How did you decide which country/program to study abroad in?
I asked my advisors and teachers which study abroad programs would get me out of my comfort zone and also help me with my history major, and they all leaned towards Rome.
What were you excited about and/or nervous about before your program?
I was nervous about the living situation since the sign ups were not fair or clear in our case and caused a little bit of chaos. I had just spent my first semester in a room of my own and wasn't sure how I felt about sharing with a stranger again.
How do you think the intersections of your identities and values impacted your study abroad experience? Do you have any tips to share with future study abroad students?
I would say, as a bigger person than the average European, I got stared at way more than my peers did. Especially in Rome, I felt so at ease in so many other cities, in London, in Prague, in Madrid. In Rome, for whatever reason, there was so much staring and judgment, obviously about my body type and size. It made me incredibly stressed out some days and I didn't want to be in public at all. I am also a queer woman, and I would say that Italy was not the best on that front either. Seeing queer flags and bars in Lisbon and Madrid was a lift off my shoulders I didn't realize I was feeling.
Could you articulate one personal/professional/academic goal you achieved while abroad?
Sort of unintentionally, I ended up doing a ton of solo travel. I started in Lisbon with a winter IU course, leaving home on Christmas Day. I knew I would have 3 weeks alone in France in-between but had thought I would be volunteering on a farm with other travelers. When that fell through I was truly alone in Eastern France, and I am proud that while I had a hermit moment the first few days, I got out and saw a place I most likely won't be back to, and did it alone!
What do you wish you knew before you studied abroad?
I am a pretty independent person, but I thought that the point of study abroad was to meet new people and see the world together. Most of the other people in the program came with friends and already had trips planned together, so I fell into a kind-of-forced solo travel moment. I loved having the time and space to learn and capture a space without having to account for other people or be accounted for myself.
