Voices from Abroad: Cristina Azzarello

Berlin (Germany), THEMIS, Freie Universität
Singapore (Singapore), Internship Abroad, Valeur Pte Ltd

Class group in Stasbourg

Travelling to grow has always been my motto.
Since the age of seven, when I moved to Paris with my family, my deep-rooted idea was to move out of Italy and see the world. Now that I am almost at the end of my university career I can surely say that Bocconi was one of the best choices ever made in my life: it allowed me to acquire the international education I always strived for, aware of having a deep connection with my country. Indeed I spent this 5th year travelling and working abroad.

My story began in April 2011, when I decided to go to France for a month in order to attend a seminar in Public Law organised by the University of Strasbourg. This was a fruitful and compelling experience to expand the legal knowledge I had learned till that moment on a more international aspect. I also enjoyed the possibility of getting closer to my classmates by living together and studying a subject we were passionate about.

Cristina at the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur

In July 2011 I flew to Singapore for an international internship as a compliance officer in a Fund Management company. This was my first time in Asia and a jump into the business world. I had the opportunity to improve myself in one of the four biggest financial cities in the world as well as to explore the marvellous surroundings of South-East Asia. During the two months I spent there I created a compliance manual in order to obtain a licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. I worked hard, more than 10 hours a day and I figured out what was the way to follow after graduation.

While writing, I am still in my THEMIS program in Berlin, at Freie Universität. THEMIS is a network made up of five European Universities coming together to create a new standard in business law. It not only provides the opportunity to broaden your knowledge from an academic point of view, but also includes an international internship and a THEMIS seminar giving the chance to delve deeper into an area of international law relevant to your future career. Every year a different legal topic is chosen, in 2012 it will be held in Barcelona, and it will cover a discussion about International Arbitration in a four-day session of lectures and working groups.
Freie Universität is one of the leading Universities in Continental Europe, with more than 30,000 students and a campus that is more like a city. It is situated in south-west Berlin and was created during the Second World War to support freedom of speech and thinking that were to be destroyed by the regime.
I have been living in Berlin since the end of September and I feel totally satisfied: I attended 6 courses for a total of 36 credits, I submitted 1 working groups, 2 papers, 2 essays, I learnt a new language. The classes are usually composed of around 30 students so that the atmosphere is familiar and the discussions are endorsed. Every course is usually held once a week and many of them require mandatory participation as well as seminars during the weekend.
I have met people from Asia, Australia, the US, Canada, as well as distinguished professors that treated us as professional jurists.

Cristina and friends at the Christmas Market in Hamburg

In addition to classes and seminars, we have been living deeply in the German culture for the last 5 months exploring a very modern and eclectic city: from getting a taste for fine art in galleries and museums to enjoying the never-ending nightlife, from sunbathing in Tiergarten to the heavy snow of Christmas time.

Now that my time here is almost over, I realize how important it was to decide to leave Italy and open my eyes and my mind to new experiences. It made me grow, it made me believe that dreams come true, it made me more self-confident but most of all it made me happy.
Now, coming back, I feel like a different person, a young student enriched by the people I met along the way and the wonderful places seen.
He who lives, sees much. He who travels, sees more. If you are looking for a life-changing experience, choose to travel.