"I never questioned whether or not to do the Erasmus program. In fact, I’d say that the large number of destinations outside of Europe offered by LUISS was one of many reasons why I chose to go there for university," says Vittoria Vardanega, a new LUISS graduate in Political Science, who spent a semester at Singapore Management University (SMU), thanks to a scholarship from the university.
"It is a unique experience. You grow and come back different than you were before you left. Of the many things that you begin to understand when you are outside Italy for a while, the biggest one is yourself."
After high school, Vittoria decided to go to LUISS because it is "highly organized and committed to offering students a lot of activities, such as Erasmus, that help them grow, and not just academically.”
Singapore actually wasn’t Vittoria’s first choice but "it seemed more exciting than the other locations. I wanted to encounter something totally different than I was used to. And I was fascinated by the idea of a city between East and West. I lived in the Little India area, which is the Indian neighborhood, but there’s also Chinatown, Arab Street and many others. It’s an incredible melting pot. Just think: there are four official languages."
AtSMU, Vittoria took three courses: International Economics, EU Politics and Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy. Aside from studying, she and her friends traveled through Asia, from Thailand to Malaysia: "My favorite place in Singapore is also the most distinctive one, which by now is known throughout the world. I’m talking about the infinity pool on the roof of the Marina Bay Sands. When I saw it for the first time, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It takes your breath away."
The Erasmus program also turned out to be a useful experience for her decision regarding what to do after finishing her bachelor’s degree. Vittoria decided to enroll in the master’s degree program in Global Studies, as she wants to go abroad again, maybe in North America this time: "My time in Singapore gave me a chance to really reflect. Being so far away from home helps you see things from a different perspective and changes your priorities."
Remembering how excited she was to get that scholarship, Vittoria tells us: "I spent the entire morning checking their web page, waiting for the results to come out. When the file finally appeared and I saw “Singapore,” the first thing I did was imagine myself there, in Southeast Asia, thousands of kilometers away from home. I was thrilled, but also curious and impatient. I couldn’t wait to leave."
And for anyone who is feeling the same excitement and the same fear right now, she offers the following advice: "Go for it, don’t be scared of being far away, because once you get there you won’t regret it. After all of my reasoned arguments, in the end I went with my gut. Something told me that Singapore would turn out to be a good choice. And it was."