Buongiorno!
My name is Paola and since the 1st September I’m the new Partner Development Assistant at EFIL (sponsored by Fondazione CRT). I come from northern Italy, from a small town in Langhe and Roero (Piedmont), situated in a beautiful wine landscape recently recognised as one of the UNESCO sites!
One of my biggest passions? Talking to people from different countries and learning from their cultures, to see how I can become a better person and consequently how I can contribute to build a better society.
Therefore, I chose to study languages and communication because I believe that languages next to food are one of the keys to enter another culture. I developed a strong interest in intercultural learning while spending two years on Erasmus in France and in the UK. Having a double degree and having worked for some months in Ireland and Germany made my interest in intercultural issues even become stronger.
So, even though I don’t have an AFS background, I feel connected to this organisation because I share the same values. I’m strongly committed to promote global education among young students and excited to work with an open-minded team towards the same objectives.
Since the first day I stepped into the EFIL office I felt at home, to be in the right place, at the right time. The second day? I wasn’t in the office … but on a 3-day mission to Bulgaria to support the establishment of a new AFS partner organisation.
Not bad as a start, isn’t it?
Paola