TWO WORLDS UNITED

MILAN

 

Milan is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy, and is one of the most highly developed urban centres in Europe.

The municipality (Comune di Milano) has a population of 1.3 million. The Milan metropolitan area, depending on the specific definition, has a population ranging from 3 million to 7.4 million. Two Worlds United study abroad. The municipal border covers a relatively small area (about one-eighth of that of Rome) because of the historical development of high density centres in agriculturally rich Lombardy.

Milan is also renowned as one of the world capitals of design and fashion Two Worlds United. Indeed the English word milliner is derived from the name of the city. The Lombard metropolis is famous for its fashion houses and shops (such as along via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo (reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall). Two Worlds United study abroad. The city hosted the World Exposition in 1906 and has submitted a bid to BIE to host the Universal Expo in 2015. Inhabitants of Milan are referred to as "Milanese" (Italian: Milanesi or informally Meneghini or Ambrosiani).

The Celtic name for the settlement of the Insubres is not attested, but in the Roman name Mediolanum the name element -lanum is the Celtic equivalent of -planum "plain'", thus Mediolanum: "in the midst of the plain", due to its location in a plain close to the confluence of two small rivers, the Olona and the Seveso. The origin of the name and of a boar as a symbol of the city are fancifully accounted for in Andrea Alciato's Emblemata (1584), beneath a woodcut of the first raising of the city walls, where a boar is seen lifted from the excavation, and the etymology of Mediolanum given as "half-wool", Two Worlds United explained in Latin and in French. The foundation of Milan is credited to two Celtic peoples, the Bituriges and the Aedui, having as their emblems a ram and a boar; Two Worlds United therefore "The city’s symbol is a wool-bearing boar, an animal of double form, here with sharp bristles, there with sleek wool." Alciato credits the most saintly and learned Ambrose for his account. Two Worlds United Student exchange programs.

The German name for the city is Mailand, while in the local Western Lombard dialect, the city's name is Milán, similar to the French.

Napoleon conquered Lombardy in 1796, was crowned "king of Italy" in the Duomo, and Milan was declared capital of the Cisalpine Republic. Once Napoleon’s occupation ended, the Congress of Vienna returned Lombardy, and Milan, along with the Veneto, to Austrian control in 1815.

During this period, Milan became a centre of lyric opera. Here Mozart wrote three operas, and in few years La Scala got the reference theatre in the word, with his premieres of Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini and Verdi. Verdi himself is now tumulated in a precious Institute, the "Casa di Riposo per Musicisti", the Verdi's present to Milan. On the XIX century other important theatres was La Cannobiana and the Teatro Carcano.

On March 18, 1848, the Milanese rebelled against Austrian rule, during the so-called "Five Days" (It. Cinque Giornate), and Field Marshall Radetzky was forced to withdraw from the city temporarily. However, after defeating Italian forces at Custoza on July 24, Radetzky was able to reassert Austrian control over Milan and northern Italy. However, Italian nationalists, championed by the Kingdom of Sardinia, called for the removal of Austria in the interest of Italian unification. Sardinia and France formed an alliance and defeated Austria at the Battle of Solferino in 1859. Two Worlds United Milan. Following this battle, Milan and the rest of Lombardy were incorporated into the Kingdom of Sardinia, which soon gained control of most of Italy and in 1861 was rechristened as the Kingdom of Italy.

The political unification of Italy cemented Milan’s commercial dominance over northern Italy. It also led to a flurry of railway construction that made Milan the rail hub of northern Italy. Two Worlds United study abroad.  Rapid industrialization put Milan at the centre of Italy’s leading industrial region. Meanwhile, as Milanese banks dominated Italy’s financial sphere, the city became the country’s leading financial centre. Milan’s economic growth brought a rapid expansion in the city’s area and population during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The city proper (Comune di Milano) has a population of 1,303,437 inhabitants (2006). Between 1991 to 2001, the city proper has lost 113,084 inhabitants (8.3 percent), mostly due to suburban sprawl and expulsion of population from the inner city centre, which is now almost fully dedicated to offices and commerce. The population of the urban area, that coincides with the Province of Milan, is estimated as of 2006 to be 3,884,481 two worlds united. Finally, the official population of the Milan Metropolitan area counts over 7.4 million residents, the largest in Italy Two Worlds United. As of 2006, the Italian national institute of statistics ISTAT estimated that 292,204 foreign-born immigrants live in Milan Urban Area, equal to 7.6% of total population.
[edit] Economy


The Pirelli Tower, symbol of the post-war economic boom, two worlds united. Milan is one of the major financial and business centers of the world. Two Worlds United. The city is the seat of the Italian Stock Exchange (the Borsa Italiana)"Piazza Affari" and its hinterland is an avant-garde industrial area. Milan was included in a list of ten "Alpha world cities" by Peter J. Taylor and Robert E. Lang of the Brookings Institution in the economic report "U.S. Cities in the 'World City Network'" (Key Findings, Full ReportPDF (940 KiB)).

