Inspiring Women Fall 2017

Inspiration from Italy
My name is Chantal Seys and I am a member of
American International Women’s Club in Genoa, Italy.
Being a member of the AIWC is very important to me. It
is the place where I have met many of my friends.
I was born in Belgium and lived there until I was 27. My
brother, sisters and 29 nieces and nephews live there
and I see them when they travel to the South of France
or come to visit. I go to Belgium rarely since my parents
died. Although we are far away we keep in touch
regularly through all the apps that the Internet offers.
I have lived in Italy since 1977, the year in which I met
my husband, Carlo Baldi, during a vacation in Tunisia.
We met in a very unusual way: taking a camel ride into
the desert. My first year was difficult here because I
didn’t speak the language but everything went
smoothly once I started working at the American
International School (AIS) in Genoa. I lived not far from
school in a nice suburb near the sea and we moved to
town when I retired.
I started working at the AIS in Genoa, now ISG, in
September 1979 and retired in February 2010. These were wonderful years for me, with lots of
satisfaction, new incentives to do more and always to grow. I worked as a French teacher in
the Middle School and as Librarian for the Early childhood, Elementary and Middle Schools. In
some years, I worked as the Secretary and Business Manager rather than Librarian, and as a
result I knew the school community very well and loved the good relationship with parents,
students and colleagues. The school improved and grew during these years and being in daily
contact with people from different nationalities opened my mind and I tried to absorb and
make mine the different qualities that made them special. The School was a happy island
where you could work intensively and make the best out
of it for the benefit of the students. After I retired I became
a member of a volunteering association that makes audiovisual
books for dyslexic children. The child has the e- book
on the computer and by clicking on the arrow can listen
to the text read by volunteers. To look at the text and listen
to the text at the same time is very important because it
helps the reader to improve his/her reading skills.
My love for children got me into this field. When I started
working as a teacher I discovered how wonderful it was to
work with children. Children are joyful and eager to learn.
I realized furthermore how important education is for their
future. I like to help students and encourage them to
prepare for a profession and improve their personalities.
It was amazing and frightening at the same time to see
how the students absorb your words and follow your
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