Our Instructor

Christina Ball, Ph.D
Founder and Director
Our Instructor

Christina Ball, Ph.D

Peek in doorways, look around the corner, start a conversation.

Christina holds a Ph.D in Italian Literature from Yale University and has been teaching all aspects of the language and culture since 1992. She has lived in (Bologna) Italy as a Fulbright Scholar, as an artist in Cortona and has designed and guided many groups to Umbria to share her passion for the language and culture. 
Christina launched Speak! in 2004 and has grown the company from a one-room Italian school into a full-fledged language-culture-travel company with both e-learning and in-person programs. As Director of Speak!, she works with her admin team and a faculty of 50 language professionals from all around the globe. Christina has also worked as a food writer and journalist for over a decade and can be frequently seen on stage, acting in theatrical productions in her hometown of Charlottesville, VA.

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My Journey

Find a town’s market, and you’ll find its soul.

(Memory) Pescheria, Catania, Sicily (ITALY)

In 2022, my husband Enrico and I explored Sicily for two weeks on a road trip - from Catania in the east all the way to the remote island of Pantelleria close to Tunisia. One of the most memorable moments on that trip - a sort of epiphany, if you will - occurred at the open-air fish market in Catania’s historic center (centro storico). I could hear and smell it before I could see it as we weaved our way through the warren of streets lined with restaurants and shops. Fishmongers were shouting over each other, each boasting their fresh catch and the price of the day. And, of course, my nose picked up early on the odor of fish, which for me is as intoxicating as the most exotic perfume. When we arrived at the market’s main piazza, a sunken square of dark grey volcanic rock, we stood with the locals on a balcony above to observe, just as we would a Broadway show or La Scala opera performance. A handsome, muscular man in a t-shirt proudly and skillfully sliced a giant red tuna into steaks, as customers (and audience members like us) looked on admiringly. Vendors pulled gleaming octopi out of crates and spun them around before dropping them into plastic bags. For the lunch crowd, plastic plates were filled with seafood salads or just-shucked oysters for only 2 euros, which I had to slurp up. At one point, I just stopped in my tracks to soak up the scene, a scene that hasn’t changed in hundreds of years, one that my own Sicilian ancestors would’ve experienced - the sensory delight was so powerful that I was literally moved to tears. “Che c’è?” What’s up? My husband asked. The only words I could come up with were that I was completely happy in that moment, in that place full of so much life - color, smells, tastes, sounds, people. I felt at home. Markets are gathering places, after all, places of trade, conversation of daily rituals and exchanges. What I love most about travel and about what we do at Speak! is that we bring people and places together - a marketplace of language and culture! 
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Few travel tips from Christina

Create a Personalized Travel Playlist

Music can set the perfect mood for your adventure. Curate a playlist with songs that remind you of your destination or inspire wanderlust. Don’t forget to include local music for a more immersive experience!

Try the Local Street Food

Skip the fancy restaurants and dive into the local street food scene. It’s often cheaper and more authentic. Plus, it’s a great way to meet locals and experience the culture firsthand.

Capture Moments, Not Just Photos

While photos are great for memories, try journaling or sketching your experiences. It’s a fun way to capture your thoughts and feelings about the places you visit and makes for a wonderful keepsake.

Reflections on Travel

For me, travel is as much about the pre-trip learning experience as it is about the actual trip. I will spend months researching itineraries, neighborhoods, lodging options, restaurants and local experiences before booking flights and making reservations. I’ll also reach out to friends and acquaintances, gathering all of their recommendations, too. Of course, one of the goals of Speak! is to help travelers learn a bit of the language and culture before they actually touch down in Italy, Portugal, Spain or France.
Once I arrive in a place, I try to let go of the reigns a bit and lean into wandering and allow things to unfold naturally, magically. I love simply walking around for hours, discovering new neighborhoods, shops, markets, hidden courtyards and gardens. When I share my recommendations or post on social, people will often ask me “how did you FIND that place?!”. I usually reply “I was just wandering around and popped my head in the door” or “I smelled something delicious and followed my nose.”