I am 21, and I come from France.
Third-year of Bachelor at Sciences Po, where I study political sciences and international relations.
I first decided to come to Venice to study at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice as an exchange student. I really wanted to learn Italian, and Venice already had a special place in my heart because my family comes from the Veneto region and part of them still lives there.
When I learned that I could study at the VIU, I decided to do so because I was really interested in the classes of the Globalization Program. I really appreciate the international dimension and the interdisciplinary approach of the VIU, and the fact that all classes are really meant to make us reflect on a wide range of topics through critical lenses. I also enjoy the intellectual freedom that the VIU offers: it is possible to study anything, from Italian cinema to architecture to international relations.
From a personal point of view, studying at VIU also gives me the chance to meet new people from all around the world and to form close bonds with them, as we are a rather small and tight group of international students. This is precisely the experience was looking for my Erasmus year.
During the experience, I realize that studying at the VIU implies more than studying: it impacts my life on so many different levels and will for sure influence my future.
Being able to make friends who have such diverse cultural backgrounds, and participating in the wide range of extra-curricular activities that the VIU offers — Lunch2B, plenary workshops, or online conferences — has really made me grow and mature. It has also strengthened my desire to live abroad in the future.
From an academic standpoint, the Globalization Program enables me to reflect on two very important topics — the preservation of cultural heritage and sustainability. After two semesters of studies at the VIU, I have definitely become more sensible to those issues, and this will very probably impact the choices I will make for my academic or professional career. The classes that I have taken at the VIU also enable me to think of those topics from a global perspective, which reinforces my desire to pursue a career in the field of international relations.
The Globalization Program creates many opportunities for students to progress towards their professional goals. One of the biggest chance must be the Internship Program which the VIU has developed in Venice, and which enables us to apply for internships in institutions as prestigious as the UNESCO or the Council of Europe, for instance.
I would recommend applying for a semester at VIU for a number of reasons, the most important of which being that it is a human experience. Not only will students of the Globalization Program create new friendships with people from all around the world, but they will also be taught by professors who are experts in their fields, and therefore really inspiring. In San Servolo, professors and students become part of a community and form social bonds as well as intellectual connections. This makes the VIU experience unique.
In the future, I would like to pursue a career in the fields of diplomacy and international relations and to work on issues of multilateral cooperation at the European or international level. For this reason, I will pursue a Master’s degree in European Affairs at the School of Public Affairs of Sciences Po Paris.
In my spare time, I like reading and writing. My passion has always been literature, and even if I do not study it, it accompanies me in my daily life.
I also call my friends, have coffee with them whenever possible, and chat a lot! This past year has really enabled me to reflect on my social habits, and it has only reinforced my desire to spend time forming solid bonds with the people I love.
Before the Covid pandemic, I traveled a lot and loved to explore new cities, museums, and cultural sites. This is more complicated nowadays, but I try to work on my language skills while waiting for life to go back to normal!
---
The semester at VIU was recognized as Erasmus+ mobility for studies, and Maeve received an Erasmus+ grant. For more information about Erasmus+ opportunities at VIU visit Erasmus section
