My experience IES Italy Today was absolutely incredible. As I arrived in Milan, I was extremely apprehensive to move to a new city especially one where I didn't speak the language or know anyone. I couldn't believe how quickly Milan became my home away

from home. Milan is probably my favorite city, from the gorgeous walk from classes to the duomo, the best gelato places, the most charming neighborhoods, and of course the sandwiches at Panini Durini (a chain coffee and panini shop that is the best- think of Panera but so much better). IES does an amazing job of having events for students to get to know each other especially in the beginning which was really helpful. I can't imagine my life without this experience and the incredible friends that I know I'll be close to forever. I really enjoyed my classes while abroad and loved the field trips and extra activities outside of the classroom to really gain exposure to the area and culture. I took classes in areas I would never be able to study at my home university, such as Managing Fashion and Luxury Companies and Investigating the Mafia in Literature, Cinema, and Media- such cool and different classes than my usual course schedule. IES also has amazing trips organized, I went on the Venice and Verona trip as well as the Parma trip and absolutely loved the time I spent with my friends. I would absolutely choose this experience over again in a heartbeat.

Study abroad was the best opportunity I have ever taken. I was able to grow as a person, and truly gain awareness of the culture around me. IES did a great job of helping us adapt to being in a new place and made the experience the best it could be

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I had the absolute best time in Milan thanks to IES. Everyone who worked there helped to show me an amazing side of Milan and made it such a wonderful experience. I got sick once and one of the CA's walked me to the university's health clinic and she

was super sweet and made me feel more comfortable. I took a film class, which was one of the best decisions I made, all of my professors were passionate about their subjects and were always available for discussions and questions after class. The housing is also unbelievable. I was in an apartment with four other American students and our Italian CA and I know I really lucked out with my roommates, but in terms of our living situation, all the other apartments I saw were the same amazing quality as ours. I also heard amazing things about the homestays not only the families but their apartments as well. In terms of academics, my favorite time was from a class outing. There was an extra credit outing that just ended up being me, the professor, and the guest speaker (an art historian) and we walked through this hidden museum and they explained to me the history of the city. I really cannot stress how wonderful everyone made my experience in Italy. I would choose the IES program every time.

My experience through IES Abroad was one of the most memorable times of my life. I had the opportunity to live with a host family which was amazing. I was very impressed with the families that IES choose. They were all so nice and I don't know anyone

in our program who had a bad host family. I took the time to really learn about the culture and I tried to get a feel for what their daily life was like. The whole experience really changed my outlook on life and opened my eyes to all kinds of new things. If you go abroad I challenge you to push yourself to make the most of the experience. You can have peanut butter and drive your car for the rest of your life, so take your time abroad to go out of your comfort zone and try new things! My most memorable experience was traveling to Lake Como by myself. It is so fun to travel with friends but it was nice to take a break and explore on my own. The lake was so peaceful and it was nice to blend into the community since I was not traveling with a large group of American's.

The professors and staff at IES Milan were so wonderful and they made my transition so easy. My classes were exciting yet challenging. The city of Milan has everything a student could ever want. There is so much to do and see. Eating and shopping are

both amazing. I made some wonderful friends during my time in Milan who I am still great friends with today. The city of Milan has everything a student could ever want. There is so much to do and see. Eating and shopping are both amazing. I made some wonderful friends during my time in Milan who I am still great friends with today.

Milan is an amazing city with so much to offer and IES did a great job of giving students information and opportunities to explore the city, and Italy in general. IES gave us free tickets to see an opera at the historic, world renown La Scala opera house,

took us on two trips outside of Milan, and provided support for traveling, events, and anything else a student might need. I had the amazing opportunity to intern at a non-profit organization in Milan and learned a lot about the culture through that experience. Milan of course has amazing shopping, for every budget, and I found a wonderful new surprise around every corner! The city is gorgeous and has a thriving economy and also many young

I really enjoyed my semester in Milan. The staff at the IES Center were very helpful and very willing to answer any questions. I didn't take any courses at the center aside from an internship course, but it was taught very well by Mrs. Laura Carrera and

I really appreciated the fact that there was an internship program. I lived in a dorm while I was in Milan, so I didn't meet many of the other IES students, but I did get the opportunity to live with 100 Italian students and I think that really made the difference in my time there. The program was very flexible and I was able to take classes directly at L'Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. As such, I feel like I got a very accurate look at what life is like for an Italian student. Milan is also a very fun city and there were so many events going on throughout the year. My favorite was the Latinoamericando Expo at the Assago Forum in the summer! The time I spent in Milan was the best period of my life to date and I really thank IES for the opportunity to study there!

Studying in Milan through IES was the greatest experience of my life. I learned so much about myself and about a new culture, tried so many new things, made so many memories and gained lifelong friends. It was definitely worthwhile!!! Best parts: living

in a city without so many tourists, the Italians, food/wine, lifestyle, traveling, IES community assistants, speaking a new language, having an internship in my field Academic value was a pro and a con. The workload was light, which was great for study abroad. Most of my classes were really great and I learned a lot, but others were not really worth my time.