My name is Matthew Sill. I am a third-year at Claremont McKenna College and in 5 days I will be making the 14-hour journey to Milan to start my adventures and studies in the economic powerhouse of Italy. I am from a small town on the central coast of California called Arroyo Grande. I love to surf, hike, play sports, and any other outdoor activity you can think of. Although I have not had an immense amount of travel experience in my life, I am eager to see the world and indulge myself in different cultures and foreign environments. This aspiration to travel was a major motivator for me to study abroad in the first place. The idea of studying in a foreign country for over 3 months had never crossed my mind as a possibility or a reality until my sophomore year of college. I play rugby for CMC and have to work very hard to keep up with the academic load of Claremont Mckenna. So I had never considered study abroad until a teammate of mine decided to study in Milan last fall (rugby offseason). Once I saw that it was feasible, even as a student-athlete, I decided to give it a shot. Now I just had to decide where I wanted to study!
Milan stuck out to me for a multitude of reasons:
- Italian Food
- I eat a lot of food. I enjoy food. I enjoy Italian food. So when faced with the possibility of living in an area where Italian food is breakfast, lunch, and dinner, my decision started to become a little easier.
- Architecture and History
- I am a huge nerd when it comes to history, and Italy is riddled with ancient structures and stories that I cannot wait to learn about and see for myself. Although Milan is a newer, metropolitan city, the location allows me to explore different parts of Italy and Europe where history is more prevalent while still being able to experience modern European city living.
- Location
- Being in Northern Italy, Milan is just a train ride away from Switzerland, France, Venice, Rome, and other areas in Italy and Europe that I hope to visit.
- Business
- Milan is home of the Italian stock exchange and is the financial hub of the country. Being an economics major with a sequence in financial economics, studying in an economic metropolis will give me lots of insight and experience into the industry I hope to start my career in.
I am sure Milan will be an incredible place for me to live and I am very excited to experience the city. The most exciting part about this fall is going to be the ability to travel. Public transportation in Europe is very accessible and easy to use (so I've been told), so I will use this to my advantage and travel as much as I can. Here are a few of my study abroad bucket list items:
- Rome
- Rome is filled with historical buildings, architecture, and art that I will not be able to get enough of.
- Venice
- I have always wanted to see Venice for its intricate waterways and beautiful architecture.
- Swiss Alps
- Having a love for scenery and being the outdoorsman that I am, the Swiss Alps have been on my bucket list since I was a kid. I have already looked into train tickets and housing options for a weekend trip sometime this semester!
- Oktoberfest
- A good friend and teammate of mine is studying in Copenhagen this fall and we bought tickets to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany for the weekend of September 20th. I just need to find lederhosen!
I have other trips I hope to take this fall but these 4 bucket list items are musts for me and I will make sure I can experience these incredible places. The idea of staying in Italy for a semester is finally starting to hit me as I prepare for my trip. I can't wait to see Europe and learn a new culture. I hope to provide some beautiful pictures and knowledge during my trip and I hope that you will follow along as I go on this journey!
Matthew Sill
<p>I am a collegiate rugby player for Claremont McKenna College and I enjoy the outdoors and physical activities. I like to spend most of my free time playing sports or exploring the outdoors but aside of athletics I like to woodwork and craft objects like jewelry boxes, wooden puzzles and other small projects.</p>
