Testimonials

Back home in Ilminster after a fantastic week end of Italian. The food here is not on the same planet as Blair Lodge! The whole week end was brilliant and we both came away lost in admiration for the hard work Maria, Nick and Rachel had put in to make everything work so well. We feel we had not only a really nice break in lovely surroundings with food that was superior to anything we can find around here, but we used our brains(!) and were gently coaxed to get the most out of the week end. Maria is such a dedicated teacher, as an ex teacher of languages, I am just lost in admiration. She had the knack of never putting anyone on the spot and of boosting our confidence.

Thank you so much! Best wishes

Jane and David Hughes

Thank you for a wonderful weekend. I found it very enjoyable and I learnt a lot. I played your tape all the way home, all 7 hours of it!! while I was in the traffic queue I entertained myself by singing along to the songs. Picking out the words that were familiar and humming along to the rest. I really enjoyed the the food and the company. I hope I can come along to another course next year.

Wendy, London

I went to Maria's Italian course in Ruvo last Easter, it was a great holiday, I cannot recommend it too highly. We stayed in a beautiful hotel - the swimming pool was a great place to unwind after sessions - and spent four or five hours of enjoyable learning every day

Margaret Safranek

It was a very rich experience as an immersion basis language course. Classes are given in a lively and friendly environment. The Blair Lodge guests are offered a very kind and warm hospitality. The specially prepared Italian meals are delicious! Every detail makes you think of Italy, even "la insalata tri-colore"!!! Brilliant reception and pleasant way of learning a foreign language. Thanks! Will come back to participate at the intermediate level.

Estella

I just wanted to thank you again for a truly wonderful language course. As you know I was visiting Italy the following week with quite a lot of travelling to do on public transport and I simply couldn't have managed without the course. It was great to be able to put into practice what we learned and it almost felt like you tailor-made the course with my trip in mind. All of the situations and role-playing proved invaluable and I felt so proud being able to speak Italian after only one weekend course.

Pauline

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the course at the weekend, and how much I appreciated your enthusiastic and lively approach...it really works! Funziona!

It was the first time that I have spoken Italian to ANYONE, so, naturally, I was a little wary, but, with your encouragement, I grew in confidence, and now really want to progress, especially with the spoken side.

Thanks again for a great weekend of learning and fun...everything was excellent!

Derek

The course was an amazing experience - I particularly enjoyed all the involvement in Italian life. I thought your baker was so passionate about his work, the Cantina Crifo was really interesting and I was stunned how much of his Italian I understood. The Jatta museum was a unique experience, the building , the pots and the lunch on the roof terrace will stay in my memory for a long time.

I thought  Ruvo was an enchanting town, the food was superb, the restaurants friendly and cheap and Easter lunch was fantastic. I do not think that the experience would have been nearly so rich if we had simply had lessons, it was hearing the locals explaining things to us, attending the processions and talking in restaurants which really got the language into my head.

You would be proud of me - on the journey back to Rome I talked for 3 hours, solely in Italian with a railway worker from Ruvo who had been home to see his Mamma for Easter! So the teaching worked!

Anne