Internship in Acting - Patricia Rovere de Santi

Hi Patricia, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am from Brazil, and I just graduated from university where I studied economy and international relations. I'm also an actress. I wanted to come to Firenze to do an internship so that I could learn, visit another country, and just do something I've never done before. I'm thinking of doing a master's degree in economy and I want to continue studying acting at a specialized acting school.

So you studied economy, but it seems that your true passion is acting. How did this passion start?

I don't really know, I guess it started when I was little. My mother brought me to an acting school because I was really shy and she thought it would make me loosen up, make me more confident. I started doing it and loved it. I then joined a different acting group when I went to high school. I never thought I could make a career out of it because I was so shy, and I didn't think it was for people like me. But after a couple of years I realized that what made me happy was acting. My parents supported my passion, but it's good to have another diploma, and that's why I studied economy. I'm really glad I did because it opened my eyes to social issues that I hadn't known about before.

Why did you decide to intern in Italy?

I was in school, and an agent from Istituto came into my class talking about the possibility to do an internship in economy or acting in Firenze, and that's where I got the Idea. Then it all worked out and here I am!

Tell us a little bit about your internship. What kind of projects are you working on?

I just finished the first part of my internship, in acting. And I was just invited by the same acting group to be a part of another play. I'm going to figure out if I can, if its possible for me to stay and everything. Now that I'm finished, I'm going to visit London for a couple weeks, but when I come back I want to get an internship in international relations because I really want to experience it all.

So in my acting internship, I worked with a company and did a play based on a novel. The company had already been working on the play for about four months before I came, so I had to talk with the director and see how I could fit in. It worked out and I'm really glad that I could participate in the play.

Did you like the Italian course?

Yes I really liked it. Especially because, in the first month the class was really crowded, but in the second month, it was just me and a couple other students and we became really close friends. It was comfortable coming to school because I really liked these people and I'm going to miss them so much.

What do you like the most about Italy and about Florence?

I really like that I can just walk around everywhere. In Brazil, because my house is so far away from everything, I have to drive all the time. But here I can just walk everywhere in the city center. It's more peaceful, it's good for me. You feel safe walking around, and you can see all the beautiful things. I really like the proportions of Florence. It's not too big, and after a couple of weeks you become familiar with the city and it's easy to get around without getting lost.

Overall, what did you think of your internship experience?

I loved it, I recommend it to everyone. It was a wonderful experience, especially in acting. It challenged me because I had to speak in another language. My teacher and the theater director were great though and really helped me a lot.

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The Ultimate Internship in Florence: Laura Tressel

Laura enjoying Italy's cuisine and sunshine. 

I’ve dreamed of Italy since a young age, when my parents first gave me a book filled with wonderful images and descriptions of the country. My college, University of San Diego, offers some of the best study abroad progams in the country, and when the time came to choose one, it was a very easy decision. Last fall I had the amazing opportunity to study here in Florence. I became infatuated with everything about the city: its culture that mixes modernity with ancient history, its people who come from different cities and countries all over the world to lend their talents to the diversity, and the feeling it gave me every morning when I awoke to the roar of vespas and the smell of leather and freshly baked bread. By the end of my time abroad, I had already made up my mind to return.

That’s when I discovered Istituto Europeo. I am currently studying English, Business, and Communications, and have special interests in journalism and editing, as well as marketing. Istituto Europeo offered me this internship for the summer, which has given me the opportunity to return to my beloved city, and also to gain experience in blogging and marketing, which will greatly attribute to my educational and professional growth. Someday I would like to work in the publishing industry and for now I am happy to any and all opportunities available to me.

During my second stay in Florence, I want to dig deeper into the secrets of the city. I want to visit the museums that are sometimes overlooked and discover restaraunts that deserve more attention. I want to experience the many festivals that take place in and around Florence during the summer. I hope I will get to see this city in a new light, and grow in my understanding of its culture and everyday lifestyle. I’m extremely grateful for my internship here at Istituto Europeo and all the opportunities it gives me to expand my knowledge of Florence.

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Ernesto Alvarado from USA, internship in Sports

Ernesto with Luca Toni (middle), 
soccer player in the Italian National team

My experience in Italy will be one that I will soon not forget. I will probably remember this experience for my entire life! From August until May I was given the opportunity to train and play with an Italian soccer team and see how the daily operations of a soccer team play out from training day to game day.

