Andiamo! Dispatches From Abroad, Part 1
La Mia Estate a Venezia
My month in Venice entailed an amazing variety of new experiences. Not only did I manage to become more proficient in Italian in this period (which was my main objective), but I also made a slew of international friends from different walks of life, tasted some delicious Italian cuisine, and experienced firsthand a culture outside of my own. And as the icing on the cake, I was able do all this in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
Venice is a charming old-world city. Much of Venice’s history and customs have been preserved in the city’s architecture, artifacts, and the people themselves. After my classes, I would often spend a lot of time wandering through the city’s many winding streets, museums, stores and nearby islands. Due to this, I felt that I got a good feel for Venetian culture.
One of the things I loved about studying in Venice was that my instructors would only use Italian, hand-gestures, and drawings to explain new concepts – no English was involved. For this reason, I was glad that I took a few language courses at Baruch where the language of instruction was not primarily in English.
Having the opportunity to practice my Italian with the locals was particularly rewarding (the gelateria owners would give me extra-large scoops of gelato because I was becoming a regular customer). Some Venetian store owners may appear a bit detached when you first meet them – probably as a result of years of dealing with outlandish or discourteous customers – but they are usually exceptionally hospitable.
Also, I am sad to report that I did not ride down the Grand Canal of Venice in a gondola (it would have cost 90 Euros for one hour, in case you’re interested). However, I traveled via vaporetto – a public transportation boat – practically every day, so I got to see the Grand Canal dozens, if not hundreds of times, which was a terrific highlight of my overseas experience.
I highly recommend studying abroad to all students. If you are interested in studying abroad, please drop by the Study Abroad Office in the Weissman Center (137 E 25 St. 8th Floor).
Please also stay tuned for future articles in this series. My next one will be on financial aid – a topic that seems to be of interest to many students.
Until then, a presto!
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