Presenting: Laboratorio Linguistico - Studying
Italian on a Sailboat and much more
A little more than six weeks ago I returned from a three-week
trip to Sicily which was a combination of language learning
and immersion in Italian culture. Of these 21 days I spent seven
days studying Italian on a sailboat, a program that is offered by
Laboratorio
Linguistico, a Milazzo-based Italian langauge school. Even after
the sailing trip was over the two co-owners, Francesco Zodda and
Francesco Di Santi, showed me the local area around Milazzo and
took me on an excursion into the local Nebrodi Mountains.
Along the way I experienced my first sailing experience, was immersed
in the Italian langauge virtually all the time, and formed great
friendships with my teammates on our boat, the Solitaire II. Our
teachers, the two Francescos, as we called them, taught us Italian
on the boat, or outdoors on various patios throughout the Eolian
Islands. This sailing trip was a very intense and memorable experience,
a week that I will remember for a long time.
Our sailing boat: the Solitaire II is waiting for our departure
Language study travel has become on of my favourite modes of travel,
and studying Italian on a sailing boat provides for an even more
exciting and unique experience. Here is an interview with Francesco
Di Santi, our trusted skipper, language teacher and local Sicilian
expert.
1. Please tell us about the history of the Laboratorio
Linguistic Language School. When was it founded and by whom? How
did the idea come about and how has the school evolved since its
inception?
The school was founded in 1994 by Francesco Zodda and me, Francesco
Di Santi. We were at the end of our university studies and had the
idea of creating something from scratch, something of our own, an
interesting challenge. Since then we have achieved really good results.
Sailboat harbour in Lipari
2. Please tell us about your personal backgrounds, your
education, your language teaching experience and philosophy.
I studied foreign languages and literature and then I started teaching
German language and literature in which I specialized. The idea
of teaching Italian came later. During my studies and also before,
I spent a lot of time far away from Italy. Comparing myself with
people of other cultures helped me become aware of my own culture
and of the meaning of being Italian and Sicilian in this globalized
world. Teaching Italian to foreigners is a way of sharing the richness
of my culture with my students. Doing this in Sicily, the island
where I was born, offers the students something extra that derives
from all the civilizations which were once present in Sicily and
to whom I feel I belong.
Francesco Di Santi, moi and Francesco Zodda
3. Laboratorio Linguistico is located in the town of Milazzo.
Please provide a brief description of Sicily and the town of Milazzo.
There was an advertisement which presented Sicily in five words
Sicily, an Island, a Continent. I think this is really true. The
most ancient Mediterranean cultures longed to be on our Island and
everybody left something, traces that can still be discovered in
our traditions and in the philosophy of life that characterizes
Sicily. Milazzo is a very old town with a young population. Here
the old Sicily and the new one form an interesting mix. Situated
between two charming stretches of seafront, it is a perfect blend
of antiquity and modernity that makes it a relaxing and pleasant
environment to study the Italian language in.
Waterfront in Milazzo
Far away from mass tourism, here it is still possible to immerse
oneself in an authentic Italian environment. Everywhere there is
something new to be discovered. People are very friendly and always
ready to chat.
4. What about the school's location and facilities?
The
school is bright and modern, with Internet facilities and a
library; it is also fully air conditioned. Situated in the centre
of town near the Cathedral Square where there is a comfortable café/bookshop
you can spend your afternoons sipping tea and preparing your Italian
homework.
From the school everything is within walking distance: the harbour
to reach the nearby Eolian Islands; the promenade with fine shops;
restaurants and of course the bars which are the hub of the Mediterranean
café society.
View from my apartment above the school towards Milazzo's Cathedral
5. Where do your students come from? What age groups do
they fall into and why do they want to learn Italian?
Thanks to good working relations established also with the IICs,
the Italian Cultural Institutes, students come from all over the
word. The age group varies broadly, and many younger students come
at the end of their university programs during the summer. The reasons
for coming to learn Italian in Milazzo are very different: for some
people it is the pleasure of immersing themselves in an authentic
Italian ambience while for others it is a strong cultural and historical
interest. Some students want a relaxing place near the sea after
their Italian classes, and those of Sicilian descent are looking
for their roots…
Cathedral in Lipari
6. Please tell us a little bit about your teachers and your
entire team. How are your teachers selected, how are they trained?
Our teachers are all graduates and specialized in teaching Italian
to foreigners. Our school, Laboratorio
Linguistico, works very closely with the Universita’ per
stranieri di Siena in training teachers. We organize workshops in
teaching Italian. Only those who have spent a period observing lessons
and being observed who have passed a special exam called DITALS
can work as a teacher.
Picture of harbour on the island of Panarea
7. Please comment on the Italian course programs that you
offer. What about group courses and private lessons? What levels
of instruction do you offer?
We offer courses from beginners to advanced; these levels comply
with the European Framework for Languages. Both group and individual
lessons are available.
Two Carabinieri ( policemen) on a golf cart in the narrow streets
of Stromboli
8. Please talk about class sizes and teaching methodologies.
The average class is made up of six or seven students which means
a greater use of the Italian language in class and more attention
from the teacher. The method we use in teaching the language is
that you can learn a language by using it. Maybe at the beginning
a student can feel overwhelmed but thanks to the small classes and
to the fact that the student is immersed in the Italian language
the results are very visible after a few weeks.
Ominous clouds hang over the village of Lingua on the island of
Salina
9. Laboratorio
Linguistico has a number of certifications from recognized institutions.
Please tell us more.
