in giving up one career you loved (journalism) for something even less well paid (teaching) hundreds of kilometres away (Milan's urban jungle to Sardinia's sandy beaches)?
Five-and-half years later and all those doubts have vanished. Let's face it, teaching English on a mega yacht moored off the Costa Smeralda or travelling to work via helicopter to teach world famous peeps (my lips are sealed - I signed a confidentiality clause yesterday) is far better than being glued to a computer screen. Oh, and I've also realised teaching is far more lucrative than being a trainee reporter. You've just got to get the right contacts.
Of course, that's the extreme version of my life. The cliche-ridden one, where I pinch myself to see whether I'm dreaming. But even the more mundane end of teaching is rewarding. On June 15, I walked into a classroom to teach 14 total beginners 80 hours of English. I was nervous. I'd never taught a group of total beginners before and I wasn't quite sure how it was going to go. Three-hour lessons three times a week can be painful. It's a good job I came armed with my bright pink basketball to break the ice.
Four months of laughter, frustration and me bollocking them for not doing their homework later and we've finished. I'm sad and I know they are, too. What we created in those 80 hours wasn't perfunctory. It went far beyond the language learning. It was proof that when you put your heart and soul into something, magic happens.
Last night we had the end-of-course pizza, together with the awards ceremony. But the joke was on me. What I hadn't realised is that they'd got together to buy me a beautiful, beautiful leather bag, inside which was a book filled with their handwritten sentiments. It's a good job I didn't read it in the restaurant. Mascara sliding down your face isn't good publicity for a school.
So here's to Giuliana, Antonietta, Maria B, Giulia, Laura, Katia, Matteo, Iana, Maddalena, Francesco, Maria L, Valeria, Maria M and Elisabetta for being the best group of students ever.
Cheers!
Well done! It sounds like you are doing a great job.
But please continue to write as you are also a great journalist :-)
Here is a snap from our article bank about the same subject:
One of the most common pieces of advice newcomers hear from people already living in Italy is ‘learn the language’! Of course, in some parts of Italy – tourist centres and the larger cities for example - English is spoken widely. But in many parts of Italy people do not speak English at all or are too shy or embarrassed to do so, even if their own level is not too bad.
http://www.businesseviaitaly.com/moving-to-italy/learning-italian.html
Posted by: Business e via Italy | September 14, 2011 at 10:29 PM