A Chat, a Coffee and a New Language

The second 2015-2016 edition of the Language Exchange is about to start. It's the Tandem Language Learning offered by Bocconi, allowing students to meet and practice and improve new languages, during a simple informal face-to-face conversation, maybe over a cup of coffee. Participating is easy: choose the language to be practiced, fill out the registration form (available until February 15) and attend the introductive meeting (date and place will soon be announced) during which participants will receive the name of their partners, with whom they will meet once a week.

"I was born in Chicago but I'm an Italian-English native speaker. When I arrived in Milan I wanted to improve my French and Spanish and the Language Exchange gave me this opportunity", says Antonio Belmonte, who's attending his second year of CLEFIN (Economia e management delle istituzioni e dei mercati finanziari). "These are very informal situations, that make learning quick and natural". But Tandem does not just mean learning another language, "Many people asked me questions about American culture and it was interesting to discuss the stereotypes that Europeans have towards Americans , as well as those that Americans have towards Italians", says Antonio. "At the end of the semester these meetings have just become a way to meet, drink a coffee and chat with friends".

In Tandem Language Learning, both languages ​​are used to communicate, so every participant should be able to understand his/her partner when he/she talks in a simple way. Reason why it is not a suitable program for beginners, but requires at least a basic knowledge of the language to be improved.
The initiative is organized by the Centro Linguistico.