IES Abroad Milan

I had the best time abroad. Naturally, I had some reservations and fears about going on a program where I didn't know anyone prior to the program. That, on top of the fact that this would be my first time in Europe made me pretty nervous to see what the next five months would have in store for me. Shortly after arriving in Milan, I realized I had nothing at all to be worried about. IES abroad made transportation from the airport to my new apartment very smooth, with an IES representative waiting for me at the airport, ready to help. The IES assistance number was extremely helpful if I needed help or had any last minute questions. The orientation we went through helped us meet others in our program, kept us busy enough to not think about jet lag, and introduced us into the Italian lifestyle.

I lived with 5 people (4 Americans and one Italian student who served as our "Community Assistant" or CA). I realized all 5 of us were as different as could be and it made for the best experience possible. We were all diverse in our own ways which made us learn and grow from each other and allowed for an environment in which all of us felt completely comfortable and ourselves. IES abroad did a great job with choosing housing for us based on our living preferences that we described in the housing survey. Everyone on our program became pretty good friends, and I can truthfully say my study abroad friends are now my lifelong friends.

Classes through IES were fun and allowed for stimulating conversation and learning in the classroom. I was able to take fun and interesting classes, like communication and psychology, which I wouldn't have had room for in my schedule back at my school in America. I took very exciting field trips to news stations, saw a live news recording, and went to an Italian prison. I became extremely close with my three professors, who genuinely cared about their students. The course I took at Bocconi, an Italian University, proved to be extremely difficult, but my hard work paid off. Having no classes on Fridays made it super easy to travel on weekends.

If I had to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing. I had the best time, saw places in Europe I've wanted to see my whole life, and met lifelong friends.

My study abroad experience in Milan through IES Abroad was unforgettable. Through the application process to the very end, I couldn't have asked for a better semester. I can confidently say studying abroad changed me as a person (for the better). I have a different outlook on life after traveling throughout Italy and Europe, and I have become far more independent. My goals before studying abroad were to make friends with Italian students and learn to speak the language. I had taken 4 semesters of Italian before studying abroad, however my Italian greatly improved through my Advanced Italian class. I felt comfortable getting around and speaking the language each day. I thoroughly enjoyed my classes (especially my cooking class) and the administration felt like family. Living in an apartment with an Italian student and other American students was a great experience. IES provided the students with nice and safe apartments. Not only did I make friends with Italian students, but I made amazing new friends from America! The nightlife in Milan is second to none and it was a hidden gem. Take advantage of the lively nightlife and unique outings Milan has to offer.

My biggest regret is not having studied abroad for a year. A semester did not feel long enough. I highly recommend this program to any student who is considering studying abroad in Italy. I had my eye on other cities in Italy when choosing a program, but Milan far exceeded my expectations. In my opinion, there are far less American study abroad students in Milan than in Florence and Rome. Before studying abroad, I thought that I would stay in Boston and get a job after graduation, however now I'm looking into grad schools and research programs in Italy. The sky is the limit!

Studying abroad will shape you for the rest of your life and my experience did just that. The memories I made and the friends I had the opportunity to meet will stick with me forever. My confidence in my speaking ability has grown and confidence in myself has as well. I got the chance to meet local Italians and learn aspects of another culture. Everyone should live abroad for a time in their life, it will only teach them how to believe in themselves!

Studying abroad with IES Abroad in Milan was truly my best semester of college and four and a half months of my life that I will never forget.

The IES staff were so accommodating and really cared about each individual student. The professors were easy to communicate with and really got students engaged in their subjects with off-campus field studies and field trips.

Milan is a wonderful place to experience living the "big-city life." The apartment I lived in, which was provided by IES, was in a great location in the city center. It was easy to get around the city using the metro and buses. The city is so full of life! There are hundreds of wonderful restaurants and lots of great shopping. Some of my favorite days were spent sitting on the steps of the Duomo, eating gelato, and observing the diversity of the people that passed. The night life in Milan is like no other--the clubs are unreal!

Milan is a great place to study abroad if you plan to travel a lot. It's location in northern Italy makes it easy to travel to other cities quickly and very affordably. With inexpensive airfares from Milan's centralized location, I was able to take weekend trips to London, Berlin, Budapest, and even Morocco! The train fares to all the other major Italian cities--Rome, Florence, Venice, Verona,etc--are also inexpensive and make for easy trip planning.

Milan is a unique city filled with history and urban charm--the perfect place to spend a semester abroad.

