Milan, and everywhere else
Italian is not among the most widespread or necessary languages; it does not have the loud status of "a means of international communication," and yet thousands and thousands of people from all over the world, charmed by its beauty and in love with its homeland, come to Italy every year to study it. According to the latest data from Language Travel Magazine, almost a third of this audience are Americans, another quarter are Germans and Brits, and the rest is a motley mix of Europeans, Japanese, Australians, and Latin Americans. And here's what's interesting: absolutely all surveyed students of Italian language schools recommend their courses to others, 75% rate the quality of teaching as excellent (no other courses abroad have earned that!). Without in any way questioning the quality of Italian courses in Italy, I still venture to suggest that it's not only about the courses themselves. It's also about the students: Italian is studied with love, interest, and desire (have you ever heard that said about English?), and if you do something with pleasure, the result is usually better—regardless of anything. So Italian language schools in Italy are good by definition.
It is generally believed that Italian is studied for oneself as a hobby, at best for traveling in Italy or communicating with Italian friends. But it turns out that the majority (more than 40%) intend to use it at work. Indeed, why not combine business with pleasure? That's why students at the Milanese language school Linguadue come with the most serious intentions. "We were even forced to abandon the extensive cultural program adopted at our other school in Florence," says Linguadue director Giorgia Biccelli. "Our students, as a rule, have clear plans for the future: their task is to learn Italian in order to continue their education in Italy or to do an internship, to find a job related to the language." Well, Milan is the business capital for business people.
It is no coincidence that at Linguadue the programs for preparation for further study and internships ("Language + Work") are in high demand. The latter is so popular that more applications have already been submitted for it than in all of last year. The main areas of internships are design, architecture, fashion—that is, what Milan is famous for. But other fields are not left out either; for example, recently for a student from Russia, a lawyer by profession, courses were organized with subsequent practice in the field of international law. Another student is preparing to enter a master's program in fashion and luxury goods—a special program was also arranged for him.
Preparation for further study is not limited to Italian language courses: the student receives consultations, information about programs and educational institutions, tuition costs, etc. For some universities (design institutes Marangoni, IED, technical university Politecnico di Milano, conservatory and music schools) with which there are special arrangements, Linguadue serves as a kind of preparatory center for the Italian language. "We do a lot of work for them," Giorgia believes. "When a foreign student first comes to Italy, not knowing the language, they feel lost. After our courses, they are almost a real Milanese, able to take care of themselves. The educational institution has no problems with them."
To participate in an internship and enter a university, you need a language level above intermediate (Intermediate 2 or level 6). In total, the school has nine levels—from absolute beginner to language expert, for whom Italian is almost like a mother tongue. Not everyone strives to conquer the peak; for many, even two weeks in Italy is already a celebration. The Milan school Linguadue is conveniently located in the city center, on one of the main streets, Corso Buenos Aires. Pressing the right button on the intercom and opening the door, you are transported from the noisy metropolis to a Mediterranean paradise: a cozy patio surrounded by palms, fresh air, a Roman "fountain" with drinking water, and only the music stand with the sign Linguadue brings you back to reality. Welcome to Italian language courses!
Florentine Mosaic
If Milan is the center of business and fashion, then Florence is the capital of art and culture. The city has preserved the unique spirit of the Renaissance, which attracts travelers so much. A trip to Florence is a mandatory part of the university art program in many countries, especially the USA. It's a pity that we don't have such a tradition yet. However, we have plenty of tourists here anyway.
The Florentine school was the first in the Linguaviva network (now, besides it and the Milanese Linguadue, there is also a center in Syracuse on Sicily and a children's camp in Lignano near Venice); it appeared 30 years ago. At first, only regular Italian courses were offered, but now joint programs with the Florentine Institute of Culinary Arts Apicius and the Florence University of the Arts have been added. At Apicius, you can study in English, and at the University of the Arts, it is the only language of instruction, since the university was created for foreigners, but Italian is still included in the program. This is where professional help from Linguaviva is needed.
The school really knows its business; it has a reputation as one of the best in Italy. It is a member of the elite international association IALC, which unites quality foreign language courses from different countries (besides it, only four other Italian schools are members of this association).
Linguaviva, like Milan's Linguadue, is located in the city center, a stone's throw from the train station, the Santa Maria Novella monastery, and the central market. In fact, in a medieval city everything is a stone's throw away: you start wandering the narrow streets and inevitably find yourself first at San Lorenzo, then at the cathedral with Giotto's bell tower, go down a bit more, and there's Palazzo Vecchio, the Medici family palace, and then the Uffizi Gallery with Michelangelo's David, and the Old Bridge with its jewelers' shops. The families where students stay also live near the school.
The school itself occupies the second floor of a late 19th-century building, with high ceilings, spacious halls, huge windows offering a wonderful view of the famous red brick domes of Florentine cathedrals and the same color tiled roofs of the old city. You step out onto the balcony - the sun is shining, bells are ringing, birds are singing, cicadas are chirping, Italian words thrown by passersby fly through the air, and life, if only for a moment, seems beautiful.
