Dear Diane,

I never truly realized the impact you had on my life until I found myself living my early twenties on the other side of the ocean.

If it weren’t for your dedication, passion and care, I wouldn’t be here today. I met you for the first time when I was only ten, and I did not know at that time how much you were going to affect my life. I walked in your class when I was just a little girl, and you’ve seen me grow ever since. By the age of 18, you saw me leave my home country and embark on the most important journey of my life.

You have been one of the most important mentors in my education, and I always looked up to your confidence, strength and kindness. You were an amazing English teacher.

I remember the first day my mom took me to your language class, and I was watching other kids learning numbers and colors through your mellow instructions. I soon became one of those kids, and after a few years, I was quickly improving my English skills. You have always motivated me to do my best because you truly cared for me and wanted to see me advance every step of the way. That is what really made you stand out from any other teacher I have had. The care you showed for your students was outstanding; I felt as if I was part of a big family.

I never left the English class without having learned something meaningful and insightful. I now realize that all those hundreds of grammar exercises I did over the years brought me to where I stand today: in a university in the U.S. You had an approach that would encourage your class to learn and never give up. You would always make me speak English because you know how important it was to practice the language with a native speaker from an early age. I can still remember my attempts in conversing with you and the struggles I faced in finding the right words. But you appreciated every attempt and mistake I made, and you never stopped motivating me.

The moment I acquired confidence and proficiency in my English skills, I started loving other languages as well. Out of all the exams that I took when I was little, I succeeded in language exams the most. I thought I had a “sound” for languages and that I should have pursued a career that would have allowed me to make use of them in a foreign country. Despite being in the U.S. for three years, today it still feels special to hear the sound of English coming out of my mouth. I am fascinated by the language and the ability to switch back and forth with my native language. My Italian and English identities keep intertwining and bringing out the best of me. When you put all your heart in what you do, as in studying languages for me, that is when you start to see the greatest outcomes in your life.

If it wasn’t for my teacher’s passion, love and dedication into teaching me English, I would not have chosen to keep pursuing my education in a foreign country.

Whenever I go back to visit her, she has new students who are about to learn the basic grammar rules, but I am happy to say that I was one of her first students.