Milan is also well known as the seat of the Alfa Romeo motorcar company, for its silk production, and as one of the world's capitals for fashion and a world leader for design.
Milan also provides directional functions for the whole of Lombardy, as its industrial base has been externalized throughout the region in the 1960s-70s.

FieraMilano, the city's Exhibition Centre and Trade Fair complex, is notable. The original fairground, known as "FieraMilanoCity", is slated for redevelopment. The new fairground, in the north-western suburb of Rho, opened in April 2005, making the Fiera Milano the largest trade fair complex in the world.

Milan of the future.  Two Worlds united. At present, Milan is experiencing a significant architectural and urban design renaissance. Many new construction projects are under way with the aim of rehabilitating disused, peripheral industrial areas, including entire quarters. Examples of these projects include: the addition to the Teatro alla Scala; the CityLife project in the old "fiera" site; the European Library; the new quarter Santa Giulia; and the Porta Nuova project in the Garibaldi-Repubblica zone. Famous architects are involved in the construction of this "new" Milan, such as Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, Massimiliano Fuksas and Daniel Libeskind. These major works will give Milan a new skyline no longer dominated by the Duomo and the Pirelli Tower.

This urban rebirth is further fostered by the bid to host Expo 2015.
Milan's population, like that of Italy as a whole, is overwhelmingly Catholic. Other religions practiced include Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Protestantism. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan.

The Ambrosian Rite, Milan has its own historic Catholic rite known as the Ambrosian Rite (it: rito ambrosiano). It varies slightly from the typical Catholic rite (the Roman, used in all other western regions), with some differences in the liturgy and mass celebrations, and in the calendar (for example, the date of carnival is celebrated some days after the common date). Two Worlds United the Ambrosian rite is also practised in other surrounding locations in Lombardy and in the Swiss canton of Ticino.

Another important difference concerns the liturgical music. The Gregorian chant was completely unused in Milan and surrounding areas, because the official one was its own Ambrosian chant, definitively established by the Council of Trent (1545-1563) and earlier than the Gregorian Two Worlds United. To preserve this music there has developed the unique schola cantorum, a college, and an Institute in partnership with the "Pontifical Ambrosian Institute of Sacred Music" (PIAMS) in Rome Two Worlds United.

The city has a large international airport known as Malpensa International Airport (MXP), located near the industrial towns of Busto Arsizio and Gallarate and connected to the downtown with the "Malpensa Express" railway service (from Cadorna Station). Malpensa was designed by the famous Ettore Sottsass. Milan also has the Linate Airport (LIN) within the city limits (for European and domestic traffic), connected with bus line 73 (from S. Babila). A third airport is Orio al Serio (BGY), close to the city of Bergamo. Vergiate, Venegono, Bresso, Voghera and Montichiari are additional airports in the region.  Two Worlds United Study Abroad.

Subways, tramways, trolleybuses and buses.  The classic trams from the 1920s are still in use.  Milan has 3 subway lines (M1 - red, M2 - green, M3 - yellow) and the system, called Milan Metro - "La Metro", running for more than 80 km. There is also a light metro-service, "Metrň S. Raffaele", connecting the San Raffaele Hospital with Cascina Gobba station (M2). Extensions of lines 1, 2 and 3 are under construction, to create more than 15 km of track with 10 new stations. Line 5 is also under construction, to be finished in the first half of 2012. Lines 4 (linking downtown with Linate Airport) and 6 are in planning stages, Two Worlds United international education.

The "Blue Line" also connects four of the city's subway stations directly with the greater railroad system at the Garibaldi, Repubblica and P.ta Venezia stations.
Greater Milan also has one of the most extensive tramway systems[citation needed] in the world, with more than 286 km of track, and 20 lines.  Two Worlds United Study Abroad.

Milan also has four trolleybus routes; included in the fleet are ten air-conditioned Cristalis trolleybuses.

