IES Abroad Milan

After one semester Milan easily became my favorite city. From its busy, vibrant streets during the day to the glitz and glam of the fantastic nightlife Milan definitely has it all. There are a lot of colleges in Milan that draw in students from around the world, not to mention all of the study abroad students that call Milan home, and you have a big city with a large number of college aged people, it is the best of both worlds.

Living in Milan as a student is quite easy. My homestay apartment was beautiful and it was easy for me to move around the city thanks to the cheap, effective public transit that the city offers. This allowed me to explore so many parts of the city that I would have never gone to if not for the great access of public transportation.

If you can handle the hustle and bustle of the big city and enjoy exploring you will fit right in and be welcomed into the community that I call my home away from home.

I think we all go abroad with expectations, whether lofty or minimal, and I was no different. I was hoping to live with a family and I imaged us sharing breakfast at the family table and going for hikes on weekends. I had just learned who my voice teacher would be and I imagined rigorous lessons and excitement. I guess my most far fetched idea was that I imagined that thing they call "cultural immersion" to just happen; all I would have to do is be in Italy and BAM, I'd immediately be immersed in Italian culture.

Well, let me say now that I was clueless. Going abroad taught me that although expectations can foster excitement and anticipation, they come nowhere close to ones actual experience. I didn't just eat breakfast and hike with my family; I learned how to make pasta and I went to my homestay brothers rugby games. My voices lesson pushed me to a new vocal level and showed me what it really takes to be successful in the performance field. Finally, through meeting incredible friends and traveling all over Italy, I was blessed by Italy's culture. But, as you can see from all of my experiences, it took me venturing out and embracing my circumstances, no matter how foreign they appeared to me, to exceed my own expectations. The most important thing (as cheesey as it sounds) is to get out there and make your experience happen. (example: You'll never get to marvel at the crystal blue waters of the Cinque Terre if you never buy the train ticket)

The one thing I did not expect when I went abroad is that my life would change forever; no joke! Now that I'm back, I know that all cappuccinos are not treated equal and you should never pay 1 euro 40 for one, that wifi is important and you should check if restaurants who advertise it actually have it before you sit down, and that you only stir bechamel in a clock-wise motion or else you'll ruin it (per my homestay dad). Back in America, I see life though a different, more relaxed lense and that's all because I went abroad.

Studying abroad in Milan was one of the best experiences. There was a little bit of old Italy and new Italy, and lots of gelato. If you didn't know Italian you were still able to get by. IES does a wonderful job with placing students in beautiful apartments so close to the center of the city and to the program center. The staff was super helpful and was always offering different excursions in Milan to get us to know our host city better. One of the best parts about this program was having an Italian roommate who was the same age as us who worked for IES. She helped us with our Italian, getting around the city, and told us all the best places to go for aperitivo, shopping and all other things. Traveling from Milan to other places in Europe was also very easy because we were in close proximity to 3 international airports and had the train system that brought you almost everywhere in Italy and to many other neighboring countries.

My favorite part about being abroad was staying with my host family. La mia mamma, il mio papa, e la mia sorella. They were wonderful! Even now, back at school, I find my mind wondering about their actions. Oh, I bet papa is cleaning about the house right now, and mamma is worrying over another lost object, while mia sorella is singing the tunes from Moulin Rouge...I was a part of a family, a sister, daughter, and a friend.
When things didn't go my way (travel plans), my mamma would tell me 'we must change fate!" and suggest to me other places to visit, help me purchase my tickets and send me off with a smile. When I missed my family, they made me dinners inspired by my family's traditional meals, gave me sweets to 'sweeten' my life. We sang songs around the dinner table, worked on my Italian as I helped with their english-- As they attended my performances, I attended the 50th anniversary part for i nonni. I was home.
Even now, at my American home, I still think and miss my Italian home and family.

I often shared stories with the other homestay students and we had come to one conclusion: IES offers amazing homestays and kind families. In Italy, I found a family, friends, and a cat (the Family Cat, Tigro). In Italy I had found a purpose and the continuation of my childhood dream.

If you long for a feeling of home, to learn more than you have ever imagined, then I highly suggest being a homestay student in Milano.

As for the courses, if you are looking to experience culture, to live in the center of history, and to be surrounded by music, then this Milan program is for you. The classes within this music program offer an excellent insight into Italian culture and history through the use of music.

