Jesse Rico, Oakland University, Rochester, USA
“As an instructor, I can say that their methodology for learning a second language is top notch. The instructors are knowledgeable and warm. Your experience in Babilonia will give you a complete immersion not only into the language, but also other aspects of Italian culture. Class is interactive and fun, and everyone learns a lot from each other and the teachers. The town of Taormina could not be more beautiful, and Babilonia goes out of its way to give you a fantastic experience all around by helping you find lodging and offering lots of fun, free events to help you explore Sicily and Italian language and culture. I was surprised, as well, by how affordable the experience was. I highly recommend it.”
(Jesse Rico, Oakland University, Rochester, USA)
Taormina, Sicily is an ideal location to study abroad for a semester or yearlong program for the student who is interested in total immersion into the Italian culture and language. Host families extend learning during relaxed dinner conversations during the traditional Sicilian meals provided.
International internship programs in Taormina, Sicily provids a meaningful professional hands-on experience allowing students to build their knowledge of the global workplace, enhance intercultural skills and boost employment desirability. All internships programs are conducted in Italian.
Summer study abroad programs in Taormina, Sicily, students are entrenched with the historically diverse cultures of the Mediterranean reflected in Sicily’s art, architecture, food and culture. After classes students escape to Taormina’s world renowned beaches and relax completing assignments lounging on pebble beaches with pristine turquoise water.
Graduate students and teachers can also earn professional development credits for graduate courses in Italian Studies. Babilonia – Center for Italian Language and Culture is a recognized institution approved for students receiving FLAS (Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowships) grants through their home institutions.
International internship programs in Taormina, Sicily provids a meaningful professional hands-on experience allowing students to build their knowledge of the global workplace, enhance intercultural skills and boost employment desirability. All internships programs are conducted in Italian.
Our school awards a limited number of scholarships and financial aid to outstanding students to support their Italian Studies in Italy. Scholarships may be used for Semester Programs, January or Summer Programs. Awards are based on academic merit and genuine interest in learning the Italian language. No previous Italian language study is required.
For the past 15 years Annual Teacher Study Grant Scholarships have been awarded to a dynamic instructor who has not only made extraordinary contributions to the expansion of Italian language and culture in his/her schools and local community but who is also committed to continuing to promote the Italian language and culture upon return from Italy.
I’ve been to a few good schools in Italy and this was the best school and the best location.
Dorcas Herr , Spanish Language Instructor, Rogue Community College
Would never have gone anywhere else. Absolutely fantastic!
Davide Uccello, Grand Valley State University
Wonderful and unique experience where learning the Italian language is a pleasure. highly recommended for everyone.
Javier Zenil Peña , University of Illinois
As an instructor, I can say that their methodology for learning a second language is top notch. The instructors are knowledgeable and warm. Your experience in Babilonia will give you a complete immersion not only into the language, but also other aspects of Italian culture. Class is interactive and fun, and everyone learns a lot from each other and the teachers. The town of Taormina could not be more beautiful, and Babilonia goes out of its way to give you a fantastic experience all around by helping you find lodging and offering lots of fun, free events to help you explore Sicily and Italian language and culture. I was surprised, as well, by how affordable the experience was. I highly recommend it.
Jesse Rico , Oakland University, Rochester, USA
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Study abroad programs provide an experience of a lifetime!
Here some good reasons to choose a study abroad program in Italy:
Upon entering the professional world, you need to stand out among the rest. Your resume should grab the attention of your prospective employer. Studying abroad demonstrates that you have the drive to develop a deeper understanding of community on a global scale.
As a proverb says, “A man who speaks two languages is worth twice as much.”
Learning another language allows you to explore and learn more about others and how they live. The ability to speak another language provides great opportunity for those who are seeking connections with others. Communication is how we relate to each other, by having another language at your disposition only creates more possibilities when building and expanding upon one’s understanding of the world.
Complete immersion in the host country demands that you participate as well as contribute to the community. As opposed to a vacation where you barely scratch the surface, living in a different country challenges your character. Adapting and adopting new traditions and customs takes time, time to truly indulge oneself in a new way of living.
With studying abroad comes meeting people of various backgrounds. You are not only experiencing life of the country in which you are in, yet you are creating relationships with others. What this does is gives you an international pool filled with cultures from all over the world, unified in a common goal.
