Is it difficult to make friends if you do not know anyone going? How does the roommate and living situation work?
Posted by Marisa Cherichella 6 years 3 months ago
Answers
For my particular program, there were a few different options for housing - homestay, apartment (with other American students), or Italian dormitory. I chose the Italian dorm, since I wanted to meet Italian students my age and be completely immersed in the language. I didn't have to worry about roommates, since I had a single room, but everyone shared the kitchen and other dorm facilities; it was a great experience for me, since I had my personal space while being able to meet locals. However, many students choose apartment-style living, so in that case you would have a few other roommates and live with a community assistant (kind of like an RA) who would help you get to know the local culture better. It really depends on what your goals are and what you're looking for! Regarding making friends, you don't need to know anyone going - in fact, that might be even better, since you'll focus on new experiences rather than old ones (which is what studying abroad is all about - learning new things)! You'll meet people during the fun orientation events, in your classes, in your housing (whichever living option you choose), and anywhere else- the IES staff is super friendly as well, so don't worry about that! :)
For my particular program, there were a few different options for housing - homestay, apartment (with other American students), or Italian dormitory. I chose the Italian dorm, since I wanted to meet Italian students my age and be completely immersed in the language. I didn't have to worry about roommates, since I had a single room, but everyone shared the kitchen and other dorm facilities; it was a great experience for me, since I had my personal space while being able to meet locals. However, many students choose apartment-style living, so in that case you would have a few other roommates and live with a community assistant (kind of like an RA) who would help you get to know the local culture better. It really depends on what your goals are and what you're looking for! Regarding making friends, you don't need to know anyone going - in fact, that might be even better, since you'll focus on new experiences rather than old ones (which is what studying abroad is all about - learning new things)! You'll meet people during the fun orientation events, in your classes, in your housing (whichever living option you choose), and anywhere else- the IES staff is super friendly as well, so don't worry about that! :)