When I signed up for Italian, I never thought I would meet one of the best professors ever. Since I began my course in August 2015, I fell in love with the Italian language and it’s partly thanks to Professoressa Le Compte, also known as Pier Jolie. She’s a Puerto Rican with French roots that teaches the Intensive Italian courses here in the Rio Piedras campus. Many of her students call her the “Puerto Rican Italian Goddess”. Did I mention she plays soccer and does a soccer match every year with her students? I got the chance to ask her a few questions so everyone can know just how awesome she is. She is the most humble professor I’ve met so far in La IUPI. I present to you, Pier Jolie Le Compte!
HCUPR: When and how did you begin your career as a University professor?
P.J. I began my career as a professor around ten years ago in the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras campus as an Italian profesor right after coming back from Italy.
HCUPR: What is your education and where did you do it?P.J. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Modern Languages in the UPRRP and my Masters in Middleburry (Vermont and Florence, Italy campuses.)
HCUPR: Besides the fact that it’s a beautiful language, why Italian? How was the process in order to select the language?
P.J. I began studying French and then Italian. In that time, I was contemplating further pursuing French as soon as I completed my bachelor’s. It wasn’t until my third year that I did a student exchange to Italy that I changed my mind. I have to say, it was love at first sight (and ear!). The experience was so enriching and positive that when I came back to continue my respective Italian courses I felt so aquainted by the language that I continued my studies in the language.
HCUPR: Studying abroad, how was your experience?
P.J. Like I said before, in my case, it was very positive. To appreciate and understand another culture makes you learn more about yourself. It changed my entire way of thinking and how I perceived everything, expanding my intelect. I always recommend my students to do it. In all the years I’ve been a profesor, I’ve never heard or seen any of my students return disenchanted from an experience like this. On the contrary, an experience like this one helps you grow.
HCUPR: Where have you been able to travel to? What other places do you want to visit?
P.J. I’ve visited different cities in different countries around Europe and Asia. I’ve visited Paris, Istanbul, Smyrna, Dubrovnik, Olimpia, amongst others; in the Caribbean I’ve visited the British Virgin Islands, amongst others; in the United States I’ve visited New York, various cities in Florida, Middleburry in Vermont, amongst others; and in Italy, of course, I’ve visited multiple cities: Florence, Naples, Venice, Rome, Bari, Milan, Pisa, Bologna…for me, traveling and getting to know different cultures is and will always be a pleasure and a learning experience different from any classroom. Don’t you think the world is too big? There’s still a lot of places I need to visit.
Describe your most negative and most positive experience while you studied abroad.
P.J. I don’t consider that I had a negative experience. I think that I had different circumstances that helped me grow as a person. For example, when I had to wait in the hallway for my turn to present my final oral Italian Grammar exam. I could say that it has been one of those moments in which I’ve felt the most anxious in my life. When I entered the room to give my exam, I thought that for one moment the profesor could feel the buzzing of my heart and my trembling legs. Of course, this wasn’t true and by her second question I already felt that I had the situation under control.
As for a positive experience, I would say the same because when I had to give my other oral final exams, that experience helped me prepare to give them.
HCUPR: Why did you choose to be a professor in the University of Puerto Rico?
P.J. It was a goal that I had made since I was doing my bachelor’s degree. I had amazing profesors/mentors and experiences as I completed my degree. It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to work in the best university of the country and it’s greatest project of educational and social justice.
HCUPR: How would you describe the process of teaching a foreign language?
P.J. It’s being able to share the love and passion that you feel for Italian with your students. Beyond that, it’s being able to help with sociolinguistic processes to expand horizons and think differently.
HCUPR: You’re a favorite amongst Italian professors, from your way of teaching to your fashion sense. How do you feel about that and what do you think sets you apart from other professors?
P.J. I don’t feel any different from my other colleagues. Better yet, thanks to their advice and mentoring, I am here. I consider that we all teach Italian for the same reason: it’s a fascinating language. As for my fashion sense, I just try to be comfortable. For my way of teaching, I never forget that I was and still am a student, that I was in the same place where my students sit now. To learn a language, it takes effort and dedication, and if together we create a great group dynamic, the effort is almost automatic. I try to make my students fall in love with the Italian language the same way I once did. Every day I learn from them, because with each doubt and question it helps me understand them more.
HCUPR: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given in your life?
P.J. One time, my sister told me that when you study abroad and you return to your country, you shouldn’t look for that person that you were before leaving, because ya no existe, eres otra.