Finding a gym in Milan can be pretty tough. I spent weeks calling and visiting various gyms to find a well-priced place. Depending on your location, there may be a gym for a good price but are often not the best or the biggest. Since I live a little bit far out of the Milan city center, there were not as many gym offerings for me. Some gyms also only allow you to visit it once a week only. A lot of gyms were asking for over $300 for only 3 months and I also had to spend money to get a physical checked by a doctor. IES Abroad has a partnership with Boconoi University, but it was just too far for me to commit. I decided to try out Barry's and was very pleased! The class was pretty small (around 5-7 people) so it almost felt like I was at a private class. The instructor was super nice and taught me everything as it was my first time at a Barry's. Having someone push me was definitely helpful and made me work even harder! They also have a student discount which is sooo worth it!
A few days after, I went to a Inter Milano soccer game. I am not the biggest fan of soccer but decided to just go for the experience. It turned out to be such a fun experience and definitely not what I expected. Getting there was insane. We took around 15 stops and we were all squished side to side like anchovies because everyone was also taking the metro to the stadium. If you plan to attend, bring cash! I was so thirsty and hungry as I had thought they would be selling food and drinks. Although they do sell things during the game, it is mostly just small packaged snacks and soda/beer that you have to pay with cash. It was crazy how dedicated the fans were, constantly playing drums and cheering. I was also able to meet so many new friends.
I have been loving all my classes, and my Managing Made in Italy course is particularly very interesting. We learned about the jewelry and leather industry in class, and we visited the Van Cleef and Arpels exhibition by the Duomo for a class field trip. It was so cool to know that all the field trips we have are related to the content we learn and my professor, Donatella, is absolutely amazing!
Jenny Qian
<p>Hello! My name is Jenny Qian and I currently attend The George Washington University. Originally from San Francisco, CA, I have always had a passion in learning more about different cultures and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I am currently studying abroad in Milan under the Business Studies program. I hope you can all follow my journey and experience abroad through my videos!</p>
