From part-time to passion

I was using Amazing talker to learn French, and I had had a very constructive experience. Then I thought, why not try another language too? It’s been such a crazy year, and I wanted to escape quarantine and the constraints of social isolation by simulating the sensation of traveling to a place for the first time, enjoying the foreign sounds, gestures, and quirks. I have always been a little enthralled by Italy. I suppose in part because of my partial Italian ancestry - a fragment of my past that has been diluted through the generations, but has never really disappeared. Or perhaps it was because I had eaten lasagne the day before. Either way, I found Roberto amongst the suggested teachers and scheduled a lesson with him first. There were no other trial lessons thereafter.

I remember how much I loved our first class. I had so much fun. Roberto was entertaining, energetic, and efficient, and made learning Italian an even more enjoyable experience than I thought it would be. A welcome reprieve amidst the uncertainty and apprehension of the pandemic. At least, it started that way, and it was supposed to have lasted no more than a few months until life returned to normal — a fleeting and frivolous experience. But Roberto messed with my plans, infecting my daily life with the Italian language and culture. I started to add Italian songs to my Spotify, trying new Italian recipes, and "Google earthing" Italian places. I began to watch documentaries about Rome's ancient history and to search for crazy and funny facts about Italy — and I found many of them.

I caught myself feeling nostalgic about a place I have never visited before (yet). Roberto has helped me remember my family's past, but not only because we are part-Italians. I came from a family of teachers and educators that were always deeply passionate about learning. They used to say how much teaching is not just about helping you learn something — but about making you love it at the same time. Like Roberto, they strived to help their students overcome their struggles and feel comfortable and confident enough not to give up.

I have returned to a full schedule now, but it now has a permanent spot assigned to Roberto's classes. I have even tried to organize my routine to have them twice a week instead of only once. I am still unsure as to when I will be able to go to Italy and experience all the views, smells, tastes, and sounds that my Italian lessons have evoked in my imagination. What I do know is that Roberto has transformed my "short escapade" into an incredible journey. I certainly could not have a better guide than him. When someone asks me, "why exactly are you learning Italian?", my answer is simply "because I love it more and more every day". And I can’t think of a better reason than that.