I spent a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy. I was very excited for this experience, but I didn’t really know what to expect. Before leaving, I had done a lot of reading and research on Italy and Italian culture. Although this helped my understanding of the culture, nothing can compare to living there and experiencing it first-hand. Many things were exactly as I expected, but many things also took me by surprise. Adjusting to a new culture is difficult, but I found that to be one of the most fulfilling things about studying abroad. There certainly things that were frustrating, but I learned that cultures tend to be very quick to judge another culture. Learning to keep an open mind was not always easy, but studying abroad helped with that and taught me that cultural differences are not always bad, but different. Doing things differently does not make it wrong. I’ve even adopted some Italian ways of doing things into my daily life since moving back home.
My global theme is resources and sustainability and the challenge for my beyond the classroom experience was how to make food production, consumption, and disposal more sustainable and ethical. I took a class called ethics and justice in food systems. The class focused on ethics and sustainability in food systems in Italy, as well as around the world. We discussed a range of topics, including food waste, the economy around food, social movements regarding food, and even learned about organized crime around food and agromafia. Learning about food while living in Italy was fascinating, since Italians have a proud culture surrounding their food. It was interesting to learn about food systems in a country where it tends to be more sustainable and then compare it to the food systems in the United States. A very memorable moment from my experience and this class specifically was learning about and trying lampredotto. This is a traditional Florentine street food. It is made from the final stomach of the cow, cooked in a vegetable broth and served inside a bread roll. Italians have a tradition of “cucina povera,” which translates to “poor kitchen,” but is a style of cuisine in which no food is wasted. Because that part of the cow would usually be thrown away, lampredotto is a great example of this. My professor taught us about this but wanted us to try it and truly experience it. Although it wasn’t my favorite food, I am very glad I tried it. After our meal, a few of us sat with our professor and discussed our eating habits back in the United States, compared to Italy. We talked about grocery shopping, cooking, and how we dispose of food. It was interesting to discuss the differences on such a personal level. Because of this class, I’ve changed many of my eating habits to be more sustainable. For example, I try to use everything I buy to reduce food waste, and I try to buy from more local and sustainable producers. They are small changes, but even that can make a small difference.
Studying abroad was instrumental in my personal growth, especially my leadership skills. I have become more confident and outgoing. Because I met so many new people, my ability to connect with new people has improved. For example, I noticed and improvement while at work over the summer. I worked at a state park and was easily able to connect and converse with guests and was more confident enforcing park rules. I was able to confidently train new employees and take the lead on multiple projects. Overall, I had a great time studying abroad; I learned a ton, I gained new perspectives on peoples and cultures, and I grew as a person.
Beyond the Classroom 