SYDNEY - At the recent awards ceremony of the School of Languages and Cultures at Sydney University, Inga-Britt Pinkstone, along with Marisa Frangelli, received the prestigious Frances Merenda Scholarship.
The scholarship is awarded to Italian language students and pays for them to travel to Italy, adding an indelible experience to their academic journey.
Pinkstone shared the story of her language journey and some valuable advice for those wanting to learn Italian.
“I chose to study Italian during the last two years of high school,” she explained.
“Since I already spoke French, I found Italian relatively easy to learn. Over time, my passion for this language has only grown.”
The student is familiar with Italy, having spent time studying at the University of Padua where she was able to fully immerse herself in the culture of the Bel Paese.
“Studying in Italian and English allowed me to learn more about Italian psychology and linguistics, my two great passions,” said Pinkstone.
“In Italy I made meaningful friendships and completed the C1 level of Italian, an achievement of which I’m very proud.”
In her experience, Pinkstone found Italians to be more engaged with their own culture compared to her compatriots.
“[Italians have a] passion for culture,” she said. “I often saw children in museums curiously inquiring about history with fervour. I find this interest in culture rare in Australia.”
Pinkstone also found the locals to be more sociable than what she was used to back home.
“Making friends here was surprisingly easy.”
Italian is an undoubtedly complex language and presents several challenges to new learners.
Pinkstone advises trying to speak as much as possible and, if possible, immersing oneself in the language completely.
“Watching a lot of Italian TV shows has been crucial to my learning,” she explained.
“It’s essential to listen a lot and learn new words in their proper context to facilitate memorisation.”
Pinkstone is currently contemplating the possibility of doing a master’s degree in Italy while continuing to contribute to cross-cultural studies in the field of psychology.
In the meantime, she teaches Italian part-time and is grateful for how her time in Italy has contributed to her professional and personal development.
Pinkstone’s journey is a clear example of how cross-cultural education can enrich lives and careers, leading to a deeper understanding of humanity and new opportunities in a globalised world.
