Gli studenti internazionali accolti al Collegio Mazza sono un vero valore aggiunto: grazie a loro abbiamo l’opportunità di ampliare il nostro orizzonte culturale e di relazioni.
Ma com’è per loro vivere al Collegio Mazza? Ce lo racconta Tania Chehaibar, studentessa egiziana alla Luiss che risiede presso la Residenza G. Tovini di Roma.
My name is Tania Chehaibar, I’m from Egypt and I am currently in my 3rd year of my Economics and Business bachelor’s degree at Luiss University. I first arrived at the Collegio Mazza in February 2021 while Covid restrictions were still very high, yet the warm and welcoming atmosphere at the College made it feel much easier to cope with.
Since my first day at the College, I’ve been very kindly welcomed by the staff and the other students in the building. The activities organized allowed me to bond with fellow residents and to make lasting friendships. One of the things I appreciated the most about this residence and still do is the importance they give to having a community-friendly area. The residence does so through the many spaces it has for students to use. The canteen for example is a place where we all get to talk, catch up and share stories. Little moments in these rooms are the ones I’ll cherish. Added to that the residence provides means for students’ personal growth and development through initiatives they organize. Plus, many of the activities are inclusive to all students by having some be in English and Italian allowing everyone to be able to participate.
During the spring/summer semester of 2021, the College was still able to adapt and be able to organize a large number of activities for us despite the restrictions due to the pandemic.
For instance, I remember having participated in a cooking class where a chef came the residence to teach us about Italian cuisine. We had a lot fun cooking Italian recipes and eating and sharing the food with others afterwards. Other activities comprised visiting some of the beautiful churches of Rome and learning about their unique history. Through collaborations with other Colleges, we also had the chance to attend online conferences around various topics with several speakers which I found highly interesting.
Later in the fall/winter semester of that same year, the College had more freedom to organize much more diverse activities all around Rome. With Covid restrictions becoming less restrictive, we had the opportunity to visit historical monuments, museums and attend cultural events as well as online conferences. Some of these cultural events involved attending operas at the Opera di Roma which I had a wonderful time attending. All these experiences add to the self-development spirit that the college aims to provide all while living in a community.
Throughout my time at the residence, I’m grateful to have been able to meet so many people from different parts of Italy and the world and make many new friendships. I look forward to the rest of the year at the College, meeting new people, participating in many more exciting initiatives to come and continually discovering Rome.
