Silke Anita Mühlemann

Istituto Venezia, Venice
Duration: 12 weeks

Going to school in Venice was a unique experience. I was there off-season when the city is just as lively but with fewer tourists. You can therefore visit attractions in the afternoon without fighting through hordes of tourists and there is always space at restaurants and cafés. This is heaven for sightseeing! Watch out when the water starts to rise but you’ll get used to it quickly.

The school is small and friendly. The atmosphere in class is relaxed but you make a huge amount of progress. After just two weeks I could speak with fellow students – half in English, half in Italian. It was impossible for me to do anything like that before.

You get used to taking water taxis and I enjoyed my journey to school on the Vaporetto on the Canale della Giudecca and by foot in the Dorsoduro area.

The nightlife may not be as buzzing here as elsewhere but I would go back to Venice again in a heartbeat.

Rose Orbeta

Istituto Venezia, Venice
Duration: 1 week

My experience with my Italian language study in Venice was a true adventure for me. I was initially concerned that I would not know if I could find my apartment and how I would find my way to school. When I arrived at the station, I was met by my landlady who walked with me to the apartment. She was very accommodating and I felt at home immediately. After depositing my luggage in my room, we walked to the nearest grocery, then to a pizza restaurant in Campo Margherita. The next morning was my first day at school. My landlady walked with me to the school which was less than a 10-minute walk. I was delighted to know that the school was a short walk from the apartment which made it possible for me to come home after class for a short rest. I had the whole afternoon and evening to explore Venice but found myself going back to St. Mark's Square almost every day to listen to the orchestras and delight myself with the beautiful ambiance the square has to offer.

The class was made up of 9 students from Germany, Japan, Australia, and the United States. I was excited every morning as I walked to school, grabbed an espresso, sat with my classmates and began to learn the Italian language. The classes were interesting and fun as we played charades and gave short presentations on the cities where each of us live, in Italian! There were extra activities including guided walks, a cooking class, an Italian movie, etc. I appreciate the help that was provided by Elisa of ESL - Language Studies Abroad. She was very thorough and provided me with all the information I needed prior to my arrival in Venice. I will definitely plan on attending another class again. It was a dream come true for me which I would love to experience all over again.