After climbing 468 steps to the cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore, we were rewarded with a panoramic view of Florence.

Author: Jacquelynn Horsey | Major: Biomedical Engineering

Before stepping onto a plane in Little Rock, Arkansas on a cloudy May morning I had only flown once before. The anxiety was peaking and the nerves were flowing as the plane’s engines roared and the force of take off pinned me to my seat. Little did I know that this, the beginning of my five weeks in Italy, was the beginning of a once in a lifetime experience.

This summer I enrolled in the University of Arkansas Rome Center’s Summer Campus. This program allowed me to take classes of my choice while also being fully immersed in Italian culture. Our housing for this program was various apartments scattered across the city of Rome. This was a unique experience as we lived amongst locals, rather than staying in a dorm surrounded by other students. As for classes, I took Italian I and Art History. I fully believe there is a benefit to learning another language, even if it is just for five weeks, and what better place is there than Rome to attempt to learn Italian. While I am nowhere near fluent, I was able to learn how to order in a restaurant, ask for and give directions, and express basic feelings. Rather than sit in the classroom all day, our professor would take us out to local cafes and let us practice using our newly acquired skills.

The world of art and design is something I have always loved and appreciated, even as an engineer. I had not taken an art history class since high school so I was ecstatic to dive back into the subject. Similar to how our Italian professor would take us on trips outside of the classroom to enrich our experience, our art history professor would often conduct class at a museum or significant basilica. As opposed to just lecturing on the importance of ancient Roman statues in the classroom, our professor would take us to a museum that housed such pieces and allow us to experience them in person. This was one of my favorite elements of the entire program, considering I likely would not have visited many of the sites on my own. My favorite visit was to the basilica of San Clemente. While the church itself was immediately breathtaking, it was what was underneath that peaked my interest. One story below the modern day basilica was an early Byzantine church; two stories below was an ancient Mithraeum, or a church for the pagan cult of Mithra. Since the location was an active archaeological site, pictures were not allowed, but this was one of my favorite memories of the entire trip and I am grateful we were able to experience it with the guide of a professor.

Many of my classes on campus in Fayetteville have been quite large, some around the three hundred mark. In Rome this could not be farther from the case. Classes on average consisted of about fifteen students, a fact that I became increasingly grateful for. When it comes to learning a new language, individual attention is necessary. It was also because of these smaller classes that we were able to spend time outside of the classroom, another difference between the Rome campus and Fayetteville. Both campuses have advantages to offer and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have experienced both.

While it is obvious that I was not taking biomedical engineering classes, there is still great benefit to the classes I took and the experience that I had. Before traveling overseas you are often warned of culture shock. This is an overwhelming feeling sometimes experienced by travelers when they are immersed in a foreign culture. This shock can be somewhat controlled by the use of a growth mindset. All too often I find myself seeing the world through an egocentric lens. Once I arrived in Rome it was quickly made clear that this would only hurt my experience. While there were elements of Italian culture that surprised me, I became increasingly aware of the importance of being open to trying new things and new ways of life. As a young adult, this is a skill that is beneficial not only in traveling, but in new experiences and life as a whole. Because of this experience I have strengthened my patience with myself and others and learned how to communicate even with a language barrier.

One example of differences in culture that I had to adapt to was the sacrality of the meal time. Not once, in my five weeks of living in Italy, was I brought the check at a restaurant without asking for it. It was explained to us that Italians see the meal as a special time to be valued and enjoyed with others, not rushed. In America I feel that we are always on the go, moving as fast as possible to the next thing. This could not be further from the way of life of the Italians. They like to savor their time with friends and family, and they can talk for hours. They grab an espresso and talk, a glass of wine and talk, or even a scoop of gelato and talk. Frankly, I am not sure how they do not run out of things to talk about!

I have been told many times by family and friends that this was a once and a lifetime trip that was fortunate enough to experience. The further away from it I get, the more I am able to look back and realize that they were right. I will admit, I was extremely nervous about studying abroad, as I had little flying experience and had never been out of the country. However, studying abroad completely altered my worldview for the better and pushed me to explore beyond my comfort zone. For anyone even considering studying abroad, do it. If you are unsure, look up places you want to visit to engender excitement and then go to google maps street view to get familiar with the area. These are just some practical things I did when I was nervous. The biggest advice I can give anyone studying abroad is to have an open mind; your mindset can drastically change your entire experience. The more willing you are to learn, visit, and discover new things, the more the host country will reward you.