9. Stella
• PEOPLE
My first contact with English happened in 1982 when I was 8, and I met an American boy in my small town: as a child I longed to speak that beautiful language which I had just discovered, and from that I wanted to learn it.
One year later an adult friend gave me a book and my father taught me some sentences in English. In 1988 I had my first contact with English in a language school (School A). I was motivated and very interested in learning and speaking. However, one year later, I gave up. Communication was not happening, I hardly ever understood the teachers – listening and speaking were the most difficult skills. I was too shy, and because of the teacher’s attitude that sometimes embarrassed me in front of my classmates, I gave up studying English.
Many, many years late I met a great teacher who helped me a lot and changed my relationship with English.

• EVENTS
In 1997 I began my professional life as an accountancy teacher in a public school (ironically, many years earlier I told my father being a “teacher” would be the last job in the world I would not like to do!).
In 1998 I became a member of International Pen Friends, and because of that I did not forget what I had learnt in English. I wrote in English and Italian. I had just initiated my Italian course, and that was also a great challenge for me; I was being so daring…!
In 2000 I changed subject when the Accounting Course was closed. Since then I have been an English teacher. In 2001, I returned to study English in a different school (School B), but I didn’t like school and material. At that point, English was an obligation, not a pleasure anymore. In 2002, I decided to change school, I went to School C: my motivation and pleasure grew again, and as mentioned previously, that happened due to a very good teacher who paid attention to my necessities and then I got PET certificate. In that year I decided to abandon my first degree and to devote my effort to education as an English teacher.
In 2004 I got FCE certificate. In 2005 I went back to University to get a degree in English, at the same time I started a specialization and became a monitor at School C. At present (2006) I am attending classes in master degree in order to broaden my knowledge in language, and to update my academic life. When I look at my language learning process I get amazed how I could succeed overcoming so many internal and external difficulties! I feel to achieve an upper intermediate level it is for me like being proficient!