Since the Fall of 2017, I had the privilege of knowing Signora Farina, the CCP Italian 2605 teacher from YSU, who was present second and third period at Poland Seminary High School.

I had known that I had a passion for the Italian language since my freshman year of high school, but it wasn’t until Signora Farina’s class that I realized I truly wanted to pursue Italian after high school.

She lived in Italy for almost a decade, in regions such as Sicily, Campania, and Puglia, and then moved back to the US within the last year. Given that she had lived in Italy, she speaks Italian with fluency.

What I appreciated about her class is that it wasn’t just a grammar/textbook-approach; she encouraged us all to speak. Everything she had to say was always so fascinating, and she often related our lessons to experiences she had while living in the country itself.

She gave us the opportunity of going to YSU for a day and meeting one of the Italian professors in order to learn more about pursuing Italian in college, and it felt right to me.

Once I graduate, I will major in Italian and minor in linguistics, with plans to become an Italian professor in the future.

Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Signora Farina, as she will be moving to fulfill a new journey/job, but she will always remain one of my favorite teachers, and I will remember her as I work toward pursuing my future career.