Voices from Abroad: Dino Galante
Urbana-Champaign, IL (USA), Exchange Program, University of Illinois
Sydney (Australia), Exchange Program, University of New South Wales
 NBA game at the United Center in Chicago |
It is always exciting for me to think about my experiences abroad and let the people know what good moments I've had in different parts of the world. At the same time it is not easy to describe everything in just a few lines. But when other people ask me: "Why should I go abroad?" I always reply to them that these opportunities can change their lives and let them see the world in a different way.
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Probably most students think that if someone goes to the USA, he/she should go to the big cities like NYC, Chicago, LA, etc. Anyway that is just a part of the USA, because I think the real experience of the typical American college life is in the small towns where you can find a University campus with over 40,000 students and all the facilities. I had the occasion to meet a lot of exchange students like me, but at the same time also local students. As usual, when I face new challenges, I found some difficulties and problems, like the different way of teaching and studying, but after awhile everything had been fixed. Obviously I also had the time to visit the USA and all its amazing cities like NYC, Chicago and Las Vegas. Probably the best part was to live through this experience with people who have felt my same emotions and feeling.
 Dino and other students at Kangaroo Island, South Australia |
Sydney, Australia
One year and a half after I came back from my first exchange I had the opportunity to leave my home country again for another Exchange Program. This time I went to Sydney. I chose this destination because I wanted to improve my skills and get a new challenge. The experience in Sydney was completely different from the one that I had in USA two years before. First of all because of the location where I lived and then because of the lifestyle that I had. Sydney is a big city, with a mix of cultures and also in this case was easy to meet foreign students but it was harder to meet locals. Anyway, Sydney provides the opportunity to live the city life, being a typical western city, but at the same time it also offers the beach life. I had the opportunity to surf and when I went around the country I visited wonderful places like Whitsundays Islands, Kangaroo Island and Fraser Island, where tourists find an uncontaminated life and see incredible animals like koalas, kangaroos, wombats, seals, etc. As for the University, also in this case the approach to studying was different but I was ready for this difference. In any case, the lectures were also interesting because sometimes they were related to the Australian environment.
In conclusion, I can suggest applying for international programs. You shouldn't hesitate when provided with these opportunities. There is always a new adventure to be experienced and I can assure you that, thanks to the people that I met during my experiences abroad, I have never regretted having left my home country.