Marc Ripanti - Italian
My father came to the United States from Italy and I was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area but spent the summers with my extended family in Italy. My mother is half French and she and my father still live in the D.C. area along with my younger sister.
Italy is beautiful in its variety of geographical features and cultural differences between regions. In two hours of driving one can go from the beach to the mountains to rolling rural landscapes. Food and fashion are very important to Italians and they remain traditional in their food tastes but constantly update their fashions. My favorite aspects of Italy are the generosity and enthusiasm of the people.
I would like to broaden peoples’ knowledge of Italy and let them have a better understanding of the lifestyle of Italians. Understanding mentalities of people from other places is a key to being able to communicate with others and I would like to share this with friends at the Language Exchange. Being able to teach the language and culture of Italy to students is exciting for me because it creates more links between people all over the world.
In my spare time I enjoy hiking and camping. I also like to go to the pool for a swim and I run on a regular basis. I like to read and keep up with current events in the US and all over the world. I enjoy riding my motorcycle as long as the weather permits me to.
Most of all, I miss all of my cousins and aunts and uncles in Italy. Beyond that, I miss the delicious food and the traditional celebrations and feasts that are observed over there. All of the antique buildings and sites that are everywhere is another aspect of Italy that I miss.
I love the proximity of Fort Collins to the mountains. I enjoy the bike friendly attitude that the community has and the support that people and local businesses have for each other. One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to spend time near or on the Poudre River, a great resource that we have access to.
Other countries that I have visited include France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Canada.
A very unique experience in my life was spending a summer in a small town called Nelson in British Columbia, Canada. I lived with a couple and I helped them with chores around their house in preparation for the fall and winter. The landscape and wilderness in the Kootenay region is beautiful and it left a strong impression on me.
" Buongiorno e benvenuti! Sono molto contento d’avere l’opportunità d’insegnare la mia lingua e fare conoscere la cultura e le tradizioni Italiani a voi. Ci vediamo fra poco!"