Hello
And welcome to YpsiLingua!
My name is Daniel, and I'm a native English speaker originally from the UK, now happily settled in the beautiful hilltop town of Castelbuono, in the heart of the Sicilian Madonie mountains.
My connection with Sicily goes back further than you might expect. I first lived here with my husband several years ago — initially with the intention of learning Italian! That plan took an unexpected turn when a local language school in nearby Cefalù suddenly found themselves without a teacher, and I found myself thrown in at the deep end, teaching English with almost no prior experience. It turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Over the following year, I taught a wonderfully eclectic mix of students — doctors, surgeons, lab technicians, a local tour guide, a hotel worker, a teenager preparing for an Oxford University entrance exam, and even an olive farmer. Each one taught me something too.
Life then took my husband and me from Sicily to Milan, and eventually back to London — but Sicily was always calling. In January 2025, we made the decision to return, and settling in Castelbuono felt like the most natural thing in the world. My husband has deep family roots in this area, and we had both fallen in love with the town long before we ever lived here — its authenticity, its history, its food, its people, and its extraordinary setting between the mountains and the sea. After years in London, it felt like coming home.
And so YpsiLingua was born — a language project rooted in this very special place. The name itself is inspired by Ypsigro, the ancient Greek name for Castelbuono, a small nod to Sicily's rich and layered history that I find endlessly fascinating.
My approach to teaching is friendly, relaxed and entirely personalised. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all lesson plans — every student is different, with different goals, different strengths, and a different reason for wanting to improve their English. Whether you're a professional looking to communicate more confidently at work, a student preparing for an exam, or simply someone who wants to feel more at ease when travelling or speaking with English speakers, I'll tailor every lesson to what you need.
I offer lessons face-to-face here in Castelbuono and the surrounding area, as well as online via video call — which means that wherever you are in the world, we can work together.
If you'd like to give it a try, your first session is completely free. I'd love to hear from you!
Let's get talking — parliamo!
