Voices from Abroad: Emi Mima
Lisbon (Portugal), Double Degree, Catholic University of Portugal
Vallendar (Germany), Exchange Program, WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management
 Emi and other students in Vallendar |
International experiences with Bocconi started for me with my exchange in Germany in the WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management. German is a language I have been studying since thirteen, as I was considering studying there. Wanting to improve German further on, it was the obvious choice for me. Well, it would turn out to be beyond my expectations both academically and more. The town (Vallendar) is quite small but the university itself is remarkable. Both the students and staff are driven by excellence and will do everything they can to make an international student's life memorable. They called us "tauschies" (from austauchen=doing an exchange), we had our own government whose sole goal was to do fundraising for a party only. Needless to say, it turned out to be such an incredible experience because it is not only about the places you go; it is more about the people you get to share the experience with. And at WHU they make you feel part of their dynamic community from day one.
My next decision was to further continue my studies with a Master of Science in Bocconi. I couldn't restrain myself from travelling, and being especially keen on new languages and cultures, I applied and got accepted to a Double Degree Program with
 Belem, Lisbon waterfront |
the Catholic University of Portugal, in Lisbon. Quite different from Germany and Milan, my choice was more driven by the wish to experience something totally new, without leaving the continent. The Catholic University of Portugal is quite demanding, with very good lecturers and it offers highly personalized services to students. I had already visited Lisbon and had fallen in love with the city. The ocean, surfing, melancholic Lisbon and the city atmosphere are also why I enjoy just wandering around. Every walk I take, I always stumble upon a miradouro (viewpoint), or a cute bar or an eccentric vintage shop that I've never seen before. Moreover, being from the Balkans (Tirana, Albania), sunny weather is of special importance to me.
The academic part is just a minor part of the experience; actually on the contrary, it has to do more with the individual experience, the one of growing as a person. From all the opportunities open for us Bocconiani, the one that should for no reason be missed is an international experience. So:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do, than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain