Case Study: Amy teaches in Northern Italy
Across the rooftops, Verona
by sminky_pinky100
This article was written by Amy Morgan, published on 22nd July 2010 and has been read 28836 times.
Amy Morgan studied History at Sussex University, and spent her time abroad in Northern Italy. She gives us an account of how it went for her... Tell us a bit about you... I’m 23 year old History graduate, currently living in London and working as a researcher for a TV company. Where did you go on your year abroad? Last summer I worked in Northern Italy as an English teacher with primary school children.
Was your trip organised by your university? I worked for a language school in the UK last summer and it was through them that I organised the teaching placement.
Did you have any problems whilst you were out there?
No, no problems (I did go to hospital for an infected insect bite, but I was taken by an Italian teacher from the school I was working at and got some antibiotics).
Did you struggle not speaking the language?
The language wasn’t a problem. I lived with host families - in one case they didn’t speak any English but we got by with phrase books and gestures.
How do you think your time abroad has benefited you for the future?
I think this experience definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, not only in terms of working with children, planning lessons and doing arts and crafts, but doing that in a foreign country with children who didn’t speak English. It made me more confident and I really enjoyed seeing Italy from a different perspective.
Would you recommend going abroad to other students?
Definitely, it’s a great opportunity and one that you can’t do once you are working full time.
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