Yes, dreams do come true!
During the communist times for most Albanian people “Italy” was seen as “America”. The Italian television forbidden by the severe regime was not only entertainment, beauty but also a dream to many Albanians to live on the other shore of the Adriatic Sea.
For many years the West for Albanians (one of them is me) was Italy, a country that has a very long history with the Land of Eagles. Also, the Italian television programmes were like “schools” to learn the language, culture, music and different realities which were new for us. With the collapse of the communism after 1990, Albania was faced with a great emigration of modern times initially in Italy and Greece. My family settled in Arcadia, Greece and there my dreams started becoming true.
Fortunately, with the help of my Italian teacher and with her goodwill I learned Italian grammar for several months in order to speak correctly this language or as it’s called “La bella lingua” – the beautiful language. After intensive courses, I realized that I was ready to pursue higher education in Italy which has always been mine and my family’s dream.
I asked myself, in which city? Again, I was lucky enough; my Italian teacher introduced me to her Greek student who studied in Genoa. The Italian consulate in Athens accepted my application after the acceptance from the University of Genoa and with a student visa my dream to attend a Western University came true! It was 2000 and I think I was one of the few Albanians to have this chance.
I immediately fell in love with this beautiful city, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, located in the Ligurian Sea. Petrarca gave Genoa the nickname “la Superba” (in English meaning, “The proud one”), as a result of its glorious past and astonishing landscapes.
Here, I closely discovered Italian life in all aspects, something which made my life enriched in many ways. I got a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and a Master’s degree in the Faculty of Political Sciences. So, my personal benefits of living here were personal development, cultural and global understanding, academic learning and better job prospects.
Italian Education is highly valued all around the world. For students who are looking for an Italian study abroad experience, the University of Genoa is one of the most valuable cultural and scientific heritage of the Mediterranean. It offers many opportunities for people who choose to attend a degree course, a Ph.D. or decide to take part in the Erasmus+ programme. Also, the city is well developed for support in terms of accommodation, grants or scholarships for talented students, recreational activities and social events.
To conclude, Genoa is the sea, scenic views, history, culture, food, great universities, and great personal experience!
Author: Ludmilla Cenga, a Mladiinfo online volunteer
Editor: Tomica Stojanovikj
