1 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DESK GETTING READY FOR THE START Cultural adjustments Before you go Once you arrive overseas How to survive school life: suggestions ON ARRIVAL: WHAT TO DO Information for extra EU students Residence Permit Information for EU students Registration to Comune di Milano Immigration help desk Tax code Health care Registration to the Italian Public Health Service Private health care Pharmacies STUDENT LIFE IN MILAN How to reach school Airports Railways Public transport Accommodation Living expenses Finding your accommodation in Milan Accommodation channels Opening a bank account Debit, credit and charge cards Useful info and numbers Telephones Emergency numbers Italian public holiday TOURISM AND FREE TIME About the city of Milan - bookmarks Things to do in Milan at least once in your life Addresses and useful information ATTACHMENTS TO THE GUIDE Forms and fac similes 3 INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DESK PRESENTATION Dear student, Welcome to IED – Istituto Europeo di Design! We hope this guide will help you to learn more about life at IED. Please read it carefully before you arrive and keep it ready at hand for future reference during your stay. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DESK is the landmark for all the initial necessities of your new adventure in Milan and at IED. The staff will help and support you in organizing your stay here in Milan, providing you with all information concerning the following: Necessary documents for living in Italy (Residence Permit, Tax Code, Health Insurance, etc), Practical arrangements, Accommodation, Living and getting around in Milan, Get- ting familiar with school issues and school life, on how to integrate into an international environment. You may contact us at: SCIESA CAMPUS LEONI CAMPUS IED Design IED Moda IED Visual Communication Via Pompeo Leoni, 3 IED Management and 20141 Milan – ITALY Comunicazione Ph. + 39-02-583361 Via Amatore Sciesa, 4 Fax + 39-02-5833660 20135 Milan – ITALY [email protected] Ph. + 39-02-5796951 Fax + 39-02-55012613 [email protected] Opening Hours: from Monday to Friday 10:30 am - 12:30 am / 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm 4 GETTING READY FOR THE START Cultural adjustment what they mean… and how you are going to respond when conflict or misunderstandings arise. Throughout the process of Cultural adjustments: preparing and studying abroad, it is important to guard against How to survive in a foreign country the natural tendency of humans to be critical of cultural practic- You have stepped off the plane into a new cultural world. es and attitudes which are different from their own, especially Initially you may experience a sense of overwhelming fascination in the early stages of adaptation. It is equally easy to make snap and awe. Everything around you is new: a different language, judgments about groups or individuals if things are not going different dress or a confusing transit system. Slowly you begin to well. While stereotyping may be temporarily satisfying to some- adapt. You learn some Italian and begin to notice certain cultural one in the throes of culture shock, it is destructive and alienating nuances. This process takes time. in the long run. Ten transition tips: manage the change and enjoy Remember: you are surrounded by a new culture! your new life! The following tips are drawn from reports of hun- dreds of thousands of study abroad students who have preceded Culture: the hidden dimension you in travelling about the globe. One of first things you will encounter when you go abroad is something you cannot really see, but which, if you do not un- derstand what it is and how it works, can seriously affect how Before you go: you adjust to and enjoy your time overseas. That “thing” is CUL- TURE. Culture is a neutral term, neither good nor bad, and Know your destination! refers to the broadest conception about the learned knowledge Understanding something about where you are going is guaran- that humans use to fulfil their needs and wants. It refers to the teed to assist you in being accepted. Knowing something about collective historical patterns, values, societal arrangements, the arts and architecture of the local region, or developing an manners, ideas, and ways of living that people have used to order interest in it, will be greatly appreciated. their society. It is comprised of all those things we learn as part of growing up including language, religion, beliefs about eco- Prepare to be understood and to understand! nomic and social relations, political organization and legitimacy, Knowing facts is important but so is understanding something and the thousands of “Do’s and Don’ts” society deems important about intercultural communication. What we call “communica- that we know to become a functioning member of that group. tion” is a matter of much more than words. Our body language, Going abroad without understanding the likely points of con- the degree of directness or circumspection, the use of silences, tention across cultures, and why they tend to occur, is a sure and the pace and tone of our words often convey as much infor- recipe for problems. Things are not always what you think they mation as the words themselves. It is essential to be aware that are and the most ordinary interactions may occasionally take on a each culture has its preferred mode of expression and traditional surreal quality. Why? Because the simplest things matter. Errors ways of conducting conversations. might arise from language mistakes in which your word choice in French or Swahili sends your audience into gales of laughter Learn the language! or shocked silence! Or you use the wrong hand (who knew there It goes without saying that you are going to have an easier time was a “right hand”?) to pass food at a meal in India and your host overseas if you speak at least a little of the language of the coun- looks at you like you just did something really gross. try. While functional fluency would be nice, at a minimum one should know the proper daily greetings, how to make requests, A good start towards figuring this all out begins by acknowledg- ask directions, and how to say “thank you,” “please,” and other ing that: verbal etiquette. It is not only polite to do so but is universally - they have a culture and you have a culture appreciated by native speakers. - some things in their culture will be similar to yours some things will be different Learn why culture matters! - one of your main jobs while abroad is to figure out for the new Understanding something about how cultures work, the logic culture what those differences are… where they come from… behind their behaviour, and the values that inform their actions 5 will go a long way in helping you to adjust overseas. Moreover, to keep a daily or weekly journal. It not only allows you to have once you understand that cultures have a myriad of ways to solve an internal dialog with yourself but also to look back upon your the business of everyday living, one becomes less likely to see experiences and see the difficulties as they happened. It can be only one way of doing things as “right.” therapeutic to express yourself openly and honestly in ways you might not want to do even with a close friend. Once you arrive overseas: Chill out! Cultivate your sense of humour; you will need it from time to Get the logistical and practical arrangements settled! time. Realize that sometimes a negative experience is not per- Nothing is a worse beginning to a study abroad sojourn than the sonal but cultural. Be as non-judgmental as you can while being anxiety of where to eat, sleep, bathe, use the facility, take classes, as open to new ideas and experiences as you dare. Be flexible, and how to get around. Therefore, if your program does not ad- adaptable, and cheerful without abandoning your core values equately address these things, you should concentrate on getting or compromising your sense of self. When things are not going these basic needs worked out before tackling larger issues. Part well…stop and try to figure out why. Ask a friend or mentor for of culture learning will include mastering an often bewildering advice. Keep in touch with friends and family. Email is wonderful array of how to do simple things like banking, internet access, or for that purpose, but don’t use it, or phone calls, excessively. booking travel, not to mention more serious things like obtain- ing medical care or contacting authorities if necessary (police, immigration control, consulate offices, etc.). How to survive School life-suggestions: Find a mentor! Check the Academic Calendar Almost any local person knows more about the country than It highlights dates of lessons and is useful for managing your a newcomer does, but you should try to find someone who is studies during the semester lectures. It is always updated and can willing to listen to you and talk over any problems you are en- notify any change that may occur on the timetable. Check countering. If they themselves have had some experience as an classrooms; the daily notice board with the list and location of international student, so much the better. When you can’t make all classrooms and laboratories is available at every school sense of an interaction, or you don’t know what you may have entrance and on each floor. done wrong in a specific context, a mentor can be of great assis- tance in analysing the situation and offering sensitive advice on Respect course attendance and punctuality how to handle or avoid such events in the future.