by Alberto Valverde M.

                                                          

Student Snapshot: Henry Rubin at a Glance Home Country: United States of America Current Studies: Economics major at the University of Vermont | Study Abroad student at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore  Arrival: Spring Semester 2026 Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, studying Italian Career Outlook: Combine his passion for languages and economics to build an internationally focused career Fun Fact: His first meal in Milan was Spaghettoni con Pomodorini in a boat-shaped dish Passion: Languages, travel, and embracing new cultures through immersive experiences

 

Every student has a different reason to choose their destination for a Study Abroad Programme. For Henry Rubin, a Pennsylvania native and Economics major at the University of Vermont, his choice of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore was driven by his passion for languages.   

Henry, already fluent in English in Spanish and currently pursuing a minor in Italian, was looking for a new linguistic challenge: "I wanted to force myself into uncomfortable situations to learn," Henry explains, reflecting on why he chose Italy as his destinationn. 

 

First steps in Italy 

 

Putting that mindset into practice, Henry’s first moments in Italy felt like the start of an adventure. After a long flight, he arrived in Rome on a rainy afternoon and quickly found himself navigating train platforms and fast-moving energy of Roman commuters. Rather than feeling out of place, these early moments became his first real encounter with everyday life in Italy, an experience that set the tone for the months ahead. 

From Rome, Henry continued to Milan, where he arrived at the apartment that would be his home for the next six months and met his new roommates. Even after a full day of travel, his curiosity and excitement to experience Italian culture took over. 

 

First taste of Milan 

 

Instead of settling in for the night, Henry joined his roommates for a meal near the vibrant Navigli district, the perfect place to see the city come to life. There, he ordered an authentic Spaghettoni con Pomodorini, served in a distinctive, boat-shaped dish, his first taste of Italy’s culinary scene.

 

From textbooks to reality

 

In many ways, Henry now finds himself living as if he has stepped directly into the pages of one of his Italian textbooks. The shift from the lush quiet mountains of Vermont to the vibrant chaos of Milan is stark, but he embraces it with enthusiasm rather than hesitation.  

 

Henry’s hope and vision 

 

As he prepares for six months of immersion at Università Cattolica's cloisters, Henry isn't just looking to pass his exams. He’s looking to see the world while his mind is still “young and absorbing everything."  

He also views his American background as part of the experience, not something to set aside. “It’s cool to come from a different place,” Henry reflects, “and to notice how Europe and the US approach things in their own ways.” That contrast, for him, is not a barrier but a lens through which deeper understanding can emerge. 

So, in a city currently buzzing with the energy of the recent Winter Olympics, Henry is focused on a different kind of gold medal: the moment when Italian finally starts to feel natural in his own thoughts.  

Because, at the end of the day, it is in that "uncomfortable" space between being a tourist and a local where true learning happens. Every misunderstood sentence is a lesson; every rainy platform is a story.