Tell us a little about yourself. What position do you hold in Florence?
Giuseppe: I am an English teacher and TEFL trainer. I teach standard English at all levels and also Business English and IELTS prep courses. I was raised bilingual Italian-English. After graduating in London and working for some tour operators I decided to move to Italy. I was looking for a TEFL course in a new place to then move to Rome. Florence was the obvious choice. I took the course and just when I was ready to start looking for a job in Rome I realized Florence had grown on me much more than expected. I got a job offer from the centre I had been trained in and never moved to Rome. Over the years continued my studies and nowadays I am also a TEFL trainer.
What makes Florence a unique destination to obtain TEFL Certification?
Giuseppe: Do I really need to answer this? Florence is one the most beautiful cities you’ll ever see! The Renaissance, the food, the markets, the wines, the Tuscan hills, and many other major attractions and cities are less than a couple of hours away. Florence is in many ways ideal for a TEFL course. It offers a magnificent setting where everything is truly within walking distance. Students will work hard and then have many opportunities to enjoy their stay by relaxing over a glass of wine from one of the bars overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, visit the many museums and palaces or head for the hills.
What are some extracurricular activities students participate in during this course?
Giuseppe: Wine tours are very popular as well as the Tuscan hills tours. Most students go for guided tours of Central Florence and museums as the heritage is very “rich”! Day or weekend trips are also popular with destinations such as Pisa, Rome, Venice and Milan being under two hours away.
Do students generally stay in Florence to teach after completing this course?
Giuseppe: Quite a few students do stay in Florence and start teaching. They even stay and teach here at Centro Toscano, as was my case. I came here for the course in 2006 and was soon offered a position. So, I’d definitely say yes to that. For many reasons a TEFL course is ideal to move to a new country where we have limited language skills. It gives you well-paid work from day one and with English becoming more and more the global language Italians need to improve their language skills.
What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering obtaining TEFL Certification in Florence?
Giuseppe: Florence is a beautiful place that offers a great quality of life. It's not more expensive than any other city and isn’t dangerous or too big. It's a great place to be!