The opportunity to study abroad in Milan brought about the most joyous 3 months of my life. From the delicious food to the beautiful fashion, Milan's unique charm was unmatched. What makes Milan so interesting to me is that you can get the large, metropolitan feel of a modern city, while also still being able to find and appreciate all the old-world, antique qualities that define Italy/Italian culture. I cannot thank the IES staff enough for making the immersion process seamless and enjoyable. The genuine relationships I built with native Milanese people, through both IES and my internship, will last a lifetime. My beloved friends at IES pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to look for adventure in each day. Because of this, I will always consider Milan my second home.

My Milan study abroad experience was the most rewarding and incredible experience of my life. The friends I made there have changed my life so positively, and I will always be so thankful for the opportunity to have met them! IES staff was so helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. I believe Milan was the perfect city to study in, since it is a city that makes you feel right at home. Although the city mainly speaks Italian, even my friends who did not speak Italian at all found that they could get around. Also, the IES Italian classes are very in-depth, which helped raise my own level of Italian. I highly recommend Milan to anybody looking for an experience in a young, exciting city that’s located in the center of all the action!

My experience with IES Abroad Milan: Business Studies was absolutely incredible. Thanks to IES, the 4 months i spent in Italy were absolutely life changing. It was an experience that I will never forget and has shaped who I am today. The academic aspect of IES was great, as I enjoyed all of my classes and really liked all of my professors. It was unlike any american academic experience because of all the interesting field trips I got to go on in my classes. As for my housing situation, I was lucky enough to be placed in an apartment in one of the nicest areas of Milan. I became friends with my CA, who also happened to be my roommate, and because of her I truly felt like I was able to immerse myself into Italian culture. IES offered many weekend trips as well as activities to do in Milan such as pizza making, which allowed for students to participate in activities that they may not have partaken in otherwise. Overall, my experience with IES and the time I spent in Milan has changed me for the better and will absolutely have an influence on me for the rest of my life. Grazie IES, Grazie Milano!

The IES Abroad program in Milan provided me with a semester of memories and connections that will last a lifetime. The staff at the center really tries to get to know each student, which meant a lot in a place that was so unfamiliar at first. My courses were interesting and taught by first-class professionals. My favorite class was my Italian intensive class, which went above and beyond a typical language class to teach information that was extremely helpful in every day life in Milan. I participated in an internship through IES alongside my coursework, which was an invaluable professional experience at this point in my career. My housing assignment, provided by IES, was beautiful and in a convenient location that provided inspiration and encouraged exploration. Having a live-in Community Assistant was extremely helpful for navigating certain tasks and situations as well. IES also offered many great cultural excursions. They even provided us with weekly emails and monthly pamphlets about the best things going on in the city during that time. I cannot thank IES enough for the semester I spent in Milan!

How can I begin to describe my semester abroad? This was by far the best semester of my life. There's just something about moving to Italy for 4 months that changes everything you ever thought you knew. Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely terrifying to pack up your whole life into two suitcases and move across the world. From the beginning, I knew it would be worth it because of the wonderful people at IES Abroad. I was kept informed every step of the way. From the predeparture checklist, to help with the Visa, to personal emails from the staff, I was nothing but impressed with IES. Once I got to Italy, the IES Milan staff put together a week long orientation that helped to create the friendships that have lasted past my time in the program, inspire confidence in the program, and ensure that I made the correct decision. But, beside all of that, the bets part of IES Milan were the professors. I took 5 classes in Milan and I couldn't wait to go to each of them each week. I was pushed harder than I ever have and it absolutely paid off. Another great part of this program were the field trips. I participated in the trips to Parma and to Sienna. During these trips I got to know the staff and the students on a more personal level and I got to explore places I never would have thought to go. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about IES Abroad Milan. I can honestly say my life has been changed for the better because of this program.

Studying abroad can be a challenge for music students because there are fewer options in terms of viable study abroad programs. Thankfully, I found IES Abroad Milan's music program online and was able to attend for this past semester. I received such an incredible musical education in my semester here. Not only was the academic perspective excellent (I learned so much in my History of Italian Opera course), but there were also ample performance opportunities in the form of both concerts and opera pastiche. The caliber of the instructors was extremely high. Additionally, the program provided us with complimentary tickets to La Scala when possible, which enriched our musical education enormously by allowing us to observe performances at the highest professional and musical levels. I have made so many lasting professional and personal connections through my time at IES Abroad, and I cannot recommend this program highly enough!

When I was first leaving for abroad, I was very nervous about having to start over with many aspects I had already concurred in my home university. Making new friends, becoming comfortable in a new location, and adjusting to a new culture were all things I had done two year prior at my College, and I was dreading having to do it again. Yet, when I got to Milan, throughout the four months I grew more personally than I have ever done before. The program was so welcoming, accommodating, and friendly that making friends and adjusting was quite effortless. Italian culture is very friendly and talkative, so meeting Italians and becoming comfortable within a new culture also did not take that long. Yet, most importantly perhaps, I learned how to be comfortable with myself in such an uncomfortable situation. You will inevitably find yourself having to eat alone, navigate alone, shop alone, and other activities that are customary to do in groups in the US, and you will grow more personally because of these experiences. I think that is one of the most important aspects of study abroad, and other than IES's incredible support and academics, the opportunity to grow within a foreign and uncomfortable environment is priceless.

From the start, I was absolutely blown away by the quality of instruction which was afforded to me by the program. Having practically taught myself how to play the saxophone, it was quite the change to have someone of such caliber provide me with private instruction. Some of the things I've learnt this semester I will carry with me for many many years to come. On top of getting a whole semester to focus on my saxophone playing and musicianship, I felt like I was also able to fully immerse myself in the culture through the various activities as well as living and commuting so close to the city center. I was also able to volunteer at a local soup kitchen through the Service Learning seminar, which greatly enhanced my experience and exposure to local Italians.