Thanks to the established collaboration with the Universita’
per Stranieri di Siena we are an examination centre for the CILS
certification, Certificato Italiano Lingua Seconda, for students
who want a certificate showing their knowledge of Italian.
For teachers who want a certificate that shows their competence
and experience, in cooperation with Siena we offer theoretical education,
practicum and the DITALS certification. This is valid for teaching
Italian to foreigners in Italy and around the world. A part of the
Master DITALS high qualification for teachers with the related exams
can be followed in our school in Milazzo
On our last day we saw DOLPHINS who swam with us for quite a while!
10. You offer a program called "Bildungsurlaub",
which is recognized by several German states. Please explain this
program.
Several German Länder (the German provinces) offer their workers
the opportunity of improving their knowledge of foreign languages
through a type of study holiday. With that in mind our school has
organized Italian language and culture courses which are recognized
and financed by the German Government.
Marina Corta on the island of Lipari
11. Your school also offers scholarships, how do they work?
We offer a scholarship program to establish stronger cooperation
with Italian Cultural Institutes all over the world and with schools
and universities where Italian is taught. Behind this is also the
idea of contributing to the diffusion of the Italian language. This
program allows students who make a request to one of the above mentioned
institutions, to apply for financial support for their language
studies-vacation.
Our experienced skipper: Francesco Di Santi
12. In addition to standard language teaching programs
your school also offers a very unique language learning experience:
the opportunity to learn Italian on a sailing boat. Please tell
us about this program. How does language learning on a sailing boat
work?
A part of my life experience is linked to the sea. This passion
led me to work as a captain on ships. The desire to communicate
with people I meet when travelling, inspired me to stop working
on board and to study languages. I was always thinking about how
to connect my very old passion for the sea with my profession as
a teacher and to share all this with my students. Teaching Italian
while sailing around the Eolian Islands was the solution I was looking
for. In my opinion sailing has an ancient and irresistible fascination.
Learning Italian on a sailboat is a very unique experience. The
teaching of the language happens in these remote peaceful places
you can find on the different Islands, and learning Italian does
not finish with traditional teaching. On board you will continue
to use the language in the different situations of on-board life.
The beauty of Panarea
13. The Italian course on the sailing boat cruises through
the Aeolian Islands. Please tell us more about this beautiful archipelago
and the places that the students get to visit.
Seven volcanic Islands form a beautiful unique archipelago, the
Aeolian Islands. Stromboli with its explosive activity is very attractive
but every island has its own unique identity and an irresistible
charm which is composed of a mixture of nature, history and Mediterranean
culture. Reaching the different islands from the sea offers the
students the ancient fascination of arriving on the mainland (dry
land) after a long voyage on the sea. Sailing on a sailboat gives
the pleasure of being a real traveller.
Learning Italian on a patio bar overlooking the Mediterranean
14. Please tell us practical information about the sailing
experience - how do sleeping accommodation work, how many people
are on the boat, what about food preparation and bathroom facilities?
Life on board runs with the rhythm of the sea. Two students each
share a cabin, the dimension of the boat depends on the number of
students (13 -15 metres). Every boat has two bathrooms and all remaining
spaces are shared with the rest of the crew. Preparing meals and
sailing the boat are activities in which everybody can freely take
part. Students with no sailing experience can also participate in
the trip.
In my experience as skipper what at first is perceived as too small
a space becomes a very large place after only a few hours. At the
end of the voyage the boat feels like a part of ourselves from which
you leave reluctantly, wishing it had never ended.
Our first on-board dinner - we lived like kings!
15. You also offer farm holidays and the unique experience
of Italian Agritourism. Please tell us more.
Casa Migliaca near Cefalu is an Agritourism facility managed by
Teresa Maria, Sebastiano and their two sons Luca and Antonio. It
is a 19th century country house, at an altitude of 200 metres and
7 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea and it hosts our Italian school for
a short period. After the classes the students can help with olive
picking, enjoy the views from the shade of an ancient olive tree
or can explore an unknown Sicily. In the evening the meals prepared
by Teresa Maria with their rich smells and tastes will help evoke
memories of Sicilian heritage.
Sicilian countryside
16. What about some of the other social, educational and
art appreciation activities offered by your school?
In the afternoon and during the weekend the school offers a program
of spare-time activities. The idea is that learning a language is
part of a culture and we want our students to get close to the Italian
lifestyle. In all excursions students can enjoy the beauty of nature
and the art heritage resulting from the different cultural layers
of which Sicily is very rich. This is also a good opportunity to
get to know the other students, who are all friends of the Italian
language coming from Europe and various overseas countries.
Some real Sicilian characters
17. What type of accommodation options can your students
choose from? What are the costs?
We are focussed on our students' wellbeing and comfort, and we pay
attention to every detail. A student can choose the type of accommodation
that suits him/her best. Accommodation possibilities include shared
apartments, private houses, or accommodation with a host family
(all with cooking facilities) and hotels. All accommodation is within
walking distance from the school. Prices range from Euro 105.00
to 210.00 per person per week.
The bizarre formations of the Rocks of Agrimusco in the Nebrodi
Mountains
18. What do you feel makes your school unique among other
Italian language schools?
Our team, our desire to meet people, our Sicilian hospitality,
our professionalism and the Italianità of the place where
the school is located.
Sicilian delicacies
Thank you, Francesco, for taking the time to tell us about your
school and the language learning experience. I can personally
attest to the fact that the full Italian immersion experience on
an Italian sailing boat is a very effective way of learning the
language and a great way to discover a stunningly beautiful part
of Italy.
