Studying Abroad in Milan Gave Me A Much Needed Fresh Perspective On Life Past Review
By Sarah M (Marketing., Providence College) for
IES Abroad: Milan - Study Abroad With IES Abroad
I'm Type-A and am a leader and like to be in control, but the most important lessons I learned were about how to relax, embrace a new culture, be a team player, roll with the punches and adapt to the unexpected, and view life in terms of "big picture" concepts making me reevaluate my priorities.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES Abroad - Milan staff was wonderful; they were very accessible, very nice, and very helpful. Their offices are all in one place and they were in constant contact with each other and with the students, so if I ever had a problem, I could get it solved in a day. I liked that our program was small - it was perfect for being abroad for only a semester. My only complaint would be that I would have liked a space to do homework, but that was a circumstantial issue because the IES building closed early which isn't in their control, and the Italian academic culture is very different from that of the US so they don't have libraries open during long hours 7 days a week like in the States. Otherwise, I was extremely happy with the IES Milan administration. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Spending advice: When you travel, definitely experience the local cuisine, but utilize grocery stores for things like water, snacks, and smaller meals. Phone charges can also add up quickly but make sure you always have money on your phone in case you find yourself in an emergency situation. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
We took 3 weeks of intensive Italian, then during the regular semester we took Italian 3 times per week and every other Friday our Italian classes were 3 hours long. I also took an advanced conversation and culture course which was in Italian and the students were only permitted to speak in Italian. I had an RA that was Italian and I also participated in the Language Partner program established between IES Abroad - Milan and Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. I used Italian in every day life and although some in the city spoke basic English, it was crucial to understand Italian in order to communicate well. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Step back, gain perspective, and try new things. My mottos studying abroad were "Carpe Diem" and "C'est la vie". The type of student that would benefit the most is the one that thinks they know everything and have their lives completely mapped out because this experience teaches you how to adapt to a new plan, roll with the punches, and that there is more than one path to take and the world is full of possibilities. |
