Italy: Viterbo - Intensive Italian Language, History, and the Arts

Choosing to study in Viterbo, Italy was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made. The city is beautiful, historic, and authentic. I wanted to experience Italy in a smaller site so I could immerse myself in the culture without being distracted by tourism. Viterbo offers just that. Countless cafes and restaurants to try with fresh and mouth-watering food, pastries, and coffee. And I think I ate gelato every day! On top of that, the locals were extremely welcoming and wanted to learn just as much about us as we did them. We'd take turns teaching each other different phrases and talking about our respective experiences and viewpoints. The night life was always something you wanted to be a part of, whether it was chatting up the local bartenders as they made you a one of a kind drink or exploring the cobblestone streets during cultural festivals and celebrations. Viterbo was its own little world but also represented a part of the Italian experience in a small scale that I appreciated more than anything. I studied abroad to expand my global perspective and become more familiar and exposed to others' cultures and experiences. The professors and instructors at La Università degli Studi della Tuscia and the USAC program staff did an amazing job with connecting us to Viterbo and Italy in and outside of the classroom. Italian language courses taught us enough to get around and exposed us to different ways of thinking and the language's history. The Italian cuisine course not only gave us the opportunity to make and eat delicious traditional dishes, but it also gave us insight to the Italian experience that you can't get from reading books or blog posts or cookbooks. The field study and the excursions to other parts of Italy showed us the other aspects and cultures of Italy we may have been missing in Viterbo and enhanced our traveling skills outside of a city that took 20 minutes to walk across. The apartments you live in potentially expose you to a very different living style than you are used to. But even without AC, I loved leaving my windows and door open so I could hear the sounds of Viterbo and feel the breeze. And living without a dryer and other utilities that other Italians don't have gave me a chance to put myself in the shoes of others and try new things. If you're looking for a more close knit town with amazing food and gelato, welcoming people, and a program built for your success and experience, USAC Viterbo is the way to go!

My life was completely changed by this program. I fell madly in love with Italy; the people, the food, the culture, the art, the architecture, the landscape, absolutely everything.
I studied here in Spring 2015 and returned for Summer 2016. Before going I spoke zero Italian and admittedly didn't know too much about the country and it's culture. Since my USAC program, I now speak conversational Italian and have tried to become somewhat of an expert on the country.
The staff was amazing, the Italian teachers are amazing, the city is beautiful and so safe (walking home alone at night was never scary).
Because of it's proximity to Rome, you can easily fly anywhere in Europe or you can just take a train from Viterbo to anywhere in Italy.
I made great friends from Italy and abroad that I still keep in touch with regularly even three years later.
The passion for life I found in Viterbo drove me to pursue my own passion for photography. I changed my major and have since graduated and I am working as a photographer. I have also been actively trying to find a way to permanently move to Italy because of experience studying there with USAC.
I could go on for hours (and often do) about studying in Viterbo and how important it is to study abroad in college and I have successfully pursuaded students to do the same.
As a Sicilian friend once told me: Always say yes to everything, because you never know what crazy adventures you'll go on and how you will grow. Study abroad.

This experience truly changed my life. To say my entire experience abroad was easy would be a lie, but I learned so much. This trip truly opened my eyes and allowed me to understand other cultures. Viterbo is a very small Italian town. The classes were educational and fun, and the town is very safe. Viterbo allows you to truly experience the Italian language, culture, and experience Italian life! If you’re looking for the small town feel, family oriented experience I highly recommend Viterbo! You’re life will never be the same!

This program was the best choice I ever made! From arrival to departure we had a fantastic time. The small town Italy atmosphere was perfect in Viterbo. We were truly immersed in the culture and loved our little town. I recommend this program for those who are looking for a slower pace of life as compared to the big city lifestyle. The USAC staff was amazing as well! Super friendly and helpful. The courses and teachers were enjoyable. Living in Viterbo is like being transported to the past. Everywhere you look there is something beautiful! Also the food is AMAZING. All over Italy and in Viterbo. Do yourself a favor and discover the hidden gem of Viterbo!

Overall my experience abroad was fantastic. The classes were interesting and the professors were really passionate about what they were teaching. My main objective of studying abroad was to travel everywhere and get out of my comfort zone. I travelled every weekend to somewhere new in Europe and it honestly won’t have been possible without the support of the program staff. This experience was better than I even imagined before starting the application process. I had the opportunity to meet new friends and long-lost family, travel everywhere in Europe, learn a new language, and take a huge leap out of my comfort zone. I recommend any student in college to study abroad because it’s an amazing experience to be a part of.

Having wanted to go to Italy for literally years, I couldn't have been more excited about going to study in small-town Viterbo, deep in the Lazio region. This is without even knowing what the town looked like, what USAC was or that I was going to be the only Kiwi in the middle of a gang of USA students and Italians.
I didn't think I'd forget what my own accent sounded like in just four months, or become addicted to gelato, or live-in with two great (if bogan) Italians, but I did know I was in for the time of my life.
Right from the start, the team on the ground in Italy were there to help, going above and beyond to give us travelling tips as well as orientation and general knowledge about Italian life.
Academically, studying in a university which used to be a monastery was a huge highlight, as was taking classes in Italian - both challenging but immensely rewarding, as it ignited a passion for learning the language, which I continue to study to this day.
My group of fellow students was another highlight - I made so many lifelong friends in a short period of time and they were all so much fun to travel with.
In short, I couldn't recommend this program more. Study in Viterbo, it will change your life!

USAC Viterbo was a lifetime memory. I cannot say enough good things about Viterbo and the support system put into place there. The field trips were so thought out- with amazing professors leading them. The USAC office was right near our classes, and I felt so comfortable walking in with any concerns or questions I had. When I got sick, they were right there for me, taking me to the doctors, etc.
This program is so intimate and filled with close connections. The city is small, the group is small, but it makes it that much better. They put their students in apartments all around Viterbo, with wonderful roommates and they do their absolute best to accommodate any of your needs.
Truly, I could not have imagined a better support system. They made such an effort to make sure the whole group was connecting and having a good time. This was my first time abroad for around 4 months, it is a perfect combination of support and a sense of independence. I was able to get an internship as an English Teacher, and I know many other students in my program had internships created for them based on what they were looking for! (Radio host, article publisher, etc.)
10/10 for Viterbo. At first, I thought is this place too small, or in a location, I wouldn't prefer, but all those thoughts went away the second I got there. I love Viterbo!

I’d recommend going to a small city like Viterbo in Italy. I was forced to communicate in Italian and I learned a lot of Italian and of the culture (I also rarely saw tourists). I met so many people from all over Europe and made so many American friends as well. It’s important to make those extra choices and step out of your comfort zone, because you’ll never know what could happen. After taking the initiative to travel on the weekends, sometimes by myself, I now have the itch to travel the world. Once you study abroad, you’ll catch the travel bug!