Arcadia Italy

Our Arcadia in Rome program is very focused on engaging our students in every aspect of the Italian and Roman life, which is one of the many reasons that most of our students decide to study here. Tutoring Italian families on English has been, in fact​, one of our most popular and successful Co-Curricular Learning activities.

The idea is to spend a few hours per week with an Italian family. During this time, students speak in English to the host parents and their kids, whose ages vary from 5-15, in exchange for becoming one of the family for an afternoon or evening. Some receive ​cooking lessons, ​a sit-down family meal and even ​care packages. 

​As we developed our network of families, who are mostly but not always Roman, we realized that this activity is much more than a simple exchange. Generally, a few days after matching students and families, we start hearing comments like “my host sister is so cute!” or “my host mom made the most delicious Carbonara last night!”

Very quickly, students become much more comfortable. They would spend hours around the table for dinner, watching TV, playing games with the kids and sometimes discussing about politics or economy with their parents.

Host families are excited to learn and improve their English and love to share the characteristics of their country, culture and cuisine with students. Students also learn new Italian words, taught to them by their host siblings. They like to repeat these to us​ the morning after, when they stop by the Rome ​Center.

By the middle of the semester students consider themselves members of their "family" and start seeing more similarities than differences between their life in Rome and ​in the US. They get to know themselves and start reflecting on their own identity. They discover new interests while ​enjoying a new home​ and new family

What a life changing experience!

Here are excerpts from previous students reflection pieces:

One of my most memorable experiences while with my family was with the little girl, Matilda. She was very shy and was almost not interested in working with me until one day when I was helping her with her English homework. We had been working through her English booklet and then we were drawing pictures after and I was helping her with the English meaning of her pictures. By the end of our meeting, Matilda drew me a picture of myself and signed the back, which made me feel very special and that I had made a difference." - Emily Dorset, St. Mary's College of Maryland

I learned that I am very close minded. I live in my own little world that I was brought up in and I tend not to leave that bubble. This experience helped me to develop my communication skills. It showed me that I need to keep an open mind and try to communicate in different ways. Although I may understand what I am saying someone else may not". - Lauren Hoch, Arcadia University

The family I tutored showed the upmost excitement upon every visit I made. They opened up their door to me with warm homely hospitality. I taught three children English and in return they helped me with my Italian. We struggled together when trying to pronounce words which in the end helped us all learn together... After game and study time was over we would all sit down for dinner together and discuss daily activities. The mother, who is a wonderful cook, would always have a classic Italian style dinner prepared for the nights I would come. Having traditional Italian food was a very nice benefit that came with this amazing experience." - Brogan Faso, University of Illinois Urbana