After a long day of traveling, I finally made it to Milan, Italy! I’m Jake, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh, and I’ll be spending the fall semester studying abroad in Milan.
I chose to study abroad in Milan because I wanted the chance to experience a completely different part of the world while still getting to explore a city with so much history, culture, and energy. I’ve always loved traveling and being able to spend an entire semester in Italy seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. After my first few days here, I’m already realizing just how different everyday life can be. From the architecture and streets to the food and the way people spend their evenings, there’s something new to notice around every corner.
One of the first things that stood out to me was just how easy it is to explore the city. Milan has a great mix of historic buildings and busy city streets, but you can also turn down a random side street and suddenly find yourself in a completely different neighborhood. The Duomo has obviously been one of the biggest highlights so far, but some of my favorite moments have simply been walking around and seeing what I come across.
Of course, one of the biggest parts of getting settled in has been figuring out the food. I’ve already had plenty of pizza, pasta, gelato, and other Italian food, and I’m definitely not complaining. Even simple meals feel like part of the experience here. There’s also the Italian tradition of aperitivo, where people meet up in the evening for drinks and food, which has been a really cool way to experience the city after a day of exploring.
Beyond Milan itself, I’m especially excited to use the semester as an opportunity to see more of Italy and Europe. With trains connecting so many cities, there are seemingly endless places to visit. I’m looking forward to seeing everything from smaller Italian towns to some of the biggest cities and mountains in Europe.
Overall, I’m incredibly excited for what the next few months have in store. I’ve only been here for a short time, but Milan already feels like a place where there is always something new to discover. Between meeting new people, experiencing Italian culture, traveling, and figuring out what it’s actually like to live in another country, I know this semester is going to go by quickly. For now, I’m just trying to take it all in and enjoy every part of it.