All About Abbey Abroad: an Introduction

The following text is from an article I wrote for the Belmont Abbey Crusaders Student Newspaper.

Are you seeking adventure and more opportunities to see the world? The solution is a lot closer than you may think. Belmont Abbey College has partnered with Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy to create a semester-long Study Abroad program for Abbey students. This past semester I had the incredible opportunity to take part in this program along with 5 other students, as the 2nd generation to participate in Abbey Abroad!

Cattolica has a unique International Program that offers classes on a wide variety of subjects. I enjoyed the opportunity to take classes that are not currently available at the Abbey, such as an Italian Culinary course as well as a class on Publishing, Publicity and Cultural Journalism.  I lived with a fellow Abbey Abroad student in a cozy apartment in the stunning Navigli district. This area contains two canals lined with shops, restaurants and bars on either side. We could get to Cattolica within a 20 minute walk or a 12 minute metro ride.

My previous knowledge of Milan was essentially non-existent, so I had no idea what to expect about life in the city. However, by the end of the semester, I couldn’t imagine studying abroad anywhere else! Milan is such a unique city, with an incredibly wide variety of things to do and see. Nearly every street you turn on is lined with intricate architecture, beautiful churches, museums, shops, and endless amounts of restaurants serving delicious Italian cuisine. What I loved the most about Milan is that the city offers so much, but is not overwhelming or over-crowded. Navigating the city was quite easy after the first few weeks of trial and error. Any destination was reachable by walking, bus, tram or metro. The public transportation system around the city of Milan is exceptional, and relatively simple to learn. I remember more than a few occasions of getting off at the wrong metro stop, walking down the wrong street or getting onto the wrong tram, but those moments are all part of the adventure! Every day was full of excitement and there was truly never a dull moment.

Not only were my weekdays in Milan an adventure, but so were the weekends, which I spent travelling with fellow students throughout Europe! Over the course of the semester I was able to visit 13 countries, along with numerous destinations within Italy. Travelling from country to country is very cheap in Europe. The websites Omio, Ryanair, Trenitalia, Airbnb and Hostelworld were excellent resources in finding affordable ways to travel around. This gave us the freedom to see an array of extraordinary places and all the incredible sights they had to offer.

If you are an Abbey student with a passion for travel and new experiences, I would highly recommend considering the Study Abroad program. Every day of the semester is an opportunity for growth and adventure. Through every challenge and step outside of my comfort zone, I learned more than I ever have and gained incredible memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The past semester in Milan was truly the adventure of a lifetime for me and my fellow study abroad students, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for the next group of students who will be a part of it! Applications are open until March 15 to all who are interested.