Where can languages take you?

On Friday 7th November, we were fortunate to be visited by an ex-student who wanted to return to Presdales to share her experiences of language learning. Since Katie Curtis left Presdales in 2017, she has completed her undergraduate degree in Italian and Spanish from the University of Manchester and a masters’ degree in Madrid.

Katie talked about her year abroad, which she spent studying in Bergamo, northern Italy, before working as a trading assistant in Madrid. She described the highs and lows of her year, including taking the Prince of Libya’s pet chihuahua for walks and cutting off her finger on a tin of tuna all while navigating the challenge of learning the language.

“I attended Katie’s talk on Friday lunchtime, and I was absolutely inspired by her story. I actually reached out to her afterwards to tell her what an amazing job she did. I want to become a language teacher, and it’s so lovely to see other people who are as passionate as I am- it’s great to know that your dreams are achievable and there is always someone with you at every step of the way. I couldn’t have made a better decision than to continue studying languages, and Katie only confirmed that for me.” Sophie, Year 12

“I really did enjoy Katie’s talk last week because I think those of us who are interested in a similar path and spending time abroad, want to hear about life there disregarding school work and how fun the social side would actually be, as that really would be what would make it such a great experience. It was also interesting to hear about where her degree and fluency in Italian and Spanish have taken her in her career to work at Warner Bros!” Willow, Year 11

“It was very inspiring and I found it very eye opening as to what my future could look like if I continue with languages. The path Katie has taken seems like something I would love to do, especially considering the year abroad in a degree in languages as it’s not just work but social and life skills.” Ronnie, Year 11