Within this new community, you will find that you bond with others who are also in the same position as you are. These friendships are made organically as everyone is pursuing the same goal. Learning together as well as from each other establishes a certain bond between individuals that in turn, becomes a family in it’s own right.
Part of discovering a new culture is through how and what your host country typically eats. Traditional foods and recipes vary from region to region in Italy, each bite uncovers more and more history, culture and tradition.
Learning a foreign language in the host country itself proves to be a great advantage as your classroom walls expand way beyond. Everywhere you go provides you with the opportunity to speak, write, listen and read in the target language. This open classroom gives you the full immersion you need in order to progress and better your skills.
When you study abroad, you become more of an autonomous individual. Although you will constant support from the school, simple things such as finding the local grocery store or pharmacy to managing yourself on public transport helps you to become a more independent and confident person.
As you are finding your way in your new home, you will begin to develop a sense of where you stand in the community and how you interact with others within. As you become more comfortable in your environment you will feel self-reliant as you make decisions reflecting your needs and wants. Your life abroad is what you make of it and finding a sense of belonging will shine through once you learn how to be independent.
Full immersion in the host country gives you the opportunity to not only gain a great knowledge of the host culture but also to appreciate those other cultures surrounding you via your fellow classmates. A culture is made of history, language, customs, food and so much more, imagine having the opportunity to deepen your understanding of various peoples and their countries in an accessible environment.
Living in the host country provides a unique perspective in which you are not only participating in a new culture but you are analyzing your own culture. Studying abroad gives you a new insight in how your community functions as compared to the new one that you are living in. It is a great way to adopt new habits, traditions and customs while incorporating your own!
In addition to learning a new language and culture, you also learn a lot about yourself and how adaptive you can be. Living abroad teaches you a lot about yourself and how you acclimate in a new environment.
Gaining independence becoming more autonomous creates a means for you grow into a more well rounded and experience adult. Essentially, you are creating a new life for yourself and therefore you begin to develop characteristics and attributes that will become the basis for your new found adulthood.
Studying abroad entails so much more than what you learn in school, more so, you learn about people and how life works in other countries. You will find very quickly how you learn a village, town or city without using a map. Anything and everything from managing public transport to ordering food or even going out on a date can help you to gain new life experience in ways that you could never have imagined doing so in your own community.
Living in a different country while studying also provides many opportunities for you to explore outside of your comfort zone and become more adventurous as well as spontaneous. While abroad you can tap into different interests and various activities that you may have not normally have tried back home.
While abroad, you will learn to appreciate the smaller things such as being able to order in a restaurant, make new friends and give directions to someone who is lost. The simple things become heightened as you progress in your language skills as well as your cultural awareness for the host country.
Being surrounded by other students from all over the world will help you gain a global mind set. Together, you will learn from each other about each other’s cultures as well as how you each perceive one another’s culture and that of the host culture.
Living in a new place, making new friends, learning a new language, are all a part of an experience that you will never forget. The memories you will make during the course of your stay will create a lasting impression that will shape and change you and your outlook on life.
Living in a new place, making new friends, learning a new language, are all a part of an experience that you will never forget. The memories you will make during the course of your stay will create a lasting impression that will shape and change you and your outlook on life.
Now that you are living in the host country full time, you can use your spare time to explore other countries and cities. Travelling to another country is affordable and easy either by train or plane. Exploring other cities and peoples will surely enhance your experience and expand your global understanding of the world.
Creating connections with fellow students as well as staff and faculty can help open many doors for your career. International job prospects are more feasible once you have established relationships with others who you have worked with during your time abroad.
The more the better! Having various learning and travel opportunities creates for a more exciting and memorable experience that will surely leave an impression on you. You yourself will find that you are more dynamic and experienced.
Another advantage of studying abroad is that the tuition fees are lower! You get a fuller education by being immersed in the language and culture that you are studying, and at a discount. Financial resources are becoming more easily accessible and common as more and more students are choosing to study abroad. These financial support opportunities could be awarded via scholarships from your home institution as well as the host institution. In addition, there are many international scholastic organisations who are also willing ot help provide funds and support to those in need.
