Bella Rusaw, Bologna Fall ’24

In the fall of 2024, I was lucky enough to study abroad in Bologna, Italy, through the Brown in Bologna program. This was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I cherish my time there deeply. The program is direct-matriculation, meaning all of my courses were taken at the Università di Bologna, in Italian, alongside Italian students. While daunting at first, I quickly realized how incredible this experience was. I made friends with fellow students, who were always willing to help me with my Italian, and built relationships with professors that made the final oral exams much less stressful. The chance to study classic Italian literature, such as The Decameron and Dante’s Inferno, in Italy was truly an unmatched experience for which I will always be grateful.

A core part of the program is the proseminar, a weekly class with the Brown in Bologna cohort. Our course was titled Bologna Nascosta, or Hidden Bologna. Throughout the semester, we explored different parts of the city and learned about its rich history, which was previously unknown to my fellow students and me. As the course title suggests, Bologna’s beauty lies within its buildings and along its narrow streets. There isn’t one particularly famous view that stands out dramatically as in other cities, but this makes it even more special. It’s less touristy than places like Rome or Florence, and I found that I appreciated its charm even more because of that.

Beyond the classroom, the program includes many activities and day trips in and around Bologna. Some highlights included a pasta-making class, visits to nearby cities such as Ravenna and Ferrara, and a weekend trip to the Tuscan countryside. These experiences allowed me to see parts of Italy I might not have explored otherwise, and they gave me the chance to grow closer with my peers in the program. By the end, the twelve of us had become such close friends, a bond that has lasted beyond our time abroad.

Another unique,and my favorite, aspect of the program was living in off-campus apartments with Italian students. Over the course of the semester, they became some of my best friends. We cooked dinner together almost every night and explored the city in the evenings and on weekends. It was an amazing way to improve my Italian skills and to learn about the different regions and cultures within Italy. We still keep in touch, and I hope to visit them again soon.

Overall, this experience has been one of the highlights of my time at Georgetown, and I wish I could go back and do it all over again. The Brown in Bologna program is truly unique and very well-run, and I would encourage any student even considering it to apply.