I arrived in Florence in August and had to learn basic Italian before I was able to go to training for the team. The team is called U.S. Cerbaia and it is located in the small town of Cerbaia about 40 minutes away from the city center. Once I arrived I soon found out that the team was very warm and all my teammates welcomed me with open arms.

On Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Saturday mornings, I would have training with Cerbaia. I commuted to Cerbaia on the SITA bus and returned home with one of the players. Usually on Tuesdays we would work on cardiovascular fitness, quick changes of speed, agility and muscle endurance. Thursdays consisted of technical work with the ball, various scrimmages, small sided games and an 11 v. 11 senario at the end of this practice. Saturday mornings would be tactical training with light running, working on set pieces, and shadow play with little pressure.

On Sundays the games were played. Cerbaia played many different teams from around the outskirts of Florence including Grevigana and Porta Romana. I was able to do the pregame warm ups with the team but was not able to play in official games due to visa problems. Watching the games on Sunday, I could see how the tactics used in the Italian game differed from the U.S. and other countries. The high level of commitment and work by the team led to Cerbaia winning the championship this year!

At the end of the season there was a scrimmage against Serie A team Empoli FC that was played out in the official stadium. I was given the opportunity to play against pro players that will be competing in the UEFA Cup next year and play in a pro stadium. Needless to say the experience was remarkable.

I gained so much from my soccer internship both on and off the field. I became a better player as well as a better and smarter person. I was able to live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world and play in the country with the best soccer in the world. I will never forget Florence or my experiences there!

“The team Cerbaia won
the championship this year!”

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Arianna Ghazi from USA, internship in Arts

Arianna Ghazi: “This job is perfect for me”

I’ve worked at an art gallery in Florence for almost two months, and I like it a lot. I studied art at university, and now I study Italian here, so this job is perfect for me. When I work, I can practice my Italian while I learn the business. Usually I speak with clients that come into the gallery, and I also write to them. Sometimes I go with my boss to see some of the artists whose works are in the gallery. This experience is very fun for me. My boss is very nice, and I like to talk to the tourists who come into the gallery. I hope that one day I will be able to show my works in a gallery like the one I've worked at.

Arianna's supervisor says: "Our Gallery Internship is decidedly a positive experience. The students often collaborate on writing critical texts in English about our artists and participate in a constant exchange of ideas and incentives. Personally I find that through their presence and through the freshness of their ideas, I am able to find constant stimulus, which leads me to approach my work as a gallery director from new angles."

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James Capuana from USA, internship in Sports

James Capuana
“I was going to work with a professional basketball team”

When I initially arrived in Florence I thought that I was going to work with a professional basketball team. But there was one huge problem that deterred me from attaining this goal. The problem was that I had never studied Italian before, and therefore was not capable of working with a professional team. But I think that this honestly worked out very well for me. After a month of studying the language I began my “coaching internship” with two different developmental teams. The players on these teams range from the ages of 14 to 17 years old.

At first I felt a little let down because I had such great expectations of working with a professional team. But I thought to myself, “James, you are in Florence and have a great opportunity to learn about a different language and culture while earning credits towards your degree at the University at Buffalo, and having the opportunity to work with players during the most crucial period in their young basketball careers.” So I made the most of the situation and I honestly could not be any happier.

I attend school Monday through Friday from 9 am until 12:30 pm. After school I have lunch and then take the bus to practice about 4 times a week. The head coach of the team, Lapo Falvoti, is a very nice individual who thankfully speaks Italian and English. The first few practices were very frustrating for me because I was still new to the language and I often scratched my head and asked myself, “What is the point of these drills.” But, I knew that I was new to the team and the European style of basketball. So I helped out in the drills and did whatever the head coach asked me to do. After a few practices things started to look up. Once the coach became aware that I had a pretty vast knowledge of basketball, he began to let me have more input on practices and games. This was a huge turning point in my internship because it allowed me to utilize all of the talent and knowledge I have gained throughout the years from both playing and coaching. I was finally able to show the players and coaching staff different aspects of the game of basketball that they have not really seen or experienced. Basketball is fairly new in Italy and is beginning to gain popularity. The European style of this sport is very different from that of the United States.
This style includes drills in practice, offensive and defensive formations, and in general the manner in which the game is played. But I realized that I am not Michael Jordan or Phil Jackson; I still have a lot to learn in my youthful coaching career. Before I arrived in Italy I did a lot of research and read a lot of articles on the differences between the two styles of the game. It is very clear that American players are better in certain aspects of the game, but it is quite foolish to think that everything we do is better.