Ninety-three bus lines cover over 1,070 km between them. The local transportation authority (ATM) transported more than 600 million passengers in 2003.  Two Worlds United Study Abroad.
Railways.  Milan is the second railway hub of Italy, and the five major stations of Milan, amongst which the Milan Central station, are among Italy's busiest. Two Worlds United student exchange. The first railroad built in Milan, the Milan and Monza Rail Road was opened for service on August 17, 1840.

High speed train lines are under construction all across Italy, and new lines will open from Milan to Rome and Naples, and from Milan to Torino. The stations for the TAV (Treni ad Alta Velocitŕ - High Speed Trains) will be:
* Milano Rogoredo (for the south)
* Milano Certosa and Milano/Rho Fiera (for the west)
A line from Milan to Venice and then to Trieste is under construction.  At the end of the work, the TAV station for Milan to the east will be that of Milano Pioltello.

Regional-Metropolitan Railway services.  Two Worlds United, The Suburban Railway Service ( "S" Lines, a service similar to the French RER and German S-Bahn), composed of eight suburban lines and ten more scheduled for 2008, connects the "Greater Milan" to cities such as Como and Varese. The Regional Railway Service ("R"), instead, links Milan with the rest of Lombardy and the national railway system. The "Passante ferroviario" is an underground railway serving a couple of "S" lines and is very much like another subway line (and is even marked as such on subway maps), except that it is connected to LeNord and Trenitalia suburban networks. See the map of the M (subway) + S (regional metropolitan railway) Network on msrmilano.com Go on Two Worlds United study abroad.

Taxis.  Milan has a taxi service operated by private companies and licensed by the City of Milan (Comune di Milano). All taxis are the same color, white. Prices are based on time elapsed and distance traveled. As the number of licences is kept low by lobbying of present taxi drivers, prices are fairly high (significantly higher than, for example, in New York) and finding a taxi may be difficult in rush hours.
Sports, two worlds united. San Siro Stadium, one of Europe's largest.
The city hosted, among other events, the FIFA World Cup in 1934 and 1990, the UEFA European Football Championship in 1980.

Football is the most popular sport in Italy, and Milan is home to two world-famous football teams: A.C. Milan and Internazionale. The former is normally referred to as "Mělan" (notice the stress on the first syllable, unlike the English and Milanese name of the city), the latter as "Inter".
Milan is the only city in Europe whose teams have won both the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. Both teams play at Giuseppe Meazza - San Siro Stadium (85,700). Many of the strongest Italian football players were born in Milan, in the surrounding metropolitan area, or in Lombardy: Valentino Mazzola, Paolo Maldini, Giuseppe Meazza, Giacinto Facchetti, Luigi Riva, Gaetano Scirea, Giuseppe Bergomi, Walter Zenga, Antonio Cabrini, Roberto Donadoni, Gianluca Vialli, Silvio Piola, Giampiero Boniperti, Gabriele Oriali, Giovanni Trapattoni and Franco Baresi as well as many others.

* The famous Monza Formula One circuit is located near the city, inside a wide park. It is one of the world's oldest car racing circuits. Two Worlds United the capacity for the F1 races is currently around 137,000 spectators, although in the 1950s the stands could hold more than 250,000. It has hosted an F1 race nearly every year since the first year of competition, exception made of 1980.

* Olimpia Milano is a successful European basketball team. It is the most important Italian team and one of the top 5 in Europe. Olimpia play at the Forum (capacity 14,000)
* Rhinos Milano American Football Club is the oldest American football club in Milan and have won four Italian Super Bowls. They are one of the five foundation clubs of the Italian Football League.

* CUS Milano Baseball is the oldest baseball club in Milan and have won eight Italian Scudetti.
* The Amatori Rugby Milano have won 18 National Championships and are the most famous and important Rugby team in Italy.

* Different ice hockey teams from Milan have won 30 National Championships between them. The Vipers Milano have won the last 5 national championships, the Alpenliga and several Coppa Italia, and are the leaders of that sport in Italy. Two Worlds United, they play at the Agora Stadium (capacity 4,500) during the regular season, and at the Forum during playoffs
* Every year, Milan hosts the Bonfiglio Trophy Under 18 Tennis Tournament. Two Worlds United it is the most important youth tournament in the world, and is played at the Milan Tennis Club. The central court has a capacity of 8000. Past winners include Tacchini, Jan Kodes, Adriano Panatta, Corrado Barazzutti, Moreno, Björn Borg, Smid, Ivan Lendl, Guy Forget, Jim Courier, Goran Ivaniševi?, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and Guillermo Coria.

