"Learning Italian in Siena" Siena by JoostvandenVondel

I had always wanted to study Italian and while I was living in London I decided to enrol myself in an Italian course through the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham where I was living. The course was excellent and gave me a great introduction to the language of Dante. As a modern languages teacher by profession, it also gave me an idea of what my students must feel when discovering a new language for the first time. However, as immersing oneself in the language is the best way to learn, I decided to enrol in a Dante Aligheri Institute in Italy. This institute like the British Council, Alliance Francaise or Goethe Institut, is subsidised by a national government (in this case the Italian government) in order to promote the language and culture of the given country. There are a number of Dante Aligheri Institutes across Italy, but I decided to choose a school in a smaller town. Since I had never been to Tuscany, Siena seemed like a perfect choice.

After my first weekend in Florence (see my pages on the Tuscan capital) I set off for Siena in the midst of a cloud of humidity, but my enthusiasm was not dampened! The school (web-site below) had organised a host family for me which consisted of a charming retired lady who was only to willing to chat to me for hours and feed me the delights of the regional cuisine. The course consisted of morning lessons in the Italian language and optional seminars, lectures or films in the afternoon. My teacher, Sylvia was exceptionally good and, as stated above, as a language teacher I could be as critical as I like since I know the tricks of the trade! However, I can only give her my greatest applause for her hard work and creativity. I must also thank her for a marvelous tour of the southern gate and area of the town she gave one Saturday morning. The class was consituted of people from around the world: China, U.S.A., Switzerland... and we all got along splendidly well. The school itself was well organised and the staff very helpful. If any of you are considering learning Italian, I would highly recommend the Dante Aligheri Institute in Siena (I hope I'm not infringing on any VT commercial restrictions). The costs are kept at a reasonable rate and they are more than willing to accommodate your requests.

As for Siena, well, it is quite simply a marvellous little town. Looking through my photographs, I must honestly say that I didn't take nearly as many as I could have done. I think it is the same problem many of us encounter: whenever we live in a place, or at least spend any amount of time there, we don't seem to catch the beauty or interest on film as much as a tourist or occasional visitor may do. However, I can only hope these few snaps are at least somewhat convincing how much of a gem this town is and that it is a place where a visitor simply must see if in the region of la Toscana.

http://www.dantealighieri.com/

• Pros:A Gem of Toscan Gothic Art and Architecture
• Cons:Lack of air-conditioned public transport
• In a nutshell:A perfect place to learn Italian!