Emily McPhee’s first taste of Italian culture came through food: Italian recipes were always a staple in her family. Her love for the language, however, developed over time.
Emily learned her first Italian words in primary school, but it was in Year 7 at St Michael’s Grammar School, thanks to her teacher at the time, Teresa Massaro, that she discovered its musicality and decided to never let it go.
“Seeing that I was doing well gave me great motivation. The more I noticed my progress, the more I wanted to learn,” she recalled.
A pivotal moment in her language journey came in Year 11, when she spent three months on a school exchange in Concorezzo, a small town just outside Milan. “It’s a little village; I went to school nearby in Vimercate. I was very lucky to be hosted by a wonderful family with three children, and I’m still in touch with one of my ‘sisters’, Alice,” Emily shared.
“We’ve kept such a close bond that I’ll be visiting them again on my next trip.”
Emily recently set off on a European journey that will take her through Italy before ending in Oxford, where she will begin her university studies. From that first time in Italy, she carries both beautiful memories and the awareness of cultural differences she had to navigate. “The Italian and Australian school systems are very different, but it was thanks to my time in class that I was able to really improve my language skills,” she noted.
Italian was the only language she shared with her classmates, who all came from different backgrounds. “No one spoke to me in English, and it was fascinating to make friends in another language, to understand humour and to express my personality differently.”
She also laughed at how “everyone was terrified of insects and animals”.
“Once the school shut for a whole week because they found a mouse, and whenever a fly came into the classroom, everyone would rush to chase it out the window,” she recalled, smiling.
After that exchange, Emily soon returned to Italy with her family for a holiday. The months immersed in the language gave her the drive to prepare thoroughly for her Year 12 Italian exam.
“My friend Lucy and I used to call each other every night to practise the oral component, and we did it for the whole term leading up to the exams,” she said. “We’d each talk for about ten minutes, asking all the possible questions we might face in the exam, and eventually even the most random ones, just to be ready for anything.
“It was fun, and it really helped us feel less nervous on the day.”
Emily not only achieved an excellent result in Italian but also graduated with one of the highest scores in her school, placing her in the top 1 per cent of students in Victoria.
This outstanding result was further confirmed when she received an offer from one of the world’s most prestigious universities, Oxford, where she will study philosophy and Italian literature.
“I’ve always wanted to study abroad, to do work that would give me a global perspective,” she explained.
“My passions are journalism, foreign affairs and international organisations. Since Australia is quite isolated, I looked for a way to travel and gain access to opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise have had.
“When I saw Oxford’s courses had everything I wanted, including the chance to keep studying Italian, I didn’t hesitate, especially since a year abroad in Italy is part of the program.”
The selection process was rigorous and highly competitive, pushing Emily to stay focused throughout Year 12.
“The idea of Oxford was a huge motivation for me,” she shared, “To apply, I had to write a personal statement about my interests outside the classroom and how I had deepened my studies.
“Then I sat an entrance exam that tested my Italian grammar and philosophy knowledge. They also considered my grades and references. After passing that stage, I was interviewed in Italian and in philosophy,” she recalled with pride.
A young woman with a clear vision, Emily sees her future in journalism and is certain that Italian and philosophy will equip her with the intellectual tools to face professional and personal challenges.
“It will give me a deeper understanding of what it means to live in a different society; it will open me to other cultures and help me connect with people from all over the world.”
Dining and Cooking