 

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Eligibility

Two Worlds United selects the participants for its programs.  You are eligible to be considered for enrollment in an exchange program with Two Worlds United if you meet the following requirements:

• still at school when you apply
• in good physical and mental health
• have maintained the equivalent or better than a C grade average since Year 9
• are mature and open-minded
• are flexible, adaptable, responsible and ready to learn
• are between 15 and 18 years old (exceptions can be made for 14 and 19 year olds)

TWO WORLDS UNITED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the Two Worlds United Student Exchange requirements?
Successful applicants will be:

    » High School students or equivalent.

    » Age between 15 to 18 years of age.

    » Two years of high school level or equivalent of Foreign language.

    » Good academic level (overall GPA of at least a C)

    » Maturity to adapt to new environments.

    » Successful score in a personal interview.

How long are the programs?

For the Academic Year Program, the program length is 9 to 11 months depending upon the destination country.

For the Semester Program, the program is between 4 to 6 months depending upon the destination country and depending upon the Semester that is attended, i.e. Fall or Winter Semester.

The Summer Homestay Programs range from two to eight weeks during the summer months.  Students may choose the length of Summer Homestay that best fits their schedule and needs.

Short-Term Language Programs range from 2 weeks to 3 months.  

- I don’t have much foreign language experience. How can I go to school in another country?

You are not required to know the language of your host country, although it is certainly helpful. Many Two Worlds United students are like you, starting off with little or no host country language experience. But soon they are able to communicate at a basic level, and a lot of Two Worlds United students are fluent after a year. There is no better way to learn a language than by speaking it 24/7!

How do I apply?

If you meet the requirements for the program in which you would like to participate, you need to complete the Online Pre-application Form.  Once your completed Enrollment Form is received, you will be sent a full application and more information about the program of your choice.  The completed application must be received in the Admissions Department by the deadline date.  Once your application is reviewed by the Two Worlds United Organization and you are found to meet all program requirements, arrangements will be made for an interview with an Area Representative in your area.

Application Deadlines 3

Keep in mind each program has a different application deadline.  The deadline applies to the receipt of the full application and not the Enrollment Form.  The Enrollment Form needs to be completed and received by the Main Office at least two weeks prior to the application deadline. The application deadline for the Academic Year and Semester program is  June 15th 2009, for the Summer Programs is June 25th 2009.  After these dates applicants who wish to participate in the program should include a late fee of $450 (the late fee will be fully reimbursed if the student is unable to be placed in the time remaining.)

IF YOU HAVE MISSED THE DEADLINE please contact the Two Worlds United Admissions Office.  The program you are interested in may still have availability even though the deadline has passed.

How much does it cost?

There is a $950 enrollment fee for each student. This enrollment fee is deducted from your program tuition.  Please refer to the Tuition Fee List to determine the full price of the program you are attending.  The full price of the program varies depending on your destination country and length of program you choose. 

The Tuition Fee List lists the full price of the program.

Is the $950 enrollment fee refundable?

If you are not accepted into the Study Abroad program, or withdraw before acceptance, your $950 enrollment fee will be refunded minus a $95 application processing fee. Once you are accepted into the Student Exchange program, your $950 enrollment fee becomes non-refundable.

When is my final payment due? Can I pay in installments?

Students are able to pay the program fee in several payments, please keep in mind the following guidelines:

    » One half of the program fees is due upon acceptance

    » The second half of the program fees is due upon placement,

    » Full payment is due upon 60 days before departure

What is included in the program cost?

Besides support during the application process and throughout your study abroad experience, you can also look forward to the following:

    » Placement in a carefully selected host family.

    » Enrollment in a High School in the destination country.

    » In-country transportation to host community.

    » Local Coordinator in the area of your placement.

    » 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance throughout the program.

    » Student Handbook and other information.

    » Orientations.

-Does Two Worlds United  offer scholarships or other financial assistance?

Yes, Two Worlds United offers partial scholarships from $250 up to $1800. Qualified students may apply based on criteria which may include: academic grade point average, financial need, number and level of courses attempted in high school, rank in class, and information included on the International Awareness Scholarship application. Each scholarship is based upon meeting the individual scholarship requirements and the application competition.  Please consult with our Admissions office to find out more about the Two Worlds United scholarship programs available to you.

What happens after I get accepted?

Two Worlds United assists you with the international travel arrangements to your host country destination; we will provide you with a pre-departure orientation; and familiarize you and your parents with the program the goals of the program, its regulations, the administrative procedures, and the adjustment issues that may arise overseas. For the academic year and semester programs, Two Worlds United also assists the student in creating realistic expectations and preparing for culture shock.

