How did you decide which country/program to study abroad in?
I was very interested in learning about Ancient Roman culture, which was why Italy was the perfect country for me to choose. My grandmother is also Italian, and I wanted to explore this part of my heritage by traveling there. Italy is one the most historically significant countries in the world, and is full of ancient ruins like the Pompeii archeological site, as well as other lost cities like Paestum and Herculaneum. Overall, Italy was the country I wanted to travel to the most because of its rich history.
What were you excited about and/or nervous about before your program?
I was excited about climbing mountains for our geology course, and also visiting ancient sites during our class field trips. From the start, those were what drew me into the program the most. I also thought the museum trips would be neat to see, because Italy has some of the most renowned remains of artwork (especially sculptures) around today. I was most nervous about meeting new people, but I was glad to find out how well our group got along. Even though we are all different people, everyone found their place in the program
What was your favorite place that you traveled to or an activity you did while abroad?
My favorite place we traveled to would either be Pompeii and Herculaneum (the two major cities lost in the Mt. Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD), or when we visited Emperor Augustus's house on the Palatine Hill in Rome. This palace was particularly interesting, first because it belonged to such an important ruler, but also because there were visual holograms that projected onto the ruins that allowed us to see what the house would've looked like during that time. Although seeing Pompeii was an amazing experience, I also loved seeing Augustus's house because it allowed me to step into the ancient world in a way that I hadn't been able to before.
What advice would you like to give to future study abroad students?
Try everything! I think study abroad for a lot of people is such a formative time period, even if it's only for a couple of months. But I know from personal experience and from talking with other students, a lot of us feel like different people now that we're back in the US. I think this has a lot to do with stepping outside of our comfort zones and taking risks. If something is optional, say yes anyway. Climb mountains, go on hikes, go out to dinner with a few people you didn't think you'd be friends with. A lot of people on our trip kept saying "when else will we be in Italy?" and so we took advantage of every opportunity to make the most of our trip.
