You are passionate about Italy
but are struggling to learn the language.

Sound familiar?

I can relate! I was once where you are.
Believe me! I get it!

Ciao, I’m Melissa, and I’m the Studentessa Matta
— the crazy Italian language student —
your guide to all things Italian!

Are you frustrated and wish you spoke and understood Italian better?

You’ve had a long love affair with Italy’s culture. You even started learning Italian years and years ago. But since you don’t live in Italy, you’ve faced many roadblocks to learning the language. It’s so difficult to make progress on such a lofty goal when you don’t have a real way to regularly use your skills.  

How I can help you.

Wherever you are on your language learning journey I want to guide you toward fluency while showing you the authentic side of Italy.

My goal is to help all Italian language learners discover things about Italy and the Italian language they might not already know. Follow the Matta Italian Blog to improve your vocabulary and reading skills, train your ear through Matta Youtube videos and Podcasts. If you need an Italian chat partner, I’ve got you covered in my Chat Italiano Skype conversation sessions. If you want to learn the language in Italy Andiamo in Italy with me. Twice a year I lead small group immersion programs in Italy for up to 10 individuals. If you want to explore Italy on your own and lived in the home of an Italian teacher, At Home in Italy Homestay Language Vacations that I offer on the site are the perfect solution for you. Can’t travel to Italy right, now. No worries. Pick up one of my Novels set in Italy, and experience an armchair journey to learn more about Italy and the Italian language.

What made me want to learn Italian?

I went to Italy to study art and fell in love with the culture. When I came home, though, I threw away my Italian dictionary, never thinking I’d need it again. Italy, however, has a way of sneaking into your heart, and I soon was answering her siren call. But married, with a family and full-time career as a graphic designer, I couldn’t jump on a plane and sit in an Italian piazza and live la bella vita. Wanting to renew my connection, I decided, instead, to learn the language from scratch, on my own, at home.

Once upon a time, I couldn’t read a sentence in Italian or open my mouth to speak the language without embarrassment. But now I use my Italian language skills every single day, and as a result, my life is rich and full of friendships and amazing experiences.

Italian and Italy have become a way of life for me.

What did I do to learn Italian?

Everything possible under the sun! In so doing, I cracked the code for how to immerse myself in Italian and Italy in an exciting and fun way. I started with grammar books and vocabulary lists and then branched out to reading books, listening to the language through film and videos, and spoke Italian to anyone who would give me the time of day! And then, I started the Studentessa Matta Blog as a way to keep improving my language skills and dive deeper into Italian art, history, and culture. Now, I am fluent and well versed in all things Italian.

Why You Should Listen to Me?

I went from 0 to fluency all on my own and I want to empower you to do the same. Over the past 10-years, I’ve traveled extensively in Italy, made friends and partnerships with Italian schools and language teachers all over the Italian peninsula. I have lots of tips and insights into the language and country to share with you. I’ve made language learning a lifestyle choice and I’m ready to show you how to as well.

I’ve helped lots of people improve their Italian Language Skills and won a few awards along the way. Check out my most recent achievements:

• Tutorful Award for Best Resource To Learn Italian for this Studentessa Matta blog
• Awarded Top 100 Language Lovers Blogs by Babl.La for this Studentessa Matta blog 
• Italy Magazine 2014 and 2013 Blogger Awards for Best Blog and Best Single Post
• First Place in the Readers Views 2018 Literary Fiction Award for my novel Dreaming Sophia
• Second Place in the Readers Views 2019 Literary Fiction Award for my novel Waking Isabella
• Featured Women’s Writers Book Of The Month for April 2019 for my novel Eternally Artemisia

Follow me and your Italian language skills will improve.