I would advise any student, if they are granted the opportunity, to study abroad. I think that often, students might feel as if they “can’t do it.” For example, I have heard some say that as they approach their upperclassman or post undergraduate years, they feel it is more difficult to do so, so they then refrain. Though, as a graduate student, I am proud to say that I finished…
Amongst many of the great experiences I had encountered in Italy, one of my favorites was our visit to the children’s hospital in Florence. The Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria (AOU) Meyer Children’s Hospital of Florence, located on the outskirts of the city, is the only children’s hospital within the Tuscany region. It is rather new, built within the past ten years, and large, about 33,000 square meters total. It can be…
As I sit down to reflect on my time in Sorrento, Italy, I am flooded with a whirlwind of emotions and memories. It has been a little over a week since my study abroad trip concluded, and honestly, it feels unreal. Unreal that it even happened, and unreal that it’s already over. The past 6 weeks have been nothing short of transformative, and the experiences I had will leave a mark on…
Balancing daily life affairs, classes, mandatory program meetings, and exploring my host country has proven to be a learned skill. During my first two weeks abroad it was easy to visit the local war memorials, art museums, and local hotspots such as Myeondong and Hongdae. Classes were still short, and it was highly encouraged to go and explore the city! But as my time here continued I realized…
Over the course of the four-week period I spent studying abroad as a graduate student, I have had the most gracious opportunity to engage with children and families at the Giardino di Borgo Allegri. This location, which, in English, translates to the cheerful village garden, was located just a few-minute walk from our apartment in downtown Florence, Italy. Essentially, the Giardino di Borgo Allegri, one of many community-based Giardinos in…
My name is Keisha Gonzalez, and I have already spent my first three days in my study abroad program in Trujillo, Spain. I have started my CSCI 300 class and my internship opportunity with Solar Drone. This is my first time traveling internationally, to a place I have always dreamed of, and it has been an amazing experience so far. I believe that being natively fluent in Spanish has helped…
6 weeks, 14 cities. I have seen Diocletian’s Palace, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Duremo, Roman Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum and Palatine, Pompeii ruins, Mount Vesuvius, Faraglioni Rocks, St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. The list could go on…and I still have one week left. I think when you go abroad you have a certain expectation for your experience. You ultimately want to make sure…
During my time studying abroad in Florence, I have had the opportunity to travel to different towns in Italy. One weekend we went to Vernazza, a small town in Cinque Terre. I was able to ask them questions about the language and how certain phrases were properly spoken. They had so much cultural humility towards me as I did them. They were excited to have a teachable moment and…
I just got back from a week-long trip to Paris, and I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable and mind-blowing experiences of my life. I am a huge fan of museums. Everywhere I go, the first thing I do is scope out the local museums, botanical gardens, aquariums, arboretums, and historical sites. In La Rochelle, I was delighted to discover how many museums I had access…
Before starting my time abroad at Kansai Gaidai, I kept having people tell me about how wonderful an opportunity studying abroad really is. I heard them, but I never anticipated it being so monumental for my life and my personal growth. As soon as I touched down in Japan, I hit the ground running by going to all sorts of places and meeting many people along the way. While the…
