Ciao Italophiles! Salvatore here and today I would like to share with you how even a little Italian can help you enjoy your trip more. I was born in Bergamo but I’m actually Sicilian, and now live in Livorno, Tuscany.
I started my career as an Italian language teacher in Warsaw, Poland where I lived for 7 years.
Why a Little Italian Goes a Long Way
In Warsaw, I saw for the first time how adults find the motivation to learn a language for passion and that has inspired my approach to teaching. A lot of creators who are learning Italian (or even teaching) make videos where they say just ‘Buongiorno’ to someone and the Italian person answers with a ton of very fast words.
(The message is: never say you speak some Italian, people will talk to you and you won’t understand anything. Some of these videos are really funny, but what is the goal? To scare people just for reactions? I don’t like that approach.)
As an Italian language teacher I want you to know that speaking even a little Italian is always something valuable. Because I’m sure going to Italy for you is something more than just a vacation to a beautiful place.
Knowing the language will give value to your experiences, even small ones.
I’ve been studying Polish for a long time now but I still remember the first coffee that I ordered in Polish in Poland. It probably wasn’t that good, but in my memories it is special because of the situation!
Speaking Italian also means the possibility to create connections with people.
Small, probably, but they can still be deep. That’s exactly what languages do, but I feel like in Italy it’s even truer.
I’m not sure why, though.
Maybe because a lot of us Italians don’t feel good speaking in English or maybe because we really enjoy when someone is learning Italian, we normally feel like the one who have to study foreign languages!
People trust travelers more when they talk even a little bit in Italian
A couple of students of mine told me they made friends with their host in Tuscany, they are still sending each other’s Christmas greetings and photos. Another student once was offered a very good wine by a seller who normally used to save for friends and regular customers.
Clearly, a little Italian can open many doors!
There’s also something practical about that.
Sometimes it is difficult to find people speaking good English in Italy and in some situations you may need help to solve a problem or to understand a difficult situation.
A friend of mine, a woman from Poland, was very upset during a holiday in Sicily because the apartment she and her husband had rented was dirty. She called me to ask for help with the owner. I suggested to her instead to try to talk with him in Italian, even if her level was still very basic, and try to get a solution. Well, it worked!!
The owner said sorry, sent some cleaners and offered a free night to my friends. Glitches can happen even during vacation and speaking a little Italian can help handle them in a different way.
More satisfaction and less frustration sounds like a good holiday deal to me.
Today you don’t need Italian anymore just to order a coffee or to find a place, apps and AI can do it for you but learning Italian is still something valuable if you want to really enjoy your time in Italy.
Speaking the language allows us to enjoy the relationship with the country more deeply. Also, by learning Italian your trip will continue even after you’re back home!
So for your next trip to Italy, or just about anywhere, study a few basic phrases or learn some words and never be scared to use them. You might be surprised by how far they take you.
A presto!
To know more about Salvatore visit- Tanto per parlare
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