To be honest, I was extremely nervous about going abroad. I have traveled to 30 countries around the world with my family since I was a kid, but this was different. In the days leading up to my departure, everyone asked me if I was excited to go, and I really wasn't. For me initially, studying abroad was something I had to do because everyone did it their junior years. I was so nervous and dreading the day of my flight.
Once I got to Milan and met my roommates (after talking them on Facebook) I felt comfortable. We took a tour of the city the first day and already were planning our first trip. I met lots of people in my classes where we were all within 6 degrees of separation. 10 mutual friends on Facebook from all different walks of life.
Classes started and I felt at home. All of my friends from high school and college were still at home for winter break but I was so busy I didn't feel left out. Weeks flew by and almost every weekend we were traveling to a new country with a new language and new food! Classes were different than courses at my home college, but the professors were kind, understanding and were really passionate about helping.
After just a few days I was comfortable managing the streets and metro alone, knew where the grocery store was, and kind of understood when the cashier told me how much I owed. My Italian picked up quick thanks to the three weeks of intensive learning at the beginning of the semester. Soon enough it was Easter break, and at the end of the program, I didn't want to leave! Milan became like a second home, I learned a lot, and made new friends from around the US and around the world.
I was nervous and dreading my study abroad, but now I wish I stayed even longer!

As vocalist who is pursuing a career in performance, I could not have chosen a better program. Not only was the staff incredibly supportive but they were also very experienced in their field. With this combination, I did nothing but flourish as a musician. IES provided me the opportunity to study with professors who taught at the Conservatorio di Milano, in addition to a professor who had a residency at a local theatre and another professor who has had several books published in the field of musicology. This only encouraged me to embrace the Italian culture further and to appreciate the pure art in Italy.

By studying music in the historic city of Milan, I was able to walk the same streets of Verdi and Puccini while also having access to La Scala allowing me to the opportunity see some of opera’s best performers, including Leo Nucci and Placido Domingo. Furthermore, in the city of Milan lies several hidden treasures including: Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” and Casa Verdi. While the academic and local experience was astounding, the program allowed students to have long weekends so that we could travel around Europe if we desired. This permitted me to see some of the countries I’ve only dreamed of seeing : various parts of Italy, Germany, and Greece.

IES Milan: Music and Innovation was the perfect program for me. It was the perfect blend of educational, motivational, and helped me to grow even in ways that I can't explain. If you have the chance to study with this program I highly recommend it.

My time abroad was the best five semesters of my life. I had no idea what to expect going into the semester; I'd never been to Europe, I didn't speak any Italian, and I didn't know anyone else in my program. I'm so happy that I forced myself to break out of my comfort zone and go! I visited so many incredible places and ate some of the best food in the world while I was abroad. I took a wide variety of classes, both within my major and outside of it, which was a perfect balance of advancing myself further in my International Business major as well as learn more about Italian culture and history.

IES provided a lot of great opportunities to attend events throughout Milan as well as travel to new cities and countries with the program, making it really easy to get to know the other students in the program. I also lived in a wonderful part of the city, just a 10 minute walk away from the Duomo and even closer to the main fashion streets of Milan. It is also very easy to travel elsewhere from Milan, with its easy public transportation systems, multiple train stations, and multiple airports close by.

I highly recommend this program for everyone!

My study abroad experience with IES Milan was nothing short of incredible. The program staff was filled with generous, kind and knowledgable people who were there to support me in my experience from the moment I landed in MXP until I departed in May. I lived in an apartment with four other girls from the US and my Community Assistant, Ilenia. Ilenia welcomed us with warm hugs, cookies, and a jar of Nutella, eager to show us around the city and befriend us. I was nervous the first few days about making friends and living a country where I had no prior knowledge of the language, but by the end of the first week I was already planning my first trip with a group of friends to Florence. The orientation events put on by IES really did help me meet a bunch of the students in the program and get me excited about the semester to come.
Over the course of the semester I learned a ton about the Italian culture: how to correctly pronounce "grazie", where to find the best aperitivo, and when and when not to order a cappuccino. I enrolled in two Italian classes in which I was able to develop my language skills. I also had the opportunity to take a business fashion class where I was able to combine my major study with a passion of mine in one of Europe's most renown fashion capitals. Thanks to one of the Community Assistants I befriended, I was even able to attend a fashion show during Milan Women's Fashion Week.
Many weekends of mine were spent in Milan exploring different corners of the city. My friends and I became regulars at a particular pizzeria and spent the warmer afternoons picnicing in the local parks. Our other weekends and breaks were spent traveling Europe where I was able to meet up with friends from my home university as well make new friends in foreign places. My favorite trip was pretty adventurous. Eight of us decided to spend our week of spring break in Morocco. Traveling to the different major cities and exploring the northern African country was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. Towards the end of the semester IES hosted a trip to Parma, Italy, where students were able to tour a parmesan cheese factory, a balsamic vinegar factory, and a historic violin museum. Because this trip was at the end of the semester and most students enrolled in the program attended, it was a great way to bring everyone together again and wrap up the incredible semester.
While the fancy trips and delicious meals are some of my favorite memories from my study abroad experience, the best part of Milan was the people I met. I made lifetime friends during my semester abroad, people I know that will be in my life forever. Saying goodbye to all of those friendly faces at the end of the semester was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Luckily since returning to America, I have already had the opportunity to reunite with a few of them and plans are in the works to have a full blown IES Milan reunion in the future. Milan will always hold a special place in my heart and forever be one of my favorite cities in the world. The beauty of the Duomo is something that never grows old or wears away. I hope more than anything I can return to Milan in the near future.