Active EUI: Italian outside the classroom

On 22 and 23 September EUI researchers and staff enjoyed a sailing and hiking weekend, as part of an initiative by the Language Centre to get people speaking Italian outside of the EUI.

Italian teacher Camilla Salvi was joined by 13 people on the visit to the Gulf of Poets (Golfo dei Poeti) and Palmaria island. “The main purpose was to sail for one day and during the sailing to use Italian as much as possible. The crew on the sailing boats were not able to speak English so it was a good way to be forced!” she says. In addition to her work in the language centre, Camilla also runs the EUI’s sailing club.

The group spent Saturday night in Portovenere, staying “in an extraordinary position in front of the port” Camilla recalls, and enjoying a history festival and local cuisine. Sunday was devoted to hiking around Palmaria, before returning to Florence.

The novice sailors and hikers were enthusiastic and some have already asked for another weekend to be arranged. But with the onset of winter, Camilla and the Language Centre are now turning their attention to other activities.

“My objective is to find activities where we can go out of the Institute and get to know some beautiful Italian places and use the language,” she says.

The next event will be a literary walk through Florence on 27 October, organised by Italian teacher Annarita Zacchi, while Camilla is planning a film series. The aim of the latter is to provide “a way to read Italian society through film”, she says, with an introduction given by Camilla and subtitles in Italian.

For more information about opportunities to practice Italian, please contact Camilla directly.