Luca

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hi! I'm Luca, 28, Italian, and a (self-declared) coffee professional.
There’s always a hammock in my backpack, and little by little, it's traveling the world with me.
Yes, I’m a wanderer.

Just a month ago, I finished a year of civil service in Senegal (spoiler: it was very, very hot). Before that, I was a teacher, both in primary school and preschool.
Before teaching, I studied psychology. And before that, I spent two years living in an international youth community called Agape Ecumenical Center, up in my mountains (a.k.a. the Alps that surround my hometown. Fair warning: I might occasionally get a little nostalgic for mountain air).

My journey has led me, step by step, to realize that being with children is my true calling.
At first, I didn’t fully realize it. But over time, it became clearer and stronger.
Working in Africa with children in extreme situations only confirmed and deepened that calling.

I don't believe adults should teach kids how to become good grown-ups, if anything, it’s the opposite.
Children have this natural ability to remind us of what really matters: curiosity, honesty, connection, play.
They teach us how to be better humans.
That’s what keeps me going and what brings me joy.

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Italian: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate
Portuguese: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I would be happy to improve Spanish, French and Portuguese. In exchange I can give you lesson of italian (native-speaker)

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Charity Work

Languages

DIY and building projects

Babysitting and creative play

Eco Projects

Helping around the house

Animal Care

Hospitality/Tourism

House sitting

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Some knowledge of:  

Teaching

More details about your skills

When I was 19, I left home for the first time to live and work in an international community called Agape, in the Italian Alps. I had never had a job before, and suddenly I was sharing my days and decisions with ten other people I hadn’t chosen and who were all quite different from me. It was a powerful experience, both personally and professionally. I learned to respect differences, not just tolerate them. I learned to appreciate other ways of thinking, living, believing. Living in a community meant that every decision had to be made together, which required patience, calm, and active listening. I learned to speak up (to say what I felt and why) but even more importantly, I learned to listen deeply.
On the work side, I started with an office job: emails, phone calls, logistics, daily tasks. After a year, I shifted to hospitality, taking care of rooms, cleaning, waiting tables, and washing dishes. Unfortunately, I never managed to learn how to cook .

Later on, I began studying psychology at university. The first thing they told us was: “Don’t analyze your friends or yourself.” That one I respected right away. The second thing they advised was: “Start your own therapy.” That one took me a little longer — but eventually, I did. Studying community psychology gave me tools to understand what I had just lived at Agape. Then, I discovered child psychology, which fascinated me immediately. Something clicked.

Then the pandemic hit, and like many others, I had to pause. But that’s when the idea of teaching came to me.

Teaching gave me the chance to apply all the theory I had studied. At first, it was tough. I worried constantly. But even in the early weeks, I somehow managed to connect with the children. Over time, I realized that the key was not only control, but spontaneity. Children don’t need perfection: they need presence. In primary school, I began to understand how to "read the room", plan activities, and then adapt them on the fly depending on the children's needs. Later, in preschool, I went even deeper. Communication there is mostly non-verbal, so I learned to listen not just with my ears, but with my eyes and heart. That year taught me responsibility, flexibility, and creativity. And most of all, it showed me that working with children wasn’t just something I liked. It was my path.

Finally, I spent a year doing civil service in Senegal. That was a whole new kind of experience. Everything changed: the language, the culture, the rhythm of life. But the children didn’t. That’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned: kids are kids, everywhere. At first, I had no words to connect . French wasn’t enough, and I didn’t yet speak Wolof. So I played. We played a lot. Through games, hugs, shared laughter, and simple acts of care, relationships were built. And in those moments, we cared for one another.
Life in Senegal also taught me to slow down. Things don’t happen fast and that’s not a flaw. It’s a cultural value. People don’t rush ahead and leave others behind. They move together, even if it means going slower. Better to go far with everyone than fast with a few. That kind of patience and collective mindset was both a challenge and a gift for someone like me, raised in a more individualistic culture.
It’s hard to list everything I’ve learned from these experiences. But what I can say is that every step has given me new skills: communication, adaptability, responsibility, empathy, and a genuine passion for working with children. I believe that kids don’t need adults to teach them how to be good grown-ups. If anything, they show us how to be better humans.

Age

29

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements