Vicenza Travel Forum

Hello,

I'm currently in Iraq, but I have a dear friend stationed in Vicenza, and she's expressed the desire to meet some new people. She's turning 25 this summer... are there any universities near the city where she might find some American students on a study abroad program? Or any other places where there might be a collection of English speakers? Maybe somewhere to take Italian lessons?

Thanks!

The closest unis are Padova and verona, but if your friend as nothing agaist US military men, there are a lot of them stationed there at the so-called caserma Ederle ( http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/vicenza.htm) :
SETAF Infantry Brigade
1/508th Infantry (ABCT)
509th Signal Battalion
14th Transportation Battalion
22D Area Support Group
USARHC-Vicenza
Armed Forces Network

But I guess she must have noticed that already....
As for the Italian lessons, there should be really lots of palces.
This is just one i found googling in italian
http://www.scuolainterpreti.vi.it/it/corsi/italianoperstranieri.html
Ciao
Francesco

reading better, if you are in Iraq and she is a close friend, maybe she is with the army...
Anyway, none of my business, but there are a few link to US churches in Vicenza from the Camp Ederle wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caserma_Ederle

Maybe they may be a starti point for your friend. They should be used to deal with americans wanting a little more integrations while there.
Ciao
Francesco

You are correct, my buddy is also in the Army. She's been in Vicenza for a little while, but the people she spends most of her time with don't sound all that great. She doesn't want to only hang out with guys, because unfortunately, military women who do so often get an undesirable reputation.

I did recommend finding a church, and she said she had been thinking of doing that. I would hate for her to not get to fully enjoy the opportunity of being in Italy just because she doesn't really have anyone to hang out with over there. Not that I've been stationed in Italy myself, or spent a considerable amount of time there, but I'm a big fan of many creations of the Italians!

I'm actually going to visit her in September, when I go on my post-deployment block leave. Very excited!

Thanks!

Yes, I understand the problem she may have with fellows...
Of course, a little spoken italian would help her to expand her contact chances ( i guess the base organizes basic courses, or can point her to good ones).
But there must be a few italians of her age speaking a decent english that may be a start.
So, anything from a bar to a shop may be produce a friendship(I assume she is grown up enough to spot guys with *only* the obvious old idea in their mind).

Thinking better, a good place could be a bookstore with an english books section. In Verona, it happened to me, last time I entered one, to start chatting with an US guy a little about possible choices right there, where we both were looking for something to read in english.

So tell her to leave the camp (a little out of town, if she's there) and head to the citycenter... Nice place anyway.
Sorry, I don't know Vicenza enough to be able to suggest places.

I don't know if the public library can work the same.... ( http://www.bibliotecabertoliana.it/indexEN.htm ). People is so silent, there! ;-)
Any interest she may have (from sports to collections, culture, love for architecture or history) may drive her to a devoted fan club on that particular passion. I can help googling in italian, just in case. You can transmit... Or better she can join VT... It's about time!

Ciao
Francesco

Me again... here are a few pages about cultural associations in Vicenza: http://www.vicenzanews.it/a_275_IT_227_1.html

If it was for me, i would probably start from the "Taste Academy"; http://portal.serenissimaaccademiadelgusto.it/Home/tabid/52/Default.aspx

;-)

Ciao
Francesco

Grazi! I sent her a link to the forum so she can read the answers.

hey i don't know if this is too late, but i'm a native english speaker and 21 female and i'm in vicenza alone too and crave for someone to speak english with! :) email me at endorphincrave@gmail.com or add me on facebook :)

Well, it' not even a month. Let's hope Aloe's friend will contact you, and you'll be able to have some good times together.
Best wishes to both of you!
After all, even the boring duty of learning a foreign language can be fun, in a good company.. Let alone all the other (real) fun!
Ciao
Francesco

Hello Endorphine Crave:

My friend is actually on leave in the States right now, but I'll send her your address for when she gets back.

What do you do in Vicenza?

I met an italian boy and I'm here with him for 2 months. but I'm already missing everything english. I really crave to just go into a cinema with english movies or have the ability to ask people on the streets for directions..

plus, i'm trying to look for a job in the american base for 2010 jan-june when i'd be back for another 6 months.. it would be great if i find a friend that speaks english! :)

Ahh. What kind of job are you looking for on-post?