I chose to study abroad due to my love of all things concerning Italian culture. My grandmother, an Italian-American, had instilled this adoration in me from a young age. As a film student, I appreciated Italy’s excellency on the international cinema stage. I had always expressed interest in learning the language, and there was no better way to immerse myself than studying the language through the medium of film. IES Abroad – Milan offered Italian film classes in the Italian language for American students. This way, I was able to challenge myself like I had never done before. It was the best decision I have ever made.

I decided to live with a host family in Milan. To be quite frank, I could not have made a better decision. My family did not speak much English, so I was able to fully immerse myself in the language. I have never been challenged in this way before, and it could not have been more rewarding. I was given the opportunity to not only taste authentic, home-made Italian food and drink, but to indulge in the overlooked and under appreciated aspects of the culture like nightly news, specific community events, and exercise habits. I now have a phenomenal relationship with my family, and I intend on visiting them in the near future! (they already have plane tickets booked to come visit me!)

My favorite memory from my program is when my homestay family decided to host a going away lunch for my departure back to the United States. I woke up early that morning to clean the garden with my family and prepare the food for all my friends (both Italian and American) to enjoy. I anticipated the lunch to last for an hour or two, but instead, my family, my friends, and I spent from 11am until 8 pm indulging in delicious homemade food, speaking the beautiful Italian language, and learning games from both cultures to play together.

In terms of hardships I faced, I had to learn to communicate in ways I had never experienced before. There were times of frustration when I knew what words I wanted to communicate, but that my brain could not find the Italian vocabulary to articulate. Going abroad reshaped the way that my mind works – to use the resources and vocabulary that I do have to achieve the statement I wanted to make.

Don’t be afraid to take an intellectual risk. If there’s a class offered in Italian that you would feel more confident taking in English, challenge yourself. The payoff is unbelievable.