Settling Into Milan

Guest Post By: Rachel Merrill, a Junior studying Accounting. She is a Global Business Center Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, and she studied abroad through Foster Exchange at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, during Autumn Semester 2023.

I officially have been in Milan for about a month now. This past month has been a whirlwind of emotions and excitement. When I first landed in Milan, there was a massive storm hitting and it wouldn’t stop raining. It felt like the Washington rain had followed me all the way to Italy. However, after the storm settled, being in Italy just felt so surreal. It felt like the beginning of college again where you’re meeting all these different people. But, this time around everyone was from different countries and had such diverse backgrounds they were bringing with them. It was so fun exploring Milan and even doing simple tasks like going to the grocery store. It was interesting to see the differences in society between Italy and the US.

There have been so many highlights even after a month. I have been able to explore and witness Milan Fashion Week in person. There were so many different celebrities and models all wandering around Milan. However, the best thing by far about Italy is the public transportation. Since Italy is so much smaller in size, it is easy to take day trips on the weekends. This past weekend I went on a day trip with some friends to Venice. It was my first trip outside of Milan and it was so beautiful. We took a boat ride around the canals and explored the different hidden streets. The best view was in the St. Marco Plaza, where you can go to the top of the tower and get a view of all of Venice. It was such a beautiful site and I’m so excited for all the other places I will get to see over the next couple of months.