The highlight of my college career

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.