Study Abroad - Patrycja Wijas

Name: Patrycja Wijas

Degree: Tourism and Events Management

Location(s): Politecnico di Milano

Why did you decide to do study abroad?

I decided to study abroad mainly to improve Italian. Moreover, I love Italian culture and I love travelling and meeting new people, so this was the best opportunity for me.

Why did you decide to go to the university you went to?

Politecnico di Milano is the best technical University in Europe situated in the best for me (because of the number of events) location which is Milan. I don’t regret my decision. The University stands on incredible level of quality. The lecturers were really competent with amazing knowledge and interesting experiences. The projects were really interesting working with companies like Adidas and the biggest company in Italy which is Leonardo. It was an amazing experience. 

What was your stand out moment during study abroad?

I think my stand out moment was a free trip to Monte Carlo. As there is a Whatsapp group for Erasmus students in Milan, every week they organise free parties and trips for Erasmus students. It was an amazing experience, we went to an exclusive club in Monte Carlo.

Was it expensive to study abroad?

On the beginning I was expecting to spend more money, however I shared a room with another girl (which was also amazing) and other 4 people in the flat. The food in Italy can be comparable with prices in Newcastle, however going out for food or drink is way cheaper. For example, a happy hour at Navigli which is very popular in Milan costs 9-14 euros (drink and the free buffet with lots of Italian food). Moreover, I was going out with Erasmus group where mainly everything was with a discount or totally for free. The transportation in Milan is also incredibly cheap because it is only 22 euros a month for everything.

Do you think your experience helped you in your studies at Northumbria and your career?

As I study Tourism and Events management I think that Italian can help me significantly. Also, I met many people during studying abroad and I improved my communication skills a lot. I could see how does it look the tourism and events industry in another country.

If you could offer some advice to students thinking of going on study abroad what would you say?

I would definitely recommend! After all the paper work and stress, I can say that it was definitely worth it. As an advice I would recommend to carefully choose subjects you will be studying. I would highly recommend learning a language spoken in a country you are going to. Mostly everything is English, however not everywhere they can speak English, and it is an amazing opportunity to learn another language.