Luisa Linsalata

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After graduating in Russian, Luisa moved to Moscow, where she worked at International House. In 2008, she came back to Sicily and has since taught the Italian and culture to thousands of students from around the world.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Petra and the desert of Wadi Rum in Jordan left me a whole set of memories that will stay with me forever: the deep colors and amazing shapes of the canyons, the warm welcome from the Bedouins, the simple yet delicious food... Then in Petra I climbed and trekked my way and rode on horseback to visit every inch of this incredible place!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Over the years I have learnt one thing: being a good teacher means to understand how the students learn best and to recognise that each student has specific learning needs.

As a teacher, I need to guide the class into a learning environment in which all are comfortable, not just the best of them. And I must adapt my teaching style to facilitate the learning of different students.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Being a school that caters for almost all age groups (teenagers, young adults, adults, seniors), Scuola Virgilio has had many returning students. Adults and seniors are those who tend to return again and again, and one of them has so fallen in love with Trapani that he has bought a second home here and he comes every year to spend at least three months.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Scuola Virgilio's homestay course at the teacher's home is definitely an experience worth making for all those who want to find out about the real life of people in southern Italy in general and Sicily in particular. The lessons are mostly held outside thanks to the warm weather so you can explore a lot of different places and contexts, from food markets to archaeological sites.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

The staff I've been working with for the last few year are probably the friendliest and most helpful bunch of people I've ever found in a workplace. All students are always given a warm welcome on their first day and, whatever their needs and requests, there is always someone there to help them and to make their language holiday a fulfilling experience.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Being successful stems from a complex mix of several ingredients, ranging from the professionalism of your staff to the extent of your network of contacts, but above all things I think that human contact is the most important factor of all: if you make people from all parts of the world feel at home, then you definitely reach success.