Exploring Bologna, the original college town
As a BA/MA student at SAIS, I knew I wouldn't be spending my senior year in Baltimore. I had a choice between D.C., a great city, and Bologna, a great city in Italy.
I chose Bologna, although I had some doubts, not least of which was the fact that I didn't speak a word of Italian beyond "pizza." I pushed these details to the back of mind because I knew that I would not have many more chances to live abroad. So when August came, I packed up and moved to Bologna.
Home to a university founded in 1088, Bologna is really the original college town. However it is not just an Italian version of College Park. Unlike prefab college communities, Bologna is a real city that just happens to have a population made up largely of University of Bologna students.
To cater to the young crowd, there are plenty of bars, cafes, nightclubs, meeting places and stores. On any night you can find a bar at which to get aperitivo: a buffet of appetizers like salads, bruschetta, olives and dips that is included with the purchase of a drink. This is a great deal, especially if you are not looking for a big meal. Cafés in the city center are housed in 13th and 14th century buildings painted in warm shades of red and yellow. Despite their age, a lot of these buildings are in much better shape than Gilman Hall.
I was lucky enough to find an apartment near the center without the help of the SAIS housing consultant, the notoriously stone-faced Salvatore (who, I am told, is actually one of the more happy-go-lucky Sicilians). My apartment is in a good location and has a washing machine and internet, two things that are sometimes hard to find here. Dryers are pretty much non-existent, so clothes are hung on the line outside or the drying rack. I pay what was originally a fair price of about $500 a month. However, today, given the current exchange rate, this equates to considerably more.
Although there is an efficient bus system, I have chosen to walk for the most part when I am going somewhere in the city, mainly because I love glancing in all the store windows (I have never seen so many kinds of pasta!) and people-watching. Not to mention, a lot of the sidewalks are covered with beautiful porticos.
I chose Bologna, although I had some doubts, not least of which was the fact that I didn't speak a word of Italian beyond "pizza." I pushed these details to the back of mind because I knew that I would not have many more chances to live abroad. So when August came, I packed up and moved to Bologna.
Home to a university founded in 1088, Bologna is really the original college town. However it is not just an Italian version of College Park. Unlike prefab college communities, Bologna is a real city that just happens to have a population made up largely of University of Bologna students.
To cater to the young crowd, there are plenty of bars, cafes, nightclubs, meeting places and stores. On any night you can find a bar at which to get aperitivo: a buffet of appetizers like salads, bruschetta, olives and dips that is included with the purchase of a drink. This is a great deal, especially if you are not looking for a big meal. Cafés in the city center are housed in 13th and 14th century buildings painted in warm shades of red and yellow. Despite their age, a lot of these buildings are in much better shape than Gilman Hall.
I was lucky enough to find an apartment near the center without the help of the SAIS housing consultant, the notoriously stone-faced Salvatore (who, I am told, is actually one of the more happy-go-lucky Sicilians). My apartment is in a good location and has a washing machine and internet, two things that are sometimes hard to find here. Dryers are pretty much non-existent, so clothes are hung on the line outside or the drying rack. I pay what was originally a fair price of about $500 a month. However, today, given the current exchange rate, this equates to considerably more.
Although there is an efficient bus system, I have chosen to walk for the most part when I am going somewhere in the city, mainly because I love glancing in all the store windows (I have never seen so many kinds of pasta!) and people-watching. Not to mention, a lot of the sidewalks are covered with beautiful porticos.
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