Italy or Spain for study abroad?

Question

I'm planning to study abroad for the spring 2009 semester, but haven't decided where yet...

I'm double majoring in journalism and history, and minoring in Spanish. I've studied Spanish for about 6 years, but am not fluent yet (though I can read and write it pretty well), so it would be good to go to Spain to improve my speaking skills.

BUT, I'm quarter Italian, and have relatives in Italy, so it would be nice to see where my roots are. Also, Rome seems fascinating to me with all of its history, and I'm a Catholic as well and would love to be able to explore Vatican City.

So it seems that my head is telling me Spain would make sense because of the language aspect, but Italy is where my heart is ---- I have more of a desire to go there than anywhere else. Any advice would be much appreciated :)

Answer 1

i think you should go to spain for the semester or year and try to spend a summer in italy.  that way you get the best of bost worlds and don't have to sacrifice your heart for what makes sense.  maybe you could try to find one of those work abroad programs in italy.

Answer 2

I think it's better to follow your heart and visit the home of your family heritage. You will feel so much more closer to your family if you do.

But to help you decide you can ready about studying abroad in Italy here:

http://www.studyabroaddomain.com/italy.a...

And studying abroad in Spain here:

http://www.studyabroaddomain.com/Spain.a...

Good luck, and have fun regardless of where you choose!

Answer 3

I would say study in Spain to strengthen your academic pursuits in Spanish (are you not going abroad to study?).

Save Italy for a special trip - not a tag-a-long. Go with someone special. Go when you have the time and money to appreciate it. Go to go, not just because it's one of your study abroad options.

You can always visit Italy while you're studying in Spain - check out http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/ for really cheap flights or http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htm for train passes.

You can do both eventually, you just have to sort things out for right now. Keep that in mind. :) You might even consider studying in Spain now and then later you can travel in Italy or even find a job for a while in Italy when you graduate (there are plenty of jobs teaching English in Europe).

You really have a lot of options - you just have to committ to one and follow through! Good luck.

Answer 4

I say follow your heart and go to Italy.

Answer 5

I was studying Spanish, but wanted desperately to visit my roots (well, what we thought...am actually Welsh) in Ireland. I ended up studying in Spain which is the most fabulous place in the world to study and took a trip to Ireland during Semana Santa. I couldn't have planned it better.

My suggestion: study in Spain. You'll have plenty of time to travel - school is usually only 4 days at uni so you've long weekends, plus Semana Santa (Easter holy week) where you can take your awesome trip to Italy. Bring some friends along that you meet in your programme and make it an adventure! That's pretty much what everyone in my programme did. Some went to Eastern Europe, some London, Paris, Italy, Russia, Egypt. You're so close to everything in Spain and they have amazing deals from the travel agents there.

If you decide on Spain, let me know. I can probably answer any question you have!