GENERAL
PREPARATIONS
LIFE IN GENOA
STUDY ABROAD PARTICIPANT INFORMATION
updated: 5 august 2022
overview of program
The FIU Genoa Program is founded upon the principle of offering opportunities for engagement with the city of Genoa and the local community, academic and otherwise. It is an atypical program in a singular city, which means we can do things here that have become difficult for US students to do in many other Italian cities, such as improving your Italian language skills in local shops and interacting with the local community. Above all, you have the chance to live here, but the success of this depends on your attitude and degree of openness and willingness to engage.
- This is a study abroad program, not an exchange program. You will be taking FIU courses taught by FIU personnel, professors with the University of Genoa, or local experts. All courses are taught in English.
- You have chosen to involve yourself with this program, which implies that you have reason to believe that studying in Genoa and Italy will be valuable to your personal growth, general education, and future professional life.
- The beauties, particularities and difficulties of Genoa are part of the experience.
- The program is not a service that delivers a packaged experience. In fact, Genoa is NOT a “packaged” city. We are responsible for and structure certain aspects, we plan others, we suggest certain possibilities, and we let you (and expect you to) deal with a certain amount on your own. Independence and self-sufficiency are important, as well as self-discovery.
attitude and conduct
Please bring a good attitude. Be flexible to new situations, and respectful of your Italian hosts. Please don’t judge things you don’t understand yet, and try to get inside the situation and out of your habits and assumptions.
Present a positive face of American culture through good behavior. Most people here are very open to Americans as individuals, but it does not take much for negative stereotypes to be confirmed. Genoa is already a somewhat closed culture, so you have to be even more agreeable to accept their terms to "get in". You can learn a lot and have a great time by doing so.