O’Neill Graduate student Kenny Rusk reflects on his semester exchange in Milan.
What attracted you to participate in an O’Neill semester exchange?
This was going to be my final semester at IU, so I wanted to have some fun. I saw that SPEA was introducing this program in Milan, and Italy is the first country I ever visited outside of the US. It seemed like the perfect place to cap off my academic career.
How has studying abroad benefitted you as a person?
It has definitely made me more independent! I lived pretty far from campus, and I did a lot of solo travel, so it was on me to get to where I needed to be. Also, I spoke a little Italian before I arrived, but since I was far from fluent I needed to find a way to communicate. Eventually I got a lot more comfortable with the city and it began to feel like a home after a bit!
What is your favorite memory, story, and/or experience from your semester exchange?
I spent a week in Switzerland, and one day I decided to go to the Appenzell region, near the Austrian border. I went to the top of a mountain called Ebenalp and hiked down to the base. It was my first time experiencing the Alps, and the weather was perfect. I was in awe of the mountain’s beauty and how idyllic the whole region was, it felt like I was in a Disney movie. I saw much taller mountains later in the trip, but that was my introduction and it will always stick with me.
What advice do you have for students who are hesitant about going on a semester exchange?
There could be struggles. Finding housing, the visa process, and culture shock are always obstacles to overcome. But if you keep pushing through and using all the resources at your disposal, the payoff will be so worth it. I will always have a connection with Milan, and I encourage you to persevere and know that you won’t regret it.
Anything else you would like to share?
Talk to people! I became good friends with a bunch of people I met on WhatsApp, and I was the only American in the group. Whether we see each other again or not, we will always have our memories of our time in Italy. And then there’s the people I met in hostels with whom I toured a city or went out drinking. The people you meet can add so much to your experience!
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