Dante Alighieri Siena - Learning Italy

My five weeks in Siena with the Dante Alighieri program were some of the best in my life. I had grown up with a great passion for language, but this was my first experience being in an immersive language program, so I was quite excited to participate and to live in such a beautiful and history-rich city. The program and experience exceeded all expectations. I became friends with my classmates and teachers, and I walked to school each morning knowing a warm, caring learning environment awaited me there. After taking a brief, low-pressure placement oral exam with one of the instructors, you get placed in a course level your first day. You can move through course levels during your time there, but regardless, you will be met with smiling faces in each classroom. Each instructor has so much enthusiasm to teach, and each student comes with a passion for learning and interacting with other eager students. Students are of all ages and backgrounds, coming from many different countries. I found this wonderful. Not only did it challenge me to express all ideas in Italian without resorting to English, thus advancing my language grasp that much more, but it also allowed me to learn the interesting stories of each individual from different perspectives. I loved the cultural activities we would partake in, sometimes during lunch, sometimes outside of the school hours. The most memorable, of course, were the events building up to the July 2nd Palio. Waiting in Piazza del Campo to see the announcement of the different “contrada”’s participation in the Palio was one of the most notable immersive cultural experiences, as well as the gala dinner the School invited us to. I could go on for hours about how magical those five weeks in Siena were with the School, but I hope that this brief little glimpse will encourage you to sign up for this wonderful program. My Italian improved tremendously during that time because of the high quality of instruction, and I never felt nervous being in an academic environment while there - to the contrary, it was a very encouraging, peaceful space to learn that promoted my personal growth. Thank you to all of the instructors and administrative staff at Dante Alighieri Siena, not least of all Guido Elia and Luca Bonomi! Grazie mille!

Spending a semester in Siena was a life changing experience. Siena is a beautiful city with so much history around every corner. The staff of Dante Alighieri Siena do an excellent job of teaching and immersing you in their culture and sharing the rich history with you. They treat you like you are family.

I would give anything to experience my study abroad all over again! It was truly the greatest experience I’ve had. Before my trip, I was very reserved, would prefer staying in my room, not very social. The friends I made on this trip completely brought me out of my shell, and I am now extremely eager to see the world. Siena is a beautiful city, and having the opportunity to stay there and experience the culture was fascinating. This trip helped me experience massive growth that I would not have gotten if I stayed home that semester. I enjoyed every second of my trip, becoming more open to the world each day