I chose this program due to it's courses. As a music student, my fellow students raved of the Viennese musical program for it's musical courses. However, I am not just a musician, I am an artist and a performer. I had found that the classes offered in Vienna, Austria were not tailored to the musical artist, simply musicians. And that is great for those who wish to pursue a life in the orchestra or musical education. However, if you are like me-- a musical artist, someone people don't understand often due to your artistic tendencies (i.e. painting instead of essay writing, performing instead of simply reading) than this program is for you. Unlike the Viennese program, this program in Milan offers courses tailored to the artist. Simply because, that's just how the Italians are. Free to do as they please and free to live. This 'artistic' mindsets lives within every professor and is met within every course. You don't just study a subject, you live it.

My favorite course, and example of this thought, would be Professor Mellace's course: Verdi and Italian Identity. In the course, we did not simply study Giuseppe Verdi's music and his influence over Italian politics and history-- we lived it. Our fingers were able to touch Verdi's original opera libretti, we were able to cast our eyes upon a spectacular performance of Verdi's opera Falstaff at il Teatro alla Scala-- we walked the very steps Verdi had walked from his home in Milan to La Scala.

In Italy, you're not just a student-- you're an artist. It was my favorite part about that country and Milan. If I told someone I was an opera singer, people were amazed-- compared to if I told people I'm an opera singer back in the states, I get questions like: "why?" Well, why not? And that is the Italian way.

If you are looking for more than music-- more than just a cultural experience, better than wonderful--- Milan is for you.

My experience through IES Abroad Milan Business studies was incredible to say the least. The city of Milan is gorgeous that is very modern compared to other Italian cities, but contains the historic "Italian" feel. The IES Abroad Milan staff helped me with all my questions, kept me safe, and suggested great sites and travel ideas. The academics were perfect, as they were not too challenging, but I learned a great amount. There were many classes offered and class size was small, promoting a good relationship with professors. I lived with 5 other guys in an apartment and they became my best friends on the program; I didn't know anyone going into the program. My community assistant (CA) was great too, as he wasn't too overbearing, but kept us safe and answered all the questions we had. There is a lot to do in the city of Milan, everything from seeing beautiful museums, to going to soccer matches, you never get bored.The 3.5 months I spent studying in Milan through IES Abroad was the best experience of my life, and I wish I could go back!

I stayed at a home stay family- a family of three. There was the mother, the 15 year old daughter and the 22 year old daughter. Although Carlotta, the 22 year old daughter was very busy with work, school, and internships, when she had little time to see and talk to me, she was a very sweet and nice person. I am glad that I was able to bond with someone that was Italian and around my age since that was what I wanted to do most. However, Virginia, the 15 year old teenage girl was who I connected with the most. She loved Japanese culture and since I am Japanese, we were able to exchange cultural information and differences with each other. I would speak Italian with her on a daily basis (although the mother wanted me to speak English to her) while other times, I would sit down with her and teach her some Japanese grammar and vocabulary. Virginia also showed me different cultures of Japan and that I had not known before, such as different anime television shows and dance moves. However, the person that I appreciate the most is my home stay mother. Whether it was eating cheese and drinking wine at 10 pm or taking me to the supermarket to show me that you need a 25 cent euro to be able to use the carts, she truly treated me like her daughter during my stay at her home. These are what I liked best about my accommodation. The times that I spent with my home stay family is something that I will never forget and is something that I will appreciate for the rest of my life.

It's a strange moment when you are cook in your own home and the smells remind you of a home in some far away place. You realize that where you grew up your whole life isn't home anymore. You left a piece of you in Italy, in Milan with the friends you made, the family you lived with and you realize that if home is where the heart is than you need to be back in Italy. That is the essence of study abroad. For me the smell is pasta con pesto, a simple dish my homestay mom made for me almost daily. It takes me back to sitting in her kitchen and helping her cook pasta and chatting in Italian about school that day. Studying abroad gives you a new life, a new home, and a new sense of self. It will change you and in the end that will make you a better person. So go! Apply today, get on that plane, and get ready for your life to change.

I spent my Spring 2015 semester abroad in Milan, Italy - it was the best decision I ever made. Everyone always says that studying abroad is a life-changing experience. Until I went abroad, I didn’t fully understand just how great it really would be. I chose Milan as my study abroad destination because I had always wanted to travel to Italy and I thought what better way to get there than to spend an entire semester LIVING there.
While in Milan, I was able to live with a homestay family. I highly recommend choosing the homestay option for this program. My homestay family was so great and they made my abroad experience so special. I feel like I really connected to my family and the Italian culture more than my fellow students who chose to live in an apartment.
Spending a semester abroad allows you to become more independent and confident in yourself. When you get back to the U.S., you will notice things about yourself that have changed, for the better, thanks to spending time abroad. I cannot encourage you all enough to go abroad, whether it be in Milan or on another IES program. You’ll be so happy that you did!