Author: Abigail Williams Major: Political Science
Found a hog in Florence
“Siamo in arrivo a Pisa Centrale.” With these words, spoken in gentle Italian over the train speaker, my friend Katherine and I looked at each other, jumped up, and joined the mass of other beachgoers crowded around the doors of the train. This was our stop, or rather, our connecting station. We were all in the same boat (or, in this case, train); we had exactly three minutes to disembark from this train and catch the next train that would take us back to Florence — the last train of the night.
After a seemingly interminable pause, the train doors finally opened. In that moment, the crowd, Katherine and I included made the unconscious decision to sprint to the next platform so as not to miss the train. As the doors opened, all of us poured out in a mad race to platform 9. So there I was, absolutely booking it through the Pisa train station in Italy, surrounded by about a hundred other speeding Italians. And I could not have been happier.
My study abroad to Italy was two years in the making. Originally, I had planned to go in the summer of 2020, but, for obvious reasons, that trip was cancelled. After going through the application process for a second time, amassing a stack of documents to allow me through Italian immigration, receiving numerous Covid tests, and traveling via plane and train, I found myself in a place I never actually thought I would be: Florence, Italy.
This was a five-week summer program through Academic Programs International (API), which I chose because of the variety of interesting classes offered. I took two classes: Organized Crime: Sociology and History of the Italian Mafia and Italian Grand Tour: Italy Through the Eyes of Famous Travelers. Both of these courses count towards either my political science major or my Italian minor. As a political science major, it is helpful to have encounters abroad in order to gain first-hand experience of different political and cultural systems. In such a rapidly changing world, brought closer by globalization, technology, and politics, a comprehensive, international mindset becomes a necessity.
My classes did not disappoint! The Italian mafia class offered me a detailed overview of the four mafias present in Italy, while the Italian Grand Tour class drew parallels between my study abroad experience and the experiences of travelers who visited Italy during the time of the Grand Tour. Each class was 2.5 hours long, for a total of 5 hours a day, Monday through Thursday. Though at times the classes were rigorous, I thoroughly enjoyed the subject matter. The fact that I was learning about Italy in Italy just enhanced the overall experience. Both of my professors were amazing: supportive, friendly, and knowledgeable.
Though my classes were time-consuming, I still found time to go on a lot of adventures. Going into this trip, I was unsure whether I would be able to travel throughout Italy due to Covid restrictions. Luckily, the only restrictions I encountered were a mask mandate and a curfew. One of my favorite day trips was to Siena. The semester prior, in my Italian class at Arkansas, I had met two Italian students named Irene and Lisa through a language exchange program. In Siena, I got to meet them both in person and it felt like we had been friends for years. They showed me around Siena while we talked about classes and exams and future careers. We ended the afternoon with a trip to their favorite gelato place.
Every trip I took felt like a surreal experience. I remember standing in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa wondering how I got there because I had never imagined that I would have this opportunity. Eating cacio e pepe pasta with a view of the Colosseum seemed unreal. Swimming in Amalfi’s deep blue water, set against the colorful houses built into the surrounding cliffs, felt like a dream.
My favorite place had to be Florence, my home for five weeks. I never imagined that I would fall so hard or so fast for a city I barely knew. I loved walking past the Duomo every day for class, getting gelato at my favorite gelato place, and running at Cascine Park. One of my favorite things to do in Florence was sit at Ponte Vecchio in the evenings and listen to the live music that was there every night.
But somehow, all of my best memories and moments were more about who I was with than where I was. The people I met through my study abroad program were some of the most amazing, interesting people I have ever encountered. Who else but Katherine would sprint through a train station with me to catch the train that was leaving in three minutes? What would I do without Mandy, who had the same class schedule as me and was always up for gelato? Where would I be without Natalia and her impeccable Italian?
Every day, I would say hello to Mario, the leather salesman who had a shop beneath my apartment. I would gossip with my literature professor before each class. I met an artist from Japan who shared my excitement to be living in Italy, and another artist who painted pictures of her cats. Travel, and also life, is about who you are with and who you encounter. If you invest in your relationships, your efforts will not be misplaced.
When people ask me about my time in Italy, I tell them that it exceeded all of my expectations, that it couldn’t have been any better. I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to study abroad, especially during a pandemic. I would urge everyone who can to study abroad simply because it is so fun. Go, study abroad, make friends, explore your home city, see the sights, take lots of pictures, and eat lots of good food. Also, try not to miss your train.