Joinki the Culture Connector

I would advise everyone who chooses JOINKI to be open-minded and ready to be mind-blown. The people and natural wonders of the region will give you the best experience of your life. Get up early every morning to watch sunrise (you are not going to regret it); you will also get done more this way.

Also, try to step out of your comfort zone in that way you will actually be able to learn some new aspects of life in a different country. Additionally, try to bring your own materials (children books, dictionaries, textbooks) to teach a language that you will. It saves up so much time and makes the process easier since you will come prepared.

You would spend 3-4 hours a day on teaching English to family members. If you choose to do it in the morning, you would have more time to go around and explore the region during the rest of the day. To be completely honest, your schedule in this program depends on your agreement with a family you are staying with.

There will be a few meetings with JOINKI participants that you will schedule beforehand and, of course, weekly Italian language lesson that you schedule with your own teacher. Weekends are free for you to wander further away from the region.

I didn't really know what to expect because it was my first experience abroad all by myself. I was afraid that of a thought that I won't like it and that I would feel too homesick that I would quit.

I overcame my fears when I met a wonderful family I was staying with. They really made me feel safe and like home. Also, the JOINKI team who constantly checked up on me and encouraged me to explore Italy with them. I forgot about all those fears within a first few days in the country. It was amazing how fast I felt good being in a foreign country.

JOINKI became like a family to me. I still keep in touch with the manager and the family I taught English to. We joke around, we share news. Now that I think about it, I wouldn't have spent my summer anywhere else. If I could, I would have stayed for longer even.

This program made me feel welcome. I can truly say that I got that unique taste of culture and I lived like a true Italian, which was one of the best experiences of my life.

One of our tutors wrote: “I’m so happy that I was able to live with a real Italian family and travel through Italy not like a tourist, but like I were one of the citizens”. That’s what Joinki also wants to show: that there is a possibility to live a real experience with a real Italian family in a true Italian environment.

The program Joinki offers is in my opinion a great opportunity to take. If I were an applicant I would definitely choose it! Joinki’s program is a true cocktail of culture, language, people, nature, wonderful experiences and great achievements. Joinki tutors have the possibility to put themselves on the line, to let Italian people discover their language and culture, and in return tutors are able to explore Italian natural and cultural heritage and to learn a different from their own life style.

What differentiates Joinki’s program from other cultural programs is its continuous search for the best quality and best experiences to offer to its participants. Every tutor is unique and Joinki offers him/her its customized and exclusive experience. I’m proud of Joinki’s team every time we receive positive feedback from our participants. They encourage us to go on and improve. It’s important to us to understand that we are on a right track.

People are, of course, a biggest factor in being a successful company. Working in a team gives the company way more ideas and inspirations than one of the members just working alone. Moreover, it is not just who works for Joinki who makes it successful, but also the tutors and host families who are continuously giving the company a big urge and motivation.