Vorrei insegnare inglese nell'Italia dopo la laurea, ma non ho un passaporto di EU.

I apologize ahead of time because I know you probably get loads of questions about teaching English in Italy. However I've been looking high and low for experiences by Americans who have done this and I can't really find any. I've learned that this is probably because it's basically impossible to get a work permit in Italy as a U.S. citizen without some connection to an Italian resident. My question for you would be is it a totally unrealistic goal to move to Italy and teach there for more than the three months I would have with my US passport? Does anyone have any experience with getting a work permit as an American?

I understand that you can work part time with a student visa. I'm probably going to do a study abroad program my last semester in Bologna, Venezia, or Firenze, all of which set you up with a student visa. If I were to stay in Italia after the program ends and get a part-time job, would I then be able to petition for a full work visa?

Sorry that was kind of long winded, ma sono confusa. @_@

Hi Gessie

I don't know the full requirements for US citizens, but although it is fairly easy to pick up English teaching jobs if you are "mother tongue", it is nearly always cash in hand. To get a legal permit to stay and to get health cover you need a contract of employment, which you wouldn't have with work "a nero".

If you have, or intend to get, an internationally recognised qualification, it would be worth contacting the many language schools here to see if they will offer a full time contract. Good luck!

Ciao Gessie. There are American schools in Italy for the children of American military people. Right now I have a friend
who works as a sub in Vicenza. He says there are American teachers there that have been working for 20 or more years. Seems they need teachers.

Do you have a 4 year degree? My friend has a 4 year degree but not a teacher's creditial yet they still let him sub.

Do a search on American schools in Italy. Vicenza, Verona and other places where there are U.S. military bases.
Not sure exactly how many U.S. bases are in Italy but I know of at least 5. There are probably 10 or more.

I will be in Vicenza in June of this year and will look into this more.

I just did a search and found out that there are 100 U.S. military bases or U.S. places, instalations or whatever in Italy. Oh mio Dio! LOL!
Somebody just told me the other day that they had no idea the U.S. military was in Italy. Germany si ma Italia no.
So how many freakin U.S. bases would there be n Germany? A thousand! Take advantage of this and get a job with those people.

Tu sei Americano/a? Mi dispiaci si no. Forse as long as you speak English they'll want you.

Grazie Markymark e Villa. Si, sono Americana. I'm currently going for a B.A. in English, although this doesn't really certify me for teaching it. I would love to work in Vicenza. È una bella città! How do the locals take to those working at the base? I heard there were some peaceful protests going on recently as they've been granted permission to expand?

Well, I was in Vicenza for 2 anni and loved it. Made many Italian friends. The Italians will love you if
you speak Italian. Infatti they will love you if you're just trying to speak Italian. The problem is not
with the Italians it's with the Americans. Only one out of 30 or so Americans learn Italian.Americans take
their lousy attitude about learning others languages with them no matter where they go around the world.
Have seen the samething in the many countries I've traveled to. After learning Italian I came back to California
and got my master's degreein Spanish. Many people in California have that same attitude about learning Spanish as
the bad attititude about learning Italian in Italy. Infatti there are now over a million Americans living in
Mexico and very few learn Spanish. Only a pitiful 9% of English speaking Americans learn any forgein langauge.

So take advantage of this and turn a negative into a positive by learning Italian so you can interpret for those
stupid Americans. LOL! That's exactly what I did. I became an interpreter. Those stupid White Americans are really
something else when it comes to learning other so called forgein languages. How can Italian be a forgein language
if you're in Italy. By the way I'm a very white Anglo Saxon American but I learned Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
and French. Just kidding about the stupid white Anglo Saxon Americans ma e vero! LOL!!!

Hi Gessie

To work in Italy, you need an EU passport. It might be worth checking to see if your grandparents were born in Ireland as there is a chance you may get an Irish passport.

I have just finished my first teaching session in my CELTA course. It was hard!!!

I do not know how much you want to earn but I am looking into this http://www.linguesenzafrontiere.org/ the pay is not great but the sccommodation and food is paid for and I hope to make contacts and gain experience for the new school year.

See you there!

Haha I know what you mean. It's amazing that people are so disinterested in immersing themselves in such a fantastic culture! I'm partly learning Italian so I'm no longer one of those lazy Americans. Interpretation sounds like an interesting idea. Brava on learning all of those languages! I'm hoping to learn spagnolo e portugese once (if - ack!) I master italiano.

Grazie Melbournegirl. Unfortunately the closest European relationship I have would be my late great grandfather, whose father was born and raised in Stromboli, although I'm not sure if my great-grandfather would have gotten Italian citizenship, being born in America. My dad suggested just telling people my last name to get a work permit but I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. lol Also congratulations on the CELTA! I heard it's very challenging!

That camp looks like a viable short-term option. I'm not looking to make a fortune, but inclusive boarding and food is hard to pass up. Do you have any word on how credible it is?

"I'm hoping to learn spagnolo e portugese once (if - ack!) I master italiano."

Bravo. That's exactly what you'll be able to do once you know Italian. E facile. It's easy to
learn Spanish, Portuguese and even French once you know Italian. This is another very good
reason to learn Italian. Forse,(maybe) the most important reason for learning Italian.
It was for me. Got my master's degree in Spanish because I had learned Italian first.