Italy: Reggio Emilia - Education, Health, Communications, Italian

It was amazing to be able to study child development in Reggio Emilia, the home of the Reggio Emilia Approach. I felt challenged yet supported throughout the program, and I learned a lot. I enjoyed the experience as much as I learned from it, and could not have asked for a better experience. The team that we worked with helped us with the language barrier, culture shock, and invaluable experiences. They helped us with any problems that came up and helped us to feel like we were not alone, even though we were in an unfamiliar situation.

Studying abroad can sound very intimidating and a little bit scary, but if you're even considering it, DO IT!! I definitely had my doubts before choosing to study abroad; how would I afford it, where would I go, would I make friends, how would I navigate a whole new country alone?! But, I chose to do it and it was even better than I imagined! I lived in Reggio Emilia which is a smaller city in Italy and I think that was a great choice for me. It was a spot where not as many tourists went so it felt a little bit like home, as I am from a smaller town. But, I was still close to the bigger cities and I traveled there on the weekends. Studying abroad has changed how my outlook on life. I take time to enjoy life more and live a slower life. I am more focused on taking care of myself and spending time with the people I love rather than letting school and work consume me. Living in Italy was a big change for me because they were much more laid back and more focused on enjoying life and being your family and friends. I physically felt my stress levels decrease when I was there, even though I was still taking classes. I found the time to do schoolwork and go to class and still have plenty of time to hangout with my friends and travel. The experience has made me more confident, open-minded, and appreciative of the little things in life. So, like I said before, if you are thinking about studying abroad, just do it!! You won't regret it!

Spending a year abroad in Italy was one of the best experiences of my life. Experiencing a different culture, exploring a beautiful country, and making lifelong friends are just a few of the reasons why I fell in love with studying abroad. I highly recommend studying abroad for a year to anyone who is even slightly interested, provided you have the funds and means to do so. As a Child Development major, I was extremely grateful to witness firsthand how children learn using the Reggio Emilia Approach to Learning. The program also required us to take an Italian language class, which allowed us to immerse ourselves even more deeply into the culture. With the freedom to travel on weekends, I was able to visit 25 different cities, 8 different countries, and cross 5 items off my personal bucket list. I wouldn’t change anything about my experience living in Reggio Emilia, Italy, for a year-long program. If I had one piece of advice for anyone planning to study abroad, it would be this: Make every adventure, memory, and experience count.

This trip was the most life-changing experience of my life. On the day of my departure, all of my flights were cancelled/delayed. I was feeling SO helpless and wanted to back down, but my support system encouraged me to go. I am so glad they did because I had the change to visit Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast; I got to meet lifelong friends; and I had the chance to be fully immersed in Italian culture. If I had chose to back-out of the trip, the learning experiences and beautiful things that I saw would have never happened for me. Everyday I am so thankful I was able to make this trip happen, and I encourage everyone to MAKE. IT. HAPPEN. You can do it!

Green, for erbazzone
sparkling, for cappuccino
interesting, for the kinds
home, for Reggio Emilia, for its streets, its colors, its size
Delicious: the parmiggano cheese!
Walking, talking, learning, enjoying, seeing, discovering, traveling, adventures, challenges and incredible moments.

The experience in Reggio was beautiful, now I miss it and I can't wait to go back. There are many reasons to go, for me it was a 100% Italian experience, you feel at home, you feel part of it.

I miss you Reggio

Living in Reggio Emilia for the Summer was the most amazing experience. I truly felt emerged in Italian culture, as I lived alone in the studio apartment, above lovely restaurants and shops. I made so many friends, both from America in the USAC program, as well as befriending local university students. As a woman, concerns of solo travel of course arise, but here I always felt very safe and taken care of by the administration. The food was incredible, considering I am vegan and still had many options of authentic Italian cuisine. Reggio Emilia was also the best location to be able to take weekend trips. I did this every weekend as train costs are fairly cheap. Every weekend I took the train; I went to Florence, Venice, Ravenna, Rimini. All were about a 2 hour trip from Reggio Emilia. I could go on and on about the growth I experienced over this Summer, and would love to go back one day.

Reggio Emilia is a hidden gem! It gives a smaller-town feel, which completely embraces you in the culture. The language barrier was a bit difficult at first, but the people in the town are so friendly and are there to help you! Reggio is also one of the cheaper programs that USAC offers, so if money is a trouble, it wouldn't be a bad idea to look here! Traveling is also so easy due to the high-speed train station in the town, & there are so many beautiful places to visit that are just a short train ride away. The classes I took were both educational and fun, and some even offer field-trips outside of class. Best of all was the relationships I made while studying abroad. The friendships I made will truly last me a lifetime, and our program advisors became our "Italian moms" while we were over there. My time in Reggio is a time I will never forget!

Reggio Emilia was the perfect location to study abroad. All students could find a place to blend in, whether outgoing or introverted. As a member of the LGBTQ community, this city welcomed me with open arms. Reggio Emilia is engulfed with culture, innovation, and good vibes all around. The location of the city made it easy to travel all across Italy. Reggio Emilia is one of the most cost-friendly USAC programs which allowed me to not stress about money. The professors and USAC employees care about their job and are very passionate. I came into this experience nervous, but the truth is, leaving is harder than arriving. I would recommend this city to anyone who enjoys culture, food, and small-town vibes with easy access to big cities.