This time 10 years ago (yikes, I am getting old.......) I was in aupairing in Corsica and getting ready for my study year abroad in Bologna.
I had no idea what to expect but ending up in a brothel masquerading as a hotel for a week certainly wasn't what I had planned. Still, those eventful seven days spent pounding the streets of the city with my mum as we looked for accomodation, turned out to be the start of the best year of my life.
No doubt the magic of Italy will work its spell almost as soon as you arrive. If it does and you think you might want to work in the country, there are several steps you can take to boost your chances.
1) You will be in Italy surrounded by Italians. Make the most of every opportunity you can to speak Italian as you won't get another chance like this for a long time. With good Italian, your possibilities of finding work multiply. Without it, you'll have far fewer options.
2) Try to get some kind of internship experience while you are in the country. Think about it. You are already there and already have accommodation meaning you don't need someone to arrange it for you. Send a letter to the different companies in the city or walk in to see them. Or perhaps you could spend one day/afternoon per week interning, which makes it easy to slot around your studies. And just think how much experience you'll have accumulated by the end of the year.
3) Use your year in Italy to network and make as many connections as possible. Join networking clubs and do things seriously. It's a lot easier to make contacts when you are in Italy than when you are back in your home country.
4) Soak up the culture. Really try to get to grips with what Italy is all about rather than just the romantic notions of the Bella Vita. Read books like The Dark Heart of Italy by Tobias Jones. Lots of graduates now have study abroad experience so get a hobby or do something that really marks you out.
Oh, but don't forget to have fun and explore other towns, too!
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