Alessia Bisini

Photos

Alessia, 20, lives in Milan (Italy) and is currently studying Languages, Communication and Media at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. She's currently working as a freelance journalist for two Italian publications: TwitMix Project and GingerGeneration.it

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because I had never had the opportunity to improve my writing and speaking skills in an international environment for more than a week.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My university didn't assist me. I did it all by myself by keeping in touch with RoosterGNN Academy.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Trust your instinct and embark on a marvelous adventure! You will gain a whole different perspective on life, you will make new friends and you will feel incredibly free and independent.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

My day was made up of a meeting (where we discussed ideas and opinions regarding our articles) or a workshop with a mentor or expert. In my case I got the chance to attend two workshops with two amazing journalists: Martin Roberts (Reuters, The Guardian, etc.) and Patricia Rafael Lage ( Broadly Spain, VICE News Spain, The New York Times).

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was my insecurity. This experience helped me boost my confidence.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience?

RoosterGNN Academy is in Madrid, the capital of sunny Spain. It's one of the most beautiful European cities I've ever been to. Basically, while in Madrid you can do whatever you want: visit a museum or a specific exhibition, you can go to the swimming pool, you can have a stroll through two of its grandest parks: El Retiro and Casa de Campo and you can go to a tapas bar and enjoy a good sangria.

RoosterGNN Academy also organizes two site visits. You will get the chance to see El Mundo's newsroom (one of the biggest Spanish broadsheets) and a cultural hub called El Matadero Madrid, which is set in the Arganzuela district.

If you can't wait to go to Madrid to start a wonderful journey, you can check RoosterGNN's website as they prepping for a new special internship in Cuba: a Travel and Photojournalism Internship Seminar.