Intentional Immersion and Cosy Italian Retreats with Elfin Waters

In this episode, I chat with my friend Elfin about her amazing Italian retreats and the idea of intentional immersion. We explore why simply moving to a country isn’t always enough to become fluent and how gentle, mindful immersion can make a big difference, especially for introverts or those balancing work and life. Elfin shares practical tips on engaging with local culture, like shopping at markets and eavesdropping on conversations, and how retreats in small Italian towns offer a cosy, supportive environment to grow your language skills and confidence. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, this episode offers inspiration to savour your language journey and embrace all the little moments that add up to meaningful progress.
---

**GET STARTED FOR FREE**
🎁 Free Video Training - How to Finally Learn That Language: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/freevideo
---
**WORK WITH LINDSAY**
💛 Language Life - Speak fearlessly, trust your language gut & master your process: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/ll
🎲 Promptly - Get fun prompts & challenges to keep practicing daily: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/prom...
📺 Watch & Learn - Master language study through my bingeable video course: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/watc...
📒 Learner Planner - Plan & track your language goals like a pro: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/lear...
🎶 Music Maestro - Learn languages with music & lyrics: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/music
🔡 Vibrant Vocab - Finally build a vocabulary that sticks: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/vocab
🎨 100 Creative Ideas for Language Learners - Beat boredom & stay consistent: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/100c...
🥳 Successful Self-Study - Build habits that make language learning last: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/sss
---
**TIMESTAMPS**
00:00 🎙️ Intro
00:45 Why moving abroad isn’t the only path to fluency
07:30 The importance of intentional immersion
15:20 Engaging with local culture through small daily interactions
22:10 How retreats in small towns support language learning
30:00 Activities on retreat: markets, art therapy, and community
38:45 Retreat options for beginners and intermediate learners
45:00 Planning your trip and making the most of your retreat
52:00 Final thoughts on savouring your language journey
🚀 Outro
---
**JOIN THE COMMUNITY**
💌 Language Sparks Emails - Get fresh tips & motivation multiple times a week: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/emailme
🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LindsayDowLanguages
👩‍💻 Read the blog for curated language learning advice: https://lindsaydoeslanguages.com/
---
**LET’S CONNECT**
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaydoeslanguages/
📍 Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/ldlanguages/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaydoeslanguages/
---
🗣 languagelearning #learnalanguage #polyglot #personaldevelopment #moveabroad #connectwithheritage #getfluent