Oct 25, 2022
Therese Snyder
retired administrator/educator
This past summer I went to Lucca, Italy with Studentessa Matta, also known as Melissa Muldoon. I went expressly to study the language, but I came away with a much richer experience than only increased language proficiency. There were four women in the group, and we immediately hit it off, Amazing women!
Melissa as a tour guide is exemplary. She is always smiling, always ready to go with endless energy and a network in Italy to solve any problem, meet any need or satisfy any curiosity.
Of course, Lucca is an exciting city with its glorious churches, outdoor cafes, and the famous wall. The hotel was delightful, intimate, charming and warm.The food in Italy is beyond belief, and, not to disappoint, Melissa took us to some very fabulous restaurants, Ambience, and fine dining combined.
The Lucca Italian school was also pretty amazing. We spent a week with a group of mostly European students. The teachers were all young, vibrant, engaged and totally devoted to the students. Being a retired teacher, I found the methodology challenging and effective. There were lots of handouts, a conversational approach and significant interaction among us.
The entire trip was meticulously planned by Melissa, and it was pure delight just to hang out with her. Everyone went out of their way to accomodate our needs, and Melissa is an outstanding tour guide. Being bilingual and with her passion for art and history she kept us entertained with legends, history and the culture of the area. I cannot rave enough about my experience in Lucca with Melissa. In short, it was an amazing trip.