Now that I only have a week left in Bologna, I wanted to take a minute to share some things I wish I had known before I arrived. There are always a few nuggets of information that make travelling or staying in a new place a little easier, and here are a couple of points that would have helped me.
We all know that Italy is smaller than Texas; in fact, you can fit at least two Italys into Texas. What that means, then, is that travelling east-west in Italy is fast and easy. So, if you want to take a weekend trip from Bologna to Venice, or if the class is taking a day trip to Parma, you’ll be there sooner than you could drive from Houston to Austin. This means that you can really take advantage of the experience of being in Italy – seeing different cities, experiencing different elements of the culture, viewing different technologies and (what remains of different) time periods.
Also, don’t be afraid to travel by coach (translation: bus). The coaches in Italy are nice, though they are a little slower than the trains. Pack light, and be ready to sprint for the bus after that last-minute gelato stop.
The weather is mild, but it varies. Some days, it’s cool enough that you’ll need pants and a jacket; other days, it’s warm, and you’ll want shorts and a t-shirt. It doesn’t rain a lot, which is a good thing because we’re not near the famous rain porticos in downtown Bologna.
In fact, our hotel is about 30 minutes from the city center, and our classes are held there. The hotel is a hub for students abroad, and the study areas and lounges can be busy. You may want to bring something like noise-cancelling headphones because there aren’t any private study rooms or (truly) quiet areas.
We’ve taken several field trips, with a focus on the history and architecture of the region. In terms of mechanical or industry-oriented tours, we spent a day at Ducati. Be ready for the field trips to change and for the details and logistics to be revealed on a need-to-know basis.
Finally…do you like Italian food? Of course, you like Italian food! I’ve had breakfast pizza almost every morning (which is just pizza for breakfast) from Name of Restaurant. But, if you get tired of Italian food (and you might), there are other cuisines to try in Bologna, like an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet or really good Vietnamese food. Bear in mind that restaurants don’t open until 7 pm for dinner, and you may need a reservation.