L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano I s there anything as amazing as finding someone to share a dream with and make i t a r e a l i t y ? J e a n R i v a l d i and F r a n c e s c a Peretto managed to do just that when they came togeth- e r t o c r e a t e V e r o V i a g - gio, an Italian language and culture experience like no other. Jean's passion for Italy began during her first visit at 26, and grew into a deep con- n e c t i o n t h a t w a s f u r t h e r enriched during the year she spent in Bologna with her husband and two children, who are all Italian citizens by descent. Now an Italian citi- zen by marriage herself, Jean joined forces with her former language teacher Francesca t o d e v e l o p a n e w , m o r e authentic way to discover Italy, merging immersive language learning with cul- t u r a l e x p l o r a t i o n . V e r o V i a g g i o i s t h e r e s u l t o f Jean's diverse expertise in marketing, event production, real estate, and tourism — she's a certified Tour Guide and Director through the International Tour Manage- ment Institute (ITMI) — and Francesca's two decades of teaching Italian, after having received her master's degree in Literature from the Uni- versity of Bologna. L'Italo-Americano had the pleasure to sit down with Jean — who is currently in Bologna for the holidays — and learn more about Vero Viaggio and what truly sets it apart from all other lan- guage and culture learning programs out there. H o w w o u l d y o u describe Vero Viaggio to our readers? Vero Viaggio means "real trip" or "real voyage" and that's exactly what we want people to experience with us: true language learning and true discovery of places and people you wouldn't usually find on a typical whirlwind Rome-Florence-Venice tour of Italy. H o w d i d t h i s i d e a develop? In language school, I met three women who changed m y l i f e , m y e v e r - p a t i e n t teachers — and now friends — w h o h e l p e d s h a p e m y opinions and my relationship w i t h t h e c o u n t r y . O n e o f them, Francesca — now my partner in Vero Viaggio — was thinking of hosting Ital- i a n l a n g u a g e i m m e r s i o n e x p e r i e n c e s , w h i l e I w a s developing the idea to show people my perspective on the real, everyday Italy that I love so much. And so one evening, over a spritz, we shared our thoughts and that's how Vero Viaggio was born! You want to help peo- ple learn Italian through a full immersion into the country's culture, lan- guage, and life. Why do y o u t h i n k t h i s w o r k s best? There is nothing like an immersion period to cement the sounds and usage of a l a n g u a g e i n y o u r e a r a n d your brain. Languages and their use are deeply rooted in culture, and even a short period of immersion can be pivotal in creating a connec- tion in your brain that can help you further your ability i n a l a n g u a g e , o r m a k e a breakthrough on a concept that has had you stumped. For me, it was the past tense. After a year of confusion, I had a breakthrough in Mon- tepulciano and I was sorted (Brava Jean!). You see, being surrounded each day by the Italian language, by signage i n I t a l i a n , a n d b y I t a l i a n speakers is one of the best ways you can make progress in your language-learning journey. But, we know how easy it is to attend an Italian class — even in Italy! — and then switch right back to English when you leave the school. For this reason, we wanted to develop a program that encourages Italian learn- ers to keep using Italian all day and, at the same time, helps them get in full contact with Italian culture, giving opportunities for real conver- sations. In addition, we want- ed these programs to be guid- ed by native speakers and l o c a l s t o p r o v i d e a t r u l y authentic experience. C a n y o u w a l k u s t h r o u g h w h a t p a r t i c i - pants can expect from your tours? Is there also a strictly didactic aspect — school lessons — along with the full immersion experience? Tours will include a few h o u r s o f l a n g u a g e s c h o o l i n s t r u c t i o n e a c h d a y . W e have intentionally sought out and partnered with the best schools in the country to give people a quality experience. After school in the morning, our afternoons will focus on cultural and gastronomic activities with a lot of speak- ing, listening, and conversa- tion opportunities, not only with our expert guides and o u r l i n g u i s t i c e x p e r i e n c e director Francesca, but also with a full slate of locals, which makes the experience very authentic. People can expect a full immersion expe- rience in the language and culture each day. Beyond t h a t , f o r p e o p l e w h o a r e interested in expanding their trip or experience, we can help plan extensions of their linguistic trip to find Italian relatives or to visit other parts of Italy that are of inter- est to them or based around a theme (art, food, culture, wine, etc). We also offer cus- tom small-group tours. Where are you based and what parts of Italy will your tours bring stu- d e n t s ? A n d w h a t ' s p l a n n e d f o r t h e n e x t months? I am based in San Diego, California part of the year, a n d p a r t o f t h e y e a r i n B o l o g n a . M y p a r t n e r , Francesca Peretto, is based in Bologna but splits her time between Bologna and Cefalù. One of the ideas at the heart of Vero Viaggio is helping people authentically visit Italy. For me, this means connecting people to places that are a bit off the path. In 2024 we are planning two tours in Cefalù, Sicily, one in Siracusa, always in Sicily, then Montepulciano in Tus- cany, and a more casual, con- versational weekend hosted at an agriturismo property in Emilia Romagna. In 2025, we'll be adding Puglia and Sardinia, a week in Emilia Romagna with a food theme, and more weekend opportu- nities, too. Last but not least, how can our readers find out m o r e a b o u t V e r o V i a g g i o a n d h o w c a n they contact you? More information is avail- able at veroviaggio.com or on instagram.com/vero.viagg io. Tour details and links to reserve your space can be found there, as well as infor- mation about 2025 tours and more info about us. We also offer travel consulting for people planning trips to Italy a n d s m a l l - g r o u p c u s t o m tours for groups of 4-10 peo- ple. Vero Viaggio: the perfect way to learn Italian and discover the real Italy STAFF Vero Viaggio is based in Bologna (Photo: Ohmaymay/Dreamstime). Bottom left: Jean (left) and Francesca (right) enjoy a coffee together while planning the next Vero Viaggio trip (Photo courtesy of Jean Rivaldi) LIFE PEOPLE REVIEWS ADVICE TRADITIONS

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