Arrival to Milan

Guest Post By: Faith Bae, a Junior studying Marketing and Information Systems. A Global Business Center Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, she participated in an exchange program at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, during Spring Semester 2022.

The weeks leading up to moving to Italy for my study abroad program were filled with anticipation, excitement, and nerves. Given the situation of the pandemic and all the complications I faced, I was stressed that my last opportunity to study abroad would get canceled once again. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and I landed in Milan, Italy on the 19th of January.

The initial adjustment to Italian culture was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. Figuring out a brand-new culture from scratch was proven to be a big challenge. From transportation to the language to even the food it was a lot to take in at first. I struggled a lot with adjusting and homesickness. Everything was new and unfamiliar but getting over this hurdle of the unknown was beneficial in more ways than one.

I’m currently halfway through my program and I’ve learned so much about both the culture in Europe as well as myself. Gaining friends from not only across the U.S but across the world has expanded my perspective on life greatly. Learning about different people and their backgrounds helped me step out of my little Seattle bubble and realize there’s so much more to explore and learn. My time abroad is definitely moving more quickly than I expected but the experiences that I’ve gained so far and will continue to gain are invaluable.