Meet The Staff: Marta

The SRISA staff is the essential backbone of the school, the heart of your new Italian family. Willing to help in any way, whether it be drawing you a map or pronounce a word for the 10th time, they are patient and always smiling. I thought it was time to highlight them and all the great things they do. How are they amazing, and how do they handle all these crazy students?! Keep checking back for more interviews with the SRISA staff.

Marta Pierazzuoli

Job title: Studio Manager!

How long have you worked at SRISA?

Well..this is my 13th year already! I am the oldest member of SRISA in terms of hiring date. Scary huh?!

What do you love about working at SRISA?

The students, no doubt. They have always been my biggest motivation and their happiness my most precious reward. When I started working at the school I was 19 years old and all the students were older than me back then; I din’t know any english (and I am still learning as you can tell), and they were so patient and understanding with me and my difficulties, they helped me with the language and they taught me many things about art and american culture, they gave me the keys to the kingdom, if I can use this expression! Any ways, without them and without their help, love and support I would not be where I am now so..thank you students, you are what I love about working at SRISA!! :)) PS. I also love to organize things, I kinda have some OCD about cleaning up and organizing, hehe.

What makes SRISA different/special from other study abroad programs?

Well, maybe our very informal environment and the family-like approach.

Whats something everyone should check out while in Florence?

Well………..Museums, definitely. The Art, everywhere. And of course the food! :))

 If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

The States..I have never been..my bad!!! Also Great Britain, the whole thing! And Japan. Everywhere, pretty much!!

If you had to eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Panzanella. Definitely. Simple: fresh summer vegetables, bread, oil, salt and vinegar. I can never have enough. When I go home that’s all I ask for. My mom wants to kill me.

Marta teaches students how to make pasta during Giogalto field trip

What do you do in your free time?

I am a nerd/geek kind of person. I think I’m still 17 years old. I love Japanese manga and anime, I am obsessed with Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, the Ice and Fire Sagas. Ah, Jane Austen, of course. I love Fantasy, middle ages inspired stuff, even music. Oh, I am a metal head!

Hobbies: I like to draw, write, read, sew, watch lots and lots of tv series and movies, cook sometimes, build stuff, fix stuff. I love horses. I want one. Now!

Whats your favorite holiday?

CHRISTMAS!!!

Whats your dream job?

I like my actual job a lot but if we are talking about dream jobs, well..I’d love to be an artisan, a craftsmen. I’d love to make dresses and props for movies and theater plays. Also, anything that involves horses. Groom, jokey, knight, anything!! 🙂

Whats your favorite movie?

This is SO hard. Only one??? Ok….Braveheart.  could watch it 50 times a day. It hurts, every time. I cry like a baby, every-single-time. FREEEEDOOOMMM!!

Student perspective: “Marta’s bashful smile is one of my favorite memories. She always made me feel like I was doing just the right thing.” – Joey N. Fall 2014

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