Meeting People
One of the questions we are asked most frequently is how to go about meeting local students. Students who have been successful in this respect often find that the best approach is to find a group activity that includes local people: Choral singing, hiking or sports, volunteer work, etc. You will need some courage and a good deal of initiative; results may not live up to your expectations right away, but be patient. Keep in mind the strategies you would use at home to meet people you are interested in knowing: You try to be where they are, you try to share an interest or an activity that will bring you into contact with them, and you get to know people who know them. Another important factor in building relationships with local peers is time. For this reason, students are discouraged from spending a lot of time traveling away from their host city. The weekends are an especially good time to participate in local activities and to spend time with classmates, cultural mentors, and host families.
It goes without saying, if you have one or two Italian-speaking acquaintances to start, it can only make things easier. Conversely, if you decide to break the Language Pledge and insist on speaking English, it will make interacting with locals more difficult.
Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in their host universities’ buddy programs, where available, which match new international students with local students who are interested in connecting with and helping international students get settled in. More information and ideas on how to meet people and get involved in the community can be found on the Outside the Classroom page of this handbook.
Hear advice from other students about making friends while abroad! Watch this video here.
