Matteo’s LSE Experience
My name’s Matteo and I’m a 17 year old High School student from Italy. Over the summer a group of students from Padua and the surrounding areas had the opportunity to work and study in Liverpool thanks to our schools and the Erasmus project. The students were selected based on a test and our marks throughout the school year. We flew from Bologna and landed in Manchester just a few hours later. On our first day at the Liverpool School of English we had an incredible induction from the teachers and the school’s staff in the morning; while in the afternoon we went on an interesting tour of Liverpool.
The next day we joined our classes. Since the first day I immediately felt part of the class, thanks to the students and the teacher. In my morning lessons I was in class with students from all around the world and it was very useful for both my speaking and listening. In the afternoon I had a different class focused on the work experience with all of my group. Even though I had classes for only one week, my personal experience was very positive and, as a student, I found my class and the school very pleasant and friendly.
The following week we started our work experience. We were placed in a variety of different companies around the city including an architects, a film company and the university. We were a little bit anxious because it was our first experience in a work environment and we would have to survive in English!
My placement was at the Liverpool School of English in the Academic Office. During the first few days James, my tutor, taught me the different tasks I was going to do there. One of them was collecting registers and delivering messages to students. At the beginning it wasn’t as easy as I thought, because the school is pretty big and it has a lot of classes on different floors. I had to develop my organisational skills and had the opportunity to communicate with both staff and students.
I really enjoyed helping with the tour of Liverpool, because it was such a good way to meet new students from different countries and share this amazing city with them. In Italy I attend a scientific high school so James gave me some specific activities that will be useful for my future, such as uploading software, cataloguing academic journals and interviewing students. I really enjoyed interviewing the students because it was a great opportunity to find out why people are studying English, exchange opinions and improve my speaking.
From the first week I felt part of the staff and it was incredible how many students asked me questions and advice about the school and the social programme. Every week the school organised a variety of different activities for students including football, yoga, dancing, museums and trips to other parts of the country. For example, I went with my friends on a day trip to North Wales. We visited Conwy Castle and the seaside town of Llandudno. Even though the weather wasn’t great, we really enjoyed both places and it only cost a small amount of money.
This experience was very important and helpful for me now and also for my future because I learned many new tasks and skills in the work environment and also I had the opportunity to improve my English. Another important thing for me is also the independence that I developed because it will be important for my future. I really enjoyed the time spent in Liverpool because I met a lot of new people, at school but also outside, from all around the world and also some new friends.