IES Abroad Milan

To be honest, I was extremely nervous about going abroad. I have traveled to 30 countries around the world with my family since I was a kid, but this was different. In the days leading up to my departure, everyone asked me if I was excited to go, and I really wasn't. For me initially, studying abroad was something I had to do because everyone did it their junior years. I was so nervous and dreading the day of my flight.
Once I got to Milan and met my roommates (after talking them on Facebook) I felt comfortable. We took a tour of the city the first day and already were planning our first trip. I met lots of people in my classes where we were all within 6 degrees of separation. 10 mutual friends on Facebook from all different walks of life.
Classes started and I felt at home. All of my friends from high school and college were still at home for winter break but I was so busy I didn't feel left out. Weeks flew by and almost every weekend we were traveling to a new country with a new language and new food! Classes were different than courses at my home college, but the professors were kind, understanding and were really passionate about helping.
After just a few days I was comfortable managing the streets and metro alone, knew where the grocery store was, and kind of understood when the cashier told me how much I owed. My Italian picked up quick thanks to the three weeks of intensive learning at the beginning of the semester. Soon enough it was Easter break, and at the end of the program, I didn't want to leave! Milan became like a second home, I learned a lot, and made new friends from around the US and around the world.
I was nervous and dreading my study abroad, but now I wish I stayed even longer!

As vocalist who is pursuing a career in performance, I could not have chosen a better program. Not only was the staff incredibly supportive but they were also very experienced in their field. With this combination, I did nothing but flourish as a musician. IES provided me the opportunity to study with professors who taught at the Conservatorio di Milano, in addition to a professor who had a residency at a local theatre and another professor who has had several books published in the field of musicology. This only encouraged me to embrace the Italian culture further and to appreciate the pure art in Italy.

By studying music in the historic city of Milan, I was able to walk the same streets of Verdi and Puccini while also having access to La Scala allowing me to the opportunity see some of opera’s best performers, including Leo Nucci and Placido Domingo. Furthermore, in the city of Milan lies several hidden treasures including: Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” and Casa Verdi. While the academic and local experience was astounding, the program allowed students to have long weekends so that we could travel around Europe if we desired. This permitted me to see some of the countries I’ve only dreamed of seeing : various parts of Italy, Germany, and Greece.

IES Milan: Music and Innovation was the perfect program for me. It was the perfect blend of educational, motivational, and helped me to grow even in ways that I can't explain. If you have the chance to study with this program I highly recommend it.

My time abroad was the best five semesters of my life. I had no idea what to expect going into the semester; I'd never been to Europe, I didn't speak any Italian, and I didn't know anyone else in my program. I'm so happy that I forced myself to break out of my comfort zone and go! I visited so many incredible places and ate some of the best food in the world while I was abroad. I took a wide variety of classes, both within my major and outside of it, which was a perfect balance of advancing myself further in my International Business major as well as learn more about Italian culture and history.

IES provided a lot of great opportunities to attend events throughout Milan as well as travel to new cities and countries with the program, making it really easy to get to know the other students in the program. I also lived in a wonderful part of the city, just a 10 minute walk away from the Duomo and even closer to the main fashion streets of Milan. It is also very easy to travel elsewhere from Milan, with its easy public transportation systems, multiple train stations, and multiple airports close by.

I highly recommend this program for everyone!

