Italy: Torino - International Business, Politics, Italian Studies

I studied abroad in Torino, Italy in Fall 2016. At first, I thought this would just be a unique experience and something cool to do. Little did I know, Torino and its people have stolen my heart and I consider Torino my second home.

I learned so much during this program thanks to the immense support form Torino USAC staff. They organized many educational and cultural activities throughout the semester including visiting vineyards, learning the history of wine, and tasting many Italian wines. We also had the chance to tour FIAT plants and the Maserati plant located in Torino. We also took a day trip to the Alba truffle fair where we were able to taste world famous foods and be completely immersed in the Italian culture. Looking back, I am so grateful for all of these experiences and the opportunities the Torino program gave me.

Studying abroad was not always easy. The process prior to departure and during the semester consisted of a lot of detailed paperwork and tasks to complete. We had a lot of paperwork and payments to make and things to purchase once in Italy. USAC staff did an incredible job assisting me with all of this by providing a detailed checklist prior to departure and responding instantly to any questions I had via email. The first few days in Italy, many of us had high emotions adapting to a new environment and would get frustrated or upset. Torino USAC staff were kind and patient with us and helped us with anything we needed. They did the best they could to accommodate us with our different issues.

I felt completely comfortable and safe in Torino. The people are all incredibly nice and I loved going downtown and exploring the city with minimal tourists. If I had a choice I wouldn't change a thing! The USAC Torino program was absolutely amazing and I loved it. Thanks to USAC I now have a second home and family to go back to.

I was having a difficult time because I was told most people in Torino spoke English and that really was not the case. However, I thought I could get through it until I was followed by a man who kept exposing himself to me. He attacked me on a bridge right outside school and I had to spend time with the Italian police who are very disorganized. I did everything I could after that to get away from Torino.

It has been 4 years since I studied abroad in Torino. When deciding to go to Torino I had no idea the effect it would have had on my life. The city of Torino is magical and completely gorgeous. It gives you a full immersion into Italian life. I lived there for a year and was always finding things to do and reasons why I loved the city. Plus, the friends I made and were able to experience it all with will last a lifetime. It couldn't of all happened without the support of the USAC Torino staff. They really made it feel like a new home, and I really felt like they could answer any question I had. The program also offers conversation tutoring with Italian students if you want to improve your language skills. One of my favorite parts about Torino is the location. It is an hour by train from the Alps making it easy to go snowboarding during the winter. Getting around Europe was also easily accessible. I would recommend spending the majority of your time in Torino though, and to really take the city. The 9 months I spent in Europe were invaluable and I cherish all of the memories.

Torino is a hidden gem!! There is so much to do and see in the city you will never want to leave. There are plenty of museums to check out, as well as beautiful out door activities. USAC staff did an amazing job of making sure I had a great experince. They were very helpful in helping me with my housing and when I got sick and had to go to the doctor.

Torino is also the perfect location to travel. There is an airport a bus rided away, two train stations and a metro so you never have to worry about getting around.

USAC has different field trips you can take which I recommend!! There are a few day trips as well as two overnight trips.

If your thinking about Italy think Torino!!!

Studying in the USAC Torino Program you get the full Italian culture immersion. It was one of the best experiences of my life. The courses were interesting and the staff were super helpful. I wish I could go back. The apartment I stayed in was super nice as well. I love Torino!

I transferred to Cal Poly and I hadn't given studying abroad much thought. I decided to do it Senior year and I am glad I did! Torino is an exciting and authentic Italian city rich in history, culture and fun. Torino has open markets all through out the city which makes it easy to buy fresh groceries. There is a large selections of museums and an inexpensive unlimited museum pass available for the entire semester. The USAC staff is very helpful and nice. They truly make themselves available and are willing to enrich the experience.
I loved that we took classes with the Erasmus students enabling us to interact with students from all over Europe. It is an amazing experience that is almost indescribable. The campus is not as nice as an American one but that doesn't take away from the experience. Torino is a big city and like any other big city in any other country, one must be cautious and aware of our surroundings since crime does exist. Again, that is normal and should be expected.
Traveling was easy and relatively inexpensive. Europe offers much to see and do. I felt 5 months was not enough to see it all and I definitely look forward to returning.
USAC and 3rd parties offer scholarships so take advantage of that and start early. USAC also offers cool internships. I personally interned at an elementary school and I absolutely loved it. The children and staff were very welcoming and made my experience even greater.
Bottom line, do not overthink it! Go! Study abroad, meet new people, travel, learn a new language, and grow personally. You will meet some of the greatest people and make long lasting friends. Enjoy!

This program was fantastic! USAC Viterbo gave students the unique opportunity to become immersed in small town Italian culture by offering housing throughout the medieval walled city, enrolling students in small classes instructed by Italian professors, and by touring landmark cities along the Italian coast in a field studies course. I was excited to find this program, because the Lazio region of Italy is spectacular, and it is where I have dreamed to live for a long period of time. Unlike many other programs I looked into that were very expensive, this program was very reasonable! I was able to earn 10 units that directly transferred to my university, and I was able to pick up some Italian while living in a place where individuals are willing to help one pick up their mother tongue.
This location is wonderful because you can easily make it Rome (only an hour away!) Venice, Florence, Sicily, the Amalfi Coast and many more beautiful Italian cities and regions. If you are even considering this program, I am telling you.. just sign up!!! You will make memories that will last a lifetime.

Studying in Viterbo Italy truly changed my life. I am grateful everyday that I chose USAC and chose Viterbo over a larger city. It was perfect. I could easily walk everywhere without needing to take transit. Got to know people in town personally go to great community events and really be a part of true Italian culture (complete with pausa pranzo, which is like a siesta). We were close enough to Rome to make traveling easy but not so close that we were crowded. In Viterbo I lived in one of the biggest and best apartments I've ever lived in me and my roommates all became best friends and I am so grateful for that. The classes I chose to take were painfully easy (but who is complaining) but there were some more challenging classes offered. If you go to Viterbo you will need to really pay attention in Italian class as most people over 30 do not speak English. I went knowing no Italian and I did fine. Somethings I wish I would have known before hand are Viterbo is a city and a province so all the pictures on the internet may not be of the city but of the surrounding area. The hotsprings are amazing and you should learn where they are week 1 and go every week. And you cannot drink the water in Viterbo. It has Arsenic and it cant be purified or boiled out so you have to haul bottled water from the store. All in all Viterbo was a magical city that I will forever hold in my heart. The sights, the smells, the people. The USAC staff in this location are also true heros the amount of times that Simone saved our bacon is endless and he really doesnt get the credit he deserves. He personally picked us up at a train station at midnight on his birthday and drove us 30 minutes home when we got stranded. The rest of the staff is also awesome. I would give anything to be back in Viterbo right now!