Since 2012, I’ve been having a passionate affair with the Italian language — minus the silk sheets in upscale hotel rooms, red lipstick on white button-ups, and sneaking around.
Hi! I’m Cher. If you’re here, you’re probably in the midst of an affair with Italy, too.
It has a tendency to do that to people.
Unlike so many people who decide to learn Italian, I don’t have any Italian heritage and I didn’t fall in love with an Italian.
I’m an English speaker from the US, and my family is from Taiwan, California, and a tiny town in Michigan.
And nope, I didn't have any Italian culture influence on me as a child (unless you count the endless soup and salad deal from Olive Garden as influence).
So why did I choose Italian?
With a mother that immigrated from Taiwan, I always had a seesaw relationship with Chinese Mandarin. By the time I was in college, I was ready to admit defeat with it and seriously wondered if I could ever learn a foreign language well.
But I LOVED languages and wanted to keep trying, so I took Italian. I will be honest. It was not love at first vocabulary word. In fact, I found it underwhelming.
It wasn’t until I got the opportunity to study abroad and was able to see the language come alive that I truly fell in love with it.
On the streets of Viterbo and lost in the suburbs of Rome, the language transformed me from a typical study abroad student to an Italophile that could no longer be satisfied by knowing the basics.
I wanted to dive beneath the surface -- beyond the plates of cacio e pepe pasta, wine tastings, and picturesque Tuscan countryside views -- to what it truly meant to speak, think & live like an Italian.
I created this community to share all that I was learning with others like me - people who have an irrational love for all things Italy.
Like you, I’m a student trying my best to learn this language, so I understand first-hand the hard work it takes. And I want nothing more than to help you learn it too in a way that helps you make meaningful progress, laugh, and enjoy each step of the process.
Everything that I learn and that I share is not a result of being a certified teacher, but rather, comes from an intense curiosity, a whole lotta’ patience, and the willingness to make mistakes over and over again as the native editors I work with gently correct and redirect me.
As a result of my crazy-passionate approach to learning this language, my work has been featured on sites that I have always admired like The Guardian, Fluent in Three Months, and I Will Teach You a Language.
Okay, now back to you…
You’re learning Italian, and you need some support, because let’s be real, learning Italian isn’t exactly a one-month-and-done kind of project.
That’s what I’m here for.
Each week you’ll find a new weekly lesson (text + audio) and the occasional article on everything from vocabulary speed dates, simple grammar explanations, and insights into the culture.
You can also listen to my rants, musings + insights into the Italian language on the 30 Minute Italian podcast.
If you enter your name + email address below, I’ll send you weekly lessons, language tips, and funny stories to help you keep your head + your heart in the game.