My study abroad experience with IES Milan was nothing short of incredible. The program staff was filled with generous, kind and knowledgable people who were there to support me in my experience from the moment I landed in MXP until I departed in May. I lived in an apartment with four other girls from the US and my Community Assistant, Ilenia. Ilenia welcomed us with warm hugs, cookies, and a jar of Nutella, eager to show us around the city and befriend us. I was nervous the first few days about making friends and living a country where I had no prior knowledge of the language, but by the end of the first week I was already planning my first trip with a group of friends to Florence. The orientation events put on by IES really did help me meet a bunch of the students in the program and get me excited about the semester to come.
Over the course of the semester I learned a ton about the Italian culture: how to correctly pronounce "grazie", where to find the best aperitivo, and when and when not to order a cappuccino. I enrolled in two Italian classes in which I was able to develop my language skills. I also had the opportunity to take a business fashion class where I was able to combine my major study with a passion of mine in one of Europe's most renown fashion capitals. Thanks to one of the Community Assistants I befriended, I was even able to attend a fashion show during Milan Women's Fashion Week.
Many weekends of mine were spent in Milan exploring different corners of the city. My friends and I became regulars at a particular pizzeria and spent the warmer afternoons picnicing in the local parks. Our other weekends and breaks were spent traveling Europe where I was able to meet up with friends from my home university as well make new friends in foreign places. My favorite trip was pretty adventurous. Eight of us decided to spend our week of spring break in Morocco. Traveling to the different major cities and exploring the northern African country was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. Towards the end of the semester IES hosted a trip to Parma, Italy, where students were able to tour a parmesan cheese factory, a balsamic vinegar factory, and a historic violin museum. Because this trip was at the end of the semester and most students enrolled in the program attended, it was a great way to bring everyone together again and wrap up the incredible semester.
While the fancy trips and delicious meals are some of my favorite memories from my study abroad experience, the best part of Milan was the people I met. I made lifetime friends during my semester abroad, people I know that will be in my life forever. Saying goodbye to all of those friendly faces at the end of the semester was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Luckily since returning to America, I have already had the opportunity to reunite with a few of them and plans are in the works to have a full blown IES Milan reunion in the future. Milan will always hold a special place in my heart and forever be one of my favorite cities in the world. The beauty of the Duomo is something that never grows old or wears away. I hope more than anything I can return to Milan in the near future.

IES Abroad Milan is a fantastic program that offers a wide array of opportunities for all kinds of students. Whether it be business, music, or an interest in the Italian culture and language you have the ability to dive deep all while living in the wonderful city of Milan. With being in the northern part of Italy, it provides you with the ability to travel very easily. T he staff are very kind people who will go out of their way to assist you at moments notice.

IES Abroad Milano was an incredible experience. I traveled to 18 countries and 54 cities during my 5 months abroad in the spring of 2016. I developed incredible relationships with the staff, my roommates, fellow students in my program, and local Milanese. I learned a great deal about the incredibly diverse world we live in and how blessed I was to be afforded such an incredible opportunity. I highly recommend IES Abroad as a program due to the incredible flexibility that the program provides you to enjoy your own unique time abroad and cannot speak highly enough of Milan as a host city.

My study abroad experience was bittersweet. I had amazing moments and it was an opportunity I am so grateful that I was able to have. But I also encountered a lot more struggles than I anticipated, which made the experience a challenge. To start with the positives, I loved my program. The center was great and the IES staff was wonderful. They were all fun and personable, and made the experience easier. I loved my classes and professors. I loved the city I was in and it was amazing to be able to travel. My apartment was beautiful and in an incredible location. There were so many wonderful moments during my abroad experience. While there were great times, there was also some hardship. I didn't make many close connections with the people in my program, which made it a little lonely at times. It wasn't the same as being at home. I didn't have consistent travel buddies, and I was on a budget, so I didn't get to travel as much as I wanted to. I wish I had an opportunity to meet more locals, but it was difficult since my program was for Americans and because there was a language barrier. Though not every single memory is 100% happy, I gained so much more from this than I could have imagined. I lived on my own in a new place and I learned how to integrate into a culture. I faced more challenges than I thought I would, and it made the experience not as much of the dream trip that I imagined. But I learned a lot about myself as a person, and what is important to me. I proved to myself that I can face troubles like these and still be okay. During my time abroad, I saw incredible sites and experienced amazing things that I will remember for the rest of my life. Study Abroad is such a unique opportunity and I am so glad that I took that chance.

Studying abroad in Milan was an incredible experience. Milan isn't as touristy as other Italian cities and it offers a great mix of history, art, and modern business. Being in a city like Milan means you will always have something to do- whether that is going to the Prada Museum, spending the afternoon at Piazza Duomo, or enjoying the city's nightlife. Its location is also perfect for traveling to other European cities throughout the semester.

As a business major and an Italian minor, I was able to find classes that fit my requirements through IES Abroad's Business Studies Program. In terms of housing, IES offers you the option of doing a homestay or living in an apartment with other American students. I chose to live in an apartment and really enjoyed it. On top of being located in a great area, I lived with some of my best friends. However, I also heard great things from my friends who chose to do homestay, which offers a better opportunity for cultural immersion. All in all, I had a great experience in Milan and I recommend it to any business major who is interested in Italian culture.