Another Turning Point
In previous episodes of our Language Atelier’s biography, I, Lorenzo, the director of Language Atelier, shared how, during my PhD, I found a side job as an Italian teacher that soon became my principal activity.
The teachers’ routine
After two years of struggling to find motivation for a PhD topic that was not even chosen by me, I decided to quit and fully commit to my work as a freelance Italian teacher. It was a real relief, as I no longer felt guilty about the increasingly limited time I dedicated to my studies.
At that point, I was very busy with my Italian classes, sometimes working 8 to 9 hours a day. Those who work closely with people know how much energy it takes to stay focused while explaining concepts to individuals or groups, listening to every single word, occasionally correcting them, and responding to their questions and curiosities. I remained enthusiastic about teaching, but on the heaviest days, I would return home in the evening completely exhausted.
An interesting proposal
While the changing students, levels, courses, and locations provided a lot of variety, after some time, even this teaching life became routine. An opportunity for change arose when Erica, one of my colleagues, approached me.She informed me that the owner of a school she was working for, called Language Atelier, intended to leave Prague for good and was looking for potential buyers. Erica was considering this offer and asked if I might be interested in taking over Language Atelier with her. My initial response was negative; I couldn’t fathom how, with my zero knowledge of business management, I could direct an entire school.
