1. What’s your story? How did you get into all these languages?

Thanks to my father's former job I had the chance to see the world and interact with different cultures. Therefore, I spoke English and some French for my personal needs as a child at the time. I always had a certain facility in learning languages. I could imitate sounds and understand the logic. Unfortunately, I wasn't so into languages due to my educational experience. Things such as IPA or speaking practice weren't provided by the Italian school (nothing has changed so far of course).

I guess my very first approach to languages happened during my teens when I embraced English because of the WWE show and the Yugioh trading card game. Through wrestling I learned American English pronunciation and a lot of expressions whereas through Yugioh I learned a lot of vocabulary (if I hadn't learned those words all my attempts of victory in a duel would have gone up in smoke). Sadly, my grammar wasn't enough for my grades.

My English teacher was nothing but bad. She wasn't the passionate teacher I needed. She was there only for her paycheck and not for understanding why most of the students and I didn't get the grammar she taught. She even invited me not to try since it wasn't my cup of tea (her exact words). My English bad score was the last straw which made me repeat the year. With that failure she convinced me English wasn't for me.

I kept playing cards and watching shows. But I hadn't spoken English for such a long time. My studies took different directions. Movies an Tv first, Communication, publishing and Journalism after. In University I had another chance that I didn't miss. I passed the French exam by chance to fly to France for my Erasmus Experience. My English came back in the actual turning point which made me the person I’m nowadays. I had a deep conversation with a Mexican guy surrounded by foreign students down the Tour Eiffel. We use both English and French. I thought ‘What in the world has just happened? Look at this amazing moment! What Am I doing with my life?! That's what I want! That's what I need!’.

The next two months were crazy. Besides the exams I passed, I also learned Spanish watching cartoons. I realised my Sicilian was the key to that. When I came back home and finished University I didn't have any job. I started working online as an Italian teacher for foreigners. My first class was the most unpleasant and unbelievably motivating experience I had ever had. My student was a Mongolian girl who was everything but nice. She told me my English sucked a lot. Unlike my English teacher’s time, this one was different. That was the motivation I needed to start studying grammar myself. I bought and studied well written English grammar books until the pages grew yellow. I also left my parents’ house and lived with foreigners speaking English and English native speakers. That turned me into one of the most requested private English teachers Italians can find. Thanks for nothing school.

I must say that it's impossible to achieve a certain level in a language without a good motivation and some help from a good teacher (or someone who knows their own language very well). That's why after getting to a B1, I never hold back asking for professional support. When I started my language journey, I was 26, I merely spoke Italian and Sicilian. Hard to believe but, I didn't even speak Italian so well then. Ten years later, I’ve achieved perfection in both languages, as well as C2 in English, B2 in French, B2 in Spanish, B1 in Portuguese, A2 in German and some random useful knowledge of Chinese and Japanese. No mention some Russian vocabulary too.

Communication is the basis of the world. Once I was lost in translation, not knowing what faith had in store for me around the corner. Now I’m home, having plenty of outlooks converging in the same reality in such an outstanding way.

Learning a language means way more than just a bunch of words lined up. We convey feelings, opinions and, most importantly, we understand another way of thinking which makes us subsequently think out of the box. Approaching and getting it is another thing to master. Every time I approach a language, I always get what is related to a language or a logic I already have. Sometimes is a child play when I learn a romance language since we share almost the same vocabulary. Obviously, when an utterly different language comes up instead, it doesn't just require motivation to make it. Memory techniques are always handy. The memory castle or the gold list are good examples of effective techniques which can be decisive for these kinds of purposes. Even though I witnessed that many techniques perfectly work with some people, I truly believe that everyone should use their own techniques more than the famous ones.

After using methods such as the memory castle or the gold list I realise they require more than just motivation and discipline. Passion wasn't there. Using these techniques made me feel nothing. I felt like going back to school and listening to my former teachers saying “that’s the way!”. There is not just one way to do calculations or learning stuff. Sometimes I also felt like I was cheating by using someone else's work to pass the exam. Plus, I also thought “I feel like there's a better, faster and funnier way!”.

That's why I think it might take longer or be harder. Yet I enjoy the process and I do it my way. That's what does make the languages learning my cup of tea.

2. Which language(s) do you wish you could spend more time practising?

Well, I wish I could spend more time with Japanese and German. They both look very interesting and demanding.

3. What are some languages you’d like to learn in the future?

The two I previously mentioned, Chinese, Russian and Arabic. If I m still alive and I already achieved these goas. I would probably learn Romanian, Greek and Korean. Maybe improving my Neapolitan.

4. So let’s be honest, what’s the sexiest language?

The Italian spoken by my wife!

5. What’s the greatest pleasure you get from speaking so many languages?

Feeling like a child when I learn new outlooks. Feeling like a superhero when I put into practice.

6. Some people say the world is really just going to have a few languages left in a 100 years, do you think this is really true?

Plausible and logical. English is getting stronger and stronger spreading over the world at a high speed. However, coming from a small island were an ancient version of Sicilian has been kept intact, I think some places will preserve some languages. Not all is lost.

7. What is your message to young (and not so young) people out there who are interested in studying multiple languages?

Find a live your reality. Follow your passion deeply. Just listen to yourself and wonder “what if”, then do it!