Benvenuti a Roma! - Summer School Roma 2020

 

"I can say that it was only in Rome that I felt what a human being really is. I never returned to this height, to this glee of sensation ever again.”

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

For thousands of years, Rome has captivated visitors from all over the world. In August, 24 participants of the Italian language courses at the language centre were able to experience the fascination of the eternal city at first hand. Together with their Italian teacher Dr. Lino Meli, the group had a whole month from August 1st to 29th to discover the city, learn more about its culture, work on their language skills and, of course, taste all kinds of local specialities.

The Summer School Roma 2020 offered the participants a special programme. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the programme had to constantly be adapted to the current safety precautions. Despite the difficult conditions, Dr. Meli managed to present the students with a multifaceted picture of his home country.

Since learning a foreign language only really becomes solidified through its use, there was probably no better place for a language course than Rome. The knowledge acquired in the daily units could be tested in practice immediately afterwards. Within only one month, depending on the amounts of previous knowledge, it was possible to complete language level A2, B1 or B2, due to the intensive course format. Dr. Meli was consistently able to convey his fascination of the Italian language and bring it to life.

The language content was regularly enriched with practical elements, such as shopping or visiting restaurants. With a delicious espresso in the bar or typical Roman specialities, such as Matriciana or Carbonara, learning the language is much more fun.

In addition, the courses included lectures on Italian culture or daily topics. The Siegen group was able to ask the Bishop of West Rome questions about the current situation of the Church in Italy or discuss the current situation of national science with two scholars. The varied programme was rounded off by weekly cultural days, each of which focused on a different historical period. This way, students were able to experience the long history of Rome from classical antiquity to the present day.

Another highlight was a day trip to Naples. The lively, multicultural city left a lasting impression on many students and invited them to compare the Neapolitan and Roman pizza. Within the four weeks, the participants naturally had plenty of time to make their own explorations. Besides the well-known sights, such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon, there were also enough opportunities to explore corners of the city that are not mentioned in most travel guides. So everybody could discover their own personal favourite places.

The planning for Summer School Roma 2021 is already in full swing. There will be a varied programme again next year. You will find all the information about this as soon as possible on the homepage of the language centre.