The study program at Linguaviva, like in other centers of the network, is standard: in the morning, two grammar lessons with one teacher, then a short break, then two more lessons on conversational speech with another teacher. If the course is intensive (30 lessons per week), individual lessons are added after lunch. For lovers of culinary arts, there are special courses at Apidus. There are many options: regional Italian cuisines, wine expertise, Mediterranean diet, art of table setting, gastronomic and wine tours, etc. For professionals, Apicius offers serious programs that present cooking as part of Italian culture. In other words, students are not just taught to cook, but are drawn into a complex process called 'the art of living Italian' that includes history, traditions, style, and cuisine itself. For those interested in art, design, and photography, classes on these topics are offered both at the school and at the university of arts.
And after classes, Linguaviva students await a rich cultural and entertainment program. 'The content changes every month, but the range of opportunities remains the same—excursions, art history, trips out of town, walks, films, lectures, sports, and nightlife,' says the school's marketing director Pietro Cifani. 'We try to include something special that the student themselves would not be able to see, visit, or learn.' When Pietro starts talking about outdoor parties in the school garden, trips to the Chianti wineries, visits to the Medici Chapel and the Galuzzo monastery, excursions to Rome and the Ligurian coast of Cinque Terre, you realize that you cannot learn Italian by sitting in a classroom, just as you cannot understand Italy. Only by living and enjoying life is there a chance to get closer to the ideal.
All life is a carnival
From Florence to the sea is about 100 km, if you go west, and an hour and a half drive if you don't meander and ignore the sights you come across along the way, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the only completely preserved medieval city wall in Lucca. Our destination is the small resort town of Viareggio, which gained worldwide fame for its carnivals.
The Viareggio carnival, unlike the Venetian one, was created with a political subtext. Huge floats with comic papier-mâché figures of politicians and celebrities openly showed the people's attitude towards them and their activities. This tradition continues today: here Death is pulling the strings of marionettes in the form of G8 leaders, there the American Mr. Smith flies over the Earth, scattering dollars and bombs—'buy and kill'—the new principle of power, and there the Pope looks like a hypocritical rogue. But still, every year the local carnival increasingly resembles the Brazilian one: loud, fiery music, endless dancing, crowds in shiny, colorful, and most absurd costumes, streets covered in confetti—'coriandoli'—only the cool and windy weather of late February to early March seems to prevent these people from fully resembling the semi-naked Brazilians.
The main event—the parade of floats—takes place on the promenade, although the whole city is involved in the carnival. The acquaintance with Viareggio begins from the promenade—the lungomare—lined with pompous buildings in the Liberty style, so characteristic of the Italian and French Riviera. Behind a solid row of shops, restaurants, and entertainment centers are a long sandy beach and the sea itself. You have to pay for a place in the sun in the city center, but if you go outside it (five minutes by bicycle), you can sunbathe for free. Many students from the local language school Centro Puccini do this, although one of the paid beaches—'Bagni Italia'—offers them a subscription at a significant discount. At the exit of the beach there is a pizzeria that makes the best pizza in the city—it is also sold to students at a special price.
The director of Centro Puccini, Giovanni Poggi, managed to tell us all this as we walked along the promenade towards the port. Along the way, we stopped at another landmark—a bronze Giacomo Puccini sitting with crossed legs in front of the entrance to the local theater. This mustachioed 'Sicilian in a hat' is everywhere here, all because he lived and worked near Viareggio, in the town of Torre del Lago. A tour of his villa is almost inevitable for everyone who comes to Viareggio.
"In Italy, it is customary to name language schools after a great fellow countryman," continued Giovanni. "Our town is small, but it also has its own legendary figure—Puccini, hence our name." The name brought content with it. In the largest classroom of the school there is a piano. Several times a week, teachers from the local music school come here and give piano lessons. The "Italian + Music" program is in considerable demand among refined creative types and fans of Italian opera.
The Centro Puccini school is located in a charming mansion with a sunny terrace on the second floor. Everything here is family-like, without fuss or strict office organization. The director is as accessible as your classmate; you can immediately be on first-name terms with the teacher; within a day you know everyone who studies and works at the school. It's not that the school is so small—in season it accommodates up to 100 people at once—but groups are never large, and in winter you can even get individual lessons at the price of group ones. By the way, only since this year has the "Centro Puccini" started working year-round; previously the courses closed for the winter.
Those who come here are mostly young Europeans who, among other things, want to relax by the sea. In summer, the population of Viareggio grows several times over due to vacationers. All hotels, boarding houses, and private apartments are filled to capacity. However, students are not at risk of being left without a roof over their heads. First, families with whom the school has an agreement always welcome them; second, the center rents several houses, each of which can accommodate five to eight people. This form of accommodation, called "residence" or "apartment," is very popular among young people because it gives complete independence, although you have to take care of yourself. That, in general, is not difficult: all necessary household appliances, kitchen and household items are provided. But after actively studying Italian in class and on the beach, you can gather all your new acquaintances at your place for a party; after a few glasses of local sparkling white wine, which at first seems like simple soda, you will discover that you know Italian much better than you thought.
Additional Information
Linguaviva (Florence) - www.linguaviva.it Linguadue (Milan) - www.linguadue.coni Centro Puccini - www.centropuccini.it Apicius - www.apicius.it Florence University of the Arts - www.fua.it