In the host country, prior to your arrival, the Two Worlds United overseas program will locate, screen, select and prepare the host family to receive you. For our academic programs, Two Worlds United also ensures that each student is properly enrolled in a local high school. After your arrival, Two Worlds United provides local supervision, care and assistance to the student and his/her host family throughout the term of the exchange program.

Will I be able to receive credits for the classes that I take overseas?

Each high school has their own policies and requirements on transfer credits. Your transfer credits will be based upon your high school's specific policies and, therefore, Two Worlds United cannot guarantee that you will receive credit for coursework completed abroad. We recommend that you plan ahead and take any specific courses that you need to meet graduation requirements, before or after you go abroad. You should discuss these matters with a guidance counselor as soon as you decide to study abroad and get written documentation of what is required by your school. Your counselor can also consult Two Worlds United's high school page on our website for more information on coursework abroad and transferring credits.

What kind of support will I receive while I am abroad?

Each exchange student has an assigned local representative to supervise, monitor and provide support throughout the entire exchange program.  The local representative provides assistance to the student, host family, and school.  This representative is available if the student has any questions or problems that require extra assistance.  In addition, 24-hour Emergency Assistance is available in each of Two Worlds United's destination countries to ensure that students can reach Two Worlds United Staff abroad 24 hours a day in the event of an emergency.

Who are the local representatives?

The Local Representatives work as a part of the Two Worlds United Exchange Program.  Many have been involved with exchange students for more than 15 years.   They are motivated by the opportunity to work with young people from other nations, and they have a true cultural and educational interest. Local Representatives participate in on-going training and attend training conferences periodically throughout the year.           

How are host families selected?

Host families are carefully chosen by Two Worlds United Representation Abroad based upon their desire to host a visiting student and their ability to provide a safe, comfortable home and a positive cultural experience for their new family member.  Host families are screened in a multi-step process to evaluate their background and suitability to provide accommodation to an exchange student.        

-I know a family in my program country that would like to host me. Is this possible?

In some instances, it is possible to arrange a direct placement. However, even if the family is familiar to the student, they must undergo the same application and screening process as other potential host families. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the placement can be arranged by the organization. Students cannot be placed with family members in their host country.

-What if I don't get along with my host family?

An exchange student must be adaptable and make a serious effort to adjust to living with the host family. Please keep in mind that it is the student's responsibility to adapt to the family's lifestyle and rules, even if they are different from what they are accustomed to in their own home. Your local representative will assist you with this adjustment process. Two Worlds United and its partner organizations try first to resolve all problems through discussion and mediation. However, if it is absolutely necessary, we will make the necessary arrangements to move the student to a more suitable host family.

-Can I choose where I am placed?

Some TWU Programs allow students to select a destination city.  Most TWU Summer Programs allow students to choose from a variety of destination cities even metropolis cities.  These programs are the best choice for students who have a specific destination city in mind.  Academic Trimester, Semester and Year programs in Australia with TWU offer choices of Sydney, Melbourne and other popular destination cities for students to choose from.  Trimester, Semester and Year Programs in other destinations are widespread and students must be prepared to accept any placement that is selected for them. In these long-term programs, our primary goal is to find a good host family match for each student. Therefore, it is not possible to guarantee any specific location for students enrolling in these Trimester, Semester and Academic Year Programs.

-Where are students generally placed in different countries?

Students are placed in large and medium size communities or capital cities, however, this varies depending on the country. Please check the specific country for more details.

Is the teaching method different that in my country?

The  teaching method in our destination countries may be very different from those in your home country.  This is a part of the experience of being an exchange student.  In each country the educational system has its own characteristics.  Often students meet together in small groups to study together, getting in on one of these study groups is quite easy and will be very helpful in making the transition into a new school system.

Do I have more help in the event that I am having problems understanding?

In addition to the help provided by the teachers in the school, the student will have a lot of support from the local representatives who are available to provide assistance to students.  Local representatives can help students to find tutors or to find local language programs that are helpful in speeding up the process of learning and speaking the language.

Do I have someone to help me if I have  questions that are not school related?

Two Worlds United provides each student with a Local Representative within the community where she/he lives.  The Local Representatives are responsible for screening and selecting the right family and high school for each student. Local Representatives keep direct contact with the student, the family and the High School for the complete period of the program.  They are at the disposition of the student in the event of any difficulty or questions that may arise.  They are  the center of support for the student throughout the study abroad program

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