“The players on this team ranged 
from the ages of 14 to 17 years old”

Basketball is continuously changing as many European players are beginning to dominate in the NBA, so they must be doing something right. I feel that coaching the European style of basketball has given me the greatest opportunity in my youthful career. I have not only been able to teach the players and the coaching staff about the style of the game in the United States, but more importantly they have taught me a lot about the European style of the game. This diverse knowledge has completely changed my approach to the game of basketball both as a player and a coach. My new philosophy toward the game of basketball is to take the best of both worlds and combine the two styles of the game into one cohesive style.

Last weekend we had a very important playoff game with one of the teams. The team that we played had beaten us by 15 points two weeks prior to this game. I was unfortunately unable to attend the game that we lost to this team. But last Saturday was a new day and a new game. The first half of the game was very close and we went into halftime down by 2 points. In the locker room the head coach asked me what I thought we should do differently in the second half.

“The European style of this sport is very different”

I will not bore you with basketball terminology, but I basically told him that we needed to pressure the other team and play man to man defense. I thought that this would catch the other team off guard because most teams in Europe tend to play zone defense. I told the coach and the team that they needed to put pressure on the opposing team and “stay in their faces” on defense. The coach put his trust in me and told the team to play man to man defense in the second half. The coach gave me the clipboard and I explained to the players what they had to do. This had an immediate impact on the game as we went up by 10 points within 5 minutes. We ended up winning the game by 22 points against the highly favored opposition. That night the Buffalo Sabres, my home hockey team, were defeated in the playoffs. For once in my life I did not care. I was so exhilarated that I was able to make a contribution to the team’s win. After the game the coach told the players that I was leaving the following week to travel around Europe. The players were absolutely crushed and said that they need me to be there for the semi-finals and finals of the playoffs which take place on the 3rd and 4th of June. That night I tossed and turned in bed and did not get one wink of sleep. The following day I called the coach and told him that I had cancelled my plans to travel around Europe. I simply can not leave these kids high and dry. They have worked so hard in practice and have come so far since I first worked with them in March. The coach and the team are thrilled about my decision to stay. I just hope that I will be able to contribute as much to their semi-final and championship game as I contributed in the previous game.

When I first thought about studying abroad I read numerous pamphlets for programs provided by several different schools. But one pamphlet stood out to me more than any other. This brochure was sponsored by my university and advertised a study abroad program that claimed to be different from the rest. I remember reading about the various internship programs being offered for the spring semester. This pamphlet seemed to say all of the predictable things that any other typical study abroad program says. But as I continued to read I stumbled upon a statement that ultimately caused me to apply for this internship. This phrase not only “sealed the deal” on which program to choose; but it has honestly “held true” throughout this whole semester. The phrase described how the internship program was different from any other study abroad program because it will provide the student with the most “unique opportunity” of their life. My university has not only lived up to this high expectation, but has somehow surpassed it in so many ways that I can not even describe.
I can not express how thankful I am for the opportunity to have this “unique” experience that has completely changed who I am and who I will eventually be.

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Hanna Emelie Jonasson from Sweden, internship in Fashion

When I arrived in Florence 3 months ago, I had some doubts about my stay here in Florence. But my experience here was so good that I decided to stay longer: one year. My internship was by a fashion company. In this company I made a lot of things, but above all I researched for my new collection.

I recommend this experience. But one has to be prepared to make many and different things, for this you need to have initiative and work hard. To improve the language is a good opportunity.

According to my supervisor at the company, hosting student interns is in any agency’s best interest. For a company in the fashion sector, having international interns is essential. In addition to providing a way of working with new people, it creates an environment where a constant flux of ideas comes from students who, coming from different countries, contribute their own unique perspectives to the agency. It’s vital for a fashion company to exchange ideas with others who can share their differing points of view on fashion. Still, the students do not benefit as much as they could, according to my supervisor. While the company provides many opportunities for interns, many of them limit themselves to simple office work.

An internship is a tremendous opportunity for the students, both linguistically and professionally. The student should push their capacities to the limit and show a spirit of initiative during their time at the agency in order to procure the maximum possibilities for their professional futures. In the fashion sector, the most talented students are usually the Europeans, especially the Belgians.

