Nicole is a 19-year-old Sophomore from New York, her major is international studies. She is a double major who concentrates in European and Asian studies and she aspires to, one day, be an interpreter.
What Is Your Internship?
I work at Galleria d'Arte Mentana, which is a private modern art gallery that hosts exhibitions for artists all over the world. I am one of the directors assistants and I work five days a week from 4:30 to 7:30pm. Every week my job is to search for American or Australian artists, research some of their work, and then decide which ones to contact and invite to the gallery.
Why Did You Choose Italy?
When I was 16 years old, I did a six week foreign exchange program in Alessandria, Italy. I stayed with a family and for the first time was completely exposed to a new culture. I fell in love with Italy, so three years later I made the spontaneous decision to come back, take an Italian language course, and enroll in an internship. I wanted to be immersed in the culture for more than just six weeks, so currently I am in a four month program.
Was it Hard For You to Adapt to This Culture?
No, not at all. Yes, somethings were different or less convenient, but considering I had been here before nothing was really a shock. I embraced all the changes and just adjusted to them fairly quickly; living “Italian Style” is actually relaxing once you get the hang of it! The only difference I did notice is people in Florence are not as friendly as the people in Alessandria. Maybe it is the city environment compared to the country?
What You Plan to do After This Program?
Finish school, travel around the world, come back to Italy, and learn more languages such as, Chinese, French, and Polish. Italy is only the beginning of my global mission, my goal is to be an international studies expert specialized in a few countries and fluent in a minimum of five languages.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROGRAM
email us at: info@istitutoeuropeo.it
Do you want to contact Nicole and ask her questions regarding her experience? Just ask us!
