Bologna!

Bologna    Florence    Pescara    Rome    Turin   

Arrangements for arrival (flights, B&B, hostels etc.):

Flights: to Stanstead and then connect to Bologna airport (only 15 minutes from city centre) with Easy Jet or to Forlì airport with Ryan Air (an hour’s coach trip from Bologna). I didn’t think there was too much difference in price between Easy Jet and Ryan Air (average = £120 round trip Easy Jet, £100 Ryan Air) unless it was special offer time. Easy Jet is definitely the easier option in terms of airport connections (i.e. no Prestwick, no Forlì).

Accommodation:

I recommend Bed & Breakfast ‘Accogliente Bologna’, Via Nazario Sauro, 26, Bologna, tel: 0039 051 237498, website: www.accoglientebologna.it. This is a small B&B run by Roberto and Maria. Cost = 40 euro/night, but includes a huge breakfast. It is a little expensive, but Roberto and Maria will look after you when you are in despair about the chances of ever finding a flat. The youth hostel might be a solution for a couple of nights, but it is not in the centre, there is a curfew of 10pm and they do not allow guests to stay for long periods. You could also try the tourist office hotel booking service (Centro Servizi per Turisti – prenotazioni alberghiere), Piazza Maggiore, 1 tel: 0039 051 6487607 / 0039 051 225218

Looking for a flat:

You might hear stories about how hard it is to find a flat in Bologna, but I had no problems (saw 4, found one I liked after 2 days). Arrive early September to avoid the rush of Italian and Erasmus students. Go to Bussola (university accommodation office Via Zamboni, 16) early in the morning – opens 9:30-12:30 Mon-Fri. You could put posters up on Via Zamboni, but someone will, inevitably, tear them down. You could, however, respond to other people’s posters. If you like a place, take steps to make sure you get it: call the landlord, even if he has promised to let you know. You will need to pay a deposit (often 2 months) so have the money ready. A lot of Italian students share rooms, but it is not too hard to find a single if you are willing to pay. My rent was 320 euro/month for a single room in a big flat on Via Cartoleria (centre).

Bologna:

Bologna is one of the best cities in Italy for transport links. Jump on the train and head south, west, wherever. It also offers very good theatre, music, cinema, and hundreds of bars to satisfy the huge student population. I found myself playing waterpolo, taking a course in experimental theatre, even going to the opera – must have been Bologna’s influence.

Bologna is also known as la grassa (fat). Si mangia bene! Eat at Fantoni, Via del Pratello at least once a week.

I can think of nothing bad to say about Bologna. There were not-so-good days, of course, days when I wondered what I was supposed to be doing, why my Italian was not improving, how I could make some money. But, I suppose you can have bad days in any city.

The University:

See the university website www.unibo.it. Go to Relazioni Internazionali and then studenti stranieri all’Unibo. Site is also available in English. In theory, you should be able to find out about course content, start dates, reading lists etc. In practice, the site may not be updated until Easter and you will probably have to patrol the corridors of various departments in the hope that you find a kind person who knows something about the courses you want to take. Do not rely on your advisor. Mine was sympathetic and helpful, but her office hours were Wednesday 11-12, and I usually arrived to find a very long queue of students waiting to discuss their thesis with her. Helping Erasmus students is not a priority.

Bologna is the oldest University in Europe, and has a magnificent history. However, their teaching methods are very different from those we are used to. 2 hours of professor talking, no discussion at all; 10 handouts for a class of 200, students expected to make photocopies at the end of the lecture; classes cancelled without notice; strikes frequent; Erasmus students turned away from full classes because there are not enough seats for (non-priority) students; oral exams!

I’m painting a very negative picture of Bologna University. I know, however, that it can be a good experience. My friends who enjoyed University chose to study unusual subjects that they wouldn’t otherwise have encountered. Look for small classes. The DAMS department (drama, arte, musica, spettacoli) offers exciting classes taught by enthused professors. DAMS students also put on productions etc, so you might find it easier to meet Italian students. In other departments, you may find that students come to lectures and then run away. The conversation you initiate with much effort ‘Do you know when the next lecture is?’ will end after a minute with ‘You’re from Scotland - che bella la Scozia. Well . . . see you!’



I stopped going to University after Christmas. Instead, I taught English in a private language school and at the Bologna office of Volvo Italia. I earned enough to pay for the nice Bologna life and met wonderful Italians who invited me to the seaside, the hills, to eat mozzarella buffala from Puglia . . . Teaching English is definitely something to consider, but you will need a TEFL qualification if you want to apply to the more ‘respectable’ schools. Lists of language schools can be found on the internet, or check the yellow pages.

Places to Visit:

Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Largo Respighi, 1 Bologna – even if only to see inside. Teatro Duse, Via Cartoleria, 42 Bologna

Cinema Lumiere, via Azzo Gardino, 65 Bologna www.cinetecadibologna.it - arty films, lots of foreign films.

La Scuderia, Piazza Verdi – student bar, but chic. Good jazz nights.
Villa Serena, Via Saragozza? –outside club in summer.
Il Vicolo – off Piazza ?– international nights, eg. Brazil party on Wednesdays.

Sport – join the University Sports Association CUSB. Details available in starter pack from Erasmus office (you will get this when you enrol). There is a sports centre like the Stevenson Building, but it is quite far out of town. It is probably easier to make use of the student discounts offered at private gyms, swimming pools etc. with the CUSB card.