In many cases, the students often end up doing internships more to please their families than to satisfy any interest they may have in research. RESEARCH is in fact the most important element of the internship, according to my supervisor.

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Tanja Tammimies: una oyente finlandesa en el Istituto Europeo

de Ilaria Gelichi
traducción por Ana Peinado

Tanja cuéntanos algo sobre ti. De dónde vienes, a qué te dedicas,…

Soy Tanja Tammimies y soy de Finlandia. Soy profera de finlandés en Oulun Aikuiskoulutuskeskus, el Adult Education Centre in Oulu, Finlandia. Vine a Florencia a través del programa Leonardo Da Vinci para visitar el Istituto Europeo, conocer el método de enseñanza de la lengua, cultura y música y saber cómo trabaja el colegio.

¿Qué tipo de estudiantes tienes en tu centro en Finlandia?

Tengo muchos tipos de estudiantes, de todas partes del mundo. Muchos maridos y mujeres de gente finlandesa, refugiados, gente que terminó su trabajo en Oulu y decidió quedarse.

En tu opinion, ¿cuáles son los problemas más comunes en tu trabajo?

Al principio es difícil porque el filandés es muy diferente a la mayoría de idiomas. Como aquí, enseñamos solo en filandés porque es muy duro para los principiantes, pero después las cosas van mejorando. Por supuesto, a veces la motivación de estudiar una lengua extraña puede ser un problema. En Finlandia puedes sobrevivir con el inglés. Podrías vivir 20 años en Finlandia sin aprender finlandés. Por esta razón es muy difícil de encontrar una motivación para estudiar la lengua del país, yo creo incluso que en todos los países aprender la lengua es realmente clave para la sociedad. Así que si quieres vivir en un país deberías aprender su idioma.

¿Podrías contarnos más sobre el proyecto por el que vinistes?

El nombre del proyecto es Leonardo da Vinci Mobility Program. Está financiado y cordinado por CIMO, el Centre for International Mobility en Finlandia. El colegio que lo cordina está en Tampere, luego hay otros colegios participantes, como el mío. Conseguimos seis plazas para profesores para ir al extranjero para desarrollar relaciones interculturales entre nuestro colegio y otros colegios y desarrollar la experiencia profesional del profesor. Por ejemplo, si estuviera enseñando cocina en Finlandia podría ir a un colegio de cocina aquí para aprender cocina italiana. En mi caso, el objetivo es aprender algo nuevo sobre mi profesión-enseñar la lengua- en otro país.

Hablemos sobre Florencia, ¿habías estado alguna vez aquí? ¿Qués es lo que más te gusta de la ciudad, y de Italia en general?

Sí, había estado aquí muchas veces. Me gusta mucho Florencia, es por eso que viví antes aquí, así que para mí es familiar. De Italia en general me gusta la cultura de ser abierto: los italianos son más sociables que los finlandeses, estás más en contacto con la gente, horarios más flexibles,… Me gusta el estilo de vida, la forma en la que disfrutas de la comida y el tiempo para prepararla y comerla; en Finlandia no tenemos tanta cultura de comida. También, otra cualidad que los italianos tienen es lo orgullosos que están de su cultura y cómo saben mostrarla a los demás: en Finlandia no es lo mismo, somos un poco tímidos respecto a esto. También me encanta el arte y Florencia es única en “art content”: si estudias arte o arquitectura tienes que venir a Florencia, ¡no te puedes perder esta ciudad!

¿Cómo fue esta experiencia en el Istituto Europeo?

Ha sido genial. Asistiendo a las clases de italiano como oyente, podia sentir como se siente uno de mis estudiantes. En la clase la profesora habla solo italiano y por primera vez tuve la oportunidad de conocer a estudiantes extranjeros, con los que podia solo hablar en italiano porque no teníamos otros idiomas en común. Me gusta el colegio, las clases y los profesores son geniales: ha sido una experiencia interesante.

Por último, ¿tienes algún consejo que dar a alguien joven que quiera ser profesor? ¿Qué cualidades debe tener?

Ser abierto con la gente, estar preparado para enseñar, experimentar y dar todo de tí mismo. La cosa más importante es comunicarte con la gente, así que un buen profesor debe tener buenas habilidades para la comunicación,… ¡y mucha paciencia, también!

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