Jelle studied at Wageningen University and wanted to do an exchange abroad during his studies - preferably in Italy. "This is because I wanted to know what it is like to live and study there. I often went there on holiday and became increasingly interested in the country. So I added six months to my studies to immerse myself in Italian life."
Finding a room
When Jelle heard he was allowed to go to Milan permanently, he was overjoyed. He immediately started looking for a room. "The university in Milan did help with accommodation, but their rooms were so far outside the city centre that I started looking for myself."
Soon Jelle found a room in the city centre. "This was in a house with other international students. This was great because they were all people on exchange, in need of new contacts in the city. Many of them were at the same university as me."
College in Milan
Studying in Milan does go a bit differently than in the Netherlands. Whereas in the Netherlands students are expected to be active during lectures, according to Jelle this is not always the case in Italy. "I took a number of courses where you had 2.5 hours of lecture (i.e. only listening) with a short break halfway through. In the Netherlands you also have lectures, but these are generally shorter and more interactive.
Fortunately, the lecturers took into account that we were there for a short time and still had to get used to the different culture and environment. The personal guidance was very good. Thus, outside the lectures, we had little to worry about studying, as we mainly did that at university." Moreover, Jelle only had classes three days a week. So there was plenty of time to explore Milan.
Life in Milan
Milan is super according to Jelle. "It really is a metropolis: big, busy, there is always something to do and there are countless nice cafes, bars and museums. You notice it's happening there. What also makes it so nice is that the city is internationally oriented. Lots of people from all over the world come to Milan, and certainly lots of Erasmus students. So as a student, the city is top notch. "
But there are also a lot of things that are different from back home, such as arranging a public transport pass. "In the Netherlands you arrange that online in a few hours, but in Italy you soon run into a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy. That was quite a challenge."
Another difference is that Milan is an expensive city to live in. "I did know in advance that it was going to be an expensive six months. Milan is in fact 20-30% more expensive than Amsterdam. A room in Milan, for example, costs around €750 a month, while I pay €350 in Wageningen. This is why I started saving for my trip far in advance. Also because I wanted to get everything out of my trip and get to know as much of Italy and its culture as possible."
Italian culture
Jelle was well grounded in that Italian culture and soon made it his own. "When I walked to university in the morning, I always bought a cappuccino on the way, just like the real Italians do."
To get to know the language and culture even better, Jelle took an Italian course. "You learn about the culture as well as the language. For example, I now know that in Italian cuisine you should never put cheese on a fish dish and that pineapple on a pizza is really a no-go."
Highlight
During a trip abroad, you experience a lot, but the absolute highlight, according to Jelle, is that he met many new people. "I gained so many friendships from my trip and got to know many new cultures. That broadened my horizons considerably. And a side benefit is that I have lodgings in almost every European city."
It has also given him insights into his own culture. "We can sometimes be quite stressed, hasty and aloof. Other cultures have made me realise that this is not necessary at all, that it is best to tone it down. This was really an eye opener."
Tips
For any aspiring foreigner, Jelle has a few more tips:
- Make sure you master the basics of the local language. This will make many things easier and you will generate sympathy among the locals;
- Do research on the place where you will end up. Know what it is like to live there and what it costs. That way you won't have any surprises;
- It can be useful to join Facebook groups in advance. Erasmus has a group of every city where they do exchanges. This way, you get to know some people beforehand who can give you all kinds of tips;
- Save up for your trip abroad! You can also borrow extra money. I would definitely recommend that if you know it won't cause you further financial problems. Because that extra money will enable you to get everything out of it. That's worth the money to me.
Jelle can recommend it to anyone to study outside the Netherlands for a while. "There is so much more than our little country. Besides learning super much, it's also a great experience!"
