Semester Exchanges Blog

Whenever I told my friends and colleagues that I was going to do a study abroad in Venice, Italy in the fall, the most popular reaction I was responded with was that it is a touristy destination, the canals and streets would be nasty, and after a while there wouldn’t be much to do on the island. As the summer went on, I was starting to get influenced by these ideas and was not as excited to come here anymore. However, class registration at A&M was closed and there was no turning back considering other logistics had been planned as well. To my pleasant surprise, upon arrival, I was warmly welcomed by our Airbnb host who is the kindest person ever. In addition to the friendly people, we met within the first few days, the island itself is like dream land.

I arrived in Venice 10 days before school started and had some time to explore the city and a couple other countries in Europe. Venice is a small island, but there are multiple islands around that can be accessed by “vaporettos” or water buses. Everything over here is aesthetically pleasing to look at and the architecture and roads have so much detail, making the walks to class exciting (it’s a 30-minute walk from San Marco).  Being here for the past three weeks has made me realize, contrary to my prior notions, that there is a lot to do once you integrate with the local community and make friends. I joined the ESN network which is an organization for all international students doing semester exchanges or EU students doing their Erasmus. They host multiple events every week and it allows students to get to know their peers that are going through similar culture shocks. I’ve met a lot of students from other countries in Europe that I hang out with and have had a chance to explore some other cities in Italy with them as well.

Some of the biggest differences from the U.S are the fact that we drink cappuccinos and espresso after every meal with no added sugar. It has been hard getting used to drinking coffee so late in the day, but my body is starting to adjust. The classes I am taking here are all master’s level classes, but they seem much easier that the bachelor level courses at A&M. I would highly recommend finding a “buddy” from the list that the university here sends and asking them to help you register for classes, as the university logistics are probably the most complicated thing I have encountered. It’s weird trying to figure out the system as everything is in Italian and they do not send over instructions on how to register for classes. At one point I found myself sitting in class, listening to an Italian lecture even though the syllabus said that it was taught in English. At the bottom of the page there was a little side note saying that they no longer offer it in English, so I would read the fine print before registering for a class. So far, my time in Venice has been nothing short of amazing! The Italians really do know how to have a good time and do not take life vey seriously.

Howdy!

I’m currently attending Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, Italy, for the fall semester of 2021. I have been attending classes for a few weeks now, and my first impression of Ca’ Foscari is that it has a highly welcoming atmosphere. All the people I have met so far have been very helpful and accommodating to me as a foreign exchange student, which has made it a lot easier for me to adjust to a new country. The professors here are all very knowledgeable and seem to care about their students genuinely. There are many similarities between classes here and at Texas A&M, but there is a different grading system and one exam in most courses. For instance, I must choose to be either an attending student or a non-attending student in class, and my grade will count differently for each. Some courses require group projects, which has been an excellent opportunity to meet other students from different backgrounds.

The city of Venice is like no other. Since living in Venice, the biggest shock I’ve experienced is that public transportation consists entirely of water taxis. The Vaporetto (a boat) is the primary means of getting around Venice and is the sole alternative to walking through the streets. This city also has no shortage of delicious places to eat. When people say all there is to eat here is pizza and pasta, they aren’t lying! However, I’m not complaining because Italian food is one of my favorites! During my first few weeks of studying abroad, I discovered that getting lost on the island is very easy. But I’ve slowly gotten used to the layout of the island, and I’m hoping by the end of the semester, I will know my way around! One of my favorite things to do here is going to watch the sunset while sitting on a dock. This is not only a great way to relax, but it gives me a chance to take in the beautiful island!

Studying abroad in a beautiful city like Venice is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I have enjoyed every moment of it so far!

Jessica Johnson

The Grand Canal!

The BEST gelato!

Sunsets on the dock!

Today marks over 3 weeks since I have been living in Venice, Italy! Before I arrived in Venice, I was filled with a lot of anxiety about how this trip would go, and how I would be able to adjust to a place that is so foreign to me and that I know nothing about! But let me tell you, ever since I have been here I have felt so comfortable and have felt so at home! From the second that I stepped foot onto this island, I fell in love with it. I find that the Italian culture is so welcoming, even to someone who doesn’t speak any italian like me! The language barrier can definitely be a problem sometimes, but I find that even just learning a few common phrases can help you go a long way here in Venice.

The biggest differences that I have noticed so far between here and the U.S. is in efficiency. I find that here in Italy, the Italians are not worried about being efficient with their time, with their food, or with their infrastructure. For example, Italians like to take their days very slow, and are usually not on time for anything like how we are in America! They show up 15-30 mins late to things, take hours to eat dinner(no kidding), and have a lot of down time to rest during the day. The way they prepare their food is also very different here than in America. Here, everything is made on the spot, fresh and from scratch, and is served in small quantities. In America, food is usually pre-made in large portions in order to serve the customer more quickly and efficiently! Also, the schooling system here is very different than America. Professors often do not provide a complete syllabus, expecting you to remember/keep up with the due dates for classwork. Also, here at Ca’ Foscari, usually around 80-100% of our overall course grade is based on the final exam in the class, which can be very stressful. But other than that, I have really enjoyed getting to sit in a classroom with people from all over the world, hearing their perspectives on things and how they differ from my perspective.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Venice, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds!

Ciao!