First day in Rome
Author: Grant Smith | Major: International and Global Studies | Semester: Summer 2022
My study abroad differs from most because it not only consisted of classwork but also an internship in a foreign country. I have always wanted to work abroad, thus being the reason I study international studies and the premise for why I decided to enroll in this program. I was in Rome for eight weeks, the first five weeks I was studying and working and the last three weeks I was just working.
The class I was enrolled in was Italian One. Although my minor in college is Chinese, I knew I was going to be in another culture for a long period of time so I decided it would be best to learn how to communicate with the locals of Rome. At first this class was incredibly difficult because I was not use to a romance language but with the help of my teacher, I was able to make huge improvements in a short amount of time. I also believe that being surrounded by the Italian language inside and outside of class really helped me learn. While I enjoyed this class very much, I believe the most benefits I received came from the internship aspect of this program.
My internship was at Hummustown, which is a nonprofit organization that employs middle eastern refugees and teaches them occupational and language skills. I was thrown into a challenging environment for a multitude of reasons. First, the expectations of an intern in Italy compared to one in the US is completely different. For instance, in Italy I was given a lot more room for creativity. At times I struggled with this because I did not know if I was meeting my manager’s expectations. Moreover, I was put into a multi-cultural environment that combined my US perspective, with a ton of middle eastern cultures in an Italian environment. This made it very challenging to understand one another especially since most people did not speak English. Thus, I had to learn other ways to communicate like using google translate, body language, images, etc. I believe this was a monumental lesson for me to learn because it helped me learn how to overcome the obstacle of differing languages and cultures which is a problem I will often have in the future if I do work abroad.
Outside of my job and class I would often take trips with newfound friends or by myself to other regions of Italy or Europe. I traveled to Venice, Florence, Naples, Cinque Terre, Barcelona, and Munich. This was one of my favorite parts of this study abroad because it allowed me not only to learn Roman Italian culture but also compare with other regions in Italy and other countries. I really enjoyed how the food and architecture would differ from place to place. What I came to learn was that Europe was very fragmented by regions in the past and one can still see what an area valued by the way they created their unique culture. For instance, in Rome architecture was very Greco-Roman and emphasized the past while Barcelona takes a lot after Gaudí and enjoys more natural metaphors with abstract designs. However, the most important thing I learned from these travels was just how joyful it is for everyone to encounter new cultures. Not only did everyone seem at their happiest traveling here but also the locals seemed to love the idea that so many had an interest in their culture.
Overall, this has been a perspective altering trip for me. I have attempted to learn new languages, encountered perspectives I never knew, appreciated beauty in similarities and differences, while learning to work abroad in an efficient way–even though I faced more obstacles than I would in an English-speaking nation. For these reasons, I would suggest for anyone to intern in Rome because it allows one to learn more about not only others but also themselves. This program will be challenging because it will take one out of their comfort zone but that is what makes this amazing. I do believe it would be easier for someone to understand Italian beforehand, but I do not think that should hold anyone back. If anything, just take Italian One while you are here. I have loved this trip and the first thing I will do when I am home is reach out to other refugee organizations in NWA. I want to help in any way I can, the same way I did for my internship. This trip has created a passion in me that I did not know I had before.