Il Sasso |
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| Date Submitted: | October 20, 2009 |
| Language School: |  Il Sasso |
| Language & Location: | Italian :: Montepulciano, Italy |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Accomodation: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost & Expense: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Most magical weeks of my life Three weeks at Il Sasso were three of the most magical weeks of my life. Leaving behind my little city on the other side of the world, in New Zealand, I packed my bags to embark on what would become the most memorable and priceless experience, within the walls of Montepulciano, Tuscany. An ancient fortress town, nestled in the hills of Tuscany was about as different as you can get from my hometown, but the moment I pulled up to the ancient gateway to the city, saw the medieval flags flying, and smelled the aromas of freshly sliced pizza wafting through the cobbled street, I felt I had come home! Il Sasso itself can be found in the middle of the main street of Montepulciano - perfect for dashing off in breaks to get a perfectly-brewed espresso and some sweet treat! The classes themselves improved my Italian immeasurably. There were no more than 5 students in my class, which means that the teacher can give each person the quality time they need to improve their Italian. And the teachers themselves? All of them were enthusiastic, warm, interesting, and, most importantly for a language teacher, each of them found ways to present the difficult parts of Italian grammar in a way that learning them was fun, and not too daunting! Probably the most rewarding thing about the teachers, though, was that each of them seemed genuinely interested in getting to know you, the student. By the time my course was finished, I felt like I was leaving behind some wonderful friends! Another fascinating aspect of classes at Il Sasso is the fact that your fellow students are from all over the world, so you get to share your own culture and background with them and learn about theirs. Aside from sitting inside a classroom and learning Italian, students at Il Sasso get the opportunity for a far more "hands on" approach to learning about Italian language and culture - the school organises all kinds of trips and excursions outside the classroom - from wine trails, treks through the Tuscan hills, tours on the architecture and history of Montepulciano - and my personal favourite: an Italian cooking class with a real Italian mamma! Throughout my stay I boarded with an elderly Italian couple in their home (which was only 3 minutes walk from Il Sasso), and so, every day (after classes finished at midday), I arrived home to a mouth-watering, home-cooked Italian lunch! I don't think I've ever eaten better in my life. If you have the opportunity to board with an Italian family, I highly recommend it, because it's a real insight into Italian culture, cuisine and custom. And, of course, you get the chance to practise your Italian with real Italians! Every day in that home, when I threw open the green shutters on my bedroom window, and looked down into the sun-drenched, fresh-aired valley, complete with the magnificient San Biagio church in the distance, I thanked my lucky stars that I'd chosen to do a course at Il Sasso. |
| Submitted by: | Alida 26 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: NZ, Newton, Welllington |
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