Why did you choose this program?
Growing up watching travel programs with my grandparents and hearing their travel stories had a lasting impact on me, so I always knew what kind of travel experience I truly wanted.
I chose the Dolomit program because I've always wanted to travel and learn about the world around me but in a more rural setting rather than a bustling urban center. I've met so many amazing international travelers and students at home, it was about time I did some of my own exploring!
The program walked me through all the necessary paperwork including flights and insurance. I was super close the deadline before I had even shown interest in the program but with how streamlined the website was, I filled out things fairly quick and was talking with someone the same day.
Considering I came from a non-affiliated community college on the west coast of the US, I was quite surprised at how willing BCA was to work with me and see things through. Really the only thing I needed to organize was what to pack and a little banking information.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I would say the most practical advice I could give is to learn about restaurant etiquette and how to pay for things. This program is mainly about food and culture after all!
Most often you pay at the register while larger denomination coins are a lot more commonly used than in the U.S. Thankfully I didn't come back home with too big of a coin collection, and the ones I did return with are pretty cool!
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
The average day started with waking up to wonderful weather and having a light breakfast at the agritur, going to class for a couple hours, and then exploring the local area until dinner around 9 pm.
Throughout the week, our group would travel to various museums, farms, and landmarks. Even with especially hot weather there was ample places to cool off with a popular lake nearby and tons of delicious gelato.
Towards the end of the program, the group stayed in a quiet mountain house in the mountains, allowing for some adventurous and supremely scenic hikes while working on a final research paper.
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 being able to communicate with people without knowing much Italian. I may seem fairly outgoing but I always worry about miscommunication. Turns out, Trentino and Munich are very multilingual areas (German, Italian and English were very common) and everyone was very patient when listening.
I think given the current state of things in the U.S., we far too often see traveling out of country as scary and dangerous, when really you are just meeting new people who have a surprising amount in common with you: fears, likes, dislikes and everything in between included.
Were you okay traveling internationally alone for the first time?
Absolutely! As long as you stay even the least bit aware, most people you run across will be very friendly! Of course, you should also travel with some good friends, it never hurts to have more perspective on figuring out things to do!
That being said, don't forget to stop and smell the flowers (and boy are there some pretty flowers in Trentino). You may want to pack a bunch of activities into your schedule because you are in a new and exciting place but remember to place quality above quantity, include some lounging time and take in life around you!
