As a language teacher, when parents ask me about the benefits of traveling and learning more than one language, I am always enthusiastic in recommending that they let their children explore the world and take every opportunity to discover different cultures. I am the living evidence of how travels can shape people’s lives, because mine was built on them. I am not talking only about holidays, in fact what I am referring to are mostly studying and working abroad.
I always had a curious nature and considered life as the best teacher, a journey where you are meant to meet people, see places, experience things. As human beings we are given five senses to nourish our brain and soul with all the stimuli we can be exposed to. Our responsibility is simply seizing the opportunities that the universe brings to our path.
When I look back at all my experiences, since my teenage years, I lived to the full and my motivation was always learning and improving myself, personally and professionally, by regularly venturing out of my comfort zone to test my strength and discover new resources.
The first time I studied abroad was at the age of 15. I spent one month in England, where I attended the International School of Clacton-on-Sea. My mother wanted me to have more chances than those she had when she was young, so I need to thank her for growing up as I did.
It was an amazing adventure as I travelled by plane from Italy (my home land) with my best friend Francesca and a few more peers and we were hosted by an English family. I met many other young people from all over the world and made great friends, some of whom even came to visit me in Italy a few years later and stayed at my house. This experience truly opened my eyes and mind: Not only did I get a taste of new foods, most importantly of new perspectives. What an incredible place the world looked like and that was only the beginning.
Once you open the door to exploring other cultures, you cannot go back to your previous mindset and you always want to learn and experience more, because you realise your potential.
My second life-changing travel was an au-pair time in France, when I was 19. For one month, I babysat for a lovely family with two children, in Dijon. The result of that was a life-long friendship and a mind-blowing discovery of the French culture and lifestyle. I was able to visit many stunning places, including the French Riviere and the Alps, and my language improved to the level of a mother tongue. My first French experience ended with my mother joining me in a trip to Paris and was followed by many other mutual visits and ongoing contacts with my friends (even after they moved to Canada).
Finally, toward the end of my University studies (Foreign Languages and Literature), I decided to prepare my final thesis in Australia, which later on became my home. Down Under besides discovering a whole new world and breath-taking landscapes, was the country where my re-birth happened. I found my own voice, understood that my pathway was and was always going to be the result of my choices and I started a spiritual journey, seeking deeper meanings.
Over the years, I have worked in many industries and countries. I started in the international trade of furniture, as an intermediary and then product manager and buyer, continued in Information Technology, Hospitality and finally Education, which I then decided to complement with Life Coaching. It is needless to mention the amount of diversified people I came across and the cultures I was able to experience.
Amongst the numerous hats I wore, was that of Language and Culture Coordinator in a catholic college in Melbourne. That was an unforgettable five years, where amongst other achievements, I planned and developed an ongoing exchange with Italy. I offered to my students the chance to explore my home-country and live with some of their Italian peers’ families, going to their school and looking at the world from a different perspective.
The most rewarding outcome was noticing the dramatic changes in my students and their amazing growth. They all felt that their minds opened in unexpected ways and the trip led them to an internal journey and the discovery of many new resources.
Traveling, especially when combined with learning more than one language, is a precious opportunity that I would recommend to everyone, especially young people, because their lives will be enriched and shaped by that forever.
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