Where Are You Now?

 

Edited for clarity.

My name is Emma F., an 18-year-old student from Italy. I am now in my last year of high school in Piacenza and preparing my applications for university in Milan. I have always been fascinated by the English language and am very passionate about travelling as a way to discovering new places, cultures and traditions. 

My first experience with Hi-London dates back to when I was almost ten years old. I joined the KIDS group and started my adventure. I immediately fell in love with the program because Hi-London was not an ordinary summer school. Indeed, instead of sitting in a classroom, I found myself wandering around the city of London, visiting museums, art exhibitions and natural sites, while improving my English and connecting with other international students. I quickly realized that the more I learned the easier it was to build relationships with the other children coming from the other side of the world! 

I continued my journey and, after a couple of years, I was ready for the TEEN group that allowed me to improve my reading comprehension and writing skills. I made amazing friends whom I am still in touch with, and I found kind and professional teachers who played a major role in my learning experience. 

I was so fond of the Hi-London “family” that, when I was 17, I created the opportunity to become a teaching assistant for two weeks. This job experience helped me to develop my communication and team-building skills along with organizational and time management capabilities. Senior teachers made me feel part of the team and guided me in my role in the best way possible. I found out how hard and demanding it was to work with young students but also how enriching it was to deal with them every day. 

This long-lasting connection with Hi-London made a difference in my school performance in Italy and definitely shaped the person that I am today, even influencing my choices for the future. It is not a coincidence that my university selection is now oriented towards an “International Relations” degree where I hope I will carry on with my international path.