I am an English teacher and student of the Italian language currently teaching in Perugia, Italy for the company Angloville. I am working here for the week and writing about my trip in both English and Italian. My Italian is bad so expect lots of mistakes/Itenglish so don’t hesitate to correct me.

Yesterday was the last full day of Angloville, but today was the last day proper. The week has just rushed by…unlike my last programme which dragged a bit. It was a manic start as I was rushing to pack everything in time, as well as completing these long-arm Google feedback forms for the programme and my mentees.

After breakfast, it was finally time to read out the notes the kids had written us. Leo written me a full essay, Ana thanked me for being my friend and Mattia hopes we can play chess again. Then came the leaving ceremony.

It started with the kids singing an Italian song for us. Which one? I don’t know what it was called, otherwise I would have sung along with them. And then it was the certificate ceremony. All the kids and Ips got their own certificates. King Ming even had everybody cheering him on. It was so nice to see.

At 11, it was time for our final game: the gratitude game. Everybody stood in a circle facing outwards with their eyes closed. Then the people in the middle had to touch the shoulder of the people who supported them or made them smile or who they had good conversations with etc…lastly, Izzy asked all us Ips to touch the shoulders of everybody who had made us proud. Then the teens could open their eyes. Bit cheesy sure but also very emotional. Ana cried her eyes out. I almost cried too. There were plenty of hugging and farewells even though we still had lunch to go.

As for lunch, we were eating the tagliatelle we had made yesterday. Although Tom and I realised that’ some people … like me, had made their pasta a bit too thick. Oops.  But after lunch it was time to say goodbye for real. Cue more tears, hugs, handshakes and endless farewells. At 2, all the juniors left as did the rest of my team.

The other Ips were going back to Rome. It was the end of our journey together. And this is the end of my diary. I am spending two days in Perugia then a week in Latina with my cousin and her family, but I will not be journalling anymore. As I am writing this now, I am waiting for my friend to pick me up and take me into Perugia proper.

Ultimately, I have really enjoyed my Angloville journey. Unlike my last couple of programmes, it was far less dramatic. Plus, the juniors were so sweet. I’d definitely recommend it for anybody who wants a cheap holiday. In exchange for talking to juniors or adults, you get free food and accommodation. Just talking. No formal teaching. I’ve done it in London, Poland and now Italy. It has been great. The kids were great as were the Ips. I will miss the big hairy Aussie Nick for sure. I will also miss little Ema, Ton, Alex, Andrea C and Ana.

But that wraps up my final day of my Angloville Italy programme. It was a day of emotional farewells, heartfelt notes and the gratitude game.

Ieri ero il mio Giorno ultimo ultimare di Angloville ma oggi era il giorno proper. La settimana ha avuto molto fretto non come l’ultimo programma Angloville che ho fatto. Allora, era un comincia caotica perche ho devuto fare la mia valigia e completare un modulo di feedback.

Dopo il colazione, era la volta per leggere le notizie che gli adolscenti avuto scritto per noi. Leo ha scritto un essay completato, Ana mi grazie per essere la sua amica e Mattia spera che giociamo scaachi ancora. Dopo era la ceremonia partita.

Gli adolescenti hanno cantato un canzone italiano per noi: Sarà perchè ti amo su Ricchi e poveri. Dopo, era la volta per la ceremonia di certificate. Tutti hanno ricevuto un certificate. Tutti acclaramano Re Ming. Che bello!

Alla 11, era la volta per il nostro gioco: il gioco gratitude. Tutti stava in piedi facing outwards con i loro occhi chiusi. Poi le gente nel centrale avuto toccata le spalle di le gente che “supported them or made them smile or who they had conversations with… ect.” Ultimatmente, Izzi ha chiesto tutti I noi Ips toccare le spalle di tutti qui abbiamo di l’oroligio. Naturalemente, abbiamo toccato le spalle di tutti. Dopo gli adolescenti hanno aperto gli occhi. Era molto cheesy ma anche molto emozionate. Ana ha gridò molto. Anchio…allora almost…not quite. C’erano molto abbraciare e arriverderci prima il pranzo.

Per il Pranzo, mangeremmo gli tagliatelle che avevamo fatto ieri. Ma Tom ed io abbiamo realisatto che delle gente…come io, avevamo fatto la loro pasta troppo denso. Oops. Ma dopo il Pranzo, era la volta per il vero arriverderi. C’era piu gridare, abbraciare, strette di mano e arriverderci. Alla 2, tutti è partiti. Nick, Izzy, Lauren etc avevamo ritorani alla Roma ma stava aspettando per la mia amica to pick me up. I would be spending a couple of days with them in Perugia. Poi, sono passato una Settimana in Latina con la mia famiglia. È tutto per il mio diario.

Ultimatemente, ho appreciato molto il mio viaggio Angloville. Non come le miei programme ultimo, non c’era la drama…allora meno. Piu, gli adolscenti erano molto simpatici. Consiglio tutto Angloville per n’importa chi vuole una vacanza economica. In cambio per parlare gli adolescenti oppure adulti, si ha ricevuto i cibi e accomodazione gratuita. Giusto parlare. Non insegnare formale. Ho fatto Angloville in Londra, Polonia e addesso Italia. Ha magnifico. Gli adolscenti erano magnifico e anche i Ips. Mi mancherà “the big hairy Aussi Nick” ma anche little Ema, Ton, Alex, Andrea C e Ana.

È tutto per il mio giorno finale di Angloville Italia. Era un Giorno di arriverderci emozionate, emozionate notizie e il gioco gratitude.

and the gratitude game.