Study Smart, Live Italian: My Milan Adventure

An experience I will cherish for life! In January of 2024, I had the opportunity to participate in the UTS global short-term program in Milan. Specifically studying at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore undertaking an elective subject of entrepreneurship and innovation. Within the 3 weeks that I was there I learnt so much about the Milanese lifestyle, immersing myself in the daily routine, making incredible connections and enjoying all the food/sightseeing Milan had to offer.

The subject I studied was flexible in its course structure allowing for heaps of free time to explore Milan and interact with fellow participants and international students. Classes were from 8:30 – 12:30 pm from Monday – Friday and with the support of my amazing tutor she planned our classes to have no homework but instead to enjoy experiencing Milan!

On the weekends other than experiencing the fun aperitivo night lifestyle I was lucky enough to fit a day trip to Lake Como and Florence. These places offered breathtaking scenic views and were eye-opening to see in winter with a quieter pace rather then during summer.

I found the lifestyle very easy to adapt to, my roommate and I (also participant in the course) were eager to immerse ourselves in the cuisine trying many different Italian restaurants and dishes…. Safe to say within the span of 3 weeks we ate our body weight of paninis, focaccias, pasta and best of all traditional Vitello tonnato and Milanese risotto.

This experience was unreal, and I couldn’t recommend it enough! To be a university student who has the fortunate opportunity to study overseas, is something not to take for granted and as uncomfortable as it may be to dive into it alone in a foreign country, it is something you will never regret. Coming into this experience I had so many mixed feelings of nervousness and excitement. Despite all my feelings, I knew it was something I had to do for myself and to better my overall satisfaction with my degree.

Coming back to Sydney I have a newfound ambition for traveling and specifically living abroad. Inevitably you grow as a person when travelling alone and subconsciously learn so much about yourself, if you are craving newness in your life and an experience of a lifetime, I would recommend this program!

Paige Natoli
Bachelor of Business
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Italy

For more information about the UTS Global Short Program visit: www.uts.edu.au/thinkglobal