Teach English in Italy and Austria Summer 2019

This summer, I worked for ten weeks as a Tutor with the English Camp Company. I completed five two-week camp sessions, spending four weeks in Italy and six weeks in Austria.

Working with the English Camp Company was the most eye-opening, enriching, incredibly fulfilling, and life-changing opportunity that I have ever undertaken. Without a doubt, this was the best summer of my life. The English Camp Company exceeded my summer job expectations. My only regret is that the summer and my time as a tutor with the English Camp had to come to an end -

Thank you to the company co-founders/owners Ashleigh and Nate Poerio.

Ashleigh and Nate are the head of The English Camp Company. They hire the tutors and directors and greet them when they arrive in Italy for orientation. They are very kind, amiable, and caring individuals. Ashleigh and Nate run orientation training themselves. They make tutors and directors feel welcome and appreciated from the start. Throughout my entire summer experience, I felt entirely supported. Ashleigh and Nate were there to answer any questions or concerns that I had. Communication throughout the whole summer was nothing but excellent. Ashleigh and Nate work tirelessly to ensure that tutors, directors, campers, host families, and everyone involved have a positive summer camp experience. It is evident that they are incredibly passionate about the work that they do. I can't thank them enough for making my summer 2019 so memorable.

Tutors and directors attend a (very fun!) one-week intensive orientation where they meet other E.C.C staff and learn everything there is to know about the English Camp. English Camp orientation is well organized and in-depth. Tutors are placed into a multitude of different groups comprised of people that possess diverse experiences and personalities. In these groups, tutors work as a team to perform a variety of tasks and activities. As part of orientation, tutors and directors have the opportunity to complete a mock-camp day at a local primary school.

After orientation week, I felt confident and well prepared to go into my first day of English Camp.

Every two weeks, tutors and directors change camp locations and host families. No two places are the same, and often each different work location is with an entirely new group of people than the last. Therefore, each camp is incredibly unique and a new experience every time. The success of each camp is vital to the communication and cohesiveness of the staff. In this position, you are always collaborating with a team. You will meet amazing people from all over the world who will teach you so much and who will bring diverse ideas and viewpoints to the table.

Adaptability and flexibility are critical components of this position. Tutors are responsible for preparing English lessons for their class of children. In this position, tutors must continuously adapt and adjust to the different levels, needs, and interests of every student in their class at each different camp. English is taught through interactive games, songs, and activities. Creativity and enthusiasm are essential to making English learning exciting for the campers.

You will be amazed at how much your students will grow and become more confident in speaking English as the camp progresses. On Friday of the second week, your class will perform an original musical play (created by the tutor) for their parents. The most rewarding feeling in the world is watching your students nail the performance that they worked so hard on.

The relationships that you will form with your students are priceless. Saying goodbye at the completion of each camp will hurt every single time.

The English Camp Company places tutors and directors with Italian and Austrian host families. Most times, each staff member will have their own host family. Host families will go out of their way to make you feel at home and like a member of their family. They will take you to the coolest local places, show you amazing scenery that a tourist would miss, bring you to family events, and feed you some of the best authentic foods that you will ever taste. Host families are so excited to share everything there is to know about their culture with you and will want to learn about yours as well!

As an English Camp Tutor/Director, you will be working with youth Monday-Friday from 9-5. Additionally, you will be living with children from the camp in your homestay. This job can be demanding and tiring at points. You must genuinely love working with youth and bring that passion and energy to the job. If you are invested in the values of the program, it won't ever feel like work.

If you are seeking a fully immersive cultural experience that leaves you speechless, breaks your heart every time you have to leave a location, creates inseparable connections between you and individuals from all over the world, and changes you in all the best ways, this is the program for you.