Serena

Serena Tutor Interview

Q. Hi Serena, how are you? Please give us a little bit about yourself.

A. Well, I’m a native Italian speaker, writer, editor and Italian tutor. I studied in Italy as a post-graduate student for over four years, first at Università degli Studi Roma Tre, in Rome. I currently conduct private tutoring in Italian for students of all level and abilities. Besides I work as private translator (English > Italian, German > Italian). I was born in Rome, married with a German architect ( I met him in 1995, in Rome). We live in Stuttgart, a nice city in Southern Germany, near the Swiss border. I’m a student as well: I’m learning Japanese and Chinese Mandarin.

Q. According to your profile, you are living in Germany. Do you feel any difference between Italy and Germany?

A. Yes, there are many. But I’ve spent more than 20 years in Germany (before as exchange University student and now as wife), so I feel at home here. We usually travel to Italy on holiday, in order to visit my parents in Rome. Italy is not very far from Germany. As you already know, Europe is a very small continent compared to Asia. The main difference between Germany and Italy is the weather. However Germany is a very clean, rich and well-organized country. We call Germany the “Japan” in Europe.

Q. As we know, you are from Italy, aren’t you? What is the thing of Italy do you miss while in Germany?

A. Yes, I am from Rome. I miss a lot “cappuccino” and “cornetto” at the bar in the morning. In Germany you can find a good “cappuccino” and “caffè”, but not a good “cornetto” (croissant) at all. Besides I miss the sight of ancient Roman ruins in the city. I was so used watching them while going about Rome, that I considered it a daily, normal element of life.

Q.You have a great experience of an online tutor. How do you think about your students from all over the world? Do you think they have each characteristics?

A. Every student is different. Not only for age, nationalities and background, but also for personality and learning process. That’s the reason why I try my best to create tailored-made lessons, according to every single students.

Q. You acquired several languages. Do you have any secret to acquire them?

A. Yes, I have, but it’s not a secret. I always repeat it to my students. Just practice the language every day (not quit a single day) at least 15 minutes. Of course more time than 15 minutes will be better. According to me, learning a language is like learning to play an istrument. You have to practise it every day.

Q. Could you please tell us about your lesson? I heard you give the voice files of the lesson.

A. Yes, I do. I always record my lesson on SKYPE on a MP3 file that I send to the student soon after the lesson. I usually have one hour lesson, and I try to let my students express in Italian most of the time. I ask them to repeat aloud not only after me during the lesson, but also when they do their homeworks. By the way, I always give homeworks, in order to guide the students during their learning process.

Q. There are many lessons you have. Which lesson do you recommend for new students?

A. The “Espresso” course. It’s based on the best Italian course for foreigners and it’s fantastic for beginners. The “Espresso” has 3 levels: beginners, pre-intermediate and intermediate. In Europe we call those 3 levels: A1, A2, B1.

Q. Finally, would you like to leave a message for our students?

A. I would like to leave my favourite quote about learning a language: Learning a language is like learning a new way of life and increases your appreciation for other cultures. Communicating in another language expands your horizons in profound ways. Welcome into the Italian Language!

Thanks for the interview!

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Serena

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