Join the Italian Language Conversation Club at VMU!
The Italian Language Conversation Club “Gargantuesco” at VMU has been running since autumn 2023. Each autumn and spring semester, many Italian students come to VMU through the Erasmus exchange programme. They are eager to share their language and culture with the VMU community.
This semester, the meetings will take place from September 30 to November 25, every Tuesday from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, in auditorium 203 at Donelaičio St. 52. The Italian Language Club sessions will be led by Edoardo – a student from Ferrara who studies at the University of Trento and is spending the autumn semester with us through the “Erasmus” programme. This is not Edoardo’s first semester abroad or in the Baltic region: last year he studied in Riga under Erasmus, and this semester he decided to return and chose Kaunas.
We invite everyone who already has basic knowledge of Italian, can speak and understand a little, but would like more practice communicating with a native speaker. During the meetings, we discuss a wide variety of topics – from geography and economics to traditional cuisine, travel, volunteering, and more.
This is a wonderful opportunity for students of the Bachelor’s programme in Foreign Languages and Cultures: Italian Studies and Romance Languages to improve their Italian language skills and gain hands-on practice here in Kaunas. It is also valuable for VMU students who have returned from Erasmus exchanges in Italy, helping them maintain their language level, as well as for those preparing to go on exchange – they can better prepare and receive useful tips.
These meetings not only help Lithuanian students improve their language skills but also support Italian students in integrating into the university and the city community, making connections with local students, and participating actively in academic and cultural life.
The meetings offer a chance not only to practise the language but also to engage with Italian students who are curious about Lithuanian culture and traditions. In this way, the club creates a shared space for mutual understanding, collaboration, and building a sense of community.
Not only students but also VMU staff and Kaunas city residents are warmly invited to join the conversation club.
If you have any questions regarding the Italian Language Club activities, email: ganna.tron@vdu.lt
Photos by Alessandro Fois and the Antanas Smetona Gymnasium
