As an international student at Indiana University, I’ve had the great opportunity to study abroad in another country to explore its culture and continue my studies. I am currently studying abroad in Milan, Italy. I arrived in Milan on 12 of January, and today is 31 of January. During this period, I have experienced a few dramatic events in my life.
The first weekend in Milan, I went shopping with my roommates to get some home supplies for our apartment. We went to Fashion District in Milan. It was a Saturday afternoon and a lot of tourists and locals were there shopping, which is a perfect location for thieves to pickpocket. After shopping, my roommates and I decided to go back to our apartment and rest. We entered the crowded metro station and began pushing by all the people. When the train arrived, I was pushed into the train and my shoulder bag fell off. In those few seconds, as I recovered my bag, my wallet was stolen. Although I noticed it very soon, the door had already closed and I had to say goodbye to my wallet. It was my fault that I did not pay attention to keep my bag in front of me. I created the chance for the thief to steal from me.
Before this incident, I took having money on me for granted. But living in a foreign country and surrounding by strangers, money is very important to have. Now I keep all of my money in my pockets and zip all the pockets up. When I bring a shoulder bag, I make sure the bag is in front of me all the time.
It sounds ironic that I learned how to keep my money safe after my money got stolen in a foreign country, but sometimes just have to learn from loss. I will not make the same mistake again!
I-Ting Cheng
International Studies Major, Italian and Business Minor
Hi! I am an international student from Taiwan. It's my seventh in the United States. My major is International Studies and minor in business and Italian. I am also taking Spanish right now. I love learning culture and languages. I am going to Milan, Italy for a study abroad program. I like to share about my international experience with you!
