Staff Spotlight: Janina Mäkirinne

Janina has a deep passion for immersing herself in new cultures, languages, and societies because she has always been intrigued by the social nature of humans. She is a travel enthusiast which has led her to master the economics of tourism and to choose a career path that is complementary to her personal interests and values.

My favorite travel experience is my first trip to Sicily with a group old friends. We decided to rent a car and drive around the island along the coast since we all were crazy about beaches. We started the journey by driving straight to the Etna volcano and have a little hike amongst the clouds and watch the sunset on the horizon.

The next moment we found ourselves hitting the waves with our surfboards near the city of Syracuse which had crystal clear waters and clean white sand to galore. One of the memorable moments of the trip was a chocolate making session in Modica where the professionals taught us how to make your own chocolate from scratch.

And of course, I will never forget the wine tasting where we were introduced not only to Sicilian wines but also to the local cuisine. Sicily is definitely a place where you eat well and never run out of things to do and places to see.

It’s hard to choose only one from the many that we offer, especially since my interests go further than just one area of the programs. However, I would choose the Italian+ option just in general (which means that the Italian language classes and activities are included), and then pick out and combine different excursions and activities from different programs.

This way it’s possible to have a little taste of everything; a cooking class on how to make Sicilian specialties from the Food and Wine program, a hike to Etna volcano from the Sicilian Adventure program and a visit to Greek amphitheater from the History, Myths and Culture program.

We are unique because every single member of our staff is dedicated to creating memorable experiences and always ready to go the extra mile to guarantee satisfaction and make sure everyone’s stay is as productive and enjoyable as possible. We are the best at what we do and that is what makes us unique.

I am always proud of my team when we receive good feedback from students. Every time we get a returning student to the Academy to study, it is a confirmation that we have done something right. I cherish the feeling of joy when a student is excited to re-enter the program for the second time. It makes me feel very proud of myself and the whole team and moreover, it tells us that we have accomplished something important with all of the efforts put into our work.

I think in order for a company to be successful it is essential to have a team that works seamlessly and effortlessly together. Good team work is the key for everything. It is always up to the management of the company to recognize the blend of experiences and to see each individual’s strengths in order to place them in the right positions inside the company, and to build a strong, qualified team of people.