Owner Nicoletta Garberoglio first had the idea for the Ital-Lingua café over a year ago. ‘I spoke with a friend at Forum Images, and they loved the idea. The rest is history!’ As an Italian professor, Garberoglio saw the number of French and English cafés available for students in Groningen, and thought, ‘why not start an Italian one?’

Garberoglio believes that the Ital-Lingua will be nice for people in Groningen; particularly those that may want to casually talk in Italian, or speak generally about Italy. ‘There are many people who like my country and language, and like to talk to me about it, so the café has been greatly welcomed already!’  ‘And it’s a good way to learn about a culture and make friends’,  Garberoglio adds.

Sanctuary for Italian students

Not only can Ital-Lingua provide a safe sanctuary for Italian students who are looking to escape the directness of the Dutch, but it is also a fantastic experience for all other students, International and Dutch. ‘For Italians, it is very nice to speak Italian, particularly when they are over 1500 miles from home.

For the non-Italian students, speaking Italian with an Italian in an Italian place, it is a unique opportunity, as they can pick up the proper accent’, says Garberoglio. ‘Groningen is such a wonderfull international city. Ital-Lingua fits perfectly into the international framework, and I think it will be a great addition to the experience of students.’

Ital-Lingua Café is free for students, and begins at 20h this Thursday at Groninger Forum, 73, Hereplein.