Roxana, a final-year engineering student at Télécom Saint-Étienne, tells us about her experience at Politecnico Milano Roxana, a final year engineering student at Télécom Saint-Étienne, tells us about her experience at the Politecnico Milano, as part of an Erasmus+ exchange, during her 9th semester.
Roxana: “I chose to do a mobility abroad because I wanted to take advantage of my last semester to be able to travel. It is obvious that going on holiday in a country or living there for 6 months is not the same experience and especially not the same challenge. I chose to come to Italy because it is a country whose culture I already enjoyed immensely and now that I am here, I am really not disappointed. The mentality is absolutely great, the people are welcoming, helpful and cheerful. The city of Milan is beautiful and there is a lot to do. Not to mention that I’m learning Italian at a high speed and practicing my English every day which is a big plus.
I’m really happy to be in Milan and almost sad that the ERASMUS only lasts 6 months for me.
The health situation in Italy seems to be quite good. In any case I don’t feel restricted in my daily life. Student life has also picked up well. As far as the language is concerned, you have to be prepared! Indeed, as in France, nobody really speaks English. So you have to know how to get by. But this is not a hindrance because the Italians are very patient and have always helped me despite the language barrier
As far as financing is concerned, Milan is a very expensive city and even more so after this COVID period. So you have to start looking for accommodation early on, especially as there is a lot of competition for flats. I advise you to share a flat to save money and also to meet people. For other destinations, I think this advice should also apply. I also think that it is very important, when you choose an ERASMUS or a double degree, to think carefully about the destination. It’s not necessarily easy to go on your own. Liking the place where you are going will helpa lot to settle in more quickly and make the most of it. So I advise you to find out about all the possibilities before making your decision.”