Hi!

 

I’m Roberta, born and raised in Milan, Italy, with a passion for travelling since I was a very young girl. My dad took me on my very first trip to Austria when I was 6 weeks old…and I never stopped ever since!

 

That led me to study foreign languages, become passionate in foreign cultures and cultivate the love for discovery and sharing.

 

Ireland has been literally my second home since my first trip with my school when I was 12.

 

I fell in love with the language, the people ( my host family was great and we are still in touch!), with the places, the food, the fun, the landscapes and the sense of identity and cultural heritage this people have.

 

I’ve been back almost every summer to breath some of my favorite air since I moved in Dublin in year 2000 for a longer period to write my PHD thesis on the bilingualism in Ireland, the Irish vs. the English language.

 

Back in Italy I graduated in foreign language and started to teach English. For some years I also worked as an HR in a multinational company, and that strengthened my organizational and relational skills even more.

 

I became a certified Counselor in 2007, and that’s where I met Emma-Jane, we shared some very qualified training in Florence.

 

Both our friendship and professional relation bloomed with the years!

 

When she shared this idea about helping Italian families get around in Bray (which I already knew and loved!) and share time with local people, let their kids play in English with locals…that sounded like music to my ears! I could do what I felt was my mission, with my family in a place I love…what else could I ask from life??

 

And then I met a lot of lovely people in Bray, especially Michelle, another good friend and partner who is supporting us with the organization and is always available for our Italian families when they are in Bray!

 

I’m bringing up my kids bilingual myself and I’m feeling it on my skin what it means being a mum who was not born bilingual, in a non-bilingual environment, struggling daily to give the gift of a second language to her kids! And I know it’s really well worth all the effort!

 

I can truly consider myself and my twins (born 2014) he first customers of FAMILIES & IRELAND!!