{"id":5658,"date":"2019-01-10T16:21:24","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T06:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/qut-exchange-students\/?p=5658"},"modified":"2019-01-10T16:24:43","modified_gmt":"2019-01-10T06:24:43","slug":"living-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Living in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alexandra Bell, Bachelor of Design<\/em><\/strong>
\nPolitecnico Di Milano, Italy (Semester 2, 2017)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Polimi, Polimi, Polimi\u2026 where to begin. Good facilities (not the most flexible opening hours), and lovely and warm people, but the university was significantly less organised (which I chalked up to cultural differences). Be prepared for your lecturers and fellow students to always be late, and don\u2019t rush into the classroom while your lecturer is speaking because they definitely won\u2019t appreciate it.<\/p>\n

The facilities opening hours are 9am to around 9pm, however, for practical course-takers, the workshop rooms are from 9am to 6pm. Don\u2019t forget the hour lunch break too! Lunch breaks apply to the whole country, with many shops, cafes, and businesses shutting their doors to eat and take a break – this can last multiple hours, so be prepared.<\/p>\n

HIGHLIGHTS<\/strong>
\nGosh – everything? I made excellent friends with my roommates and peers and got to experience and learn about their cultures. I even met a guy who stood through two hurricanes! I travelled so much – the cheapest website is goeuro.com and also look out for the blablacar car app. I am so grateful for my whole experience and can confidently say that my point of view of the world has become significantly more open to different pathways and values in life. And how could I not mention; the wine is so cheap my friends. Make use of it!<\/p>\n

THINGS I DIDN\u2019T EXPECT<\/strong>
\nAll the professors will most likely revert to speaking Italian! For you to learn a little is a huge advantage as this also applies to grocery shopping. Also, the language is pretty fun to learn and everything is pronounced exactly as it is spelt (for example, they wouldn\u2019t say the girl\u2019s name is Selene as in \u2018Seh-leen\u2019 but as in \u2018Seh-leh-neh\u2019, capisci?)<\/p>\n

ADVICE<\/strong>
\nGo ham on the food! The pizza there is the best thing I\u2019ve ever tasted, and the gelato makes me want to cry. Try to say yes to every social event and opportunity (while taking your studies seriously enough). Be friendly and you will most likely make lots of friends with other exchange students (and a few Italians). The best website for looking for housing is uniplaces.com, but there are a lot more too! Finally, be organised, think big, and get excited!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alexandra Bell, Bachelor of Design Politecnico Di Milano, Italy (Semester 2, 2017) Polimi, Polimi, Polimi\u2026 where to begin. Good facilities (not the most flexible opening hours), and lovely and warm people, but the university was significantly less organised (which I chalked up to cultural differences). Be prepared for your lecturers and fellow students to always<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1513,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5246,5252,15934],"tags":[5252,15934,427],"class_list":{"0":"post-5658","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-europe","7":"category-italy","8":"category-milan","9":"tag-italy","10":"tag-milan","11":"tag-tips"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLiving in Italy - QUT Gone Global<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Living in Italy - QUT Gone Global\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Alexandra Bell, Bachelor of Design Politecnico Di Milano, Italy (Semester 2, 2017) Polimi, Polimi, Polimi\u2026 where to begin. Good facilities (not the most flexible opening hours), and lovely and warm people, but the university was significantly less organised (which I chalked up to cultural differences). Be prepared for your lecturers and fellow students to always\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"QUT Gone Global\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-01-10T06:21:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-01-10T06:24:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Study Abroad and Exchange Team\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Study Abroad and Exchange Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Study Abroad and Exchange Team\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#\/schema\/person\/1caadfafc64c36916a92beca156fffa7\"},\"headline\":\"Living in Italy\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-01-10T06:21:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-01-10T06:24:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\"},\"wordCount\":392,\"commentCount\":0,\"keywords\":[\"Italy\",\"Milan\",\"tips\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Europe\",\"Italy\",\"Milan\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\",\"name\":\"Living in Italy - QUT Gone Global\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-01-10T06:21:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-01-10T06:24:43+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#\/schema\/person\/1caadfafc64c36916a92beca156fffa7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Living in Italy\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/\",\"name\":\"QUT Gone Global\",\"description\":\"QUT students studying abroad\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#\/schema\/person\/1caadfafc64c36916a92beca156fffa7\",\"name\":\"Study Abroad and Exchange Team\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/284dd0d12ce7cde9d1b80fa2beb004b6543ee93f044c69bfa8f3f19295a1ae28?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/284dd0d12ce7cde9d1b80fa2beb004b6543ee93f044c69bfa8f3f19295a1ae28?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/284dd0d12ce7cde9d1b80fa2beb004b6543ee93f044c69bfa8f3f19295a1ae28?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Study Abroad and Exchange Team\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/author\/stae\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Living in Italy - QUT Gone Global","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Living in Italy - QUT Gone Global","og_description":"Alexandra Bell, Bachelor of Design Politecnico Di Milano, Italy (Semester 2, 2017) Polimi, Polimi, Polimi\u2026 where to begin. Good facilities (not the most flexible opening hours), and lovely and warm people, but the university was significantly less organised (which I chalked up to cultural differences). Be prepared for your lecturers and fellow students to always","og_url":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/","og_site_name":"QUT Gone Global","article_published_time":"2019-01-10T06:21:24+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-01-10T06:24:43+00:00","author":"Study Abroad and Exchange Team","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Study Abroad and Exchange Team","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/"},"author":{"name":"Study Abroad and Exchange Team","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#\/schema\/person\/1caadfafc64c36916a92beca156fffa7"},"headline":"Living in Italy","datePublished":"2019-01-10T06:21:24+00:00","dateModified":"2019-01-10T06:24:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/"},"wordCount":392,"commentCount":0,"keywords":["Italy","Milan","tips"],"articleSection":["Europe","Italy","Milan"],"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/","url":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/","name":"Living in Italy - QUT Gone Global","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-01-10T06:21:24+00:00","dateModified":"2019-01-10T06:24:43+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#\/schema\/person\/1caadfafc64c36916a92beca156fffa7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/2019\/01\/10\/living-in-italy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Living in Italy"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/","name":"QUT Gone Global","description":"QUT students studying abroad","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/#\/schema\/person\/1caadfafc64c36916a92beca156fffa7","name":"Study Abroad and Exchange Team","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/284dd0d12ce7cde9d1b80fa2beb004b6543ee93f044c69bfa8f3f19295a1ae28?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/284dd0d12ce7cde9d1b80fa2beb004b6543ee93f044c69bfa8f3f19295a1ae28?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/284dd0d12ce7cde9d1b80fa2beb004b6543ee93f044c69bfa8f3f19295a1ae28?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Study Abroad and Exchange Team"},"url":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/author\/stae\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5658","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1513"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5658"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5660,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5658\/revisions\/5660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5658"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5658"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.qut.edu.au\/gone-global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}